Here's a Fun App to Quickly Develop your Music Ear
Komuso, October 10/25/11, 2011
comments: 0
Always Envious of those who can "hum a few bars and fake it?" Now you can train your ear for music with Chordskilz, the music ear training game that develops your chord recognition skills and ultimately helps you refine your musical talents.
Downtempo Bluestronica 2 - 54:03 - Em - 70bpm - 4/9/2011 - Up The Creek
Downtempo Bluestronica 3 - 56:12 - Em - 70bpm - 5/9/2011 - Tribeca Blues, NYC Health Scape
Download size: 223MB Zip file. Encoding: MP3 192kbps
Each set is based on the same underlying compositional framework, but performed differently and using slightly different modes/effects on slide guitar and harmonica between each performance.
Backing instrumentation: Acoustic Bass. Drums, Grand Piano, Synth, Pads, Hammond
I have not updated the website this year at all, as I've been running a little experiment just using the inworld SL group tools and twitter to communicate directly to my main online audience.
Suffice to say, I'll be returning to producing regular website updates from now on. Stay tuned also for some new song downloads from SL Live performances.
Good News: Beato-san & Basso-san have been through major upgrades over the last few months, and new tunes are in the works. My audio system is now fully migrated over to Win 7 x64 and I finally nailed that annoying BSOD (Bad ZoneALarm!). I also have some Ninjam's planned with Noma & Hathead (soon as I get the system setup again) and I'm developing a new version of my Bluestronica Immersive Audiovisual experience "SynaesthAsia".
Bad News: May was a bad month in terms of health and I got hit by a couple of things out of the blue. The latest was a bad flu bug picked up from Baby Komuso, which hit me as I was
I was hoping it would last me to the end of the 2009, but today my 3.5 year old Laptop finally died, the gpu fried again.
I'm down to my main work desktop machine only, and will have to radically scale back what I can do with the VW music for a while.
Budget juggling income adjustment estimation time = replacement... or not.
I may be able to play some acoustic sets, but due to the fact my electric act relies on a cpu heavy load to drive beato-san and basso-sans brains I'll have to bench them for a while.
Running intensive real time high quality audio applications, streaming audio applications, audio recording applications, and an SL client on the same machine is not recommended.
I blew my laptop up the first time doing this, and that was 3 years ago when I was not running much in the way of AI assisted music at all.
Catch the hottest live blues trio in the Metaverse for a real time musical collaboration across the internet from three countries in full 2.5D isometric glory!
Komuso Tokugawa on vocals, harmonica and guitar live from Tokyo Hathead Rickenbacker on piano live from Toronto Noma Falta live from Atlanta on Bass/Vocals
I'd never been to a barcamp, so it was interesting to see the self organising presentation system at work.
After lunch I decided to do a little presentation on "The Future of Music". Check the video out for my take on where I see some of this going, as a result of my prototyping of the Future of Music in Virtual Worlds such as SecondLife and Metaplace.
Start Time: Friday, April 10, 2009 at 11:00am End Time: Sunday, April 12, 2009 at 7:00pm Location: Harajuku Design Fiesta Gallery (2nd Floor) City/Town: Tokyo, Japan
Sign up on Ustream to get your own id and subscribe to the weekly scheduled event.
For the moment I'll just do one a week, and maybe expand the schedule if it gets some followers.
See you in the bitstream, kt
COW-A-BUNGA!
Komuso, January 01/18/09, 2009
comments: 0
Great News! Today's benefit gig for Heifer.org at AM Radio's "The Refuge and The Expansion" dual sim art installation in SL (tm) raised a grand total of L$143,000 or ~US$546 in the 1.5 hour gig. Enough to buy a cow! The power of MOOOOOOOsic eh! Check out AM Radio's Team Heifer page directly here. Congratulations and thanks to everyone who made it possible. A great start to 2009 - the international year of the neighbour;-)
tc, cu in the Bitstream, kt
Komuso's 2008 SonicSnakPak
Komuso, December 12/20/08, 2008
comments: 4
BRINGING THE BOOGIE TO THE BITSTREAM
Thank you for your generous support of my SL Live music experiments.
