Written thoughts in English or in Finnish. Short or long. Observations and viewpoints. Something that I consider interesting.
June 29, 2022
An exercise for emotion
- If I died tomorrow, how would you feel?
- If you died tomorrow, how would I feel?
A note: Pay attention to the word “tomorrow”. Today is not yet tomorrow.
June 9, 2022
Dorian scale: Opening the Minor
Some days ago I wrote about my long-lasting love affair with Phrygian mode.
Another great mode is Dorian.
As an example of Dorian, you can listen to a Bogdo Ula track, that was released online yesterday.
Olympic Green on YouTube: https://youtu.be/s20r4Cru8_s
Phrygian scale has a strong melancholic mood. Dorian scale is a minor scale too (lowered 3rd), but it has a raised 6th note as opposed to a natural (Aeolian) minor scale. That sharpened 6th note is “borrowed” from a major scale. That note brings Dorian scale a subtle nuance of a major scale without altering its substance into a major scale.
That’s why Dorian is a wonderful scale. I play it a lot. I like the sound of it so much more than the sound of a natural minor scale (Aeolian).
Phrygian scale is very expressive in creating a melancholic mood.
Dorian scale creates a more open atmosphere.
Dorian is a major possibility of opening the minor, without leaving the minor.
June 2, 2022
Bad Framing
It’s been a rainy morning today. That’s why I’m thinking, that this picture would make this day a little brighter. It’s a pastel painting from the series that I made in 2009.
Today this painting brought to my mind some other thoughts too.
The picture is an example of “bad framing”.
When you look at this painting, you probably have a feeling, that the guy in the foreground is alone. Anyway, how do you know, that there isn’t someone else, or some more people, outside the frames of the painting? There could be someone right behind that guy. Or there could be someone just outside the frame on the right side of that guy. You just can’t see anyone else in the picture, because the framing is so bad.
It should be a wider view! Why didn’t I make the framing wider back then in 2009?
Bad framing…
I wonder why…
May 29, 2022
Are artists daydreamers?
(Sometimes you are asked a leading question.)
A psychologist and a client are sitting in a little room.
The psychologist is analyzing the results of a personality test for the client:
Psychologist:
“You have reached high scores in artistic talent and interests in creative artistic activity. Anyway, I paid attention to one particular question.”
Client:
“Okay, what was that question?”
Psychologist:
“It’s about enjoying the beauty of nature. You were asked to imagine, that you are walking in nature. It’s a beautiful day and the sun is shining. You come across a river. The sunlight is glittering brightly in the flowing water. Would you stay there in the river shore for a long time just admiring and enjoying that view? Or would you just continue walking after a little while?”
Client:
“Yeah, I remember that particular question, although there were hundreds of questions in that test.”
Psychologist:
“Great! You answered, that you would NOT stay there for a very long time. It’s interesting, because usually artistic people say, that they would stay there for quite a long time just enjoying the view.”
Client:
“Really? I was thinking that I wouldn’t stay there for a very long time doing nothing. Instead, I would take my camera and take some awesome photos of that beautiful view. Later I would show those photos to other people, who weren’t there on that beautiful day. Maybe I would make some prints of those photos, put them in golden frames and give them as a gift to my loved ones. Yeah, I would do that! “
Psychologist:
“Hmm… Okay…”
Client:
“Was that an inappropriate answer to that question?”
May 26, 2022
My long and passionate love affair with Phrygian mode
I’ve played many, actually a huge amount of improvisations using only Phrygian mode. I can’t help it, but Phrygian scale sounds seductive and sincere to my ears. It’s a natural minor scale with a lowered second note of the scale. That flattened second creates a very melancholic flavour. It has Spanish/oriental mood also.
Four examples:
1. Part 006 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TPjWDoy7u74
Part 006 in the video series “3-minute improvisations on guitar” is a special one. It’s based on Phrygian mode. Phrygian works very well in hard rock. Turn up the volume!
2. Ultraviolet on YouTube: https://youtu.be/__KZ5CMFZ1g
For some more mysterious melancholy, expressed with Phrygian mode, check out the track “Ultraviolet” by Bogdo Ula. We are not going deeper into pain and anxiety. Instead, we are expressing that anxiety through music. Duration 5:08.
3. Ömnögovi Zone on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-KkVqCwnzKM
An even stronger expression of a mental state is heard on Bogdo Ula track “Ömnögovi Zone”. Here the intensity of Phrygian mode is obvious and transparent. Duration 6:09.
4. Angular Distance on YouTube: https://youtu.be/siP_eN4ekE0
This one requires a little patience from you. It’s 10 minutes long. It’s a duet with guitar and drums. Oh yes, Phrygian all the way! Can you feel an emotion that needs to be expressed? Can you hear the loudness of the guitar amp? It’s a 100 watt Marshall Super Lead (1976 model) with 6550 power tubes. 6550 power tubes give even more power than usual EL34 power tubes. It can go over 100 watts. You know, it’s loud. It’s loud. Loud! Did you hear me? Loud!
May 22, 2022
Notes on producing and making films
If you need a big budget, you can have it.
If you need a career in film industry, you can have it.
If you need fame as a professional filmmaker, you can have it.
If you need praise as an artist, you can have it.
If you need a lot of money, you can have it.
However, if you need interaction with people, you can have it – without having any of those things mentioned above.
May 22, 2022
Notes on categorization
An interesting phenomenon is related to film genres and categorization.
If someone makes a film and gives the film a label “experimental”, the film is somewhere in the margin, and it will have only little audience. However, if someone labels exactly the same film as “drama”, the film is in the mainstream and it will be viewed and treated as a mainstream film. Labeled as “drama”, the same film, with the same experimental narration, could be a huge success and it could be praised as a masterpiece. On the contrary, “experimental” film stays in the margin. Forever. Well, at least for a very long time.
That’s the power of categorization. That’s the power of experimental narration.
May 22, 2022
Naming an image
There was a beautiful sunrise some time ago.
I’m thinking about a name for this picture. Two options:
- The name of this picture is “Yellow”.
- The name of this picture is “Blue”.
Which one do you prefer for this picture?
If the name is “Yellow”, it’s interesting, but there is not very much anything surprising.
If the name is “Blue”, it’s more interesting. It breaks the familiar categorization. It breaks the convention. It changes the perspective. It’s not the most obvious choice.
Anyway, how about a third option: “Green”?
Actually, that could be the best name for this picture!
(I guess you know, that mixing blue and yellow you will get green colour.)
Update May 25:
A name for the image: “The Dawn Is Green”.
Update May 27:
Still thinking about the meaning of green colour:
- Growth, regeneration, nature, grass, trees, plants…
- In traffic lights it’s safe to move on.
- “It’s a go!”
- “I’ll give you the green light.”
- “We’ve got the green light!”
- Permission to approach, to come closer.
Painters, would you be able to tell me something?
If you see blue and yellow colours close to each other, will you be thinking, that mixing them would result in green colour?