Here’s the news of the week:

My IP must be blocking Jack Pribek’s site ’cause I can’t get it at home without firing up the laptop and stealing my neighbor’s wireless signal.  Jack, you’re making me do unethical things to read your blog. 

If you’re wondering where all the posts have been going, take a look at the theory, aural skills and audio principles blogs I started this Fall.  I’m trying to make this technology educationally productive, so if you’re thinking that my main site has been neglected a bit,  you’re probably right.

DM Mobile blog has new studio pix up!

Protooler continues to inspire and teach great tips!  Where does he get all this time to figure things out?  I can’t even keep my office clean…

Guitarflame is talking Music Theory!  Ovidiu is not as mean as his post suggests.  Go there and learn some real-world stuff.

Song FU #2 Round #2 challenge is up:

Your challenge is to choose a famous inventor and craft a song proposing a “dance craze” based on either the inventor or one of his/her most well known inventions. For an idea of what we’re looking for, here’s a song proposing the ill-fated “Lurch”…

Thanks to everyone who voted for Paul and Storm.  Your check is in the mail.

See what I’m fired up about?  This is a very creative way to hone your songwriting skills.  Think about the team mixing contests on the Womb boards (mixerman.net);  –this is great stuff!!  Taking tests on “The Craft of Lyric Writing” is not in the same ballpark!

You are in control of your own education!  In my class, I try to build a supportive environment that protects egos and encourages experimentation.  While these Internet contests are not for the faint-of-heart, they may well be the future “sorting-machine” type of education that is missing from many curriculi and that helped create our past generations of winners.

Now, how can I convince you that you’re good enough to be a winner?  That’s tough, but Louis Schmier is one of those people I visit for inspiration.  In a recent blog post, he shared this poem;

 

We can see dandelions as a weed that invades the pristine beauty of our gardens.  Or, we can see it as a beautiful flower or a fluffy white ball to wish upon or as a source of nourishing food and drink.

We can see a mud puddle and see only dirty shoes, soiled clothes, and stained carpets.  Or, we can see it as a pool to stomp in, splash around in, and have fun.

We can feel a wind and worry about how it will muss our hair or toss leaves on our manicured lawns.  Or, we can close our eyes, let it massage our face, and imagine we’re soaring on an updraft like an eagle.

We can see a rain storm and see only that we will be drenched, depressed by the grayness, and that the warm rays of the sun will disappear.   Or, we can sing and play in the rain as if it was a water fountain, realize the raindrops are nourishing our gardens, and think warmly of the sun that still shines above the gray clouds.

and then Louis added:

Now, just replace “dandelion” and “mud puddle” with “student.” /…/  Seeing the good side or being able to discover and savor things to be grateful for, doesn’t reduce or erase the inconveniences or discomforts or headaches or disappointments. But, it can change dramatically how we choose to deal with them and what impact they will have on our ability to persist, persevere, and feel accomplished, satisfied, fulfilled, and happy.

 

Thank God for people like Louis.  We love ya, dude!

Make it a good one-

 

-J