An Interesting Idea

Here's a link to an article about a record store (vinyl) in Seattle, where none of the music is for sale:

[storefront]

I'm not sure where they are headed with this one, but I am interested to see how it all works out. I wouldn't mind DJing there, myself.

Here's an article on Music Think Tank with some interesting thoughts on "making it" in the music biz:

5 Tips on Getting a Label, Sponsor, or Booking Agent


While I am unsure if any of these tips will actually help in today's music world, they certainly couldn't hurt your chances.

Here's a link to an article about "modern classical" music, and why people tend not to like it as well as "classic classical" music:

http://www.mypianotalk.com/forums/topic/298/audiences-hate-modern-classical

Personally, I find both classic and contemporary classical music to be a bit boring. It's not because of the repetitive patterns or lack of them. Rather, I find the instrumentation available to an orchestra to be a bit boring, and all the musicians to be sort of superfluous.

Facebook Music

I have yet to read anything about the upcoming Facebook Music features. I think I'm going to wait until they activate everything and form my own opinion before I try to read someone else's take on the situation. However, there are two certainties:

1. Changes to Facebook are generally negatively received.

2. This change promises to add a new dimension to the web giant.


Will Facebook Music have any effect on regular users or advertising? Regardless of what the changes bring, I am interested to see Google's response with Google Music, which is still in beta. I plan on giving Facebook a fair shake, but I am not optimistic (especially since the latest changes have not been to my liking).

But who knows? Technology has a way of pleasantly surprising me.

This is your Brain on Music

Here's an interesting article on music and neuroscience: What Happens to your Brain under the Influence of Music

Anne Laplantine

Over the past few months, Anne Laplantine's music has become some of my favorite of all-time:

Jour by anne laplantine

Impak by anne laplantine

Bein' Friends by anne laplantine

Sa maman 2 by anne laplantine

Or by anne laplantine

ARKACHON by anne laplantine

Genuine Fraud on Bandcamp

Pretty good tunes, and the price is right.

Finals Time

Another semester, another week of finals, another several weeks of preparation. I'll be back on the scene soon!

Everything Popular is Wrong

A shocking realization, and a bit of comfort:

A nice article on the state of the music industry today, written by Stefan Goldmann.

Everything Popular is Wrong

Melody

Melody seems to have a special relationship to memory. Need to think about this, a LOT.

- Is this true?

- Would (for lack of a better word) "amelodic" music be at a natural disadvantage if it were true?

- If notes in a melody are found in the harmonics of other notes, what makes a melodic line seem special by comparison?


and finally

- Have I been doing music wrong?

Kill Denton

Yesterday I found a new blog that focuses on the underground culture here in Denton. So far, the only post of interest comes in the form of a two hour podcast of some music NOT from Denton, but I'm looking forward to the possibility of a new hub for the local scene.

Here's the link:

Kill Denton

GOOGLE MUSIC

Greg Sandoval writes on CNET:

CNET: Google begins testing Google Music internally

It's definitely an interesting development, but what could this mean to the music industry? Will Google be friend or foe to the major labels? What does it mean to independent musicians? I personally can't wait for more information to be released.

HELP OUT THE DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION

David Lynch Foundation Music

Pledgers receive some pretty neat stuff in return. More info on the site.

WHAT IS TECHNO?

I've been thinking about it a lot lately.



What does techno mean to you?

PART OF OUR HISTORY

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY SAMPLER FROM NINJA TUNE

International Women's Day 2011 Sampler by Ninja Tune

INTERVIEW WITH DAFT PUNK

Here's a link to an interview with Daft Punk at Mix Magazine:

http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_daft_punk/

INFECTED MUSHROOM LIVE ON USTREAM

You don't want to miss this one.

Tomorrow THURSDAY at 2PM CST:


Live streaming video by Ustream

Because it's one of my favorites . . .

. . . and because I haven't posted it here before:

Creativity Exercise: Part I

Part one in a series of exercises intended to stimulate creativity:

Mono, Poly: Frequency Shift by Jon Dye

That Kanye West is at it again. . .

Speaking of Gear Lust

This is quite an impressive setup:

New Music Equipment. . .

. . . is one of the very best things about being a musician. Whatever your genre may be, everybody who loves making music REALLY loves getting a hold of new tools to make it with.

Even if it's old, as long as it's new to me, it's great fun.

Right now, I'm targeting one of these:

UNT College of Music at Tex Gallery

My good friends over at Tex Gallery are going to be hosting a performance by some students at the UNT College of Music. If you're going to be in Denton, you should try to stop by.

For more information, or to inquire into submitting for one of their visual arts shows: http://texgallery.org/

Origin of Dancing

Why do people dance when they hear music? Of course, not every person dances-- some people tap their feet, some hum along, some play the air drums. My point is that music tends to invoke a physical reaction in people. What possible reasons could account for this?

I'm not interested in a psychological answer for why people might be inclined to respons physically to musical stimulus, since it is already ingrained in most cultures. There are too many possible answers to be able to find one that stands out as true. My real interest is to find an understanding of how these seemingly unrelated things became associated with each other in the first place.

I don't have any answers, or even any ideas on where to start looking. I guess a library wouldn't be a bad place to start.

New Yip-Yip

I can't remember if I was supposed to do this on the first or the eleventh, I can be pretty disorganized sometimes.

Anyways,

Here's a link to the video to the track "Been Caught Stealing" from Yip-Yip's new album BONE UP:



The track can also be downloaded for FREE here:

http://yip-yip.bandcamp.com/