In the Mind of the Composer

A Happy Place

2011-10-14T10:37:00.012-07:00

A Happy Place- Katie Melua

I'm back!! Sorry for the delay in my blogging, I got a little busy with married life and figuring out that it is better to have two separate tubes of toothpaste, than to have to worry about the proper way to get the toothpaste out. Toothpaste aside, this months blog is about epic music. I'm here to promote some of my favorite female artists of this year. They are fantastic and going places with their music. They all have very creative lyrics, meaning to their messages, a unique sound, and their music videos are wonderfully aesthetic. I'll name each one and then tell a little bit about why they're awesome.

Katie Melua http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E4-9yKTv_I&ob=av2e
Blues/Jazz/Folk Pop
Her voice is very calming, sultry, acoustic, and a little jazzy. The messages in her songs have meaning, and are more than just typical love songs.
The video clip I posted the link to is called The Flood. This song is about trials in life; they happen. In a great many cases, no-one is to blame, you just have to let the flood wash over you and move on. It has an exotic sound and changes tempos halfway through the song. It is very moving.

Janelle Monáe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s9iZFwUnqI&feature=artist
R&B/Soul/Funk/Motown
Her voice is clear, fun, and full of funky soul. She dances like Michael Jackson and has a very androgynous fashion. What I find most amazing thing about her music is in her production and story line of her albums. Listening to the album Metropolis, I was amazed at this sci-fi opera style of story telling. In order to have the best experience, you have to listen to the songs in order from beginning to end. I recommend listening to her album, available at http://www.jmonae.com/album

The Bird and the Bee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMy6X5cQul8
Indie/Synthpop/Alternative
Her voice is vintage and breathy. Her music is very vintage 60's and the production makes it have an all over quirky psychedelic sound. Fun fact, the man in all of the music videos is Greg Kurstin. He's a producer and keyboardist who has worked with Lily Allen (another great female artist,) Beck, Barenaked Ladies, The Flaming Lips, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. This dynamic duo makes a great sound. The lyrics are usually quite simple, but very interesting in describing life through different ways. Again and Again, the music video I posted, is about life's repetitions and how we as humans crave them and hate them at the same time. Very interesting.

La Roux http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk8eJh4i8Lo&ob=av2n
Electro Pop/Synth Pop
Her voice is powerful, electronic sounding and very much like a computerized version of Madonna. Also very androgynous in her fashions, she is certainly something to behold in her videos between her masculine fashions and wild make-up. Like The Bird and The Bee, La Roux is a duo of a group as she co-writes and co-produces with Ben Langmaid. This video, Bulletproof, is an exciting and empowering song about getting over a relationship. The shapes and visuals in this are quite amazing and very computerized. La Roux's music is fun, electrifying, and reminds me of my video game days in the 90's, growing up by having to blow the dust out of the game cartridges to get them to work.

These next 2 artists are local and well on their way to making their name in the music world. I love both of their sound and their ideas are very interesting a fun.

Stephanie Maybe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ALs-Mf5CE
Indie/Acoustic/Folk
Her voice is acoustic, folksy, and the way she phrases and emphasizes words is pleasantly unique. The majority of the music I've seen from her has been live, and it has been wonderful. She has a great stage presence and interacts well with the audience. The music she tends to write are witty and have a fun twist or an untypical story. For instance, the music video I posted above is about a comic book artist who works in an Office Max. Some other awesome songs of hers talk about Zombies and romance, and being the villain instead of the princess. She also plays an Omnichord. Her album, Wake Up Dreaming, is soon to come out about November-December.

Jenessa Buttars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH86xIE4YR8&feature=related
Indie/Acoustic/Folk
Her voice is also acoustic, folksy, and very pleasant. Her sound has influences of Regina Spektor and Florence and the Machine. She plays the harp to accompany herself on some of her songs. She's even done a few covers on the harp of popular songs ( there's a cover on Youtube of Snow Patrol.) The lyrics to her songs are witty and clever. One I've heard her sing is called Dark Spotlight. She wrote it for a songwriting class and I absolutely loved it. I'm not aware of any albums yet, but she has done some music for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'm excited to see where she goes with her music and her harp accompanying.

These are all female artists that I absolutely would promote and share with the world. I love their stuff and I have a feeling that they will be around for a while, doing the music they love.

Bad Boys -Bob Marley

2011-03-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

Not only is Bob Marley one of Brandon's favorite artists, but this song is also very fitting with the story.

Brandon's Version:
I formally proposed today.

Kristina and I had gone to Shane Co. jewelry to pick out a ring about a week ago. After selecting a beautiful band with smaller diamonds all along the sides, we picked out a beautiful diamond that complemented it, then sent it to the sizing department. Today we were supposed to go and pick it up. Little did Kristina know, I had called Shane Co., asked if I could have my room mate Kyle pick it up, then sent him to get it while she and I were still in class.

At 2:30 Kristina and I prepared to go to pick up the ring. I was very insistent that we leave at 2:30 with the excuse that if we didn’t I would not be able to make it to work on time. We got in the car and were driving to Shane Co. when I saw my uncle waiting exactly where he said he would be in an unmarked cop car. He pulled out of his hiding spot and followed us for about a minute before turning on his sirens and pulling us over. Thanks to a hat and a pair of aviators, Kristina didn’t recognize him.

“Are you Brandon Bishoff?” he asks. “Yes, sir.” I hand him my license, registration, and a carefully concealed ring box. “I’m going to need you to step out of the car son.” I step out. Kristina stays in the car, silent. I follow him to the back of the car where he puts my hands behind my head, hand cuffs me, and walks me to the passenger side of the car. He knocks on Kristina’s window. “I’m going to have to take him down town. Usually we’d impound the car, but since you’re here, I’m going to let you all figure out what you want to do with it.” He hand cuffs me to her, explaining that it’s a precautionary measure to make sure I don’t run away, then steps away to give us some privacy.

“I’m so sorry,” I say. “The timing couldn’t be any worse. I’m sorry that this happened on the day when we were going to get the ring.” Her face is emotionless. I can’t tell if she’s about to cry or if she’s really just serenely calm about this whole thing. “There is something that I should probably ask you though before I go.” I kneel down, “Kristina, will you marry me?” She laughs a careless laugh, a laugh like I’m not going to jail and this whole arrest thing doesn’t mean anything to her because she’s so in love laugh. “Of course I will, you punk.” “You might need this,” my uncle Terry says as he produces the ring from his pocket. Kristina was thrilled. She had no idea that I had already had Kyle pick up the ring and bring it back.

