I always end up writing this stuff at night. I should almost certainly be in bed. I'm coming off a week in which I worked as many hours as I ever have, spent one night remembering how awful it is to have the flu, and ended up shucking it just in time to catch a cold.
But I'm all full up right now. Full up? That's not a thing.
Like I said.. big work week. We delivered the complete package of music for CTV's Olympic coverage. Delivered in the theoretical sense, as hard copies weren't necessarily exchanged, and finished versions are not even entirely printed yet. My part in this project was, to me, somewhat unexpected, and entirely fantastic. I joined the group later than I would have liked.. which is to say that I wasn't there when the stuff was recorded (in Montreal, with the Montreal Symphony). I suppose I was the odd cook voted out of that particular kitchen. With a project like this, however, the amount of work is truly immense. Let's say, for example, that 8 main themes are written by the composer and recorded by the orchestra. Each of those 8 themes is then broken down into any number of versions (let's say 25 each) of different lengths (.30sec, .20sec, .5sec) that will be used for any number of broadcast scenarios (into commercials, out of commercials, into sport transitions, into throws to a live standup, etc.) Each of those 25 x 8 versions then need to be conformed, edited, and mixed, and then printed, in both English, and French. And Instrumental.
I managed to get on board doing all of the conforming and printing, mastering, etc.. basically the legwork that needed to be done so the head engineers could spend their days in heavy editorial and mixing.
Huzzah!
So, it's been a big week. The finished work sounds great. All credit to Mike and Josh for that. I'm proud to have had my part in the project. It'll be great to watch the games and hear the stuff front and center. I'm excited for you guys to hear it!
I hold to the fact that these olympics are gonna be fantastic. Really huge.
Then, all the gear for Bartel Audio Recording's new rig showed up on friday. Or at least most of it. And like any hot-blooded enthusiast, I desire nothing more than to tear it all open and smell it. And, you know, hook it up and use it.
But there's a lot to be done before that can happen!! Namely, cables to build. So, today was a great day of listening to christmas tunes, drinking coffee, and hunching over multipins (DB25) and XLRs. Made a ton of headway, which feels great. Though, I do have recurring nightmares that I've wired about 30 mic cables and five 8-channel DB25 to XLR snakes in the wrong layout. ONE is ground, TWO is hot, THREE is not. Getting close to being ready to hit record. Sortof.
So that's where we stand. Almost there on about every front. Almost healthy, Almost ready to make records, Almost home for the holidays (wednesday night home-boys), Almost ready to go to bed...
Life is really good. We're full, in every way. I think we've tapped into something in the past few months with regards to maxing out our time in this city. We love it. We were out for sushi tonight at our favorite spot. Date night. We couldn't get over how much we love that place. It's become our routine. There's a lot of that these days. Seems wide open.
Gonna be great to be home for a week, talk lots, eat lots, catch up lots. I enjoy it more every year. It means more, and it's real..more.
Here's to everybody's holiday... Make it great!
JB
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Keys
A few days ago we added another bit of kit to our apartment!
We're really pumped about it. Music is a huge part of our lives. I love that I married a girl who feels it like I do. Kar's got an innate sense of music that's hard to describe.
We try to make a conscious effort to have music as a central focus in the house. It's energy-giving! The difference a great background playlist makes when a bunch of people are hanging out in a room together is fantastic. I want to have one of those homes where music is a constant. I want people to feel like they can pick up a guitar and throw down a tune, or hop on the bench and make some noise. Music doesn't need to be confined to CDs in the car, or iPods on the subway, or bands in the bar.
I've spent more time lately hanging out in the musical crowd around here. It's a really cool group to hang out with.. you learn alot. I imagine it's not unlike spending time with actors. They're aware of the moment. Anything's possible. Rehearsals are less about achieving the predetermined set of goals, and more about experiencing something creative. Performances aren't about achieving, or succeeding.. they're about expressing.. existing in a moment. I LOVE that!! I think it's a hugely valuable thing to have that in your life.. those are muscles that need exercising.
