Another Flickr toy pic.

Here's the same pic. just in different colors. I think this picture goes better with the blog background xD.

Flickr toys

Here's an image that is similar to a picture I put on a previous post. It's nice how the picture is in puzzle pieces and colorful. :)

DanElectro & Kay Guitars - Ottawa 01 08

DanElectro & Kay Guitars - Ottawa 01 08
Originally uploaded by Mikey G Ottawa

I haven't really mentioned any other instruments besides piano. I like guitar too especially electric since it is the basis for alternative rock and more. I like the shape of guitars and the design on them is energetic in a literal way while the sound from a guitar is energetic in a figurative way. That's the power of a guitar :) This photo was uploaded by Mikey G Ottawa.

music is like coffee

music is like coffee to my senses
Originally uploaded by alvin.lamucho [on and off]

This picture is kind of interesting since it compares coffee and music. The account alvin.lamucho [on and off] said "music is like coffee to my senses." Coffee usually helps adults be more alert so this picture shows that music keeps people alert and energetic throughout the day. It gives some perspective as it shows the relationship between coffee and music.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Music and earphones

let the music play (explored)
Originally uploaded by . n e h a .

This image is called "let the music play (explored)" by Henry Giles. I like it since music notes are coming out of the ear phone and also the photo is taken on a neutral background. Everything blends in well so I hope you guys enjoy this picture too! :)

I love this picture :)

I really like this picture! The girl is listening to music, relaxing, and also thinking about life. I love the little chibi character on the left of her. :)

Something to read...

I was just browsing through this and I found some of the book interesting since it questions the relationship between life and music. Here is the link if you are interested in reading more about their relationships and how people have tried to connect instruments and life.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yg0UAAAAYAAJ&dq=music+and+life&printsec=frontcover&source=bll&ots=4OAyBCdwL1&sig=nc8bpJROGC-CohF2HxIyzPXFLmg&hl=en&ei=UfKySoi8EYPMsQPkvPjRDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=18#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Here is another article about using your body and emotions to illustrate something important about life through music.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/17/AR2009091701384.html

Fun things to do!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/s=funzone/fun/bng/ - this link leads you to a website where you can type a word and it'll find bands related to the word! It's a great way of finding bands you might like :) .

http://p22.com/musicfont/ - this link leads you to a website where you can type in sentences, phrases, or even just reflect and you can generate your "lyrics" into whatever kind of music you feel like. It's a great way of reflecting and fun to create your own "song".

Music and Nature

I like how the creator of this image incorporated music notes in a flower. It really gives it a love emotion which I mentioned in my previous posts.

Simplicity

See how simple piano seems? That's why I love the instrument. It's so elegant, pure, and soft in its own way.

Piano

Here is another way of how music is apart of my life. I play piano and I'm still currently learning in level 3. My friend is playing at level 7 and beyond- I think level 7 is the highest you can go. She's really good at piano and she's really serious about it (keep on going!). I'm trying to get really serious about piano but I only play a song for 15 min. a day. I should be practicing an hour if I really want to be a true pianist! Though I'm learning from a book, I'm also trying to learn River Flows in your by Yiruma. My friend played that and wow!- she's like Yiruma's sister or else :). I'm struggling to learn it but even though it's difficult for me to play I'm still enjoying the song. I think that's one of my favorite piano pieces right now. You should check it out if you haven't heard of it. I don't know but I've never met a person who can't agree that piano music is beautiful. It's just so graceful...soft...I mean it might not be someone's favorite genre but how can't someone appreciate it when its put them to sleep? In River Flows in Your, it's a little bit hard matching up the notes and playing it fast yet not too fast, Yiruma makes it like a lullaby. All the notes sound as if they were one and it sounds really simple and loving. I think piano is the best kind of music that expresses sadness thoroughly. I mean if you think about it, there are so sad lyrics but how can someone understand the love and sadness in it when its playing with an upbeat song? Maybe there are a few songs that aren't piano based but sound sad. I don't know but I can always feel the sorrow and love in a piano song. There is another song by Yiruma called Kiss the Rain. The emotions represented by the song are dejection, bleakness, and hidden. Piano effectively communicates love's sadness...and even the sadness and stillness of a winter night. I'm looking out my window and all I can see is fog and hear the soft whoosh of rain. That's piano to me. Its a sign of sadness and love. It's only a wish for comfort and a sound of tears.

Reflection and Music

Sometimes I just listen to all the songs on my Ipod or go on Youtube and listen to songs I use to love listening to. Right now I'm listening to Whenever you remember by Carrie Underwood and it reminds me of when I graduated from middle school. I sang this song with three other friends and it was really fun. As I'm listening to this song, my feelings are confused. I feel nostalgic in the way I miss my friends (they were really good friends- especially one of them and I better start praying to God that we don't stop being best friends). I'm also reminiscing about my teachers, funny moments...you might think I'm not sad and I'm just saying it. But really when you're close to friends that makes the whole graduation death. That's the power of love...but songs make you reflect on scenes and collect feelings you felt at that moment. And that's the power of music. Sometimes you try to rely on memory to remember feelings but you see its not possible most of the time. That's why songs are amazing- somehow your feelings are hidden in the words and when you hear them, it feels as if your back in time. "We claimed the brightest stars and we, we came so far no they won't forget..." I remember smiling at my friends while singing that line. Flashbacks of my friends laughing so hard we were crying, obsessing over different things, studying for tests together...I'm not sure if I want to listen to music that reminds me of the things I've lost and left behind but I appreciate music being able to remind me of my feelings. See how effective music is when it comes to remembering? I always thought I wouldn't be able to remember any of feelings I had with my friends. And now when I think about it, I'm happy I can recollect happiness with them even if afterwards I feel sad. I'm always going to miss those times but I can rely on music to bring me back to those times. Music helps you reflect on life and the many things you've forgotten but are important. Music will never let you forget.

