Poem written for a friend. DA friends might have read it already :-)
Chaos
With a swirl and a twirl and a romp-stomp-slam
A slip and a slide and a crash-boom-bang
in the swinging, moving, pulsing mass is
a breathing puffing, pushing lass
she steps to the front and swerves to the right
her partner swings and she holds on tight
round they go and around again
through twirling, swirling women and men
he lets her go then he grabs her back
their legs keep movin' while their arms go slack
the crescendo builds and the pace gets hotter
she almost slips but he's still got'er
one more step, then a jump and FREEZE!
... and in the sudden silence, she laughs with glee.
He bows, she curtsey's, they smile at each other
he takes a breath: - "D'ya fancy another?"
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
The Cotton Club
As some of you know I have taken up Swing Dancing by way of Lindy Hop lessons run by an outfit called Jitterbugs. I'd always been interested in the dance style - in an academic way - but when I went to Perth nearer the start of the year I was able to see some first-hand and realised this was more than half a fancy.
Upon my return I mentioned this off-hand to my best friend Rachie (still need a code-name for her!). She replied enthusiastically that her flatmate Johnno did swing dance and did I want her to to find out where he went for lessons? So it was that I joined Johnno at Jitterbugs. Well, I sort of joined him. First I didn't tell him I was going - I just turned up to the Lindy 1 class, and as he turned up at the end of my lesson for his Lindy 4 class he was surprised to see me there!! Now he comes a little earlier to join in and have a wee social dance with me between classes. Isn't he lovely!?
I have managed now six lessons - the first time I dragged The Agent with me and had to dance lead. The second time I took The Ginge and learned the part of a follow. Third time I invited a salsa-dancing South African and was follow again. For lesson number four I turned up on my own and opted to take the lead again making it 50/50. Mean skillz huh?! It wasn't the easiest to get away from work in order to make these lessons. I have to take roughly two to 2.5 hours off work every second Wednesday, and this means I need to have already worked those hours somewhere else. (We are given Time Off In Lieu - TOIL, for every hour of overtime we work. If we haven't clocked up extra hours, we don't get to take them off). So far it's worked out okay and I still have 4 hours I can take for the next two night shifts, but it might be getting a little tricky after that.
Anyway, here I was having learnt the lead twice and learnt the follow twice and I decided I'd quite like to keep the pattern. By learning to lead I was becoming a better follow, and I certainly hope the reverse is also true. The people at the class are all smiley, happy people, and I really enjoy the atmosphere as well as the dancing - it's all a lot of fun. So after learning the follower's part for my fifth lesson I decided I was keen to join them all at the Point Chevalier Returned Services Association (Or Pt Chev RSA) for a two-monthly event they call The Cotton Club.
Although it was $20 at the door to get in, I invited Rachel to come with me and she was keen so on the night I picked her and Johnno up from their flat and off we went. The theme was Black & White and while I'm not one for wearing dresses I was keen to put some effort in so I wore black shirt and pants with white braces and a white tie. I also have a mock-fedora style hat I picked up from an emporium for about $5 so I wore that too. I flatter myself that I did look quite dashing (just call me Jo March). Johnno had a very nice-looking waist-coat and tie and Rachel was lovely in a dress which definitely looked the part.
Everyone's dancing skill was well above my own. Even Rachie, who's only lesson was the half-hour quick intro on the night, picked it up like a duck to water. I practiced my social dancing as lead by taking Rachie out for some unimaginative spins on the floor and tried not to trip on my toes when Johnno, Matt or another would ask me up and I had to do everything off the other foot.
But the music was simply divine - a live jazz band - and the dancers were a glory to watch. It really solidified in my mind that this is definitely something I want to do. I am enjoying the little bit that I do know, and I am looking forward to being able to dance like this:
Yep, that's the Cotton Club at the Pt Chev RSA. I took that video myself, can you tell? I am, if nothing else, a professional ;-) Watch this space though - in four years time it should be me dancing like that!!
Upon my return I mentioned this off-hand to my best friend Rachie (still need a code-name for her!). She replied enthusiastically that her flatmate Johnno did swing dance and did I want her to to find out where he went for lessons? So it was that I joined Johnno at Jitterbugs. Well, I sort of joined him. First I didn't tell him I was going - I just turned up to the Lindy 1 class, and as he turned up at the end of my lesson for his Lindy 4 class he was surprised to see me there!! Now he comes a little earlier to join in and have a wee social dance with me between classes. Isn't he lovely!?
I have managed now six lessons - the first time I dragged The Agent with me and had to dance lead. The second time I took The Ginge and learned the part of a follow. Third time I invited a salsa-dancing South African and was follow again. For lesson number four I turned up on my own and opted to take the lead again making it 50/50. Mean skillz huh?! It wasn't the easiest to get away from work in order to make these lessons. I have to take roughly two to 2.5 hours off work every second Wednesday, and this means I need to have already worked those hours somewhere else. (We are given Time Off In Lieu - TOIL, for every hour of overtime we work. If we haven't clocked up extra hours, we don't get to take them off). So far it's worked out okay and I still have 4 hours I can take for the next two night shifts, but it might be getting a little tricky after that.
Anyway, here I was having learnt the lead twice and learnt the follow twice and I decided I'd quite like to keep the pattern. By learning to lead I was becoming a better follow, and I certainly hope the reverse is also true. The people at the class are all smiley, happy people, and I really enjoy the atmosphere as well as the dancing - it's all a lot of fun. So after learning the follower's part for my fifth lesson I decided I was keen to join them all at the Point Chevalier Returned Services Association (Or Pt Chev RSA) for a two-monthly event they call The Cotton Club.
