tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51852625279793516252024-03-12T19:58:55.028-05:00I...the Hare, and You...my MuseRyan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-1583580207134235632011-05-19T11:11:00.007-05:002011-05-19T12:56:21.997-05:00"The King Of Limbs" VINYL to CD comparisonComparison, well...not in the strictest of nerd-aphile specifications. Look, I don't have the time nor the will to do an A/B comparison... I know, as countless others can attest to, that VINYL has it's own sound. It ALWAYS sounds different than a CD, and most of the time any given song sounds BETTER than it's CD counterpart.<br /><br />Besides, Radiohead's new album The King Of Limbs (TKOL), Special Edition "Newspaper" release, in and of itself warrants some lauding.<br /><br />The day Radiohead announced their new LP, I without hesitation dropped the $53 for this special edition. As soon as it arrived yesterday, I knew it was money well spent...even if just from a collectors perspective.<br /><br />The whole shebang was wrapped in "oxo-degradable" plastic printed w/ TKOL cover art. I carefully opened it, retrieving it's contents:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMrZaLDrz1Y/TdVEkC3hluI/AAAAAAAAAGs/mYvs9BIej9w/s1600/downsized_0518111417.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 224px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IMrZaLDrz1Y/TdVEkC3hluI/AAAAAAAAAGs/mYvs9BIej9w/s400/downsized_0518111417.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608464296995559138" border="0" /></a>(L toR: Newspaper, CD copy, 2x 10" Clear Vinyl LP, sheet of perforated "tabs")<br /><br />After looking through what I think is an ingenious packaging idea, and laughing about the perforated tabs included (next time I cook up a batch of Lysergic acid diethylamide, i'll be sure to use these,) I got right down to listening to the beautiful clear vinyl 10" disks...<br /><br />First of all, let me say that I had been listening to "Kid A" on 10" 33rpm recently, and I have always been a little unimpressed w/ a few of the songs on Vinyl. IMO, "How to Disappear Completely" and "National Anthem" have suffered a little on my particular pressing (possibly due to the questionable release on the smaller 10" 33 rpm format.)<br /><br />For instance "How to Disappear Completely" doesn't have the same wide-open hi-end airyness as the CD version, due to Vinyl's inherent physical inability to handle high frequencies (8kHz +) at the same amplitude (volume) as a CD...not too mention the strings at the end of the song probably ate up a considerable amount of "groove space" to keep them epic sounding, so something had to give (see <a href="http://www.recordtech.com/prodsounds.htm">This Article</a> for an explanation) . So I ask, why even do a 10" version, go 12"... just sayin' ;)<br /><br />That being said, TKOL being on 10" gave me slight pause, but it was cut at 45rpm and the sides (4) only have 2 songs each, so I cleared my head and eagerly put the needle to the groove. The first few seconds of the opening "twelve finger piano riff" on TKOL's "Bloom" had me glued to my speakers. When the bass jumped in, the sweet fret sound resonated from the vinyl...the tape cued percussion was punctuating and punchy!...and MAN...all the layers of this song had a new face on the Vinyl release. Good job mates.<br /><br />The biggest surprise to me was the 3rd track (first on side B) "Little by Little"...the CD version didn't really catch my ear much...it has a groove, it's a cool song...but something didn't really get me going. WELL, the Vinyl version puts this song in a WHOLE NEW LIGHT. Their is some CRAZY GOOD separation of all the songs little elements, making it a very interesting composition, not the mushy warble I first heard on my complimentary FLAC download.<br /><br />Throughout this record, the Vinyl version blew the CD away. And though I have no quibbles about said CD version, hearing what at first impression was a very digital and electronic album turn into a fleshy organic affair, was quite the treat. The imagery of laptop editing and sample tweaking over groovy rhythms has given way to imagery of tape splicing, vintage analog Jamaican dub-ery, and Thom Yorke as Roger Waters smoking a cigarette behind a big clanky synth with patch cords.<br /><br />The sweet vinyl coupled with the sweet art(ifacts) made this completely worth the price tag. Go snatch up a vinyl copy for yourself.Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-76296684357157312322011-02-02T11:48:00.023-06:002011-03-05T00:51:16.989-06:00Rare-Fi StudioI believe in taking the most holistic approach that one can, when "navigating" our path. Obviously, trying to control our fate too much disintegrates the fragile (and perhaps elusive) holistic way of life...to find a balance between "doing what we can" and "going with the flow" is about as close as we may come.<br /><br />Music is truly no different. The contrived and heady song, constructed from blueprint often falls flat, while the noodling whimsy of a jam band doesn't always command our attention. If I have learned anything, it's that pulling from what <span style="font-style: italic;">I think I know</span>, must meet the musings of<span style="font-style: italic;"> feeling my way through</span>- eye to eye. This is not something I can force, the mood must be right, my head must be clear and my ego has to cease to exist, if the holistic truth of a song is to resound.