i'm very interested in this kind of technology that is outdated, yet still viable. an example is in general aviation they have these radio transmitters called VORs, that are all over the county that you can tune into while flying around. you can find your way all across the country with these things and most folks have no idea they even exist. next time you go by a small airfield look for one, they look like a giant bowling pin. it's like forties and fifties era radio technology. it's kind of a funky way of doing it, but it works and has worked for years.

i hear so much complaining about this subject, i just wanted to lay my practical experience on you. free.

first, three pre-conditions:

this media feller asked me to talk about five songs i've been listening to. here you go:

every now and then, i play on the street. it's pretty fun thing to do.

here's a whole 'nother way of looking at things.

Overture to the Schillinger System
Henry Cowell (~1941)

The Schillinger System makes a positive approach to the theory of musical composition by offering possibilities for choice and development by the student, instead of the rules hedged round with prohibitions, limitations and exceptions, which have characterized conventional studies.

hey here's a bit of inspiration for you and something to think about all at the same time. an oft mentioned essay from 1958, and one of the primary influences on the folktronic approach.

"Who Cares if You Listen?"
Milton Babbitt, High Fidelity (Feb. 1958)

kory cook sees thousands of cds a year as assistant music director for kut public radio in austin. i asked him to write a little about what advice he might give for folks sending him music and what he thinks about the whole deal.

venue:
highline ballroom in manhattan june 20, 2008, 8:45 pm for one hour

schedule:

thursday june 19
leave home at 5 pm
catch 6:30 pm ferry to downtown seattle
9:00 pm fly sea-tac to jfk overnight

friday june 20th
6:00 am land
subway to friend's apartment in brooklyn
8:00 am sleep
12:00 pm wake up, shower, subway to load-in in manhattan
sound check
nap
eat
practice
8:45 pm play one hour set
11:00 pm show is over, subway back to brooklyn
sleep as long as possible

steve schwelling is a wonderful percussionist friend of mine living in austin. he went to a workshop with airto and was pretty pumped about the whole thing. here he discusses relevant points.

you can communicate with steve via: http://www.myspace.com/steveschwelling
what follows is an article from steve:

"Just love one another"
Airto

The harmonica is ready to play. It requires no accessories or tuning to be at it's best right out of the box. (The box is important . Always put the harp back in the box after playing and it will be your friend.)