Society

Traveling in the city of Chicago can be loud. When I first moved to Chicago and traveled on the transit it was very interesting seeing the majority of passengers having ear buds playing music or whatever media. The interaction of people is almost minimal unless your traveling with someone, even then if some email or text is received most will multi task there attention and respond to the text or email. The most noticeable change that I personally have notice is at the bar. Patrons when I first started bartending used to talk to each other.  As technology progresses more and more I have noticed that more patrons are entertained with there phone or one there phone and not even talking to the person they went to the bar with. Seriously! Why did you invite me out for a drink and ignore me?  Technology can be amazing at the same time. A tablet can be turned into a synthesizer due to the touch screen.  So maybe I will start it myself, instead of listening to my ear buds I will play my harmonica walking the streets. Start a drum circle on the train instead of playing Clash of Clans. Sometimes I wonder as a fan of Science fiction movies if we lost use of electronics what would really happen. Would society be able to survive without a microwave? I know many people that have emphasized that they would die if they didn’t have their phone. Society has become so dependent on technology that I wonder what would happen.

Vlog

This is my first ever video blog.

Artist Challenge

I have used recorders for interviewing someone in the past, but this was the first time I felt the quality of the recording was good enough to do the job. Also the gentleman I interview is doing what he loves. Its a music repair shop but he goes to work happy.
Interview

This second recording was for a video I was editing and I needed some environment noise
Noise

 The final recording was recorded for my fellow artist. Please enjoy.
Bucket Challenge

Culturally Divergent Music?

Why is the music produced in the United States of America have a specific sonic color and something in the same genre yet produced in another country have a completely different color?  Do society's music evolve with the characteristic of its social system? North American Indians sang with strong guttural tones and tense manners while Saharan African tribes used strong rhythmic complexity’s and improve lead sharing. Strong male leader style society would suggest a solo style music. On the other hand in early cultures the large family groups of hundreds that had gender equality the music had a chorus effect with so singled out solo lead. I feel that makes a little sense. America in the founding days was a melting pot of all societies so the eventual evolution of music to its own sonic color is evident. Some hooks that are now catchy in pop music most likely have roots from some form of sing song circle. I feel our music sonically has fallen into a state of lull. Copyright laws have everything locked up tight. The sharing a story and sharing it for the love is no longer possible. To spend your day as a hunter gather and sing around the fire is gone. Technology is a curse in a way, as we as a society progress technologically we become slaves to the technology that is created. Do I really need to be able to watch TV on my watch? No, yet I guarantee if apple came out with one people would flock to purchase one. #TvWatch

Purchase

My point is that all the music that I heard while camping was purchased. I didn't hear anyone sitting around the campfire singing songs or even talking to each other; some even had projectors so they could watch TV. Isn't the point camping to enjoy nature and it sounds? Yet it is hard to not focus on money. As an artist myself it is a hard balance to maintain. Staying true to my art and not being fixated on the money. The American dream of getting a one hit wonder and making it I feel is truly a dream in today’s technological age. Artists have to push the boundaries and need funding to accomplish their goals. Somehow the American dream got twisted, I really don't want to be rich. I would like to be able to live comfortably while having enough to be able to help those in need. Musicians now have gotten to a point of its my work, my song, my lyrics, my samples, pay me, pay me, pay me. Are there jam session concerts anymore? A non-scripted show just let the musicians perform and collaborate on the fly. Are musicians stuck with craigslist to find each other? In Nashville, of course its mostly country music, there are many venues that cater to singer song writers, why is that not more popular in other city's? Small bars trying to drum up extra revenue should totally explore that avenue. Back to money, I find it hard not to want to produce something just to make a buck, yet chasing my ultimate dream of having my composition performed at Madison Square Garden. Yet that would take some time and money. 
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The Beginning

Music at its birth was about passing on a story, poem, history. Why have we turned this amazing piece of culture into a Industry? Yes, times change and history repeats itself, yet we consume media like a buffet table. Bloating ourselves to the point that lukewarm music is acceptable now. So many people now are musicians.  I remember in junior and high school that being a musician was a nerdy and not cool among the cool crowd, yet now it seems that everyone wants to be rockstar. Chase the dream of money and women. Why not create music just to invoke an emotion? I find it very interesting that a business model determines what top 40 or popular music will be. Not a voting system or a like or dislike this song. Why have we as the fans let the business world make up our minds on what content we want? As technology has advanced the availability of media for free has dwindled, there is even rumors that possibly a luxury tax on the internet might be coming our way. I challenge artist to make there work more available and the money will come. I remember a time when sitting around the campfire with a guitar and singing folk tunes was a good time. I went camping two years ago and couldn't find a camp spot that didn't have some electronic music of some sort blaring. That could be good because they are listening to music. Yet, it still doesn't address the issue of passing on culture. The music of nature can be very soothing. They didn't sit by the fire later and tell story's, no they got on the pads and watched Netflix or some other streamed media. Blehh.... So even while enjoying nature media is consumed.