Visual Framing Blog 5 A

          I picked the original image by Goossens because it was peculiar. I also appreciated the dark colors that were used. The use of space that Ben achieved was another reason why I picked this image. The dark shadow of what seems to be a small town in the background and the light color of the house suspended in mid air brings depth to this photo. The line and shape of this photo is smooth and is easy on the eye. The more you look at the photo the more you see shapes and depth. The visual intensity is not in your face. Upon first glance you don’t get lost in the picture. However, upon focusing on different aspects of the shape of the house and seagull the intensity of the visual experience is enhanced. The long shot of his photo helps give it depth and a sense that the distance between the house and the little town of houses is very big. I believe Ben chose this long shot to provide a sense of loneliness and longing for a place in society.

I chose to zoom into the house because of the scary gray and Victorian style of the house. I wanted it to look like it was a haunted house. However, when you view the original picture you realize that it is a floating house. I wanted to use contrast and not affinity to mess with the viewers expectation. When someone looks at the zoomed in picture their subconscious assumes that the house is on the ground and the color and look of the house is emphasized. But when the original picture is seen their conscious sees that the house is not on the ground but floating in the sky with a sea gull. It is unexpected and the emotion I was seeking when doing this blog.

AudioBlog for Music & Song

My audio critique is on MYSPACE. The order of critique is Chris Faust, Colin Mercer, Jason Flood, Carolyn Shea,  Christina Wang, Mike Giles, and Matt Brody. It is at the bottom of the music player.

Music and Song Post

My partner was Chris and I am Eric. We chose the same drum beat and left the instrumentation up to our choosing. I played the guitar you hear because "musical typing" in garage band is difficult. You can listen to our music on myspace click this. The songs are the bottom two with our names as the title. Enjoy!

Audio Soundscape Critique

Go to the link provided and listen. The order is Matt Brody soundscape, Jay Deal's Soundscape, and Adam Cesarz soundscape. http://www.myspace.com/ericeatonexperience

Seth Godins "Brainwashed" Blog 4A

Seth Godin’s article Brainwashed has seven layers of reinventing yourself. One of the ways to reinvent the way you are is to “acknowledging the lizard”. Seth is describing the thing inside of our brains that try to conform us back the old ways of life. The old ways of life being getting a good job that will bring in steady income and learning a trade that you will do for the rest of your life. Factory working is an example. He describes that one must acknowledge the lizard so that it can be ignored and overcome. Find the lizard so that we can recognize what it’s trying to prevent us to do. We must overcome the voice of the lizard and do what we want to do. We should not let the opportunity to pass.

            He says that the lizard brain doesn’t like to be laughed at. The lizard brain is what holds our creative side back and prevents us from discovering new and creative ways to work. There have been times that I have not created a certain piece of work because I was afraid of what people might say. I have been able to overcome that fear in the past year. I take an idea and run with it. Seth also describes that the lizard is resistance. To reinvent ourselves we need to recognize this resistance and shut it down. We become almost completely free when we shut down this resistance.

            Another way to reinvent our being is to ship. Shipping our ideas and creative works becomes an issue for me. I create a lot of work out of the public’s eye but am sometimes afraid to ship it because of failure. If we ship we might fail Seth writes. He describes that how can an idea or creative work spread if it isn’t shipped. We need to accept the risk of failure because we can learn from it. It also helps us overcome obstacles and make us better. Better in life, creative work, and our future careers. If Thomas Edison let failure take him away he would have never been recognized. We know Thomas Edison because he didn’t let failure over take him. If failure got the best of him I wouldn’t be mentioning his name in this blog.

            This class and writing blogs has helped me think about myself as far as a creative person. Reading for me is not something that I would put on the top of my list but the articles that I have had to read has helped me a lot. I have incorporated the suggestions in these articles to my own creative mind and material. It helps me think of other ways to be creative and be accepting of other creative artists. It has also helped me recognize the importance of thinking and analyzing the creative side of the mind.  

