Visual Music Archives
COMPUTING SYNESTHESIA
By on November 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (9)
Speaking of visual and conceptual relationships, I’ve been enjoying some strange trips from using a unique software called RGB MusicLab. It was cleverly designed by Kenji Kojima who explains it quite well by saying,
RGB MusicLab converts RGB (Red, Green and Blue) value of an image to chromatic scale sounds. The program reads RGB value of pixels from the top left to the bottom right of an image. One pixel makes a harmony of three note of RGB value, and the length of note is determined by brightness of the pixel. RGB value 120 or 121 is the center C, and RGB value 122 or 123 is added a half steps of the scale that is C#. Pure black that is R=0, G=0, B=0 is no sounds.It is not an impression of paintings or photographs of a composer. It reads a score from an image data directly.
So, as l recall one of the most influential exhibits I’ve ever experienced, here a few pieces I’ve come up with.
Duration: 0:30
Tempo: 183
Instrumentation: 2 electronic kits (right and left channels), 1 saw wave (center)
hmm…an interesting start
Duration: 2:09
Tempo: 440
Instrumentation: Choir (left), atmosphere (center), orchestral harp (right)
notice how dark the image is in relation to the pitch
Duration: 1:05
Tempo: 470
Instrumentation: celesta (left), pizzicato strings (center), slap bass (right)
this one moves quite quick but is full of color
Duration: 1:15
Tempo: 190
Instrumentation: music box (left), guitar harmonics (center), woodblock (right)
similar color throughout, crazy ending(?)
Duration: 2:02
Tempo: 600
Instrumentation: harpsichord
Keep in mind, this is Bach’s seal in which he signed his music
Duration: 3:51
Tempo: 137
Instrumentation: Electric Piano (left), Car Engine (center), Electric Piano (right)
Spastic, yet rich and full
Duration: 0:29
Tempo: 80
Instrumentation: Tubular Bells (left), Rain (center), Tubular Bells (right)
The fluidity of this picture seems to bring out an actual “song”
Duration: 0:31
Tempo: 600
Instrumentation: Celesta (left), Dulcimer (center), Celesta (right)
I absolutely love this interpretation, it is mad and fits the mood completely
Duration: 1:27
Tempo: 309
Instrumentation: Timpani (left), Reverse Cymbal (center), Electric Piano (right)
Totally rad and conveniently weird - a true stare.
Duration: 1:20
Tempo: 151
Instrumentation: Percussive Organ (left), Contrabass (center), Bottle Blow (right)
Reminds me of the moth and it’s journey
RECORD / MOVE
By on December 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Dated news for some, new for others, I moved:
425 se 3rd ave #208
portland, or 97214, usa
and I’m finally making my first Dash! record:
Titled Gets Unrecovered, it’s a collection of some of the new, some of the old. Eleven tracks, also showcasing a kind, bonus element including a Crystal Seth -> Righteous jam and a few selections from a film score that I am excited about/equally proud of. It should be ready for release, via Marriage and The Prescott Family next Wednesday, coincidentally when I fly back to my parent’s house, and my hometown, of Sioux City.
Lots to come in the near future including a The Righteous and Harmonious Fists Tour tour blog as well as some fat videos when I treat myself to a Christmas present of a digital camera, or maybe a cat, I haven’t decided yet1. Also, I’ve been thinking deeply about going into a classical composers bend of in-depth research/background/history alphabetically and vibeing on some shit of their’s when it hits me hardest…we’ll see, maybe a new years resolution, amongst others. Hope you dig it. Also, a top 10 albums/movies of the year vid/pod-cast…on it!
1 Well, actually I kinda have…realistically, a external hd. ya know? shit! that’s the market to be in these dayz, damn.
GETS UNRECOVERED
By on December 19, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (7)
Bam! Check it out!
