| VIDEO: album under construction part 10/10 |
[Sep. 29th, 2009|10:40 pm] |
The last song is called "The End of a Planet". I am wearing a Ninja Hat I got when I went to the Anime North 2009 Convention. I wear this hat when I garden and that is why I am a NINJA GARDENER as stated in my YouTube profile!
And thus marks the end of this video series called "Album Under Construction". What next??? What to do next? What is up my sleeve???
Please wait for NAVEL4EVE's debut full length album called "Go Home" to come out. It will happen. |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 9/10 |
[Sep. 23rd, 2009|12:18 am] |
This one is called "Sex in Armour". It took forever to tone those guitars and so I kept giving up. I think they are shaping up well enough for me to continue to produce this song with guitars which is how I've always wanted to produce this song. The snare was another headache... Anyway, I'm too tired to think of anything else I want to say.
Oh yeah, the song I am playing in the video I made about my new guitar is for this song "Sex in Armour". |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 8/10 |
[Sep. 15th, 2009|10:15 pm] |
Here is classic NAVEL4EVE tune called "Sex Makes Babies". This is an example of a really short song that can be produced to be longer by making not one but TWO refrains. Have a listen to the singer/songwriter version which has only one refrain. Later, when the album is done, listen to "Sex Makes Babies" and you will hear TWO refrains where one was copied+pasted in a strategic place to make it a verse-chorus-verse-chorus song. I am more than happy to share this producer tip with budding producers around the world. We cannot improve without knowledge.
Actually, Gabogenix (a codename I gave to a person who used to take part in Livejournal) gets credit for suggesting I make refrains from the lyrics "sex makes babies come on". This was back when I put very little thought into song structure. Live and learn, folks!
In this video, I am playing on the stairs. That's how I'm able to hold the guitar like that. |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 7/10 |
[Sep. 8th, 2009|10:36 pm] |
Here is "Some Song". I should've stopped right away and done a second take after I figured out the chords. But that's not how I roll when I need to get things done quickly. The clip at the end... I was curious to see what it would sound like with guitars. I would like it to have guitars, but the final result will probably be more like the SEX MAKES SONG ep version just cuz the bassline I want to use does not work with the rhythm of the guitars.
Please keep in mind that all of the guitars for all these songs were done years ago. I currently do not have the equipment to record which is a shame cuz I'd for sure tune the guitar before recording if I were to record new parts. |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 6/10 |
[Sep. 2nd, 2009|12:04 am] |
Back to the album... which is taking way too long, btw. Here is part 6 of 10 and the BAG Girl is singing a little ditty called "Lovely Ugly" which is a pretty difficult song to produce, let me tell ya. But later. Like when I'm done with the album. I'll tell ya why this song is so difficult to produce. Okay, I'll just say it's because the reverb is printed onto the vocals. I'll elaborate later.
Just how difficult is it to produce this song? Well, let's just say that it probably won't sound robot rocking like the studio clip that is at the end of this video. Or it might. It depends on how I'm feeling. Like, am I feeling the Duran Duran bassline or not. Right. It's not even a real bass guitar, but don't tell anyone. It is a result of laziness. And will TRANSFORMERS 3 come out and make me feel even more embarrassed to like robots? Right. It depends on how I'm feeling. This is music, folks. It is influenced by feelings. |
|
|
| VIDEO: new guitar |
[Aug. 25th, 2009|11:34 pm] |
I got a brand new guitar! It came in a cardboard box and everything!! But there was no user manual :(
This time, I actually put some thought into it before buying = I thought about how black and cool it looked. HAHA! I know that's exactly the same thing I thought when I bought my last guitar, but this time it was different. This time, the store didn't have it in stock so I couldn't do any impulse buying and so I had to wait and think about it as I waited for them to get it in the store. What happened was, the store showed me a picture of a black vintage looking guitar because I said I really liked how the black Fender Jaguar re-issue looked, but couldn't afford it. So I was presented with this BLACK REVEREND DOUBLE AGENT because it was also black and vintage looking. But they presented me with just a picture of it - on the internet, nonetheless - because they were waiting on a shipment to get in. This was two months ago. And I had this picture open on my internet browser ever since then... Which is weird because I'm not the type who gets excited about guitars. But I couldn't stop thinking of how BADASS I'd look posing with this guitar.