I put the ring on her hand. We take pictures there, handcuffed, beaming on the side of a busy road. My uncle Terry uncuffs us, sounds his sirens, and drives away, leaving Kristina and I standing on the side of the road in a rising wind storm. We hold each other and kiss on the side of the road, cars whizzing by, honking their cheers and congratulations. “I love you Kristina Austin,” I whisper. “It’s Kristina Bishoff,” she says with a smile, and kisses me firmly.

Put A Ring On It

2011-02-17T16:41:00.001-07:00

Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
And he DID! Brandon Bishoff gets the privilege of marrying me and standing by my side forever! And also mainly, vise versa. I love him dearly and am so blessed.

NOW! For the grand story of epic proportions. It was a typical Wednesday, or so I thought as I woke up. I met Brandon downstairs and we headed off to school. "I'm so excited for today! We're getting my ring," I happily remarked. (You see, a week beforehand, we had driven up to Shane Co. in Salt Lake to pick one out. We were in and out in record time: one hour, ring chosen, and half paid for. It was to be ready the following week, which brings us to the present.) He smiled back and kept driving.

We parted for class and met up again so that we could get ready and leave for Shane Co. at 2:30. Both of us had stuff to do at 5:00 (work for him and class for me.) That doesn't give us a lot of time to go up to the jewelry store and drive back because it is about a 45 minute drive. So he rushed down to his apartment and I up to mine so that we could gather what we needed, grab lunch and head out the door.

At 2:25, he was up in my apartment with lunch for both of us in his hands. "Please eat these," he stress fully said as he gestured to the chicken and ketchup sandwiches. I wasn't really hungry, I was too excited to get the ring, but I took a few bites for his sake and we ran out the door. "Are these the directions?" Brandon looked at me for the answer as he grabbed the Mapquest papers from the dashboard. "No," I said, "those are to The Canyons, but I have the right ones to Shane Co. right here in my bag." He grinned, "You are always thinking ahead." And with that, we headed off.

The conversation flowed easily like it always did as we discussed life, classes, clothes, plans. It was a lovely drive. Then, I began to notice him glancing nervously in the rear view mirror every few seconds or so. "That car behind us is making me nervous." I looked back to see what he was talking about. It was a black car, not really ominous looking until the dreaded red and blues lights went off. DRRRiiiirrrwwww, DRRRiiirrrrwwwww, DRRRiiirrrrwwwww, DRRRiiirrrrwwwww, etc. TYPICAL!! We would have an undercover cop pull us over on our way to getting my ring!

"Oh, shoot... okay, I'd better pull over." Poor Brandon, this must have been embarrassing for him. As we pulled over, he had me reach into the glove compartment and search for the vehicle registration. My mind was racing. "This shouldn't take long," I thought to myself, "as long as we give the cop exactly what he needs and just answer straight forward and honestly, he'll let us on our way and we'll only be 5-10 minutes behind schedule." Calmed for the time because I had a plan, I handed Brandon the registration as the cop walked up to the window and gently rapped on it. Brandon rolled down the window.

"Are you Brandon Bishoff?"
"Yes sir, I am."
"Alright, I'm gonna have to have you step out of the car please."
Brandon obliged calmly and I was assured that this wasn't a big deal. The cop wasn't scary from the looks of it, and it seemed like just a routine thing for this guy. Content to sit in the car, I began changing the station on the radio, because if I was going to sit there and be bored, I may as well do it with great music to listen to. Every so often, I'd glance up in the rear view mirror to see how the conversation was progressing. After about five minutes or so, Brandon raised his arms to put them behind his head.

"What the crap? Okay, this means one of two things: either he has a warrant out for his arrest because he didn't pay a fine or ticket, or the second would be that there are drugs involved. More likely the first." As I'm thinking all of this, the cop brings Brandon, now handcuffed, around the car to my side. He knocked on the window and I opened the door.

"Ma'am, I'm going to be taking him to jail. If you would drive his car back to his place, we won't tow it or anything..." And that is where my mind blocked everything else out and focused on finding a solution. "So Brandon was being taken to jail. His parents won't like that at all. If I called them, we could probably have him out tonight, at the very least by tomorrow morning. What did he even do to deserve jail? I'll drive the car and follow the cop to jail instead so that..." and on went my thoughts. They got interrupted when the cop stopped talking and handcuffed me to Brandon.

"We need to handcuff this man to you so that he doesn't escape." He walked back to his car to do the report or something and I finally had a chance to talk to Brandon and figure out what was going on. He looked at me and pulled me in close.

"I'm so sorry Kristina. I didn't expect for this to happen, especially on the day we're off to get your ring. You know that I love you and before he takes me to jail, there is something I need to say."
He got down on one knee, his left arm handcuffed to my right, looked up at me with his amazing eyes and asked "Will you marry me?"

RELIEF!!!!! This was a prank! I probably had the most interesting face on as my emotions went from serious and brave to ecstatic and relieved. "Yes, of course I will. Haha, you punk!!" He gave me a huge hug and the cop came back.

"You might need this." It was the ring! So Brandon put it on my right hand. I grinned, took it off and placed it on my left hand. The cop offered his congratulations and I finally recognized him! There are not many 50 year olds with braces, so after I saw them, I realized this cop was Brandon's uncle. What a fun and wonderful prank for Brandon and his uncle to pull on me. As his uncle drove away, I took Brandon's face and asked him, "Guess what?""What?" He replied. I smiled and kissed him with every reply of mine. "Yes, yes, yes!" (etc.)

So there I was, on the side of a busy intersection kissing the love of my life. Cars were honking at us in approval. The wind was blowing everywhere and it felt like a movie (like Gone With the Wind, except a happy ending.) If I could compose a score for this day, it would be epic and wonderful. I get to marry my best friend. Brandon Bishoff, I love you and am looking forward to living happily ever after.