So anyway, Kar's been playing like crazy. Piano has a way of filling space. It isn't aggressive.. it isn't "loud". It's just full. Beautiful. I spent last night sitting on the couch making mic cables while Kar worked out lines from an Elton John tune. I love it. I'm fully content in those moments. Music does that. I'm aware, and happy.
Continuing on the music front, I'll be home this weekend for the pub night/house concert at my parents' place. Gonna be great! See you there mmmmk? I promise to play at least one song left-handed :)
JB
Friday, November 20, 2009
Life Update
Lots getting done in every area of life except for blogging. Which is.. acceptable, no?
Here's a quick rundown:
This past Saturday we did a show at the Drake Hotel on the west end. A truly fantastic night. For a long time I've wanted to be one of those guys... I'd go to shows with buddies when I lived out west. Some jazz combo at Earls, or in the Bassment. And I always loved it, but at the same time felt this pang of... blurgness... that I wasn't up there playing. Crawl. Then walk. I feel like Saturday was about finally walking. My set was to a somewhat empty room. Who cares. Friends were there. Up from Leamington, or in from various parts of the city. Maybe 30 people. I had a blast. Playing with Paul has been a lot of fun, and this was certainly my first true test. I'm new to this art of playing in an uncontrolled environment. Church gigs... house concerts... controllable. I do my own sound, my own setup.. it's on my own clock. This is a new challenge. Just get up and play, and be good, and make if fall into place. I think we did alright..
After that solo set I was back on to back up Lauren Malyon. If you haven't heard her stuff yet, you owe it to her and you. www.myspace.com/laurenmalyon. I felt like she really nailed it... great set, great energy. We had a blast. I love playing with that band.. so much talent.
After that, Paul's other band blew the doors off everything. www.myspace.com/therestlessage. Soooo good. And then a band I just met that night, Who's Army, closed. Great set. Very U2 was the buzz... major pro.
I love that night. Tons of great music, and so many friends. I couldn't walk through the room without high fiving a bunch of buddies, giving somebody a hug, and yelling back at somebody who shouted 'hey!'. Such a great energy!
______
Immediately after that show, Steve and I drove home through the night to catch a morning flight to Orlando with Dad. Quoi? STS-129. Shuttle Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Centre, and we were there. We always do a yearly trip.. us guys. Usually it's an F1 race. This year it didn't happen.. Montreal GP was cancelled. So we'd been poking around for another idea. Steve and Dad being engineers, this was the perfect thing.
This is something you need to see. I can't aptly describe it. It is entirely inspiring and beautiful. The height of human achievement.. a moment in which you realize the potential of people working together at maximum capacity in order to achieve something extraordinary. I think all 3 of us were stunned with the moment, in spite of feeling, just prior, as though we had a good handle on what we were about to see.
At the moment of ignition, you're very aware of the fact that this missile.. this controlled bomb is carrying 5 human beings, and that they represent us. Which is to say... in that moment they aren't American, or Russian, or Japanese... one of the astronauts was describing his experience during a previous launch, and he said that the first time he looked down on earth from orbit, he was immediately, and unexpectedly, struck by the notion that there were no visible borders. He couldn't see the lines diving USA from Mexico or Canada.... there were no distinctions. Just humanity. Singular, and undivided. Incredible.
______
Lastly, I've been busy with work. CTV is still strong. I'm starting a second project. Bartel Audio Recording. Fully mobile, fully pro. I'm really excited about the way everything is coming together. Over the past month I've been planning, organizing, and, more recently, building my rig. I plan on being up and running come the new year. For more info, go to www.bartelaudio.ca
Can't wait to pursue more music-based work.
I love the diversity of life these days. Part TV, part live music, part studio music... lots to be excited about.
I know this post seemed very business-like. Sorry... life's full right now. The majority of my current thoughts are on planning, scheduling, and doing. Philosophy will have to wait a bit.
In the meantime, up and to the right. This is fun.