Here's a video of me and the guitar. I also rock out on it, but forget that because, in this video, I am actually TALKING. This is a MILESTONE. I believe this would be considered a VLOG. So it's my very first VLOG! I am also wearing a RED shirt. I get a lot of attention when I wear clothes that are not black. Even when I wear grey it's a shock. I wish I had worn another shirt because now whenever I wear this red shirt, it'll seem like I have no new clothes because I'm wearing the same shirt as in this video.
One other tidbit... this guitar has a humbucker pickup as well as a single coil pickup. Another MILESTONE: my very first humbucker guitar!!! Like I even care. Actually, I do care because now I can use distortion without getting a lot of crappy noise like my other guitar which is a piece of shit, seriously. People who've played it always tell me to replace the pickups because they are shitty and in my head I'm thinking "Wouldn't it be easier to just buy another guitar?".
p.s. 1 day later, that picture of me... I am so sorry for posting it. It is scaring me even. |
|
|
| boy at the salon |
[Aug. 3rd, 2009|06:58 pm] |
The other day, my sister and I went to get our hair done at a Chinese hair salon. I did this because the last time I went to get my hair done at a Chinese hair salon, I was more than satisfied with the results and it cost only $57 for a cut and colour. This time, something queer was going on... and I had NO IDEA until the following day when I reflected on what exactly happened at the Chinese hair salon.
Basically, we believe that the entire salon thought I was a boy. I know this sounds ludicrous, but when things like this happen to me, I have to remember that, even if 2008 was the year I became girly, I am still a bit androgynous to the general public. That is the sad truth. Here's a list.
#1 MY BOOBS WERE HIDDEN
Obviously, the entire time I was wearing a hair cutting cape.
CONCLUSION: It took me awhile to realize this played a large part in the mistaken gender identity. The cape hid my chest.
#2 MY CHEST WAS FLAT
I was wearing a tank top under my shirt because my shirt was a little see-through.
CONCLUSION: I am aware that, when I wear a tank top, it flattens my chest.
#3 I HAVE THE PHYSIQUE OF A TEENAGER
Like the body of someone who has not fully developed.
CONCLUSION: This could go both ways as girls and boys have similar body-types before puberty.
#4 I LOOK LIKE A TEENAGER
Braces and acne.
CONCLUSION: These two physical traits are generally associated with teenagers.
#5 I AM A STYLISH ASIAN
Asian boys tend to be effeminate and weak looking. And "fresh off the boat" these days means you only wear boutique clothes.
CONCLUSION: Some could say these are sure signs of an Asian FOB teenage boy.
#6 I WAS NOT WEARING MAKE-UP
I never wear make-up. This has always been a thing of mine. I just never got into make-up because I think make-up makes me look like a drag queen.
CONCLUSION: Boys generally do not wear make-up.
#7 THE HAIRDRESSER KEPT GIVING ME MEN'S MAGAZINES
He gave me a copy of GQ and Maxim which I didn't even touch... well, except for the GQ as it had Zac Efron on the cover and I just saw 17 AGAIN the other day.
CONCLUSION: Men's magazines are for guys. My sister was given women's magazines, see...
#8 THE HAIRDRESSER LET ME FLIP THROUGH A JAPANESE MAGAZINE FULL OF MEN'S HAIRSTYLES
I thought this was because my hair was too short to be given a normal woman's haircut. Also, the hairdresser kept referring to how a punky cut and colour would suit my style. I mean, I thought it was odd that he used a men's hair magazine for ideas, but I was just going with the flow that day.
CONCLUSION: The hairdresser thought I was a guy.
#9 MY TOTAL CAME OUT TO BE CHEAPER THAN MY SISTER'S
I got a haircut, hair colour, and hair products. Yet still, I ended up paying less than my sister who got just a hair colour. I was certain this was because she had longer hair.
CONCLUSION: The receptionist and the entire hair salon thought I was a guy. Otherwise, they would've charged me more. But it looks like I got a discount as I was paying for a men's cut and colour. lol
The only thing that I could not figure out was, why did no one think my voice sounded really girly?
CONCLUSION: They thought I was a gay teenage boy. I mean, I also got my eyebrows done recently, so draw your own conclusions!
