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Samuel Heller Posts

Zoom H2 – a real handy recorder

Published on 8. Februar 2008

Zoom H2

Hell, what a blogger I am, posting in three month – nothing. But this I feel like sharing with you: 7 weeks ago I got me this nice little gadget. And I don’t regret it. Even if you have a Videocam in your rehearsal room, this is a must have!

You’ll get four built-in micros to record wave and mp3 on a SD-Card. You can have an angle of 90°, 120° or 360° (!). Afterwards you download the files via USB to your Computer. You can even record the four mics to two stereo files and process it with additional software (not included) to Dolby 5.1.

On the other hand, it is for purists. There is no multitrack recording nor any effects besides splitting of files. Just record what you hear. There is a chromatic tuner and a metronome built in.

Listen what it sounds like. It was just on a chair between us while playing, the mp3-file is 160 bps (I know, but I have to watch my webspace…):

 

Best you check out its official page on the Zoom-site for all its features:
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/index.php

Here you get a neat 3d-view!

There are many excellent reviews in the net, just google. For my part, it’s worth the € 170.– and the 6 weeks of delivery time (it was out of stock short after release, oh no). Maybe it’s more expensive now, the list price was said to be about € 230.–. But believe me: If you work with Minidisc, Tape or nothing at all and don’t have a PC-Operator and a Laptop in your rehearsal room – you’ll never want to go back! Definitely six out of five stars…

Published inMusic

A dollars wondrous journey

Published on 15. Oktober 2007

Hello, today’s Blog Action Day! So here’s my post. Since it’s about environment and I thought there are so many experts better than me out there, I’ll write a nice little tale. Well, finally it got a bit oversized, because I tried to tell this and to tell that too, and those points seems important, and so on. There are no Karl-May-like lengthy descriptions, but our little friend stumbles from one adventure into the next before he reaches his destiny.

So I hope you take your time and enjoy the reading! However, I had fun writing it. And please leave a note. 🙂

A dollars wondrous journey

American DollarOnce upon a time there was a lonesome Dollar. It was not very beautiful – more the average type of a green printed piece of paper. He was very ambitious and wanted to make more out of his live. So he decided to go out into the big, wide world to see it all – and to become more beautiful, as every dollar wants to be.

By chance he found himself in Indonesia. He remembered that rainforest is considered as a good place to become more beautiful – for the price of only one tree. «There are so many trees» he thought, «nobody will miss it if I’ll take one».

Short time later he felt more beautiful because it had taken the trees beauty and Dollar was very pleased with himself. But, on the other hand, he felt no longer independent. «Doesn’t matter» he told himself matter-of-factly, and was magically drawn along with the tree over the ocean to America.

ErosionHe never looked behind and so he couldn’t see all the other dollars hunting for beauty in the woods and the trees vanishing one by one. Very quickly the rainforests was cleared of trees – which enhanced neatness and visibility of the environment enormously – and also in making Dollars more beautiful. Problem was, once the forests were deserted, no dollars came anymore. People in now raindesert-countries started to fight each other out of frustration and lack of education to free themselves from their anger. Many times their leaders told them to do so because they feared the powers from the poor. And as long as they fought each other, they wouldn’t fight the leaders.

In America, in the meantime, the tree had ended up as a door case. Our dollar was owned by an international habitation proprietor, now ten times more beautiful. Although he was not free anymore, he had a good life and enjoyed his beauty. To become even more beautiful, he was sent to Germany: There were low cost housings for sale and they promised much beauty. After some home-improvement projects that made the workers sweat, Dollar pocketed his first slice of beauty.

PlattenbauThen the buildings were sold again and our dollar got his second slice of beauty. He returned to America twenty times as beautiful as when he arrived in Europe. Again he didn’t look back and therefore couldn’t see the tears of families which didn’t find a payable flat anymore. And those who could afford high lease prices had to live in energy wasting houses full of toxic materials. It paid the most beauty – for Dollar.

WeiterlesenA dollars wondrous journey
Published inEcologyEconomyFunPoliticsSocietyThink!