JB
Here's a quick rundown:
This past Saturday we did a show at the Drake Hotel on the west end. A truly fantastic night. For a long time I've wanted to be one of those guys... I'd go to shows with buddies when I lived out west. Some jazz combo at Earls, or in the Bassment. And I always loved it, but at the same time felt this pang of... blurgness... that I wasn't up there playing. Crawl. Then walk. I feel like Saturday was about finally walking. My set was to a somewhat empty room. Who cares. Friends were there. Up from Leamington, or in from various parts of the city. Maybe 30 people. I had a blast. Playing with Paul has been a lot of fun, and this was certainly my first true test. I'm new to this art of playing in an uncontrolled environment. Church gigs... house concerts... controllable. I do my own sound, my own setup.. it's on my own clock. This is a new challenge. Just get up and play, and be good, and make if fall into place. I think we did alright..
After that solo set I was back on to back up Lauren Malyon. If you haven't heard her stuff yet, you owe it to her and you. www.myspace.com/laurenmalyon. I felt like she really nailed it... great set, great energy. We had a blast. I love playing with that band.. so much talent.
After that, Paul's other band blew the doors off everything. www.myspace.com/therestlessage. Soooo good. And then a band I just met that night, Who's Army, closed. Great set. Very U2 was the buzz... major pro.
I love that night. Tons of great music, and so many friends. I couldn't walk through the room without high fiving a bunch of buddies, giving somebody a hug, and yelling back at somebody who shouted 'hey!'. Such a great energy!
______
Immediately after that show, Steve and I drove home through the night to catch a morning flight to Orlando with Dad. Quoi? STS-129. Shuttle Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Centre, and we were there. We always do a yearly trip.. us guys. Usually it's an F1 race. This year it didn't happen.. Montreal GP was cancelled. So we'd been poking around for another idea. Steve and Dad being engineers, this was the perfect thing.
This is something you need to see. I can't aptly describe it. It is entirely inspiring and beautiful. The height of human achievement.. a moment in which you realize the potential of people working together at maximum capacity in order to achieve something extraordinary. I think all 3 of us were stunned with the moment, in spite of feeling, just prior, as though we had a good handle on what we were about to see.
At the moment of ignition, you're very aware of the fact that this missile.. this controlled bomb is carrying 5 human beings, and that they represent us. Which is to say... in that moment they aren't American, or Russian, or Japanese... one of the astronauts was describing his experience during a previous launch, and he said that the first time he looked down on earth from orbit, he was immediately, and unexpectedly, struck by the notion that there were no visible borders. He couldn't see the lines diving USA from Mexico or Canada.... there were no distinctions. Just humanity. Singular, and undivided. Incredible.
______
Lastly, I've been busy with work. CTV is still strong. I'm starting a second project. Bartel Audio Recording. Fully mobile, fully pro. I'm really excited about the way everything is coming together. Over the past month I've been planning, organizing, and, more recently, building my rig. I plan on being up and running come the new year. For more info, go to www.bartelaudio.ca
Can't wait to pursue more music-based work.
I love the diversity of life these days. Part TV, part live music, part studio music... lots to be excited about.
I know this post seemed very business-like. Sorry... life's full right now. The majority of my current thoughts are on planning, scheduling, and doing. Philosophy will have to wait a bit.
In the meantime, up and to the right. This is fun.
JB
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Show Announcement
Upcoming Show!
Hey guys, got the details on the upcoming show at the Drake:
Wednesday, Oct. 21st, 2009.
The Drake Underground
1150 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON
$10.00 cover
Lineup:
9:30pm - JON BARTEL (www.myspace.com/jonathanbartelmusic)
10:15pm - LAUREN MALYON (www.myspace.com/laurenmalyon)
11:00pm - THE RESTLESS AGE (www.myspace.com/therestlessage)
11:45pm - WHO'S ARMY (www.myspace.com/whosarmyband)
Gonna be a great night with some great bands. See you there!
JB
Hey guys, got the details on the upcoming show at the Drake:
Wednesday, Oct. 21st, 2009.