-<3 Kristina Austin

The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny -Lemon Demon

2011-01-01T13:14:00.004-07:00

My New Year is going to be great! I began it in the arms of my wonderful boyfriend, on top of our apartment complex as fireworks whizzed around the city. We went to see some of my best friends perform Blues music and celebrated at Village Inn with some more best friends. Yes, a great start to the year of 2011. Before I begin with my resolutions for this year, I will revert back to last years and see if I accomplished things.
1- Definitely maintained my weight this year.
2- Composed way more than 10 songs. I got some tall orders like a waltz for my friends wedding, rock music for a TV series, my classes at school, and many more jobs. This year starts off with some more tall orders that I am excited to take on.
3- Threw things upon the ground. On last night, instead of watching the ball drop in New York, we threw a basketball down from the roof onto a huge snowman. It was great.
4- Earned more money.
5- Got a job. Three actually at one point.
6- Didn't learn to fly, but that is alright.
7- I didn't die, so check that off the list.
8- Increased the amount of reading spiritual material (scriptures, church magazines, etc.)
9- Didn't learn to pray in a different language, but I learned a greeting in Japanese!
10- I got a new phone. It was an orange razor. Then it became lame so I reverted back to my red samsung.
11- Defeat a bad guy... hm, what bad guy have I defeated? Ope, yep, defeated a bad guy. Sorry no story guys, but just know I did.
12- Polish up on my jedi mindtricks and manipulation of objects. I did, and now, I'm Chuck Norris! Just kidding... but really.
13- I didn't meet John Williams this year. :( Hopefully, I can do it in his life time, so instead of a New Year's resolution, it will be a life goal.
14- Looked up punctuality in the dictionary. Didn't change much, but I have been a little better, mainly because I have great friends who keep me focused.
15- Everyday, make someone else's day better. I certainly hope I did. I tried and if anything, someone would make my day better, even if they didn't do anything special. I have such lovely friends and family that it is hard not to smile everyday.

Okay, so I'd say a success. I accomplished a lot of things, and in most cases, I accomplished more than I expected or planned. When I look back, I am happy with where I am and how far I have come. A lot has happened in a year, and I am excited to see what this next one brings. Here are my resolutions for this year:
1- Get grades I can be very proud of. If my boyfriend can get all A's (and he's taking intense classes) then so can I.
2- Compose music and be constantly moving forward on talent, time, and business tact. Now that I'm getting business and paid for my work, I need to make sure that my image is professional and consistent.
3- Read five books. I used to be such an avid reader, but with music and school and social activities, I've had very little time to sit down and read.
4- Make sure my sister grows and moves forward with her life. She just moved into my complex and is barely starting college, so as the older sibling, I have the charge to look out for her (without being too overbearing of course.)
5- Cook a fancy meal at least once a month. Something ethnic or challenging, like sushi, german rouladen, lasagna, etc.
6- Get a lot better at Halo. I know this isn't a typical resolution, but I am tired of being lame at Halo. I used to be very good when it was Halo 1 and 2, but now that 3 and Reach are out, I have lost touch with my game playing and am at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to video gamers. I intend on breaking that sad reality.
7- Learn more words in Hindi, German, and Japanese.
8- Get better at dancing, especially blues dancing. It's easy to move your body in funky ways to 80s music (which I do oft,) but moving slow and sultry with a partner to a slower music with a less established beat is a lot harder.
9- Move out of shared room apartments. I'm tired of sharing rooms, so I'm either moving into private room accommodations or a house.
10- Continue with my efforts toward making someone's day better.

That should be good for now. Many things can be accomplished in a year. I've seen four friends get married (three weren't even engaged at this time last year) and have a few more getting married within the next few months. Some are pregnant, some have graduated, some have a job in the real world. Life is so unexpected and so much can happen by this time next year; and I'm meeting it head on!

It's My Life

2010-11-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

Stress happens, it's my life. It's everyone's life. And it is also my excuse as to why I have not posted anything this month. I apologize my avid and supportive readers. For now, I will suggest you look and listen to the music on the left of this page. It is mostly what has been the cause of my stress because I have been composing one thing after the other. Enjoy the music guys!

Since this is a month to be thankful, I am going to put out my gratitude:
I am grateful for the opportunity to compose for people and the fact that people want my services. Also, I am grateful this semester of school ends in two weeks.

The Steward of Gondor

2010-10-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

Now this is going above and beyond. My short thought for this month is:

Going above and beyond always makes whatever you have done more epic; however, is the time you spent on it used well, or wasted?

This guy was obviously bored. That amazing replica of Gondor is made completely out of matchsticks. Where do I even begin on the questions? How long did this take him? How many match sticks did he have to buy? Did anyone pay him?

In my opinion, this is awesome; but, unless he had some great purpose for it (pay, a museum, Peter Jackson is his brother) I think that this was not worth the time he had spent. I cringe thinking of the tedious hours of getting the mountain just right. This project is definitely an obsession.

I'll give an example now on the other end of the spectrum: I spent the last few days working on a Shakespeare project. It was a performance and so our group got together and decided to do a video web chat of the scenes from As You Like It. I volunteered to do the editing. So I filmed everyone, put it on my computer, and since I only had basic effects, I had to spend at least twice the amount of time making the film look good. Once the editing was done, I decided to go above and beyond. I added special effects, credits, and composed music for the majority of the 10 minute film.

Now, was it worth no sleep? Yes, it was, because it is a project I am proud of. It is not perfect, and there are so many more things I could have done to it to make it win Independent Film of the Year or something; however, I made the decision that I would go above and beyond, but only so much. There is a fine balance between an excellent product, and obsessing to the last detail for a 'perfect' product. The time I spent was well used and I don't think any was wasted.

Here is the my Shakespeare project:

Right Here, Right Now- Technology and Humans Merge

2010-09-15T11:17:00.001-07:00

Live: Right Here Right Now- Fat Boy Slim

Bionics. Usually, this word brings images of science fiction characters like the Terminator, the Bicentennial Man, Inspector Gadget, and many other futuristic ideals of technology and humans. When looking up the actual definition of this word, the typical association is not far off.

Bionic:
1. Having anatomical structures or physiological processes that are replaced or enhanced by electronic or mechanical components.
2. Having extraordinary strength, powers, or capabilities; superhuman.