<br /><br />And as the writing of music goes, so must the recording/engineering/producing follow suit. Often when a band has appeared with a sound or style that is not conducive to the studio methodology of the day, the recorded result, for all it's accepted technical merits (assumptions?), doesn't do the music justice. This is indeed an injustice. Who's to say (especially with hindsight) that sticking a screwdriver through your amp's speaker is wrong!? As the writing of music should ideally reflect life's dynamics of shade and light, so must the recording of it.<br /><br />The artist<span style="font-style: italic;"> and</span> the engineer/producer (in my case, for better or worse, I am both<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>) must therefore obtain wisdom and experience without compromising intuition and experimentation.<br /><br />Fortunately I've had the chance to consider these principles when designing the "Rare-Fi Studio". With all the possibilities, all the limitations, all the contradictory proclamations...I have put the holistic principle, the wisdom of balance, foremost in my decision making process. The results that follow are of a studio that not only fits me and our home, but is capable of functioning dynamically, allowing room for both shade/technical detail AND the light of unrestrained inspiration.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.rarefirecords.com/index.php/news/60-studiotechnical">A technical look</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span">@rarefirecords.com</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">An aesthetic look</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_n_StudioR.png" width="500" height="375" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_StudioL.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Front.png" width="375" height="500" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Front detail.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio front detail 2.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Left detail.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Crnr.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Guitars.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Guitar detail.png" width="375" height="500" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio Guitar shelf.png" width="500" height="375" img="" /><br /><img src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/RarePics/n_Studio cntrls.png" width="500" height="375" img="" />Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-64494924622085738962011-01-04T11:47:00.006-06:002011-01-07T11:18:58.750-06:00on 'Producing' music in 2011Here I am, for the first time in my life, putting the finishing touches on a music "studio" I feel very lucky to have. Granted, this is merely a remodeled room in our home, but it is not 1) a closet, 2) a spare room with NO functionality, OR 3) some $lavish$ "industry standard" space I'll spend the rest of my life paying off. It is a <span style="font-style: italic;">Home</span>-Studio of a different kind... it's not the sum of products & assumptions that Guitar Center nor <span style="font-style: italic;">MTV Cribs</span> have sold me. It is the sum of (un)common sense and necessity...let me explain:<br /><br />As always I've stripped away rhetoric, pompous declarations and naivete to get down to the core of what EVERYONE truly needs to yield QUALITY* recordings. Of course I could have sprung for a standalone building with a gazillion track mixer, separate control room and live room, $2,000 dollar mics, and Pro Tools... all of which are more than appropriate to get you to your end goal. But the fact remains; you put all of that in the hands of an incompetent, product driven producer or otherwise uncreative person and you get...well, the POP(fizzle) product that the masses consume.<br /><br />So what separates the ultra loud (compressed), digital product line from a QUALITY* recording? I RESOUND: ART. LIFE. MUSICALITY. DYNAMICS. A TALENT FOR MAKING PLEASING RECORDINGS THAT SATISFY THE BIGGER PICTURE!<br /><br />These things are not acquired by shelling out $ or following every trend or contradictory comment in your favorite online "recording forum". Like most things in life I believe you have to pull back, view the WHOLE of your ambitions in their proper context and then practice practice, learn learn learn.<br /><br />I believe I've been successfully doing this for some time. Sure, I have a TON more to learn, but I am more rapidly evolving with every recording and newly employed tidbit of wisdom. Basically I've simply identified the essentials needed to make the BEST decisions in what is a totally subjective discipline, and I have secured those things. <br /><br />All that's left is to apply my OWN vision and artistic sensibilities (which are constantly evolving from enumerable sources) with the confidence that my "brush strokes" will be intelligible to all the different ears that listen.