Habib Koité

Published on 13. Oktober 2007

Habib Koité - AfrikiToday I was at a gig from Habib Koité. I don’t know what exactly to write her, I’m still swept away! If you don’t know Habib, I encourage you to listen to his new album on amazon (click on Fimani and buy it at a dealer near you). He plays unspectacular, but very beautiful music full of magic and depth. I bought his new Album on the spot! Although this studio work lacks some of this magic, it’s an excellent piece of work he published after a six years break.

Vital Mamahadou Koné on Talking Drum is just amazing, it’s such a pleasure to watch him. He’s got them some women dancing on stage out of the audience while he played solos. Most musically gifted is Kétigul Diabaté, who plays Balafon and Violin. He did the best solos. Souleyman Ann on Drums plays an incredible volume: I didn’t know it’s possible to play Drums so gently. Confused

The mood was pleasing too. The Bamadas aren’t a party band. If you look for a place to wear your ear muffs or to do two hours of power dancing, you’re definitely wrong. But if you’d like to get your soul touched, then go for Habib Koité and the Bamadas!

Published inMusicMusicians

Junkyard Gürbetal

Published on 9. September 2007

This is one where people are of two minds I think. Even my own splits in two here. Can a junkyard bear a historical meaning? And if yes, should it be cleared due to environmental protection?

Junkyard 1

Well, the story is this: In the years from 1933 until 1975, when his son took over his business, Walter Messerli dealt second hand spares. He parked the remaining car wrecks in his backyard, where they are still today. Now a local curt decided that the area has to be cleared because of pollution. Now there’s a pool forming to save this ‚Historical Junkyard‚.

You know, I want cars with combustion engines abolished. I would stand in the first row! But when I see this pictures – there’s something intriguing and I’m sort of glad I don’t have to make the decision. Click ‚continue reading‘ to see more pics and tell me what you think.

WeiterlesenJunkyard Gürbetal
Published inEcologyFun

Killing fuss

Published on 23. August 2007

In ‚Dying for some quiet: The truth about noise pollution‚ in the NewScientist they state that

«…the WHO’s findings suggest that long-term exposure to traffic noise may account for 3 per cent of deaths from ischaemic heart disease in Europe – typically heart attacks.»

In Europa alone probably half a million lifeyears are lost anually.

Killing fussNothing new are the facts that chronical niose pollution cause sleep disorder, hardness of hearing and learning disorders.

But really interesting is this:

A Swedish survey in Munich has shown a 25 % advancement of childrens long-term memory in th area of the airport Riem, after it was closed. Just impressive is the fact of a memory decline in the same degree in the area of the new Munich airport since it started operation.

So, what do we learn? Wearing ear muffs should be obligatory… 😐

Published inHealthScienceSocietyThink!

Growth and exponential functions

Published on 18. August 2007

«The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.»

Watch this dissertation from Dr. Albert A. Bartlett, professor emeritus of physics at the university of Boulder, Colorado (8 parts, each approx. 9 min):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-QA2rkpBSY

Mankind is growing with approx. 1.6 percent a year. This means, in 780 years we’ll have an one-squaremeter-society: on every squaremeter land is one person living. And in 2500 years mankind will weigh the same as the whole earth (dear Albert is a joker for shure).

Albert A. BertlettOr think of bacteria living in a bottle. It’s eleven o’clock. They double their volume once a minute. What time is it, when they realize that the bottle is half full and they’re getting a place problem? Right, it’s exact 11:59. If they become aware of the fact when the bottle is one eighth full? It’s 11:57. Ok, they start a big search now and can find 3 more bottles by the time when the first is one fourth full, witch gives an amazing amount of space: 16 times the room they use now! Problem solved, you think? Wait until 12:02…

Click above – this is the most important video you’ll ever see! Find out why it seems that most politicians, economists and even scientists are unable to do simple math we all did back in school.

And while you are at it, asking yourselt why we should act today to save our tomorrow, have a quick look at this video (9 min).

Published inEcologyEconomyPoliticsSocietyThink!

Me do smiling!

Published on 27. Juli 2007

Hey y’all!

Long time no read! Since there’s so much meaningless writing on the web I’ll add some too – I mean, maybe for you, but not so for me :D!