Please enjoy this 50 minute sonic snak pak of 2008 live music cuts from both SecondLife (tm) and Real Life (tm*2).
The SL tracks are all genuine SL Live gig recordings. I record all my gigs at 24bit 44khz before it goes out on the stream to SL so I always have a high quality master recording in case I actually play some blues instead of mistak...er, jazz!
Bitstream Boogie trio with Hathead Rickenbacker (Piano - Toronto) and Noma Falta (Bass/Vocals - Atlanta) will be joining me for a little jam friday night in sl to see how it all hangs together. Please see the events page for details.
Mongo Madness Cancelled today
Komuso, September 09/01/08, 2008
comments: 0
Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water...SL decided to throttle the logins so I can't get in for my regular Mongo Madness on Monday gig.
grrrrrrrrrr
Signup for new release notification!
Komuso, July 07/14/08, 2008
comments: 0
Hola pixelpeeps!
I will soon be releasing some new SL Live recordings available exclusively only to members of Komuso's personal music site here at http://music.sonicviz.com
This website will be my central point of contact for metaverse performances as new virtual worlds start to come online. Please signup to keep informed and join me as we Bring the Boogie to the Bitstream across the Metaverse;-)
I've been aiming to write a review of the Harp Commander III Ron Holmes sent me some time back. I've been giving it a run through its paces as I play around with it in various performance contexts.
You can hear it in use on some live cuts I've just uploaded on the song page.
SL BoogieRattlesnake MoanSt James Infirmary
I use the HC III, fed by a shaker mic in a custom mount on my harp rack, into Reaper running ReValver Mark II as a vst software amp simulator.
I use the two in combination. The HC III fattens and liquify's my input signal considerably, and Revalver gives me a full effects rack/tube amp sim so as to get a wider range of effected tones. I can change patches on Revalver and/or adjust settings on the HC III as needed. For example, if I want a clean harp sound I can pull up a clean patch on Revalver with a little reverb and cabinet simulation, roll back some of the HCIII gain and compression, maybe tweak the bass and treble!
Hathead Rickenbacker and I have been running a few ninjams recently and maestro d'guerrilla machinima-making Osprey Therian came down to the Juke Joint and made a film of our last Juke Joint Boogie.
HatHead Rickenbacker is an award-winning musician who performs jazz, blues, funk, soul and electronica - often all at the same time. HatHead's performances on piano at overly expensive restaurants earned him Best Music from Toronto Magazine several years in a row. HatHead believes that music is a power to be used for peace and his mother expects him to spontaneously combust.
Today was Beta test #3 of the new ninjam based blues collaboration with Hathead Rickenbacker.
With me in Tokyo and Hathead on piano from snowed in Toronto we played to a jammed packed crowd in my custom built SL recreation of a 1930's era Juke Joint.
Accompanied by my Artificial Intelligence based rhythm section, beato-san and basso-san. No railroad track mp3 backing tracks or lame midi in this juke joint!
Smokinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Stay tuned for more....
SynaesthAsia
Komuso, January 01/29/08, 2008
comments: 0
MoShang Zhao and I ran Beta test #5 of MoKo LoCo yesterday. I had a few glitches and issues but it went very well in the end.
Thanks to everyone for the documenting it for us and the comments, including Jurin Juran for tp'ing the audience.
Cu in the bitstream, kt
...
Do Itashimashite!
Komuso, February 02/06/08, 2008
comments: 0
In response to a very nice blog post from one of my fans yesterday that lifted my spirits when I had the blues, I thought I'd post a few links of what some of my regular fans have been writing about me:
"Do Itashimashite" means "You're Welcome" in japanese, usually in reply to someone saying "Thank you".
soooo....Do Itashimashite!
