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Author Topic: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004  (Read 14157 times)

iluvatar

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Re: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004
« Reply #30 on: May 13, 2004, 11:59:14 PM »

so that's it...

*crosses fingers*  Cool

-Dan.
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Dan Costello
Minister of Public Enlightenment
Mercenary Audio

"Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.."

wing

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Re: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004
« Reply #31 on: May 14, 2004, 02:21:33 AM »

Well, am I too late? Was it midnight beginning of May 13th? The ending of May 13th? Eastern or Pacific?

Well let's just hope and pretend I'm just on time. And even if I'm not, at least hear me out. I'll probably go over the 50 word limit too, in fact I know I will. I can't help it. I write 10 page essays in english class when the assignment calls for 2 pages. It's just the way I write, I suppose. I'm a straightforward and genuine person, so when I write, I kind of write every thought from my mind and heart coming at me 1000 miles per second.

Well then! My name is Jonathan Wing, I'm a 19 year old college student from Houston, Texas. Let me start by saying that I'm not a competitive person, so it's hard for me to do this kind of contest. I'd probably be the first to say that I don't deserve to win. But the fact I'm trying shows at least I won't give up. There is never a harm in trying anything in life, right? Well anyway, I've been recording music with my brother since I was about 10 years old. The moment I heard two tracks I had recorded come together on top, that was it for me-- I knew my path. Nowadays I try to run my own personal studio basically for myself and friends. I still have so much yet to learn. I recently acquired a 3M 1" tape machine and need to learn so much about how to use it-- alignment, maintenance, everything! If you go on the tapeop messageboards, you'll see that I'm the #1 poster over there. I'm not bragging with that. In fact that sounds shamefully nerdy. But the reason I post so much is my desire to learn everything as well as teach (or at least try to) everything I can to those who are also eager to acquire knowledge. I've been told many times that I'm an inspiring person who energizes people and makes them want to just create. People have said that I have an infectious enthusiasm about me. I didn't really know I did this until recently, but it's good to know... I'd hate to be the opposite! I'm always trying to come up with creative ideas to keep the world on its toes. I invented something called "The Beat Union" which is a project where I would record a beat every week and post it online. The idea was to see how many different songs by different people could be created out of that one same beat. It has been a hit, and people are always asking for Wing beats by name. More than anything it makes me feel useful, like I'm giving something back to music that it deserves. In my quest for knowledge, I have personally interviewed and have become friends with a few great and inspiring names in the music industry (hopefully to be printed in TapeOp, that is, if Larry likes them!) such as Sufjan Stevens, John Vanderslice, The Walkmen, Broken Social Scene, and others. And I even had the moxie to start a "Send Wing to the TapeOpCon 2004 fund" on TapeOp. My idea was that with how many people post there, if each one of them just sent me $1, I could totally be set and go! The idea seemed flawless on paper. If I could convince enough people (in the same way I feel I'm doing right now with this essay) to send just $1, I wouldn't have to worry. If I actually HAD the money, I would never do such a thing. But as it is, I can hardly afford gas. No way I could afford to go to the conference on my own. And to each individual person, what is the loss in losing $1 (well I guess $1.37 after postage)? No loss, really. Nothing significant. Many people thought it was so daring that they were even suggesting they just might help me out.

Well for some reason, it fell through, and no one sent a dime. I don't know why. I wish they had. I even offered to write and record complete songs in honor of those who donated more than $30. Pretty good deal, I gotta say! I'm not one to mooch of others though-- I promised everyone that I would be the official conference whipping boy, after all. I love helping people. And if by some stroke of magical insanity, you, dear reader, felt inspired enough to pay my way, I would of course be yours. After all, I can't drink. So might as well take advantage of the things I COULD do for you! Imagine having your own slave for the weekend. Yes, I am THAT crazy. But I'd probably do it anyway, even if I could have paid my way entirely. It's just my nature to help others and be sure their needs are met.

