Ok, it's not that bad. I have had some problems here and there which is fine as they seem to be going through growing pains. However, I was greatly annoyed to discover that they alter mp3s that are uploaded. I don't mean the obvious re-encoding but the volume level is dropped. I think they RMS normalize all the music they have which means that all the tracks played should sound more or less the same loudness. However, what happens is that my mp3s are 6-7db quieter than what they should be. Keep in mind that a 6db increase is perceived as twice the volume. There is no mention of this anywhere when you go to upload music. I had to accidentally discover it. So, all the time I have had free downloads available through them, people have been getting inferior versions of the tunes. EVERY musician pays for somebody to 'master' their music which is basically carefully maximizing the loudness of the music. Good amounts of money are spent on this process only to have it compromised with their system. But, it's okay. It just means I will have to host the mp3s and at a higher bitrate because I can! This is how it should have been all along anyways. So, just go to gabino.org and then to music to find them.
March 2008 Archives
Well, it has been awhile since I last blogged. I am not really a man of words so we will chock it up to that. I've decided to let everyone in on what I have been up to in case somebody actually cares.
I used to live in New York City and did the whole music school to gigs to corporate shit job to losing my soul and mind routine. It took me nine years but I decided to move back home where I could live MUCH more cheaply and work on a follow-up album. The album Injured took me about 3 years to complete with the little spare time I had. The idea was to move to Texas and not take so long this time. So it seems that I should have something complete this year :) However, I am starting to believe that no one actually buys music or really gives a shit about it. It is all free for download and who cares if Mr. Obscure Indie Artist spent a thousand hours to put it together. I am okay with this and therefore will be releasing my music for free. This approach has made me realize that I don't need to wait to release it all en masse. I can do it one song at a time if I desire. I am in control. I have never sent a demo cd to a record label because I have wanted that control. In the end, it benefits you dear listener.
So, to kick off this little experiment, I present my first song that I have finished since arriving. It is a song about a man named Malachi Ritscher. A frustrated individual struggling with his conscience while watching the United States plunge into wars. On Novemeber 3rd of 2006, he doused himself with gasoline and lit himself on fire during the morning commute off of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. He left a sign that said," Thou Shalt Not Kill." Despite being one of a handful of Americans who have self-immolated, his story went largely unreported. If you would like to learn more, check out the website that introduced me to his story: IHeardYouMalachi.com
I encourage others to find a way to tell his story if you support his message. For me, music is my gift and so I used it as such. However, as helpless as we sometimes may feel, we all have the power to do something meaningful if we are just willing to be still and listen to the heart.
Now for the tune in 192k mp3 glory:
Gabino - I Heard You, Malachi.mp3
You never wanted to pretend
You couldn't even in the end
So what do you say?
What do we do now?
You doused yourself in liquid hate
To save the world from the war and its fate
So what do you say?
What do we do now?
Malachi
I Heard Your Cry
and I am not the only one!
I used to live in New York City and did the whole music school to gigs to corporate shit job to losing my soul and mind routine. It took me nine years but I decided to move back home where I could live MUCH more cheaply and work on a follow-up album. The album Injured took me about 3 years to complete with the little spare time I had. The idea was to move to Texas and not take so long this time. So it seems that I should have something complete this year :) However, I am starting to believe that no one actually buys music or really gives a shit about it. It is all free for download and who cares if Mr. Obscure Indie Artist spent a thousand hours to put it together. I am okay with this and therefore will be releasing my music for free. This approach has made me realize that I don't need to wait to release it all en masse. I can do it one song at a time if I desire. I am in control. I have never sent a demo cd to a record label because I have wanted that control. In the end, it benefits you dear listener.
So, to kick off this little experiment, I present my first song that I have finished since arriving. It is a song about a man named Malachi Ritscher. A frustrated individual struggling with his conscience while watching the United States plunge into wars. On Novemeber 3rd of 2006, he doused himself with gasoline and lit himself on fire during the morning commute off of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. He left a sign that said," Thou Shalt Not Kill." Despite being one of a handful of Americans who have self-immolated, his story went largely unreported. If you would like to learn more, check out the website that introduced me to his story: IHeardYouMalachi.com
I encourage others to find a way to tell his story if you support his message. For me, music is my gift and so I used it as such. However, as helpless as we sometimes may feel, we all have the power to do something meaningful if we are just willing to be still and listen to the heart.
Now for the tune in 192k mp3 glory:
Gabino - I Heard You, Malachi.mp3
You never wanted to pretend
You couldn't even in the end
So what do you say?
What do we do now?
You doused yourself in liquid hate
To save the world from the war and its fate
So what do you say?
What do we do now?
Malachi
I Heard Your Cry
and I am not the only one!
