Dance Controlled Live PA
Oculus Rift + Kinect – Audio visual instrument a001 from Ethno Tekh on Vimeo.
Flailing to create music. What more can I say?
Spring Engine : Open Source RTS Game
Was inspired but some recorded matches of Spring RTS, an open source real-time strategy game, so I recorded a big match that I played versus an AI opponent. Wanna play? Well Spring is free, so go download it (or just grab it from the Ubuntu Software Centre).
I will be performing some screen captures on Linux in the future (video tutorials of a 3D animation package), so I wanted to find optimal methods for recording 3D at full HD (1080p).
Settings for recordMyDesktop on Ubuntu 12:10 using Gnome 3:
Video Quality 100
Frames Per Second 30
Encode on Fly: OFF
Zero Compression: ON
Quick Subsampling: OFF
Full shots at very frame: ON
Game was running at 10x speed, and I then doubled it again in my video editor, OpenShot (open source video editor).
DJ mix is by meshdiggity on SoundCloud.
*note: Remember to switch to HD 1080p! Make those little dots nice and crisp.
WebGL with Danger Mouse in Your Chrome Browser
Ok, this WebGL stuff has officially blown my mind (have I used that phrase yet?). It runs so smoothly, i cannot believe it mon. Cannot believe!
If you haven’t checked it out, and you have the Chrome browser, please take a moment to checkout the ROME: 3 Dreams of Black music video featuring Danger Mouse. I’d post a link to a Youtube video, but although visually impressive, a video doesn’t do it justice. The original is interactive… and a video screencapture on Youtube is not.
Check it out already! And when you’re done, Miranda has some concept art and other behind the scene info for you.
After you’ve seen that, there’s a whole library of WebGL examples to play with. This library on ChromeExperiements.com has a few dozen online WebGL experiments (thx to Kjrsten Holt).
Burning Man Alternatives?
Can you really replace the salt flats, or the stationary art, or the mutant vehicles? I’m really not sure, but certain variables have me considering alternatives to this… alternative culture event. Last year was the first time Burning Man has sold out, which has had the organizers implementing a lottery system, which means that not everyone who wants to go, will get to go. I think this video summarizes most of my feelings pretty well.
A new friend of mine, that I met at a Decompression party here in Toronto mentioned Boom Festival in Portugal.
I was just told about the Lightning in a Bottle music festival in California, around May.
The Rainbow Gathering(s) which occur all over the world.
Another festiva-…er… “republic” that I have come across (thx Mackenzie) is called Kazantip and is apparently the largest rave in eastern Europe.
WHOAH… ok, that was NOT work-safe viewing. Also, not sure how comfortable I would be partying it up with a bunch of Russian mobsters.
There’s also Shambala, Ibiza, Movement in Detroit, the Winter Music Conference in Florida and others (that I’m either forgetting or haven’t yet discovered). However, I don’t expect to find anything that will compare to dancing on a two-story pirate ship while visiting 30+ foot sculptures in the desert. Though music can be a large factor in these festivals, there’s also something quite amazing about the absolutely silent locations you can find on the playa at Burning Man.
Oh boy… what to do. :\
Trentemoller Live on KCRW
Watching Trentemoller right now on KCRW. I will not miss him the next time he’s in town.
Nice Shot, Ace
I started to walk home from the studio down the street, but heard music from the gym at the corner.
Through the window I saw costumed heroes playing dodge-ball? It was Ace (mascot for Toronto Blue Jays). I left and came back with my camera. Nothing like filming, as your camera gets hit by a ball… at 60 frames per second. I took many photos of his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and banana birthday cake, which was arguably one of the best birthday cakes I have ever had. Serious “yum”, especially when followed up by shots of vodka and pineapple.
The 5 hour super-hero dodge-ball event has comes to a conclusion at 1am. With a smile on my face, I walk home and within a minute, I run into a guy that is looking for… a “house” party. I’m talking about a “house music” party… in a loft, less than 1 block away.
HAH.
1:45, walking into the party I run into (for the first time outside the tea shop) Marco and Juan, the owners of the establishment that I spend over a dozen hours a week at. The $20 cover charge is immediately waved.
I just got home.
Big thanks to Ace, Jason, Juan, Marco and Michael for unintentionally setting up an epic evening.
I am somewhere between Yes Man and Number 23.
Btw… Ace sent me a link to the video of his recent wedding proposal. Now THIS is how it’s done.
North By Northeast Festival
I was unaware of what was going on, till it was almost over. This past week was the annual North By Northeast Music & Film Festival… and Conference.
On Thursday I went to a show that started at midnight and ended at a 4am? A friend of mine recommended I join her to see Noah Pred, who did not disappoint. There’s plenty of music being labeled, “Tech House”… and I’m really liking the sound of much of what I’ve heard… especially when it stays tribal and funky. I’m tempted to call it “Minimal House”.
On Saturday I was taking a rail car into downtown and disembarked when we hit a diversion point. I soon walked past a huge line of Lady Gaga fans who were waiting for hear arrival. In Dundas Square, I was with thousands watching Devo playing on a big screen. Large, free (with donation) bottles of energy drink were being consumed by many. Even ran into , complete with illuminated logo t-shirts. Plus, all week long, many venues received a special alteration to their liquor licenses… they could serve till 4am???
On a different, but similar note… Sunday night was my first experience of Cherry Beach. Other than Tuesday night’s in Whistler, BC… I haven’t seen this many people rock it out on a School Night in a long time. What? You say this is EVERY Sunday? Oooh boy.
Pinback @ Neumos
Last night I met up with Dave, a new friend I met on Capitol Hill the weekend prior. Coincidentally, he’s from Mt. Clements, Michigan. Dave highly recommended that I checkout Pinback, from southern California, so there we were. East Side crew in full effect for a concert at Neumos.
The opener, Little White Teeth was pretty good, though we only caught the last half of their set. One of the two members of the band was not able to make the show due to a recent addition to his family, which was shown on the screen. It was Rob Crow performing solo, so that his partner could be with his newborn baby. Rob was having a hard time, as he only had one day to prepare. Luckily, members from the opening band helped out a bit.
Soon the crowd was making requests that Rob was having a hard time fulfilling. At one point, he said, “I just need someone to sing this.” I pushed Dave forward, toward the stage. He turned and smiled before running up and jumping on stage.
Rob said to the crowd, “I don’t know what lyrics he singing, but it sounds better than ours!” At times like this, it certainly pays to be a musician… because Dave nailed it. A little flower ran up to him as he stepped off the stage, and that was the last I saw of Dave.
The Music Scene – 2D Animated Music Vid
“The Music Scene” from Anthony Francisco Schepperd on Vimeo.
Thanks to Rachit for this killer link!
The Monk and The Fish
A classically animated short created by Michael Dudok De Wit. Simple yet beautiful. Powerful use of the music to tell the story. If you like this short and can handle seeing something a little more simple, Father & Daughter is also worth checking out.
Thanks to Des Duggan for getting me to check this out.
