Finish Your Project! [VIDEO]

Here's a little video that I put together on the importance of finishing your projects.  It's based on this blog post that I wrote a while back: Make It To The Second Chord. 

What are your thoughts? 

Let me know in the comments.

VIDEO: Paul & Storm/John Anealio Live At Nerdtacular!

Watch live video from extralife on Justin.tv

I had the absolute pleasure of performing an opening set for the great Paul & Storm this past weekend at Nerdtacular in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Here's a video of the performance.  Make sure to skip ahead to 26 minutes into the video to see the start of my set.  The first 26 minutes are just people milling about and setting up the stage.  Paul & Storm go right on after me.  Their set was amazing.

If you're viewing this post in a feed reader, click here to watch the video:

Paul & Storm/John Anealio Live At Nerdtacular Video

Special thanks to Scott Johnson, Brian Ibbott, Tom Merritt and Paul & Storm for making this happen.

Hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

Video: "Pr0nbot" Live at Balticon 2011

I had the pleasure of performing at Balticon this past May.  Special thanks to Anthony Stevens who shot video of most of my performance and Paul Fischer who was a nice enough to put it in a format that I could edit.  Here's my performance of "Pr0nbot".

If you enjoy this song, you can download the original studio version for absolutely free.  Just click the Download button on the player below.  If you're viewing this post in a feed reader, click here for the free download: Pr0nbot.








I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

Blade Runner & Bouzouki Video

I performed at the Confluence Sci-Fi Convention in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. While I didn't manage to get any video from my performance, I did take this video with my iPod Touch in my hotel room.

Rachel Rosen was inspired by Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep/Blade Runner.

If you like this song, you can download the original studio version from the Sci-Fi Songs album for free. Just click the Download button on the player below. If you're viewing this post in a feed reader, click here for the free download: Rachel Rosen song.



I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

Video: The "Angry Robot" Song

Here's a little acoustic performance of the "Angry Robot" song that I co-wrote with Science Fiction Author Matt Forbeck. If you like the song, you can download it for free by clicking the Download button on the player below or by clicking here.



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

Video: The "New Releases" Song

Here's a little video performance of my "New Releases" tune, a silly song that lists all of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy authors with new books out this month. If you like it, you can download the MP3 for absolutely free by clicking on the the Download button on the player below or by clicking here.



Hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio
Follow me on Twitter or Facebook

GeekDad Guitar Lesson: Rocket Man by Elton John

Check out my latest video tutorial over at Wired Magazine's GeekDad blog.

GeekDad Guitar Lesson: Rocket Man by Elton John

I've Got a New Gig at Wired's GeekDad Blog!

I'm now doing a bi-weekly series of video tutorials at Wired's GeekDad blog called GeekDad Guitar Lessons. Each lesson will present strategies on how to play your favorite Geeky/Techie/Sci-Fi influenced songs.

GeekDad Guitar Lesson #1: The Firefly Theme is now up. Check it out!

Special thanks to Ken Denmead for making this happen.

Video: Steve Jobs Hates Flash on Irish Bouzouki!

Here's a video of me performing my song: "Blue Lego (Steve Jobs Hates Flash)" on the Irish Bouzouki/Octave Mandolin.

Click here to download a free MP3 of the studio version of the song and to read the lyrics.

If you are a music recording nerd, click here to read the "Blue Lego" recording log.

If you like songs about Science Fiction & Fantasy, check out my Sci-Fi Songs album which features songs inspired by BSG, Star Wars, Firefly, & more. It's available on:

iTunes
Amazon MP3
CD Baby

If you want more, follow me on Twitter.

I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 6

In Part 6 of the Cylon #6 Video Commentary, I discuss how this guitar part was influenced by the playing of Alex Lifeson from Rush and Brazilian composer; Heitor Villa-Lobos.

If you missed the earlier videos, check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, & Part 5

If you like Cylon #6, check it out on the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 5

In Part 5 of the Cylon #6 Video Commentary, I discuss:

• Avoiding standard open chords.
  
• Utilizing extended open chords like A9, F#min11, and D9 by employing the open B and E strings as a drone.

If you missed the earlier videos, check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4

If you like Cylon #6, check it out on the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 4

In part 4 of the Cylon #6 Video Commentary, I discuss:

• Finding the right key to fit my bass/baritone voice range.
• Settling on the Key of A major for Cylon #6.
• Demonstrating the basic chord progression of the Refrain section; which is:

A /E /F#min /E /A /E /F#min /E /D /A /F#min /E /D /A /F#min/ E /D

or for you music theory nerds:

I, V, vi, V, I, V, vi, V, IV, I, vi, V, IV, I, vi, V, IV

If you missed the earlier videos, check out Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3

If you like Cylon #6, check it out on the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 3

In part 3 of the Cylon #6 Video Commentary, I discuss:

• Writing the verse lyrics.
• Writing with all Five Senses.
• Writing the pre-chorus.

If you missed the earlier videos, check out Part 1 & Part 2.

Let me know what you think of these in the comments or via Twitter. If you like em', I'll be sure to do more.

If you like Cylon #6, check it out on the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 2

In part 2 of the Cylon #6 video commentary, I discuss:

• Getting hit in the head by the chorus melody.
• Binging on the Battlestar Galactica DVD's.
• How the finale was the only episode that I ever watched live on the SyFy channel.

If you missed it, check out Part 1 here and tune in to Sci-Fi songs tomorrow for part 3.

Let me know what you think of these in the comments or via Twitter. If you like em', I'll be sure to do more.

Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Cylon #6 Commentary, Part 1

I decided to do a "DVD extras" style commentary for the songs on my Sci-Fi Songs album, but instead of an audio commentary for video, I'm doing a video commentary for audio. Crazy, I know.

I recorded a 15 minute video where I talk about what went into writing Cylon #6. I've broken it up into 6 different bite-size parts that I will post to the blog over the next two weeks. Each video is 2 to 3 minutes long. After I've posted all six, I'll put out a 15 minute audio podcast, for those of you who would prefer to listen to it.

Let me know what you think of these in the comments or via Twitter. If you like em', I'll be sure to do more.

Check out the Sci-Fi Songs album:

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

Available on:
CD Baby

Video: Last Drink for Bird Head

Here is a video of me performing Sci-Fi Song #22: Last Drink for Bird Head. This is a song that I wrote and recorded for Jeff and Ann Vandermeer's Last Drink Bird Head Anthology. Click here to download the free MP3 of the song and to read more about the anthology.

The instrument that I am playing in this video can either be called an Irish Bouzouki or an Octave Mandolin. The Octave Mandolin is probably the more accurate name as it is essentially a mandolin tuned down an octave. I still prefer to call it an Irish Bouzouki because ... well ... Bouzouki is fun to say.

I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

http://twitter.com/JohnAnealio

Video: Lonesome October Night

Hey! Check this out: a new feature here at Sci-Fi Songs. I've been meaning to experiment with video for quite a while now. Since most of my energy is being spent on getting the Sci-Fi Songs album/CD prepared, I don't have as much time to record new songs. I thought that some performance videos might make a nice addition to the blog. Let me know what you think.

Lonesome October Night is a song that I wrote, recorded, and posted to the blog about a year ago. This song was inspired by Roger Zelazny's "A Night in the Lonesome October".

I hope you enjoy it,
John Anealio

http://twitter.com/JohnAnealio