SO...

SO, I have been handed this wonderfully small yet powerful video camera to "capture the moment" so to speak. It is extremely simple to use, about the size of a blackberry and takes pretty good video with sound (even though the mic is on the wrong side, so far my largest complaint).


So my sytem at work is from circa 1776, and can not read videos of any format.

SO I start working from home on it.

So, when I download the video editing software that comes along with the camera, I find its not so good, in my non experienced opinion.

So, I have a PC and on it is Microsoft Movie Maker. But the new technology only makes MOV files, which MMM doesn't read.

SO I find that QuickTime can read MOV files so I download QuickTime, but only the QT Pro will let you edit, change formats or anything like that.

SO I do a little searching and find a great freeware program that seems simple enough yet sophisticated to do what I want. YEA!!! So far still pretty pleased with this software, its called Pinnacle VideoSpin.

So, I cut the hour long video into 5.5 minutes added lovely fades, slides, music and end credits. Looking forward to adding it to the blog, but alas, once I got it ready, turned it into an AVI file, it was a gig and a half and too big.

So, back to the original program that came with the camera, there is an option to load directly to FaceBook or YouTube, the only thing, it doesn't condence the video to fit into these formats...

SO I have formated the AVI file into a MOV file and it is much smaller and hopfully uploading now...

Forcable return

I must thank Andrew for mentioning my blog on this Sunday's Arts section. The thing is, I am the blogger for Kentucky Opera and that is where I do most of my professional updating which he referenced.

ArtIsAir is my personal blog, and my Twitter handle. (All of this seems a bit schizophrenic doesn't it?) So any of you finding my blog for the first time, please also visit Kentucky Opera Blog.

I was a little worried during the interview that I wasn't really representing well, but I suppose Andrew was able to distill my rambling into some sense. He called me a "virtuoso of succinct electronic outreach." That was nice of him.

I'm a looser

I am so bad. I have been to Europe and saw amazing art, and didn't blog about it at all. Can you say looser for not blogging since March?!?!

A couple of very cool things I found today

Its been an ineresting day in the music world for me today. I happened upon a couple of very cool gems. The last (only because it was easier for me to find) was a story on NPR on my way home from the office. It was about a new book by Lemony Snicket called The Composer is Dead. Its a murder mystery looking for the killer of a composer and looking to the orchestra for the culprit. The story is used to teach young readers about the different instruments of an orchestra and the main theme is while a lot of the composers we know well, are well, dead BUT its the music that keeps the composer alive.

I reccomend listening to the podcast, as the "handler" does some great reading. Find the story here.

The other very cool thing I found was a video created from a mixture of other people's you tube videos creating a new and different piece of music. He is known as Kutiman and on his website he has several videos all together. Below is one.



I am finding the use of technology with music extremely interesting as of late. I had heard about the You Tube Orchestra sometime ago and yesterday they posted the winners.

The gathering of this orchestra will take place at Carnagie Hall on April 15, when they will perform Tan Dun's Symphony for You Tube. Should be pretty cool and I wonder if it will be broadcast in the movie theatres like they are doing at the Met.

I found out that two of the Louisville Orchestra musicians auditioned. They didn't make it but it's still pretty cool they participated. I have to find one, but you can see Richard Ryan's audition here.

Opera Haikus

I have to share these. I wish I had his creativity.

Eric McKeever former education manager of Kentucky Opera is now with Columbus Opera and has started twittering. What does he twitter? Opera Haikus almost daily. Here are some recent examples that have me scratching my head.

Opera Haiku of the Day: She won't kiss husband/A match signals their meeting/She sees dead lover (Name that opera)
9:45 AM Mar 3rd from web

Opera Haiku of the Day: Old man wants young life/Makes a deal with the devil/Price to pay is "Hell." (Could be one of three operas.)
8:15 AM Mar 2nd from web

Opera Haiku of the Day:She's "child" to them all/He loves her, sings nine of these/Marquise lets them be (Name that opera)
2:20 PM Feb 25th from web

Opera Haiku of the Day: She's known as "Kid Deer"/It's a tale that ends in death/Bubbles stole the show (Name that opera)
2:28 PM Feb 24th from web

Get your Haiku of the day by following @Eric_OperaCols.

A Bloggers Opera

Here is an interesting take... How do you combine Opera with social media? Looks like Sweeden and Vietnam have figured it out together. An odd coupling of cultures and medium. I would be interested to see the result.

Vietnamese and Swedish artists collaborate on the new opera being devised by bloggers from the two countries.

What a great idea. This would be an interesting education program...

Blogging problems

I am totally new at this and I am having some major questions about Feed Burners and RSS feeds. I look at some blogs like Jason Falls' and am in awe of all the "Stuff" on his page. For Example, his FIND ME HERE section

What the F is all that and how do I use it?
Then (same example) he's got his twitter messages on his site. Then he has the RSS Feed link at the top as a very cool talk bubble with the RSS logo, I can't seem to figure out how to add any of that. Of course he is in the biz, and I am a complete idiot on these things. I am learning (I hope).
Twitter is one of those things that totally confounds me. I sat at the Social Media Club meeting last month and every one was a twitter with Twitter. I signed up for Twitter and have no idea how or why to use it. I am also a new member of Digg what ever that is and am seriously thinking aobut del.icio.us because I like the sound of it, but I don't think I should spread myself too thin at this stage of the game. Then there is Techtori, who knows what that is and I did stumble upon StumbleUpon, Anyone? anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I will say that I am Linkedin, MySpace is ignored, and my Facebook is embarrassing.

Any one who wants to tutor me, I am all for it.

I also found on DavidSFinch's site, a cute video on Social Media from the good people from The Common Craft.
Enjoy.