So, I have been slowly coming to this conclusion on my own, and it is amazing how dream theater captured this using the perfect words. The song/album related to being trapped within an octave, however I feel it has a lot to do with life as a whole and not just "music." This explains a lot of the conflict I have been going through and it's resolution.
[I. Someone Like Him]
[Lyrics: John Petrucci]
I never wanted to become someone like him so secure
Content to live each day just like the last
I was sure I knew that
This was not for me
And I wanted so much more
Far beyond what I could see
So I swore that I'd
Never be someone like him
So many years have passed
Since I proclaimed
My independence
My mission
My aim
And my vision
So secure
Content to live each day like it's my last
It's wonderful to know
That I could be
Something more than what I dreamed
Far beyond what I could see
Still I swear that I'm
Missing out this time
As far as I could tell
There's nothing more I need
But still I ask myself
Could this be everything
Then all I swore
That I would never be was now
So suddenly
The only thing
I wanted
To become
To be someone just like him
[II. Medicate (Awakening)]
[Lyrics: James LaBrie]
A Doctor sitting next to me
He asks me how I feel
Not sure I understand his questioning
He says I've been away a while
But thinks he has cured me
From a state of catatonic sleep
For 30 years
Where have I been
Eyes open
But not getting through to me
Medicate me
Infiltrate me
Side effects appear
As my conscience slips away
Medicate me
Science failing
Conscience fading fast
Can't you stop what's happening
A higher dosage he prescribes
But there's no guarantee
I feel it starting to take over me
I tell him not to be ashamed
There's no one who's to blame
A second shot
A brief awakening
I feel the relapse
Can't break free
Eyes open
But not getting through to me
[III. Full Circle]
[Lyrics: Mike Portnoy]
Sailing on the seven seize the day tripper diem's ready
Jack the ripper Owens Wilson Phillips and my supper's ready
Lucy in the sky with diamond Dave's not here I come to save the
Day for nightmare cinema show me the way to get back home again
Running forward
Falling back
Spinning round and round
Looking outward
Reaching in
Scream without a sound
Leaning over
Crawling up
Stumbling all around
Losing my place
Only to find I've come full circle
Flying off the handle be careful with
That axe Eugene gene the dance machine
Messiah light my fire gabba gabba
Hey hey my my generation's home again
Running forward
Falling back
Spinning round and round
Looking outward
Reaching in
Scream without a sound
Leaning over
Crawling up
Stumbling all around
Losing my place
Only to find I've come full circle
[IV. Intervals]
[Lyrics: Mike Portnoy]
[First]
Our deadly sins feel his mortal wrath
Remove all obstacles from our path
[Second]
Asking questions
Search for clues
The answer's been right in front of you
[Third]
Try to break through
Long to connect
Fall on deaf ears and failed muted breath
[Fourth]
Loyalty, trust, faith and desire
Carries love through each darkest fire
[Fifth]
Tortured Insanity
A smothering hell
Try to escape but no avail
[Sixth]
The calls of admirers
Who claim they adore
Drain all your lifeblood while begging for more
[Seventh]
Innocent victims of merciless crimes
Fall prey to some madmen's impulsive designs
[Octave]
Step after step
We try controlling our fate
When we finally start living it has become too late
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
Trapped inside this Octavarium
[V. Razor's Edge]
[Lyrics: John Petrucci]
We move in circles
Balanced all the while
On a gleaming razor's edge
A perfect sphere
Colliding with our fate
This story ends where it began
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Inspiration
My friend Thiago just finished up the cover art for The Beckoning Lake. I will not post it up yet. It looks amazing and exactly what I wanted. The song has also greatly inspired him to do more with the music which is exactly what I want!! This song is the essence of my music and self and the best way to show connection. Everything is slowly coming together in a process and it is just inspiring. I have done my job and everyone else is doing their jobs!!!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Going back to basics
I have not been updating much due to lots of stress, but slowly I am getting better...
