I'm writing this in the middle of a planning class, as I've paid all my debt.
The coffee house is fast approaching, two weeks from this thursday. We (Tamlyn and I) have drawn up our entire program and it's looking as though the whole thing will be close to three hours long. Alone, I'm playing one original guitar composition. The Fab and I will be playing Equinox, Little Sunflower, Cousin Mary and Misterioso. I'll also be playing an acoustic rendition of Frances Farmer will have her revenge on Seattle with a young man named Victor. Next block, we have to head to the office and make sure the room we need to use isn't double-booked.
On 'Day 2s,' Tamlyn, Claire and I are renovating the latter's treehouse for school (we were sick of drama). How are we being graded on this? We're inviting our teacher over for tea and crumpets! (O yeah, as Tamlyn just corrected me while she was rudely reading over my shoulder, we're also making a documentary about the process.) By the way, this project allows us to leave school like two-and-a-half hours early. I also get to practice the saxomophone every other day this way!
Nothing will stand in my way!!
Oh, and Eureka seveN is over in two weeks! I'm preparing for post-cartoon land depression.
Showing posts with label eureka seven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eureka seven. Show all posts
November 6, 2007
June 14, 2007
MooddooM
Well, I'll tell you all about the recording front this past little while, because unusually, there has been a recording front lately.
I'll just tell you first off that none of these compositions will be appearing here any time soon, so don't get too excited. The first came together from a number of unlikely sources. When I'm trying to sleep, sometimes something will pop into my head. Sometimes music, sometimes something else that I feel inclined to write down for some reason, such as the sentence, "Move it, you fascinating sky." Anyhow, one day something in 3/4 with two guitars popped into my head. I got up and figured it out, wrote it down and forgot about it. A week or two later, I was thinking about generic fucked up circus music in 3/4 and I went to the forte. I figured out this little thing involving really not-so-chord-ish chords that I've since learned are called 'tone clusters'. I realised that the guitar parts would fit over it! Then, I guess not long after, I was listening to the sweet hard-partying sounds of Greed by Swans and enjoying the rhythmic, repetitive nature of it. As soon as it was over, I quickly wrote a sax part and recorded the whole thing. Why isn't it ready? a. I didn't use a click track, which means I will need to retake the whole thing. b. It needs development. Repetition without development, in this case anyway, would bore your brain out. In a live context, however, I'm sure you would find it appealing.
The second is basically two tracks of bass feedback at two different pitches. It's five minutes long. I guess I need to play something over it, but even if I don't, it's pretty soothing.
The third is quite similar to the first. It has a two-note bassline and mid-range forte chords, first executed in a staccato manner, then a sustained manner. A dreamy guitar clothes what we'll call the middle section. And over all this....an electric drill. Maybe I'll find a way of fusing all three pieces together.
O'brien and I took a trip to the anime store at metrotown the other day. There was a hell of a lot of stuff there, despite how small it was. I will be returning soon!
I'll just tell you first off that none of these compositions will be appearing here any time soon, so don't get too excited. The first came together from a number of unlikely sources. When I'm trying to sleep, sometimes something will pop into my head. Sometimes music, sometimes something else that I feel inclined to write down for some reason, such as the sentence, "Move it, you fascinating sky." Anyhow, one day something in 3/4 with two guitars popped into my head. I got up and figured it out, wrote it down and forgot about it. A week or two later, I was thinking about generic fucked up circus music in 3/4 and I went to the forte. I figured out this little thing involving really not-so-chord-ish chords that I've since learned are called 'tone clusters'. I realised that the guitar parts would fit over it! Then, I guess not long after, I was listening to the sweet hard-partying sounds of Greed by Swans and enjoying the rhythmic, repetitive nature of it. As soon as it was over, I quickly wrote a sax part and recorded the whole thing. Why isn't it ready? a. I didn't use a click track, which means I will need to retake the whole thing. b. It needs development. Repetition without development, in this case anyway, would bore your brain out. In a live context, however, I'm sure you would find it appealing.
