Noteworthy transcript excerpts from Ian Nagoski, owner of The True Vine, interview:
What is the idea or moral behind The True Vine?
"The idea of shop was mainly to be able to provide. There's a lot of music out there, and there was a lot of stuff that we liked that wasn't presented cohesively in one place. The idea of the shop was the represent the stuff we liked."
Is there an all-encompassing idea behind the Baltimore music community?
"I moved here largely because of the music scene. The music scene seemed to be so free and open, so much vital stuff going on. It was real egalitarian. Real non-hierarchical."
"My theory was, at the time, it was completely impossible for anyone to get famous here. There are lots of great musicians from Baltimore, but they all got famous because they left. Anybody who stayed here never really made much of a mark. It seemed to be place you could be free because there wasn't any golden ring to capture you."
"That certainly has changed some. There are a lot of musicians that have moved here, particularly in the past two years. There still tends to be a really great reaction between subcultures and a lot of collaborative spirit."
How does an indie record shop fit into this idea?
"The idea of record store to me has always been a place where there would be an exchange of ideas, and a physical place for exploration. They would be able to dig through things and find things they wouldn't be able to find otherwise."
What are your thoughts on digital music?
"The main difference between music as a file and music as an object has something to do with permanence. I'm actually a 78 collector. The records I keep are mostly made of a combination of ground up stone and shellac. The music that I keep is stuff mostly from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It's sort-of 60-90 years old. Those are actual memories of events that did happen. They did play this music in person, in realtime, and it's remembered by this object."
"With digital media, it's easily the most impermanent form that's come up. Each format that's come along is essentially more and more ephemeral so that we are getting back to a point where music is only there for a little while and then it's gone. The example I always use is, ask people how many computers they've owned in their life? How many files do you have left from the second computer you owned? Basically none."
"Baltimore Club began in 1993, and they were pressing tons and tons and tons of vinyl up until 2 or 3 years ago when it just stopped. So Baltimore Club is completely a digital genre. So the only way it's passed around is by digital files. So when the time comes that we go back, put it into context, research it and just look at it, after all the parties are over, they are going to have a really good record of what happened from 93 to 2003. But everything that happens from 2003 to 2008; there's no way to reconstruct who did what when, except by word of mouth. And a lot of that music is just going to be lost."
"There's going to be a lot of music that will come and go, and the cultural circumstance that surround them are going to be hard to archive and understand because there's no object."
Do you think that physical music will ever become obsolete?
"No. Maybe in the general culture sense, but as for people who are interested in exploration and interested in what has happened and the context of human creativity... it is going to remain permanently."
Modules:
1. Introduction/Welcome to Baltimore Music & It's Indie Record Shops
2. The True Vine
3. Sound Garden
4. Reptilian Records
5. Normals
6. The Impact of Digital Music on the Physical Music Lifespan
- Digital music sees sales double
- Music industry steps up search for digital revenue
- Digital Music Sales Explode, with Top Digital Track Besting Top Physical Album
7. But There's Hope: The Resurgence of Vinyl Sales
- Vinyl Frontier: Left-for-Dead Music Is Resurrected for the Digital Age
- U.K. Music Label Creates a Vinyl-MP3 Hybrid
- Vinyl May Be Final Nail in CD's Coffin
8. Conclusion - The Future of Baltimore Record Shops
On Briggs, Chp. 8 - Shooting and Managing Digital Photos
- Take as many pictures as possible
- Megapixel - one million pixels
- Resolution - "measurement of pixels that are available to the human eye"
- Lighting is important
- Fill the frame
- Capture moments
- Always edit copy, never original
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Talking Apes, Digital Audio and Module One
On Exploring Language: A Voluble Visit with Two Talking Apes...
by Jon Hamilton
This is the story of two Bonobo chimps, Panbanisha and Kanzi, and how "they use language in many of the same ways humans do." This multimedia package includes the audio storytelling (the main focus of the feature), a transcript of the audio portion, and pictures. It is also part of a greater multimedia series, Exploring Language. Placed next to the text of A Voluble Visit... is a interactive guide to this series. It is an effective way to direct listeners to similar topics and other broadcasts.
