entheon

biography



Entheon grew up in the south on the black mountain hillsides running around in the bushes with his faithful dog, hootin' and hollerin, whackin' trees with sticks, whittlin sticks with his knife, building tree forts and whacking just about anything else with a stick that was worth whackin'. Then one day he started learning how to play music and instead of whackin' trees with sticks made out of trees, he begand to whack piano keys with sticks made out of fingers.

Fed up with the classical schools that were strict and made up of primarily angry, ugly, fat-ol' blue haired ladies who didn't know the first thing about what it was like to be a young man, Entheon began to pursue jazz in the hopes that he could learn how to play the music he was hearing inside his head and that he wanted to hear be played.

Luck finally caught up with him in College where many varied experiences helped him understand what all that theory nonsense was trying to show him and he began to put it all to good use and started writing songs and looking for more adventures.

Adventure he did, across the country to the farthest corners of this nation that he could find to meet the wackiest and most interesting people he could meet so as to live a life worthy of legend. His adventures are not yet over and he is now writing yet another chapter in his life with love, music and freedom.

Love is all you need!

Peace be with you, always.

- Entheon
0
December 14th, 2008 + 9:12 AM  ·  entheon

glad y'all like it
Category: Lessons
Comments (0)
6

Linux Studio HOWTO

May 25th, 2007 + 1:05 AM  ·  entheon

Setup a free digital audio recording workstation using Linux. A guide for newbies.

By popular demand, here it is.

!!!WARNING!!!
You could potentially mess up your computer really badly by trying to do anything that I might suggest or even imply that you try to do in this article. Please don't be a dummy and back up all your files before you attempt anything. Do this stuff at your own risk!!!
!!!WARNING!!!

This article assumes that you don't know much about computers, however it does assume that you are smart enough to be able to do basic computer tasks like using Microsoft® Windows™ programs, browsing the world wide web, downloading stuff, installing programs, checking your email, and generally be a nuisance in other various ways with your computer. This article assumes that you know little to nothing about Linux except that it is something you might want to use.

This article also assumes a few other things such as: you can think for yourself, you are willing to do research and homework, you are willing to help yourself (following the moral story of "teach a man to fish"), you are willing to follow the links in this article and read them and most importantly you aren't afraid of programming a computer to get it working instead of just clicking buttons.

Because installing, using and maintaining Linux is such a big topic I cannot possibly cover everything about it. This article will therefor be aimed at giving you a broad overview of Linux, what it is and what is involved in setting up and using it.

Now then! On to the good stuff.

What is Linux?

Linux is free, it does not cost money. Linux is an Operating System or OS and is an alternative to the Windows and Macintosh Operating Systems that both cost money. Linux does the same thing for you as Windows: it runs your computer. Linux can do everything Windows can do and some would say more. Linux powers anywhere between 50-70% of the internet depending on who you talk to, but Apache (a web server created on and for Linux) accounts for easily over half of the web servers on the internet. Most of the web sites you visit are probably coming to you from a computer running Linux or Apache. The BandAMP website lives on a computer run by a Linux style OS running the Apache web server. Mac OS X is based on a Linux style OS, the same Linux style OS that powers the BandAMP website. Linux is Open Source Software, this means that the computer code for Linux is freely available to be both seen and or changed by anyone at any time.

Linux is a kernel. Linux is really like the engine in your car. Without gears and a body and a steering wheel and tires your engine won't go very far, nor is it appropriate to call a car an engine or an engine a car. For Linux to be useful to your average person, it requires that other programs run with it. There is a set of basic programs created by an organization called the GNU Project that run with the Linux kernel to make your computer usable. These basic programs are very basic (they are not graphical) and most people who are accustomed to Windows might not understand how powerful they can be. There are, however, still more organizations and groups of people who have created more free and open source software which runs on Linux and which gives a computer running Linux all the capabilities of a modern OS like Windows complete with graphics, sounds, web browsers, games, mp3 players, spreadsheets, photo programs and just about everything else you can think of.

Why is Linux good? Why would anyone want to use it?

Linux is free software. Some people simply can't afford to pay the average $300 for a new professional copy of Windows. Governments and large corporations are forced to pay that $300 for every computer they own! If you consider an organization with only 10 computers that's a lot of money. Now consider a government that might have 1,000 or 10,000 computers. This translates into millions of dollars.

Some people do not want to use Windows because they don't like it or the company that makes it. Some people live in countries where they cannot legally use Windows due to their local laws and or the license restrictions of Windows.

Linux is Open Source Software. Security is important to most governments and with the very real threat of computer hacking and other forms of electronic security breaking, governments often cannot take the risk of letting software run for which they do not have the code. Without access to the code that makes a computer program, no one except the creators can ever be completely sure about exactly what is happening inside the computers running that software. The code for Linux is open and freely available for all to see. Open Source Software like Linux can also benefit large corporations like Apple Computer which has based its latest OS on an open source project. This has benefited Apple because they receive the work of hundreds of developers for free.

