io9 & Tor.com Reviews!

I was delighted to read a few really nice reviews of my music this week that I wanted to share with you.

First, author Mur Lafferty wrote a rather flattering review of my Sci-Fi Songs album for Tor.com

Tor.com review of Sci-Fi Songs

Next, Cyriaquie Lamar put together a nice piece on my "George R.R. Martin is Not Your Bitch" song for io9.

io9 piece on George R.R. Martin is Not Your Bitch

It was quite a thrill to read all of the good things that both authors had to say about my music. I hope you enjoy the articles.

John Anealio


Want more? Follow me on Twitter.

Dig Music? Enjoy Science Fiction & Fantasy? Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

Featuring songs inspired by: BSG, Star Wars, Firefly & more:

Available on:
CD Baby

Functional Nerds Podcast

FunctionalNerds001.mp3

I wanted to take a minute to let you know that I've started doing a new weekly podcast with author Patrick Hester of ATFMB called The Functional Nerds.

Each week we'll discuss a range of topics that will include Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, TV Shows, & Movies, Technology, and Music. I've included the first episode in the Sci-Fi Songs feed today.

If you like what you hear, subscribe to the podcast via The Functional Nerds website or iTunes.

Hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

Dig Music? Enjoy Science Fiction & Fantasy? Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

Featuring songs inspired by: BSG, Star Wars, Firefly & more:

Available on:
CD Baby

"Blue Lego" Recording Log

I thought that it would be fun to write a "recording log" post where I describe the tools and technique that I use to record my songs.

The first song that I want to talk about is "Blue Lego (Steve Jobs Hates Flash)". If you haven't already done so, click here to get the free MP3 download.

To start, my recording software of choice is Apple Logic Pro 8 running on a white MacBook.



Here is a Logic Pro screen shot (click to enlarge) of the entire arrangement. You count right, there are 32 tracks of vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums. That is actual a fairly typical track count for my songs.



Here is a screen shot (click to enlarge) of all of the vocals. There are so many tracks because I double all of the vocals. When you hear the three part harmony in the chorus, you are actually hearing six different vocal tracks. I process the vocals with light compression and reverb.



Here is a screen shot (click to enlarge) of the drums, bass, and guitar parts.

The drum sound is a fairly standard "rock kit" sound from Logic's Ultrabeat Drum Sampler. I programmed the drums using a combination of Ultrabeat's step sequencer and Logic's Piano Roll MIDI editor.

I played the bass part on my old Washburn electric bass guitar.

The acoustic guitar parts (including the harmonics in the second chorus) were played on my Yamaha FPX 300 acoustic guitar.

All of the electric guitar parts and solos were played on my Les Paul Studio.


Want more? Follow me on Twitter.

Dig Music? Enjoy Science Fiction & Fantasy? Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

Featuring songs inspired by: BSG, Star Wars, Firefly & more:

Available on:
CD Baby

The Quemment Song

Download "The Quemment Song" MP3 here.

This is for The Nerdist Podcast.

The Quemment Song

It's a question. It's a comment.
It's a question. It's a comment.
It's a quemment.

Hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio
The Robot E.P.
Wired.com's GeekDad Guitar Teacher
Twitter

Sci-Fi Song #26: Blue Lego (Steve Jobs Hates Flash)

Well the title really says it all for this one. When the iPad was announced, it was immediately criticized for not supporting Adobe's Flash.

Podcasts like MacBreak Weekly and Buzz Out Loud spoke of how much Steve Jobs hates Flash. I was inspired to write this song after reading an interesting blog post from Boing Boing about the infamous "Blue Lego".

I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio
Follow me on Twitter

Blue Lego (Steve Jobs Hates Flash)
by John Anealio

I'm home all alone, I pick up my iPhone
I tap the screen and launch Safari
I navigate to a page and I'm sent into a rage
I wanted fun but now I'm sorry

I check the address of the site and I know that it's right
but the only thing I see is a

Blue Lego
I see a Blue Lego
I want to see a video but the only thing I see is a
Blue Lego
I see a Blue Lego
I want to see a video but I can't because Steve Jobs hates Flash

I want a new iPad but it's making me sad
I won't be able to watch Hulu
It's just a device but it just won't suffice
if I can't watch Kirk and Sulu

I want to play Farmville but I won't get my fill
The only thing I see is a

Blue Lego
I see a Blue Lego
I want to see a video but the only thing I see is a
Blue Lego
I see a Blue Lego
I want to see a video but I can't because Steve Jobs hates Flash

Steve Jobs Hates Flash

Dig Music? Enjoy Science Fiction & Fantasy? Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

Featuring songs inspired by: BSG, Star Wars, Firefly & more:

Available on:
CD Baby

I'm a Character in a Short Story!

That's right. Writer Tim Summers of the new HolSumm Webcomic series mentions my name and the "Summer Glau" song in his new short story "Adventures of a Rock God".

The story is meant to introduce an arrogant, chauvinistic character from the comic and is therefore NSFW.

Check it out!