Going back to the roots, or the basics is always a good idea. That is how we develop because it builds us a solid foundation. I randomly got the urge to listen to Atheist today, and I am hearing so much heavy metal and thrash in their music, that it is making me want to learn their songs or just general heavy metal. And guess what I started learning when I bought a guitar. Heavy metal. Metallica and Iron Maiden. I want to start learning songs again just for the fun of it. It will also help from a practical sense, especially considering I have begun down-picking once again.
Down picking is a great technique, but one that doesn't go so far. Alternate picking is almost always superior. For a while I switched to only alternate picking and no down picking, but down picking helps for palm mutes, just look at Master of Puppets and a ton of other Metallica songs and you will see.
I will also be having a new student shortly. he is 16. This kid also draws *really* well, especially for his age. I will be adding him to The Beckoning Lake.
My newest project that I am working on will be me writing a sound track to a story. I recently have been writing more and more in the vain of short stories and it is something I thoroughly enjoy, so it's only natural to put the two together. I am not yet sure what the story will be about.
Going back to the roots, or the basics is always a good idea. That is how we develop because it builds us a solid foundation. I randomly got the urge to listen to Atheist today, and I am hearing so much heavy metal and thrash in their music, that it is making me want to learn their songs or just general heavy metal. And guess what I started learning when I bought a guitar. Heavy metal. Metallica and Iron Maiden. I want to start learning songs again just for the fun of it. It will also help from a practical sense, especially considering I have begun down-picking once again.
Down picking is a great technique, but one that doesn't go so far. Alternate picking is almost always superior. For a while I switched to only alternate picking and no down picking, but down picking helps for palm mutes, just look at Master of Puppets and a ton of other Metallica songs and you will see.
I will also be having a new student shortly. he is 16. This kid also draws *really* well, especially for his age. I will be adding him to The Beckoning Lake.
My newest project that I am working on will be me writing a sound track to a story. I recently have been writing more and more in the vain of short stories and it is something I thoroughly enjoy, so it's only natural to put the two together. I am not yet sure what the story will be about.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Motivation and important practice tips
"If you are looking for motivation, or inspiration, change something." It doesn't matter what.
Well, first and foremost, I was in a terrible rut recently, for weeks. I had no desire at all to play guitar and was somewhat depressed and what now, but it has come back and I am loving to practice yet again. I have also killed my facebook addiction which probably had a huge impact on my practicing habits.
A big part of practicing and learning is also not practicing and de-learning. When you are learning/practicing something, your subconscious mind absorbs EVERYTHING you are doing, whether or not it is correct or incorrect. As a result it is important to do things slowly and do the best of your ability so that you learn more correct than incorrect. Regardless of how well you practice, you will learn both good and bad. That is why it is good to stop practicing at times. You need to give your mind a chance to absorb what you have learned and sort through what is good and bad. Your mind will also lose the bad habits, aka de-learning, which will in effect make you much better at what you do. I have experienced this many times and continue to do. It is also a good way to break through plateaus.
Another subject I would like to touch upon is standards. So many times I have been criticized that my standards are too high, and that goes for pretty much anything I do. First things first, if I did not have high standards, I would never be anything "special" and I would just fit another common mold like everyone else. The obvious benefits of high standards is for self improvement. The harder you judge yourself, the harder you will push yourself. Standards are the foundation to goals. Holding high standards is also how prized objects gain more significance. The higher your goal, the harder it is to obtain, the more you will have obtained by the time you reach it. It is the difference between reaching 100% and 50%. It will be quicker to reach 50%, but 50% really isn't a large value. It will take a very long time to reach 100% and that encompasses everything that you want. Which is more worth it? Well for some it might be the 50%, but not for me. Upwards towards 100% is where I lie, that is what I shoot for, that is what makes my self as well as the things I obtain unique.
Well, first and foremost, I was in a terrible rut recently, for weeks. I had no desire at all to play guitar and was somewhat depressed and what now, but it has come back and I am loving to practice yet again. I have also killed my facebook addiction which probably had a huge impact on my practicing habits.
