Monday, December 24, 2012
Fiscal Cliff
I officially do not care about the Fiscal Cliff anymore. Bring on some short term pain that may give us long term gain. It's way over-hyped by the media anyway. Sure, we could do better if we had a functional Congress. But from my understanding, many economists agree that the short term pain would be 6-12 months, with recovery after that. Also, the economy is so complex with a myriad of global factors involved that it is impossible to predict what the actual outcome might be.
YouTube
Well, I guess I am behind the times, but I posted my first YouTube video yesterday. It is a video of a concert I did a the Dallas School of Music on November 17, 2012. The audio is pretty bad. This experience satisfied a first step of a goal. My goal is to continue studying jazz piano at DSM for at least 2 years, treating is as post-graduate study in jazz. I will do concerts periodically in at least Spring, Fall, maybe Summer, or quarterly. If I get better, maybe I could do it more on a monthly basis.
Whenever I am off work for a few days, I start to get ideas about improving my online presence with better connections between my blog, FaceBook, YouTube, recordings etc. That idea seems to get lost in the maze of other responsibilities once the work routine starts up again. I may spend some time on it as a New Years Resolution this year.
Whenever I am off work for a few days, I start to get ideas about improving my online presence with better connections between my blog, FaceBook, YouTube, recordings etc. That idea seems to get lost in the maze of other responsibilities once the work routine starts up again. I may spend some time on it as a New Years Resolution this year.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Jazz Is
Jazz is extended, altered chords based on a logical system of scales. The simplest way to view it is to start by imagining a major scale. If you have ever studied any music, you should know at least 1 major scale. Starting with this major scale, any or all tones of this scale can be altered (except for the first note, which of course would make it a different scale).
First lower the seventh tone of the scale. There you have a normal dominant scale. Just like a major scale except the seventh tone is lowered by a half step. A 4 note chord build from the first note of this scale is a typical dominant chord. This chord normally can resolve down a fifth, so a C dominant chord will resolve to an F major chord.
From here any number of other notes in the scale can be altered. Lowering the third along with the seventh creates a kind of minor scale known commonly as a Dorian, typically played over a minor chord.
The most interesting chords/scales are altered dominant ones. Continuing from lowering the seventh note of the major scale, altering other notes creates a plethora of possible dominant sounds including:
First lower the seventh tone of the scale. There you have a normal dominant scale. Just like a major scale except the seventh tone is lowered by a half step. A 4 note chord build from the first note of this scale is a typical dominant chord. This chord normally can resolve down a fifth, so a C dominant chord will resolve to an F major chord.
From here any number of other notes in the scale can be altered. Lowering the third along with the seventh creates a kind of minor scale known commonly as a Dorian, typically played over a minor chord.
The most interesting chords/scales are altered dominant ones. Continuing from lowering the seventh note of the major scale, altering other notes creates a plethora of possible dominant sounds including:
- lowered 9th
- lowered 9th and 13th
- lowered 5th
- raised 9th
- fully altered : lowered 9th, raised 9th, lowered 4th, lowered 5th, lowered 13th
Other combinations are possible.
One fundamental skill is to know all the scales and be able to create many patterns following the contour of the intended scale starting from any note in the scale. Then, application of this skill includes the movement of chords that might change scales quickly.
Boating vs Kayaking
Boating is wind in your face, sparkling water, relaxed driving, coasting and swimming in coves. You can drive up to a waterside restaurant in a boat. You have to keep your eyes peeled for other boats and watercraft in a boat since traffic on a motorized boating lake moves faster than more relaxed watersports environments.
Kayaking is floating, pulling water, direct nature experience, no coasting and good exercise. There is no coasting in kayaking. You can get to more remote locations with a kayak. You can get closer to turtles and other waterside animals with a kayak. You can see other kayaks and have plenty of time to change course.
Kayaking is floating, pulling water, direct nature experience, no coasting and good exercise. There is no coasting in kayaking. You can get to more remote locations with a kayak. You can get closer to turtles and other waterside animals with a kayak. You can see other kayaks and have plenty of time to change course.
