There’s an infinitely long “horn” that has a finite volume but an infinite surface area

Mar 27, 2015

Moving ahead to a problem posed in the 17th century, we’ve got one of many paradoxes related to infinity and geometry.

“Gabriel’s Horn” is formed by taking the curve y = 1/x and rotating it around the horizontal axis, as shown in the picture. Using techniques from calculus that make it possible to calculate areas and volumes of shapes constructed this way, it’s possible to see that the infinitely long horn actually has a finite volume equal to π, but an infinite surface area.

As stated in the MathWorld article on the horn, this means that the horn could hold a finite volume of paint but would require an infinite amount of paint to cover its entire surface.

Via Business Insider

Reading Rainbow Story Time! LeVar Burton Reads Martin Luther King Jr. Story

Mar 27, 2015

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the great heroes of the civil rights movement. Watch as LeVar Burton reads you a story about Dr. King’s life from the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena, California. The Story Time video focuses on teaching children about the importance of the acceptance of others, no matter differences in personal, religious, political, or physical dissimilarities.

Not only is this Story Time video tremendously personal and meaningful for LeVar, who in 2000, proudly received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Album: The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr., but the video is embedded with a positive message of the value of human kindness and resiliency that both children and adults can find relatable.

https://youtu.be/hC-RyrakaQM

Things You Can Do Today to Grow Your Songwriting Career

Mar 27, 2015

From Songtrust:

Submit your Songs into Songwriting Competitions:

Yes, there are scams out there, but don’t let that stop you. Many songwriting competitions can help your songs gain exposure to top music industry executives. They can also help you meet other writers which may lead to potential new collaboration opportunities. The International Songwriting Competition has a panel of judges ranging from Grammy-Winning artists and songwriters to CEOs of major record companies. We also recommend Song Of The Year, The U.S.A Songwriting Competition, and The Great American Song Contest.

Schedule a Co-Writing Session:

Working with others may sound daunting, but collaborating with other writers can sometimes be the best way to come up with fresh ideas you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Not only could your co-written songs end up better, but the more people you collaborate with, the more people will be actively playing and advocating for your songs. Don’t be scared to reach out to well established artists and songwriters about co-writing sessions – It never hurts to ask! Always remember that 1% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

Join a Writer’s Round or Open Mic Night:

Writer’s rounds are great places to network with other writers and try out your songs in front of a crowd. If you have stage fright, performing at these places can also give you invaluable experience playing in front of people. Artists like Michelle Branch and Ian Axel (of A Great Big World) started at New York Songwriters Circle, a monthly songwriter’s circle at The Bitter End in NYC. Open mic nights are everywhere and also great places to get exposure to new people.

Video: Life advice from senior citizens

Mar 27, 2015

We’re still living in a world where elders need to be respected, and good thing for that. Seniors all around the world were all asked the same question: “If you could tell one thing to a young person, what would it be?” The consistency among all of these different people, different countries, and different cultures won’t surprise you. It’s the advice you already know, but sometimes need to hear from time to time.

2015 JUNO Award winners and performers see rise in sales

Mar 26, 2015

Nielsen SoundScan’s Canadian Operations Director, Paul Tuch pulled more data for FYI Music showing the week following sales for Juno winners and performers.

The data conclusively show significant strengthening of sales around key artists in the post-period, spanning March 15 -22. As follows:

Leonard Cohen – album up 200% from 279 to 838 copies sold
Arkells – album up 19%, Come To Light track up 63% downloads and up 31% streams. High Noon album went from 916 to 1,092.
Hedley album up 34%. Wild Life went from 373 to 499 sold
Kiesza album up 59%, Hideaway track up 51% downloads. Sound Of A Woman album jumped from 357 copies to 570.
Lights album up 89%. Little Machines went from 192 to 361 sold.
Magic! album up 25%. Don’t Kill The Magic LP went from 627 to 786 sold.
Shawn Mendes – Life Of The Party track up 18% downloads, up to 2262 copies
The Weeknd – Earned It – up 12% downloads
Bobby Bazini – Bubblegum – up 72% streams
Deadmau5 – Seeya up 24% streams

Video: Steve Albini answers your questions

Mar 26, 2015

The MIX With The MASTERS Seminar Series is a chance for recording and mixing engineers to work closely with A-List record producers, engineers and mixers and improve their skills in music production. The events take place at Studio La Fabrique in the South of France.