The Drake Underground
1150 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON
$10.00 cover
Lineup:
9:30pm - JON BARTEL (www.myspace.com/jonathanbartelmusic)
10:15pm - LAUREN MALYON (www.myspace.com/laurenmalyon)
11:00pm - THE RESTLESS AGE (www.myspace.com/therestlessage)
11:45pm - WHO'S ARMY (www.myspace.com/whosarmyband)
Gonna be a great night with some great bands. See you there!
JB
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Swimmingly
Life's been a lot of things lately. In some ways, I've been finding myself very lucky. I was home for the weekend we're just coming off. Karen was off at Princeton for a conference, so I spent my time at home with family. There was a lot to be thankful for. Lots of great conversations with Dad, Steve, etc. Dinner on the deck. Things that matter the most when they're no longer commonplace.
On Saturday night, Steve and I went for a run. First time we've done it together, and it was great. Beautiful country roads, good conversation... it was late, so it was dark, and there was an incredible mist over the fields. Beautiful. 'Hound of the Baskervilles'-style.
On Sunday, I spent the day watching football with Chuck and Jimmy. What a fantastic afternoon. The cycle of a friendship that is initiated and grown primarily in a church setting, like ours was, is a weird one that comes with a bunch of its own challenges. Initially, it's the best. You grow up together, you know each other so well, and you have a ton of fun. You have conversations about changing the world, and grabbing life by the horns, and becoming everything you want to be. But when everybody gets older and goes to college and moves away, you all start to become your own person, and you don't see eye-to-eye as often anymore. You run in your own circles, develop your own opinions... and for a while there, everything gets a little more distant. You're not used to the differences, and at first it feels as though everything is wrong. Shouldn't we be tighter about this? Should we be more proactive? But eventually you get to the point where days like Sunday can happen, where, in a way it feels like old times, and in a way it feels way better because you can actually love the fact that the other guys are who they are and who they've become. I thought about it a lot driving home, and I really count myself as lucky for still having great long-term friends like that. Also, shout-out to Judes for making Chocolate Chip Muffins (Caps intentional. They're worthy.)
Back in Toronto, life plods along, generally in a very positive bent. Every time I'm struggling with something, Kar tells me to keep myself open, and store the experience as an example of what other people could be dealing with at any given time. It's an eye opener. More than anything I hate the feeling of being forced into passivity. Being reliant on others isn't something I'm necessarily particularly used to, and I'm much more comfortable when I'm able to control my own outcome. In one sense, I feel as though I've hit a bit of a wall on my own. Additionally, I think it's as simple as being honest about the fact that I crave like-minded friends. I crave others who are as passionate about the things that are important to me as I am, and who are willing to get there regardless of the input required.
It's a catch, because nothing really happens that way, and in the end, the very traits that would be most useful in getting me out of this position are the ones that I'm frustrated with always having to exercise. There's no victory in saying, "screw it... I'll do it myself. I'll just make it happen and make it work..." The event is never the point. The journey is the point. And eventually, taking the journey on your own gets tiresome.
So I suppose I continue to learn about myself as I pursue that journey.
At this point, an inscrutable desire to wrap things up with positive and progressive closure usually dictates any final statements... but I think I'll leave this one stand. Work in progress. Still sorting out my gameplan in this regard.
Other items of note:
- the new Relient K album is streaming various places online. It sounds like a turd. A few songs are good, but sonically, I just almost always despise the way Andy Wallace mixes, and this is no exception. Blurg.
- the new John Mayer single is around as well. I suspect he's penned what will be the first of a new rash of 60's-esque drug-induced hippie anthems. Maybe "mellowed out apathy with a clean, light coating of inclusiveness" is the new "existential pursuit of the bigger answers to bigger questions." I like the song though. Musicians in that bunch, to be sure.
