Joshua Van Tassel

Today I’m trying a couple different things out in order to get my foggy brain working. One of them is take take one sound and try and milk it for all it’s worth and make some kind of beat. It’s a fun exercise that can yield interesting results. Here’s one of them that came from a finger snap.

I also sat down and had a good listen to a crazy/beautiful record from a Norwegian band called Supersilent. They don’t really title their albums or list any info, but it’s great music. Check it out.

Where lots of things begin, including the alphabet. 

….and I realized I hadn’t really gone outside yet. Actually, I haven’t at all.That’s just sad.

Here’s a bit of what we did today, class. Things are starting to come along, lots of ideas, I just need to focus on a few of them. I’m starting to hear what I want to hear though which is a step forward.

and here’s another beat for my old pal Lucas…….

That’s just about how I feel.

It’s snowy this morning and I stayed up a bit late last night and made dance music for some reason. Probably because it’s more fun to make then to listen to? Maybe? Maybe I need to actually dance to it. Anyway, as I was making a smoothie this morning I realized just how irritating the sound of a blender can be if you’re not the one doing the blending. Go ahead, have a listen. It’s fairly annoying.

Dance music and blenders have a lot in common.

Think what you will.

I was thinking about Steven McCarthy and his band the Elastocitizens who put on a crazy show, and I made this for him. It’s all about putting on big slippers you don’t want anyone else to see and turning up those records that no one knows you still have, and just letting it all go man.

Here’s my first attempt at making something interesting with my aforementioned new toy. It’s not supposed to be something you hum along too, it’s more music for making plants grow sideways.

Had a very busy weekend, hence the late post. I was fortunate enough to get to finally fulfill a boyhood fantasy and see some dinosaurs at the ROM. Here’s a clip of 2 funny small people “enjoying themselves” in the paper weight exhibit.

I also got myself a new toy, and will post some preliminary experiment results from it in the morning. Leaving my house just got harder . . . . .

Annnnnd check this out you budding guitar heroes. My good friend Adam sent it along to me this evening. It seems as though wifi browsers just aren’t enough, we demand constant shredding access.

I’m quite late today, it’s a busy weekend and my computer is in the garage for a little overhaul, so these are pirate posts from undisclosed locations. Maybe even from your computer……were you on it all day? Did you let it out of your sight, even for a minute? I was there.

Here’s a tune that I started Friday and haven’t been able to get to again. It’s an intro, but once everything gets happening it’ll be somewhat interesting.

I’m also in the studio doing some work with a fantastic singer songwriter percussionist/great musician named Ainsley McNeaney. I’ve been sneaking some great sounds on the sly, I’ll throw them here tomorrow. I hope the weekend is going great for all so far.

My good friend at Nunc Scio recently posted an colorfully worded open letter to the the TTC this week, and I decided to record a little audio companion guide for it. The letter describes a subway filled with very anxious people crowded and shoving, fuming and furrowing and I figured the 9 am street car at University and King would give me and everyone a taste of that.

WRONG. It’s the weirdest recording ever because even though the car was packed, everyone was dead quiet. You can hear buttons clinking on my jacket as I got off. Creepy.

I’ve been making all my friends listen to me blather on and on about this wonderful toy and I want to share it with the internet world. Check it. A touch sensitive battery operated pocket sized drum machine synth looper. I want it. Now.

So here’s a little folk tune that’s coming along called Raccoon Face. If anyone is there let me know what you think. About the tune. Or just in general as well, about whatever.

ps- I went to see Juno last night and I loved it. Go see it, right now if you can.