Let's keep that Positive Quantum Energy flowing through the bitstream!
Drop me a line if you have written a review about me and I'll add it to the list. You can also leave comments on the site if you are a member.
Your constructive feedback on my live events is always welcome too, so feel free to IM anytime if you have some input.
Cu in the bitstream ,kt
PS: Please also check out the this sites members SL Live gig photo galleries as well!
...
MoKo LoCo Beta Test #4
Komuso, January 01/10/08, 2008
comments: 0
MoShang Zhao and I have been stealth beta testing our MoKo LoCo Ambient Blues Trance project, called "SynaesthAsia" over the last couple of weeks.
It's a real time jam over the internet using Ninjam , delivered in a custom setting I designed along with my prototype Generative Visuals System I developed up from my bio/neuro feedback project.
Today's gig attracted some guerrilla machinima makers and photographers.
2007 was a great year for "Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream"
Ending it with a killer "Blue Snow" gig for Linden Lab at their official winterfest was a great way to end a great year in the nascent meteverse.
300+ live gigs in SL spread across SL clubs, private parties, Corporate sim openings and events, and two house rent boogie grid tours, and getting down at my own venue in Artropolis "Komuso's Joint".
2008 will bring more sonic goodness to the bitstream. In addition to expanding my ever evolving setlist of gutbucket boogie blues, I have been working on two new interactive music projects which will be launched very shortly. Stay tuned!
Have a good one in 2008. Cu in the bitstream, kt
...
MagSL RL/SL/Web Live Party
Komuso, December 12/07/07, 2007
comments: 0
MagSL, one of the major japanese sim communities [over 50], had a very impressive 1st year anniversary party last night in Tokyo. Simultaneously streamed to the web via Stickam and with a co-party in SL as well. It was an outstanding event, very well organised, with over 200 people attending in RL.
Japanese SL Live musicians who played live in RL included Solary Clary and Gold Seventeen. Famed Japanese producer/guitarist Hatake-san of Sharam-Q finished off the proceedings with his production of "Low Spec Woman" followed by a blues jam congratulating MagSL - which I was kindly invited to blow some harp on!
Japanese Story here Google Translated version here
...
Ambient Trance Blues
Komuso, December 12/03/07, 2007
comments: 0
I did a gig last night at Eolus Lounge. I've been working on some real time distributed jam collaborations using Ninjam, and for the last 20 minutes introduced a new genre of Ambient Trance Blues with MoShang Zhao live from Taiwan on windcontroller. I played Shakuhachi [it has a natural blues scale!], harmonica and eBow slide guitar.
Catch it on the song page here as track "Ambient Trance Blues Jam" [down the bottom or select on the radio].
Hola! Check the songs page to download some live cuts from recent gigs.
Rattlesnake Moan, SL Boogie, and St James Infirmary in all their sonic harmonic noisy jamminess
cu in the bitstream soon, kt
Enter Komuso's SL House Rent Boogie Tour #2
Komuso, October 10/11/07, 2007
comments: 0
Komuso's SL House Rent Boogie Tour #2 - Starting sooooon! Does your house have asses that need to be kicked? You know it does! Submit your entry to the House Rent Boogie tour now!
PLEASE READ: YOU MUST FILL THIS IN AND EMAIL IT TO ME AT -> komuso at sonicviz dot com [replace at and dot with @ and .] I WILL ONLY ACCEPT EMAIL SUBMISSIONS. ------------------------------------------------ Conditions of entry 1. NO Venues or business locations - profit OR nonprofit - eligible 2. Houses only - could be anything from an empty sim, beach shack, treehouse, mansion, skybox .... whatever. 3. Did I say it's a HOUSE RENT BOOGIE Tour? see point 2. 4. You must be able to change the media stream on your land parcel 5. You must be located in a sim of reasonable performance able to host up to 40 avatars 6. You must be able to provide reasonable security precautions against blingtards and greifers 7. You will need to supply an email address to communicate and finalize bookings in the...
