Joshua Van Tassel

(on facebook? it’s not going to let you hear anything. Go to www.joshuavt.com)

A long while ago, maybe even 2 years now, geez, I started putting some music up called onepiecepieces. These little one minute vignettes are the product of me taking one sound or item and squeezing 60 seconds worth of entertainment out of it. I haven’t done it in a while, and just as thousands of people out there are making and breaking resolutions to exercise their bodies, I remembered that doing these are a great work out for my imagination. So, in keeping with a very organized and reasonable schedule modeled after the organized and reasonable Christine ( who covered the entire Beach Boys record Pet sounds at the Tranzac last night and it was fantastic), Tuesdays and Thursday I’ll be doing my damnedest to regal you with pieces that are short and hopefully sweet, and let u all hear things in a different way.

First up on the onepiecepiece block, I used a little clip from the sound of deflating balloons I put up last week. Here she is. Why is this one a she? I’m not sure.

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I made music on my knees

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I found an empty bullet casing on my front steps……..that makes me a little worried…..where’s the bullet…

My living room now looks like a real live living room

I made a demo reel type compilation thing for some stuff………to be as specific as possible….

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I’m thinking of seeing the Watchmen at the IMAX tomorrow.

I’m playing with Josh Cockerill tonight at the Dakota.

I’m going to teach now. That’s all.

A while back I did a whole bunch of little songs called onepiecepieces where I would take one item, talk sweet and low to it for a few minutes, and then have it give up all it’s little secret sounds. Last night my desk and I had a few drinks, got to talking and she let me know just how upset she was that after all this time and this music made on top of her, she gets nothing. No shout out in the liner notes, no video to make a little cameo in, nothing. So here it is, a onepiece for my lovely little desk that I found on the sidewalk 4 years ago. Thanks for everything.

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If you’ve read this blog before, then you know I have an on going love affair with sounds of all kinds. Something I love to do is record regular everyday sounds and sneak them into my music making by flipping or reversing or destroying them. Sometimes though, I come across sounds that are just really interesting on their own. Like washing my plastic cutting board. It sounds like a combination between a thunder storm and a spaceship taking off. Today,I love it.

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In honor of the 75th birthday of scotch tape, here’s a onepiecepiece made from a roll of the good stuff that we all know and love. Apparently to save money back in the day, 3M used to only put adhesive on the outside edges of the tape, leaving the middle completely bare. We’re lucky people folks.

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My good friend Linda gave me a neato little stove top espresso maker last night, and I’m happy. Unlike a bodum however, these things need a little more attention while the coffee making is happening. I discovered this when I heard what sounded like an angry snake pit in my kitchen, and saw steaming black gold pouring forth from the spout. Lesson learned. here’s a one piece piece in honour of my new little steel friend. We’ll work things out I’m sure.

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There was coffee in here that was a year old. I cleaned it, used it, and now I see colors I didn’t know existed.

or the fact that I’m trying to make music out of a piece of cloth, but today’s piece just wasn’t happening. I usualy give myself 30 minutes to do these things, and it just didn’t seem like enough today. That’s what I get for trusting a wannabe oven mitt. Here’s part of what came out of it……

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….setting up a mic and checking it, and decided that would be enough to make something. It’s friday, it’s been a busy week and I have nothing more to say. Check it.Check.

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