Year End Review 2023

Here we are in mid-December, so I take a look back at 2023 and answer some often asked questions. Jump right in…
~ MB
Links to things mentioned in this video:
'The Cult of Frequency-ism' video: • The Cult of Frequency-ism
'Working with Gongs #1: Gongs & Mallets' video: • Working with Gongs #1:...
Lee Cronin: Controversial Nature Paper on Evolution of Life and Universe | Lex Fridman Podcast #404: • Lee Cronin: Controvers...
My Patreon page: / gongtopia

[@lou_bee]

Waiting for more in '24! Thanks.

[@arnddumont1456]

❤️Thanx!🙏🏻Good Luck to you!

[@thesounddoula]

Thank you for great quality content!!

[@Gongtopia]

You are very welcome!

[@rrgibbons]

Michael! As always, I enjoy your videos as they enrich the presentations of my own music. The section on acoustics prompts me to share some thoughts. Room acoustics are a fraught subject, partly because of the guff that is generated by ‘home theater’ marketing. You may already be familiar with the ideas I present here, but I thought I would share some of the things I have learned. You did touch upon some of these points, but I thought I would expand upon them a bit more, if you don’t mind. Perhaps other subscribers reading these comments can benefit. (If they don't go to sleep) First of all, there is often confusion between addressing issues of sound coming into the space from outside the room or space, and addressing issues of how sound behaves inside the space. Secondly, there is confusion between treating a room or space for sound reproduction, versus treating a room or space for sound production. Next, treating a space for sound recording is yet another complicated topic. Finally, improving a space to improve intelligibility of speech is another goal that drives how a room or space is to be acoustically treated. I started dealing with sound issues as part of the tech crew for big high school productions of Rogers and Hammerstein musicals back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Since then, I have worked as a technologist in various electrical, electronic and high-tech fields. Later on, I also got involved in setting up home theaters where I learned a lot about acoustics and the various aspects to be considered in treating a room or space for best acoustic behavior. (Depending on the intended use(s) of the space, of course) In the case of presenting music created by resonant percussion instruments, all of the factors I mentioned in the second paragraph can come into play, depending on what we are trying to do. However, the balance of the different factors can be distorted by losing track of the relative importance of the various factors I mention. For example, I have found a dead quiet space is not a must in my presentations of my music. Yes, it is nice to have a very quiet space but I have found that my audiences can be surprisingly tolerant of some outside sound coming into the space. I have found that intelligibility of the spoken word matters little or nothing to the successful presentation of the sounds I produce with my range of instruments. (see my webpage If you're interested in seeing and hearing the instruments I am using today) Another confounding factor is that what we hear very close to our instruments can be quite a bit different from what people hear in other portions of the performance space. The most dramatic example of this for me was when we were playing for a wedding outdoors in a BIG completely open grassy space.(Acres!) It was only when one of us walked 30 or 40 feet away that we realized that we were going to have to play much more loudly than we were used to. This was so that we would be able to be heard at all by the intended audience. Just the "near field "sound of our instruments can vary quite a bit from the sound field experienced by our audience members who are some distance away from us in the room. Since we are not reproducing sound, we can respond to what the room does to our instrument sound to some degree by relocating the instruments. We can also re-orient the instruments, particularly the directional ones, such as the gongs, to better balance the sound for our audience. (Of course, this requires that we have a helper who can play the instruments while we wander about to assess how they sound across the audience space.) We can also simply play certain instruments louder, or softer to counter undesired room responses. I believe we actually do this automatically as we play. You have done a great job in outlining some of the considerations about making recordings that fairly represent what we are trying to do, and I think this is perhaps the most technically challenging part of the activities that you have discussed over the years. To tell the truth, I myself am way behind on generating recordings in my own "studio", which is the living room here in the house. Some of the points you have made in your various presentations will help me to do that work. --------------------- In any case, I thank you so much for your efforts to convey your thoughts and techniques over this last year. I always get some nutrition from hearing your ideas and seeing your demonstrations. May 2024 live up to your every hope and expectation. Best regards, David Gibbons Tranquil Sound Gardens (tranquilsoundgardens.net)

[@Gongtopia]

David, thank you for the detailed response. Yeah, like you said, there are so many variables and variations in sound and acoustics. All we can do is our best in any given situation/room.

[@myspiritualdevelopment3813]

Hi Michael, I see from your website that you've written a book "Way of the Gong" with a publishing date of 2023. I was just wondering if this book has actually been published yet, as I cannot seem to be able to find it anywhere? P.S. I live in the UK, has or is it being published here? Keep up the good work your videos are always interesting and thought provoking.

[@Gongtopia]

Ah yes, after various delays, I'm very happy to say we are in the final stages of things and I should have actual real paperback book copies in my hands sometime in April. I am also working on an E-book of some sort, as well as an audio book version. Stay tuned for official release and ordering info!

[@myspiritualdevelopment3813]

Michael thanks for the very prompt update