Filthy and Komuso boogie RL&SL!
Komuso, September 09/26/07, 2007
comments: 0
On Sept 14th Filthy Fluno (aka Jeffrey Lipsky) and I did a very innovative SecondLife to RealLife dual gig at his exhibition opening party in Lowell, Ma.
Filthy installed a kick **** sound system in the gallery, we ended up with ~50 people in RL and 60+ at the Artropolis stage in SL, kindly built out by Esch Snoats in record time the day before!
I keep getting asked if I have cd's for sale and I keep saying...soon, as I'm still writing material and playing with arrangements. I'm primarily a live musician anyway, and doing stuff off the cuff is what I do...sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. I do record every gig I play, but for various reasons I can't release these...I use them for debrief purposes primarily, but I am starting to make available selected live cuts for free download. The reality is with current technology anyone listening to a live online gig can also record it. [Interestingly that totally subverts the recording industry value chain model, including digital download stores.] Anyways..here's my official policy on taping of live shows in SecondLife or any other emerging metaverse platform. I follow the dictum set down by the Grateful Dead and their Tapers policy, slightly upgraded with a modern CC license: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grateful_Dead#Tapers In short: "The...
New Machinima Music Video up
Komuso, August 08/06/07, 2007
comments: 0
Even Cyborgs get the Blues!
Check out the first installment on the video page.
Da Shiz?
Komuso, July 07/18/07, 2007
comments: 0
The ever amusing SL Herald has some nice comments in their recent article on me. Looks like I'll have to boost my security to handle the griefer infux though.
What with viewer crashes + sim crashes + stream crashes ++ all the other regular tech hassles of doing an SL live music performance I thought my plate was full already. Ah well...onwards, upwards, sideways!
Da Shiz: Komuso Tokugawa
by peppermint fizz, seriously cool stuff that's going on desk
In a historic, groundbreaking, academically rigorous, yet fun new feature that someone might conceivably think is serious metaverse journalism - or at least virtual tabloid journalism - here is the seriously cool stuff that's going on desk suggestion for what to do between spamming the Herald comments, crashing sims, and annoying Prokofy. If you like being told of meaningful, fun, or interesting things to do once in a while, leave a comment to that effect, and we'll get a sharper reporter on
A little storm in SL atm on Live musicians who use backing verus those who don't [ie: the pureist music snobs]
I use a combination of sequenced backing using high end vsti, interactive responsive virtual instruments as backing, and no backing. I don't really care if people use backing [there I said it!] but what I do hate is BAD KARAOKE TYPE backing with cheesy synths and other bad timbre instruments and bad rhythmic timing...if you think mine sounds like that...well, so be it.
Onwards!
Tips to breakout of the musical straightjacket.
Komuso, June 06/13/07, 2007
comments: 0
It's tough when you are a self taught musician. At some point you reach a musical brickwall...you keep playing the same riffs over and over, no way to move on.
Usually this is due to two things: Limited musical theory knowledge Limited technique
Ron Holmes has sent me a new Harp Commander III, so I'm giving it a run through its paces as I play around with it in various performance contexts.
Some friends of mine here in Tokyo have the HCI and HCII, though I've only ever played the HCII live once at a jam...and it blew me away.
I did my first SL live gig with it today and it was great!
Stay tuned for more info as I put together a full review of it.
If anyone in Tokyo is reading this I'll be giving it a live run this sunday night when I jam a few with Steve Gardner [delta bluesman from mississippi] and Hisa Nakase [bass] at What the Dickens in Ebisu.
Sl Grid Tour - News and Photo's
Komuso, March 03/14/07, 2007
comments: 0
Tour #1 is finished! What a ride!
