Last Second Thoughts...

A continuation of the previous entry...

About the student's works...

I really enjoyed reading Ying Ying's blog. She has posted some really interesting entries which I can definitely relate too. Among the entries I liked was "Welcome to Windows." In the "Welcome to Windows" post, Ying Ying shared with us an amazing piano piece that was composed using the Windows XP sounds. I agree with what she said about how the piece can be confusing to the listener because the sound can be coming either from your own computer or from the music. There were definitely times I couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable hearing the start-up sound again and again...This work of art is definitely music technology at it's best!

Justice brought up some interesting points in her blog entries as well. In her post "Interactive arts to replace traveling to rehearsals?" she talks about how technology has evolved so that it supports interactive rehearsals and performances. It never really occurred to me either that with the technology today, it is quite possible to do rehearsals/performances over the internet by simply using a chat program with your own computers. (Skype anyone?) No more commuting back and forth for long rehearsals. It really does make you think just how advanced technology has gotten in the past few years. Imagine what Web 3.0 will bring!

One of the best features of Kai's website is his Flash animation. It's a simple animation, yet it works very well because it serves as a nice introduction to his website. The pair of eyes is a creative touch because it really makes the users want to enter and explore his site. When creating animations it is important to remember the phrase"just enough, never too much." Overusing animations can distract users and their ability to focus on the content. After all, the eye is automatically attracted to motion. Nice animation Kai!

About me...

This course has taught me how to effectively work independently and creatively. I can be self-reliant, monitor my own progress and use support effectively as appropriate. Because the majority of the work that has been assigned has been done individually, it has allowed me to understand some of the fundamental aspects that are necessary to function successfully as an individual. For example, while working on class assignments, it is easy for me to see the progress I made. Throughout the course of the semester, it is easy to see that I have made much more efficient use my time. I think using time efficiently is one of the keys to academic survival and success.

Technology continues to be an ever-increasing presence in all aspects of performing arts and music education, from providing technical support to administrative staff and box office personnel, to the creation of Web-based projects, and to the development of internet based arts and education resources for teachers and students. To further my learning and understanding of technology in performing arts/music education, I will continue to take courses here at NYU involved in technology and music and the ways in which they can be used together creatively. I would like to obtain an internship in the future which will be especially helpful in that it will offer meaningful learning opportunities and on-the-job experiences for me.

Upon graduating with a Masters in Music Technology, I would like to continue working with electronic and computer technology within music. In the future, I hope to find a job that will enable me to use the latest technology (industry-standard hardware and software), while learning both technical and creative aspects of music production and recording.

Last Minute Thoughts...

It's hard to believe, but the Spring 2007 semester is already over. And I feel like I've just started...well here are what I like to call my "last minute thoughts" in regards to this course, music education, technology and everything else. Enjoy!

About Flash...

For general web authoring, Flash is useful in that it makes the website stand out and attracts attention, with interactivity. It makes the site different from other sites. When done correctly, it makes your site just that much more professional. Flash is definitely one of the more sophisticated tools available to web sites.

For music educators and in the performing arts professions, Flash is especially useful in that it can help music educators become more effective by improving teaching and learning in music. With Flash, teachers can integrate sound and notation in ways never before possible. They can develop interactive presentations that include text, graphics, animation, sound, and videos. Audio-visuals are helpful in that they promote and encourage student participation and stimulate creative and critical thinking. Multimedia technology helps students learn to better appreciate music as an art, and become participants in the joy of music-making.

About my accomplishments...

I think that the single most important thing I felt I accomplished in the class this semester is my blog. This is the first time I've ever "blogged" so it feels quite different and it's definitely a whole new experience for me. Maintaining a weekly blog was quite challenging at times due to the fact that I am not a writer and I find it hard to express my thoughts in a logical and coherent manner. Having to come up with new and interesting blog entries every week really helped to provoke my creative and original thinking skills and improved my writing skills. Writing my weekly blog post provided for me a fresh blank canvas for self expression. As the words formed sentences on the page, I felt a sense of accomplishment. All in all, blogs are a great way to practice and hone your ability to express yourself and your thoughts in print. Kudos to blogging!