Little do people realise how much of a reality bionics is to some people today. The day and age where technology and humans merge is here and now. People who experience car accidents an lose their arm can get a prosthetic one where the fingers and joints function like the original. "Kitts [a women who oversees a daycare] is one of those "Tomorrow's People," a group whose missing or ruined body parts are being replaced by devices embedded in their nervous systems that respond to commands from their brains." (Josh Fischman, National Geographic) These "Tomorrow's People" include blind people embedded with tiny cameras, the deaf who have electrodes that translate auditory signals into sound the brain recognises, paraplegics who hold electronic devices under the skin enabling them to grip and move, amputee soldiers returning home from the Iraqi war in need of limbs so they can work. Being part machine has become their reality.

There are many benefits to biotechnology, but is the human race ready for the leap into science fiction? When Kitts shows up for work, several children cry "The robot arm!" This is not an uncommon reaction. As a race, humans are leery about the unknown and unnatural, and being part machine falls under both categories. With all the movies about machines taking over the world, who can blame us? People label new and inhuman as scary, and until it is learned otherwise, will stay that way. The older a person is, the less likely to accept change and innovative technologies. For example: my mother refuses to get a Facebook and some Grandparents I know don't know the first thing about how to work the Internet, and refuse to learn. They argue that technology is taking over lives. An extreme example would be from the movie Surrogates; although, it can be argued that it is not such an extreme example when the addictive effects from World of Warcraft is seen on the average person. Technology and knowledge both grow exponentially every year, so it is only a matter of time before bionic people and robots will be walking on the street (at least, that is iRobot's rendition.)

However, there can be a way to bring technology and humans together without people rioting. There should be technology classes readily available to everyone so that it can eliminate the fear of the unknown. Bionics should become more affordable so that it is more of an option to the many people in need of it. Films should reflect the benefits of technology rather than the question of 'What if the technology went wrong?' When it is broadcast and bionics is shown for the benefits to society, it will become the norm and our race will leap forward into the not so distant future. In that future, people can even get enhancements to run faster, retain knowledge quicker, breath underwater, etc. Firefighters could become fire resistant, Police officers bulletproof, Surgeons more precise in their surgeries. The blind can see, the lame can walk, and the deaf can hear, and some of that future is right here, and right now.

Works Cited:
Fischman, Josh, National Geographic, 00279358, Jan2010, Vol. 217, Issue 1
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bionic
References to movies- iRobot, Surrogates, Terminator, Bicentennial Man, Inspector Gadget
Right Here, Right Now-Fat Boy Slim

Geek Love

2010-08-20T12:18:00.005-07:00

I recently became a fan of Fan 3's Geek Love. It reminds me of all the cliches and cliques back in high school.

You know what I have come to notice? Girls are more likely to fall for geeky guys than guys are to fall for geeky girls. Interesting, not surprising though to say the least.

Guys are more visual and look for girls who are more healthy for producing children. Girls look for security (financially) someone who she knows can support her and her children. These are base instincts for all humans and many animals. Some of it is cultural as well as the way you grew up, but for now, I'm just putting it in cave man terms: Hot girls marry geeky guys. It happens. Hot girls also marry hot guys, but the first relationship seems to last longer than the later.

I love this geeky guy in the music video. He is so awesome, and has such a quirky personality. He's actually attractive too and has sweet dance moves. I can tell these things. Now, just sayin': don't be surprised if I end up with him or someone like him someday.

She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an 'L' on her forehead

2010-07-21T15:10:00.017-07:00

Smash Mouth sometimes says it best. Gotta love this song.
With my friends getting married left and right, marriage and wedding planning is constantly barraging my thoughts. I've been observing all the different styles and preferences that each girl(or guy) has wanted. Some I would really like to implement into my own wedding when that day comes. Mine will either be a Fall wedding or Spring. Winter is too cold and Summer is too hot and typical. Plus, if you get married in Spring, you have all summer to be together and party and stuff. Music will be a big deal. I think an all out dance party would be perfect. Colors- probably blues and green, accents of red everywhere because I love that color. Food will be delicious, tons of fruit for sure. I would like something both inside and outside because I think both are great.
Now for the dress:

None of these will I EVER wear

I don't even know why anyone came up with these dresses and that they actually wore them. Gross! In any case, my wedding dress will look nothing like any of these, but I thought they were so ridiculous I had to put them up. Some I couldn't because they were pretty much naked. Who does that?! Commentary to ensue:

I've always thought of myself as patriotic, however, this has gone too far.

I hate it when you dream you're in your underwear... wait.

Two things: I don't think
this is the kind of glowing
a bride is going for. And
talk about fire hazard.

It's a garbage bag... dresses for under $5!!

Newspaper dress, fresh off the press. Get it now while it's still hot... not!

Recycled Baby Cradle

Balloon girl... I can't imagine all the time put into that dress.

Classy... I think she took her man's shirt and attached a curtain.

Poor girl, she doesn't even know she
lookes like a cake.

I want to jump on her massive train.

Mariah, who told you this was okay?

Peacock? It's the males, not the females that have those colors.

Hahahaha, no!

Worried the authorities will find you,
try the Camo/hunting wedding, a sure
fire way to make sure the wild-life
attend your reception.

I think she forgot the rest of her dress.

Last one which wins the award for

"Classiest Wedding Dress" goes to the

politically-correct-hole-in-one-original

I hope to never see these dresses again. The end. Mine will look way good guys, don't worry. I have a pretty good idea already- I know what I want. Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to see what I have in mind till later. At least you know what I won't be wearing!

UPDATED! Here is my wedding dress. I think it stayed away from all of these terrible dresses and I'd like to think it's pretty classy.

Typical

2010-06-22T15:49:00.003-07:00

Fun song by Mutemath.
Through the years, I've noticed a common trend throughout America. As I was discussing last night's concert and events with a coworker, I was reminded again of this observation and that is:

Band Directors are usually clarinet or trumpet players

Why that is, I have no idea, but one can speculate... me being that one (for Kelly.)

There are two kinds of teachers. Ones who teach because they know it the information, and ones who teach because they are good at getting people to listen/learn; one is the intellect, the other a leader. Some teachers are talented at dabbling in both, and I commend them as they are typically my favorite ones.

