Producer Podcast _ Joe Napolitano

Here is the Link to My Producer Podcast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iSx_pGGBLE


The producer I chose to study and talk about was Sam Phillips. He was known as the Father of Rock and Roll and found some of the greatest talent to partake in the music industry. He had an interesting way of getting the best out of artists and had a phenomenal ear for talent. The websites I used for information were

http://www.history-of-rock.com/sam_phillips_sun_records.htm
http://rockhall.com/inductees/sam-phillips/
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/SamPhillips1.html

PODCAST 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TdEIGX92dY

Pier Review

It's cool that you chose to do your project on this guitar. I'd never really appreciated each guitars unique sound until coming to Full Sail and meeting some guitar players or musicians that had an understanding for the difference in sound. Initially, to me, a guitar was a guitar and that was it. Your review on the amount of people that have used this guitar to get their signature sound, including Keith Richards was awesome. I really like the way you incorporated pictures into your blog as well. It really added some dimensions to the post that were refreshing and made for a much more visually interesting page. It would be interesting to have a lecture on the difference between the Gibson guitars and the Fender Guitars and hear some significant differences as I know those two are talked of a lot. Ultimately, good sound starts with a good player but it's really cool to see just how many of the bands we listen to have implemented the Fender Telecaster and how much we've become accustomed to that specific sound. Good job on the post.

JAY-Z

From his upbringing in the Marcy projects of Brooklyn to the cover of Forbes Magazine,
Jay-Z has achieved a level of financial and artistic success most people could only dream of.
His achievements in the music industry include four number one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and he holds the record for the most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 list. He has sold over 50 million albums world wide and has been awarded thirteen grammies. Not to bad for a kid out the Marcy projects of Brooklyn, New York. Billboard Magazine went on to rank him as the 10th most successful artist of this past decade. As the icing on the cake, Jay-Z married Beyonce Knowles in 2008 making him, in the eyes of many, the luckiest man in the world.
His early music career was interesting in the fact that along with Dame Dash and Kareem Biggs, the team of three started Roc-A-Fella Records and began distributing the first album "Reasonable Doubt" and the second album "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" on their own. Following the success with the first two albums, the Roc-A-Fella label signed a publishing deal with Def Jam Records. On his next album he got production help from Sean Combs (P.Diddy) and as a result his album had upon it the biggest hit of his career up to that point "Hard Knock Life" which used a sample from the broadway play Annie. This really started the image of Jay-Z which was to become the representative for the underdog rising out of the depths of poverty. He found a story so many people could relate to and he keeps this central theme of rags to riches in on all his consecutive albums.
One of the coolest aspects of Jay-Z's artistic ability lies in the fact that he doesn't use a pen and paper for his lyrics. He writes the words in his head and then recites them into the microphone in the studio. He claims to have built up a phenomenal memory as a result of coming up with lyrics while dealing drugs on the corner. Initially he would run to the store and get a brown bag to write the lyrics on, but then realized it was interfering with his business so he learned to memorize the lyrics until he got home and could write them down on a piece of paper. This phenomenal memory and lack of paper and pen is a common thing among rappers and was something that became an coincidental bonding point between Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G.
Jay-Z's album "Collision Course" was a unique blend of the heavy rock music created by Linkin Park and the hip hop lyrics and delivery of Jay-Z's black album. It was both unique and special in creation and really revolutionized the blending of the two styles. Run DMC had done something similar many years before with their collaboration song with Aerosmith.
Jay-Z has inspired me to pursue my artistic abilities whole heartedly and to stay true to the music. He famously said "don't force the music" in his documentary "Fade to Black." Another inspirational aspect of Jay-Z's career is that he didn't release his first album until he was 26 years old. This, he says, is because it wasn't until that age that he had a story worth telling. I feel as though there's a misconception of how young you have to be to release your first album. It's better to wait and release something of quality than to start young and pump out a large quantity of crap. That's just my opinion. The way there is meaning in each sentence and the ease of comprehension that Jay-Z utilizes in his music is also a key element I have gravitated towards. So many times I have to go look up lyrics to find out what an artist was singing or saying, but with Jay-Z's lyrics I don't feel the necessity to do that. He keeps things clear and simple yet deep and meaningful at the same time. The final aspect of Jay-Z I find to be of inspiration is his ability to be artistic and business savvy at the same time. He understands that music is a business as much as it is an art form and as a result of this blended understanding, he has accumulated a wealth of over 500 million dollars. Again, not to shabby for a boy born to the projects of Brooklyn.