If you were interested in listening to Whenever you Remember here's the video. Really listen to it, maybe it'll be your graduation song.

Favorite Songs

What is your favorite song, artist, or genre of music? Does it match up to one of the following- hip hop, alternative rock, rap, country, heavy metal, or classical music? It probably is one of the those unless there is something besides those. I mentioned in a previous post (dance and music) that dance helps communicate the meaning of the song which explains a part of life. That is the point of songs- they are like a speech communicating some important universal ethic that is hidden in the world. We usually find a favorite song when we hear it- in other words we don't find favorite songs based on lyrics first. After hearing it a couple times on Youtube you decided to download it from Itunes onto your Ipod or other mp3player and you listen to it wherever and whenever. Maybe you listen to it on the way home or right before you go to bed. It's simply stuck in your head and you realize you are addicted. Then you start singing it around your friends and you aren't even aware of the meaning behind the lyrics. They're just words but really if you devote time to actually look up the lyrics and read them then you'll know what kind of mind frame you have. Lyrics express your thoughts and explain some part of your life. Songs are like stories in a way. That's why there are theme songs for books. I'm not sure if anyone seemed to notice, but when you're addicted to a song I think it's simply because your going through a similar story as the song portrays. But in order to realize that you have to take time to decipher the lyrics and the relationship between life and the lyrics. For instance, if your depressed and feeling lost you'd probably listen to depressing songs. When you feel energetic, you would listen to upbeat songs (I suggest Fully Alive- Flyleaf). Recently I was addicted to No Boundaries sung by Kris Allen. Adam Lambert did another version of the song and though he is a good singer I prefer listening to Kris's version since he has the right mood and tone for the song. But here's the main point- here are some of my favorite lyrics of the song:

No Boundaries
Seconds hours so many days
You know what you want but how long can you wait
Every moment last forever if you feel you've lost your way
What if my chances are already gone
Started believing that I could be wrong
But you give me one good reason
To fight and never walk away

Cause here I am — still holding on

Every step you climb another mountain
Every breathe it's harder to believe

You'll make it through the pain
Weather the hurricane
To get to that one thing

When you think the road is going nowhere
Just when you've almost gave up on your dreams
Then take it by the hand and show you that you can

You can go higher
You can go deeper
There are no boundaries
Above and beneath you
Break every rule cause there's nothing between you
And your dreams

(http://www.lyricsty.com/lyrics/k/kris_allen/no_boundaries.html)

So you see how inspiring that song is? Maybe some of you won't find it inspiring but it really is inspiring to me. I just began high school and I'm already able to see all the struggles it will take to attain my dream of getting accepted into a prestigious college. It's really important to find songs that encourage you to reach your goal. Songs that cuss and say the negative aren't going to provide any light for you. It only changes your mind and brings you down with it. Letting a song take the best of you and changing your personality isn't respecting you. It's important that we make the decisions for ourselves and not let music steer our life. But music is always great when it comes to expressing your feelings for awhile or just relaxing! I hope you guys carry away this important message: If you listen to songs, look the lyrics up. Think about what you want to be in life and compare your dreams to the lyrics and see if they have any semblance.

Music and Dance

I wanted to start off with some basic examples of how music influences my life. I've been learning Indian classical Kathak dance fora couple of years now. I've been learning with a group of others around my age and it's been really fun! We're going to be performing soon around the end of September and other cultural dances will be there. I don't practice a lot though, I should be practicing an hour a day. But I love kathak since it is really graceful and there are a lot of beats in the music piece we're learning. But the most important part- here is the connection between dance and music. Without music, there could be no dance right? Dance is all about beats, following through to the correct rhythm and matching the movements with the tone of the song. For instance, someone can't dance hip hop to piano song (e.g. fur else- Beethoven). In Kathak, the beats are really prominent and the footwork and hand movements are in synchronization with the beats. Expression on the face is crucial to displaying the manner of music and as my dance teacher always suggested "smile!". A smile can make a great difference as the audience can absorb the happiness represented by the dancers and music. The beats in Kathak are tig dha dig dig tig dha dig dig (there other ways to say it). Music is the key to keeping dance in correct balance and orderly timing. It's like theory in science- gravitational force is what keeps all the planets synchronized in order and orbiting in their correct paths. Without this force, all the planets would crash into each other and not follow the path placed for them. The universe wouldn't function properly and nothing would make sense. That's how dance and music work. If the dance doesn't follow the beats of the music it is following, no one would understand how it relates and probably wouldn't get the meaning of it. But if everything is done in balance, that is dance follows the tone of the music, the full meaning of the music is captured. And to understand music means people can find a correlation and connection between the lyrics of the music piece and life. Usually, people take dance just to exercise or just to have fun with friends but really dance is another way of helping our mind to grasp the full meaning of life. Below is an example of kathak. The actress is Aishwarya Rai and this music video is from Devdas. If you watch closely, there are a lot of graceful hand movements in which the hand is twisting and shows a lot. In the background, there are people speaking beats (bols). The dancers follow the rhythm and use expression to explain the tone of the event. Though we (the group I'm in) don't dance in saris, the outfits they are wearing are called saris and I really find them pretty! Hope this video really gives you an idea of kathak and enjoy! :)