Reflections

1/30/17  Melodic Dub Step

This week we are listening to a melodic dub step mix. Now, what does it mean for music to be "mixed?"  

"Mixing is the process of blending all the individual tracks in a recording to create a version of the song that sounds as good as possible." This is an active thing musicians do. They manipulate each sound, instrument, and volume level. Mixing can be most impressive when a musician take take the music of others and blend it seamlessly. Generally, in order to create a smooth mix, the new musician will have to add sounds and analyze the chord structures/drum patterns to align one song to another. It is a time consuming and artistic process that requires a lot of understanding of music structure. 

Do you think that you have this ability? Do you think you could become a master after 10,000 hours of this?

12/6/16  Chill Step

This week while writing, we have been listening to a mix of chillstep music. According to the most reliable source of all time, the internet (insert sarcasm), chillstep is considered the relaxed evolution of dubstep. This means there are relaxing overtones with drum beats leading the way.

I thought I would include this mix because it has helped me focus while writing, thinking, and organizing my work. I know that sometime music can be distracting, however, I believe that creativity is attached to different things. That can be smell, vision, and often times, sound. Finding a mix like this is a great way to create a rhythm for yourself and start sparking those creative neurons in your brains. So go ahead and take a listen to something different, engaging, and relaxing all at the same time.

11/29/16 Abandoned Pools aka Tommy Walter

So this week in music, I have been listening to the albums I used listen to when I was in high school. This included one special artist known as Abandoned Pools. The man behind some of my favorite music is Tommy Walter.

He is from Thousand Oaks, CA and what makes him unique as an artist is his training. He has dedicated countless hours to his musical education and understanding many different instruments. Abandonded Pools is his solo project. This means he writes every single part (drum, guitar, piano, vocals) and hires musicians to play those parts on tour. He is more than a musician, he is a composer.

Take a listen to the live performance of his song "In Silence" and try to consider his unique sound :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V007FUeSx6I

11/17/16 Crywolf

Having a blog is about more than just English class. It is a place to reflect and record who you are now. This includes me recording my interests thoughts. This way, your blogs can come out of the classroom and into your normal life. So today, I would like to share one of my greatest interests and fascinations: Music.

When I was your age, I played the piano, drum set, jazz vibraphone, and anything I could hit with a stick. I have always liked singing, rapping, and poetry. My mother used to play the piano before bed every night and I would drift off to sleep to the sound of Mozart. Due to this, I think I would like to make a habit of sharing with you guys what I am listening to each week.

This week, I have been fascinated by a musician named Crywolf. He is a producer who originally did alternative and independent music. He recently released his first album after recording it in a small village in Iceland. What makes him unique is he will record, mix, and play live instruments when he performs.

Check him out if you feel so inclined, I know I have had his album Cataclasm on repeat!

https://www.youtube.com/user/RunCryWolf