GETS CONNECTED, TOO: 2007
By on December 24, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (8)
Each year, a couple of friends and I from Sioux City always make, and trade, our (sometimes not) uniquely own “Best Of” mixes from our favorites of that year. But this year I decided to make a mixtape of snippets from some of the songs I really enjoyed. I must admit that I strayed from my usual stern path of checking out the new releases and struggled, or maybe better put: was tempted, to push a lot of the “popular records” into my final decision. In the end, I opted to not include some of the popular “top 10” records (i.e. panda bear, beriut, the national, etc.),but I did have fun with it, in fact I had a blast! Here’s my compressed, comparitvely short, last hooray for the Best Music of 2007. Check it out:
I am consciously not including the tracks played in this mix with hopes that you will help me, by commenting the artist/song, and revel in some of the similarity, or at least knowledge, of this years’ fruits. I open up the comment board to you to post anything you recognize.
I have also compiled an image of scenes/posters from some of my favorite movies I saw in 2007. By far, this doesn’t include them all, nor are they in any specific order. I also have quite a list I of flicks I still am anticipating. Some of those being: Once, King of Kong, Into the Wild, Juno, I’m Not There, The Band’s Visit, The Life Of Reilly, and many others. Here’s a pop-up of that image:
Whaddaya think? Let me know if you dig ‘em and please recommend your favorite screengems to me as well. As previously indicated, I once again invite you to tag the movies you recognize via flickr (link to the image, use the “add note” function) and help me better understand your thrills from the great, heavy, and joyous year of our lord, two thousand seven. Here’s to you and, more than well deserving, TO US.
POST-YEAR’S NEW EVE RECAP
By on January 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
SHINOBI
By on February 10, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
recorded and engineered by honey owens
MIKE O’S: THE MUSIC VIDEO
By on March 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
Along with director and Dave Nuss, The Righteous and Harmonious Fists have made a music video for our song called “Mike O’s”. The song is going to be released on a split 7” record, along with a head banging White Fang jam, in the next few months through Marriage Records, States Rights Records, and our friends at the Tender Loving Empire. This video will be on the accompanimental DVD that is included in the luscious package with artwork by Maria Dixon (awesome article about her painting on Valet’s new record, “Naked Acid”). Liberal editing by yours truly. Enjoy.
Mike O’s from Jordan Dykstra on Vimeo.
DASH! In The Street
By on June 13, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5)
DASH! is opening up for a rad avant-garde film screening that’s happening tomorrow evening in association with Portland Cinema Project’s “In The Street” series. The following are showing:
Under The Brooklyn Bridge by Rudy Burckhardt [1953, 16mm, b&w, 15 min]
In the Street by Helen Levitt [1952, 16mm, b&w, sound, 16 min]
Mirror Animation by Portland’s own Harry E. Smith [1979, 16mm, color, sound, 11 min]
(I’m really excited to see work from this amazing man. Check out his “Early Abstractions” (1946-57), Pt. 1: )
The Riddle of Lumen by Stan Brakhage [1972, 16mm, color, silent, 17 min]
The Black Tower by John Smith [1987, 16mm, color, sound, 24 min]
I’m playing at 8:30 and the films start at dusk.
3125 NE Burnside (across from Music Millennium)
Portland, OR 97214
Free or very cheap!
THE MAKING OF
By on July 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
DASH! OREM(THE SINK) AND TOM BLOOD SHOW IN 1.5HR
By on August 4, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tonight at the Towne Lounge in Portland, ORE Dash!, Orem(the sink), and Tom Blood (aka Grand Junction Grand Therapy) are playing and it’s gonna be a special night.
Tony is debuting a video for Qurbani that he did the voice-over for with Ariel. Dash! is doing a completely visual set with a special unofficial debut of the new video directed by Dave Nuss. Here is a sneak peak:
Gonna be a fun night, come out if you. Me and Tony have been building it up a bunch and are super super excited. The Orem set is gonna be all electronic bliss and Tom’s got soooo many sleeves to pull tricks from. Thanks for reading this.
KARAOKE MINDIFICO
By on September 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2)
STARS OF THE LID
By on October 5, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)
Stars of the Lid . teaser 1 from ZF-Films on Vimeo.
