http://soundsorganic.net Audio engineer and sound designer specializing is post production services for film, tv, and web media. Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:08:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/30/amazin-timelapses http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/30/amazin-timelapses Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:08:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/30/amazin-timelapses
Gotta be honest, these timelapses have got me inspired...the lone piano piece really brings out the epicness :D

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/09/ziggity-zack-hemps http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/09/ziggity-zack-hemps Sat, 09 Jul 2011 23:45:13 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/07/09/ziggity-zack-hemps
Zack actually composed the song "Mind Heist" for the Inception trailer, not Hans Zimmer. That [...]]]>
This guy is doing it right. All out of the box with Logic. I have a long way to go to get to his level of production. His pieces are inspiring, epic story tellers on their own...with picture they are freakin worm holes into dimensions unseen :)

Zack actually composed the song "Mind Heist" for the Inception trailer, not Hans Zimmer. That was news to me!



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/06/17/janus-finished http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/06/17/janus-finished Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:12:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/06/17/janus-finished
Had an awesome time working on this film...Thanks and good job to everyone involved! [...]]]>
Filmed November/December 2010 in Mactan, Cebu, Philippines

Had an awesome time working on this film...Thanks and good job to everyone involved!

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/20/on-the-flip-side http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/20/on-the-flip-side Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:07:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/20/on-the-flip-side Jeremy Pion-Berlin. I helped with the sound design :) [...]]]> Jeremy Pion-Berlin. I helped with the sound design :)



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/17/janus-a-short-by-steve-ramsden http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/17/janus-a-short-by-steve-ramsden Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:16:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/04/17/janus-a-short-by-steve-ramsden Steve Ramsden directed/edited... [...]]]> Steve Ramsden directed/edited...



I helped recrod sound on set!

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/01/02/summer-wars http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/01/02/summer-wars Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:38:41 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2011/01/02/summer-wars
I love these Japanese animated films about current/future technology...

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/26/rooftop-view http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/26/rooftop-view Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:41:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/26/rooftop-view
]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/tiki-bar-tour http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/tiki-bar-tour Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:16:33 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/tiki-bar-tour
]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/audio-suite-goodness http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/audio-suite-goodness Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:14:10 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/17/audio-suite-goodness
]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/16/pi-room http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/16/pi-room Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:58:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/04/16/pi-room
]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/14/tron-legacy http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/14/tron-legacy Sun, 14 Mar 2010 03:07:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/14/tron-legacy


]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/12/the-doppler-effect-video http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/12/the-doppler-effect-video Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:46:44 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/12/the-doppler-effect-video
I meant to post this a while ago when I was finished editing, but figured I would keep my blog to more legitimate, heart-felt streams of consciousness...Then, I realized that blogs/vlogs/the [...]]]>
I meant to post this a while ago when I was finished editing, but figured I would keep my blog to more legitimate, heart-felt streams of consciousness...Then, I realized that blogs/vlogs/the internet are all these things no matter what content is included. So, enjoy!



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/09/becoming-robots http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/09/becoming-robots Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:15:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/03/09/becoming-robots
So, why can't a robot do that?

People [...]]]>
So, why can't a robot do that?

People playing these roles are programmed by producers. Obviously, a robot could do this job after being programmed by an electrical engineer...THEN, I was thinking what the difference is between humans and robots, if robots can do most jobs humans can...It all comes down to the notion of novelty. Humans use creativity everyday to speak, write, and figure out what to do next. Something new and novel stems from this creativity and so of course, robots can't do EVERYTHING humans can.

Or, can they?

With the exponetial speed at which technology and artificial intelligence is growing, robots are being programmed to learn, think, and essentially experience novel events and process/save them to memory. Soon they will be creating, painting, singing, drawing, and doing everything else that ultimately divides humans from robots.