The second is basically two tracks of bass feedback at two different pitches. It's five minutes long. I guess I need to play something over it, but even if I don't, it's pretty soothing.
The third is quite similar to the first. It has a two-note bassline and mid-range forte chords, first executed in a staccato manner, then a sustained manner. A dreamy guitar clothes what we'll call the middle section. And over all this....an electric drill. Maybe I'll find a way of fusing all three pieces together.
O'brien and I took a trip to the anime store at metrotown the other day. There was a hell of a lot of stuff there, despite how small it was. I will be returning soon!
March 15, 2007
Everything I would have written
Sorr-ry I haven't written in a while.
Mel (my sax teacher), whose real name is actually Colin, invited me to see him play a set at a Greek restaurant last Friday. He said they were a trio "with an incredible bassist and an incredible drummer". I brought a truckload of people with me. Fab, both his parents, Cosmic clock, Sylvia and Wallis. He played tenor throughout both their sets. I recognised only one song they played, but I don't know the name.
During his solos, he never played any light-speed passages or anything. He always took his time, and his thoughts and ideas were extremely clear. I forget the bassist's name, but as Sylvia remarked as soon as she sat down, "They have an excellent bass player". Whenever we applauded at the end of one of his solos, he would nod at us.
The drummer's name was Joe, and he was very young. He had guitar face: drummer's edition. But he was entitled to it. I recall the first time I saw a live jazz band at an opening at the art gallery. The guitarist had an expression that is probably exclusive to jazz players. Kind of like he was high on his music, or as Jimmy Ricardo once put it, "He is having an inner communion with his God, the musical note". And that is how Joe looked, but much more over-the-top. Everyone in the place obviously loved him. His solos were almost like their own pieces of music. My new favourite living drummer (my favourite dead one being Shelly Manne, who played on Sonny Rollins's Way out west).
Everyone talked about it the whole ride home. I think everyone had an excellent time. When I asked Cosmic, so did you enjoy yourself this evening, she said she was surprised how good they were. I said yes, he said they had an incredible bassist and an incredible drummer. She said, "And he wasn't lying. But what he failed to mention is that he was good at playing, too".
On the drive, there is a corner where no business can succeed. There have been about three restaurants in the last three years. About a month ago, a new cafe opened there called The End. Stella and I went there to see if it was frequent-worthy. There are no coffee shops in our neighbourhood (no good ones anyway). It was clean, you could order just a coffee or a whole meal, the waitress had a lovely accent, there were a googolplex different places to sit (leather furniture, even), and the food was cheap but perfectly good. Five out of five fish on the Bishop scale!
Fab and I met at said cafe on Sunday and had dinner. We then proceeded back to Stella's to jam, the outcome of which can be heard on our blog. Glissando isn't a band name, it's just a cool word. Stella has forbidden us from discussing a band name until we have recorded at least six compositions. We will continue tomorrow before Eureka Seven, which unfortunately has been moved to eleven o'clock.
Mel (my sax teacher), whose real name is actually Colin, invited me to see him play a set at a Greek restaurant last Friday. He said they were a trio "with an incredible bassist and an incredible drummer". I brought a truckload of people with me. Fab, both his parents, Cosmic clock, Sylvia and Wallis. He played tenor throughout both their sets. I recognised only one song they played, but I don't know the name.
During his solos, he never played any light-speed passages or anything. He always took his time, and his thoughts and ideas were extremely clear. I forget the bassist's name, but as Sylvia remarked as soon as she sat down, "They have an excellent bass player". Whenever we applauded at the end of one of his solos, he would nod at us.
The drummer's name was Joe, and he was very young. He had guitar face: drummer's edition. But he was entitled to it. I recall the first time I saw a live jazz band at an opening at the art gallery. The guitarist had an expression that is probably exclusive to jazz players. Kind of like he was high on his music, or as Jimmy Ricardo once put it, "He is having an inner communion with his God, the musical note". And that is how Joe looked, but much more over-the-top. Everyone in the place obviously loved him. His solos were almost like their own pieces of music. My new favourite living drummer (my favourite dead one being Shelly Manne, who played on Sonny Rollins's Way out west).
