DJ Chimney Sparrow

Book Review: The Power of Why

Question: Who are the most innovative people?

It’s not simply a matter of innate talents or predispositions, as Amanda Lang demonstrates in her book, The Power of Why, but rather the fostering and preserving of our natural curiousity.

The word natural is key here, because we’re ALL born curious. It’s how we oriented to the world and learned critical skills like language and mobility.

Obviously innovation and creativity are REALLY important in the music industry, so I wanted to share my thoughts about this terrific read while they’re fresh.

The Challenge of Being an Experiential Learner

Growing up, I was always lost when it came to envisioning the kind of work I wanted to do in the future.

By university, I figured I’d at least narrowed it down to the environmental sciences, because I liked the outdoors, and the prospect of doing research in the field seemed cool.

Boy, was THAT a mistake.

Stage Manager, Day One: A Tragicomedy in Four Parts

I thought I’d share this, mostly because it’s funny, and I like bringing joy to others, even (especially?) if it’s through my own embarrassment.

The story begins with Our Hero showing up at the the stage for the Evergreen Festival in Halifax, last Friday afternoon. I was all set to tackle a long but satisfying day of hauling cases, assembling trusses and so on.

So it was with considerable surprise and no small amount of panic that I received the news that I would be stage managing for the bands that evening.

How To Create Your Own Ear Training Patch (Ableton)

No matter what genre of music you’re working with (or even if you’re working with sounds and effects), your ears are your most powerful tool and selling point.

Hearing the nuances in sound – what happens when different frequencies are cut or boosted, for example – means you can quickly spot when something sounds too muddy, edgy, boxy, etc.

To help you hear these differences, I’ve created a guide to making your own ear training program. The following patch is largely modelled off David Moulton’s Golden Ears training program (created with his permission).

It works by randomly boosting or cutting your chosen audio signal at random frequency ranges, which you can guess and check your answers with later. Sound good? Then click the link, or follow along below!

Update: Part Deux

This week has been seriously insane, work-wise. I took on a bunch of stuff, partly because I like “makin’ dat cheddar”, but also to prove to myself I could handle it.

The downside is it’s left me with precious little time to blog for you folks. So, here comes another quick update!

Focus, Focus, Focus!

I’ve listened to songs that confuse or irritate me. Some sounded like they were going in an interesting direction, and then just crashed. A few made me want to drop my monitors off a cliff.

The real gems though, are the complete package: They grab you, pull you in, and keep you riveted right to the end. The music, lyrics, and effects all combine beautifully to create a masterpiece.

Personal preference, as always, plays a significant role here. But one of the other critical differences between the former and the latter, is how well the different parts focused on a specific idea, or emotion.

Prioritizing Your Goals is NOT Selfish

Remember to include yourself amongst the people you love.

- Anonymous

I was lucky.

Growing up, I had few friends, and the ones I had were kinda weird (like me). We were outcasts, so we had nothing to prove.

My parents too, had (relatively) few expectations on how I was “supposed” to live, the kinds of people I should spend time with, the type of job I should have, and so on.

In other words, I grew up relatively free from the obligations imposed on most people. In particular, I managed to – mostly – avoid that type of person who takes more than they give.

Ear Training: What Am I Hearing?

Anyone using the Golden Ear CDs to improve their attention to musical detail? I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I LOVE it, seriously.

There’s something crazy-satisfying about hearing more and more nuance in music – like a secret superpower, but y’know, less crime fighting.

It also helps us understand the frequency range of different sounds, so we can make better editing decisions during mixdown and spot problems before they’re printed.

Those CDs are pricey though, so I’m sharing here what to listen for at different frequencies. Like I said, it’s satisfying. You like being satisfied, don’t’cha?

When it’s Time to Ask for $$$

Yesterday evening, I submitted my first artistic grant. If successful, it will pay for up to six months of mentorship with one of the recording studios I’ve been working with (I’ll stay quiet on which one, at least for now).

It’s a mixed bag of emotions for me, mostly because I hate asking for money. Nevertheless, the advantages to having some sustained lessons in a recording studio environment are just too good to ignore.

Instead of pretending I know all about the grant application process, I thought I’d share my personal experiences with y’all, so you can know what to expect.

Continue reading “When it’s Time to Ask for $$$”

Impressions on the Dj Road

Of the various directions in the industry I’m playing around with these days, mixing progressive house definitely makes the time go fastest. It’s d*mn exciting, twisting knobs and planning ahead, racing against the clock while hearing songs I love.

Over time, I’ve started to notice some ways it’s changing how I approach music too, and all for the better.