When all else fails...read the manual

I set up my drum kit at home to sketch out some preliminary ideas for the percussion part of my audio. I set up the ZOOM recorder that I was using. The red light was flashing so I thought it was fine to go ahead and play. So I played for ten mins or so with lots of ideas coming out on the fly. I brought the recorder to the computer only to realise that I had only primed the mike and not actually started it recording. Sometimes it just pays to read the manual. I'll try again tomorrow :-( I would try again but once you've played all your ideas and tried everything its hard to go back and do it all again.

School of Music Infiltration Update

To my great delight I have been issued with a CSM keycard:

This grants me the same level of access as any other full time CSM student after 7pm. I simply have to book a room (as is normal practice) and then fire away. At this point I envisage using the pianos in there. Couldn't really ask for better than the Steinways that they have in their labs. Looking forward to getting in there and getting stuck in.

Industrial Beats

http://bit.ly/sltUo

Above is a link to Radiohead's song Reckoner. Well that's all very nice I hear you say but what's that got to do with my project? In short this song has a unique drum track which is of particular relevance to my idea. It display's well the type of industrial sounds I would like to achieve within the percussive aspect of the project. If you are using earphones then take out your left earphone leaving the right channel only and play the song. This will allow you to here the drum track in almost complete isolation because of the way the track was mixed.

The drummer in question is Phil Selway. Phil used the bell of a cymbal (the dome part closest to the centre) to get a high pitched 'cling' which to me connotes images of hammers and heavy industrial forging. I think when you listen to the track you'll get the picture. Enjoy!

The Blue Man Group

Now I'm not suggesting that I douse myself in blue paint and start hitting a load Flavin waste pipes but this is a great example of unconventional sources of percussion. It's more engaging than the average drum performance because it is simple and effecive.

http://bit.ly/OI3Cw

It's 3:27mins long but you'll get the idea after a minute or so.

Rooms and Equipment

When I was in the Cork School of Music earlier this week I inquired about recording facilites + equipment rental. It appears the availability is uncertain at the moment but I'll be issued with a CSM Room Card next week which will afford me access to some labs and rooms in the building. I'll follow up on the availability issue next week when I get the card.

Medium/Choice of Media

I have decided to use audio as the main medium for my project. Having said this, I will be incorporating visual media as well (illustrations, possibly video) so that when the project is implemented into the final environment the user/viewer will have a visual stimulant to complement and reinforce the audio.

Here is a JPG of my Gantt Chart.

Gantt Chart

Here is the link to my Gantt Chart (You'll need Microsoft Project to view it). The Gantt Chart is a vital tool for managing the progress and completion of a project.

http://tinyurl.com/ygafnqu

What is MP4?

As the name suggests, Media Project 3 is project centered around the use of Media. Particularly in this semester, there has been and emphasis on the exploration of 'transmedial narrative'. Transmedial essentially means more than one media type - ie audio, video, still image, typography etc. As is my understanding we will work in groups while still focussing on our individual media content. I am yet to decide exactly which type of media I would like to use. I'm thinking audio would be good. I like the idea of communicating a theme/idea through sound.

In the first class we were given the brief and schedule of the module. Along with this we received a list of the characteristics of humans and machines. This list is to be the basis for a brainstorming session we will have in class the next day with a view to forming a basis for our projects. I like the idea of these two seemingly opposite entities being compared. I'm thinking of a mix of the two and the tension that would bring. A sort of Ghost in the Machine idea I suppose...

Hello + blurb

Hello there!

My name is Kevin O' Connor and I'm studying Multimedia in the Cork Institute of Technology. I've set up this Blog to document my progress in one of my modules - Media Project 3 (MP3). MP3 is a compulsory module in our course which we have for 5 semesters throughout the duration of the degree. I'll be posting various materials on the Blog for others to see and also as an aide for myself to show the progression of my thoughts and processes. I'm aiming to post at least twice a week. There are few things more pointless than a blog that isn't updated!