Now for the instrument part. As in my first official blog post, I opened up the idea that either the instruments choose the musician or vise versa. Now, if you read my observations on both clarinet and trumpet players, you would find that they seem to be completely different people. Interesting no? Clarinetists are generally intelligent for sure, which probably gives them an advantage to learning and being able to teach others to play. Trumpet players are generally confident so people are more likely to follow what they teach because of the seemingly proneness to taking the lead.

Trumpets lead because they think/act like they know it all, and Clarinets lead because they actually do.

This is definitely another generalization, but I think for the most part, it's true. The best teachers are those that can not only lead, but actually know what they're teaching and passing onto those musicians. Being truly talented in both is a rare gift and I've met a few teachers that have possessed this- two of them, I am happy to say, were my band teachers:

Mr. Depalatis (a euphonium player), Dr. Fullmer (a trumpet player.)
Thank you

I Wish- Stevie Wonder

2010-05-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

So I have three jobs now as of April 25th. In one of them, I am a chemical data input person full time. Thus, I am at a computer inputting MSDSs and other lovely things involved with chemical information. The problem solving part is actually not bad, and we get to listen to music- it makes the time go by very quickly.

In my music exploration, I have discovered a forgotten musician, Stevie Wonder. Well, he isn't forgotten (how could anyone forget a blind piano player?) but he isn't as prominent in music today. Lady Gaga distracts everyone, so who can blame us? In any case, his music is quality and groovin'. I recommend him strongly; this song especially, I Wish. It makes me remember the good ol' times when I was a kid. He wishes those days would come back once more. Great idea Wonder!

So I decided to make a list of things I want to do this summer, a wish list if you will; things that I should do, enjoy and remember while I am still single and unattached.
Not listed in any order other than the first to come to mind.

1- Sky diving (pricey and risky!)
2- Water parks (typical I know)
3- Road trip to no-where in particular (just me and my thoughts on the road- perfect to figure things out)
4- Read a large book within a two-day time period (it makes it more fun when there is a competition; unfortunately, the experience ends quicker too)
5- See an opera or musical (the experience is different when you're by yourself)
6- Run in the rain (healthy and beautiful and fun, now I just have to wait for the perfect storm)
7- Spend the night outside in a random place like a park (my luck with law enforcement and "trespassing" may prove this to be difficult)
8- Continue memorizing π 100 past the decimal (I'm at 70)
9- Get better at country dancing (I've been once and throughout the years done some line-dancing, but I want to be pro)
10- Do the splits again (it is amazing how one's flexibility wanes with age)
11- Pranks (oh pranks, the ultimate kid thing, totally going to have fun with this one- for those who know me: watch out! You're next)
12- Go to a fancy restaruant alone and tip very well (it will make whoever's serving me day, unless they suck)
13- Colour my hair again and get a fun cut (I'm taking advantage of this while I can, not gonna lie, I'll probably still do this even when I'm older and with a family)
14- Dress up great and wear red lipstick and go throughout my day like regular (dress-up was always fun when I was a girl, still is)
15- Time to be a secret agent with an awesome mission (I've always thought being a spy would be cool, so I'll dress up in black at night a go around completing missions, of course, I'll do this with friends because it's way more fun that way)
16- Throw a crazy party (eh, why not?)
17- Make an incredible feast and have people over to eat it (kind of like Thanksgiving, just in the summer)
18- Christmas in July, buy presents for people randomly ('nuff said, people will love you and it will make anyone's day; unless your gift is lame, then it becomes a joke. So either way, there is bound to be a smile)
19- Get a Concealed Weapon's License (it can come in handy, just sayin')
20- Sunburn (not that I will try, but I know it will happen, and it will just remind me of the days when I rebelliously refused sunscreen because I was little and wanted to play. Plus, it was a hassle to put on all the time)

If these inspire you to act on some of them, all power to you and enjoy your summer! I'll be sure to.

Are We Human or Are We Dancer?

2010-04-08T12:26:00.006-07:00

This is from The Killers from those of you who don't yet know. I recommend listening to it.

I was pondering in the shower and began thinking about what makes a good actor or actress. The best ones are those who not only make you believe the story with their words, but also their body language. In short, they are the best liers. Now, no offense intended toward those of the dramatic and theatrical department, but it is a true statement. Directors hire those people who can convince the audience anyway they want.

Then I thought about what makes a good musician. Well, a good musician is talented; however, the best musicians are those who can convey the truth. Think about it: you're having a lame day at work and a song comes on that "speaks to you." It then becomes your favorite song as you listen to it repetitively for a little bit. The music helps you get through the hard times and when upbeat, enjoy the good times. Music is best received and considered the most heart wrenching when it is delving into the depths of truth. (It also helps when the music just sounds beautiful.)

What makes a song beautiful? Well, a lot of things actually, but I mentioned one for now: truth.

Actors and musicians are very similar in the fact that they are working to change people's hearts and bring out their emotions- move them to tears or action, if you will. The best just accomplish it in very different ways, but aim toward the same goal: a change in the audience.

The Flight to Neverland

2010-03-20T18:21:00.003-07:00

Peter, I can't come with you. I've forgotten how to fly. I'm old, Peter. Ever so much more than twenty. I grew up a long time ago. -Wendy Darling from Hook.

Have you forgotten to fly? At some point, I almost did. I was so busy trying to grow up and become the independent adult everyone expected of me. Running around trying to earn money, take school so I can obtain the career, and being reluctant to play if it interfered with my plans of success. Then, like in Hook (which is an awesome movie and I recommend it to anyone) I got knocked off my feet and taken to Neverland.

I didn't actually go to Neverland, I wish, but I went instead to El Paso, Texas. There, I lived once more with young children in the house. Children are so intriguing to watch. The littlest things can make them so happy. Their everyday lives are filled with such wonder and the cares of the world seem insignificant when there is a Mother there to console all their greatest fears away.

Now, the children can also be easily offended, but not so easily deterred. They are the best procrastinators and if they don't want something, everyone knows it; however, I think we could take some lessons from children and how they look at life. I'm not saying throw a tantrum when you don't get your way, but I am suggesting to not give up so easily when things get rough.

Fill your lives with wonder. I built a fort in the living room the other night. It was awesome and I even slept in it, just like I used to as a little girl. It was so fun, and I think more adults should recreate some of the games they used to play as a child. It helps us get through the hard times and look at the brighter and better side of things.