In conclusion, usually I get upset when I get mistaken for a boy. But because I got a discount for being a man, I WIN. BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 2/10 |
[Jul. 25th, 2009|01:18 am] |
This one's called "Reigndear". Again, there is a clip of the studio version at the end. I am still working on all of these songs so the studio versions in these videos are not final. I also realize that I should add reverb or something... and the drummer has three arms. |
|
|
| VIDEO: album under construction part 1/10 |
[Jul. 21st, 2009|10:48 pm] |
Check this video out. It's the BAG Girl and her awesome singing and guitar playing!
As you can see from the title, this is part 1 of 10. I am making a debut full length album and this song "Go Home" is #1. Watch to the end to hear a clip of the studio version.
Do you see family pictures in the background? Well, that one of me is this picture:
One thing I noticed since getting braces is my mouth got smaller, right, because they pulled out EIGHT TEETH!!! Wow, talk about overcrowded mouth. So NO MORE BIG MOUTH like in this picture that was taken in 2003. BIG MOUTH IS GONE! I think it's funny that this picture of me was chosen as a gift for my grandma... Also, in this picture, I was working on my debut full length album when I was living in Montreal. Remember I said this picture was taken in 2003? That's right, this album has taken me 6 years to make (so far). How slow is that.
p.s. The other day I said I got carpal tunnel in my left arm from playing guitar for my "tour". Well, guess what. I got carpal tunnel in my right arm from using the stupid computer mouse. Double armed carpal tunnel! How do I function??? |
|
|
| VIDEO: summer tour 2009 trailer |
[Jul. 19th, 2009|12:16 am] |
Here is a trailer of NAVEL4EVE'S SUMMER TOUR 2009 that happened yesterday. I got carpal tunnel in my left arm from playing guitar for this tour. I'm sure I have a lot to say about the tour, but I forget everything already.
FYI, all ten songs for the upcoming debut full length album are in this trailer. To tell the songs apart, I am in different spots for each song (the shots with the cat don't count). You will notice that, for each song that will be on the album, I had either uploaded an audio or video clip to one of my NAVELTRON social websites in the past. Although, I have since removed the ones that have not been officially released.
I may upload the Summer Tour 2009 performances of each song at a later date. I think they're too good to not share. |
|
|
| upcoming tour |
[Jul. 17th, 2009|03:55 pm] |
I nearly forgot about this. I'll be on tour. That's a flyer I made myself, btw. I made it like right now because I just now remembered I was supposed to do a Summer Tour 2009. I'll be promoting my new album. But my album is not even finished... I believe it's at around 60% done.
Man, I can't even joke about this tour anymore. The tour's already done! I have videos, so stick around!! |
|
|
| so close to a smackdown |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|11:31 pm] |
I've been working on a novel, right. It sounds laughable, but that is what I've been doing lately besides working on a debut full length album. I go back and forth when I need a break from one. So now it's out in the open, I am an aspiring novelist who doesn't even read novels, but I will start reading novels since I don't even know how one goes about structuring these things so I need examples and everything...
...and I just about gave up today with my novel writing.
Today on some kind of Yahoo news page thingie that appears after I log-out of my email, I read about a movie that MADE ME CURSE UP AND DOWN THE STREET. This movie is called JENNIFER'S BODY and the summary reads as such:
"a cheerleader possessed by a boy-hating demon."
This made me drop the f-bomb like you don't even know and flip the bird a few times at the computer screen. This happened in a professional working environment, so you can imagine how upset I was to have shown emotion in public.
I've been writing almost non-stop for the past few months - actually, I wrote about this in my Livejournal when I took a month hiatus from music to write a novel. I had this idea brewing for quite some time. The idea was pretty much what that line up there says except she's not a cheerleader and it's not really a demon inside her and the not-quite-a-demon doesn't hate boys and my story has Robots+CoolShit. After I think about it, it's not really like my idea - but still, when I read about that movie, I wanted to destroy something. I'm sure all you people who've ever tried to write a novel have experienced the same thing, so there is no need for me to express how I was made to feel as I can't find the words anyway which means I need to read more books if I am ever to know how to write something decent.