<br /><br />In a nutshell: I want to FEEL what the performance is conveying, and be transported to a place beyond identifiable constructs of time and space...I WANT TO BE INSIDE THAT RECORDING...whether i feel like I'm on a dusty porch recollected in 8mm grain with a raspy toe tapping blues man, or front and center in a world class Live Room hearing every well pronounced transient snap and pop of drums, buzz of bass frets, and tube gristle guitar fuzz...I want everything to cease to exist except the vibrations being transmitted to me in a timecapsule (hopefully a vinyl record, but nothing wrong with a thoughtfully rendered CD)!<br /><br />*Quality Recordings- In my opinion a quality recording can vary widely, but should always possess an organic and full of life dynamic, putting THE SONG and THE TALENT in the best light obtainable. It doesn't matter if it's a fully analog chain (always a nice treat!) or if it's a digitized reproduced (field?) recording from a single mic in a room...AS LONG AS THE FIDELITY WORKS WITH THE FEEL OF THE PERFORMANCE CAPTURED AND DOESN'T LIMIT OR DISTRACT FROM IT, well that's a quality recording that will hold up play after play, infinitely.Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-32446206593901933842010-11-18T08:50:00.013-06:002010-12-10T13:05:13.553-06:00Building an Eternal TempleThe day before my foray into the House Show<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/11-13-10.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="http://www.rarefirecords.com/images/11-13-10.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a> movement was cold and rainy, the threat of ice causing some anxiety, as our friends Dark Fruit were making the 4 1/2 hour drive down from Lincoln, Nebraska. I have my suspicions that ice was only the scapegoat for the true nerves on hand...would anyone show up, would the logistics all work in harmony so the sound, atmosphere, <span style="font-style: italic;">parking?</span>...would turn out okay and let the performances take center stage, or..."center of my living room."<br /><br />In the end pretty much everything went smooth, although no one I invited showed up, thankfully Joel Cachero's invites yielded a small but warm group of participants... I say participants because truly, in such an intimate setting the vibe is essential, the collective energy of everyone present was going to weigh in on the experience as much as any other elements of the night.<br /><br />And the energy was very conductive! After convening with Adam, Israel (comprising Dark Fruit), Joel, and Anibal over a crock-pot of vegan chili, and setting up the treasure trove of misfit electronic gear Dark Fruit employs, a scene recalling a mad scientist's operating room literally filed my living room from corner to corner. It seemed whatever the night was to hold, Dark Fruit could resuscitate & animate it back into a twirling furry of energy.<br /><br />Joel Cachero and Anibal Rivas played some fervent jazz tunes, one of which was a beautiful original by Joel. Those two get bolder and brighter every time they play together (you should keep an eye out for their appearances around Wichita, bringing class to whatever venue they command.)<br /><br />Next, after an interlude of more chili and libations, Joel played a set that was the most at home I've witnessed. The improvisational confidence and genius captured in his home recordings burst forth displaying the lush moods that envelop the listener. It was a performance that really set the tone for the evening and one I will always hold in reverence.<br /><br />Another short break, and then the main event, Dark Fruit, with Adam and Israel's set-up sprawled out and facing each other, Israel, bounding with energy, shuffled toward every light switch in the house, replacing the relaxed light with darkness, as a sole lamp with a stained glass bulb under-lit a floor tom residing directly below a microphone stretched out to reach Israel who was standing, almost levitating from the pent up energy about to be unfolded. As Adam was seated at a keyboard with numerous pedals and a guitar in close reach...he started a droning whizz, click, whirl of a sound...more organic than digital in nature...which built up as the two set forth on their improvised set. It was like jazz sorcery beating with a tribal pulse that quickly put most everyone into a trance...many times I shut my eyes, trying to become aware of the truth that all which existed was sound (vibrations) as I let the glyphs and wormholes Dark Fruit was churning out take me further into the realm of the ceremony at hand.<br /><br />Beyond the above description, I have nothing else to offer in the form of words, as it really couldn't do Dark Fruit any justice. Adam and Israel are truly unique and vibrant people who use music as a vessel for channeling so much through the music, as are Joel and Anibal.<br /><br />The small group of partakers thinned to a couple of people (musicians included), so I saw no point in performing other than for the sake of returning the gift of sharing that I just received. <br /><br />After a couple of songs, we started tearing down, dismantling the temple we had just erected, a temple in which we all took away a piece to carry with us. The house show was a success on the deepest and most meaningful of levels...and surely you will be hearing more about my take on the implications this form of community has opened my eyes to.<br /><br />Oh, and we recorded the show...! ! Video and AUDIO...So stay tuned for the artifacts that we preserved!Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-90520817701439484142010-11-17T08:59:00.002-06:002010-11-17T09:13:44.473-06:00wzzzzzzThat's the sound of life flying by.<br />I have SO much going on these days that this blog has been cast to the pile of "no time to's", and therefore isn't even close to what I have envisioned.<br /><br />As the year closes out, there are 3 HUGE projects I have going on, 2 of which will directly affect my vision for Rare-Fi, if I can finish them up. One of the projects includes me sprucing up this blog with interesting content, guest bloggers, and tying it into another BIG interactive website project i have in the works...<br /><br />Basically I'm just making it known that this blog won't be another tired mouthpiece adding noise to the blogosphere, so keep checking back periodically to see my vision unfold and hopefully impact some people with some heartfelt art.Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-59555777026163979832010-05-01T14:55:00.001-05:002010-11-17T09:14:54.988-06:00The story of the Hare and the MuseWhile waiting on the vinyl to arrive, I feel I should recount what has occurred here, because it really does put a smile on my face. To know that an idea has grown and developed into the vision I've nurtured, we've nurtured, validates the philosophy that has always dominated my being; that idealism is only one step removed from reality...action is and always will be the determining factor.<br /><br />The album itself, & title as well, are commentary on that belief. "Find a sluggard without a 'scuse, and find a hare without a muse", this is an old and rather odd proverb that inspired the title. The proverb basically means that a lazy person always has an excuse, like a rabbit always has a hole or opening to creep through...to reach the "garden". I interpreted this a bit more metaphorically, and the dual meaning of Muse was irresistible...when doesn't an artist find inspiration by going through that opening, rabbit hole, or by entering a fruitful patch via that coveted MUSE!<br /><br />It was a very fitting title, especially since I had recently penned a couple of songs that seemed to just fall in my lap. I had indeed been visited by a muse, and happily, my wife Nichole actually is and was the real embodiment and subject of that inspiration. With a real life muse, a whim of inspiration, all fueling my ambitions, I took the step of starting a Kickstarter project (kickstarter.com is a great resource for artists) to build a base of supporters that would help in funding a vinyl release of an album that was still only a vision. In fact, all of these ideas, my vision for an album that was an ode to things of beauty, meaning, and inspired empowerment, on a vinyl record...a co-op DIY effort, would have never been more than an idea, without the dedication, devotion and action of myself and the gracious people forging this into a tangible piece of art. Art that can become a muse for another, becoming the seed for another wave of creation, only requiring the nurture of action to bloom.<br /><br />The people that were instrumental in making this happen will never be forgotten, and not only deserve credit, but a look into some of their projects and passions. Sincere thanks go out to the following supporters:<br />my wife Nichole, my mom Gena, and other family members Nan, Jane, Billy, who all showed faith in my vision in addition to their love.<br />Kris Rue- a musician and supportive friend. Seth Smith- long time friend and artist who you can check out here @ <a href="http://www.sethsmithstudio.com">www.sethsmithstudio.com</a>, Andrew Helt- life long friend and partner in crime, Joel Cachero- friend and musical contributor, old friend Joe Shamrock, friends- Candy & Chuck, and Joseph Lavender & Tim Baughman. Check out Nicholas Chatfield-Taylor @ <a href="http://www.nicholaschatfield-taylor.com">www.nicholaschatfield-taylor.com</a> and Jeff Cohen @ <a href="http://www.granolagourmet.com">www.granolagourmet.com</a><br /><br />Thanks THANKS & THANKS!!Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-31030332601643925682010-04-30T10:30:00.003-05:002010-11-17T09:15:20.876-06:00ALBUM IS DONE!The master has been sent to the Vinyl Lacquer Mastering House, so the LP should be in my hands in about a month!Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-83556500346319873122010-03-29T09:39:00.000-05:002010-03-29T10:49:25.376-05:00Closing in...It seems like years have passed since early February, when anxiousness was giving way to optimistic motivation, and the "final push" to complete the album was an idealized and shining goal ahead of me.<br /><br />A lot has happened in the last two months. My grandfather passed away, leaving me dedicated and focused on my immediate family more than the dreams I harbor. I started & ended another project for a local artist that had been scheduled, and learned empirically about the technical considerations and objectivity required to Engineer and Master recordings that could "stand up" to what the masses hear/expect on a daily basis. My daily life as a "working man", more accurately- a consumer, has been at odds with who I truly am as a person, which has sparked a fire to find a way to become a full time artist... ALL HUMBLING EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE CHANGED ME.