While you slip into a soothing slumber, I lay here, tripping on anxieties. Watching the hours go round, contemplating the uncontrollable. Sleep on, people. I'll do the worrying for you.
Love,
The Insomniac
Friday, February 26, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
No need for a mic check right now
A friend of mine said to me not so long ago, "Ben, you are a decent singer. But you are a great guitarist."
This stuck with me more than he had probably intended. It got me thinking of what could be if I focused solely on guitar for a while. That line of thinking has coincided with my layman's attempt at being a classical guitarist and a newly heightened interest in classical music.
So about three months ago I started composing for the guitar. Without the addition of vocal parts, the need for all of the parts to come out of one instrument has led me to brainstorm new approaches to the instrument. Not just new to me- but I think new to the guitar altogether. One thing folks who know my performances may notice is that I'll be sitting down while I play the pieces. I don't know why I've always felt like I had to stand. I'm tall enough sitting in a chair. But the real reason behind this is that my leg stabilizes the guitar. And these new pieces do require a very steady guitar.
I mentioned my budding interest in classical. This isn't to say I wasn't familiar with some of the classical repertoire to begin with. I played trombone in the orchestra in high school, and I've flirted with the classical guitar since my youth.
This new music is by no means classical. But the ornate nature of that music is applied. I continue to delve deeper into composition for the guitar, and I am becoming a better guitarist in the process.
I have 8 new instrumentals to date. I'll need a few more for an album, but I am beginning recording this week so I don't forget the pieces bouncing around in my head as I type this. Sooner or later I'll probably get around to transcribing the pieces, but right now they live only as sound and fingerings committed to memory.
Anyone who happens to read this, please let me know what format you would like my next album to be in. I've heard there is a resurgence of vinyl, so I was considering that.
Thanks for reading.
This stuck with me more than he had probably intended. It got me thinking of what could be if I focused solely on guitar for a while. That line of thinking has coincided with my layman's attempt at being a classical guitarist and a newly heightened interest in classical music.
So about three months ago I started composing for the guitar. Without the addition of vocal parts, the need for all of the parts to come out of one instrument has led me to brainstorm new approaches to the instrument. Not just new to me- but I think new to the guitar altogether. One thing folks who know my performances may notice is that I'll be sitting down while I play the pieces. I don't know why I've always felt like I had to stand. I'm tall enough sitting in a chair. But the real reason behind this is that my leg stabilizes the guitar. And these new pieces do require a very steady guitar.
I mentioned my budding interest in classical. This isn't to say I wasn't familiar with some of the classical repertoire to begin with. I played trombone in the orchestra in high school, and I've flirted with the classical guitar since my youth.
This new music is by no means classical. But the ornate nature of that music is applied. I continue to delve deeper into composition for the guitar, and I am becoming a better guitarist in the process.
I have 8 new instrumentals to date. I'll need a few more for an album, but I am beginning recording this week so I don't forget the pieces bouncing around in my head as I type this. Sooner or later I'll probably get around to transcribing the pieces, but right now they live only as sound and fingerings committed to memory.
Anyone who happens to read this, please let me know what format you would like my next album to be in. I've heard there is a resurgence of vinyl, so I was considering that.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Whirlwind
So usually it takes me two years to make an album.
Well, apparently not this time. I went into a hyper-efficient Zen mode of recording, mixing and mastering and made a very polished record in a matter of weeks.
I do vocals, play guitar, trombone, harmonica, thumb piano and a drum that I made myself on the album. It's quite a melee. And it's free!
Check http://bendelagarza.com about midway through September, and you'll find the free download. It's free, and it's actually good! (at least it sounds that way to my refined and completely unbiased ears) How bout that shit?
Well, apparently not this time. I went into a hyper-efficient Zen mode of recording, mixing and mastering and made a very polished record in a matter of weeks.
I do vocals, play guitar, trombone, harmonica, thumb piano and a drum that I made myself on the album. It's quite a melee. And it's free!
Check http://bendelagarza.com about midway through September, and you'll find the free download. It's free, and it's actually good! (at least it sounds that way to my refined and completely unbiased ears) How bout that shit?
Friday, August 7, 2009
The internet can breed anger
Sometimes it's better to let a thought gestate before reacting to it. Take a walk, a run, talk to people to get perspective.
Anger is an impulse emotion. If you see something that goes against your belief system, you feel threatened and lash out. With online comments, the internet provides a stage for first reactions: posted without deliberation. Youtube is a prime example of this. The littany of hate-filled remarks show little sign of people weighing over what they say before posting it. Even positive first reactions are sometimes not intelligent ones. One might compliment a singer's writing process only to find out minutes or months later that someone else wrote the song.
People should make a conscious effort to think things through deeply before making those knee-jerk reactions that are creating what seems to be a more angry society.
Anger is an impulse emotion. If you see something that goes against your belief system, you feel threatened and lash out. With online comments, the internet provides a stage for first reactions: posted without deliberation. Youtube is a prime example of this. The littany of hate-filled remarks show little sign of people weighing over what they say before posting it. Even positive first reactions are sometimes not intelligent ones. One might compliment a singer's writing process only to find out minutes or months later that someone else wrote the song.
People should make a conscious effort to think things through deeply before making those knee-jerk reactions that are creating what seems to be a more angry society.
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