The license that Linux comes with also allows anyone to modify or add to the code at any time to make it do anything. This is very good for governments and even good for other organizations that rely heavily on computer technology. Simply because an important organization like a government wishes to have a feature in their software does not mean that Microsoft will think that feature is worth spending the time or money to create. With Linux, the code is open and freely available for modification so anyone can add any needed feature at any time. For this reason, hundreds of thousands of people across the world can and do regularly help make Linux better in their own free time because they like to have better and more powerful computers at their disposal. Most of these changes and additions are given back to the community resulting in a direct benefit for anyone who uses this software.

Where can I get Linux?

Linux is distributed in a number of ways and most people download it from the internet and then burn it onto a CD. Downloading just the Linux kernel is not very useful to most people, so a variety of groups have been created for the purpose of packaging Linux along with the most commonly needed and wanted programs available and then distributing these packaged systems to the public. Because the primary purpose of these organizations is to distribute Linux to the public, the collection of software that each one provides has become known as a distribution. There are many different distributions of Linux and the array of choices can bewilder the new and uninitiated. Distributions almost always come with the basic set of GNU programs and for this reason there is a controversy surrounding the names Linux, GNU, and GNU/Linux. To be politically correct amongst geeks, you should refer to GNU/Linux rather than just Linux. For most people, however, the distinction is purely academic and the term Linux has persisted where most people really mean GNU/Linux.

You will most likely need to download and burn a CD of the distribution you wish to install. This is something which is too subjective and in depth for me to describe here. You can also get Linux CDs sent to you in the mail for little to no cost, usually just the cost of postage.

Which distribution should I use? Which distribution is recommended?

This is a hard question to answer because there are so many distributions and they all were created for different reasons. Regardless of distribution choice, it should be possible to set up a recording studio on just about any distribution providing you know what you are doing. We are assuming however that you do not know what you are doing and so I recommend Ubuntu.

There is a version of Ubuntu known as Ubuntu Studio for creative and multi-media enthusiasts. I have installed and used most of the major distributions including Ubuntu but I have never tried to install or use Ubuntu Studio. It does however look very promising and I recommend giving it a try.

There is a site dedicated to providing tutorials and information about installing Ubuntu Studio.
0

try this

May 24th, 2007 + 8:05 PM  ·  entheon

http://forum.bandamp.com/Lessons/51554.html

and by the way, you have to get over yourself when it comes to being embarrassed to sing when other people are around. if you need to go get a sound proof bullet proof pressure locked steel vault to practice singing in, do it, but realize that some day you'll have to sing in front of someone if that practice is going to be worth anything.

my suggestion: get over it sooner rather than later. this is really one of the trickiest things about singing, getting over yourself. i don't really have any particularly good tips or tricks other than explaining over and over how it's not a big deal.

try going to a karaoke night somewhere. you don't have to sing to become quickly not embarrassed with your own singing skills. but if you can make yourself get up there and sing, then all the better.
Category: Lessons
Comments (0)
7

Vocal Tips & Tricks

May 24th, 2007 + 7:05 PM  ·  entheon

Here are some simple ideas you can use to make your vocals sound better.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

All the rules that apply to normal music practice (and some that don't) apply to vocal practice.

Practice regularly (daily if possible). Find a coach. Read books, study other vocalists. Listen to their CDs, sing along. Stretch, warm up and use strength training exercises. Your voice is a set of muscles like any other set that any other musician uses, don't over do it.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

Learn breath control; sing from your belly.

The muscle that controls your breathing is called your diaphragm and if you watch a baby sleeping, you'll notice that when (s)he breathes, what primarily rises up and down is not the chest but the belly. Hiccups and "Getting the wind knocked out of you" are both forms of diaphram spasms. If you've experienced either of these things, then you know how crucial a role the diaphragm plays in breathing. The point is that singing has everything to do with breath and that good breath control will result in better vocals. Breath control comes from the control and stability of the diaphragm. If you think you need to push harder on something, either to be louder or clearer or more stable, push harder on your diaphragm, not your vocal muscles. Your vocal muscles should, for the most part, be relaxed. Sing from your belly.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

Sing with something, anything.

Find a good quality (preferably organic) long-sustaining pitch source.

A guitar, a piano, a sitar, a fan, a blender, a blow dryer, a lawn mower, anything. No seriously, I mean anything. Anything that has a constant pitch and can produce an extended and sustained tone. Preferably something that sustains a tone for a long time and that doesn't interfere with your stomach, chest throat mouth or head areas, also preferably something with which you can select the easiest note for you to sing in your range. For most people a guitar or piano will suffice though if you can get an electric guitar and crank up the volume this will probably be your best bet. When you're only plucking one string you can crank up the volume louder than you think on an electric guitar. Careful! Don't crank it so loud you can't hear yourself anymore.

You need to sing with something to be sure that you're holding a steady note. A string will vibrate at a more or less constant rate and will not vary it's pitch by much at all. A string does vary its pitch a small amount over time, sharper on the attack, flatter on the decay, small amounts of fluctuation during vibration. However, compared to the average (and even trained) human voice, the amount of a string's vibrational flux is negligible and is perfectly suitable for singing with.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

Slow down. Take baby steps. Start with just one note.