<br /><br />Although I've been reminded of Life's eminence, the reality of the LP has never been closer. <span style="font-weight:bold;">This week marks the last week of Mastering and tweaks before I send the master in for the Lacquer & Plating, and subsequent pressing of the first 100</span>!<br />If the manufacturing phase goes timely, then by this time next month you should be hearing about when to expect delivery of the album, release shows, and a sigh of satisfaction...and I'll be waiting to hear what the world thinks of my account about hearing a muse & channeling the art she inspires.Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-26738700117994092882010-02-01T10:51:00.000-06:002010-02-01T11:20:33.246-06:00Sucess & Failure...it's all relative!With the success of our Kickstarter project to fund a Vinyl Release of "I...the Hare, and You...my Muse" (ITHAYMM) I have accelerated the recording/engineering of the album and the subsequent mastering process. Basically January has seen me complete the same amount of work which would normally take 3 months!<br /><br />Although I feel great about the finished recordings, especially considering the efficiency in which I was able to nail them, I planned to use the last week in January to master the entire album, and have fallen disappointingly short. The source of my angst is because of the self imposed burden I've erected to deliver the album in a timely manner to the loyal and generous base of supporters I am grateful for. Also, being a perfectionist by nature, and dealing with the slow learning curve involved in the high level of mastering I'm set to perform, the last week in January stung my ambitions and pretty much bummed me out.<br /><br />After taking a breath, I've realized my greatest task now is to carry on without this ridiculous pressure I have placed on my shoulders, and to do the work with gratitude for the opportunity of mastering an artistic labor of love for a vinyl release!<br /><br />I have high standards, and when I don't reach them, I beat myself up. If I can just technically achieve the same level of integrity as I've done in the recording process, I should have nothing to worry about, and alternately feel proud to give to the world a purely DIY Vinyl LP cut straight from my soul.<br /><br />With probably 2 to 3 weeks of work left, another project running concurrent, and a 2 -5 week wait for the manufacturing of the final product, April is the projected release date. And why exactly should I feel any anxiety about that?<br /><br />I can't wait to share this with the world...see you in SPRING!Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-29611536508410961292009-12-06T22:51:00.000-06:002010-02-01T11:52:49.096-06:00Updates in Track list.Here is the latest and most likely track listing...and some themes incorporated with each:<br /><br />I...the Hare, and You...my Muse<br />Side A<br />"Orchard of time" - timelessness , dreams...<br />...cycles of life. Death. Rebirth.<br />"Vessels" - power of thoughts, psychokinesis... change...mind body & spirit, Dr. Emoto, Solar Gazing, Kundalini Serpent DNA<br />"When She Speaks, I Listen" - Duality, Matriarchal society, Gaia... listening<br />"The Hare & The Muse" - love and inspiration from the connection between an industrious being and a muse.<br />"Composition#1" - an ode to a muse in handmade theremin<br /><br />Side B<br />"Naive (Hidden Muse)" - Naivete ... humility. bravery in honesty.<br />"Unscapes" - tangible escapism. rapture. ambition.<br />"Alternate Tuning" - #&* @(* ~+ !88 #$D !OdS}*<br />"Resolve" - humility. then. empowerment. then. truth.<br />"Lightning" - no bs, just you and infinite possibility and it's<br />crushing weight.Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-69018643405420527372009-12-01T21:43:00.000-06:002009-12-01T22:05:07.153-06:00One Ripple for a Tidal WaveI want everyone who's helped us get to 69% of our goal, to know how meaningful there generosity is! With just 11 backers we have accumulated $416 in pledges! 3 of these backers were complete strangers... BUT NOW ALL ARE FRIENDS!<br /><br />...And also stewards of inspiration. Not only have these supporters gained the rewards such as First Pressings of the Vinyl, free mp3s, networking spots, artistic input, Kickstarter Invites, and much more...<br /><br />...But my fellow partners have tossed their proverbial coins in the well... Wishing & envisioning an end result were an Artist can reach out to his (global)community, put his dreams out on the line, and watch one good vibe lead to another... You have cast your pebble in the infinite waters of dreams and have only to watch how far the waves will ripple!<br /><br />And I am working hard, & WILL BE, until the day when you open your mailbox and behold my labor of love, thee album... from that point on, all my hopes, musings, passions, pain, insights and expressions are YOURS to use as you will...and I believe you will pass on your own light & shadow for others to be inspired by!<br /><br />THOUGH WE'VE COME ALONG WAY, WE STILL NEED THE OTHER 31% OF FUNDING!!! AND THERE IS STILL ONE KICKSTARTER INVITE UP FOR GRABS! Check out the project <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin">HERE</a>Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-2219630549565858202009-11-24T16:02:00.000-06:002009-11-24T20:39:00.107-06:00The DifferenceToday when I was thinking of another typical reason to persuade people to pledge toward my kickstarter project, I had a realization: I'm giving people a chance to do something quite AMAZING, INSPIRING and TRANSCENDENTAL!