As I believe I have mentioned before I find that some of the ideas I have encountered in software engineering can be helpful in my music journey. On my music blog I talk about applying the concept of design patterns to the music creation process i.e. from composition, arrangement to mixing , mastering and publishing. Soup to nuts.

I specifically write about a way of doing an intro to a tune that permeates an idea across the tune all the way to the end. Some of this is based on stuff that I know I have listened to , some of it is I’m sure on stuff that I have listened to but not consciously aware of , is anything really new ?

This pattern has helped me with one of my major issues and that being having a sense for the entire tune.

Here is the link:

http://monteirofusion.blogspot.com/2007/01/music-patterns.html

Some of you all may relate, or at least find it interesting.

Discussion of applying patterns to music I expect hopefully will carry on here.

In case James didn’t see this one, caught it on my lawyer’s blog , bloged about here on my music blog:

http://monteirofusion.blogspot.com/2006/12/its-okay-if-your-dad-is-music-exec.html

sorry for the run around , music stuff I put on that blog but since at least James covers the RIAA pretty decently I thought it was relevant to point it out.

For those Smalltalkers out there that are music obscessed like me I think this post may be interesing:

http://monteirofusion.blogspot.com/2006/12/land-of-free-vsts.html

I started covering the world of free VST (Virtual Studio Technology). Great time to be doing recording from podcasting to full music production. There are ton of real high quality signal processing plugins out there which can be integrated into your audio recording software which btw includes Audacity. For Audacity you will need the VST enabler plugin as a pre-requisite.

I plan to specifically cover those VST plugins I use in my album project. The article does provide a link to a number of plugins.

Enjoy.

No its not another Smalltalk tutorial series although it would be good to see more of those spring up but rather I’m plugging my friend and composition teacher Jon Raney. Jon is collaborating on a my project i.e. my music project. Its not all that Jazz, more like World Fusion but probably more like Monteiro’s fusion . I have ordered an intense PC to do the hard disk recording and sound engineering. That’s coming next week.

If you all like Jazz or even if you think you don’t but like piano music check out Jon’s CD. Its got a bit of everything there from ballads, to blues to Samba infusions.

-Charles

I went to the Al DiMeola concert in Manhattan last nite. DiMeola has a new album and its great. Its called Consequence of Chaos and its available certainly at Amazon’s but also at Telearc the publisher.

I blogged about my experience at the show here.

I finally caught up with Al Di Meola’s The Grande Passion. Ever since I bought my Ovation guitar I have been more interested in the albums DiMeola made with his acoustic group World Sinfonia. For one I can relate to them better since I am exclusively playing on the Ovation and have not touched my electric for over almost a year. Also, this album is heavily infused with Tango influences and in particular the compositions and playing of Astor Piazzolla, a legend of Tango at an equal footing with greats such as Coltrane in the impact that he had on his contemporaries. As a matter of fact, along with this album I also bought Piazzolla’s Tango Zero Hour. I have not had a chance to listen to it yet but what is an interesting story is that I met one of the producers for that album while walking my dog around my neighbourhood. Their label specialises on Latin fusions. Check out their site: www.americanclave.com. Amazon has a sample of the music on the Grande Passion as well as commentary. Here is a direct link to a free download for Double Concerto.

DiMeola’s playing is great as usual but in many ways more passionate, perhaps due to Tango which is a very passionate and rhythmic form.

Some dude out in the UK published an interview with my composition and Jazz teacher Jon Raney. Here is the link to the interview. I’m not sure who this guy is and what he does but Jon’s answers provide an interesting perspective into what originality is.

Jon is the son of a legendary American Jazz guitarist Jimmy Raney and is a great Jazz pianist and composer. Some of his music can be listened to here.

This is a great time to be an aspiring musician. Check out Garage Band. They keep making their services better and better. I have been a member ever since my composition teacher joined. If you like Jazz piano search for Jon Raney , son of the legendary Jazz guitarist Jimmy Raney. Unfortunately, you won’t find me there yet