What was my point with this? I don't think I much had one, really. I'm not daring enough to say "I'm the obvious choice" or "I deserve it more than these other guys"... I've read the other essays here, and they all deserve it. Fine gentlemen (and women?) I must say. I mean, look at me, the rebellious delinquent that I am. Such audacity I must have to write this essay right as it is due, AND to go over the 50 word limit. I've probably gone over 500 words, haven't I?

So why should you pick me? If I were to sum it up: I'm much too poor to afford a ticket. New Orleans is about as close as I can imagine TapeOpCon being to Houston. I soak up knowledge like a sponge and I'm really open minded to hearing every bit of advice and every idea that every person has to share. I LOVE helping and serving others and would love to be the conference's whipping boy. And if I don't win, I won't be upset. In the end, what is most important is not going to the conference but rather just making music and capturing it the best way I know how. I really want to go to the conference in order to learn how to improve this, to learn to capture sound better and to grow in my understanding of audio and grow in my friendships with other musicians and recording artists. But nothing that can be done or said--if you laugh me off the planet for this essay and give the tapeop ticket to someone else--would ever stop me and my drive to be the best that I can ever be, and then some. My goal here is not to go to the conference in order to hang out or get food, but rather to learn EVERYTHING I can! I guess my entire point with this is just that I see the importance in not basing and relying my learning adventure on whether or not I go to the conference. That would be silly. Don't get me wrong though, I think it would be wonderfully beneficial and hugely important in my life of recording. I know it would be. But again, the important thing here is to have the focus on what is to be learned, not where and how it will be learned.

I broke all the rules, and I'm probably "just a kid" to a lot of people. I've heard that a lot of times. I almost hate doing this, because I hate the idea of "beating out" all these other fine people. I wish for all of them to be able to go. I guess that's the uncompetitive part of me. So I apologize if this whole essay thing sounds terribly disorganized and nervous. Perhaps I'm not making any sense by this point, and for that I'm sorry.

You could also always pick me because I'm fun. I always go above and beyond people's expectations to give them a good time and make them happy. And like I said, how can you beat having a personal whipping boy the whole weekend?

In any event, I'm inspired. I was inspired to write this essay even though my thoughts were ones such as "Well, it's probably too late", or "I can't write what I want to say in less than 50 words", or "how could I ever win over all those other awesome guys?!"... but something inside me inspired and forced me to try. Though the doubt sometimes seems to run rampant through my head, I decided I would overcome it and at least give it my best and give it my all. TapeOp inspires me. Music and creating it inspires me. The tapeop messageboard inspires me. Through all of this, I can only hope to inspire others through music the way TapeOp and recording has inspired me. Thank you.

ps: sorry again for this being late... I was going to try and do it earlier, but finals at school and working two jobs really got in the way. It kind of slipped my mind until now... and to be fair, it is still May 13th in America as I'm writing this.  Very Happy
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iluvatar

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Re: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004
« Reply #32 on: May 15, 2004, 01:11:43 AM »

Anybody know how the winner will be notified? A post on here?

-Dan.
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Dan Costello
Minister of Public Enlightenment
Mercenary Audio

"Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.."

j.hall

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Re: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004
« Reply #33 on: May 15, 2004, 05:26:06 PM »

i'm reviewing all the entries, as fletcher is too.

i'll post the winner here

i'm also locking the thread

we'll get a winner picked by sunday evening....
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j.hall

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Re: Win a pass to Tape Op Con 2004
« Reply #34 on: May 16, 2004, 11:53:36 PM »

iluvatar wrote on Thu, 13 May 2004 22:59

so that's it...

*crosses fingers*  Cool

-Dan.


uncross em....and pack those bags, you're heading to TapeOpCon '04

i will drop a few emails and make some phone calls to see how we finish this off officially

if you can't by a plane ticket and spring for the hotel, then let me know ASAP, we've got a runner up all picked out.  (hey, not bringing you down, some times reality strikes in a financial way)

all right, Dan, PM now!!!


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