<br /><br />Allow me to explain:<br />This morning I looked into the sun, as part of my solar gazing routine, and was filled with something I had read the night before. It was an account of an Ayahuasca vision in which a woman saw a stone bust, representing herself, smashed into pieces as pure white light poured out of it. She described the light as not just shining but penetrating her very being.<br /><br />I have felt this light before, as I'm sure you have, at those times when we seem to be at our best...when a beautiful song just spills out of me, when I cheer someone up with just my words and good intentions, when I married my love, when I watch an amazing film or read a story or witness a moment of artistic passion at a concert. These instances are when our egos cease and we are simply existing in the moment, connected to all, soaking up the light.<br /><br />I have aspired to do this every time I pick up my guitar for the songs that will become my new album. I have tried to let my ego die, and let pure inspiration take it's place.<br /><br />I realized, that as my body is just a vessel for the light of my soul, so too are my songs vessels that can share all the joy and pain and life that is within me... AND THEREBY SHINE A PART OF ME INTO YOU!<br /><br />By helping make my kickstarter project a success, you are proactively doing something UN-ORDINARY that will give back to you on SO MANY LEVELS! I am giving you the opportunity to do something, not because you have to, or because it's a good deal, but because you want to partake of this universal light that burns at the heart of EVERYONE'S Art, Love & Community!<br /><br />Now doesn't that sound better than thumbing through packaged products, disposable cd's, iTunes promotions and the like?!<br /><br />So please, if you haven't already, help me bring my passionate music to YOU, and others, through a thick piece of WAX and a grass roots community, by backing my project <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin">HERE</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: right;">-Ryan <br /></div>Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-76267374974245645592009-10-06T12:57:00.000-05:002009-10-09T11:07:40.084-05:00A reiteration<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >I...the Vessel, and you.........ANYTHING YOU CAN DREAM!</span><br />Listening to music is more than a pastime for me. It unfolds real world possibilities, it shows me the heights and lows of the human condition, each musician shading his account in a unique way. Art has always been rendered as an expression of possibilities, even if unknowingly by the artist. The degree to which you unbound your imagination is tantamount to the degree of possibilities your art resolves.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;" >Why I'm Here.</span><br />Music has always opened me to sensing the world with inspired passion. There are few things as pleasurable than being aurally engulfed, transcending all mundane specifics and contrivances of the day to day. In fact, my love of music has lead me to live life more in tune with it's guttural and inspired aspects...not too mention inspired me to make music all the more instinctively and less "heady".<br /><br /><br />Now when I pick up my guitar I feel-it-out (and myself) with a quiet observance, and thankfully I have been rewarded with inspired and articulate rushes of music and words...and suddenly, a living breathing song, bigger than me, lies poised and ready for me to wield.<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" > <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Why You Are HERE</span></span><br />Well I want to wield these songs in an equally meaningful manner. If you and I ever have the chance to share in a reading of one my songs, it would be an honor... but i may only have that chance with dozens to hundreds or thousands of people at best! But isn't that what's wonderful about technology when it's implemented with integrity, that it opens up new and amazing possibilities liberating us from prior limitations?!<br /><br />If I can offer you the chance to hold a record in your hand, place it with quiet anticipation on your turntable, switching on buttons, finding your place on the couch or cradled by a pillow on the floor...in for the long haul, no easy way to skip forward, or download and file away the vibrations of sound, my vibrations that I captured with altruistic intent to have played back like a hologram recounting the scene in my humble little room through my unique perspective to your own... Well, that sounds like a dream come true!<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">What Does THAT MEAN?</span></span><br />I have risked a lot, & at the same time, nothing, by leaving my aspirations in your hands. I have asked others who wait & watch for those transcending moments, where possibilities awaken into "THE NOW", to help me share my perspective of an incredible & unbounded world lying at our feet. Collectively we can use the tools at hand and build new possibilities through the accomplishments of our dreams, desires and imagination.! Help me bring my words & music to others, thereby inspiring <span style="font-style: italic;">them</span> to new heights! For more, check out my project:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin"><img src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin/widget/card.