Becoming One With The Music. (Finding the Glow !)

“If you want a lover, I’ll do anything you ask me to, if you want another kind of love, I’ll wear a mask for you. Cause I’m your man!” During my sponsor visit this week I Brian, Darrius, and myself reflected back on how much I progressed since the start of the project and our amazement the results were outstanding. Since the start of my first time recording for this project my confidence and maturity has helped me to transform from an apprentice to a young artist. Similar to training as a Jedi becoming an artist takes time find yourself and become strong in your gifts. Fortunately, through this sponsor visit I pasted my last test to become an artist by getting the opportunity to collaborate with my sponsor Brian. We decided to sing a song together called “I’m Your Man” by Michael Buble through the song I reached my finally level with Brian. He has taught me how to keep my pitch correct and to let myself go through my music by use of my feelings. In retrospect I reached my level of the glow. I sang notes and did without knowing letting my feelings guide me to the truth that I can do this. There is still another level I must touch for my journey and destiny to be complete. I know I must figure that out myself. My friends told me to find someone else to help me more and said, “No training, do I require I already know what I need to do. I only have to complete my finally task to reach the finally level of the glow.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqf1ImqI7N4

*The Saga Continues. .*

A week from tomorrow is the big day, my senior project presentation (Yay! Clapping.) The date is June 2nd at 11am in room D105. I am growing excited for this project because I put myself into this project being that my topic is music. Music is like my bride I am married to it without any chances of divorce. In fact, music is quite similar to Star Wars with the concept of the force. Like Luke Skywalker, the force is strong in my family too; the force of music is strong in my family. My father has it, my mother has it, my aunt has it, my uncle has it, and my grandmother has it. So, it did not surprise me to have the trait of musician in my blood. As a small boy I felt the presence of the force of music in me while doing small little shows for relatives at Thanksgiving and Christmas. My Uncle once said to me “You are going to be my superstar!” Lo and behold hear a stand an apprentice to music learning all I can from the masters of the industry through performances, documentaries, and their music. On a good note this class has helped to gain the level of apprentice in music learning from a master as my sponsor. Remember to avoid the Dark Side and may the force be with you.

The Force of Music has 3 levels:

• Cover Song Artist
• Aspiring Young Artist

• Recording Artist

Beware The Power Of The Dark Side !

In the movie, Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, Chancellor Palpatine told young Anakin Skywalker that “The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.” Sometimes I often wonder how it would feel to live in the world of the Star Wars with the training in the Jedi Temple and avoiding the Dark Side. The question comes to mind what side would I choose? I know I would go to the Force side because I am not actually an evil man. However, there are those times where I could be questionable if pushed to my limits. Little do many people know there is a force within me that my dark side which is very powerful. Similar to Anakin Skywalker in episode II Attack of the Clones when he found that the sand people killed his mother and killed them all the men, the women, and the children too. I find myself to capable of the same destruction and I know that I would turn to the dark side for someone that I love to keep them from dying. In saying this I would love to be a Sith Lord because it is opposite of how I am throughout my daily life but it’s a part of me that once embraced cannot be stop. But, there is always a chance for redemption. . to be continued!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWLV2VeMP04

Sponsor Substitute ! (Personal Master Yoda on my back!)

Last week I experienced yet again a set back with my sponsor visit with Brian, in the back of my mind I try to remember that I this happens sometimes. Instead, of beating myself with the help of Mr. Abrams I created a substitute sponsor with the help of TED Talks and youtube.com these websites allowed me to learn about Usher Raymond’s rags to richest beginnings. In Usher’s younger years he was notice to have the superstar quality that we now call iconic. He began in the church like many R&B artist his talents and ambition brought him to find a love in secular music. I can agree with the concept of finding music in the church and then having your talents over shine the church atmosphere. This is because I myself am experiencing the same torn feeling with my music experiences. For instance, this past summer I was in a youth choir at my church while trying to discover myself as an artist. The conflict caused me to become torn between Gospel and Secular music however; I did choose my path and its secular music. With this in mind I was forced to leave the group for educational and personal reasons but I am considering a victorious return to the world of gospel music for business purposes. The video documentary of Usher gave me the knowledge in knowing how to get myself exposure to begin a career in the entertainment industry. The video is called Usher “Papers” Documentary.