Cover Songs

Peter Gabriel (Studio Version)- Sledgehammer                
Dave Matthews Band Live At Mile High- Sledgehammer

Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel and Dave Matthews version of Sledgehammer are the two audio files I will discuss. I like Dave’s version better because of the rock like style. It incorporates an electric guitar with more distortion than the Peter Gabriel’s version. The timbre of Dave’s voice is rougher than Peter Gabriel’s smooth, clear voice. I personally like the roughness and unpolished feel that Dave Matthew’s version offers. The speed or tempo is about the same in both versions. The lyrics and melody (voice line) is the same in Peter Gabriel’s song and Dave’s version. Both songs offer a strong exciting melody that is memorable. It is a catchy tune that I find myself singing throughout the day. The lyrics to the chorus are easy to remember that help with singing along too. It is a fun and rockin’ song.

 The organization of Dave Matthew’s version has a kick butt guitar solo in the middle of the song that really helps raise the intensity of the whole track. Instead of a guitar solo in Gabriel’s version it is a flute with a lot of reverb. I think this takes away from the “in your face” type of feel. The way that Sledgehammer was produced in Peter’s version is more 80’s like with a lot of reverb.

The horn section in Dave’s version is more evident than Peter’s. It seems like the horn section is in the background and doesn’t add to the intensity in Peter’s song. In Dave’s song the horn part is mixed well with the other instruments and really get the blood flowing when they chime in.

The rhythm in Gabriel’s song is bass driven. The instrument that drives in Dave’s version is the guitar and drums. I am a guitar player and my friend is a drummer so this may be the reason why I like Dave’s version because of my personal experience with guitar and close experience with a drummer.

My favorite part in the song is at the chorus when they both sing sledgehammer. Shortly after they sing that the instruments give a high-pitched note that emphasize the lyric sledgehammer. It’s like the instruments agree and back up what was just sang a beat before they go off.

In the outro of the song (Peter Gabriel song) there is a cool addition to a choir that adds to the intensity of that song. It helps provide more power and soul into it. In Dave’s song there is no choir, which makes the outro of Dave’s less exciting and unique. It would really add to the intensity of the outro and quench the thirst of any listener.

I like Dave Matthew’s version better because of the rock like sound and less use of reverb. It is a tighter sound and has more intensity than Peter’s song. The electric guitar enforces a strong driving beat that the drums can play behind. Peter Gabriel’s version is good and really set a fantastic baseline for some one as exciting as Dave is to remake.

SoundScapeVid

Publish Post

Finding Your Howl Audio Assignment

Read this link and then listen to the audio file. http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/51.01.YourHowl

You can listen to the audio file at http://www.myspace.com/ericeatonexperience. Just scroll down to the music window and press play.

Ways To Get Ideas

Ditkoff’s article is about fourteen ways to get creative ideas. He makes suggestions and examples on how some of the ideas have worked. He emphasizes there is not just one-way to get creative ideas and depending on an individual some work and some do not. In the beginning of the article Ditkoff mentions that there are two schools of thought. The first one is that a person finds a creative idea on purpose and by using a certain process and deep thought to make that creative idea. The other one is that the idea already exists and will only be found if the person opens up their mind for it to find them.
I think that Ditkoff’s suggestions are good. One suggestion is to hang out with diverse people. I haven’t noticed my creative ability and ideas coming from just one fact of hanging out with diverse people. However, some ideas that a diverse group comes up with can spark something inside me and I apply my experiences to one of their ideas. I went to a lock in on New Years Eve. I was in an environment with a diverse group of people. I was playing music with a band called Second String and the way the drummer played and the vocalist sang I was able to think outside of my normal style of playing guitar. I was able to come up with some different strumming patterns for songs that I had previously played less exciting. In that example I was able to get creative ideas for strumming. If I was not with a diverse group and with the usual people I play music with I would have fallen into the routine.
Hanging out with a diverse group of people is a good suggestion for me. There is a problem with this idea. The problem is that certain people may be uncomfortable around those who are different. It actually might lock up their creative mind. Some people work better and more creative when they are in a comfortable environment.
Fantasize is another good suggestion. There are many ideas for my music and lyrics that have been made when I was in fantasyland. My friend always gave me a tough time about my fantasies but personally this helps me get creative ideas flowing. Willy Wonka and The Charlie Factory is definitely an example of a fantasy. That movie would have never been created had it not been for people getting caught up in their fantasies and letting the creative ideas come out. Fantasy I believe removes the confines of reality that in turn opens up your mind to create.
Defining the right challenge idea for me was one of the weaker points. To say it is a bad suggestion is not the right word but I believe there are far more important ways to get ideas than this. I usually come up with an answer before the question is asked. I guess you could say that my creative ideas are backwards. Usually my idea starts with something I am passionate about. One thing leads to the next and sometimes I don’t know why I am running with a certain idea or doing something but I just feel like I need to do it. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense until I finish and then reflect on it. Then the question can be asked. The times I have tried to question something to find the answer for a creative idea I end up getting stuck and get frustrated.
Brainstorming in a group for me is good but it does have some drawbacks. The drawbacks are deciding on what the final outcome will become. The next topic that I will discuss in my next brainstorm is with the youth team meeting about how we can get teens to want to come to our church’s youth group. We usually start by trying to think what will get their attention. Eric Leeson will facilitate, Adam Farnsworth, Cody Grogg, Kerry Joseph, Pam and Gary Cheavront, Wayne, and I will be invited to the next youth team meeting. We usually come up with events that are fun like super bowl parties, skii trips, concerts, and Cedar Point trips. For Sunday evenings we are going to discuss what kinds of themes we can use that will help teach people to learn the important things in life (spiritually, physically, emotionally). Grace might be one month, leadership may be another one, and mercy might be one. Once we come up with a theme then we try to emphasize that theme visually and what Leeson will speak on that night. Leeson makes the final choice and facilitates but we make suggestions and he considers and carries them out while we help him.