Waaaaay down, yes I mean way down.

Now using your trusty pitch source, strike a note and sing it. Hold that one single note for as long as you can. Make a contest out of it. It's like holding your breath. How long can you hold a note? 10 seconds, 15? 30? A minute? Remember not to run completely out of breath to the point of wheezing, that is not good. Consider your note broken once you really begin to run out of breath and stop the instant the note becomes strained. Do that for a week straight before you go on to moving between notes.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat. Have I gotten through to you yet? Let me explain.

Listen! Your ear is your voice.

Most people get this backwards and they think that by pushing harder on their vocal muscles that they will in some way enhance their voice. Only by really listening to your voice and what it sounds like and what it is doing will you understand what it is your vocal muscles are actually doing to it and thus understand how to manipulate those vocal muscles to do what you want with your voice.

While doing your one note singing exercise, don't think about or pay attention to how you sound, pay attention to how the string sounds and match the pitch. This is absolutely fundamental. Vocal practice is primarily ear training first and muscle training second. Most instrument training centers first around how to properly move the muscles and appendages concerned. Vocal training centers first around how to detect the whether and how far off a note is from another, in other words, how far off is your voice from that note you should be singing. As mentioned before, sing one note for a week or a month or as long as it takes for you to know with absolute certainty that you can and are singing what you are hearing. Your ear is your voice.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

Learn to sing effortlessly through direct experience.

Try the simple exercise of making each of the standard vowel sounds: A E I O U but use the european style vowel sounds, so phonetically it sounds like: "Ahhh, Ehhh, Eeeee, Ohhh, Ooou." Sing one note and keep that note steady, now while keeping that note going, shift between each of the vowel sounds. Move your mouth around, move your throat around, open your mouth wide narrow your mouth down. Discover through direct experience the easiest and most effortless way to clearly enunciate each of those vowels without stress on your vocal muscles. This is difficult! Don't get frustrated.

First begin to sing a note, then listen very closely to how the note sounds, then finally try to pay attention to how your voice box and throat muscles feel in the position they are in. After you've listened and payed attention to how your voice sounds and how it feels to make that sound, then and only then should you shift your voice box and throat muscles to a different position to get a different sound. All the while you should be singing and keeping this note going. Now revert back to listening to your voice. Then feel your throat, then change. Always begin with listening.

Listen listen listen! Your ear is your voice, not your throat.

An anecdote on science

A vocal coach was telling me about how they did some studies (and you know they talk a lot) to see if they could figure out the neurological basis for the cognition of vocal intonation. Many experiments and electrode attachments later the scientists conducting this study were stumped and had no further information on how the brain does what it does when people sing, much less how to help people become better singers with the information they were hoping to garner.

The coach told me that as part of the study they were comparing different techniques to figure out which ones yielded the best results in terms of helping people figure out how to sing better and make their voices both do what they wanted and sound more pleasing. The age old but winning technique that the coach imparted to me that has supposedly been in use for hundreds of years is simpler than the scientists could have ever imagined. It's called visualization. No this isn't a Tony Robbins seminar or any new age mumbo jumbo, it's really pretty simple. All you do is "visualize the sound" you want to hear. Sight and sound don't particularly mix well in this context, so this might require a bit of explanation.

They say that the sense of smell is the most closely related to memory. Think of a time when you smelled something that triggered a particularly powerful memory, for many people the smell of popcorn triggers the memory of a movie theater, or the smell of freshly baked goods might trigger the memory of mother or grandmother. Now try to remember something you've smelled or tasted before, like an apple. Simply try to remember what an apple actually tastes like. You can do it, it just requires a bit of imagination. Now try to remember what an apple looks like, all of this with as much detail as possible. Now for the last test, try to remember exactly what your favorite song sounds like, full orchestration and everything, what key it's in, all the different parts. Try to do it as a whole, don't try to remember specific details of the song, just try to "hear" the song in your head. Got it? No? Keep trying. Yes? Good. Sort of? Well, that's about as close as you need to get.

So now here's how this all fits together: when you're singing, once properly warmed up and using correct vocal technique and while not straining, simply imagine how you'd like your voice to come out, think about it for a while, really concentrate on it, even "visualize" to the extent that is possible, and then... well... just do it. Just let it out. Simply take that visualized or imagined sound and "put it into" your vocal chords and see what happens. You might be surprised; hopefully in a good way.
Category: Lessons
Comments (7) by Dipsta
30

Little Birdie

May 23rd, 2007 + 5:05 PM  ·  entheon

This is a song about those times when you realize that the situation you're in isn't quite right anymore and that, hard as it may be, it's time to move on. It's also about something else, see if you can figure out what.

Re-mixed and re-mastered. I will probably re-mix and re-master one more time Please put in your vote! I have entered the battle. Thanks
Alias: entheon
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