About the course...

The strongest feature of this course is the course content and design. The course is well organized into three major lessons covering such topics as blogging, Flash and web authoring (Dreamweaver). The material is relevant to many of my personal and professional goals. Multimedia technology is not only advancing rapidly, but it also plays a part in everyday life as we are immersed in a world of multimedia experiences. As a result, it's of extreme importance to keep up to date with all these software programs. Another strong feature was the interaction between the instructor and the students. I felt the instructor was easily approachable and was always willing to answer questions. And the concepts were explained on a level that students could understand and handle.

I would have to say that the weakest feature of this course would probably be that there is a large amount of material over a very broad range. There is just so much to learn in both Flash and Dreamweaver that it is difficult to cover everything in a relatively short space of time. It's definitely a lot to take in you aren't familiar with any of the programs/software.

A Video Game Symphony

During spring break, my friend installed World of Warcraft (WoW) on my new mac. For those of you who don't know, WoW is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players come together and battle against the world and each other. The game is set in the Warcraft Universe, an epic fantasy setting which includes orcs, trolls, elves and the undead. WoW happens to be the world's leading subscription-based MMORPG with 8.5 million players worldwide! (People must have too much time on their hands these days)...

The music of WoW along with many other popular video games has a rather impressive score. It is fantasy-like music and it contributes to the tense, mysterious, suspense-filled aura while you are playing. The music in the game coordinates with the storyline to effectively deliver the impact of the situation to the player. As you delve further into the rich and detailed game experience, the music covers you in feelings of mystery, action, and suspense! It's perfectly tuned to the atmosphere of the game.

Many video games today are performed by a full symphony
orchestra and choir, thus bringing the sounds of these games to life. It's no secret among game lovers and connoisseurs of orchestral music that some of today's most thrilling scores are coming out of the video game genre. I read online that the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra, in a series of nationwide concerts to an audience of more than 10,000, performed the music from the world's most popular video games against a backdrop of images and lights. These included sci-fi epic Halo, Tomb Raider, the Mario games, plus a medley of classic favorites like Pong, Space Invaders and Pacman.

In the early days, technology was a limiting factor in the area of game soundtracks. Today, advances in technology mean music can now drive in-game action and stir players’ emotions, much like the score of a Hollywood blockbuster. For gamers, not only does the music help set the mood of the game, but it also tells a story and reminds them of epic battles fought and love won and lost on the computer screen. Gamers see their games come to life in a whole different way as sound and music becomes a fundamental part of the gaming experience. The use of sound and music in multimedia can therefore create a more immersive entertainment experience and have a powerful effect on us.

The Power of Flash

I love Flash. It's such a powerful multimedia authoring tool for creating interactive content rich in video, graphics, sound, and text. With Flash, one can create powerful applications including presentations, games, animations, interactive web sites, and if done correctly, the results are absolutely amazing. According to Adobe, Flash is "the industry's most advanced authoring environment for creating interactive websites, digital experiences and mobile content." In my own words, flash is simply fun!

Even before I was introduced to Flash, I was already amazed at all the things that one can do with it. Having a great interest in Flash I decided to take a couple of multimedia authoring classes during college (eventually I majored in my music and multimedia production). Someone once asked me what I would study if I were given a second chance at college and I told them I would study the same thing as I have no regrets and love what I majored in. Flash was definitely a big part of my multimedia classes. I can clearly remember all those late nights/early mornings (and all those cups of Starbucks coffee) where I would be tweaking and perfecting my flash projects. That's the thing about multimedia assignments. It's hard to procrastinate and do them at the last minute. You never know how long it'll take to complete them and there is always the chance your computer will crash (in my case, this usually happens when I am close to being finished with my projects).

I found a blog online devoted entirely to Flash! Check it out when you get a chance. It showcases some pretty neat things that you can do with Flash and it even gives some of the ActionScript that was used.

I am definitely a big fan of Flash and was more than excited when I found out there was a class that would be covering Flash among the many topics. I hope to learn even more things about Flash and become more skilled in it.