Sound On Sound recently asked their Facebook followers what they would like to ask producer Steve Albini, and above is the result, courtesy of Mix With The Masters. Steve has produced hundreds if not thousands of records, and frequently goes uncredited. He is famously credited, however, with recording In Utero, Nirvana’s follow-up to Nevermind. He’s also worked with the likes of The Pixies, PJ Harvey, Joanna Newsom and is a founding member of Shellac.

The Prism Prize Announces Host, Presenters and Attending Nominees

Mar 26, 2015

The Prism Prize is thrilled to announce the host, presenters and attending nominees for the Prism Prize Awards Presentation this Sunday, March 29, 2015 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. For the first time ever the Prism Prize Awards Presentation is open to the public, with limited tickets available at www.prismprize.com/tickets.

The Prism Prize Awards Presentation will be hosted by star of City’s Sunnyside Kathleen Phillips, while presenters will hand out the Grand Prize, Audience Award (presented by Noisey Canada), Prism Prize Special Achievement Award and the Arthur Lipsett Award (sponsored by Art Works Art School).

The Prism Prize presenters include 2014 Prism Prize winner Emily Kai Bock; Host of OMNI TV’s V-Mix, Dilshad Burman; Host of E! Canada, Tyrone Edwards; Host of AUX.TV, Sam Sutherland; VJ and Host of the MUCH Countdown Liz Trinnear; artist and musician Maylee Todd; producer and writer Scott Willats; and Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning.

Prism Prize Top Ten nominees in attendance will include: Kandle, Christopher Mills, Chad VanGaalen, Kevin Drew, Lee Stringle, Samir Rehem, Natalie Rae Robison, Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux, Chandler Levack, Jared Raab, Martin C. Pariseau, and Kheaven Lewandowski.

THE 2015 PRISM PRIZE TOP TEN (in alphabetical order, by director name):

The New Pornographers – Dancehall Domine (Directors: Scott Cudmore and Michael LeBlanc)
PUP – Guilt Trip (Directors: Chandler Levack and Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux)
Fur Trade – Same Temptation (Director: Kheaven Lewandowski)
Rich Aucoin – Yelling in Sleep (Director: Joel Mackenzie)
Ryan Hemsworth – Snow in Newark (Director: Martin C. Pariseau)
Kandle – Not Up to Me (Director: Natalie Rae Robison)
Kevin Drew – You in Your Were (Director: Samir Rehem)
Odonis Odonis – Order in the Court (Director: Lee Stringle)
Chad VanGaalen – Monster (Director: Chad VanGaalen)
Timber Timbre – Beat the Drum Slowly (Director: Chad VanGaalen)

The Prism Prize winning video for Best Canadian Music Video will be awarded the Prism Prize trophy and a cash reward of $5000. A new and exciting benefit for all Prism Prize Award winners comes from William F. White, who will provide $2000 equipment vouchers for all Prism Prize Award winners. Whites is Canada’s oldest and largest provider of professional motion picture, television, digital media and theatrical production equipment.

Past Prism Prize winners for Best Canadian Music Video of the Year include Noah Pink for Rich Aucoin’s Brian Wilson is A.L.i.V.E (2013) and Emily Kai Bock for Arcade Fire’s Afterlife (2014).

Prism Prize is proud to host a comprehensive resource for music fans to watch the best Canadian music videos all in one place. Videos and news from Canada’s music video community are available throughout the year at www.prismprize.com.

Stringray Music Partners with Air Canada

Mar 26, 2015

Stingray announced today a partnership with Air Canada and Spafax, making Stingray the main music content partner for the Air Canada enRoute in-flight entertainment system.

“As a Canadian company, we are thrilled to mark our debut in the in-flight entertainment industry with Air Canada, the largest Canadian airline,” said Eric Boyko, President and CEO of Stingray. “In addition to providing Air Canada customers with the highest quality music content in flight, our partnership includes the promotion of great Canadian artists and musicians.”