I’ve got three (3!) full weeks on holiday! 😀

Cheers!

Holiday

Published inFun

Global Dimming

Published on 31. Mai 2007

industry and greenhouse gases

English (deutsch siehe unten)

If you thought it would be nice to have mediterranean temperatures in middle Europe by two more degrees Celsius in 2025, you must know that there is a good chance we’d have an increase of four degrees that year. And with it the dryness of nord Africa.

You ask why? Particulate matter might decrease the effect of greenhouse gases by its half, Nowadays, with all the particle filters, we’ll eventually get a nice burn in the future – simple, isn’t it?

Watch this BBC-documentation on YouTube and spread the word:

Global Dimming
(edit: Updated the videolinks)

Deutsch

Wer dachte, es wäre hübsch, in Mitteleuropa Mittelmeerklima zu haben, indem es 2 Grad wärmer wird, muss damit rechnen, dass es bis dann 4 Grad wärmer geworden ist. Und damit hier so trocken wie in Nordafrika.

Wie das gehen soll? Feinstaub in der Atmosphäre dürfte den Effekt der Treibhausgase um die Hälfte dämpfen. Mit den heutigen Partikelfiltern werden wir uns vielleicht einen netten Sonnenbrand einfangen.

Guck Dir dazu diese BBC-Doku auf YouTube:

Global Dimming Teil 1 | Teil 2 | Teil 3 | Teil 4 | Teil 5

Published inEcologyScienceThink!

Baul Melody

Published on 8. Mai 2007

Take a listen from this mp3-file (Baul Melody in 8 beats, 8/4):

To not stop playback surf in another tab/window!

Though it’s Indian Light Classical, it’s a master piece. This indian folk melody from the bengali Baul tradition is sweetly interpreted by Nikhil Banerjee (sitar) and Anindio Chatterjee (tabla) and I listened to it a minimum of 125 thousand times. Both are masters on their instruments and I especially suggest to listen to the little enrichments Nikhil gives to each note and the flow of the melody. He is just amazing!

Nikhil Banerjee - Lyrical SitarIf you never heard Indian Classical Music, this may open a new world for you. Indian Music is basically modal and based on one scale. Here is the seventh, the minor seventh and even the minor second in the scale at one point – so your listening habit may get stressed a bit. But belive me: You will love this! This is sugar.

If you like some more information about Classical Indian Music, you may start on Wikipedia.

 

Here’s another version in 6 beats, 6/8:

 

(Updated Sept. 2013)

 

Published inMusicMusicians

Have a Game

Published on 15. April 2007

Since I didn’t got inspired by something spectacular, I post here some links to little games thar you can play online. Some requires plugins like Shockwave, which you may have to install or update to make fun of it.

  • Bubble ShooterThe first one is Bubble Shooter. In classical manner you’ll have to hit colored bubbles with another one you shoot. If there are more than three in the same color, they’ll disappear. The goal is to clean the bubbles off the field. Beware: Danger of habit formation!
  • The second is a classic: Backgammon.
  • Gold StrikeOne more is Gold Strike. You’ll be a miner who’s diggin‘ to some Banjosounds. The game principle is somewhat like Bubbles, but with a time limit and the bricks disappear, if there are more than two of the same type neighboring. It’s fun, but the game seems somewhat unfinished…
  • Snow StormFor a limitet time (until you’ve found the best strategy) is Snow Storm. Free the parking area with your snow plug. The graphics are very nicely done.

Have fun with these and let me know which you like most. On http://www.playit.ch you can find tons of games – most are some kind of stupid… you know 😉 . Also, please post in the comments if you know some good sites for a short break.

Published inFunThink!

The Power of Ten

Published on 7. April 2007

Power of TenToday was a beautiful day and I was out by the river the first time this year with my Lapsteel playing. Looking at the water, this old movie «Power of ten» (YouTube video, 9 min.) from 1977 came to my mind. Read the details on wikipedia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CKd0aPSWe8

Well, this is now 30 years old, so I did some googling and found some more interesting, newer things. First, there’s a newer version of something similar: the Cosmic Voyage (YouTube, 4 min.) from 1996. This is unfortunately only the part of the journey similar to the former Power of Ten, I couldn’t find the whole movie, which is also described on Wikipedia.