Everyone talked about it the whole ride home. I think everyone had an excellent time. When I asked Cosmic, so did you enjoy yourself this evening, she said she was surprised how good they were. I said yes, he said they had an incredible bassist and an incredible drummer. She said, "And he wasn't lying. But what he failed to mention is that he was good at playing, too".
On the drive, there is a corner where no business can succeed. There have been about three restaurants in the last three years. About a month ago, a new cafe opened there called The End. Stella and I went there to see if it was frequent-worthy. There are no coffee shops in our neighbourhood (no good ones anyway). It was clean, you could order just a coffee or a whole meal, the waitress had a lovely accent, there were a googolplex different places to sit (leather furniture, even), and the food was cheap but perfectly good. Five out of five fish on the Bishop scale!
Fab and I met at said cafe on Sunday and had dinner. We then proceeded back to Stella's to jam, the outcome of which can be heard on our blog. Glissando isn't a band name, it's just a cool word. Stella has forbidden us from discussing a band name until we have recorded at least six compositions. We will continue tomorrow before Eureka Seven, which unfortunately has been moved to eleven o'clock.
February 18, 2007
Bob's poem
My most recent sax lesson, which took place on tuesday, was the most fruitful yet. I asked my teacher, Mel, so what can you tell me about playing a solo over a chord progression? He showed me how to analyze a piece of music, a solo or head, so I could get an idea of what one might play over a given chord. He recommended that I purchase the Charlie Parker Omnibook and analyze and learn the music in it. So I did. And the first thing I discovered, quite frustratingly, is that the lead sheet (for 'Blues for Alice') I had previously printed off the internet had at least four mistakes in it. Right when I could play it up to speed! Frikkin' internet, eh? So I'm relearning that tune, pretty much, along with 'Segment'. I'm also working on my own decomposition.
Alrite, I had some more weird dreams last night. Nothing to do with the last two, though. The first one involved George Harrison sitting in a room wearing white sheets, surrounded by a bunch of people, his students, who were wearing similar clothing. He was teaching them various Indian customs. Then John showed up and was of course letting everyone know that his cloud was higher than theirs. George said to his students, "Here's how you leave the room", and began edging out of the room in a sort of crabwalk. Everyone began following suit, but John's version involved wiggling his arms and more wobbly steps. I guess that was the more enlightened way of doing it.
In the second dream, I was in my livingroom, which was bigger and very crowded with people. There was also a large table in the middle. Bob Dylan was there, and he recited a poem. It was addressed to himself. It went something like, "Bob Dylan, you're being held aloft by God. So what's it like to look the most famous man in the world in the face? I wish I were you, because you exist in a verse." He picked me up and threw me onto the table during the recitation.
O'Brien surprised me and Cosima on friday by producing two Eureka Seven DVDs from his pack, Eureka Seven being a tv show we watch religiously. It's exciting!
Alrite, I had some more weird dreams last night. Nothing to do with the last two, though. The first one involved George Harrison sitting in a room wearing white sheets, surrounded by a bunch of people, his students, who were wearing similar clothing. He was teaching them various Indian customs. Then John showed up and was of course letting everyone know that his cloud was higher than theirs. George said to his students, "Here's how you leave the room", and began edging out of the room in a sort of crabwalk. Everyone began following suit, but John's version involved wiggling his arms and more wobbly steps. I guess that was the more enlightened way of doing it.
In the second dream, I was in my livingroom, which was bigger and very crowded with people. There was also a large table in the middle. Bob Dylan was there, and he recited a poem. It was addressed to himself. It went something like, "Bob Dylan, you're being held aloft by God. So what's it like to look the most famous man in the world in the face? I wish I were you, because you exist in a verse." He picked me up and threw me onto the table during the recitation.
O'Brien surprised me and Cosima on friday by producing two Eureka Seven DVDs from his pack, Eureka Seven being a tv show we watch religiously. It's exciting!
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