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Full Album Finally Released [Jul. 5th, 2009|12:32 am]
Well, this is the moment that everybody's been waiting for, for however many years since I first started making music.

Everything I've ever done all remixed into one megadisc. The best of AKP with numerous guest artists and other projects left and right.

You can download it all free.

"Let's Throw a Party".

http://spruke.net

Enjoy, everyone.
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(no subject) [Mar. 9th, 2009|11:51 pm]
Raise your hand if you're excited to hear all the old AKP remixed and reimagined in a new disc...
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New track. [Feb. 12th, 2009|07:57 pm]
Spruke is all moved in to the new studio, and ready to start making music like it's the old times.

Speaking of the old times, here's a pretty emotional piece with Lars about an old friend.

http://spruke.net/music/Lars-%20The%20Gorge.mp3

So we take one sip to remember,
and we take one sip to forget.
And we don't know what happens
at sip number three
Cause no one's returned from the third yet.
And a quick business lunch with the devil,
Becomes an eternal feast with the lord.
And now we're all facing,
What we were erasing,
While pacing the cliffs of The Gorge.
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(no subject) [Dec. 9th, 2008|11:20 pm]
I had an observation recently in my facebook status that bVI-bVII-i is the most common chord progression in all of modern music (most commonly realized as Fmajor-Gmajor-Aminor or Abmajor-Bbmajor-Cminor or Bbmajor-Cmajor-Dminor). This seemed to engender a lot of discussion on facebook, so I thought I'd post my proof here, as evidence by a conversation with Wilson:

wilsoncfreeman: oh i was wondering if you could give me a song that illustrates the easy chord progression principle you mentioned on facebook today
i was interested in that
me: oh sure
the basic idea
to make it accessible to a non-music type
is that familiar line which starts with one dramatic chord- moves up slightly to an even more dramatic chord- and then finally resolves to the "good chord" where it rests for two measures
there are many different takes on it, and the order can slightly vary
the first example is rock you like a hurricane
listen thusly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB8HudfbaTE
the crucial two chords come right after the intro, it plays two notes down, then two notes up, then goes back up to the normal note
to hear this same thing done only in the bassline, check out this video- the play the root chord before going down, then coming up, then coming up again, then returning to the root:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psc7eimMtv0
wilsoncfreeman: hahah
me: in an even purer form it is present here- listen for the move down, then up, then up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdubINqgzig
wilsoncfreeman: yes ok i hear the progression
me: to hear it yet again
try here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grz58lDabKI&feature=related
where it goes down one note before playing the offending progression
or for yet another example
as a big triumphant finale
why not forward to exactl the 2:15 mark of this song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPAIcOEeeQo
wilsoncfreeman: hahaha
ok
now this is interesting
man what an ear
me: dude i wouldnt call it the most "easy way out" progression in all of music if i couldnt think of about five examples off the top my head
wilsoncfreeman: wow
once you point it out
me: you want more:
why not try this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbPWcLode0
wilsoncfreeman: rock you like a hurricane really is a clear example
me: yes
it is the purest of all examples
but they are all the same thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phnld-XX0tM
wilsoncfreeman: man i'm going to listen for this now
thank you for showing me the way
me: or maybe
you could jump to exactly 6:06 in this song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKg4g9zMeHI&feature=related
wilsoncfreeman: hahaha
oh man
me: or maybe you could jump to 1:18 in THIS song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBhDPBE9sQA
me: or MAYBE
or maybe if you havent had enough yet
you could listen to this song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp0OUnQiMW8
wilsoncfreeman: how did you happen to hear this scorpions song
i've never heard this one before
it's a good catch i hear the progression
me: oh, theres a famous techno remix of it
wilsoncfreeman: hahah yes the misfits
me: dude that might be the most barebones example
but i can keep them coming!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxhl-xV0UOs&feature=related
wilsoncfreeman: it seems like the second chord down is common
but this is pretty barebones, the misfits aren't exactly musically complicated
me: or you could jump to 0:55 in THIS video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilWFBz3l3-o
wilsoncfreeman: hahah dude i love dig up her bones
ok send me an angel? too much clubbing bill
so i assume you exploit these musical cliches
in your best songs
me: unfortunately i can tell you that i fall back on this whenever im out of ideas
wilsoncfreeman: no shock!
me: i can name you too many songs that use this
lets see
i used it in alabama gang riot and swift like a maniac when i was younger and escape from bahrain
it was the basis of dont know better in a slightly modified form
wilsoncfreeman: hahah
me: it is hidden in here, although you need to watch out because there is an extraneous chord in the first part to screw you up, but by this point you will surely hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3wR3aIQ23w
me: or perhaps you could hear it exactly the 2 minute mark of this song with an extra chord thrown in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgBgnoEY4iM
wilsoncfreeman: the tetris one is pretty easy to spot
me: maybe, at this point, you would notice it here before i even point it out:
wilsoncfreeman: man i love that song
me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivtKcM1DGeY&feature=related
in this song, at the one minutes mark, it appears in a kinda elongated form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdb4NyHdFfE&feature=related
me: to hear it in a greatly accelerated form, where it repeats once through the whole cycle each measure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vf26cRtG_w
me: have i convinced you yet
wilsoncfreeman: this is a good hobby my friend, a good hobby
ye, you have a discerning ear
i will admit it was not as clear in all as in some of the early ones but i def know what you are hearing
me: if you go back and listen to them all
you will be able to see where i was giving allowances for slight variations
and which were classic offenders
me: its actually the basic chord progression of my own song "dust me off" as well
if you have the old old akp track "technostalgia" its the bassline of that
and... if you have Union around- its the chord progression for the chorus of Union
wilsoncfreeman: haha i do love your candidness here, i have to imagine that the chord progression is so common for a reason
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(no subject) [Sep. 6th, 2008|07:34 pm]
DAMNIT i cannot WAIT for lewis to move back home. It's been over 7 months without him living in this house now and for most of that time I've been okay living by myself, I mean I got Liz and Jonney and occasional Dettmans to get me by, and I see Lewis enough that I can make do, but now football's beginning and I just want to watch EVERY SINGLE GAME and I don't have anybody to do it with. Hope he comes back soon cause the NFL is not a thing you should enjoy alone. :(
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Standing Audition- “Blister” Remix of “Ends in Ashes” [Aug. 11th, 2008|10:28 pm]
The title just about says it all, sprukers and sprukees. Here's the newest piece of remix work on a great Standing Audition track:

http://spruke.net/music/Standing%20Audition%20-%20Ends%20In%20Ashes%20(Spruke%27s%20Blister%20Remix).mp3

Don't forget that you can hear the original, which Aaron and I recorded together, on standingaudition.com.

I'm not sure if I am done with this track yet. I like what I've done to it so far, but I've still got a few ideas, particularly as it concerns the chorus, that I think I can take further.

Oh well, nobody ever hurt anyone by remixing a track twice!

Or maybe I will just get Standing Audition over here again and then mashup the next song he records into this one, and we'll have real trouble. Hey Aaron, what else you got that's in E minor? ;)
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STUPID ASS MAGIC RAP [Aug. 5th, 2008|08:31 pm]
Okay, so this is pretty random, but as a recording engineer who occasionally goofs around and makes random one-of tracks, here is a magic rap I made.

Some backstory:
A pic goes up on facebook of a few of my friends at Nats:
http://photos-256.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v295/99/52/15724256/n15724256_35644658_1644.jpg

I comment "Oh man you guys look so serious that this could almost be the album cover to a rap group"

One of them responds, "Like this?" and links this ridiculous animated gif:
http://img363.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dmbzviiigatheranhx5.gif

Of course now I need to take the idea to its completion with this rap:
http://spruke.net/music/Tha%20Gatherin-%20Shuffle%20Em%20Up.mp3

Keep in mind I am not being serious at all here.
by the way, the song is best listened to if you stare at that animated gif as it plays.
Also, it will only be funny if you play magic the gathering.

WOW I AM LAME
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(no subject) [Jul. 12th, 2008|12:24 am]
I've never had to deal with the loss of a close friend before, much less one that I created music with. It feels so wrong to hear that you've had somebody ripped away from you that just next week you were about to write another track with.

RIP, Matt Loveland.

