mental.notebook

Jazz Drumming Basics

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:19:00 +0000

http://f.unkster.tripod.com/jazzNutshell/jazzNutshell.html

Roland 808

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Fri, 30 May 2008 06:12:00 +0000

The Shape of Things that Hum

Binaural Beats - Episode 5

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 25 May 2008 07:23:00 +0000

Subscribe to Binaural Beats here

Every week I'm doing something different with the show.

1. The Avalanches - Etoh
(Turntables and Polyrhythms)

2. Four Tet - And They all Look Broken Hear
(Again, cannot get enough polyrhythms)

3. Timebox - Beggin'
(Disco is The Producers Era)

4. The Mar-Kays - Pop-Eye Stroll
(The Mar-Kays all play with an incredible feel)

5. The Zombies - Butcher's Tale
(This song is just creepy. I find the way that they speed up the vocal/pitch change in the chorus intriguing and kind of bizarre)

6. Beach Boys - I guess I just wasn't made for these times (Acapella)
(I recently came across the Pet Sounds Acapellas and I wanted to share some, you can really hear the intricate harmonies and nuances of their voices, it's incredible and sometimes a little humorous)

7. Jackson & His Computer Band - Radio Caca

8. DJ Spooky - Babylon Burning Dub

9. Woody Guthrie - California Blues
(When I first heard Woody Guthrie I thought I found the truth, now I listen to him and realize that the guitar is all out of tune and the singin' is all whiskeyed up! It is all part of the intrigue of the man)

10. Beach House - Gila
(Simple rhythms, dreamy soundscapes and melodies that push the song forward)

11. M83 - Unrecorded
(Well, don't you want to play with synthesizers all day?)

Daedelus - Make it So

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:41:00 +0000

Bill Stewart

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Fri, 23 May 2008 05:24:00 +0000

As found on Wikipedia:
"Musical style

As a drummer, Bill Stewart's playing is distinguished by its melodic focus, and its polyrhythmic, or layered, character. To say his playing is "melodic" means there is a sense in which one can "hum along" to his solos, as there is a clear sense of melodic construction. His improvisations favor the development and layering of motivic ideas over the raw generation of excitement or display of technical prowess. Stewart has great touch, or dynamic precision, so that his ideas are articulated with a pleasing exactness and clarity. He has also achieved a very high degree of independence of his limbs, so that not only the ride and the snare/toms, but also the bass drum and hi-hat, are free to participate as melodic "first-class citizens." His drumming bears the influence of various melodic drummers who preceded him, including Max Roach, Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette and Al Foster."

Watch 'em sing:

Sound Proof the Garage

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:03:00 +0000

Please go to a Photo Set of the garage that I am working on soundproofing. It is a great space and any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Binaural Beats - Episode 4

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:28:00 +0000

I posted a new podcast at http://mentalnotebook.mevio.com/
Subscribe to it in your Itunes!
I pulled these sounds from some of my records.

1. Kraftwerk - Computer Love
2. Boards of Canada - Kid for Today
3. Roy Ayers - Rhythm of Your Mind
4. Donald Byrd - Change (Makes You Wanna Hustle)
5. Santana - No One to Depend On
6. Babatunde Olatunji - Akiwowo (Ah-Key-Woh-Woh)
Beatles Chat
Japan Plays
7. The Modern Jazz Quartet - In Memoriam by John Lewis - The First Movement

Don't spend to much time on the computer.

American Idol Auditions

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:07:00 +0000

Charles Mingus & Dannie Richmond talking

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:00 +0000

Beat Diggin' Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:57:00 +0000

Keep on Diggin'

Turn off your cell phone.

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Adbusters: Technoslave

I have turned off my cell phone in search of human interaction.
"New Pollution" (as described on http://whiskeyclone.net/ ):

Beck was once asked what the new pollution was. His reply, "Human radios, sex with machines, mad eunuchs." Cryptic, but it makes a little sense. He is observing that in modern times, technology, information, etc. can drive you mad. It's everywhere, your senses are bombarded constantly.

The woman he is singing about in the song, then, is admirably unaffected by the new pollution, and somehow remains pure. Beck himself called it a "love song," and surely there's some admiration, if not actual love throughout the lyrics.

In Rolling Stone in 2008, it is written that Beck was "trying to evoke the Sixties glamour of femme fatales from Nico to Brigitte Bardot" in the line about having a cigarette on each arm. The ability to "throw her troubles to the dyin' embers" is admirable. The image of her being a boat alone in a "stripmine ocean" is wonderful. There's something very comforting in that. This is a slanted, but effective, portrait of the femme fatale.

"The New Pollution" is an amazing song, and Beck seems quite proud of it: "...a song like 'The New Pollution,' I mean, pollution, it's a presence in our lives. And isn't it interesting to use a word like that-something with such horrible connotations-in the context of a love song? That's where you create friction. That's where you can start to get someplace where you aren't dealing in the banalities of everyday, pedestrian rock lyrics. Not that I mean to be snobby about it, I can appreciate the good ol' song, and I still like to write that way sometimes." It's interesting to note that Beck uses this type of contrast often, including songs like "Asshole" or "Sweet Sunshine."

Integral to the song's being is the sublime sax sample. It makes the song what it is. Beck calls the song "inverted funk." He explains, "Some of the other songs are a little bit too loose. We had to pull in the reins, make it a little more tight, bring in the Mormon feel. Mormons are funky."

Röyksopp: "Remind Me"

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:57:00 +0000

This music video reminds me of our processed existence..

Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:56:00 +0000

Gotta love Kraftwerk...

?uestlove

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:55:00 +0000

Inside it..

Kobe Bryant is Out of his Mind

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:17:00 +0000

Watch this:

Louis Bellson

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:39:00 +0000

Louis Bellson is an Italian-American drummer that pioneered the Double-Bass Drum. He played with everyone and their mama, made the second most appearances at the White House, and has conducted drum clinics. Check him out:

edIT is the most!

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:03:00 +0000

edIT is the most! Check out 'The Future of Hip-Hop'

The Balloon Guy Guitarist!

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:31:00 +0000

You don't need to pretend by playing Guitar Hero anymore!

Everybody learn to Dance like this!!!

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:06:00 +0000

Mr. Billy Preston w/ Ray Charles...

Peter Erskine

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:47:00 +0000

Sick Melody on a snare!

Gene Krupa - Paving the Way...

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:30:00 +0000

This Mofo is swingin'!!

The Bench - NYC

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:27:00 +0000

Adbusters reports NYC's The Bench (right outside of American Apparel) Marketing Scheme: Blurring the line between humans and cockroaches... Follow me and don't forget your mamas visa....

Emo vs. Punk in Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:50:00 +0000

Reminiscent of Mods vs. Rockers comes Mexican sub-culture Emo vs. Punks. Look out! Fashion wars are breaking out down South!

Joe Morello

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:42:00 +0000

I'm taking my time going through Digital Dream Doors 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time and I feel inclined to share a few. First up we have Joe Morello...

Groovy..

He even has time to fix his horn rims... Smoooth...

How to be like Colin Greenwood

noreply@blogger.com (.notebook) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:42:00 +0000

In just ten easy steps, you too can be the bassist for the biggest band in the world.