So I now have a new software suite, or DAW (digital audio workstation) that I'm working with. It is called Reason 5. I had been using Reason 4 for about 1 year now and Reason 5 is the next version. The whole interface has been improved for a better, faster workflow. But the most significant addition is the Kong Drum Designer. This is a modular device that slides into the hardware racks and helps you design your very own drum sounds. You can add effects and even do physical modeling of drums. This is very interesting to me. I haven't tried designing my own drum sounds but it is something I will definitely explore.
Most recently I made an instrumental beat using Reason 5 for a rapper I met on Twitter. He's a young guy and I think he'll appeal to the younger hip hop audience. He reminds me a bit of the rapper YG is big on the west coast right now. He has a playful and rhythmic rap flow. So I made a pretty simple beat with a bell melody, kick, snare, and clap, and also alternate drums for the chorus along with a tom roll before the chorus. If he records anything to the beat I'll be very happy. I did ask him for any feedback so I could change or improve parts of it. We'll see how this goes.
Aside from this, I have another East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights rapper who might record with me next week. Tuesdays are his days off. He wants to make a west coast party song so I'll be working on that. I want to get it done by Friday to send it him so he can write a verse or two to it. I'd like to write a hook and do a verse myself too. That way I transcend the role of beatmaker and get more into the producer and songwriter realm.
I think I found out a bit late that I wanted to pursue music. But this is fine because having my electrical engineering degree will most likely give me job stability and I can pursue this on the side until I make it big, if I ever do...
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Learning Style Questionaire Results
Results for: Jonathan Paul Arteaga
ACT X REF
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEN X INT
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
VIS X VRB
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEQ X GLO
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
Above are my results. As I expected I have a very strong visual preference over verbal preference in my learning style. I have always known this since I typically remember images and graphs during tests and exams and it is usually is my crutch when I need to remember details.
The results also show I am a slight intuitive learner and reflective learner as opposed to an active and sensing learner. I do often tend to muse over concepts during class and let them sink into my memory. I also use much of my intuition in guessing what steps should be taken in problem solving or what solutions might work.
Finally, the results show a balance between myself being a sequential learner and global learner. I think I tend to use both of these strategies. I like to learn material in sequence because it helps me build a paradigm of the subject in my mind. But I also like to understand the subject as a whole and how it fits into the overall body of knowledge. An example would be understanding Mechanical Engineering 204 in the context of physics and materials science.
ACT X REF
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEN X INT
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
VIS X VRB
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
SEQ X GLO
11 9 7 5 3 1 1 3 5 7 9 11
<-- -->
Above are my results. As I expected I have a very strong visual preference over verbal preference in my learning style. I have always known this since I typically remember images and graphs during tests and exams and it is usually is my crutch when I need to remember details.
The results also show I am a slight intuitive learner and reflective learner as opposed to an active and sensing learner. I do often tend to muse over concepts during class and let them sink into my memory. I also use much of my intuition in guessing what steps should be taken in problem solving or what solutions might work.
Finally, the results show a balance between myself being a sequential learner and global learner. I think I tend to use both of these strategies. I like to learn material in sequence because it helps me build a paradigm of the subject in my mind. But I also like to understand the subject as a whole and how it fits into the overall body of knowledge. An example would be understanding Mechanical Engineering 204 in the context of physics and materials science.
Monday, January 24, 2011
J Cole Concert at CSULA + MC Battle + Music Production!
So since last time I posted some exciting things happened for me. First off, I had two local rappers come into the studio here at CSULA and record a verse each on a beat I had leased online. I have rights to use the beat for one commercial production and can sell up to 2,000 copies of that recording.
The title of the beat and song is "In This World" and it evokes a nostalgic and poignant emotional response as it is a sped up soul vocal sample. The two rappers are Annimean and Kid Star B. Both are around my age. They both are active in the Los Angeles hip hop scene and have several mixtapes/street albums released but neither I think are signed to a label yet.