Startdate: 18/01/2007 with a housewarming party at my place in cisseps 600m high
Enddate: 08/03/2007 at Callipygian's place in Phang Nga with a dual sim extravaganza.
I added about 200 new people to my group "Komuso's Fans of The Blues" during the tour, and it now sits around 500 people - not big by myspace standards but big for an individual music group in SL.
I've uploaded a couple of photo galleries of recent sl gigs, including the House Rent Boogie tour. More details on the winners for gig and poster competition coming soon.
Hola!
Fresh from the friday night Djork session - a free download of the new version of Amazing Grace I'm working up: http://www.sonicviz.com/music/members/6/music.php
or open my website from my sl profile web tab and hit the media link on the main menu. It's rough, it's raw, it's me!!!
Wow...been a busy month, 19 gigs completed so far for Feb 2007!
I've also been fine tuning my sound as well as preparing some new artificially intelligent rhythm tech for some new forays into my alternative blues jamming style - the BoogieBluesNoise.
The tour has been going very well, now in planning for stage 6 and the final leg...about another 6 or do gigs to book.
I have a bunch more photos to upload to the gallery from the last couple of gigs and will get them up asap.
Take care, cu in the bitstream soon - kt.
Artropolis Sim Opening Photo gallery
Komuso, February 02/16/07, 2007
comments: 0
Pathfinder linden caught some great hi-rez shots of the Artropolis opening .. it was a blast!
The virtual boogie tour is going fantastic!
The second leg starts tomorrow, and it looks like I will be going through till the end of Feb, as I have a bunch more to book and get through. Some very cool locations to play:D
Check the growing collection of pics in the gallery section.
I have also started the Tour poster competition where every gig gets to enter their poster for the event. Prize still tbd, but it will be good! Check the gallery for more of these.
Check the event page for upcoming gigs...cu in the bitstream;-)
House Rent Boogie Tour - Update1
sonicviz, January 01/17/07, 2007
comments: 0
Ok Doki!
Lots of entries..ty everyone!
I'd like to do them all, rl time permitting, but will try to schedule at least 15. Some of the places seem more relaxing, so I've decided to combine it with the release of my new generative ambient relaxation cd's, which are in final production. I'm also producing some generative ambient movies to go with the music.
Stay tuned for further updates as i get the dates and locations finalised.
SecondLife Live Music performance survey
sonicviz, January 01/13/07, 2007
comments: 0
I'm conducting a short survey to gather some information on audience listening experience at SL live music performances.
It seems to me there are more and more dropouts since I started playing back in SL after my break and I would like to start getting some wider feedback.
Komuso on Walkabout - the 2007 "House Rent Boogie Tour" - Entry Form
[Entries close 15th January 2007]
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In the tradition of Itinerant Bluesman everywhere Komuso is going on walkabout and is looking for the best private residential locations on the grid to rest his hat for the night to play for his bed, board, tips, and whisky/machineOil and err...whatever else crosses his path;-)
DO YOU HAVE A COOL HOUSE OR PLACE WHERE YOU WANT TO PARTY? [no clubs/bars/event spaces allowed]
You think you have what it takes to host the noisest low down gutbucket red hot rockin' bottleneck boogie slide n'harp cyborg from the bad side of the bitstream for some "House rent boogie" [1.5+ hours]?
Harpin' Bitchin' Metaverse Machinima Blues - It's up!
Komuso, December 12/24/06, 2006
comments: 0
Kronos Kirokorian sweated pixels to get this out for a xmas release so get it while it's hot - the short but sweet machinima of the first Secondlife Blues n'Roots festival. Check the video link to the right to get it from this site, or alternatively check it out on BlipTV http://komusotokugawa.blip.tv/file/121200/
SL Blues n'Roots #1 - Machinima release party
Komuso, December 12/20/06, 2006
comments: 0
After an extended break with computer failure, RL travel to Nepal, and a house move we finally got the Festival done on the 15th of December.