I came back from Texas with this idea of remembering childhood and I intend on fighting to stay part child. Old people who live longer, have more childlike qualities like fun loving and not letting the cares of the world bring them down. I can grow up, and I actually have considerably since having left for Texas in the first place; but, I can also remember how to fly.

Why Not Reach Millions?

2010-02-22T21:58:00.006-07:00

I figure I'd post up something I've composed. This whole society today is all about media, and internet is the quickest way to reach millions. So, I figured, why not reach millions with my music eh? Youtube is the way to go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiDMVJ_rj9s

There you go and enjoy!

Importance of Music

2010-02-14T15:47:00.003-07:00

What makes music reach a person? There are songs that you can't help dancing to, and yet there are others that seem to say all the right words to explain how you're feeling. I've been brought to tears by some some, and seriously about the throw-up after hearing others. What is it about the grand opening melody of Star Wars that excites the audience and makes us all anticipate the awesome story about to commence?
Have you ever watched a scary movie with the sound on mute? It makes the film humorous. You laugh, because the usual atonal and nails-on-board tones are absent, and you have nothing but just visual to tell you something is scary. Music really creates the atmosphere. It takes you to a whole new level of experiencing the movie. Without the music, most films would be very average and forgettable. Does that make auditory experiences more memorable and influencial than visual? Could sound be better than image?

Reconsider Everything

2010-02-13T15:40:00.006-07:00

311 Really knows how to explain some things. For this post, I think this song really nails on the head what I've been up to lately and what I've been thinking about.

How many times will they do the same thing?
How did they get programmed to, your following?
Every one's locked up in their suffering
The only way you can tell is reconsider everything

What if the truth is that there is no truth
The only thing I can prove is there is no proof
Don't be so sure that your source is correct
People believed it before, before they had checked

How many times can they tell you
Till you just give them their way
How many times can sell you
Till you let them have their say

Every time you will ignore your
Heart it will come back twice more
Never deny your own instinct
Reconsider Everything

Everybody want something they control
Some just want grass some they want gold
Either way does it feel good or feel low
Taking you down not fast but real slow

Rebellion done for it's own sake
Does not a true free thinker make
To go against for it's own sake
You're still controlled by the course that the other man takes

Reconsider everything

So, I've been thinking about life, reconsidering everything and what I really truly want. I've been stumbling to find what I really want since my Senior year of high school. What it's taken for me to really find out, is being humbled. For all of you who are looking to find yourself, or just figure out where you really want to be (what you want in life), I don't necessarily suggest all of these, but these are what worked for me.

Lose a car- It forces you to be inventive on how to get places. Also, you get more chances to walk. I think I actually got some great exercise this way.

Live on your own- With no one else to influence your ideas or way you live, you are compelled to act on your own. It is your single responsibility to take care of the house and it provides you opportunities to rise to the occasion. You learn how you keep a house, clean, entertain for parties, cook, live, what you do to entertain yourself, and whether or not you can handle the silence.

Welcome the silence- Do you have to have music on always? Coming from a musician, I listen to music often, but I've also found joy in listening to nothing at all. It's very relaxing and the best to find your thoughts. It reminds me of a word I learned my sophomore year in Biology:
metacognition- knowledge of your own thoughts and the factors that influence your thinking. Or the way I like to put it, thinking about the way you think. This also is very important to do because you can find out what you truly want, like I did.

Pay your own way- When you are earning money to spend it on living, it makes you appreciate living more. If you're paying for school, it means more when you pass a class, unfortunately it also means more if you fail. If you're paying for your housing, you're more inclined to take care of it because the responsibility is yours.

Getting a job- This gives you the chance to serve people other than yourself. Of course, you're getting paid for it, so it does help you out too. You learn to work, or not, depending on your attitude. This is quite the growing experience because for the first bit especially you have, to learn everything from the start.

Losing a job- Yep, so I got laid off; however, it gave me more time to think, and I had to once again take on the world of job searching. Actually, a better word would be hunting.

Losing a home- Losing a home and moving is such a process. You pack everything away: decorations, cooking utensils, favorite books, memories. Then you form new ones. Don't worry, you'll be able to pull everything back out again, but it will be after you've moved on. Will the same things interest you at the end of it?

One thing all of these have in common is that it forces you outside your comfort zone. It also enables you to grow up. Sometimes, life sucks and you lose your job to only lose your home and lose your chance to go to school for a semester. Not that I've experienced this or anything....But, you have to get outside of yourself and become an independent thinker because no matter how much advice you receive, it is ultimately your choice to act. Nothing will happen otherwise, and all that you want will be for naught.

What do I want? What must I reconsider? Well, I found out what I want this week, finally, and it took all these humbling experiences to compel me to humility and pure thinking. I'm not going to let in on what I have found out, because how would you grow otherwise?

I invite you to reconsider everything. What do you really want? What are you doing about it? Trust your instincts and don't ignore your heart, because it will come back twice as hard until you get it.

Learn to Fly

2010-01-09T14:15:00.004-07:00

I'm listening to this great song by Foo Fighters by the way, as you read, you'll see why I reference it in my title choice for this blog.

Alright all of you who read my blog, handful that you are (literally I can count you followers on one hand), it is time for my monthly blog. Since January is a time to glance back on last year and decide whether it was worth remembering, I figure that is where I will begin the first blog of 2010.
The answer is: yes.
Okay, now that that is done with, I am looking toward the immediate future, aka this year. What do I want to accomplish? What are my New Year's resolutions, if you will. Well, here are some
(not ordered in anyway other than the first to come to my mind):

1- Most women want to lose weight. Well, I've already lost 15 lbs since last January, so I just want to maintain my weight this year.

2- Compose and finish more songs than last year. 5 symphonies sound good... or maybe just 10 regular songs.

3- Take Andy Samberg's advice and celebrate the art of throwing things upon the ground.

4- Earn more money.

5- Get a job that can provide that.

6- Learn to fly. This is one of my resolutions every year, but I never seem to accomplish such a task. Maybe when I die.

7- Not die. I'm not that desperate to learn to fly just yet.

8- Increase the ammount of time I spend reading spiritual material (scriptures, church magazines, etc.)

9- Learn to pray in a different language. Hindi would be awesome; german would be too I guess.

10- Get a new phone. I know that's not really a life changing resolution, but I have resolved that I need a new one, especially since this one is determined to hate me.

