Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

globalPandora - Pandora goes Global

Monday, January 14th, 2008
The box is open.

That’s the tagline that greets you when you visit globalPandora, which touts itself as a way that people that are not located in the United States can access the free music streaming service Pandora without having to futz with a web proxy service. Though they don’t explain how this magical trick is accomplished, it’s likely that Global Pandora is simply acting as an invisible proxy and delivering up the Pandora interface.

It works, at least from here in Moscow, Russia, and am quite sure that it will work from any other country as well. Now, enjoy it while it lasts, because it’s extremely unlikely that globalPandora will be allowed to exist for much longer. On the other hand, now that it’s been done once, it’s pretty likely that once it is shut down, globalPandora clones will pop up to replace it. Music - and all data, really - that is free somewhere will eventually be free everywhere.

Music Video: “I’d Die Without You” by P.M. Dawn

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

One of those songs that make you feel so good, all those sweet memories that have stayed with you in your heart, while at the same time making you feel lonely. Sung by P.M. Dawn, a hip hop/R&B musical group, formed by brothers Attrell Cordes (a.k.a. Prince Be) and Jarrett Cordes (a.k.a. DJ Minute Mix), in 1988 in Jersey City, New Jersey. This song will always be on my list of top compositions of all time.

PM Dawn - “I’d Die Without You”

Is it my turn to wish you were lying here.
I tend to dream you when I’m not sleeping.
Is it my turn to fictionalize my world.
Or even imagine your emotions. tell myself anything…
Is it my turn to hold you by the hands.
Tell you I love you and you not hear me…
Is it my turn to totally understand.
To watch you walk out of my life and not do a damn thing…

If Ive to give away…
The feeling that I feel.
If Ive to sacrifice…
Oh, whatever babe, whatever baby.
If Ive to take apart…
All that I am…
Is there anything that I would not do,
cause inside Id die without you…

Oh, I apologize for all the things Ive done.
But now I’m underwater and I’m drowning…
Is it my turn to be the one to cry.
Isn’t it amazing how some things just completely turn around…
So take every little piece of my heart…
So take every little piece of my soul…
So take every little piece of my mind…
cause if youre gone… inside…
Id die without you…

To *##* With DRM

Monday, February 26th, 2007

 

So, how can you protect yourself from this “pact of evil”?

  1. First of all — ignore the hardware and software using DRM techniques to restrict the rights of the user. Do not purchase music, movies and other content secured by DRM mechanisms. Instead, use alternative services recommended by the Defective By Design campaign — these are the tools and services DRM-free.
  2. Secondly — talk, talk and once again, talk — make your family, friends, co-workers aware of the dangers connected with the use of DRM in the products. This is the best way to educate people what DRM really is and why they should care. Nobody wants to be restricted. When people become aware of the restrictions, they will not buy the products that restrict them. Simple enough

OK, and what if we have already legally purchased some content (like multimedia or text document) secured by some kind of DRM? Do not worry. Most of them has been broken a long time ago. For example, in order to play an CSS-encrypted DVD under GNU/Linux, you can use almost any player like VLC, MPlayer or Xine with libdvdcss2 enabled (this is a non-licenced library used to decrypt DVDs encrypted with CSS). If you posses music in AAC format (e.g. purchased at iTunes), you can easily convert them to a friendly format using JHymn without losing quality. The story repeats with each and every new introduced DRM technology, like encrypted PDFs, Windows Media, or recently HD-DVD (see the muslix64 post on BackupDVD) and BluRay.

Breaking the DRM restrictions is hard but always possible, due to the fact that all DRM mechanisms need to use symmetric encryption in order to work. This kind of encryption requires the keys to be hidden either in the hardware or software — in both ways it’s possible to access them by the hacker, analyze and find the way to decrypt the data streams. If you are interested in the details of DRM hacking, read the lecture of Cory Doctorow for Microsoft Research about the nonsense of DRM.

Is it legal? ………………….. >the right question is< ………………………. DO I CARE!

Vande Mataram - It is in Our Hearts

Friday, September 1st, 2006

Vande Mataram (Hindi: वन्दे मातरम् Vande Mātaram, Bengali: বন্দে মাতরম Bônde Matorom) is the national song of India, distinct from the national anthem of India “Jana Gana Mana”. The song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in a mixture of Bengali and Sanskrit.