- Went swimming yesterday. I'm terrible at it, and it was really physically hard, but it was fun! It's funny when you do something so completely new to you that you immediately start developing serious doubts and irrational fears in the middle of it. Like when I'm standing in the changeroom alone and starting to get seriously freaked out about thoughts like, "what if I get out there to the pool and every other person is wearing t-shirts, cause that's how they do it now for some reason, and I'm the only one standing there on the deck half-naked with everyone laughing at me and smacking me in the head with pool noodles. Didn't happen that way, though, and I managed to find my way around with relatively little embarrassment. I think, though, that I have a very low buoyancy rating. Is that a measurable statistic?
- Chuck and I just locked up another bet. I'm down a beer but up a coffee to him right now (or is it the other way around? Check the archives...). This time, it's that the Leafs will make the playoffs.
- I asked God for wisdom, and he brought it on heavy, but in tooth form. Now it's infected, and I've yet to lead any nation for any length of time, so far as I can tell. This whole thing just went way sideways. Gotta have it pulled soon... just waiting for "his holiness", Mr. Dentistopolous from Greektown to deem me worthy of a 3-minute, $150.00 consultation one of these days to confirm what his employee has already told me. In the meantime, I've got a foolproof excuse for walking around with a curled upper lip and a surly attitude.
Go Leafs!!
JB
On Saturday night, Steve and I went for a run. First time we've done it together, and it was great. Beautiful country roads, good conversation... it was late, so it was dark, and there was an incredible mist over the fields. Beautiful. 'Hound of the Baskervilles'-style.
On Sunday, I spent the day watching football with Chuck and Jimmy. What a fantastic afternoon. The cycle of a friendship that is initiated and grown primarily in a church setting, like ours was, is a weird one that comes with a bunch of its own challenges. Initially, it's the best. You grow up together, you know each other so well, and you have a ton of fun. You have conversations about changing the world, and grabbing life by the horns, and becoming everything you want to be. But when everybody gets older and goes to college and moves away, you all start to become your own person, and you don't see eye-to-eye as often anymore. You run in your own circles, develop your own opinions... and for a while there, everything gets a little more distant. You're not used to the differences, and at first it feels as though everything is wrong. Shouldn't we be tighter about this? Should we be more proactive? But eventually you get to the point where days like Sunday can happen, where, in a way it feels like old times, and in a way it feels way better because you can actually love the fact that the other guys are who they are and who they've become. I thought about it a lot driving home, and I really count myself as lucky for still having great long-term friends like that. Also, shout-out to Judes for making Chocolate Chip Muffins (Caps intentional. They're worthy.)
Back in Toronto, life plods along, generally in a very positive bent. Every time I'm struggling with something, Kar tells me to keep myself open, and store the experience as an example of what other people could be dealing with at any given time. It's an eye opener. More than anything I hate the feeling of being forced into passivity. Being reliant on others isn't something I'm necessarily particularly used to, and I'm much more comfortable when I'm able to control my own outcome. In one sense, I feel as though I've hit a bit of a wall on my own. Additionally, I think it's as simple as being honest about the fact that I crave like-minded friends. I crave others who are as passionate about the things that are important to me as I am, and who are willing to get there regardless of the input required.
It's a catch, because nothing really happens that way, and in the end, the very traits that would be most useful in getting me out of this position are the ones that I'm frustrated with always having to exercise. There's no victory in saying, "screw it... I'll do it myself. I'll just make it happen and make it work..." The event is never the point. The journey is the point. And eventually, taking the journey on your own gets tiresome.
So I suppose I continue to learn about myself as I pursue that journey.
At this point, an inscrutable desire to wrap things up with positive and progressive closure usually dictates any final statements... but I think I'll leave this one stand. Work in progress. Still sorting out my gameplan in this regard.
Other items of note:
- the new Relient K album is streaming various places online. It sounds like a turd. A few songs are good, but sonically, I just almost always despise the way Andy Wallace mixes, and this is no exception. Blurg.
- the new John Mayer single is around as well. I suspect he's penned what will be the first of a new rash of 60's-esque drug-induced hippie anthems. Maybe "mellowed out apathy with a clean, light coating of inclusiveness" is the new "existential pursuit of the bigger answers to bigger questions." I like the song though. Musicians in that bunch, to be sure.