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-30306761101045272282009-09-21T11:20:00.000-05:002009-09-21T13:07:26.625-05:00A Consciousness Project (Music 2.0)Another light, an ascension to another inspired height overlooking the place WE occupy! After an amazing couple of days, which saw the wisdom of the Mayan daily Tzolk'in reverberate in my life resoundingly, I am further opening my consciousness to the possibilities of my little project. The album that will be "I...the Hare, and you...my Muse" has been a journey discovering an artistic wellspring, a current that connects my personal identity with that of the universe, and fittingly the past couple of days (a new "round" in the Tzolk'in started Sep. 9th) have given me a great new vessel to express this perspective.<br /><br />This vessel, my new revelation, is in the form of a song, but one crafted from the current consciousness of the people involved...A SONG WE WILL BRING TO LIFE TOGETHER! In a way it is our own little consciousness project (google "global consciousness project"). Here is how it will go down:<br />The first 10 people to pledge $10 toward my kickstarter project will help me write and record this song. Why pledge? Because the pledging (which has rewards and direct reciprocation for your support) is one of the important aspects of the whole project. The whole idea that I am reaching out to others, trying to affect them, and inspire support for something bigger than us all is <strong>vital</strong>. So the first 10 backers will join me online, in a social networking site (where our identities our connected...) of our choosing, to write a song LINE BY LINE! After the song is penned, all the co-authors will be invited to join me in recording this song! The final product and videos of all this will be uploaded for others to witness what one little proactive idea can do!<br /><br />Imagine the implications of this meeting of minds, done online in the realm of our consciousness' obsession, to bring to life a living breathing piece of music! Imagine the web of interconnectedness that will be revealed & the <strong>co</strong><em>incidences</em> and levels of dual meaning possible! Maybe two or three of the backers will be musicians from seemingly unrelated genres mixing with someone that can/wants to only play a kazoo! The age range and background of the writers could vary immensely, all of which increasing the beauty of our song!<br /><br />Visit my <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin">kickstarter page </a>to pledge (a dollar gets you access to all updates, not to mention free downloads and other rewards) and snatch up this opportunity to take part in our mini consciousness music project!Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-87372497088613279652009-09-16T12:08:00.001-05:002009-09-16T13:47:51.479-05:00The Collective Consciousness & the business of MUSIC ?We are all connected, the fact that you're reading this proves, on 1 of many possible levels, this truth which is the new buzz of the moment. The collective consciousness, whether you know it or not (would that be collective unconsciousness, lol) is the new fire, or wheel, or penicillin... It is a revolution of self awareness, discovery (understanding), a revelation that is opening humans up to infinite possibilities. One possibility, and probably the least mystical but no less affecting, is the Internet... and especially affecting when paired with MUSIC (not the Music eBusiness.)<br /><br />The songs I've been writing and recording over the pasts 7 months have shone with glints of light, revealing MY interpretations of the consciousness I've unveiled. I can only once again give credit for my inspiration to the muting of my mind...where imagination and emotion charge the creative process... Very quickly I realized that it was a muse, a true and living being, my wife Nichole, that had broken open a channel that I previously had on standby, exploring only periodically on a whim. This channel now floods with inspiration, and though I am simply a vessel, I'm hopefully a finely crafted and specialized vessel, sculpting songs that may even become a muse. Now I've witnessed the door opened by many muses, all helping to craft the album we will bring to fruition shortly.<br /><br />WE? Yes, WE. With the new social media platform of <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin">Kickstarter</a>, we can take part in bringing this abstract (yet tangible) technology, an offspring of consciousness, into the physical world through VINYL RECORD. That's right, this new empowering and positive tool can help my humble artistic vision live and breathe in the grooves of an empowering and positive record!