There was a trailer so I checked it out and... THANK GAWD it is NOTHING like my story. OMG. That was a close one. When the cheerleader started eating human flesh == AHAHA. How old skool is that idea? Demons eating human flesh - pish! And the cheerleader wasn't even blonde like my character who is not even a cheerleader. And mine doesn't have any people wearing eyeglasses because they don't need them in a world that has Robots+CoolShit. SO CLOSE. I am so glad I decided to watch that trailer otherwise I would've given up on life for a bit, cursing the team that brought us JUNO. Oh wait, I already cursed the team that brought us JUNO *FOR* bringing us JUNO. But do not make fun of indie movies as they haven't got the budget to be any better. Okay guys, keep that in mind when I release my indie album. |
|
|
| that sneaky livejournal |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|09:07 am] |
You know what I just discovered? When you click on an external link to a Livejournal, it takes you to a screen where it looks like you have to sign up in order to read it. That is really sneaky of you, Livejournal. By having an account with Livejournal, I feel like I am taking part in something dishonest. Shame on you, Livejournal! Every time I click on the link to view comments on a post and see an ad, it makes me not like you much. And that option to disable comments, what is up with that?
I hope everyone's keeping up with my Twitter. It's so much easier to be there than be here where it's dishonest and wile. |
|
|
| Michael Jackson |
[Jul. 7th, 2009|08:09 pm] |
I was saving these tidbits for when the time was right. I think that time is better now than any time in the future.
Michael Jackson died. I didn't get to watch the memorial today on TV due to my day job, but just thinking about how emotional I would've gotten makes me cry. I am one of those people who seem to have no emotions including sad ones. Well, what that leads to is a bottling up of emotions right and, when given any reason to cry like when I look up at the blue sky and see how beautiful it is, it makes my face water. But at least I don't sob uncontrollably like some relatives of mine...
Here is a list of Michael Jackson and me:
-all my life, I never had idols. Except when I was a kid Michael Jackson was my first and last idol.
-the first album I got was "Thriller".
-I can count all the times I got in trouble in school on two fingers. The first time was during daycare when I was re-enacting the zombie dance from "Thriller" and the teacher yelled at me to get off the floor (I was playing dead)
-this one doesn't involve me, but we had a daycare talent show in the locker/nap room and THIS WILL BURN IN MY BRAIN UNTIL I'M DEAD one girl did a dance to "Beat It", did some MJ backwards dance move until she fell into an open locker and I went BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
-I started (break)dancing because of Michael "Wanna Be Startin' Something"
-I got a (fake) leather jacket to be like Mike. Nothing special, but boy was I pissed when the adults put it on my cousin and were saying how good it looked on him and maybe he should get one too.
-my first ever performance was singing "Beat It" and "Billy Jean" with my sister at weddings
I hope so much that someone who videotaped those performances comes to this journal, reads this entry, and sends me a video file on a thumbdrive (not betamax thanks). Here are some words that will help with Googling: lao, laos, laotian, wedding, ottawa, hockey arena, gymnasium, school gym, kid singers, getting totally drunk and pouring beer on a kid singer's head, wedding band, michael jackson, cover, beat it, billy jean, ninja breakdancing
Michael Jackson "Beat It" music video
The dance move at 4:25-4:30. Just picture a pre-schooler doing this until she ends up falling into an open locker. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Actually, I think she was in kindergarten so, you know, where was my respect for my elders? I would love to paint an evil kid picture of myself, but to be fair EVERYONE was laughing their asses off including the teachers and parents and the dancing girl herself who got up and finished the routine like a pro. I also remember, when she started the dance and "Beat It" started to play, I was like "Someone else likes Michael Jackson?".
Also, Facebook failed me on this one as I am still wondering "whatever happened to...". If your name is Evan (like E-vaughn), email me. I was your best friend in daycare. We both loved Michael Jackson, but you actually got the official red Thriller jacket. And now that I think about it, I think your name was actually Yvon and you were a French kid.
R.I.P. Michael Jackson. You were truly great to many. |
|
|
| twitter |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|08:46 am] |
I just created a Twitter account on July 1st Canada Day. It took me long enough because I had no idea how it worked. But now I know...
...It is so much easier to post updates when there's a 140 character limit. I don't have to worry about grammar and spelling and I can even typ lik dis flks and no one will criticize my English as it is understood that updates must be 140 or less characters.
My goal is to update it at least once a day. So far, I have kept it up.
Please "follow": http://twitter.com/navel4eve
If anyone else has a Twitter account, let me know and I will "follow" you!