A number of technical difficulties, such as stream dropouts and login difficulties, made it a little frustrating but enough people stuck with it to party on and listen to the fantastic music from four of the top artists in SL, including a live metajam between Ricardo Sprocket on Piano in Arizona and myself on slide/harp in Tokyo.
However, having been to a number of live shows in sl recently including the NBC one today [where I scored a free signed CD] I have experienced stream dropouts with them as well, so I'm not sure what is happening atm.
Debate about paying for live music shows in SL continues http://slnn.com/index.php/article/about/live-music.html but I think we have shown that it is possible to hold a paying event which is a win win for all concerned. Now if we could just get a stable system....;(
Kronos Kirkorian...
Status Update on Blues n'Roots
Komuso, November 11/12/06, 2006
comments: 0
Well, it looks like my graphics card is fried in the laptop.
Luckily good old M$ WinXP has a neat little service that emulates basic VGA graphics mode when the graphics card cannot be detected. It's pretty blocky and funky graphics, can't do anything which needs more than 4 bit color, but at it least allows me to do some basic work and communicate till I can drop the machine in for service.
As I'm due to fly out Friday 17th Nov and all I can get from the computer support people is "up to a week" to fix it [touch wood] and I need email/web access until I fly out on the 17th, I'm going to drop it off before I leave and enjoy two weeks away from TeH internut.
Hopefully my laptop will be fixed by return on the 2nd, and my new main desktop machine will arrive soon after. I just don't think laptops are built to handle super heavy duty use, and my laptop will drop back to backup/mobile use status.
My Apologies again to the sponsors [circe, breeze, sean], artists [Ricardo,...
Apologies - Sh*t Happens! SL Blues & Roots Postponed.
Komuso, November 11/10/06, 2006
comments: 0
Well, about 2.30 am last night [Tokyo time] just as I was finalising the last few things with circe...my screen suddenly goes all matrix like and kabooom...the dreaded Windows Blue Screen of Death.
After a few safe mode restarts and clearing the graphics driver out I eventually got windows back at 640 x 480 screen size and 4 bit color!
I can't run sl, can't run much...but have managed to get my email and web posting back.
Please bear with me while I try and get this fixed. I'm due to fly out for Nepal on the 17th Nov to 2nd Dec for some business/recording, but have no idea how long it will take to get my machine fixed. I am in the process of getting another machine, but that is still 1-2 months away.
My deepest apologies to the supporters of this event. At the moment all I can offer is to reschedule at some time in the future tba. Your ticket money is safe in my SL account, unfortunately I can't get in to refund should you so wish. I will post updates on this blog as...
The first SL Blues N'Roots festival, a milestone in Secondlife for ticketed music performances, has booked out prior to the event date of 10th November 2006.
Featuring a selection of SL's top Blues N'Roots musicians performing special event sets and real time "MetaJam" collaborations.
Komuso Tokugawa - Slide/Harp BoogieBluesNoise
Charles Bristol Blues Project - Funky Piedmont
BluesNance Brody - BluesRoots Acoustic Guitar/vocals
Ricardo Sprocket- Piano Blues/Vocals
"Actually, the only place I went where few people danced (besides the academic discussion of genocide in the freakishly earnest Neufreistadt) was Saturday nights Metajams party, at which eight live musicians performed in a single audio stream. The crowd stood mostly stock still as Ricardo Sprocket, Komuso Tokugawa and others played a medley of folk-slash-indie rock tunes that were easily as good as anything Ive heard in New York clubs. Better yet: no cover charge."
Actually they had to stay stock still as we had 100 people logged in and performance was maxed out on the server!...
Previous Gigs in rl/sl
Komuso, October 10/26/06, 2006
comments: 0
I posted a list of my sl performance history since I started playing in sl. I started recording all these some time ago as well, so will be trawling through them looking for any that really stand out. Stay tuned! http://www.sonicviz.com/blogs/index.php?catid=10