Although it was $20 at the door to get in, I invited Rachel to come with me and she was keen so on the night I picked her and Johnno up from their flat and off we went. The theme was Black & White and while I'm not one for wearing dresses I was keen to put some effort in so I wore black shirt and pants with white braces and a white tie. I also have a mock-fedora style hat I picked up from an emporium for about $5 so I wore that too. I flatter myself that I did look quite dashing (just call me Jo March). Johnno had a very nice-looking waist-coat and tie and Rachel was lovely in a dress which definitely looked the part.
Everyone's dancing skill was well above my own. Even Rachie, who's only lesson was the half-hour quick intro on the night, picked it up like a duck to water. I practiced my social dancing as lead by taking Rachie out for some unimaginative spins on the floor and tried not to trip on my toes when Johnno, Matt or another would ask me up and I had to do everything off the other foot.
But the music was simply divine - a live jazz band - and the dancers were a glory to watch. It really solidified in my mind that this is definitely something I want to do. I am enjoying the little bit that I do know, and I am looking forward to being able to dance like this:
Yep, that's the Cotton Club at the Pt Chev RSA. I took that video myself, can you tell? I am, if nothing else, a professional ;-) Watch this space though - in four years time it should be me dancing like that!!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
2nd Hand Gems
Found in the Sallies at The Mount:
How awesome do you have to be before you get your own orchestra?
Jim was always one of my Granma's favourites, and my parents have this record. Just seeing the cover reminds me of the music of my childhood.
Neil is so fantastic, and sparkly, I had to include his backside too. ;-)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Recording Project
Read this
THOUGH gargantuan the Task must appear to the Tyro, it must nevertheless be attempted : to essay definitively to evaluate the well-nigh gigantic Contribution to the Welfare of the melodious Muse achieved by Mr. ACKER BILK and those most admirable Complements to his Genius, the Members of the PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND. Suffice it, however, to record here merely that this agnate Crew have together scaled the glittering Heights whereon dwell the Giant Success and his Handmaiden, the Lady Fame.
Not once, not twice, but thrice have these be-laurelled Gentlemen sallied forth into the Lists, there to contest with cheaper, less worthy Opponents for the Publick's Crown of Acclaim: and three Times, too, have they emerged victorious - with the Ballad celebrating the doughty Leader's own West Country County of Birth; with a dulcet rondo paying elegant Tribute (upon the reverse Side of the Kingdom) to the Prodigal's first, and last, View of his Motherland; and - redolent of the Breeding and Manners for which Mr. B's Compatriots are renowned the Globe over - with a fetching Madrigal bidding of Good Morrow to a Lady of Latin Descent. And with each Success, planting the Standard of Jazz Music firmly atop the vasty Peaks and desolate Wastes of Popular Song, they raise anew a different Emblem: the Standard of Appreciation of those whose Taste had previously aspired to nothing better than the Banal, the Trite and the Meretricious.
Small Wonder, then, that from the four Corners of the Empire there ring ever and anew the Shouts of Acclaim, the Gasps of Surprise and the Protestations of Satisfaction and Amaze at the prodigious Exploits of (to name them all) Mr. Acker Bilk himself, vociferating and wielding the Clarionet; Mr. Ronald McKay, as dextrous laryngeally as he is with the padded Beater and the Cymbal Stick; Mr Collin Smith, a Tower of Strength in the Brass Department and, with his fellow Mummer, Mr. Jonathan Mortimer of Trombone Fame, a Big Gun in the comical Arsenal of the Ensemble; Mr. Stanley Greig, the original Northern Light and Displayer of Pyrotechnics at the Keyboard; Mr. Ernest Price, the scholarly Basher of the Bass; and Mr Roy James, whose Evocations from the Tenor Banjo bid fair to oust from Popular Esteem the Pipes of Pan.
This tempestuous Amalgam of Expertise and Enthusiasm has now succeeded yet again in capturing the popular Fancy with Gothick Trifle entitled "That Is My Home" (the which, coincidentally, may be discovered by those of shrewd Intellect upon this very Recording). It was therefore deemed Timely that those innumerable Persons to whose Huzzahs Mr. Bilk's Success is in no small Measure due should be accorded the Privilege of having revealed to them a further Selection of those airy Ballads from his vasty Repertoire which "Age cannot wither nor Custom stale." And that, in a convenient, circular Form, is what lies within this Envelope today.
My very good friend Megan asked me around about the middle of last year if I would take on a little project for her. I had already done a wee bit of research into the work, and agreed, thinking it would not take me more than a couple of days to get done. Alas I was mistaken! It took me a day and a half to realise that the computer program recommended to me was not going to do the job, and hour to find one that would, and two weeks to get the new program installed and running on my Linux desktop computer.
It was another two days before I could get a usable/decent input running into the correct connector on my computer, and then my stereo broke down. A couple of hours of fault finding, one more of soldering, and several minutes of reconstruction & reconnection and I was finally in a position to begin.
After a month away on a promotion course in the South Island and a few days working over the Christmas break I was finally ready to pass GO. And this, my friends, is the break-down of what I've been doing in my spare time:
First, I take one of Megan's father's LP records:
I set it up in the player and adjust the stereo to act as a 'source' for what would have been (back in the day) a tape recorder.
The other end of the cable is plugged into the mic input at the back of my computer.
In my computer I open the 'Terminal' application which is a lot like the DOS command prompt in windows and I instruct a (magic) program called ffmpeg to begin recording whatever sound is coming in the input.
As soon as I hit Enter, the program starts recording. I start the record, and we're off! I hang around the player for the 20 or 30 minutes it takes for the side to play out.