Pier Review Comment

Your explanation and in depth detail of Moog and his influence on music of the past and present was phenomenal. I can tell you have a passion for his work and contributions and have researched this topic in depth. His influence on albums such as the dark side of the moon lead to the most unique and influential albums of all time. The fact he was a scientist trying to cater to musicians and their creativity was a sure example of giving back to others at it's finest. There should be a national Moog day where people listen to and appreciate his contributions all over the world. Our ears have been blessed by this mans creation. I really like how you included the abilities of the Moog synthesizers and how diverse the sounds out of them can be.

INNOVATION

Daft Punk is a duo group. It's two French guys,  Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. Their success has been on the international level. They hit it big in France during the late 1990's and have been an influence to pop music ever since. Originally in the house scene, they branched out and started blending their house music with synthesized pop music. Their most noted tracks were tracks such as "One More Time" and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" which Kanye went on to remake. 

The members of Daft Punk have said they didn't sign with a lot of labels because they wanted to keep control of what they were making. Although this probably meant they turned down the more financially rewarding deals, it allowed them to stay true to the artists they were and were becoming. This lead to two back to back #1 hits and ultimately secured them a place in electronic music and pop music history. They speak of the influencing factors to their music and mentality. Their influences were Brian Wilson and Bob Marley in the sense that these guys made real music. They referred to it as "Spiritual." 

The two songs that went on the be back to back #1 hits were Digital Love and Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. 

Another innovative characteristic of the duo is their live presence on stage. They dress and modern robots while performing and use lighting and imagery to really put on a show. It's not just about the music, it's about a whole feeling and atmosphere around their music. 

Although many other artists make a similar style of music such as Pretty lights, MGMT, and Girl Talk these artists wouldn't have had the foot holes to climb if the previous artists such as Daft Punk had set the bar. 

I really enjoy the music of Daft Punk. It's energetic and filled with emotion. The electronic sounds of their music makes it modern and feel relevant to this generation. Growing up through the 90's, it's exactly what I heard on the radio so much of the time. 

KRAFTWERK

Kraftwerk was one of the pioneering groups within the genre of electronic music. We can see area's of influence from them in modern day music. Their early sounds were mostly experimental. The sound of the song autobahn is bass heavy, with lots of modulation. The sounds are unrealistic sounds. Not expected from live instruments. It is apparent that they are electronically created. The use of sweeping pads and punchy melodies over the top are unique for their time. The drums are simple and punchy. More apparent is the simplicity of the lyrical content. It's very easy to see with the song Autobahn that Kraftwerk was inspired by The Beach Boys.
It's cool that the albums were concept albums all the way through the seventies. The first albums from Kraftwerk were more experimental rock albums. They were free-form and didn't have very rigid structures. I think it was during this time that the group was finding their own unique sound. Initially the band used regular instruments (guitar, flute, bass, etc..) and then would distort the sound post production. It was with the album Ralf and florian that the group started focusing more on synthesized sounds and drum machines. Computer world was a tour the group went on. They packed up the entire Kling Klang studios and took it on the road with them.
The album concepts were incredible. From the Fast car's and wild road travel of the Autobahn to the radio communications of Radio Activity. Their concepts were carried out flawlessly and with experimental sounds and catchy melodies. The innovation of instrumentation and effects has influenced such acts as David Bowie, Duran Duran, and Jay-z. Not to mention just about every single song on the radio today.
The albums from Kraftwerk are cool albums. In many instances they lack structure and therefor, although I feel a series of emotions, their to sprawling and unorganized. I have become quite accustomed to the roller coaster ride of emotions a standard song delivers. I am very appreciative of these guys for their contributions to modern music. I like the use of panning to create a sense of location and the effects they use on the sounds are so far from what is achievable with just an instrument that it makes it cool.

PODCAST

Here is the link to my Podcast. I was unable to upload it directly to this Post

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjIvQK57zOQ

PEER REVIEW

JoeNapolitano said...

I agree with what your saying Dan. A lot of musicians in the days of the vietnam war were in protest artistically. It seems Marvin Gaye wasn't actually that much different. The troubles with Label executives was also nothing new to an artist and it's a story we've heard over and over again. The music seemed to really capture the emotion people at the time could relate to, and is still popular today which gives credit to it's timeless qualities. The political disagreements between the citizens of this country and the leaders are still going on. If not for this or that war, for other reasons. I think beyond the content of the lyrics, the music is just easy to listen to and doesn't force it's mood upon the listener in a negative way. It's chilled out relaxed music, and who doesn't at one point or another want to be chilled out and relaxed.