Here’s also a slideshow-version from this idea to show the cosmos. I found even a version from the famous Simpsons animation series 🙂 .

There’s also a very interesting dissertation from astrophysicist Mike Norman on Google video (56 min). He takes you on an unprecedented journey across space and time to witness the formation of galaxies and cosmic structure as well as the formation of one of the first stars to shine in the universe.

His dissertation features also this by far the best animated virtual journey (YouTube, ca. 4 min.), calculated with accurate data from the actual cosmic science. So it’s up to date with data and computer rendering technique. Here are some screenshots (click for bigger versions, threy’re the best resolution I could get):

Orion and Horsehead NebulaThe journey will start at our solar system and the first impressing step is the Orion Nebula (right), 1000 light-years away, with the Horsehead Nebula (middle) in the background.

Our MilkywayWe then turn around to see a fictive picture of our own home galaxy, the Milkyway. Fictive because we still cannot shoot a picture of our galaxy… 😉 .

M-33 and the Andromeda galaxyThen we will pass through the galaxy M-33 (right) towards the giant Andromeda galaxy with the blue outskirts (top left). In the middle another star forming Nebula in M-33, like the Orion Nebula, but much larger. We’re about 1 million light-years away from home.

Virgo ClusterWhat looks like a couple of stars is actually the Virgo Cluster, about 28 mio light-years away, our local cluster of galaxies. Each white dot is a whole galaxy and the destination of this animated journey.

So, finally, if you look at the sky next time, try to imagine the 28 million light-years distance to our nearest galaxy cluster, which is only one of all them out there…

Published inScience

Be tolerant!

Published on 27. März 2007

Be tolerant!

Just have a look at this picture I’ve found today. Isn’t it great? Although I’m not shure how well the pope is feeling. Anyway, the buddhist monk seems having a great time watching the others find a way to be tolerant… 🙂 !

You can download the original pdf here (link is dead). The campaign «week of the religions» was raised by www.iras-cotis.ch, an interreligious working group of Switzerland.

Published inSocietyThink!

Weltproblem Radikalismus

Published on 22. März 2007

(all german)

Das Philosophische Quartett vom 29. Oktober 2006 mit den Gästen Roger Willemsen und Dr. Gunnar Heinsohn. Hier der Link zum Stream:

http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/inhalt/4/0,4070,3998532-0,00.html

Die These

Machen junge Männer Krieg?

Gunnar Heinsohns wilde Thesen – und eine Berliner Studie zur Weltbevölkerung (von Reiner Klingholz)

Der amerikanische Geheimdienst CIA publizierte im Jahr 1995 das Papier Demografische Hintergründe für ethnische Konflikte. Darin ging es um die Frage, ob rasches Bevölkerungswachstum zu politischer Instabilität führen kann. Denn dieses erwirkt zwangsläufig einen youth bulge, eine Beule in der demografischen Kurve, einen Ãœberhang an jungen Menschen, die keinen Platz in der Gesellschaft finden. Die Studie kam zu dem Ergebnis, dass Mord und Totschlag drohen, sobald die Altersgruppe der 15- bis 24-Jährigen einen Anteil von 20 Prozent an der Gesamtbevölkerung übersteigt.

WeiterlesenWeltproblem Radikalismus
Published inScienceSocietyThink!

Two Planets

Published on 18. März 2007

Two PlanetsWell, yeah, two planets met somewhere at the edge of the universe.

«Hi!» said the first.

«Hi…» – «Hm, you look sick. Everything ok?»

«I’ve got humans.» – «Oh, that’s really disgusting.»

«For a short time they were really itchy !»

«So don’t worry, that bodes well» said the second, encouragingly, «it’ll be over in no time then…!»

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Got it from this Blogs comments (german).

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Edit: Found this on eskira.tumblr.com

A planet has humans.
A planet has humans. (eskira.tumblr.com)
Published inEcologyFunPoliticsThink!