Occasionally there are scratches which require me to start recording that song from the start again and applying gentle pressure to the needle as necessary in order to get as smooth an output as possible. When the record stops playing I return to the computer and stop the recording. By this time the screen looks like this:
From here begins the laborious task of playing back the sound file and taking note of all the start and stop times for each track. Then I use the same ffmpeg program to convert each section of the recording into separate tracks. The command to do that looks something like this:
ffmpeg -ss 0:00:11 -i tasteofhoney-side2.wav -t 0:02:28 7EveningShadows.wav
And I keep going until this:
Looks like this:
Hooray! That's the hard stuff done.
Once I've finished recording and trimming both sides of the record, I burn them to CD. Styli.co.nz recommend Verbatim Digital Vinyl CDs, and have this to say about them: If you are wanting to transfer a record collection onto CD for whatever reason, you will likely want a good quality recording, These Disc's are Seriously the Best...
To be honest I can't comment on quality or longevity, but they seriously look cool:
Yes, the surface is textured like a record - grooves and all!
Here's the original and the finished product:
What's that you say? What does the excerpt at the start of this post have to do with any of it?
It's the blurb on the back of Mr. Acker Bilk's Lansdowne Folio.
I can get through one record per night-shift day, and 2-3 records per weekend day, if anyone is interested. CD's cost between NZD$2.30 & $4.50* and my labour is negotiable.
* Depending on whether they come in a 2-pack or 10-pack.
THOUGH gargantuan the Task must appear to the Tyro, it must nevertheless be attempted : to essay definitively to evaluate the well-nigh gigantic Contribution to the Welfare of the melodious Muse achieved by Mr. ACKER BILK and those most admirable Complements to his Genius, the Members of the PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND. Suffice it, however, to record here merely that this agnate Crew have together scaled the glittering Heights whereon dwell the Giant Success and his Handmaiden, the Lady Fame.
Not once, not twice, but thrice have these be-laurelled Gentlemen sallied forth into the Lists, there to contest with cheaper, less worthy Opponents for the Publick's Crown of Acclaim: and three Times, too, have they emerged victorious - with the Ballad celebrating the doughty Leader's own West Country County of Birth; with a dulcet rondo paying elegant Tribute (upon the reverse Side of the Kingdom) to the Prodigal's first, and last, View of his Motherland; and - redolent of the Breeding and Manners for which Mr. B's Compatriots are renowned the Globe over - with a fetching Madrigal bidding of Good Morrow to a Lady of Latin Descent. And with each Success, planting the Standard of Jazz Music firmly atop the vasty Peaks and desolate Wastes of Popular Song, they raise anew a different Emblem: the Standard of Appreciation of those whose Taste had previously aspired to nothing better than the Banal, the Trite and the Meretricious.
Small Wonder, then, that from the four Corners of the Empire there ring ever and anew the Shouts of Acclaim, the Gasps of Surprise and the Protestations of Satisfaction and Amaze at the prodigious Exploits of (to name them all) Mr. Acker Bilk himself, vociferating and wielding the Clarionet; Mr. Ronald McKay, as dextrous laryngeally as he is with the padded Beater and the Cymbal Stick; Mr Collin Smith, a Tower of Strength in the Brass Department and, with his fellow Mummer, Mr. Jonathan Mortimer of Trombone Fame, a Big Gun in the comical Arsenal of the Ensemble; Mr. Stanley Greig, the original Northern Light and Displayer of Pyrotechnics at the Keyboard; Mr. Ernest Price, the scholarly Basher of the Bass; and Mr Roy James, whose Evocations from the Tenor Banjo bid fair to oust from Popular Esteem the Pipes of Pan.
This tempestuous Amalgam of Expertise and Enthusiasm has now succeeded yet again in capturing the popular Fancy with Gothick Trifle entitled "That Is My Home" (the which, coincidentally, may be discovered by those of shrewd Intellect upon this very Recording). It was therefore deemed Timely that those innumerable Persons to whose Huzzahs Mr. Bilk's Success is in no small Measure due should be accorded the Privilege of having revealed to them a further Selection of those airy Ballads from his vasty Repertoire which "Age cannot wither nor Custom stale." And that, in a convenient, circular Form, is what lies within this Envelope today.
Mr. Peter Leslie
My very good friend Megan asked me around about the middle of last year if I would take on a little project for her. I had already done a wee bit of research into the work, and agreed, thinking it would not take me more than a couple of days to get done. Alas I was mistaken! It took me a day and a half to realise that the computer program recommended to me was not going to do the job, and hour to find one that would, and two weeks to get the new program installed and running on my Linux desktop computer.
It was another two days before I could get a usable/decent input running into the correct connector on my computer, and then my stereo broke down. A couple of hours of fault finding, one more of soldering, and several minutes of reconstruction & reconnection and I was finally in a position to begin.
After a month away on a promotion course in the South Island and a few days working over the Christmas break I was finally ready to pass GO. And this, my friends, is the break-down of what I've been doing in my spare time:
First, I take one of Megan's father's LP records:
I set it up in the player and adjust the stereo to act as a 'source' for what would have been (back in the day) a tape recorder.
The other end of the cable is plugged into the mic input at the back of my computer.
In my computer I open the 'Terminal' application which is a lot like the DOS command prompt in windows and I instruct a (magic) program called ffmpeg to begin recording whatever sound is coming in the input.
As soon as I hit Enter, the program starts recording. I start the record, and we're off! I hang around the player for the 20 or 30 minutes it takes for the side to play out.