They did a great job with their verses. I did my best to record them well with multiple takes and overdubbing the vocal tracks. However, it would have been better if I had used the great mics we have access to in the CSULA studio. I didn't have the locker combo so I had to use my cheap dynamic mic. At least I had my own pop filter to use though.
I still have to record my verse as well as mix the vocals with the beat and arrangement well. Then I need to master it. This is great because it is music I made and I get to experience the process of mixing and mastering a track before pressing it to CD. I love this and am very passionate about it.
Would you like to hear the track when its done?
The title of the beat and song is "In This World" and it evokes a nostalgic and poignant emotional response as it is a sped up soul vocal sample. The two rappers are Annimean and Kid Star B. Both are around my age. They both are active in the Los Angeles hip hop scene and have several mixtapes/street albums released but neither I think are signed to a label yet.
They did a great job with their verses. I did my best to record them well with multiple takes and overdubbing the vocal tracks. However, it would have been better if I had used the great mics we have access to in the CSULA studio. I didn't have the locker combo so I had to use my cheap dynamic mic. At least I had my own pop filter to use though.
I still have to record my verse as well as mix the vocals with the beat and arrangement well. Then I need to master it. This is great because it is music I made and I get to experience the process of mixing and mastering a track before pressing it to CD. I love this and am very passionate about it.
Would you like to hear the track when its done?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
PC Troubleshooting
So this is my first and albeit, late post to my blog for ENGR 150. So I'll begin with introducing myself and particularly my interests outside of school (though sometimes my interests are very school or engineering related). I'm currently 25 years old and will be 26 in a couple months. I consider myself an intellectual and scientist because I'm always seeking out knowledge on a variety of topics and because I believe my career will be in the sciences even though I'm an electrical engineer.
Some of my main interests right now are related to music. This quarter I am actually taking two music courses. One is Music Technology III which is the second part of a series of courses in using DAWs (digital audio workstations) on computers. Essentially, this is music production in the modern day. Some of today's biggest hits come from the imagination and creativity talented people employ using these software suites. So music production is something I've taken up but honestly I've spent a lot more time reading about what it is and what is mixing, MIDI, VSTs (virtual software instruments), how software synthesizers produce unique sounds etc, more so than actually producing music. I think this is a good thing. People close to me may see that I spend a lot of time doing this but have little music to show but they are quite wrong. I do have music. I just know that it yet isn't good enough to share. :) I'm developing my sound still. And I want to well-versed in music theory as well as mixing and mastering music and also know the tenets of all music genres. My main focus now is hip hop because that is my favorite genre. However, this quarter I seek to surprise my fellow students and the instructor by composing music in varied genres instead of the familiar thump of drums and snares common to hip hop (which... don't get me wrong, I truly love!).
That's enough for this morning, I have plenty more to talk about for the next post.
Some of my main interests right now are related to music. This quarter I am actually taking two music courses. One is Music Technology III which is the second part of a series of courses in using DAWs (digital audio workstations) on computers. Essentially, this is music production in the modern day. Some of today's biggest hits come from the imagination and creativity talented people employ using these software suites. So music production is something I've taken up but honestly I've spent a lot more time reading about what it is and what is mixing, MIDI, VSTs (virtual software instruments), how software synthesizers produce unique sounds etc, more so than actually producing music. I think this is a good thing. People close to me may see that I spend a lot of time doing this but have little music to show but they are quite wrong. I do have music. I just know that it yet isn't good enough to share. :) I'm developing my sound still. And I want to well-versed in music theory as well as mixing and mastering music and also know the tenets of all music genres. My main focus now is hip hop because that is my favorite genre. However, this quarter I seek to surprise my fellow students and the instructor by composing music in varied genres instead of the familiar thump of drums and snares common to hip hop (which... don't get me wrong, I truly love!).
That's enough for this morning, I have plenty more to talk about for the next post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)