Creative Influences

At age 14 I was inspired by musicians Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, and Jack Johnson to play guitar. I was inspired by their creative abilities with lyrics, arrangement, and skill. My creative ability sparks when I play music and listen to music. The most aspiring musician that has helped me compose my own work is Dave Matthews. This clip from Youtube is live in New York at Radio City. This song is called Two Step. With Dave Matthews the text and subtext of his lyrics bring endless interpretations. His interpretation is different from others. A lot of his lyrics are that way. What he says (text) and what the meaning is (subtext) are what make him unique. Depending on a persons experience the interpretation is different. In Two Step the chorus is pretty straightforward. It is about celebrating life with the people around you. In the song it makes a reference about “climbing on two by two.” That is the text and the subtext is talking about a lover or celebrating life with a significant other. That is what it means to me. Others may have a similar or different interpretation or view. The way Dave’s lyrics are and the way the music sounds works well together. Before the chorus the music starts in D minor. Minor brings a somber sound. The lyrics give a since of hope or looking forward to brighter days. When the chorus hits the text and music match up. This contrast and affinity between the lyrics and music help with my creativity and give me ideas to my own music and lyrics.
This leads me into my next example of Jimi Hendrix’s music. He has affinity with a basis in blues. However, he has contrast because he took blues elements but put a rock style twist to his music. He is also a singer songwriter with complex chords and differences of straight blues foundations. One of my favorite songs from Jimi is Hey Joe. The message and text of the story aren’t necessarily my favorite but the music is what inspires me. Another contrast is the solo that Jimi plays for each concert in between lyrics. It is familiar but not exactly the same. The person listening can recognize it’s the song but the lead contrasts each concert. This contrast and affinity is a common theme throughout much of Jimi’s music. Another song he has is Hear my Train A Comin’. He plays and sings but its different each performance which makes it unique.
I am a praise and worship leader as well. Lincoln Brewster is my next example of someone who inspires me to help do praise and worship music. He has active and didactic themes in his lyrics. I play a lot of Brewster’s music for praise and worship. His lyrics are active because they are about focusing on praising God and reflecting on your life. They help promote a deep thought of mind to analyze what is important in life. He has some songs that are didactic and fun. They help get people involved and energize. Once he uses these didactic songs to engage an audience he uses active lyrics to help people reflect and focus.

Blog Entry 1

I chose the 8 AM time because I have other classes during the other lab times. I hate mornings. I also commute so I get up extra early to make it here on time. I was also late my first day of class because I couldn't find the right door. Fancy that. That is about all I have for today. Blogging wears me out.

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