Since February 2015, Air Canada customers have had access, free-on-demand, to the expertly curated music content that has contributed Stingray’s stellar global reputation, including:

· Themed music playlists

· Genre-based music playlists

· Music Video playlists

· Concert videos and music documentaries

Said Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada, “Air Canada is proud to support Canadian talent through this new partnership with Stingray that will provide our customers with more selections than ever before by Canadian artists.”

This first venture by Stingray into the in-flight entertainment industry was developed in coordination with Spafax, Air Canada’s content marketing agency of record.

Apple To Relaunch Beats Music Service With Help From Trent Reznor

Mar 26, 2015

From New York Times:

In what would be the biggest change to its music strategy in years, Apple is pressing ahead with a sweeping overhaul of its digital music services that would allow the company to compete directly with streaming upstarts like Spotify.

Almost a year after agreeing to pay $3 billion for Beats, the maker of hip headphones and a streaming music service, Apple is working with Beats engineers and executives to introduce its own subscription streaming service. The company is also planning an enhanced iTunes Radio that may be tailored to listeners in regional markets, and, if Apple gets what it wants, more splashy new albums that will be on iTunes before they are available anywhere else, according to people briefed on the company’s plans.

In a sign of how important Beats is in reshaping Apple’s digital music, the company has made a musician a point man for overhauling the iPhone’s music app to include the streaming music service, as opposed to an engineer. Trent Reznor, the Nine Inch Nails frontman who was the chief creative officer for Beats, is playing a major role in redesigning the music app, according to two Apple employees familiar with the product, who spoke on the condition they not be named because the plans are private.

Laura Cole and Jeremy Fisher Lead Hamilton Music Awards Nominations

Mar 26, 2015

The 2015 Hamilton Music Awards announced the nominees for their 2015 event, which take place at 6PM on Sunday May 24th at the Dofasco Centre for the Arts. Leading the nominations are Laura Cole(5), Jeremy Fisher(4) Arkells(3), Blackie and the Rodeo Kings(3), Elliott Brood(3), Ash & Bloom(2), Bianca Bernardi(2), Diana Panton(2), Dirty Jeans(2), Ginger St. James(2), Hachey the MouthPEACE(2), Harrison Kennedy(2), Jacob Moon(2), Katie Bulley(2), Mimi Shaw(2), Mississippi Bends(2), Steve Strongman(2), The Dinner Belles(2) and Tongue Fu(2). A complete list of nominees is included below.

The Industry Award nominees, Rising Star Search, Festival & Conference schedules as well as ticket information will be announced in early April.

Fans, artists and industry are reminded to cast their votes in seven People’s Choice categories at www.hamiltonmusicawards.com. The deadline has been extended to midnight on Friday April 24th.

2015 marks a 20-year journey for the Hamilton Music Awards, Festival and Conference which began as Hamilton Music Scene, an unofficial pre-JUNO Festival, when the JUNO’S hit the road and landed in Hamilton, in March 1995.

The Hamilton Music Awards and Industry Awards were established in 2004 to promote and recognize Hamilton’s vibrant music community. The Music Awards are broadcast nationally each year and have featured appearances by Monster Truck, Daniel Lanois, Arkells, The Reason, Ian Thomas, Lighthouse, Eugene Levy, Crowbar, Jackie Washington, Garth Hudson, Teenage Head, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Whitehorse and many more. To date, over 600 awards have been given to local artists and industry. The conference is attended by over 700 students and artists annually and features guest speakers from all walks of the Canadian music industry. The festival takes place over two nights in venues across the city.

2015 Hamilton Music Awards

1. Female Artist of the Year
Bianca Bernardi – Bianca Bernardi
Katie Bulley – Sun Wolf
Laura Cole – Dirty Cheat
Diana Panton – Red
Mimi Shaw – Niagara
Ginger St. James – Diesel and Peas

2. Male Artist of the Year
Jeremy Fisher – The Lemon Squeeze
Hachey the MouthPEACE – Out of Line
Harrison Kennedy – This Is From Here
Jacob Moon – Fascination
Bud Roach – Arias By Sances From 1636
Steve Strongman – Let Me Prove It To You