11- Defeat a bad guy. That could be anything that causes a negative effect in the balance of good vs. evil.

12- Polish up on my jedi mindtricks and manipulation of objects.

13- Meet John Williams. He's getting old, and I want to shake his hand before he learns to fly.

14- Look up punctuality in the dictionary.

15- Okay, a cheesy one, but none the less important: Everyday, make someone else's day better.

There you have it, some of the resolutions I can remember deciding to accomplish for 2010. I usually don't write them down, but I think if I write them down, I have a sort of checklist. It also helps that this is public so that people can pester me about getting them done. That does not give y'all liscence to however.

Instead of parting with 'The End,' I'll part with something much more fitting:

...THE BEGINNING

The Inevitable Variable

2009-12-05T17:07:00.003-07:00

There are few things in life that are certain; one thing that is certain is the variable of change. As I have been looking back on my year, I have noticed that as a college student, one has to be flexible because the decisions you make can alter your life in many different ways. It can change your living conditions, the relationships you have, you as a person, and your future career and or family. Since last January, there have been many changes for me. Most of them were acted upon me by an outside force.

My Car: I dearly loved my Honda Accord Marty (Rest in peace,) but a red saturn felt like pummeling into me causing my car to total. Thus I was car-less. However; through many generous people, I have been able to receive a car to drive in it's place. Her name is Eglentine, and rightfully named such since she looks like one and drives like a boat. She is no Marty, but she has been good to me.

Where I Live: In April, my contract with Glenhood ended and I needed to find another place to live. Belmont was the answer. Then August happened and my contract ended and now my little house became my new abode, only to change once more at the end of this month.

My Parent's House: Being in a military family, I got used to moving constantly. So moving and my parent's moving are two changes that I am accustomed to, but it is still quite a hastle to have to worry about it. So my parent's sold their Utah home and since they were living in Texas, I was the main representative to stand in for my family and take care of the house. It was certainly a change though, because it officially means that I am living in a different state than them.

My Job : In August of 2008, I applied and became employed with a wonderful frozen yogurt place, Yoasis. As I worked there, I fell in love with the tart delicious original flavor and all the fresh fruit that we constantly had to cut and prepare. I am a master at cutting fruit now; I could be a fruit ninja. Hot drinks came out and I looked forward to my choice of Wassail, Apple Cider, and Hot Chocolate every time I came in during the winter. During the fall of 2009, homemade waffles and homemade syrup got on board. Everything tasted delicious, but sadly, not enough people knew of this amazing place, and thus in the last few days, me and all my fellow employees were let go. It is weird to feel the effects of the Economy so close to home, but there you go.

My School: Right out of high school, I began my summer not partying, but attending BYU. It was nice to feel like I was getting ahead of the game. Then I was offered a scholarship at UVU, so I accepted and went there for two years. I had many opportunities at that school that I would not have had if I had attended BYU. The opportunities to get on a film scoring internship and travel to L.A and Culver City and experience what film scoring was like live. I felt during last year that I needed to reapply for BYU and so I did. I also made my roommate, and both of us are now attending BYU.

All these changes are huge changes and if they had all happened at once, I may have exploded. But; I find it interesting how different my life is this year compared with last years. There have been all these circumstance provided to me, and I have been able to see how I handle them. I am grateful for these changes, because I do believe I would be such a boring person if nothing ever happened or changed. Also, I would never grow.

Now, I do not know all of what the future holds, but I do know for a fact that change will be there. And I intend on meeting it head on.

Random Thoughts I Think About

2009-11-11T16:31:00.007-07:00

So within the past month since my last blog, I have been trying to find something I could deem worthy to post up for all to see. I realised the last few days, that I am always thinking about something; sometimes it is more than one thing and half the time it is a song I have heard or not yet written. I don't know if this is just a woman thing or if it includes all human beings.(For you guys, I apologise if this offends you. I do not imply that you don't think, I simply state that girls are generally better at multitasking and that includes the brain.)Here are somethings I have thought about the last month that hopefully anyone one who reads this has more to add and will act on it.

Caution signs: They are put up to keep pedestrians from slipping and suing, but that is not their only purpose. These signs are also put up to say, "Don't step here because it just got cleaned and the person who cleaned it doesn't want you dragging your muddy feet all over, making the mop job pointless."

Pedestrians: Two things here: If America changes the law so that pedestrians do not have the right of way, would we have less deaths and accidents? (Egypt has no pedestrian laws, and they also have few pedestrian deaths.) When learning to drive, it should include training on How To Drive Near BYU Campus. Maybe college campuses state wide, but my thought is that driving near BYU campus scares the crap out of me because pedestrians assume the right of way and that all cars will stop for them. That thinking works...with perfect drivers; it is just another accident waiting to happen.

Courtesy at low paying jobs: I don't know whether it is a sort of pride or caste system, but if you say you work at McDonalds versus working at a 9-5 office job, people will look at you differently. Is it human nature to stereotype or categorise someone? I think so. I try not to, but sometimes I find myself jumping to conclusions on who that person is and their potential.

Aging Backwards: What if everyone in the world had a 'Curious Case' like Benjamin Button and we all were born old only to die as infants. How different would this world be? Well for one, the coffins would be a lot smaller. At the same time, it may not be that different because generally people are taken care of when they are young and when they grow old it seems to be the same; unfortunately that includes changing diapers.

Transportation: I truly believe that we should have transporter devices like off of Star Trek that teleport us to places we need/want to be. It would solve a lot of problems like car/bus/plane emissions, decrease our dependency on oil to almost null, traveling time would be cut to a fraction of the time, punctuality would be easier to achieve, pedestrian would not even be a word and accidents would stop. One pressing problem I do see happening is a huge chunk of people in the world would lose their jobs. Transportation is a large part of everyday lives and to many people, it is their way of earning a living. Also, car people would hate me because driving would be a lost art, maybe it would be considered exotic. Just a few wrinkles to iron out really that's all...

Pitch in the Key of Dog: How much different would music, movies, everyday sounds be if we had the hearing of a dog? This thought alone could take days to discuss.

Moving: Now I have moved a lot in my life so I know what I am talking about quite well, but here is something that I have always wondered. A Prophet or family member asks me to bring what I can carry and come and follow them somewhere, never to return again. They don't say where we are going exactly, just that we are leaving and that eventually we will get to where we are going. Would I drop everything and follow?