"Dream Birth !" (1, 2, 3, Push. . Push. . Push)

Every person is put on this Earth with a dream in their heart to do something that is barrier breaking. It is up to us to find our dream and believe in it so that no one can destroy your dream. Beware of the dream killers they live amongst you. Similar to Judas with Jesus, the dream killer will betray and murder your dream without a second thought. If you have a dream you believe in it and protect it like a Golden Treasure. For in reality, your dream will be your ticket to success, love, and happiness on this wrecked planet. Dreams can be simple. It can be something you always wanted to do with all your might. However, its one thing to have a dream and another to have a dream without works is not a real dream. It’s the same as faith without works is dead. Work your dream until no one on the Earth can do the things that you can do. I am working in my dream with a humble heart and I know that if I keep it up no one will be able to stop me. “Climb every mountain, search far and wide. Search every rainbow until you find your dream”

In The Mix !! (The Editing Experience)

With the recording process, editing happens to be one of the hardest parts of making music because you have to have the ear of perfection. I am learning how to hear things that the normal thing does not hear through my sponsor of Brian Walsh. He has perfect pitch and hears things that I cannot hear while I am sing in the booth. For example, while recording the background parts for “Perfectly Blind” by Day 26, he made me do 27 takes for this one part. I did not hear actually what was wrong with those parts but he some how did. All I remember him saying is “Your so close buddy… keep it up… you’re a little bit off, lets do it again.” So I used this lesson to make a mix for one of my favorite parts of this CD which is the Jackson Five Medley. (I cannot wait to sing the bars of that song) I used my own technique to mix the songs in my way and it my own personal tribute to the Jackson Five. “Good Times”

Hit Factory II !! (Daddy's Home)

Last time at the Hit Factory, I struggled with finding my recording voice and the confidence to sing the way wanted to. But, this time at the Hit Factory my situation was different. I lost myself in my art so deep that I amazed myself with my melodies and rhythms. While in the Hit Factory I finished up my recording of Perfectly Blind by Day 26. I know I will be leaking a snippet of the song in class soon for my bosses (Mr. Abrams and Snyder). I realized through this experience that I had to lose myself in the music so that the result will be mind blowing. Speaking of mind blowing, my sponsor Brian, never ceases to amaze me with his talents he played background for the song and made it a masterpiece. (I love that guy.) I admire ear for music he hears things that the normal ear does not hear and I find that so amazing. But in conclusion, my next time at the Hit Factory is going to be Thursday with my young producer Kyle. I’m going to work on something a little old school Marvin Gaye to be exact. Stay tuned! You think you ready?

                                       Kyle                                                       

                                        

                                                                                    Brian

So, You Wanna Be Startin' Something !! (Proof)

The time has finally come for the senior’s in Senior Project Class to really start something in this class. With last year’s messiah Ivan image and bar setting presentation on my back, I find myself looking for new and better ways to improve my skills. Knowing this my mentor gave me a little bit of advice for a way to guide my presentation. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you glogster.com. Through this program you can create a virtual poster with music, pictures, graphic, wacky text, great colors, and videos. I think this website is great for me to create this entertainment presentation to incorporate videos and influential artist that influenced me throughout my project making and recording process. The proof is really on the CD. Stay tuned to see my vocal snippet of my Perfectly Blind cover song. Are you ready ?

Relationships: Therapy and Wisdom Through Music. (Connection)

Relationships in life are created to be complicated and test your patience with your sweetheart. But, that does not give you the excuse to cheat and break hearts by wrong doing. I understand that relationships are like college it’s not for everybody because not everyone can handle the pressure and time management.

A wise man once told me, “There is a song for everything in this world. So you can release yourself in the song and let go of your drama.”

Guess what? That wise

man was correct. A relationship healing song for any man, woman, or child is called Slippin’ by Usher off of his Raymond versus Raymond album. The song speaks from a man’s point of view of relationships and how he feels about being caught cheating or slipping. This song is really meant to be serious talk from man to man to be honest it makes me think of any times I’ve cheated or been cheated on. For example, I recently went through some serious heart break with my ex-girlfriend we both played the role of wrong doers. I did her wrong and then she up and did me wrong more than once. To make a long story short were going to work things out and then she up and leaves for another guy while telling me later about the situation. The result of this angered me and caused me to go into a slight depression. But, things began to turn around after I heard Slippin by Usher. It gave me the wisdom and strength to move on while knowing things will eventually change.

The main thing I learned through this is:

Music is like radiation treatment for cancer. However, this concept only works if you truly understand and know the power of music. The reason why I say this is because when words fail music succeeds it’s your way to let the world know what exactly you want to say through rhythms and melodies. I just want to say, “One man’s lost is another man’s gain!”

Hit Factory !! (Daddy's House)

During my sponsor visit I began to find myself as an artist. Struggling, with pitches, and finding my groove was very good for my development as a young artist. The studio setting for me is quite intimidating. This leads to lack in self confidence and I try too hard reach notes. I realized through my frustrations that I need to get comfortable in the studio to release the hits my fans would want to hear. On another note working with Brian is no joke. This man is an amazing artist with an amazing ear for pitches and trying to pull off a fake note simply does not work. For instance, while singing my cover song to Day 26’s Perfectly Blind, I sang a note that was pretty good if I must say so myself. But, Brian heard the not differently and thought it was flat so I ended up doing like 22 takes of that one part until it was perfect. The reason why he did this was because I asked him to make the best I can be by pushing me before my limits. I admire him for this because he cares enough to make better than I already am. (I can only imagine myself ten years from now…. Amazing.)