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/02/09/our-education http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/02/09/our-education Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:26:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/02/09/our-education survival of [...]]]> survival of the fittest" leaked into education somewhere long ago. The extremes are continuously pulled apart like the edges of our expanding universe. The top schools get more funding/preparation, while the less fortunate--for whatever reason--schools fall further behind...This trend is no doubt a side effect of government spending more than half its money on self defense (military industrial complex...thanks!)

Anyway, after working on a video for Citizen Schools and teaching an apprenticeship last semester, I understand just how important this non-profit organization is. Extending learning to students after school is vital; some speak English as a second language and many will not graduate high school without the extra help/motivation.

Here's the inspirational video:



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/24/up-in-the-air http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/24/up-in-the-air Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:07:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/24/up-in-the-air
Just watched Up In the Air with George Clooney...now I sit inspired to share my thoughts...seeing characters (real people -- getting realer, thank you IMAX!) grow, learn, and change lets each of us viewers in on the meaning/purpose to life. Each one of us has a decision to make every second of every day of our lives. Do we go with what we know to be true and sturdy? Or, do we take a chance on finding truth somewhere else? Sometimes we are forced to change like all the actual people laid off everyday. For this reason, I am fortunate. To not be linked to a company like a robot to its charging station feels great. Up In the Air is sprinkled with interviews of real folks laid off recently. We see authentic reactions to being laid off, then, one by one, they reveal the purpose behind their drive. Most say family/children. Honestly, to not have had kids in my life feels great too. I don't have physical sets of my genes running around that I need to protect and feed. It frees me up for other ventures...

So there is still a purpose behind my drive without kids...and I want to say my girlfriend/family/friends,but I know it's not that easy. I have to ask myself WHY. Why my girlfriend? I suppose to pass on my physical genes someday...Why my friends and family? Why do I care what they think? Maybe because I have mental genes too that get passed on every time I am around them, talk to them, or even think about them. These genes are essentially my effect on the people around me. I strive to make life easier for them and they return the favor. I'd like to think that no matter how financially unstable my life becomes, I will still retain this state of mind.

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/05/working-on-myself http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/05/working-on-myself Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:51:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/05/working-on-myself really troubling me. The past few years, however, have opened my eyes to the truth behind all emotional problems. Myself. I need to not allow little things to affect my sensitive ego so much. Easier [...]]]> really troubling me. The past few years, however, have opened my eyes to the truth behind all emotional problems. Myself. I need to not allow little things to affect my sensitive ego so much. Easier said than done...

Example:
Roommate refuses to clean his own dishes. This makes me instantly angry/confused/frustrated. "Why should I have to clean up after him?" I would ask myself silently. Then, I would ask it aloud and cause an argument/tension/dissonance. It always comes down to how everyone else is being unfair to me. How egocentric is that?

After several heated debates, I started to realize I could just take fifteen minutes out of my day to do the all dishes and no one argues! OMG! It's magic! Now this one selfless act came from my desire to avoid tension in all facets of my daily living space...it led to my roommate/s and me doing more dishes, living more comfortably, and seeing the ethnocentric world more clearly.

Every problem we have we someone else is really a problem we have with ourselves. To be aware of this promotes insight and demotes stress/anxiety.

Now, check out a trailer of the upcoming film Adjustments from my good friend Brian Woods:



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/03/a-grand-ol-time-to-live http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/03/a-grand-ol-time-to-live Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:33:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2010/01/03/a-grand-ol-time-to-live
It feels great to sit in front of a screen and know you are connected, remembered, and loved by people all over. Is this the next paradigm shift in evolution? A world of technology-laden cyborg humans who communicate instantaneously through a cerebral network of fiber optic synapses...I think so. It's already upon us. The next step is sending our entire nervous system to a physical imagination-land. Kind of like the Matrix...tap into our brains directly; fully emerged in a world of fiction. Maybe that's where we already are. That's what life is. A journey through time and space with all sorts of characters and extravagant places, where each human carves his/her own destiny every moment through free will.