The song first appeared in Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay’s book Anandamatha (pronounced Anondomôţh in Bengali), published in 1882 amid fears of a ban by British Raj. However, the song itself was actually written in 1876. Jadunath Bhattacharya set the tune for this song just after it was written.

In original words

Vande Mataram - from movie

Though a major aspirant for being the national anthem of India, Vande Mataram was eventually overtaken by Jana Gana Mana, which was ultimately chosen. The choice was slightly controversial, since the Vande Mataram was the one song that truly depicted the pre-independence national fervour. The song was rejected on the grounds that Muslims felt offended by its depiction of the nation as “Ma Durga“—a Hindu goddess—thus equating the nation with the Hindu conception of shakti, divine feminine dynamic force; and by its origin as part of Anandamatha, a novel they felt had an anti-Muslim message. There is some controversy with Jana Gana Mana also as it mentions some areas as part of India which are now no longer with India. However, in recent times, there has been much more of an acceptance of the historically passionate patriotic cry and, for example, famous Muslim popular music composer A.R. Rahman has released an album with the same title, which had become a resounding success.

Vande Mataram (Maa Tujhe Salaam) - version by A.R.Rahman

Vande Mataram - Revival - by A.R.Rahman

Full Version in Anandamatha:

In Devanagari script
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्यश्यामलां मातरम् .
शुभ्र-ज्योत्स्नाम् पुलकितयामिनीम्
फुल्लकुसुमित द्रुमदलशोभिनीम्,
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीम् .
सुखदां वरदां मातरम् ॥
सप्तकोटि कण्ठ कलकल निनाद कराले
द्विसप्त कोटि भुजैर्ध्रत खरकरवाले
के बोले मा तुमी अबले
बहुबल धारिणीम् नमामि तारिणीम्
रिपुदलवारिणीम् मातरम् ॥
तुमि विद्या तुमि धर्म, तुमि ह्रदि तुमि मर्म
त्वं हि प्राणाः शरीरे
बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति,
हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति,
तोमारै प्रतिमा गडि मन्दिरे-मन्दिरे ॥
त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी
कमला कमलदल विहारिणी
वाणी विद्यादायिनी, नमामि त्वाम्
नमामि कमलां अमलां अतुलाम्
सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् ॥
श्यामलां सरलां सुस्मितां भूषिताम्
धरणीं भरणीं मातरम् ॥
In Bengali script
সুজলাং সুফলাং মলয়জশীতলাম্
শস্যশ্যামলাং মাতরম্॥
শুভ্রজ্যোত্স্না পুলকিতযামিনীম্
পুল্লকুসুমিত দ্রুমদলশোভিনীম্
সুহাসিনীং সুমধুর ভাষিণীম্
সুখদাং বরদাং মাতরম্॥
কোটি কোটি কণ্ঠ কলকলনিনাদ করালে
কোটি কোটি ভুজৈর্ধৃতখরকরবালে
কে বলে মা তুমি অবলে
বহুবলধারিণীং নমামি তারিণীম্
রিপুদলবারিণীং মাতরম্॥
তুমি বিদ্যা তুমি ধর্ম, তুমি হৃদি তুমি মর্ম
ত্বং হি প্রাণ শরীরে
বাহুতে তুমি মা শক্তি
হৃদয়ে তুমি মা ভক্তি
তোমারৈ প্রতিমা গড়ি মন্দিরে মন্দিরে॥
ত্বং হি দুর্গা দশপ্রহরণধারিণী
কমলা কমলদল বিহারিণী
বাণী বিদ্যাদায়িনী ত্বাম্
নমামি কমলাং অমলাং অতুলাম্
সুজলাং সুফলাং মাতরম্॥
শ্যামলাং সরলাং সুস্মিতাং ভূষিতাম্
ধরণীং ভরণীং মাতরম্॥

Translation:

Mother, I salute thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Green fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When swords flash out in seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Thou who saves, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foe drove
Back from plain and seaAnd shook herself free.
Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nerves the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fairIn thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Loveliest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!

