Pro Tools HD, Dirty Bass and Hot Vocals!

Good day!

Did my first recording gig on a Pro Tools HD system. Superior sound quality for sure, not my favorite program, but fabulous for tracking vocals. This was my first week getting access to Pyramind's top studios. From now till this time 2009, I can book their studios 4 hours per week, at no extra cost. Sweeeeeeeet.

Working on an awesome song right now with a couple friends. Super dirty dub stepy/breaks track with some charged up political vocals. I'm gonna show it to Epiphyte Records when it's done and I think it will get picked up for their "Politics of Dance" compilation that I am helping them put together. This CD will also feature the Harvey Milk track I wrote for the fans of that one ;-) I love doing Political stuff, it's great for bringing people together and giving music a deeper sense of meaning.

All right... off to bed! Looking forward to sharing this music with people soon! xoxo

p.s.  In response to my previous post.  The scholarship idea is absolutely happening and GOING OFF.  The party is called Beat University and is happening Sept 25th @ supperclub.  People are stoked to help out and really make it a hit!  So excited!!!!!

Moving Forward

Today was the first good day I've had since the weekend....

I got off my ass and took a killer bike ride.  I found this track out near the beach, and when I got there I started running laps and put on some of my favorite music on the ipod.

After about my 3rd or 4th time around the track, I started to really feel my body again.  It felt sooooooo good.  I just ran into the light of the sunset and felt the music flowing through my body and the blood flowin through my veins.

I also started working on my idea to start a scholarship for kids who want to go to Pyramind.  I want to throw parties to raise money for a tuition fund.  I'm gonna see if I can get some people behind it to really make it go off.

Wish me luck!

well fuck

That's all I can say.

Heart hurts a lot today.

I wish people would just be straightforward...

"In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we posses". - Dalai Lama

End of Summer!

Well, it was the last day of August today.  At least today was good, the rest of this month pretty much sucked!! lol.  Ok, I guess that's not completely fair, I have had some good things happen this month.  I wrote a track that I really love - Lunar Frequencies.  I've learned quite a bit, and certainly had some nice moments, especially with my real friends who I love and cherish so much.

At the same time, it has definitely been a challenging month.  Both internally and externally, I have definitely been thrown for some loops, and struggled a bit with making some things happen. I am hoping to take these lessons onward into fall and beyond, as I move forward with my ideas and dreams, to manifest into reality.

The biggest thing I want to work on is developing even more discipline, so that I get less distracted by things that aren't important, and really maximize and prioritize my time and what I spend energy on.  Sometimes it's hard to keep my priorities straight and it's so important considering how little time I have to spare right now.  This will be a life long challenge, I know, but I am working to develop the skills I need so that I can reapply them and get better and better as time goes on.

Starting the jedi buddhist training on wednesday.  Hopefully gonna learn some invaluable tools and really put them to work.

Thank goodness for my Obi-Wan.  He rocks.

There was a lot more I wanted to write, but honestly I'm pretty tired.  Need to get some sleep so I can wake up early and get crackin tomorrow.  Lots to do!

xox

Answers!

"The Awakened Mind does not repress images of darkness but makes them brilliantly conscious.  Ecstatically embracing all that we habitually supress, Palden Lhamo, the "glorious goddess", rides a mule through a sea of blood in a universe of flaming darkness.  Until we encounter these energies, that Tantras state, liberation, is only a distant dream".

From Celestial Galery by Romio Shrestha.

I realize my earlier post more than likely sounded simplistic, and perhaps obvious to some, but I think that sometimes the simplest questions are the most interesting if you really get into them.  Palden Lhamo is a Tibetan form of an ancient Indian goddess who became a protector of Buddhist faith.  Images of her are quite intense, often portrayed riding a horse through a sea of blood, wearing a garland of skulls and looking mighty fierce - similar to Kali.

In "The Nature of Buddhist Art," Rama P. Coomaraswamy wrote, "No distinction can be drawn between art and contemplation.  The artist is first of all required to remove himself from human to celestial levels of apperception; at this level and in a state of unification, no longer having in view anything external to himself, he sees and realizes, that is to say becomes, what he is afterwards to represent..."

And therefore every emotion that we feel, is represented in art.  It is an extension of our minds, bodies, energy, everything.  Such a sacred thing to really think about.  This manifestation of feeling, of energy, into a physical form, which can be transfered, shared, preserved for all time.  

We must embrace all aspects of our emotions, even the parts of ourselves that we are ashamed of, in order to truly be free, and further this path to enlightenment, or whatever. ( I'll settle for a peaceful existence).  I love dark music, and for some reason it seems to pull on me more than the lighter stuff, and so I am working with that, and seeing what it can become.  I need to liberate that, among other things, from inside of myself and see what happens.  But at the same time, keeping the balance, the yin and yang, that will allow for a healthy expression.

August 26th

Just finished watching the last avatar episode.  Good wins, our hero Ang, the buddhist monk saves the world AND gets the girl.  What more could you want?

I love that though.  The little things that make you believe in doing good, being the best person you can be.  In the end, Ang doesn't kill his enemy - the fire lord.  Instead he shows him mercy and spares his life, only taking his firebending away.

Ok so what does this have to do with music?

Well it has to do with life, I suppose.  And life influences music.  And art imitates life, isn't that what they say?  I suppose I want my music to translate that feeling, that makes you believe in the magic, that inherent "good"  that should always win in the end :)  

I'm kind of getting a bit out there on this one, but it feels good :) 

It's funny though, good vs evil is not the same as light vs dark.  Or is it?  Where does "dark" music play into all of this.  There is one thing I noticed about myself, and it is that I am somewhat attracted to "dark" music.  You know, it's the damndest thing, since I "want" to always fall on the side of light or "good".  I try and be a good person, I try to be conscious and help people, do the right things, be honest.  And therefore I would "think" then, that I would be the type of person that would be attracted to "light" music.... And I am.... I love it.  I love it all.  But I definitely have a dark side, and I am trying to understand it.  See how it "functions" in a way, what I can learn from it, and HOW I can use it.  

It serves a purpose, it exists for a reason, I am attracted to it for a reason.  And yet, I struggle to understand.  Why would we want a type of music that makes us feel sad?  Is it because we must express what we feel?  But that is too easy, of course you can answer it that way.  But why is it, when so much of our time is spent on trying not to be sad, that we then make it even harder, with the creation and distribution of this music?

It seems like society pushes this agenda all the time of "ways to be happy".  Look around.  Through the media, through advertisements.  You don't see people selling products by directly saying "this will make you depressed".... normally.... Music is really the only example of this.... or perhaps I should say art actually.  Certainly visual media can have that impact.  This translation of feeling.  This energy exchange.  First from the artist to the media.  Then from the media to the receptor - us.  

I really don't have an answer to anything here.... Nor do I even truly "need" to seek one.  Because all that really matters is that I am aware of this, and I continue to examine it, examine myself, and question everything.  Through questions, we can find answers, and I really believe that all answers lie within.... It's just a matter of tapping into it.

Alright.... enough of this spaced out talk!  Time for bed :)

Euro House

Just did some euro house for a film commercial...

My first time doing music for film - sweet!