Final Project

For my final project I wanted to do something that I would most likely use again and get more familiar with. After debating what to do I decided to do a imovie. I have only used imovie once and that was for this class.  Since my mac is still pretty new I decided I can always use more practice with using imovie, and hopefully I will be using it in the future!  I also have always wanted to try and use idvd, but I never had any motivation to use it.  So I decided to do a imovie of my college graduation from Montclair State University and when I was done with that I wanted to use idvd.  I imported all of my pictures from graduation into imovie and then I decided to put transitions between each picture. I had also cropped some pictures so they would fit the screen better. I also added a first page where my name scrolls to the top of the page which I thought was a pretty fun feature!!!!  After doing all of that I was able to go to my itunes and add music. I decided to add Mahlers 5th symphony in C# Minor 4th movement- the Adiagietto.  That is one of my favorite pieces and I have had the pleasure to players 5th symphony twice.  (Although the 4th movement is only strings...I absolutely love that movement)  After finishing my project I then uploaded it to my website under movies and posted it on my webpage.

One of my main goals for this project was to also use idvd. I then imported my movie into idvd. It was my first time using idvd and then have already made templates to use for the dvd.  After going through some of them I picked one and was able to make my movie a dvd.

I think both of these tools are very useful for a music educator.  They are so easy to use and free and you can make your own dvd from your school concert and not have to pay anyone.  I think if you have a mac you should take full advantage of it!

Flash Assignment

I did have a little trouble at first with my flash assignment but after meeting with Dr. GIlbert he helped me figure out my mistakes.  After downloading the free trial of Adobe Flash CS4 I took the first layer of my assignment and imported a flute. I really did know what images to use so I thought since I am a flute player I can't go wrong with using a flute.   I also added in the beginning of my project some texts that says: My First Flash Animation.   After moving the flute around the screen and going into insert-timeline-key frame  I then published my flute flash page.   

Dr. Gilbert helped me with putting the flash on my webpage.  I was having a lot of trouble with that and I could not figure out what I was doing wrong.  He then told me that I needed to save the flash with .html AND .swf and them import both of them into my directory. I think that was my biggest problem, at first I did not have both of them in my directory and that's why it was not playing.  After importing both of them it worked!!! So simple but so frustrating since I did not know what I was doing wrong.  I did enjoy using the Adobe Flash..I did have many unsuccessful  attempts but after learning what I did wrong I was able to fix my mistake and post it on my webpage. 

Music Concrete........Take 2

As it turns out my first attempt to do my music concrete turned out awful.  I thought it would be fun to do animal sounds..and I first decided to do cow sounds. I found a free site and downloaded free cow sounds.  I then imported all my sounds into audacity.  I inserted some space in the beginning so I would only have one cow sound playing at first then I slowly added more and more cow sounds.  After doing everything and finalizing my project....it sounded AWFUL!!!!   I thought I would be able to fix it up and change some sounds but I think no matter what I did the project would sounds awful. I feel the cow sounds by themselves were pretty bad so I thought it would be really hard to make a success project. 

So.....I decided to delete the whole project and start from scratch again. I found some kitchen sounds.  I decided to give these sounds a shot. I found so frying sounds, boiling sounds and chopping sounds. After importing my free sounds into audacity I decided my project would start with a boiling sound and added silence to my other sounds.   I then added another boiling sound and continued with the silence with my other sounds.   Then I added the chopping into my project.   Towards the end of the chopping I added frying into my project.  I also used two frying sounds.  Towards the end of the project I had all three boiling, frying and chopping happening at once. 

I think this one turned out much better then the cow project.  Also, doing it a second time I feel like I got more comfortable using audacity and I feel it is a wonderful tool to know how to use correctly! 

My Sound Effects

I finally figured out how to do my music concrete project, and I had a lot of fun doing it!! I thought it would be fun to do sounds of a cow! It was a good idea, and I had fun listening to all the cow sounds....especially in the lab, and people had no idea where the sound was coming from!! I put it all together and cut and paste my cow sounds....and well to say the least.... it sounds awful. I have my picture on my website and I am in the process of putting the actual creation of the sounds on the website.  I thought after I figured out how to do everything that it was going to be an easy 1,2,3 project.  But after how it turned out it was not so easy. I was actually disappointed that it did not turn out so well, I think I will actually try the cow sounds again, or at least try to make it sound a little better.  Or if nothing else I will try different sounds! 

Shimon the Robotic Percussionist

Has anyone ever heard of Shimon? The robotic percussionist? Well..Georgia Teach has created Shimon who is a Robot and he plays the marimba. Shinmon's head is made to be more interactive and give musicians cues that relate to the music it's playing.  He is even able to interact with it's environment he can analyze rhythm, melodies and harmony and use his musicial understanding to improvise with humans. I think this is absolutely amazing.  I don't think I ever thought a robotic musician would be available in the near future, especially one so advanced as this one. 

This just makes me think....what is going to happen to the music field now? Are people going to use Robots to play/record their music? Especially if they are so advanced and they can analyze the music.  I wonder how composers feel about this? Composers have the luxury to explain to a musician how they want their music to be played. Are composers going to have to be more specific in their music so Robots can play it perfectly?  Are they totally against this idea with robotic musicians? I would love to find out some feed back on what you guys think of this? Do you think this is a positive or a negative in the classical music field? 

Here is a short video that show you more about Shimon! Emjoy!

http://www.gatech.edu/newsroom/helpers/flvplayback.php?clipPath=/upload/pr/tal67788.flv&width=427&height=310&title=Muisc%20Technology%20Researchers%20Create%20New%20Robotic%Percussionist 

Music Concrete

I decided to write about this particular assignment because it is still giving me some trouble. I have been trying to work on it for some time now, but apparently I am doing something wrong!! I have been looking for free sound effects for some time now, and finally Kate told me to sign up for with this website and they will send you free sounds.  Well just my luck I did sign up and I did not get my free sounds in my e-mail, after searching through the website it says it can be in your spam mail....whoops I always delete that first thing.  So no free sounds ( I think I am going to sign up again with a different e-mail address)  I also think a part of my problem is I am working with a brand new computer a mac.... which I have never worked with before. I love my mac but I am still trying to figure out how to use it!!  So...if anyone has any suggestions/comments please feel free!!! Thanks!! :) 

Classical Music Vs. Technology

I read a great article about technology and music and even though it's a little off topic from our class I thought it was very interesting!

You hear a lot these days that classical music is dying, and in general classical music is struggling. The art programs in school districts are struggling and getting cut because of budgets. Well.... is technology helping classical music?  Is the radio helping classical music?  According to a msnbc article Sirius and Xm radio and other free webcasts of classical music are helping the classical world.  Performing arts groups that traditionally relied on mailings of paper promo brochures are now turing to the net to drive ticket sales.  I also think thats where You Tube and MySpace music also play a big role. They are promoting themselves for free, which is a wonderful thing!

I also think it is a big struggle for people to commit themselves for a year long subscription to a orchestra or a event. 

A Houston  Opera Company offers videos of dress rehearsals and a behind the scene footage on the net so people can watch the videos and get some background of the performance and then decide if they want to see it.  I think that is a fantastic idea for people who are not sure if they want to purchase tickets to see the event. 

I think overall, that technology is helping classical music I know when I am in my mom's car I turn on Sirius radio to the classical station and I hear things that I have never heard before and can go on itunes and buy them or I hear pieces that I love but don't have a recording of.