Why Blog?
It's a good way to practice introspection. It serves as a record of your life that is interesting for future retrospectives. It sharpens your verbal skills. It helps force mindfulness about your activities and thoughts.
Blogging or should be part of a daily to weekly practice if you can do it. I have failed to remain consistent over the last few years and have experimented with a few different styles, topics and degree of detail.
I hope to pick it up again with a focus on stream of consciousness. I believe that in the past in some cases trying to be too long and formal has discouraged an approach that would produce more consistency.
Blogging or should be part of a daily to weekly practice if you can do it. I have failed to remain consistent over the last few years and have experimented with a few different styles, topics and degree of detail.
I hope to pick it up again with a focus on stream of consciousness. I believe that in the past in some cases trying to be too long and formal has discouraged an approach that would produce more consistency.
Austin vs Dallas
Austin has a much more relaxed atmosphere than Dallas. The lakes and hills create an enjoyable landscape. Easy access to water sports makes it feel more informal - not as informal as a beach town but more than a place like Dallas.
Austin feels softer - Dallas feels more rushed and concrete. Austin feels like a college town embedded in a major city that includes politics and business. Dallas feels like a business town.
Austin is food trucks, coffee shops, yogurt shops, whole foods and scenery. Dallas is highways, sunshine, downtown pockets of decay and attempted renewal. Will Dallas ever be able to turn the Trinity River into a recreational area to rival Austin's Lady Bird Lake (aka Town Lake)? Dallas does not have the equivalent of Barton Springs - the best city pool I have ever visited.
Downtown Dallas is on the upswing but has a long way to go. Once all the parks are finished and if the inconsistent patchwork of sketchy areas in downtown can be turned into safe, robust and thriving businesses, Dallas may experience a revival and transformation. Pushing it past the sins of the past and current downtown inconsistency will require a functional and aesthetic water recreation area to create a visual and spiritual facelift for the downtown core.
Austin feels softer - Dallas feels more rushed and concrete. Austin feels like a college town embedded in a major city that includes politics and business. Dallas feels like a business town.
Austin is food trucks, coffee shops, yogurt shops, whole foods and scenery. Dallas is highways, sunshine, downtown pockets of decay and attempted renewal. Will Dallas ever be able to turn the Trinity River into a recreational area to rival Austin's Lady Bird Lake (aka Town Lake)? Dallas does not have the equivalent of Barton Springs - the best city pool I have ever visited.
Downtown Dallas is on the upswing but has a long way to go. Once all the parks are finished and if the inconsistent patchwork of sketchy areas in downtown can be turned into safe, robust and thriving businesses, Dallas may experience a revival and transformation. Pushing it past the sins of the past and current downtown inconsistency will require a functional and aesthetic water recreation area to create a visual and spiritual facelift for the downtown core.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Denton Arts and Jazz Fest 2012
I went to the DAJF yesterday for the first time in at least a couple of years. It seems that the main jazz stage has been moved to the northwest corner of the park. The prior location of the jazz stage has been renamed to Courtyard Stage. My understanding is that this was done to better conform to fire codes. Apparently the old location, with all its trees, hills, twists and turns presents a challenge if there is an emergency requiring serious equipment or personnel. The northwest corner stage is more open and flat.
While this might be a pragmatic move, it is unfortunate from an aesthetic perspective. The old location is beautiful with lots of shade and streamside locations to lay out a spread of chairs and blankets. The new location is pretty much tree-less in the main area, so shade is almost non-existent. Yesterday I chose the old location, even though it did not offer the top shelf jazz entertainment, so that I could stay out of the hot sun and enjoy a shaded breeze.
While this might be a pragmatic move, it is unfortunate from an aesthetic perspective. The old location is beautiful with lots of shade and streamside locations to lay out a spread of chairs and blankets. The new location is pretty much tree-less in the main area, so shade is almost non-existent. Yesterday I chose the old location, even though it did not offer the top shelf jazz entertainment, so that I could stay out of the hot sun and enjoy a shaded breeze.
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