Marvin Gaye - Whats going on?

Marvin Gaye's career started with a group that found little success. He, however, was always favored over his bandmates and eventually he broke away from this initial group. His career wasn't a rocket launch from day one. He spent time as a janitor and then as a session drummer for several years. He did get a gig as the drummer for a band named the Miracles of which Smokey Robinson was the lead singer. His career picked up when when he was able to release his first single "let your conscience be your guide." It wasn't a national hit but it was a regional success. He then went on to write several songs that made it to the billboard charts and became established as an artist with some credibility to his name. I heard it through the grapevine was Gaye's first number one hit. When Gaye's close friend and duet vocalist, Tammi Tarrell died, Gaye went through quite a tough time. It was during this time though that he worked on "Whats Going On."
Many things influenced this album. Gaye's brother had recalled accounts from the vietnam war, there had been instances of police brutality in San Fransisco, and other influences were poverty and drug abuse.
One of the biggest obstacles for Marvin Gaye was Berry Gordy. This egotistical man was worried that Marvin's status as a sex symbol would be compromised by releasing this new material with a focus on such controversial topics. This lead to Marvin's rebellion against the label's controlling ways and, due to the success of this decision, inspired other R&B artists to do the same thing, one of which was Stevie Wonder.
The album used multiple arrangements such as funk, jazz, classical, and latin soul. Marvin's 4 octave range was showcased on the album and What's Going On crossed his fan base from R&B to young white rock audiences.
What's Going On was a relaxing album to listen too. I didn't feel uncomfortable with any of the songs and Although some of the songs lacked excitement and development, they were easy listening. Marvin's sense of melody was fantastic and it was a pleasure to listen to this album.

Reference Pages
http://www.marvingayepage.net/

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico is an album from The Velvet Underground, Nico being a Vocal collaborator. The material of the album was quite controversial and the sounds were experimental. The album seemed to be fueled by a "heroin" high that contributed to a lot of the decided upon sounds for the tracks.
Lou Reed and John Cale were part of The Velvet Undergrounds line-up. Lou Reed was the most influential writer for the album, writing most of the songs. John Cale was credited by the engineers as being the creative producer, although he never received credit as the producer on the album itself. Cale, however, reports that Tom Wilson was the producer of the album. Cale was involved in most of the musical arrangement decisions.
Andy Warhol was the credited producer of the album, however, he didn't have any creative influence in the project. He simply put up the money for the studio sessions.
The album was quite unique in it's content matter. There is a focus on drug use and abuse, sexuality, and a reference to a book written in the nineteenth century which featured accounts of sexual experimentation such as BDSM.
John Cale, credited with much of the sounds of the album, was revolutionary with this album. The album utilized a new tuning of the guitars known as Ostrich guitar tuning, which involves tuning all the strings to the same note. As well as this guitar tuning, the group would sometimes tune the guitars down an octave. This created a fuller sound. There was also use of viola's with other instruments strings which was an interesting and new technique.
I did not like this album or the songs at all. Upon finishing the eleventh song I found myself subconsciously reaching for a syringe, ready to inject my vain's with whatever the artists were on, just to try and grasp some sort of appreciation for the lack of melodic variation and flat notes throughout the vocals.

Reference pages
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v18444087ZF6xZy9c

THE BEATLES

Prior to the Revolver album, the Beatles had mostly written songs about love. They had always stuck to the mold of catchy pop songs and hadn't diversified much from that image. The Beatles had become influenced by other groups and artists, such as Bob Dylan and The Beach Boys. They were also under the influence of Drugs such as Marijuana and LSD during the creative process of several songs on the album which went hand in hand with the book The Psychedelic Experience which also influenced the album. Certainly, other genres of music were of great inspiration. The song Love you to was influenced by the middle eastern sounds of a sitar which the Beatles were introduced to during a video shoot in a restaurant years before. The Beatles did things in the studio that contributed to the overall sound of the album in ways that had never been done before. One thing they did was use a bass cabinet as a speaker to capture the bass played by Paul McCartney. Certainly, the major difference between the music of the Beatles on this album and other songs on being played at the time was the content. With Paperback Writer, the content was so fresh and incomprehensible to many listeners. Taxman took a stab at people in the world directly by using names. This was unheard of up until this point in the music industry. The Beatles were phenomenal at harmonizing with each other. They would gather around one microphone, so close they could feel each others breath, and sing their harmonies at the same time. It blows my mind that these songs were recorded with such simple equipment. I believe they used a 4 track recorder. The Beatles engineering team came up with a way to replicate Artificial Double Tracking. It did this by re-recording over the head with a very slight delay. This beefed up the sound so beautifully. What an absolute genius Ken Townsend was. It was with advances in the recording process, such as this one, that the studio became an instrument within itself. I have always shied away from the Beatles, for some reason, their ability to evoke such an emotional reaction from me has seemed overwhelming and quite dangerous. Some of their songs can throw me into a depression and others can make me feel like a young kid again. Listening to this album and the narration built even more of a respect for the power of what the Beatles did. They made their music seem so simple yet when analyzed, it's very complex. One of the most incredible moments of the listening's we've done was listening to all the music in the charts when the Beatles released their album. The songs seemed endless, and included songs like California Dreaming, timeless pieces of art. This album is inspiring to the true musician that wants to be creative for the sake of being creative. The artist that enjoys the studio as a chemist enjoys the lab.