What I've Taken From This Story:
1) The importance of a title. NPR has always thought up smart, sometimes witty titles, and like this one, I am draw into the story from our list of options. "Two Talking Apes," I read and think ... I'd like to explore this further. It also rolls off the tongue with alliteration.
2) This audio story works like an exchange of dialogue in a print story. Narrator Jon Hamilton will speak of an action or point that he is trying to make, and Dr. Sue or Bill Field's commentary will reinforce or make a point. It's a trade-off between narration and commentary, and I think this story showcases a great balance between the two. The story is kept active, almost interactive within an interactive. You also see techniques like this in traditional news reporting, the use of quotes to acquire a element of the story. Additionally, Hamilton incorporates clips of the two chimps, which also supports this idea. For example, Hamilton says Panbanisha "celebrates by playing her drums" and will them cut to the sound of Panbanisha actually playing her drums. I think of this as a sort of call-and-response. When Hamilton says something like this, I think that that would like to actually hear what it sounds like when Panbanisha plays her drums. Hamilton then delivers.
3) In this case, the reporter is IN the story, and the story revolves around Hamilton's visit. The action is a reaction of Hamilton being there; this IS the story. The question is when does this work and when doesn't it?
4) The interviewee's voice can be very powerful. When Bill Fields talks about his missing finger, and the chimp's sympathy, he uses emotive language in the word "hurt." This is a texture that I don't think Hamilton could achieve. NPR is typically more formal than other podcasts I've heard, even more so than WNYC Radio Lab - no laughing, professional tone - and this is a good way to add texture and interest in a piece.
5) Speed and pronunciation are VERY important. In Living on a Dollar Day in Malawi, narrator Suzanna Marmion is very clear, but her interviews are very hard to understand. Their accents are heavy, and while it adds texture and complexity to the story, it proves almost useless if I can't comprehend what they are saying. In the Malawi case, there is not a full transcript to reference, which is unfortunate.
6) In Living on A Dollar..., along the right side of the page is a daily balance sheet for the Phiri family. Even though it is plain text, it is a great addition to the story and helps to define a perspective. This made me wonder if I can find a way to use statistics in my project.
On Briggs, Chp. 7 - Digital Audio and Podcasting...
mp3 - most universal
wma - Windows Media
real - Real Audio
mpeg - Quicktime
mpeg-4 AAC - iTunes
- try to always use mp3
- record natural sound
- using Audacity
- vodcast - podcast with video
Be More Indie: Module One
by Jon Hamilton
This is the story of two Bonobo chimps, Panbanisha and Kanzi, and how "they use language in many of the same ways humans do." This multimedia package includes the audio storytelling (the main focus of the feature), a transcript of the audio portion, and pictures. It is also part of a greater multimedia series, Exploring Language. Placed next to the text of A Voluble Visit... is a interactive guide to this series. It is an effective way to direct listeners to similar topics and other broadcasts.
What I've Taken From This Story:
1) The importance of a title. NPR has always thought up smart, sometimes witty titles, and like this one, I am draw into the story from our list of options. "Two Talking Apes," I read and think ... I'd like to explore this further. It also rolls off the tongue with alliteration.
2) This audio story works like an exchange of dialogue in a print story. Narrator Jon Hamilton will speak of an action or point that he is trying to make, and Dr. Sue or Bill Field's commentary will reinforce or make a point. It's a trade-off between narration and commentary, and I think this story showcases a great balance between the two. The story is kept active, almost interactive within an interactive. You also see techniques like this in traditional news reporting, the use of quotes to acquire a element of the story. Additionally, Hamilton incorporates clips of the two chimps, which also supports this idea. For example, Hamilton says Panbanisha "celebrates by playing her drums" and will them cut to the sound of Panbanisha actually playing her drums. I think of this as a sort of call-and-response. When Hamilton says something like this, I think that that would like to actually hear what it sounds like when Panbanisha plays her drums. Hamilton then delivers.