Occasionally there are scratches which require me to start recording that song from the start again and applying gentle pressure to the needle as necessary in order to get as smooth an output as possible. When the record stops playing I return to the computer and stop the recording. By this time the screen looks like this:
From here begins the laborious task of playing back the sound file and taking note of all the start and stop times for each track. Then I use the same ffmpeg program to convert each section of the recording into separate tracks. The command to do that looks something like this:
ffmpeg -ss 0:00:11 -i tasteofhoney-side2.wav -t 0:02:28 7EveningShadows.wav
And I keep going until this:
Looks like this:
Hooray! That's the hard stuff done.
Once I've finished recording and trimming both sides of the record, I burn them to CD. Styli.co.nz recommend Verbatim Digital Vinyl CDs, and have this to say about them: If you are wanting to transfer a record collection onto CD for whatever reason, you will likely want a good quality recording, These Disc's are Seriously the Best...
To be honest I can't comment on quality or longevity, but they seriously look cool:
Here's the original and the finished product:
What's that you say? What does the excerpt at the start of this post have to do with any of it?
It's the blurb on the back of Mr. Acker Bilk's Lansdowne Folio.
I can get through one record per night-shift day, and 2-3 records per weekend day, if anyone is interested. CD's cost between NZD$2.30 & $4.50* and my labour is negotiable.
* Depending on whether they come in a 2-pack or 10-pack.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
XXV - One Of Your Most Prized Possessions
"One of..." Well that's lucky, at least it is not expecting me to pick a favourite this time.
Oh.. and just because I haven't strictly stuck to any of these challenges, here's a second of my favourite possesions:
Oh.. and just because I haven't strictly stuck to any of these challenges, here's a second of my favourite possesions:
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
30 Day Challenge Number 23 - Favourite Music Video
Is this Challenge kidding me? Favourite Artist, Favourite Song, and now favourite music video? Have I not made it clear enough that I love too much music to have any one favourite?
Fine... random video which came to mind:
Fine... random video which came to mind:
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Raquel Welch: Space Girl
Wow. What fantastic luck to come across this gem over at Topless Robots. Checking it out on YouTube led me to a very well-done remix, which includes the same visual element with a different song. I'm impressed with the timing. Can be found here.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Grounds for Divorce
My friend recently introduced me to a group called Elbow. I'm sure you may have heard of them already, and a couple of days after our discussion I discovered I already had a copy of their song Fallen Angel.
Anyway, although the song featured in the video above is not typical of the rest of their work, I do love the album it comes from - Seldom Seen Kid.
All this introduction to Elbow and discussion on blues music and whatnot spurred me to tune my guitar and make a little more practice. The chords for Grounds for Divorce are (apparently) Dm, C and G - all of which I can play (w00t). Unfortunately the song isn't really one for an acoustic guitar so it only works when accompanied by the song itself, and even then comes out feeling a little too upbeat for the general tone. Nevertheless I took the guitar in to work (since we'd been having a quiet week) and mucked around a bit with the song, the chords and with Dave, who can actually play. The upshot of all this is that Dave has taught me the starting notes to the 12 Bar Blues. I'm really thrilled to have learned the first part of this awesome and versatile piece and once I've mastered it I'll be keen to move on to the next part.
Unfortunately, while my guitar has a great natural sound to it the neck suffers from high action. This is where the strings sit quite high off the frets due to an exaggerated bend in the neck. Because the strings are steel and my little finger is quite little and not very strong, I struggle to get the strings pushed onto the frets firmly enough for a clear sound.
Apparently I can alter the action of my guitar by adjusting the bend in the neck. On the surface this is something a techie like me can easily accomplish. Remove the covering plate at the top of the neck (3 phillips-head screws) and use an allen key to adjust the bend in the rod which runs down the centre of the wooden neck. The downside of this is that after every *small* adjustment the guitar needs to be re-tuned and tested before the next adjustment so as well as the hand skills with a screw driver, I need a good ear and at least half a day.
I might get into it this week sometime.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fourteen: Favourite Purchase Ever Made
This one is easy. My Bowers & Wilkins B&W604 Speakers.
Worth NZD$6,000 , and I paid NZD$2,600 - ex-floor demos from Stereo World (so they were already run-in).
They sound so beautiful. I can't stand mini-systems and home theatre now. They're just not the same.
Worth NZD$6,000 , and I paid NZD$2,600 - ex-floor demos from Stereo World (so they were already run-in).
They sound so beautiful. I can't stand mini-systems and home theatre now. They're just not the same.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The iPod Touch and My Love-Hate Affair
First of all, call it an Ipod, for fucks sake that's just basic spelling rules.
When they first came out, I hated them.
When they'd been around for a while I hated them.
When they were so damn common you were actually a bit weird if you didn't have one and insisted on purchasing and using a real mp3 player, I hated them.
Then came the Touch.
Damn you Ipod Touch. I still hate you.
... but I am listening to you right now, as I have been for the last few days and will continue to do so for many many more.
When I first looked at buying an expensive, quality mp3 player I did a little bit of Internet research. I used websites like CNET and their reviews (both user and professional) to establish which mp3 player provided the best quality music, the easiest interface and the most effective battery life. Guess which one of the three the Dreaded Apple has? In most - but not all - it's the second. (The other cases it had 0/3 qualities).
I decided the best choice for me was the Creative Zen.
This little beauty carried 16GB of songs, could hold photos and videos too, record voice, was solid state, had exceptional battery life and took SD cards for expanded memory. And the sound quality was brilliant. By the time I had bought a pair of Bose In-Ear buds, I wasn't going to settle for anything less.
I was shocked - shocked! - that most of the user forums compared the Zen to the Ipod and nothing else (obviously there is no other mp3 player except the ones from Apple), and that the reviews were all about the interface, menus and portability. I mean, sure, these things are all important - cos if they're crap you're going to hate using your player. But in about 70-80 comments, all of which I read, one mentioned sound quality. Surely if you're planning on spending a lot of money on a sound machine that would be important... wouldn't it? Obviously not.