reference Page
http://www.prx.org/pieces/15368-everything-was-right-the-beatles-revolver

Beach Boys

The Beach Boys is composed of 3 brothers, a cousin and a neighbor who, together, celebrate the california culture and express themselves through music. The group gained quite a lot of popularity in California with this general musical theme and the tight vocal harmonies. They eventually signed to Capitol Records.
Brian Wilson played the role of relative, band mate, principle writer, arranger, and producer. He had a tough upbringing due to a violent yet passionate father. Music became everything to Brian. He was influenced from a young age by songs such as the Rhapsodian Blues, and a jazz/harmony group known as the four Freshmen. Brian describes hearing that group as a religious experience. His way of bonding as an adolescent was standing around a piano and singing harmonies. Brian was a big fan of Harmonic counterpoint. You can hear this in his instrumentation and vocal compositions. Dennis provided the initial influence of surfing as context for a song. Then Brian and Mike wrote a song called "surfing" and showed it to Brian's father who at first was furious, then realized it had commercial potential.
Due to a worthy challenge presented by the introduction of the Beatles and their album Rubber Soles, The Beach Boys released Pet Sounds, an album mostly created by Brian Wilson. Brian had a taste for exotic instruments on this album. His ability to envision the album as a whole and keep consistency throughout was superb. Tony Asher was brought on to write lyrics for the album.
The Pet Sounds album had the ability to take me on an emotional roller coaster I was not expecting. Some of the songs made me want to get up and smile and be happy whereas other songs, such as Caroline, gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. I can really appreciate how simple everything sounded, yet how much emotional impact it had. The lyrics were simple to follow and were very meaningful. Regardless of Mike's opinion, I think the lyrics and the way they tied together from song to song, were phenomenal. The tonality in the vocals also was awesome. In sad moments, you could hear the voice crying, in happier uplifting parts, you could hear joy in the voice. That's something I loved about the album.

Reference page
http://soundcloud.com/chrispyspears/brian-wilson-podcast

Welcome Entry 2

I sort of jumped the gun with my first entry as I was excited to get started with this class and was so happy to be listening to good music as class work. Finally something that seems worth while. I'm 22, always had a passion for writing lyrics and my brain can put words together really quickly, I like to freestyle either over music or without, as poetry. I also sing, so it's fun to freestyle sing, either with words, or with simple la la la's or some kind of scat singing. I would like to be in the music industry as a song writer. I like working with musicians and putting stories to their music. When the two parts come together a picture is painted. I am currently in the process of building an economically revolutionary website and hope to continue on with that after this degree. It has to do with the entertainment industries but not specifically with music. One day I'd like to become an executive producer/song writer for up and coming artists but for right now, I feel this website is something I've wanted and that hasn't been available, so I'm going to create it. I've written songs in the past and continually come up with melody lines and lyrics. It has been my experience that when depending on others to get a song recorded, it never happens, so I have temporarily stopped thinking of recording properly. I'm simply recording to my phone or laptop the ideas, and when I can afford to do it right and pay for the priveledge to be in control of how a session works and set the deadlines for things to be done, then I will pursue getting the songs recorded the right way. Being a perfectionist is sometimes a setback but I like to think I can make it work to the benefit of many.

Welcome Blog

I'm really excited to have my ears exposed to new music I'd otherwise not hear. This Beach Boys stuff is nuts, I'm looking forward to listening to the revolver album too. It's amazing that as Homework we have to listen to classic albums. Other people have to do intricate math and write pages about political figures.