3) In this case, the reporter is IN the story, and the story revolves around Hamilton's visit. The action is a reaction of Hamilton being there; this IS the story. The question is when does this work and when doesn't it?
4) The interviewee's voice can be very powerful. When Bill Fields talks about his missing finger, and the chimp's sympathy, he uses emotive language in the word "hurt." This is a texture that I don't think Hamilton could achieve. NPR is typically more formal than other podcasts I've heard, even more so than WNYC Radio Lab - no laughing, professional tone - and this is a good way to add texture and interest in a piece.
5) Speed and pronunciation are VERY important. In Living on a Dollar Day in Malawi, narrator Suzanna Marmion is very clear, but her interviews are very hard to understand. Their accents are heavy, and while it adds texture and complexity to the story, it proves almost useless if I can't comprehend what they are saying. In the Malawi case, there is not a full transcript to reference, which is unfortunate.
6) In Living on A Dollar..., along the right side of the page is a daily balance sheet for the Phiri family. Even though it is plain text, it is a great addition to the story and helps to define a perspective. This made me wonder if I can find a way to use statistics in my project.
On Briggs, Chp. 7 - Digital Audio and Podcasting...
mp3 - most universal
wma - Windows Media
real - Real Audio
mpeg - Quicktime
mpeg-4 AAC - iTunes
- try to always use mp3
- record natural sound
- using Audacity
- vodcast - podcast with video
Be More Indie: Module One
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Research CONT.
Potential Title: Be More Indie
Four record shops I will concentrate on, each with own module:
Sound Garden - called, redirected toward Adrian
True Vine - in-store interview set for 3/9 with owner Ian Nagoski
Normal's - call back tomorrow or Saturday
Record & Tape Traders - sent emails, waiting for response
- R&TT bought out by Value Music Concepts
Potential Modules - Reptilian Records: Blog, Label and Record Shop
Other interviews:
London Scalise (music fan, mild vinyl collector)
Music Fan 2 (Find someone with LARGE vinyl collection) MICA art students?
City Paper employee(2) (for "professional" opinion on inner workings of Baltimore indie)
*Update: Al Shipley @ City Paper - Also runs Government Names (contacted)
Venue owner - Craig from Ottobar? 8 x 10/Lofi Social Club (for "professional" opinion on inner workings of Baltimore indie)
Matt Davis from 98 Rock - Spokesperson on local music in Baltimore.
Topic of conversation:
Is vinyl making a comeback? (NPR Audio) (Article 2)
Making Room For Analog in a Digital World (NPR Audio)
Four record shops I will concentrate on, each with own module:
Sound Garden - called, redirected toward Adrian
True Vine - in-store interview set for 3/9 with owner Ian Nagoski
Normal's - call back tomorrow or Saturday
Record & Tape Traders - sent emails, waiting for response
- R&TT bought out by Value Music Concepts
Potential Modules - Reptilian Records: Blog, Label and Record Shop
Other interviews:
London Scalise (music fan, mild vinyl collector)
Music Fan 2 (Find someone with LARGE vinyl collection) MICA art students?
City Paper employee(2) (for "professional" opinion on inner workings of Baltimore indie)
*Update: Al Shipley @ City Paper - Also runs Government Names (contacted)
Venue owner - Craig from Ottobar? 8 x 10/Lofi Social Club (for "professional" opinion on inner workings of Baltimore indie)
Matt Davis from 98 Rock - Spokesperson on local music in Baltimore.
Topic of conversation:
Is vinyl making a comeback? (NPR Audio) (Article 2)
Making Room For Analog in a Digital World (NPR Audio)
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