Anyway, when my trusty Zen finally died on me after years of faithful service, I bought the next model.
Same quality music, a slightly more stylish case and wi-fi capable. Still a little beauty and it has served me well. I have never had a problem with it, and like its predecessor I could selected the 'hold' button to turn off the screen, and the battery lasted. It lasted! It played music for me for more than 14 hours flying across the world. Beat that!
Cut to dreams of PDA meets PSP meets Cell Phone all in a sexy touch screen bundle, and I thought I might like an iPhone. Or an Iphone, as I like to write it. Looking for both sense and encouragement I sent out a plea for help from my friends asking if I should or shouldn't. Thankfully I listened to the voices of reason and didn't waste my money.
Only to waste my money a couple of months later in the Boxing Day sales with a The Warehouse staff discount generously offered me by my cousin. I bought the Touch. "Not for music." I vowed. "Just for all the.. other stuff."
What other stuff? I find myself asking. Stupid little fill-in-time-games which cost me at least $1.29 ea (or the free version for no money and only 30 seconds). Applications which are about as useless and gimmicky as the Touch is in the first place. "But it has wi-fi!" I told myself. "That'll come in so handy on your travels!" Only if you actually have the passwords to all those wireless networks floating in the air all over the world trying to piss you off. Oh, and it died before I made it to the UK even though I wasn't really using it.
So I tossed my Touch in my bag and forgot about it.
Meanwhile...
Yeah that's right baby. The touch-screen version of my favourite high-class mp3 experience.
Sadly, although it cost less, it was in fact much more a waste of money than the abomination in the title of this post. It just doesn't get the touch-screen thing down-pat and still suffers from the same lag you'd find in a fitted touch-screen accessory placed over your computer monitor. Also, the hold function and screen unlocking mean it takes me more time to get into the music menus to change the song or the volume or simply turn off the player. The music quality is its usual crystal self, but the battery life is disappointing.
I hated to admit it, but I like the functionality of the Touch. I like the touch screen and the music menu system. I like using Dice Shaker when playing RPGs with my friends. I like being in the kitchen and looking up BigOven to find a good recipe for dinner. I like playing Dungeon Hunter and Monster Trucks Nitro 2.
I bit the bullet. Creative blew it, and I started up Itunes. It's not the most comprehensive media player in the world, but it's not the worst either. I enjoyed making up a few playlists, getting the album art and syncing them up. Okay I didn't enjoy the process but the results were cool. I admit to also liking all the album art stuff all to prettily displayed on the touch screen. Even as the wallpaper on the unlock screen. I listened to it a while as I was helping weed a friend's garden all day on Saturday and with the Bose earphones it came out okay.
I have since plugged it into my McLaren stereo and I have to say I was sorely gutted with the outcome. The music is clouded and lacks depth. When it is playing super quiet so as not to wake Ginge in the bedroom next door at six o'clock in the morning it is okay. But at times like tonight when I have it playing at a reasonable volume while bitching about it on the Internet it makes me cringe. I have tried playing with the equaliser which seems to have sharpened the sound, but it is still very two dimensional. Teddy Thompson sounded too poppy and not folky enough (the acoustics couldn't compete with the synthetics), and Chely Wright sings out on the same plane as her music and backing vocals.
Yet here I am, still listening to it.
Because I love the Ipod Touch, even as I hate it.
When they first came out, I hated them.
When they'd been around for a while I hated them.
When they were so damn common you were actually a bit weird if you didn't have one and insisted on purchasing and using a real mp3 player, I hated them.
Then came the Touch.
Damn you Ipod Touch. I still hate you.
... but I am listening to you right now, as I have been for the last few days and will continue to do so for many many more.
When I first looked at buying an expensive, quality mp3 player I did a little bit of Internet research. I used websites like CNET and their reviews (both user and professional) to establish which mp3 player provided the best quality music, the easiest interface and the most effective battery life. Guess which one of the three the Dreaded Apple has? In most - but not all - it's the second. (The other cases it had 0/3 qualities).
I decided the best choice for me was the Creative Zen.
I was shocked - shocked! - that most of the user forums compared the Zen to the Ipod and nothing else (obviously there is no other mp3 player except the ones from Apple), and that the reviews were all about the interface, menus and portability. I mean, sure, these things are all important - cos if they're crap you're going to hate using your player. But in about 70-80 comments, all of which I read, one mentioned sound quality. Surely if you're planning on spending a lot of money on a sound machine that would be important... wouldn't it? Obviously not.
Anyway, when my trusty Zen finally died on me after years of faithful service, I bought the next model.
Cut to dreams of PDA meets PSP meets Cell Phone all in a sexy touch screen bundle, and I thought I might like an iPhone. Or an Iphone, as I like to write it. Looking for both sense and encouragement I sent out a plea for help from my friends asking if I should or shouldn't. Thankfully I listened to the voices of reason and didn't waste my money.
Only to waste my money a couple of months later in the Boxing Day sales with a The Warehouse staff discount generously offered me by my cousin. I bought the Touch. "Not for music." I vowed. "Just for all the.. other stuff."
What other stuff? I find myself asking. Stupid little fill-in-time-games which cost me at least $1.29 ea (or the free version for no money and only 30 seconds). Applications which are about as useless and gimmicky as the Touch is in the first place. "But it has wi-fi!" I told myself. "That'll come in so handy on your travels!" Only if you actually have the passwords to all those wireless networks floating in the air all over the world trying to piss you off. Oh, and it died before I made it to the UK even though I wasn't really using it.
