Electro Cinema

Next to Illamasqua's "Muse" Nail varnish, this has been my favorite color the past month. Merry Midnight is a dark pink color with small sparkles and bits of larger jagged orange/pink pieces in the mixture.  I've been wearing my nails short the past few months, and bright colors look great on my short nails!

Share on Facebook

I was inspired by a post on one of my favorite blogs Vampy Varnish about blogging in the context of Nail Polish Blogs, so I am taking initiative and going to start posting pictures of the Nail polishes that I sport. Some of you know this, but I am a nail polish Fanatic -- Illamasqua, Barielle, Opi and China Glaze are some of my favorites!

So here it goes, my first take:

Opi "212-Sephora" is a Limited Edition Polish that you can buy online or at one of their New York Stores. I bought mine in the soho location. Its a glittery, bronze lacquer with tiny multicolored sparkles and a tiny bit larger orange bits in it. I am not really a fan of glitter nail polishes, but this one looked so beautiful in the bottle that I could not resist.

And in the sake of keeping things electro, paint your nails while listening to De/Vision

Share on Facebook

As taken from their sites description:"Come see the Battle of the Buttons! The Akai APC40 and the Novation Launchpad are two of the most innovative MIDI controllers ever built for Ableton Live. Get the chance to see these two inspired controllers head-to-head and find out how they can make producing and performing with Ableton Live even more fun."

Register here and find out more!

Share on Facebook

Michelle Proksell took some pictures of me last month. Been busy with video editing freelance, and haven't touched music stuff much the past month. Also, haven't blogged in a while, I feel quite guilty about it too!

So to update you on what's I have been thinking about lately:

Have had a fascination with nail polishes lately -- In the picture below I am wearing Barielle's Falling Star, which is from the All Lacquered Up collection. Go check out this cool blog titleofmagazine and then when you have time go to netflix and watch Season 3 of the IT crowd. Skinny Puppy Assimilate never gets old. Feel I have read every science fiction short story that is good and every book that is worth reading. Prove me wrong by writing me suggestions  -- Perhaps I haven't read ALL of them. Kidrobot Dunnys - have two so far and looks like more will join the family. I get rid of toys/desk things about every year and start over, or else my desk would be full of crap like lisa frank stickers, pez dispensers, actions figures. Everything but magnets.

Share on Facebook

I love camera phones, don't you? This picture is of the Virgin Megastore in Union Square. Ah, how things have changed since I bought that Nirvana "Nevermind" CD in the mall, back when they had those huge, graphic cardboard enclosures!

Share on Facebook

After talking to a few people about what low budget condenser mic to obtain, I went with the Rode NT1-A, purchasing it online from Sweetwater.com. I enjoy working with sweetwater's sales reps, they are very resourceful and non-pushy, which makes me comfortable purchasing from them.

What I need for my voice is a microphone that pics up the subtle nuances, since I have a quiet voice. My vocal treatment is more a la' blonde redhead, so vox recording for me has always been a task.

This microphone, with a pop filter, and plugged directly into my Mbox Mini is exactly what I need right now to record tracks for my EP. I also plan to record a violin player using the same setup. Lets see how that goes! I feel I will have more problems writing out the music for her than actually capturing the audio.

FUN!

I posted a link below to Amazon's site which has the same product, and is sold by several different suppliers, as well as has a few used ones. BTW, I am an Amazon.com affiliate, but feel free to browse other reviews and purchase it from wherever you choose!

Share on Facebook

So I have gotten pretty comfortable in arrangement view, but I realize when I want to move chuncks around it is really difficult to line them up beat by beat, I must be doing something wrong! This is really difficult and time consuming.

I am going to try to cut and paste them into the other view, and re-copy them over...Anyone have similar problems in ableton, and if so how do they work around it>

Share on Facebook

Last Saturday night I went to Salvation at Don Hills, with some friends. It was really fun, I don't remember the last time I stayed out dancing out till 4 am. I highly recommend it, the next one is June 13! Call me '90's goth, I really dug the tunes.

Share on Facebook

I've been busy working on songs for the EP, so I haven't updated much, since I have been really going back and fourth on the arrangement on a few songs, pushing what I can do, and making at least one mistake to every success. A really great reference for me as of late has been the book I linked above, ableton live 7 power.

I am a 'big picture' person -- They type of personality that doesn't really like to hit instruction manuals unless they want to do a certain thing or know of a certain problem. Self taught I think is the best way to learn. Make songs, break songs, and fixx. Also, late night tweaking after going to clubs/bar, when you are a bit sympathetic and mellow after a few drinks, also helps, lol.  But what do you do when you want to technically achieve something in a song and you can't ask anyone at 4 am? I am not one to wait...I need a reference.

So, after a few months of tinkering in Ableton I want to be able to do more with envelopes, effects, beats, tricks, ect. I bought this book, and its both interesting, teaching me more about the different panels of ableton clips and arrangment views, while every now and them talking about stuff like swing 16 (which I first heard from by a guy that made house music in the early '90's).  I am not finished with the book yet, but I already feel its been a reference for the new stuff I am working on, and also getting the tracks in better shape to hand over to others.

As I apply stuff I have learned in the book I am breaking my comfort zone. I admit, sometimes I have to go back to a few versions back from a song I have been tweaking, and decide if my changes are good/bad -- but again, what I am going for is a selfish experience, haha.  It just matters If I feel I am getting what I want from it, hardy har har.

Share on Facebook

Blacklist Midnight of the Century

Midnight Of The Century is now up on iTunes
You can get a free song at their website

Their record release party is in NY this Wednesday May 27th, at Wierd (homesweethome at 131 Chrystie St)

Share on Facebook