HATE...

cannot even describe the strong feeling I have towards iphoto and garageband right now. While reworking my soundslide, I opened the audio interview I had in garageband, made it louder and combined it with the picture slide on iphoto. However, this time, for some reason I cannot explain, the interview was only 4 min. long when it had been 4:30 min long before. I seriously don't know what happened because everything is there in the interview and nothing is missing. Now the pictures on iphoto are all out of sync with what is being heard on the interview.

I have had so many problems using iphoto that I will make sure to spread the word to everyone not to use it!

Casa De Calacas Guitarist, Mark Zaldivar


GOT IT!!!!!

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=47632744

I could not upload the video to youtube.com, Iswear I waited from 2 PM until 4PM and nothing! I'm gonna keep trying, but this is the best I could do for now.

Getting a bit antsy!

So I finished my soundslide last night and have ben trying to upload to youtube for the past hour and a half. It says it's still uploading. Two PM and class is at 7 30, to close for comfort.

new post! ready in one day! PEA CE!

Music for the people

Nowadays it is rare to see local bands interested in anything that is happening outside of their "quest for fame" vision. However, take a listen to some of Casa de Calacas' most popular songs and you will quickly hear the bands desire and interest in sending a message to all of their fans to become involved in social and moral affairs. These musicians are not only proud of being well known in East Los Angeles, but they are also proud of the rich culture that surrounds them...and they want to whole world to know that.

A Look Into my Creativeness Using Audio

Last year, my first audio production class project was to mix all sorts of sounds together (i.e music, ambience, random sounds, synthesizers, etc.) to create a piece. I chose to compose a piece which would include movie audio from two of my favorite movies, The Crow and The Butterfly Effect, weird synthesizer sounds, music by performing artists Metallica and Scorpions, and just about any other sounds that I felt mixed well with the piece. This particular track has no definite meaning or message, but I believe that in some subconscious manner, I might have portrayed what I was feeling at the time. I advise you listen to this with your eyes closed. Enjoy!

The REAL world...Calstate LA status!

Casa De Calacas Show

Pictures from the Casa de Calacas show I will be using for sound slide on "All for the Love of Music"

3rd times a charm!

   So initially I had planned on doing my sound slide project on a restaurant and it's contributions to society.  I had it all figured out.  I would take pictures of all the employees interacting with the customers and blend it together with audio clips of interviews with the managers and regular customers.  However, an issue occurred when it came to taking the pictures inside the restaurant and immediately I knew it would be too much of a hassle doing it guerilla style.  Moving on...  

My plan B involved a talented young lady from CSU Pomona who has been playing guitar since she was 10.  When I heard her play, I knew that mixing audio tracks of her playing with a compelling story would be gold!  I took about 80 pictures and then started to focus on going through the interview with her.  Well, lets just say that the beautiful and countless amount of songs she had made up for her lack of words.  I could not get this girl to tell me anything interesting in her life.  Every answer she would give me was short, and when I would ask her to expand on it, she would be at a loss of words.  That project quickly went out the window.

Finally, after stressing and racking my brain over what I should do my project on, an old friend from high school suddenly called me.  Back in high school we use to play in a band together and after graduation we lost touch for a while.  Well it turns out that he is now part of a very popular East Los Angeles band called Casa de Calacas and have gone from playing house garages to playing gigs at the House of Blues.  What better story for my slide than that of a young self taught guitarist who never gave up playing and is now well-known on the streets of East LA!  I will start taking pictures this Saturday at one of their gigs and on Monday I will interview the guitarist and take more pictures of the band practicing.  

Third time is definitely a charm!

All in 1 year...

It's amazing how lives can change so drastically in one year.  Exactly a year ago, I would have never thought that I would be where I am now, mentally, or that I would meet so many people that would influence me in such a positive manner.  Come to think about it, exactly a year ago I was practically living another life.  

Now that I look back, I realize how much I have grown as a person and I've learned where my boundaries lay and not to cross them.  Things and situations happen so fast sometimes that when you come to realize what you're doing, you've already been sucked in by the reasoning and motives that got you in the first place.  I don't regret anything that I have done, but I do regret the fact that the only way to learn in life is to live through the experiences; sometimes unpleasant ones.  So now as I sit back and write about how much my life has changed for me in one year, I can't help but let my imagination run and wonder about where I'll be a year from now.  The possibilities are endless and unimaginable.  No matter where this life takes me, or doesn't take me, all I hope to be is true to myself and those around me.  

Where will I be a year from now...?