Via Multiply, one of my contacts in the Marketing and Communications Office of the school where I teach (DLS-CSB) asked for my help in creating some sort of remix of the school's hymn for an audio-visual presentation. Since some former students (Jan Javier and Ronnie Villanueva) are doing the actual AVP, I figured why not? It was a chance to mangle the hymn, and give some lessons on the music software I use (REASON) to these guys.

The result is here: a product of a really short production period brought about by my own fault (leaving the vocal file in a school compuer). All in all, I would say this took 5 hours total.

Presenting the Hymn of De La Salle -College of Saint Benilde, given an electropop/hiphop spin by yours truly (with a touch of neo-classical in the bridge). Of course you realize all these genre labels sound cool, but that I'm really just making those terms up, right? Hahahahaha!!!!

I may be an Ateneo graduate, but because of the exemplary MultiMedia Arts program, I say with full pride: "Hail, Saint Benilde!"

This is the latest five-song goth/rock EP by local artist Names Are For Tombstones, launched and released at the Swan Song Listening Party last friday, Nov 17, 2006.

Lovely dark and deep. Listen and spread to all your friends.

5 MP3s encoded at 192 kbps stereo.

Inspired to write some gothic-sounding electronic rock because of last Friday's goth gig at Cubao X, I came up with this anthemic tune in a matter of 3 hours using Reason software and channeling all my angst into it.

Why, you ask? Because Christmas is blue, friends are going away, the sky reflects the oceans, and I tried sleeping at 9 AM and woke at midnight and now I can't sleep and I am oh so emo right now, so there.

Goth music lovers, rejoice. This one's for you!
As ever, feel free to comment!

UPDATE: I've added a second tune, "Dawn Dialogue" composed and produced on the same night. I may probably add a third in the future, and release this on QED Records as an EP entitled LOGUE, the concept being, each piece is a third of a longer conversation.

Gah. Something's wrong with me. Enough with the minor chords and the moody atmospheres! Anyone care for some happy house music?


Two mp3s, encoded at 128 kbps stereo. File size: 4.5 MB and 3.4 MB respectively.

This all started here in this blog entry back when I released my ethnotronica mp3s.

Michael Dolero (who is better known to the world of hiphop as the machinegun-quick, Filipino-rapping MC, SYKE) left a reply saying "Tara! Spoken word ethnotronica!" and I said: "Game!" He sent me a file of him reciting some of his poetry live at a reading, and I finally got to sit down and craft some music to fit it. This was done in one sitting, and took roughly 4 to 5 hours. The end result is this.

Give me some feedback though. I think the bass synth is too loud at certain points, drowning out Syke's vocals. But it could simply be my headphones. If it sounds too loud to you as well, I may have to go back in and lower the volume of the bass synth.
Happy listening!

Source of vocals: WMA stereo file.
File details: 44,100Hz 16-bit stereo.
Filesize: 3.2 MB

UPDATE: I've uploaded a second version, Edit 02, with vocals raised and music more evenly mixed. Same sequence, with minor alterations. This should do the trick.

Recorded the vocals tonight at my house with the fantastic Mitch. Finished the instrumental a week ago. My account executive is submitting to client via email tomorrow, and we will await news on whether or not this is a go. If it is, you will probably hear it over the speakers while shopping at the mentioned supermarket.

I really shouldn't be putting this up right away, but whether or not it gets approved, I'm pretty happy with it. So there.

GRACE NONO AND BOB AVES BAND LIVE
At the World Music Festival, CCP Grounds, February 2003.

This half-hour set of world music and ethnotronica by the Grace Nono & Bob Aves Group was recorded live at the World Music Festival, CCP grounds, Pasay City, Philippines on February 8, 2003.

Sound was recorded straight from the soundman's mixing board.
I was using a laptop running Reason to generate the beats, and a Boss SP202 sampler for sounds and effects.

Four mp3s, 128 kbps mono and stereo.


PICS FROM THE EVENT:

While checking some absolutely frustrating analysis papers, I decided to make a full-on, handraising, glowstick-twirling techno tune with actual lyrics this time. This one took about 6-9 hours.

Lyrics:
"Come to class. Follow the directions.
Pay attention to details. Submit on time.
If you do all of this, then you won't get zero-point-zero."

Raise your hands and dance to the beat, baby.

[extra data] file size: 5.96 MB file. encoded at: 192 kbps stereo.

A drum-n-bass Instrumental hastily put together in about 5 hours, referring to the State of The Nation Address by Philippine president on Monday July 25, and thus became a non-working holiday for Metro Manila, which disrupts my teaching syllabus for my monday class. Kakainis! Kaya ayan, gumawa ng kanta.