<br /><br />I've realized (unlike "the industry"-typical-) that the monetizing of a recording has come to an end. I believe that a digital sound file should be free. Let it soar through the Wi-Fi hubs, weaving it's web, connecting I to YOU, and YOU to ANOTHER! Let my songs and ideas become a simultaneous canvas & mirror for you to gaze at as it reflects your own vibrations back to you. I won't try and sell a $0.99 piece of abstract inventory to you. I see a RECORD as different from a recording (and unequivocally different than a digital recording.) I feel that if someone wants to pay for something, they should get something of physical value in return, with a shape and form, requiring a real moment in time to experience playing it and feeling the waves of sound vibrate your being. So, instead I offer a VINYL RECORD of inspired beginnings & a revolutionary cultivation that can transcend a life measured in Top Selling Charts and trends of the day. So, I would love if you'd visit the link below & share it with people! In doing so you've already made quite the accomplishment by AFFECTING something you are ultimately apart of (funded project or unfunded, you play a role!) Also, follow my blog to hear more about the process and learn about the documentary involved. And check <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin">Kickstarter</a> for updates and song previews.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin"><img src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/510215625/join-diy-artist-ryan-hanna-in-making-a-pivotal-vin/widget/card.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185262527979351625.post-34894090601146699012009-09-02T12:53:00.000-05:002009-09-02T14:07:19.061-05:00Revelations At The Threshold (from an Auralphile)Realizing that my stubbornness to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">DIY</span> with every aspect of the music process, from self taught musicianship(?) to my new obsession to "single <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">handedly</span> end the loudness wars and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">iTunes</span> standards of disposable music" via the mastering process (among other things), is, well, a little too zealous and impractical. The Mastering learning curve is going to be quite a long one, as was the process of learning how to "just get by", as many a multitude seem to be doing. I have two distinct feelings because of this revelation; relief in the fact that putting so much on my shoulders is unrealistic and therefore somewhat obsessive, but also an endearing ambition to still obtain a collection of songs that are against the grain in terms of finished "product" (i shudder at this term's implication). This is propelling me to step back and try and be as objective as possible, which turns out, is the primary job of a mastering engineer. Here are some recent revelations:<br /><br /><ol><li>I (once again) obsessively listen to music at the same volume "knob" position, yet even with my eclectic tastes in genre, era, and source quality (mp3 dub, local musicians <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cdr</span>, high end <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">remasterd</span> consumer CD, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ect</span>.), ALL the Good sounding music seems to not be critically louder or softer from the next. Obviously this is because the Good* sounding music is impacting me because of dynamics (& emotion) and NOT LOUDNESS* <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:85%;">*both terms Good and Loudness are revealingly VERY subjective</span>.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Although I'm lacking conventional experience and some vital pieces of gear, I can, with my same due diligence, create Masters that sound great in their own right, therefore subverting the competition reflex which is killing modern music.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">My essential MANTRAS of "it's all about the song" and "LISTEN" are still going to get me a lot further than my skills alone, as I've proven to myself before with any musical endeavor I take on. I mean, I can't sing or play, but I've still managed to affect a handful of people whose opinions I greatly respect... and most of all have given myself satisfaction.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">DIY</span> can SHINE even more now than ever, by being innovative and industrious with my techniques and practices to essentially make MY MUSIC sound like MY MUSIC, period.</span></li></ol>If I can slow down my eagerness a little and focus on doing these simplistic things, by staying centered in my passions for the songs but objective about their technical polish, then I believe I can deliver an album that sounds good to me and my obsessive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">auralphile</span>* self! And hopefully that is a good enough standard so that other like minded people can enjoy my music as well. Oh, and also the fact that I'm gearing my mastering for VINYL format should be a perk to those like me.<br /><br />*I use the term (made up/coined?) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Auralphile</span>, because in the end I don't really care about the extreme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">OCD</span> technical details of Audio, I just care about how the SOUND OF MUSIC MAKES ME FEEL! AND to boot, the word aural is also defined as "of or pertaining to auras"! So yeah, I'm an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Auralphile</span> !Ryan Hannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02174918853597800455noreply@blogger.com2