Free will? How can that exist in such a world of pre-ordained order? Because I can ask that question; I have a choice how I spend each and every moment. Looking back, it's easy to say that the choices we made carved this path and so this path must be the only path I was meant to experience. Looking forward, however, it's hard to say where you will be in a year. Exactly where you will be. No one knows. We haven't invented a time machine. Until we do, all there is to life is learning from past mistakes and making new ones to learn even more about ourselves, our fellow man/woman, and the crazy world/universe we are a part of.

Check out Hard At Work, my first short film ever!



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/26/citizen-schools-teaching-garageband http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/26/citizen-schools-teaching-garageband Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:57:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/26/citizen-schools-teaching-garageband
The biggest challenge is teaching some students, who have never played music or composed music with a computer program, how to do just that with only 90 minutes a week. I started basic, with Magic Garageband. Simply pick a genre and a five piece band starts playing it. Then, I moved into drum sequencing (MIDI style). And over the past couple of weeks we started talking about major scales, chords, and working with software instruments.

This weekly, volunteer gig has been a great learning experience, not just for the students, but for me as well! I have tutored one-on-one before, but never have I been in the driver's seat of the curriculum car, trying to navigate around 15 middle schoolers. How and when to deliver certain lessons is the hardest part.

Tomorrow's schedule:

• Intermediate Garageband Terms
• Term Jeopardy
• Work Individually on projects/instrumentals

A screen shot of Garageband:



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/08/purebuds-reviewed http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/08/purebuds-reviewed Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:07:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/10/08/purebuds-reviewed
First, a little overview of the [...]]]>
Having graduated from college with a degree in Sound Arts and continuing to work on my audio engineering skills daily, I feel confident reviewing a pair of headphones. I will judge the "PureBuds" on three categories: sound quality/listening experience, comfort/wear-ability, and innovation/ingenuity.

First, a little overview of the product. PureBuds are earbuds with three interchangeable "audio tips" that each offer a unique experience. The "full-range" tip is your standard high fidelity tip that delivers full quality sound at all frequencies. Next is the "bass-booster" tip, which adds about 6dB to the low and low-mid frequencies. Finally, a "surround" tip adds openness and a faux-surround sound feel to music, shows, and movies. On top of the customizable listening experience, the PureBuds have a minimal impact on your inner ear and all of its delicate parts. "Reverse sound technology" is utilized to project the sound away from your ears first, then reflect it back inward. Most earbuds today direct the sound straight at your eardrum, potentially damaging it at higher volumes.

Okay. On to my opinions of the product. The first tips I tried were the "bass-boosters"; and they definitely do just that. Personally, however, I do not like to boost the bass on the music I listen to. I prefer to hear an unadulterated mix, without additional EQ'ing. Some will disagree, and I'm sure will enjoy the extra low-end. Next, I tried the "full-range" tips, which are shaped like a funnel, channeling the sound into your ear. These are my favorite for music. They easily surpass my old earbuds (the gimmes that come with any new iPod) in terms of listening experience. The third audio extension, "surround" tip, allows sound to pass through a much larger opening than the previous two, creating more opportunities for sound waves to interact with air molecules right outside your eardrum. Because this tip rests just outside your inner ear and does not funnel the sound into it, greater depth, width, and range can be heard from the subtle nuances of whatever you are listening to. When watching movies on my iPod, this is the tip I choose. Although, they are a little tricky to fasten to the earbuds (took me a good 5 to 10 minutes my first try).

After long term use (a couple of hours or more) my left ear becomes sore where the main body of the PureBuds rest. Maybe this is just due to my unique shape of my left ear, but it does get distracting/uncomfortable after a while. This discomfort continues dispite what kind of audio tip I have connected. Otherwise, they fit and feel great!