Moon: How different would our world/Earth be if our moon was a mile closer? 1 mile farther? Non existent?

Seeing is Believing Sometimes: Have I ever seen the 3 Nephites or John the Beloved? Will I ever in this lifetime?

These are a few things that I have thought about, some deeper than others. I enjoy thinking about things and unfortunately my sleep habits are affected by this. I have had a few moments in my life where I was thinking absolutely nothing, and it scared me. It was a weird feeling having nothing in my head and I hope that it does not happen too often. Anyway...
Until next month's blog, I bid adieu

Do Musicians choose their instruments or do the instruments choose the musician?

2009-10-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

For my first official blog, I will discuss something that I am well familiar with: Marching band.
Indeed I have been in marching band and am proud to say so. There has been something that I have noticed throughout the years of being in band however, and that is every marching section has a certain personality to go along with it. This phenomenon is not just in my marching band, but marching bands all around. For those of you in a marching band, you will understand of which I speak; however, those who are not so familiar, I will point out the personalities for you. You can think of people you know who play these instruments and see if they fit these categories.

Flutes/Piccolos- Typically girls who have drama and/or get stressed easily who are usually smart and care what others think.
Clarinets- No extremists here, clarinet players are usually more reserved than the other woodwinds. Generally pretty smart, more laid back than the flutes but also can get stressed easily
Alto Saxophones- The highest percentage of good looking guys who a more charming and flirtatious compared to other wind instruments. Also typically intelligent.
All the woodwinds are usually a little more high maintenance and technical than brass. They all care more about what people think than the brass also, but don't you think it's interesting that their parts are also high maintenance and call for the most technique and dexterity between blowing, articulating, and fingering?

Don't be offended woodwinds, as a brass player, I know more about brass than I do you guys.

Trumpets- 'Who ever plays louder is better'... not true by the way, but that seems to be what they think. Usually competitive and ostentatious. If there are girls in it, they HAVE to prove themselves one of the guys and as good if not better. Confidence is their strength, their weakness is over-confidence.
French horns/Mellophones- Now these musicians are more reserved (a brass version of the clarinet.) Ambitious and seem to get along with anyone from any section, but prefer ultimately to be with their section. Also competitive in a different fashion than the trumpets. It is a passive competition that isn't spoken, but proven when the results of 'who is first chair' is placed on the table.
Trombones- 'who ever plays louder and bad is better'... When I mean bad, i mean the tone is gone and all you hear is a gross blaze that makes statues cringe. Between these guys (typically male) and the tubas, they have the ultimate marching band pride. Quite talkative and friendly and for those of you who have read the color personality books, the full spectrum of Yellow.
Tuba- 'Life is a party' I have yet to meet a boring tuba player. Like the trombones, they are talkative and friendly and the epitome of Yellow. Sometimes they love talking so much they are annoying, not gonna to lie. Usually tubas are the last type of person you would expect to hurt a fly. That rhymed- unintentional.

Drumline or Battery- Is the name 'battery' derived from the energizer bunny? If it is, it would work because the energizer bunny wears sunglasses to show how cool he is, and that is generally the appearance of drumline. The ladies on drumline are one of the guys and pretty chill. There are, however, subdivisions of personalities within the drumline of which I will hit on from what I have observed.
Snare- 'Shirts optional' ... these musicians are a combination of instruments. With the looks of a saxophone, mouth of a trombone, and confidence of a trumpet these guys enjoy being in the spotlight. They are also extremely flirtatious. They learn the drum lick and then proceed to play it as fast as possible. When it comes time to play with the marching band, they have a rushing problem. Why keep life as it is when you can take the faster road?
Tenor- Probably the most complex of the drumline, these musicians can play anywhere from two to six different drums in sequence. You can attach anything you want like cymbals or cowbell. Like walking percussion ensembles, they are excellent at multi-tasking. Probably the most surprising and quirky that I have met, they are not afraid to do hard things. However, these musicians are doomed to have back problems.
Bass- Also doomed for back problems, these are the most chill people I have met. Life happens, may as well enjoy it. They take their drumming seriously, but not serious enough to have drama over. The basses have to all work together to get the best sound too. The entire section depends on everyone playing their part right, so they are definitely team players. If I wasn't a brass, I would definitely have fun playing a bass.

The Pit- this includes timpani, guitars or electric basses if the song calls for it, mallet instruments like xylophone and marimba and anything else that the tenors couldn't carry. These guys practice and practice their parts till it's memorised as much as possible, and then that is it. They probably get the full effect of marching band the least, but I couldn't fully say. I don't know much about them because they were always distant. They must have the most boring time though because they are not out marching, but at the same time, they don't have to sweat as bad as everyone else.

The Colorguard- Dancers both in action and personality. These ladies (sometimes guys) have a bit of a gossiping problem. They are very aware of appearances and when ever they get together to practice and march it is like one big sleepover. They also tend to have the most radiant smiles. If marching band was a high school, colorgaurd would be the popular-flirty-boy-crazy girls and the drumline would be the popular-attractive-flirty-ladies-men who go after them.

Now these are all generalizations and throughout my years of marching band, I have met exceptions to the rule, but these are definitely the general personalities of band members whom I have observed. So here I pose the question:

Do the musicians choose the instrument or do the instruments choose the musician?

Now this is for marching band. Symphonic Band, Full Orchestra and Jazz Bands complicate and change things, but the underlying personality is still there. Why are there personalities that fit with the instrument? Is it a happy coincidence that an outgoing girl who cares about what others think picks a flute when she could have choosen to play a tenor? I think not. It's kind of like the chicken and the egg thing, which comes first?

Post any of your thoughts and ideas on the subject. I find this all very interesting

A new beginning

2009-10-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

You know, I had never before considered the value of blogging. I thought of it as people just writting out their woes or conspiracy theories and posting it for everyone who actually cared to see. Then I had a very abrubt awakening as my friends who do blog showed me a world of decent opinions and stories. Thus, as of that point in my life, I had decided to try my hand at blogging. It looks fun and I get to write whatever the heck I feel like writting. So while I grab some clam chowder, courtesy of Progresso, and sit down on my uncomfortable white leather couch, I begin my days as a new blogger.