So I tossed my Touch in my bag and forgot about it.
Meanwhile...
Yeah that's right baby. The touch-screen version of my favourite high-class mp3 experience.
Sadly, although it cost less, it was in fact much more a waste of money than the abomination in the title of this post. It just doesn't get the touch-screen thing down-pat and still suffers from the same lag you'd find in a fitted touch-screen accessory placed over your computer monitor. Also, the hold function and screen unlocking mean it takes me more time to get into the music menus to change the song or the volume or simply turn off the player. The music quality is its usual crystal self, but the battery life is disappointing.
I hated to admit it, but I like the functionality of the Touch. I like the touch screen and the music menu system. I like using Dice Shaker when playing RPGs with my friends. I like being in the kitchen and looking up BigOven to find a good recipe for dinner. I like playing Dungeon Hunter and Monster Trucks Nitro 2.
I bit the bullet. Creative blew it, and I started up Itunes. It's not the most comprehensive media player in the world, but it's not the worst either. I enjoyed making up a few playlists, getting the album art and syncing them up. Okay I didn't enjoy the process but the results were cool. I admit to also liking all the album art stuff all to prettily displayed on the touch screen. Even as the wallpaper on the unlock screen. I listened to it a while as I was helping weed a friend's garden all day on Saturday and with the Bose earphones it came out okay.
I have since plugged it into my McLaren stereo and I have to say I was sorely gutted with the outcome. The music is clouded and lacks depth. When it is playing super quiet so as not to wake Ginge in the bedroom next door at six o'clock in the morning it is okay. But at times like tonight when I have it playing at a reasonable volume while bitching about it on the Internet it makes me cringe. I have tried playing with the equaliser which seems to have sharpened the sound, but it is still very two dimensional. Teddy Thompson sounded too poppy and not folky enough (the acoustics couldn't compete with the synthetics), and Chely Wright sings out on the same plane as her music and backing vocals.
Yet here I am, still listening to it.
Because I love the Ipod Touch, even as I hate it.
Monday, June 14, 2010
6th Thingie - Favourite Song
My God! I had enough trouble coming up with a single artist who I rated above all others. It's not like Enya really is my absolute favourite artist, it's that that I was forced to pick one from them all. Now I have to choose one song from thousands? Can I say every song is my favourite?
I'll just give you the one I listen to the most at the moment. It's a sad little number which makes me cry.
Like Me - Chely Wright
Without your glasses, you just plain can't see,
your favourite colour - for the most part- is green,
you're close to your Gandma on your mother's side,
you can count up on one hand the times you have lied.
You won't eat a tomato on a double-dog dare,
you don't think you're a beauty, but you do like your hair,
you're complex and tricky, yet some ways you're not,
you're up some, you're down some, you're cold and your hot.
Who's gonna end up / holding your hand? /
A beautiful woman / or a tall handsome man
and there's no doubt / they'll love you /
but it's yet to be seen...
will any / one ever / know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
You like planting flowers, that's heaven to you,
crack open a beer when your planting is through,
you'll paint all your toenails if you had the time
while listen to Willie, Dylan and Pride.
Who's gonna end up holding your hand?
A beautiful woman or a tall handsome man?
and there's no doubt they'll love you
but it's yet to be seen...
Will anyone ever know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
You'd rather make out than make love all night,
you like if your bath is too hot,
your closet is cluttered with dress-pants and levis
that you wish you'd never bought.
Who's gonna end up holding your hand?
A beautiful woman or a tall handsome man?
and there's no doubt they will love you
but it's yet to be seen...
Will anyone ever know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
I'll just give you the one I listen to the most at the moment. It's a sad little number which makes me cry.
Like Me - Chely Wright
Without your glasses, you just plain can't see,
your favourite colour - for the most part- is green,
you're close to your Gandma on your mother's side,
you can count up on one hand the times you have lied.
You won't eat a tomato on a double-dog dare,
you don't think you're a beauty, but you do like your hair,
you're complex and tricky, yet some ways you're not,
you're up some, you're down some, you're cold and your hot.
Who's gonna end up / holding your hand? /
A beautiful woman / or a tall handsome man
and there's no doubt / they'll love you /
but it's yet to be seen...
will any / one ever / know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
You like planting flowers, that's heaven to you,
crack open a beer when your planting is through,
you'll paint all your toenails if you had the time
while listen to Willie, Dylan and Pride.
Who's gonna end up holding your hand?
A beautiful woman or a tall handsome man?
and there's no doubt they'll love you
but it's yet to be seen...
Will anyone ever know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
You'd rather make out than make love all night,
you like if your bath is too hot,
your closet is cluttered with dress-pants and levis
that you wish you'd never bought.
Who's gonna end up holding your hand?
A beautiful woman or a tall handsome man?
and there's no doubt they will love you
but it's yet to be seen...
Will anyone ever know you like me?
Will anyone ever know you like me?
Saturday, June 5, 2010
3 - Favourite Musician ... Part Two
I dropped in to Marbecks today with the intention of buying some Chely Wright. The country music section is small and mostly filled with the Big Names, and none of her albums were there. As I was browsing I recognised the voice in the song being played by the store. Holy Shit, I thought, that's The National!
The National are a band I would never have heard of had I not embarked on The Chuck Bartowski Project in which I attempted to collect every song from every episode of every series. It was a fun project, and The National was the best thing to come out of it. Two of their songs have featured on Chuck, Fake Empire and Slow Show, both from the album Boxer. I acquired Boxer soon after and it has been an album I cannot get enough of. Their songs are sad and draw me in to them. When listening to The National I hear nothing else. Bryan Devendorf's drumming is magnificent, he sets a primal beat to which the rest of the music is tied but not enslaved. Matt Berninger's lyrics and husky baritone bring the melancholy depth and soul-rending heartache to the music, but the drums are the heartbeat and create a power to the music which is undeniable and is gracefully supported by the rest of the music.