3. Local Group of the Year by the Peoples Choice –Determined by online vote at www.hamiltonmusicawards.com

4. New Artist/Group of the Year
Ash & Bloom – Let The Storm Come
Laura Cole – Dirty Cheat

Dirty Jeans – Dirty Jeans
Mississippi Bends – Mississippi Bends
Tongue Fu – Tongue Fu

5. Jazz Recording of the Year
Brenda Brown – Brenda Brown
Diana Panton – Red
Haolin Munk – HMEP
The Out of Towners – Dirty. Organ. Jazz
Karen Thornton – Rain Down On Me

6. Roots Recording of the Year (Group)
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – South
Elliott Brood – Work and Love
The Folk Sinners – Move That Rock
Tim Gibbons and the Swampbusters – Swamp Tooth Comb
Harlan Pepper – Take Out A Twenty And Live Life To The Fullest

7. Roots Recording of the Year (Solo)
Katie Bulley – Sun Wolf
Fred Eaglesmith – Tambourine
Low Country Hill – Low Country Hill
Mark McNeil – Flashbacks
Peter Tigchelaar – Better Things

8. Alternative/Indie Rock Recording of the Year
Beautiful Nothing – Beautiful Nothing
The Dirty Nil – Smite
Pet Sun – Feel Like I’m Going Away
Dave Rave and the Governors – Ashtray Makeup
Thought Beneath Film – Cartographers
The Zilis – Sketches II

9. Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year
Ash & Bloom – Let The Storm Come
John and Sheila Ludgate – Northern Soul
Scott Orr – A Long Life
Matt Paxton – Mountain Eyes
Alfie Smith & Nicole Christian – Come On In My Kitchen
The Vaudevillian – Salty Dog

10. Industry Lifetime Achievement Award

11. Rock Recording of the Year
Arkells – High Noon
Bob Bryden – Yorkville Days
Live How You Live – Live How You Live
Social Animals – Innominate
Sons of Revelry – Fractal

12. Loud/Metal Recording of the Year
Dred – …They Do Exist
Jamsquid – 3.0
Sarasin – Sarasin
Sumo Cyco – Lost in Cyco City
Varga – Enter The Metal

13. Punk Recording of the Year
Born Wrong – Art District
Dirty Jeans – Dirty Jeans
The Responsibles – Still Rolling
Simply Saucer – Baby Nova
Tongue Fu – Tongue Fu

14. Adult Alternative Recording of the Year
Laura Cole – Dirty Cheat
Justin Dunlop – Black Bay Nocturnes
The DoneFors – Lush Life Below The Poverty Line
Jeremy Fisher – The Lemon Squeeze
Jacob Moon – Fascination
Whitehorse (Translations by Pierre Marchard) – Éphémère Sans Repère

15. Blues Recording of the Year
Jack de Keyzer – Voodoo Boogie
Joel Johnson – Blues Joose Volume II
Harrison Kennedy – This Is From Here
Shawn O’Halloran – Jumpin’ The Gun On Mardi Gras
Steve Strongman – Let Me Prove It To You

16. Alt/Country Recording of the Year
Rae Billing And The Unpayables – Walls and Fences
The Dinner Belles – The River And The Willow
Mississippi Bends – Mississippi Bends
Mimi Shaw – Niagara
Ginger St. James – Diesel and Peas

17. New Country Recording of the Year
Ty Baynton – Good Ol’ Boy
Billy J White – Damn Fool Thing

18. Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year
B-Flix – Everything Changed
Canadian Winter – The Snowball Effect
Cha Cha AKA Jim James – Mr. Personalities
Hachey the MouthPEACE – Out Of Line

19. Pop Recording of the Year
Allotrope – Allotropic
Among Millions – Among Millions
Bianca Bernardi – Bianca Bernardi
Kojo “Easy” Damptey – Daylight Robbery
Jordan Haller – Drifting
Hello Harvard – EP

20. Artist Lifetime Achievement Award

21. Songwriter of the Year
Arkells – High Noon
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – South
Laura Cole – Dirty Cheat
The Dinner Belles – The River and the Willow
Elliott Brood – Work And Love
Jeremy Fisher – The Lemon Squeez

22. Record of the Year
Arkells – High Noon
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – South
Caribou – Our Love
Laura Cole – Dirty Cheat
Elliott Brood – Work And Love
Jeremy Fisher – The Lemon Squeeze