Thursday, June 19, 2008

My New song - saxophone - Pacha Mama Prayer

It's kind of New Age Blues with a Native American beat, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. (Of course, there's no way it could be performed live - it's all recorded in three separate tracks on the computer)


It's kind of New Age Blues with a Native American beat, I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. (Of course, there's no way it could be performed live - it's all recorded in three separate tracks on the computer) I play a 1966 Selmer Bundy. The below song was recorded using the sax and my laptop. Percussion is my hands on the table, and I'm doing vocals. The software used is Audacity & LAME MP3 encoder, both of which are free. I recorded this in three separate parts, first the saxophone, then the vocals, then the percussion. Time from melody concept to full recording was one hour. (Pacha Mama = South American equivalent to Gaia, the Earth Mother Goddess.)

http://www.whizzyrds.com/Pachamamaprayer.mp3


I call my sax "Bello".


Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Live Tonight

In "Live", The Sundance Channel's "Big Ideas For a Small Planet" series tackles one of the largest segment of materials and energy use in the global economy - housing and building.

Beginning with the "E-House," an experimental laboratory that a family actually lives in, new ideas for efficiency are continually explored. There may be a new super-clean, super-efficient fireplace design one month, or home cooling that uses ground water and a fan, and anything else that could be dreamed up.

Following with Michael Gainer's deconstruction vs. demolition wonder business, we see how old housing currently fill landfills at the end of its useful life, and how it can be disassembled and re-used in home improvement projects, sustainable furniture, and myriad other ways. A shining jewel of this method is that the character, charm, and intricate design of many earlier architectural features is preserved and even showcased. Additionally, new jobs are added to the local economy through this effort.

Finally, we wrap up with with modular recycling; housing built from used steel cargo containers. Add a room? No Problem! Lift off the roof and set a couple down next to your existing home, add in some wiring, plumbing, glass and other odds and ends, you just doubled your living space. Stack them on top of your existing house to build up. Start off with a multi-family dwelling such as a two-or three flat. Love wide-open views and a super-strong structure? Love leaving our forests standing and breathing in CO2? Here you go - check out the cool finishes and "skins" you can put on the exterior.

Living large definitely gets a smaller footprint in this uplifting, hopeful documentary entitled simply "Live." Runtime is 30 minutes, airs Tuesday, June 3rd at 9pm Eastern & Pacific on the Sundance Channel.

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Regards,

Dan Stafford
Publisher,
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal