Category: DJPBF

SAMPLE SPRING #4

this one is to see how minimal I could keep things and still make it interesting. no bass, just a programmed drum track with small variations and a flute raga sample I ran through a bunch of effects until it sounds like a shoegaze guitar. turned out pretty good, though if I were to want it to be a real song I’d have to add some flourishes that I’ve been kind of afraid to figure out how to use, like sound bites and such. so obviously the thing to do would be work on that next.

SAMPLE SPRING #3

ok so this one the execution isn’t great but I actually had some breakthroughs with this: chopping a sample and layering it over the same sample pitched up/down an octave, then using a filter to sweep over one of those layers to add dynamic elements to the progression. I also set it up so I was recording loops and used the pads on my MIDI controller to switch tracks on and off, giving it a more improvisational feel rather than how I usually do, which is arrange beforehand. pretty pleased with the concept on this, might go back to make this demo into a real beat.

SAMPLE SPRING #2

i fuckin suck at this

(there are interesting ways to modulate sounds that match the sample by using with the “frequency shifter” effect in ableton that warrants a lot more exploration, likely a good way to layer in new harmonic sounds without having to find additional samples, manipulation of this effect can be used to create dynamics and improvisational feel. i’m still bad at bass lines and i did not bother even attempting to mix this down)

SAMPLE SPRING #1

like I did in December with drone/synth design, this April I’m striving to flip a sample into a beat each day, and writing about what I learned from each one. as this one, which I’m calling “FREE!,” is evidence of, I’m not particularly concerned with making them “great” so much as making them. the bassline on this is weak, and the mix is awful, but it was good practice to work with limitations, focusing on a straightforward loop and building out an arrangement. moving forward I should get some more manipulation in, and eventually work with multiple samples, layer sounds, and resample. I’m trying to conceive of my DAW as being a physical sampler, mimicking the limitations of a 303 or a 404, which are capable of making some truly wild music (see: J Dilla, Flying Lotus).

it’s just a sweet sweet fantasy, baby (remix)

back in my cell cubicle after honoring the Reverend Dr. King by not doing a whole lot for three days. the weather was shitty and wet and windy and stormy and I’m glad there was rain for California’s sake but I’m glad the rain is gone now and the sun is shining and I can’t wait for spring and summer bc you’re a freak if you prefer fall and winter over spring and summer I’m sorry that’s just the way it is. one thing I did do over the long weekend was go crate digging and figure out how to record samples from the turntable so I’m excited to start exploring new music that way rather than with Spotify. I also got my iPod all re-set up and organized which makes me feel like I have more ownership over my music preferences, rather than opening another app to stare into the limitless void of everything that’s ever been recorded, effectively erasing my memory of what music I like. I also organized my bookshelves, so the theme of the weekend was “getting back in touch with my taste, which is impeccable.”

a record I bought was a Billy Ocean album, one of the songs on which I turned into this beat:

I won’t usually reveal the sources of my samples, for opsec purposes.

gotta start writing rhymes. gotta keep writing stories. gotta finish stories I’ve started. my ambitions are evolving away from wanting to imperialize all information into encyclopedic works, though maybe somewhere further along the path I’ll feel empowered to do that.

here at the prison my job, I’m perfunctorily doing (Lord forgive me) professional development because if I’m going to work in libraries I should strive to be a librarian, rather than grinding away this grunt work I do for mediocre pay. but in therapy last week during some dream analysis it came up that maybe I’m subconsciously resisting the hyper regimented organization that libraries represent and that maybe I shouldn’t be doing this kind of work. obviously the dream is being an artist full time, both musically and literarily, but if I had to have a job, what would I want from that job?

  • opportunities to be outside
  • a social environment with people in my age cohort and/or a network of interesting people
  • relatively low demands on my intellect, so that I can work on art
  • flexible hours

I love libraries, and some part of me still likes the idea of being a librarian, but being a librarian gets me none of those, basically.

anyway, here’s a gratuitous BTS picture from the Mariah Carey Rainbow photoshoot by David LaChappelle

I know “Fantasy” isn’t on Rainbow. I told you it was gratuitous