The Lovee, the L-O-L-O-V. You have no idea how much I am going to miss you.

I'll do everything in my power to put together our unfinished scraps and outtakes into some kind of a tribute, to finish all the unfinished business. But it couldn't possibly compare to what I know you and I would be capable of together if you were still here.
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(no subject) [Apr. 29th, 2008|10:25 am]
Spruke (that's me!) vs. N3wt

plz enjoy

http://spruke.net/music/SprukeVsN3wt.mp3
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(no subject) [Mar. 29th, 2008|01:12 pm]
[mood | cheerful]

Blogging from Lizzy's apartment! :)

Did you listen to my set with Alex yet? If so, awesome for you. You are a bastion of coolness and your friends honor your every move. If not, shame! Go subscribe to the Digital Geist podcast and get not only my set but also ALL of Alex's amazing work! Salvation is still within your grasp!

Other than that not much is new. Still working on getting the Spruke Recordings website up and running. It's gonna be pretty cool to have my own record label!

Can't wait for the warm weather to kick in so I can really start biking again. I have a few lbs of winter weight I'll be happy to be without again! Also, I have to start looking into playing soccer and racquetball again now that my ankle is (kinda) (mostly) (sorta) better. Better enough, anyway.

Stay cool, amigos :)
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(no subject) [Mar. 28th, 2008|10:00 am]
Copied and pasted from Alex's live journal.

LISTEN TO MY SET!

----------------------
The third episode of the podcast has been launched. If you haven't subscribed to the feed already, follow it at this link!

http://www.digitalgeist.com/podcast

iTunes should ping immediately if you refresh your podcasts. :)

This week Bill Boulden and I collaborated on a Live-PA battle! Enjoy!
----------------------
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(no subject) [Jan. 12th, 2008|11:43 am]
I believe there is an error in this wikipedia article about the Sedin brothers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Sedin

doesnt seem accurate enough to me
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(no subject) [Dec. 25th, 2007|11:44 pm]
I'm 99% lolling at the ebay listing I just posted:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270198885642

Oh wait, hey, I guess I haven't posted on here in months, have I? How the heck about that. Not sure what the point to starting again might be, either. I use LJ far more for the community aggregating features than any kind of bloggharrea now these days.

Anybody here who doesn't know how I'm doing is free to ask. Short version:

- New GF
- More athletic than previously with biking and soccer
- Less poor
- Writing ballads for my singer who sounds like N Sync

There's probably other stuff too but does it really matter?

2008 ought to be a good year that piggybacks on many of the strong accomplishments of 07. Number one priority to remember is that for once I really have a plan. My life's getting a good deal less ad libbed these days and I like it that way. :)
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(no subject) [Sep. 22nd, 2007|07:12 pm]
WORKING LINK to a pic of my tat:

http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v123/220/44/15725054/n15725054_33497444_2561.jpg
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(no subject) [Sep. 21st, 2007|03:37 pm]
http://buffalo.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=33497444&op=1&view=all&subj=15708163&id=15725054

Photo of my tat
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(no subject) [Sep. 19th, 2007|11:45 pm]
Got my tattoo!

Pics will follow shortly.

A sine wave, square wave, and saw wave at 10, 12, and 15 hz respectively... in armbands around my upper left arm... spelling out an E minor chord acoustically.

:)
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what im listening to, who cares [Sep. 15th, 2007|12:38 am]
stand before the gates and watch metropolis
empires come and go, we live forever
and eternity is in your hidden eyes
take your broken wings, teach me to fly again

i stand alone
we stand aslone
i stand alone
we stand alone
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(no subject) [Jul. 30th, 2007|02:53 pm]
A film that I scored is going to be playing in the allen street bar "Staples" all this week! How sweet is that? :)

It's a part of the Buffalo Infringement Festival. "Life in 3d" it's called. :)
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(no subject) [Jul. 20th, 2007|11:04 am]
Man, does the new Smashing Pumpkins CD suck.

christ oh christ does it just not even register that youre listening to it.

forgettable with a capital F
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(no subject) [Jul. 6th, 2007|01:19 pm]
Voice simulators? Has anybody heard about this, and do they suck?

http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/07/software-singer.html

Hmmmmmmmmmmm
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