A big part of practicing and learning is also not practicing and de-learning. When you are learning/practicing something, your subconscious mind absorbs EVERYTHING you are doing, whether or not it is correct or incorrect. As a result it is important to do things slowly and do the best of your ability so that you learn more correct than incorrect. Regardless of how well you practice, you will learn both good and bad. That is why it is good to stop practicing at times. You need to give your mind a chance to absorb what you have learned and sort through what is good and bad. Your mind will also lose the bad habits, aka de-learning, which will in effect make you much better at what you do. I have experienced this many times and continue to do. It is also a good way to break through plateaus.
Another subject I would like to touch upon is standards. So many times I have been criticized that my standards are too high, and that goes for pretty much anything I do. First things first, if I did not have high standards, I would never be anything "special" and I would just fit another common mold like everyone else. The obvious benefits of high standards is for self improvement. The harder you judge yourself, the harder you will push yourself. Standards are the foundation to goals. Holding high standards is also how prized objects gain more significance. The higher your goal, the harder it is to obtain, the more you will have obtained by the time you reach it. It is the difference between reaching 100% and 50%. It will be quicker to reach 50%, but 50% really isn't a large value. It will take a very long time to reach 100% and that encompasses everything that you want. Which is more worth it? Well for some it might be the 50%, but not for me. Upwards towards 100% is where I lie, that is what I shoot for, that is what makes my self as well as the things I obtain unique.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
uninspiration
I have gone through and am still going through a long period where nothing is inspiring me. I am not sure what to do about it. I asked Ken the librarian and he suggested to change something. That sounds right, but what should I change? I need to get my ambitious self back. Metaphorically i see myself on this huge ocean or sea with stepping stones in front of me and I am slowly walking across the stones. It is very clouded and i can not see ahead of me. There is an impenetrable mist. I am starting to write a lot more. I have been foolin around with short stories. I seem to have something in my head that I want to get out in words, perhaps what my music is not explaining. Not imagery, but more concrete situations, themes, and descriptions. I have been leaning towards combining the two to make my work even more dimensional. I haven't practiced guitar in a long while, I have barely been playing and I am trying to get back into the swing of things. Perhaps I just needed a break from it. I really don't know how to account for these periods in which I don't want to play.
Monday, May 31, 2010
I tried to show you the way but you didn't step through the portal
Why? What was so wrong? My logic and theory are those of happiness
my deeds and practice are unknown
you were weak, you are weak,
idle deeds fills your void
but strength fills the fulfillment I crave
the scent that burned from your eyes
will never come back my way
the loneliness without you, lends itself to me
A warm heart was thought injured, but i was delusional
the loneliness without you, flows to my void
A garden of embers, glows my name
a garden of ash, crumbles yours
my self fulfilling journey
is the utopian ideal
the path that you chose
is the hell that will never heal
Why? What was so wrong? My logic and theory are those of happiness
my deeds and practice are unknown
you were weak, you are weak,
idle deeds fills your void
but strength fills the fulfillment I crave
the scent that burned from your eyes
will never come back my way
the loneliness without you, lends itself to me
A warm heart was thought injured, but i was delusional
the loneliness without you, flows to my void
A garden of embers, glows my name
a garden of ash, crumbles yours
my self fulfilling journey
is the utopian ideal
the path that you chose
is the hell that will never heal
Album number two
The point of the album is to make/influence the listener to listen to/see the guitar in a different way. I think the reason I was stuck playing in the same spectrum was because I was listening to it the same old way. The idea is to listen between the notes, the sounds, the recording and to not identify specifically the melody, chord changes, rhythm, etc. So the music I am writing can be looked at as mundane, if you are identifying with those elements of music, or it can be treasurous (not a real word) if you listen in a different way. I want to really make this album visual like I did with my last one. Yes we all can hear music, but what about see it?
as far as the title goes, I think it will be the color of mirrors. The idea is that if you have mirrors facing each other, they are reflecting the space between them back and forth, much like music. The vibrations are sent between the air and react off other vibrations. The color will be that unique sound. The sound that is there that isn't a melody or chord change.
as far as the title goes, I think it will be the color of mirrors. The idea is that if you have mirrors facing each other, they are reflecting the space between them back and forth, much like music. The vibrations are sent between the air and react off other vibrations. The color will be that unique sound. The sound that is there that isn't a melody or chord change.
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