The real ingenuity here is the "reverse sound technology", patented by the PureBuds themselves. There is less discomfort at higher volumes and hear higher fidelity at lower volumes thanks to this tech-creativeness. Another innovative feature is allowing more of the outside ambiance into your ear, creating a balance of SPLs (sound pressure levels) within your head/body. Whenever your ears pop, your body is equalizing the pressure inside your head with the outside pressure; allowing more outside pressure in, lets your ears, head, and body remain in SPL-equilibrium.

Summarizing with numbers: (out of 5)

• SOUND QUALITY / LISTENING EXPERIENCE: 4
• COMFORT / WEAR-ABILITY: 4
• INNOVATION / INGENUITY: 5

Click on the picture to learn more, or buy a pair and see for yourself "risk-free"!



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/20/traveling http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/20/traveling Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:32:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/20/traveling
Beautiful is the system through which we travel from city to city. Little notice given to the convenience of on-time flights. Only armageddon when flights are delayed or cancelled. Similar to sound design, when things go unnoticed, you know the job was done right.

This awesome picture links to a new song that I finished last week (partially inspired by travelling).



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/10/lifeline-on-location http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/10/lifeline-on-location Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:11:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/10/lifeline-on-location
Kevin Palmer, the writer/director, emits a calm and collected aura that [...]]]>
Kevin Palmer, the writer/director, emits a calm and collected aura that resonates with the rest of the crew. They all attend AAU (Academy of Art University) in San Francisco. So far, all of my work with AAU students has been some of the most rewarding and enjoyable moments of my entire life. Everyone on set maintains a common goal: create a beautiful, awe-inspiring film. This similar ambition helps things get done. Maybe the U.S. government can learn a thing or two from AAU student films...

The first two days of shooting took place in a majestic Condo building near Russian Hill in San Francisco. I was so impressed with the view from this place, I made a video capturing the journey to the 11th floor. Enjoy.



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/03/the-return-of-bckd http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/03/the-return-of-bckd Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:19:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/07/03/the-return-of-bckd
The question remains: Will BCKD stay together for more epic shows of love reunions? I sure hope so. Our fate lies in the hands of our drummer/s...

Check out a small sample of the show:



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/05/13/i-canvassed-once http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/05/13/i-canvassed-once Wed, 13 May 2009 01:21:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/05/13/i-canvassed-once
When we arrived at our location for the day, Diablo Valley College, I was only to observe for the first hour...I felt the drag of the training wheels about a half hour in and decided to step up and start spittin' the rap. Our goal for the day: talk to 35 people each and raise $125 each. The task was surprisingly simple, confusing, effective, and deffective all at the same time. More people stopped than I anticipated. 1 out of 5 probably. Uh oh, what happens when they stop? "Just say the rap and smile." That's all I needed to do. At the very end of the rap, after all the positive benchmarks about clean energy and a progressive future, it reads: "the best way for you to contribute would be with monthly donations from a checking account or credit card". As soon as I would say this line, the energy underlying our canvasser/stranger moment shifted frequencies. What I didn't realize until now, was that my smile was resonating on a sub-atomic level within these people. "Oh, you want money," they would reply deflated. People would instantly shy away from donating their hard-earned dollars, but see my smile and think twice about it. I think I, subconsciously, stopped smiling instantly when I noticed this pattern. Their response mirrored mine within milliseconds. I only raised ten dollars that day.

My smile is something special. So is yours. They are directly correlated to dopamine releases in our brains. We feel happy, joyful, ecstatic, even giggly, when we smile. I can feel a difference in my body when I smile. A wave of pleasure surges from deep within my skull down through my spine. This sensation, this feeling, I call Love. The emotion that keeps us going. The reason we all don't kill ourselves at the end of a horrible day. We all Love someone or something. To use the power of Love, the strongest thread linking every atom in the universe, to earn money must not have made sense to my subconcious brain. Or maybe I'm just a shitty canvasser.

Props to anyone who canvasses!



Click the baby for the truth about smiles!