When I went up to the counter and asked the girl (already knowing the answer) "Is this The National?" I was rewarded with a pleased and impressed smile from her as she discovered there was another who knew good music (har har har). She explained that she was playing their new album, and that she's already listened to it twice today. Also, she felt it was a little more upbeat than their previous albums. I exclaimed and made sure not to let on that I'd only been exposed to one of their albums. As she handed over the cellophane wrapped cardboard CD case of High Violet she asked what I thought of The Editors. I hadn't heard of The Editors and told her so. She offered to put them on the listening station for me. As much as I wanted to hear them I turned her down - I had to get to Newmarket. But she put their name on a recommendation card for me and I left the store with High Violet and Norah Jones' The Fall. Still no Chely Wright.
Anyway, I'm listening to The National's new album High Violet as I right this post about who I will finally label as My Favourite Musician.
I've noticed that the kind of music we love is heavily influenced by the kind of music we grow up with. That's not an exclusive list by the way - we all branch out. But I grew up with Suzanne Prentice, Patsy Riggor, Dean Martin, Cliff Richard & The Shadows, The Seekers, Foster and Allen, Simon & Garfunkel, Elaine Paige, Burl Ives, Jim Reeves, Credence Clearwater Revival, Roger Miller, Buddy Holly, The Beatles et al. I still enjoy a great deal of their music and the genres they emerged from. I prefer Radio Hauraki to The Rock because the rock music they play tends towards those older styles. Over both those stations I prefer Coast 105.4 because I like their music better still. (and the DJ doesn't love himself)
During recruit course and primary trade training, my best friend was one Emma Boughtwood. Emma was also a big music fan, and there was a lot of music we both loved to listen to. But there was no denying her mother's love of rock and metal was what steered her towards the same.
During my life, my love affair with the above names and the musicians I have come across since has waxed and waned. For example I've rediscovered Roger Miller very recently as I sang and played a great deal of his songs for my new niece. But throughout my life as other genres and other musicians have come and gone from the prominent place in my soul, there is one 'musician' who has remained in place. Unlike movies, music is easy to listen to over and over again. Sometimes we suffer overkill, and sometimes we just grow bored or grow away from artists as we mature and become more complex creatures ourselves. Sometimes phases in our lives fade away and the music with them. There is one who has remained a steady influence in my life - inspiring day dreams and stories, making me want to dance, want to cry, want to be lonely, want to be a heroine, want to embrace the strength and bravery and loyalty which is being presented. Each album is unique and brings with it an individual atmosphere and yet each album is undeniably by the same genius. Some pieces I like more than others, but the only song of Enya's I've heard which has not moved me is May It Be. Of all her albums, I believe the only ones I do not own are A Box of Dreams and her latest The Very Best Of Enya.
Did you know Enya is actually made up of three people? Nicky Ryan, Roma Ryan and Eithne Ní Bhraonáin (sometimes Anglicised to Enya Brennen). Eithne composes the music, and plays all the instruments herself. She and Nicky arrange the songs and then they are passed to Roma. Roma Ryan writes the lyrics, and she was so inspired by JRR Tolkien's invention of a language she created Loxian for the lyrics in Amarantine.
When Roma is done writing lyrics (and the names of the instrumentals are often taken from failed lyrics for those pieces) Eithne returns to the studio and sings them.
I can't really describe the way I feel about the music of Enya. Only that she is always there when I need her, and I always need her to some degree.
Friday, June 4, 2010
3 - Favourite Musician ... Part One
I have something of a reputation amongst the leadership at work for being a girl who will step up to a challenge and out-perform my own expectations. To be fair, it's not difficult to exceed my expectations of myself, because they're never very high in the first place. I constantly feel as though one day someone will realise I'm bluffing and my work-world will come tumbling down around me. On the other hand, there's a level of conceit in that isn't there? To think that someone would pay that much attention to the inner causes behind my success and that the ruination of that success would domino into the work-lives of the people around me.
Anyway, I'm rambling. My point was going to be that I have this reputation for accepting challenges yet for all that I despise challenges. I somehow manage to revel in the brain gym they provide while shying from the responsibility and requirement to perform. Without extrinsic motivation I not only shy away from challenges, I show an indolent indifference to fulfilling them. So... what started out as a 30-day challenge taken from Calvin's Cave of Canadian Coolness, turned very quickly into an I-can't-be-bothered-putting-in-all-that-work. I didn't even think anyone was reading it - that it was just me being a bit narcissistic (well I have to do it somewhere now that I've left Facebook) and ranting on to the metaphorical sound of my own voice.
So I'm sorry Nick and Rachie - my two loyal followers - for not giving daily answers to the 30-day challenge. I shall instead do the 30-thingies challenge which affords me a lot more time to accomplish the same task. Laziness be mine.
I therefore present thingie number 3, my favourite musician.
-------------------------------
I currently legally own approximately 150 or so albums on CD, forty four second hand albums on LP (plus one brand new) and thousands of songs which I have obtained by other means. I don't listen to them all, but I have listened almost all of them. Except some of the music in the folder named From Jonesy. And some stuff Casey put on my computer.