My next question is when I start following a bunch of people and their updates, how is that any fun to read so many updates??? It will indeed prove annoying, mark my words. So, that is one part of Twitter that I have yet to grasp.
CHARACTER COUNT ON THIS ENTRY: more than 140 which means I am now late with my day (was that bad grammar?) |
|
|
| making a CD (possible) |
[Jun. 23rd, 2009|10:04 pm] |
I need to share this because it's really exciting to me. I AM COMPLETING NAVEL4EVE'S FULL LENGTH DEBUT ALBUM! I have a good feeling it will be released in 2009. I am currently making an Excel Spreadsheet with charts to mark my deadlines. haha. I have calculated my progress == the music is 16% complete. Oh wait, I miscalculated because that included the mastering stage which I shouldn't even bother counting since it won't be my no-mastering skilled self mastering this album.
I am 21% done. According to my spreadsheet, I should be done by July 11. We'll see, we'll see... And then it gets mastered which shouldn't take that long since it won't be my slowass self doing it, right. Should I even be revealing my secrets like this? I don't see any other bands talking about their album progress with percentages...
Here's a thought with substance... do people still buy CDs? Is there any point in making CDs when you're an indie band in this online digital day and age with ipods? Do people even still use ipods? Like, who's going to buy these CDs if I make them? I know I'll have to give a bunch away for free to promote the album blahblahblah. Like, I don't know if I'll be able to sell even 7 of them. I made another Excel spreadsheet and discovered I would have to sell 62 CDs to break even if I were to make 100 CDs and sell 80 for 200 CDs and 91 for 300, etc. What if I made just 10? Someone gave me advice and said to make just 10. Okay, so I'll make 10, but then I'd have to sell them at $50 or so each to cover all the expenses. Would anyone buy a CD for $50? What about $100? Then I could make $1,000. That'd be nice. I could use the extra money to make some merch FINALLY!
That's another thing, how much do CDs sell for these days? I'm sure inflation has happened since I last bought a CD in 2003 for $10. It was a local indie CD, though, so I am pretty sure CDs sold for more. Like, I remember buying CDs over $30 and I would end up listening to only one song. And I'd buy more to collect them all. Then I stopped when I learned that 3 more albums were released and old albums were getting re-issued with new covers and, frankly, I didn't want to play this game anymore. I'm talking about all of Edward Ka-spel's projects such as Legendary Pink Dots, Tear Garden, Edward Ka-spel, and even Mimir which was a 50 minute CD of ONE song. OMG, never again. Also, where did I get the money to buy CDs? My sister and I keep wondering this. I had ONE summer job all through high school. I'm going on a tangent, but that just made me realize that I didn't go to summer school for one summer. But wait! That was also the summer I discovered the Legendary Pink Dots :D Cleaning the shelves at the University's librariessss. And, I found a gay porno mag lodged between the pages of a book. I still have that porno mag...
CLASSIC TUNE!!!!!
I plan on rewarding the completion of my album by playing GOD OF WAR on the PS2. Stay tuned! |
|
|
| MILESTONE: hiatus |
[Jun. 14th, 2009|12:00 am] |
I just took a month long hiatus from making music. This is my first hiatus ever. It's over now, so no one should be crying because I'm on hiatus. Because I'm not anymore. I know that I've gone through months without making music before, but that doesn't count as that was just me procrastinating. This time, I took a month off. Why? To write a novel. That is all I'm going to say about that.
Now, I am back to making music because I got inspired to do the technical stuff that I hate so much. I went down to my basement studio today and did some mixing with the speakers turned on. I haven't done that since I mixed my first EP "gogogo" in 2002. Can you believe that? The past two EPs were mixed using headphones. The truth comes out! It's because neighbours suck. But now that I live in a house, I can finally make music with the speakers turned on. Here's something weird, I live in a house but sometimes I can hear the neighbours' music (it's actually Rock Band/Guitar Hero) through the walls like in an apartment building. But I don't hear any music when I go outside to check it out. I don't get it. And sometimes my sister can hear a duck quacking.
Mixing with speakers. It's awesome. Unlike mixing with headphones which can be tricky because it always ends up sounding like crap. I got so much accomplished today. This whole time I could've had more songs done if only I had turned on the speakers. I've lived in this house since last September (almost 10 months ago) and only now did I turn on my speakers to make music. I know I am lazy, but that is pretty bad. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
navel4eve's journal