]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/08/how-valid-are-iq-tests http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/08/how-valid-are-iq-tests Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:28:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/08/how-valid-are-iq-tests
In the Science section of Barnes & Noble yesterday a book about brain health caught my attention. I flipped it open and started reading about IQ tests. The book mentions a few websites that administer free tests. One stood out as highly regarded and prestigious: International High IQ Society. The qwerk here is if you pass the test with a 124 or higher you are offered a lifetime membership into the society. My curiosity was aching the entire day. I was itching to take the test and see exactly where I stand, relatively speaking. When my results came back at 128, I was surprised. The test felt difficult and stressful. I did not expect to do that well. It puts me in the top 5% of the bell curve used to rate these tests. My strengths were in mathematics and visual sequencing. However, I did not do so well in factual knowledge.

How valid is this test? Does it mean I'm more intelligent than 95% of the population of this planet? I don't know...I like to think that it means I pick up on patterns quickly, making me a fast learner. Some research has been linked to higher IQ test scores and success in the workplace. It obviously depends on the job. The test does not account for motor skills or hand-eye coordination. However, the test does put time limits and additional stress on the subject when choosing answers. This scenario mimics a real job when it is necessary to make quick, smart decisions. Time is money. Money is time. Better decisions with less time yield more money. In this way it is a valid test of my abilities on any task where my attention is focused.

I recommend www.highiqsociety.org to anyone curious in their mental abilities. Click on the link to learn more about their tests and goals.



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/02/indie-film-gets-nominated http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/02/indie-film-gets-nominated Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:06:00 +0000 Egan Kolb http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/04/02/indie-film-gets-nominated Checkmate, the independent film I am working on, just got nominated for best narrative at the Epidemic Film Festival. This news is fantastigasmic! We will find out if we have won in a couple of weeks.

This is crazy because about a month and a half ago me and two old classmates of mine were given the task of building the [...]]]> Checkmate, the independent film I am working on, just got nominated for best narrative at the Epidemic Film Festival. This news is fantastigasmic! We will find out if we have won in a couple of weeks.

This is crazy because about a month and a half ago me and two old classmates of mine were given the task of building the entire soundscape (foley, ambience, music, ADR, sound design) of the film. To give you an idea about what sounds we are dealing with here I'll list some descriptive words: artificial intelligence, future, electronic-device-laden living room...Anyway, we needed the deep-space silence filled by March, 13th...with SOMEthing. So we scrambled and put together what the director believes to be a 50% completed soundtrack/bed by the deadline. The tape fell into the festival judges' laps and they nominated it!

With extra time to polish every last detail, Checkmate should be ready for the International Film Festival circuit in a month or so.



]]> http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/03/26/soniclivingcom-news http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/03/26/soniclivingcom-news Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:13:00 +0000 Egan http://soundsorganic.net/blog/2009/03/26/soniclivingcom-news SonicLiving.com a few weeks ago, Sounds Organic was given the task of creating a thirty and fifteen second internet radio commercial. With some catchy arranging and clever timing, we created a music bed, synthesized a few sounds, and scrounged up some awesome vocal talent; the first draft [...]]]> SonicLiving.com a few weeks ago, Sounds Organic was given the task of creating a thirty and fifteen second internet radio commercial. With some catchy arranging and clever timing, we created a music bed, synthesized a few sounds, and scrounged up some awesome vocal talent; the first draft was done within a few days.

Some negotiations went down between SonicLiving and SO (Sounds Organic) until the perfect balance of levels and musical events was met. They were happy. We were happy.

Just yesterday we heard back from SonicLiving. The results of the commercial were tracked by Google's analysis software (SonicLiving is sponsored by Google), and we were even more ecstatic. The ad received a 3% click rate for its first two days of running! For a point of reference, Google admits that 1% click rate is fairly high for its affiliated sites.

Good luck SonicLiving! We had a great time working with you.



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