What kind of music do I like? Better to ask what music I don't like. I don't like much in the way of metal (heavy or not) although some mainstream Metallica is okay. I used to announce I don't like hip hop, but as the lines of D&B, R&B, hip hop, rap and other genres merge, intertwine and compete with each other, I find myself admitting that I like a fair amount of individual songs from those areas too. I'm deeply affected by music. I can - and do - use it to deliberately alter my mood, and I am most profoundly affected by melancholy songs, and songs in the minor key. Music with a strong and lively beat makes me want to dance - I have trouble listening to it if I cannot dance. Sunday Hangover Music (you know the stuff I mean) helps me to relax. When I am angry I listen to The Cranberries' Zombie then immediately follow it with No need to argue.
New albums I listen to over and over until I know all the words, then I discard them for (up to) years, and listen to them again with fresh ears. Now knowing the words I can focus on the instruments, and my ears listen to different parts not only each time, but throughout each listening. Sometimes the beat, sometimes the strings, the brass, the chorus and back-up singers... It's not really possible to listen to the whole of the song at once, but I strive to have heard every contribution at some point in the music. And for the whole of the music.
I hate the radio. They ruin music with advertisements and talking. Radio DJs should be banned.
How can I nominate one musician from so many and say This One. This Musician is better than all others. Nick made me listen to what Lily Allen was singing, and I have discovered a great respect and, yes, love for her lyrics. Lady Gaga is growing on me, but mostly because she makes me want to dance. My sister gave me an album by Paolo Nutini (makes me think of a jawa) which I love because he is so varied; fast, slow, happy, melancholy... I am listening to him a lot.
Fleetwood Mac are also infinitely varied and wonderfully complex. There is a depth and vivacity to their music which constantly challenges me as a listener and provides healing to the soul. There is another, one who isn't classed as a musician but deserves an honourable mention - Mantovani.
A. P. Mantovani is more of an arranger... he would take popular music of his time and arrange it to be played by an orchestra. Some of his works include: Speak softly, love; The Candy Man; Cabaret, Love Theme; Upstairs, Downstairs; Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps; and Catari, catari. He has made wonderful adaptations of music I might well have never listened to otherwise.
I'm not going to continue rattling off names of musicians I love.. I am going to nominate a favourite, but you'll have to wait for part two because I have to get to work.
PS, please do comment. Indulge my ego...
Anyway, I'm rambling. My point was going to be that I have this reputation for accepting challenges yet for all that I despise challenges. I somehow manage to revel in the brain gym they provide while shying from the responsibility and requirement to perform. Without extrinsic motivation I not only shy away from challenges, I show an indolent indifference to fulfilling them. So... what started out as a 30-day challenge taken from Calvin's Cave of Canadian Coolness, turned very quickly into an I-can't-be-bothered-putting-in-all-that-work. I didn't even think anyone was reading it - that it was just me being a bit narcissistic (well I have to do it somewhere now that I've left Facebook) and ranting on to the metaphorical sound of my own voice.
So I'm sorry Nick and Rachie - my two loyal followers - for not giving daily answers to the 30-day challenge. I shall instead do the 30-thingies challenge which affords me a lot more time to accomplish the same task. Laziness be mine.
I therefore present thingie number 3, my favourite musician.
-------------------------------
I currently legally own approximately 150 or so albums on CD, forty four second hand albums on LP (plus one brand new) and thousands of songs which I have obtained by other means. I don't listen to them all, but I have listened almost all of them. Except some of the music in the folder named From Jonesy. And some stuff Casey put on my computer.
What kind of music do I like? Better to ask what music I don't like. I don't like much in the way of metal (heavy or not) although some mainstream Metallica is okay. I used to announce I don't like hip hop, but as the lines of D&B, R&B, hip hop, rap and other genres merge, intertwine and compete with each other, I find myself admitting that I like a fair amount of individual songs from those areas too. I'm deeply affected by music. I can - and do - use it to deliberately alter my mood, and I am most profoundly affected by melancholy songs, and songs in the minor key. Music with a strong and lively beat makes me want to dance - I have trouble listening to it if I cannot dance. Sunday Hangover Music (you know the stuff I mean) helps me to relax. When I am angry I listen to The Cranberries' Zombie then immediately follow it with No need to argue.
New albums I listen to over and over until I know all the words, then I discard them for (up to) years, and listen to them again with fresh ears. Now knowing the words I can focus on the instruments, and my ears listen to different parts not only each time, but throughout each listening. Sometimes the beat, sometimes the strings, the brass, the chorus and back-up singers... It's not really possible to listen to the whole of the song at once, but I strive to have heard every contribution at some point in the music. And for the whole of the music.
I hate the radio. They ruin music with advertisements and talking. Radio DJs should be banned.
How can I nominate one musician from so many and say This One. This Musician is better than all others. Nick made me listen to what Lily Allen was singing, and I have discovered a great respect and, yes, love for her lyrics. Lady Gaga is growing on me, but mostly because she makes me want to dance. My sister gave me an album by Paolo Nutini (makes me think of a jawa) which I love because he is so varied; fast, slow, happy, melancholy... I am listening to him a lot.
Fleetwood Mac are also infinitely varied and wonderfully complex. There is a depth and vivacity to their music which constantly challenges me as a listener and provides healing to the soul. There is another, one who isn't classed as a musician but deserves an honourable mention - Mantovani.
A. P. Mantovani is more of an arranger... he would take popular music of his time and arrange it to be played by an orchestra. Some of his works include: Speak softly, love; The Candy Man; Cabaret, Love Theme; Upstairs, Downstairs; Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps; and Catari, catari. He has made wonderful adaptations of music I might well have never listened to otherwise.
I'm not going to continue rattling off names of musicians I love.. I am going to nominate a favourite, but you'll have to wait for part two because I have to get to work.
PS, please do comment. Indulge my ego...
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