- Went swimming yesterday. I'm terrible at it, and it was really physically hard, but it was fun! It's funny when you do something so completely new to you that you immediately start developing serious doubts and irrational fears in the middle of it. Like when I'm standing in the changeroom alone and starting to get seriously freaked out about thoughts like, "what if I get out there to the pool and every other person is wearing t-shirts, cause that's how they do it now for some reason, and I'm the only one standing there on the deck half-naked with everyone laughing at me and smacking me in the head with pool noodles. Didn't happen that way, though, and I managed to find my way around with relatively little embarrassment. I think, though, that I have a very low buoyancy rating. Is that a measurable statistic?
- Chuck and I just locked up another bet. I'm down a beer but up a coffee to him right now (or is it the other way around? Check the archives...). This time, it's that the Leafs will make the playoffs.
- I asked God for wisdom, and he brought it on heavy, but in tooth form. Now it's infected, and I've yet to lead any nation for any length of time, so far as I can tell. This whole thing just went way sideways. Gotta have it pulled soon... just waiting for "his holiness", Mr. Dentistopolous from Greektown to deem me worthy of a 3-minute, $150.00 consultation one of these days to confirm what his employee has already told me. In the meantime, I've got a foolproof excuse for walking around with a curled upper lip and a surly attitude.
Go Leafs!!
JB
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Forget and Not Slow Down
Just got home from a Jays game. Last of the year? Ya. We were 4 of.. about 20 people who went to see them play tonight. Nahhh... not really. But it was major empty.
I keep listening to Owl City. I love it. I keep ducking as he sends a hook my way, and then I'm just looking up again and another one is coming! I also rather like Relient K's new single. For a while everything I listened to had to be serious, and musically diverse, and old. I guess tonight is a rebirth. Jeffy and I talked about Hello Rockview on the way home from the Dome. I'm in a zone.
"I'd like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly.."
I love that moment where you say yes to something without thinking it through. There's something great about trusting yourself enough to just go. I remember feeling way out in left when I first moved to Toronto. People rise to the challenge. Thinking about whether you can or cannot accomplish something is really just placing your projected results alongside a given individual's expectations and playing A/B. Life's more exciting if you can look at things from the perspective of your own expectations.
Hello Seattle
I keep listening to Owl City. I love it. I keep ducking as he sends a hook my way, and then I'm just looking up again and another one is coming! I also rather like Relient K's new single. For a while everything I listened to had to be serious, and musically diverse, and old. I guess tonight is a rebirth. Jeffy and I talked about Hello Rockview on the way home from the Dome. I'm in a zone.
"I'd like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly.."
I love that moment where you say yes to something without thinking it through. There's something great about trusting yourself enough to just go. I remember feeling way out in left when I first moved to Toronto. People rise to the challenge. Thinking about whether you can or cannot accomplish something is really just placing your projected results alongside a given individual's expectations and playing A/B. Life's more exciting if you can look at things from the perspective of your own expectations.
Hello Seattle
Music!
Just a few quick updates:
Doing a pub gig with Paul Mayer from The Restless Age (myspace.com/therestlessage) on Nov. 5th. Fitzgerald's in the Beach. More formal info to come. Food, beers, and lots of covers. Plan on it!
Also, looks like another gig is shaping up for late October somewhere downtown. Again, more info to come. That one will be with Lauren Malyon and her band, with The Restless Age headlining, and I'll also be opening with an acoustic set of my own stuff. Can't wait! I'll keep you guys posted.
JB
Doing a pub gig with Paul Mayer from The Restless Age (myspace.com/therestlessage) on Nov. 5th. Fitzgerald's in the Beach. More formal info to come. Food, beers, and lots of covers. Plan on it!
Also, looks like another gig is shaping up for late October somewhere downtown. Again, more info to come. That one will be with Lauren Malyon and her band, with The Restless Age headlining, and I'll also be opening with an acoustic set of my own stuff. Can't wait! I'll keep you guys posted.
JB
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