Here is the same song but sung in different Indian language by kids in presence with A.R. Rahman

Vande Mataram - version by Lata Mangeshkar

Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon

Friday, August 18th, 2006

 

Translation:

O! the people of my motherland!
Raise all the slogans you desire,
This is a great day for us all,
Hoist your beloved tricolor,
But don’t forget on the border,
The brave did lose their lives,
And remember each great soldier,
Who did not return home ever,
O! the people of my motherland!
Shed a few tears,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
When injured was the Himalayan might,
Our freedom was in jeopardy,
Till their last breath did they fight,
And then laid their dead body,
Resting their head on the soil,
Sacrificed and slept immortal,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
When the country celebrated Diwali,
They played the bloody game of Holi,
When we were sitting safe at our homes,
They dealt with deadly bullets and bombs.
Blessed they were those soldiers,
Blessed were their youths,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
Some Sikh, some Jaat and Maratha,
Some were Gurkha or Madrasi,
But each soldier who died on the border,
Was a brave Hindustani.

 
The blood that stained the mountain,
That blood was that of an Indian,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
With blood their body was drenched,
Yet they lifted their rifle and aimed,
One killed tens of the enemy,
Then fell down unconsciously.
When the final moment came on,
They said they will die now,
Be happy! O beloved of the nation,
We embark on eternal journey now,
How great were those patriots,
How great was their pride,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
Don’t you ever forget their glory,
So I narrate this noble story,
For those who martyred on ice,
Remember their great sacrifice!
Victory to India!, Victory to her army!
Victory to India!
Victory to India!
Victory to India!
 
     

Composed by C. Ramchandra and lyrics by Pradeep. When in 1962 Lata Mangeshkar sang this patriotic song, it moved Pundit Jawarlal Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister, to tears. This song was sung to honor the sacrifices of the gallant Indian Jawans (infantrymen) who in the 1962 Sino-Indian War fought to the last man and the last round on the icy desolate peaks of the Himalayas with obsolete bolt-action Lee-Enfield rifles against the assault rifles, heavy machine guns, mortars and artillery of the People’s Liberation Army of China.

Take Action to Save Internet from Corporate Control

Wednesday, June 7th, 2006

Right now USA Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the First Amendment of the Internet — a principle called "network neutrality" that preserves the free and open Internet. Congress needs to hear from you today or they will hand over control of what you do online to companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast.

 

Pandora: The Music Genome Project

Monday, March 27th, 2006

Team, a group of musicians + Music + Internet + Awesome Idea = Pandora

They put forth a question: Can you help me discover more music that I like?

And guess what … they come up with this solution that creates a playlist matching to which artist you like, or the song you like … and it actually works … simple and elegant solutions.

The Music Genome Project's database is built using a methodology thatincludes the use of precisely defined terminology, a consistent frame of reference, redundant analysis, and ongoing quality control to ensure that data integrity remains reliably high. Pandora does not use
machine-listening or other forms of automated data extraction.

 According to their website:

Those questions often evolved into great conversations. Each friend told us their favorite artists and songs, explored the music we suggested, gave us feedback, and we in turn made new suggestions. Everybody started joking that we were now their personal DJs.

No matter what, they are definitely one of my preffered DJs … it even beats live streaming radio broadcasts (personal or professional).

There are of course few more features that I would like to see in future.

And those licenses/patents instances once again makes your pleasure $%^&** … u know!

 Thanks for such a great product - shoutout to you guys.

 

Flute of Pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia

Tuesday, October 18th, 2005

 

I was listening today to Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia’s flute and got totally submerged into the sounds of flute, tabla and sitar, performed as Gandharva Veda - the eternal music of nature, used to create balance in nature and peace in the world.

For someone who is not aware of who Hariprasad Chaurasia is, he is known internationally as the greatest living master of bansuri, the North Indian bamboo flute. Chaurasia is among a few but growing classicists who have made a conscious effort to reach out and expand the audience for classical music. He is probably the most accessible Hindustani musician who has done a lot to popularize Bansuri (flute) and classical music among the masses. He was born in the same city as I was, that is Allahabad,India but 40 years before me.

“When you leave nothing behind,

you cry at the point of death,

but I still dream, I dare to dream,

that through my playing and through

my students my flute will be left behind

as the memory of Krishna.

I am planning on creating a big collection of Indian classical music, which will include different directions that Hindustani (हिन�?�?द�?स�?�?थानी) classical music has to offer. I’ll suggest to whoever is reading this, to listen to Hariprasad Chaurasia and few more Indian classical instrumental tunes from Gandharva Veda as it uses sound, melody, and rhythm to restore balance and harmony in mind, body, behaviour, and environment.