Archive for the 'music' Category

TEDx YouTube Channel

Thursday, August 20th, 2009


The TED conference has transformed dramatically over the years thanks to the launching of TEDtalks which I’ve posted on several times. This past year, TED launched another brilliant event called TEDx which allows individuals to host their own local unofficial TED like events. Since March 2009 several events have taken place around the world. How awesome!

A few weeks back, I attended the TEDxBoston event which I wanted to post about, but had no videos to share. As of today, TEDx videos from around the world can be viewed and shared on the TEDx YouTube Channel as well as play lists from each location like TEDxBoston. I’ll post the TEDxBoston videos after the jump, and make sure to watch the last video with our favorite Ben Zanders conducting the Youth Orchestra of Americas.

TEDx YouTube Channel

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Apple Store as Your Office

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009


Awesome. If you can’t afford it go use it at the Apple store!  Computers, Programs, the Internet, Cameras, etc!  Nicholi created several Youtube Videos and probably all his graphics using equipment inside the store on 5th NYC. Nothing like a young entrepreneur figuring out how to get things done, now getting him spots on TV shows. Watch the video above… I love the public’s reaction in the background.

“This little dude Nicholi has shot dozens of lip sync videos at the 5th Avenue Apple Store. And why not? Plenty of desktops. Free wi-fi. Solid tech support.

These are the same reasons model and self-marketer Isobella Jade wrote her entire memoir in the SoHo Apple Store. (Sound uncomfortable? Consider that Hemingway also wrote while standing up.)”

via boingboing


Bobby McFerrin Crowd Sources the Pentatonic Scale

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Awesome! Music is a universal language for sure!

“Bobby McFerrin, a master in the possibilities of the human vocal chords, recently demonstrated the common understanding of the pentatonic scale at this year’s World Science Festival.  The playful and simple demonstration uses audience participation to recreate the scale even when it goes beyond the given instructions.”

via psfk(rest of article)

Video above or here.


Weekday Brief

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Hello world! Thank you for all your messages over the weeks since I have not had time to post anything lately.

I’ve been incredibly busy at the awesome start-up I’m at (We’re hiring creatives/designers..contact me), glued late at night watching the incredible Tour De France or just Lance Armstrong, laughing several times at the video of Buzz Aldrin punching a news reporter claiming the moon landing was fake, seeing very simple fun addictive websites such as this one, comparing the positions of people doing yoga or being drunk, viewing an awesome video of bike pro Danny Macaskill doing some great tricks, attending TEDxBoston, watching the Incredible Youth Symphony of America(YOA) conducted by Ben Zanders, trying to figure out how to help with the inspirational foundation El Sistema USA (a TED2009 wish), and most recently having a great time watching a recent wedding dance ceremony introduction go viral posted above!

Besides the crazy busy month in work and odd distractions, I’ll be catching up to many of the suggestions sent in and posting again soon.  Or as I’d like to think, I leaned back briefly, just like President Obama did in this awesome picture in the White House.


RISD: What We Do Event

Saturday, April 11th, 2009


RISD’s
first “What We Do” Event is going on today, April 11th. Head on down.. I’ll be there!

What We Do is a new, student-run, RISD event designed to bridge departmental gaps and create new connections through the sharing of ideas.

On Saturday, April 11th, 100 members of the RISD community (students, faculty, staff, and alums) will share something that they do with the rest of the RISD community and the larger surrounding community of Providence.

Leading up to the day of the event, 8 site-specific “spaces” will be created by members of every department at RISD; majors paired up to encourage cross-departmental collaboration. The spaces that they build will house the day’s events creating a street-fair environment for the open sharing of how people at RISD spend their time and energy. ”

update: some pics of the event after the jump.
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Cut & Paste Boston 2009

Friday, March 13th, 2009



Cut&Paste Digital Design Tournament 2007 from Cut&Paste on Vimeo.

Cut & Paste is storming Boston this Saturday night, March 17th, hosting their visual battle sessions in 2D, 3D, and motion graphics while projecing contestants screens on large projectors as crowds of creatives watch on in Iron Chef fashion jamming to music. The events kick offs at 7pm and tickets can be found via their website. They hold events all over the world so check out their listing for upcoming battles! (NYC, Toronto, Chicago, Europe, Asia) I’ll be in the Boston location. Let me know if your there!

some pics from the event after the jump.
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Kreol Music

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009


Kreol – play music by typing from Kreol Music on Vimeo.

My long time buddy Mike Block (cellist guru) sent his latest side project Kreol, which turns any laptop keyboard into a musical instrument. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen keyboard instruments, but there are a few unique elements that set him apart using the mouse and collaborative group jams. Check the Kreol video above.


Jose Antonio Abreu: Help me bring music to kids worldwide

Thursday, February 19th, 2009


Unbelievable story! Multiple standing ovations occurred during Jose’s story and performance at TED. I’ll be helping out with this TED wish with my time this year and I just might be picking back up my violin of 15+ years experience for a bit. Come join the wish! Watch the above performance with your sound blasting!

“Jose Antonio Abreu is the charismatic founder of a youth orchestra system that has transformed thousands of kids’ lives in Venezuela. Here he shares his amazing story and unveils a TED Prize wish that could have a big impact in the US and beyond.” via TED


Weekend Links

Sunday, February 15th, 2009


Snow is melting, birds are chirping, and warmth is near. Hello spring, bye bye winter.

Gaming: Real air pilots race simulated pilots.
Art: Matthew Chambers sculptures. Pretty neat.
Art: The drawings of James Jean.
Tech: Storytlr.com, recompiling your feeds to make sense.
Object: A pretty cool scale with large text!
Tech: Spreednews.com, reading text fast without page turns via your pda.
Tech: DingItUp.com, be informed when a  webpage is up or down!
Science: Visualizing Invisible Magnetic Waves. Very cool!
Art: Toilet roll cutout art work by Yuken Teruya.


TED 2009: The Great Unveiling!

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

I’m off for the week to TED2009 for this years theme “The Great Unveiling”, but this round I’ll be in the satilite space in the new Palm Springs location. I won’t be blogging too much, but you can follow me on twitter, or if your there, let me know and we’ll meet up. Check out the full TED schedule here or my previous TED adventures.


Entertainment Gathering (EG) 2008

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008


I’m off to Monterey CA for TED conference founder Richard Saul Wurman’s newer “Entertainment Gathering” Conference!
The speaker list is quite impressive with a seemingly circus like theme this year based on this cool pdf program floating around.

Some highlight speakers I’m craving to meet:
- Violin guru Joshua Bell
- X Prize founder Peter Diamandis
- Applied Minds inventor Bran Ferren
- Viral Global Dancing Matt Harding
- Egypt’s Indiana Jones Zahi Hawass
- HEROES writer Tim Kring
- Illustrator David Macaulay
- MIT MediaLab founder Nicolas Negroponte
- Technologists David Pogue
- Dirty Job’s dirty man Mike Rowe
- Mythbuster’s Adam Savage
- PIXAR co-founder Alvy Ray Smith
- Magician Jamy Ian Swiss
- Penn&Tellers Teller
- A floating Zepplin, idea makers, shakers, and creators everywhere! Plenty of surprises…


Fluid Tunes: hand motion navigation

Friday, December 5th, 2008


FluidTunes from Majic Jungle Software on Vimeo.

Using cameras to navigate your interface has been around for some time, but just a refresher, here’s yet another one called FluidTunes! Only for MacOSX. Again cool, but overtime, I’m not sure if I’d use! Cool is not always usable in the long run, hence cool becomes uncool!

via lifehacker