Keen Music Blog

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:03:17 -0500

"You could call Keen an audio house. You could also call Hendrix a guy who played guitar. These people are not only creatively gifted, but technically brilliant. When everyone else was telling us our crazy project couldn't be done, Keen did it with aplomb. Even Kai's socks were an endless source of inspiration. We feel lucky to have worked with them, and can't wait to do it again."

Simon Craig & JP Gravina | Creative Virtuosi, Lowe Roche

New sounds for Volkswagen

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:08:58 -0500

Here's a nice job we just did for the smart folks at Red Urban. We thought you might be interested in getting behind the scenes a little and have a listen to some of the tracks they couldn't choose for their spot. After all they could only choose one.

The demos:

And the final spot:

We're looking so...

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:35:16 -0500

If you’ve got special talent, always wanted to work in music and would like to spend lots of time with a really nice bunch of people that are like a big, loving and functional family and then please drop us a line. We would like to meet you.

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:30:37 -0500

"I almost fear that anything I write as a recommendation for Thomas and the team at Keen will sound so glowing as to be dismissed as unrealistic, and yet the facts speak for themselves.

Of the countless jobs I have completed with Keen, I've never been disappointed by the end result. In fact, a good percentage of the work that I'm most proud of is a direct result of collaborating with Keen. From idea generation, through casting and direction to original music and engineering, Keen displays an impressive level of talent and professionalism. I've never had a client question my choice to work with Keen, and every client I've ever introduced to them has been happy to return on more than one occasion.

Thomas and the team at Keen manage to balance professionalism and genial collaboration with the type of honest, forthright discussion that we need in order to achieve the best results possible. This is a rare combination in this business. I would definitely recommend Keen, and Thomas, without hesitation.

Matt Syberg-Olsen | Creative Director

Triple Sorry: ob Tampons and the Mighty Big Apology

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:12:44 -0500

When Simon Craig and JP Gravina approached us with their idea for a personalized apology in the form of a tongue-in-cheek music video, they and the technical team at Lowe Roche had already sorted out how to make the visual customization happen. To make the idea feel really magical though, they wanted the hunky rockstar protagonist to speak directly to the approximately 70,000 women targeted by the campaign by actually singing their name.

A traditional broadcast approach to creating tens of thousands of custom audio masters was time- and cost-prohibitive, and existing audio manipulation methods in Flash were too inaccurate, since when it comes to musical feel, a few frames is an eternity.

Through the combination of a great song, singer and musicians, a database to accommodate multiple spellings of names, a non-traditional recording workflow, and some custom code that pulls together multiple audio assets and combines them at runtime with sample-accuracy, we created a cheeky custom soundtrack that runs smoothly and sounds great, if we do say so ourselves.

Check out the site here (and keep in mind that men's names weren't targeted in the execution).

A lot of the project's success came as a result of the agency's openness to true collaboration: the creative team brought us in early, at the ideation stage, when we could make suggestions to help generate the most magic with the available resources, and all along the way, agency and audio house distinctions were subverted, with input from both on everything from concept and song lyrics through to de-bugging. Images were beautifully shot by director Christian Langlois, with executive production by Bruce Dawson of The Garden in Toronto.

Check back in a week or two for a behind-the-scenes look...

Insipired By Everything 1

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:19:32 -0500

This is our "Inspired By Everything" random vid of the week.

Explain.

Did you say Dramatic?

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:49:31 -0500

Ok, so our man Keith Power wrote some music for a game called "Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 3". Well, in it's first day of release it grossed 400 million bucks. I'm not sure what else to say except that the music is pretty awesome. Maybe you need some seriously dramatic punch in your next epic piece.

Check it out. Russian Warfare Call of Duty 3

Happy Endings!

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 17:02:56 -0400

OK, let me say it out loud: Clients are spending a ton of money producing beautiful spots and then more money licensing beautiful music that plays on those spots over and over again, thus building a ton of equity. Then, when they port that brand and that music over to the web (where most people research their product and spend more time than they ever did listening to the radio and TV spots), they do a poor job of it. The music loops badly, it stops and starts as you navigate the site and a relationship that had a beautiful beginning becomes a sad and boring ending.

Check out this little demonstration of how you can take that beautiful beginning and keep it satisfying right through the web experience.

http://www.keenmusic.ca/slicey/cruze/

A Cuppa...Service Ontario!

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:53:28 -0400

This lovely Service Ontario spot licensed an original song Matt and I co-wrote together a while back. I love the music (of course) but I’ve also gotta say, well done Cuppa Coffee! Giant birth certificates and health cards, 1700 cardboard cut outs, 3 weeks of shooting…that’s obsessive and fabulous!

(Oh…and thank you for putting a hat on the baby!)

Fireflies / The Next Great Idea / St. Dirt

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:05:26 -0400

Just back from performing at a bunch of Canadian folk and jazz festivals. It goes without saying that I love writing and playing music, and I do feel most at home in my skin when I have a mic in front of me, but the best part of the festival experience is spending a goodly portion of your day checking out other peoples’ shows. I came home with a head full of music I probably never would have heard, and a suitcase full of those (sometimes elusive) sparks of inspiration - like fireflies for me to add to my bag of tricks.

I think every creative person needs to regularly fill up the tank, as it were. Making sure you’re on top of the latest fabulous links from the Twitter feed doesn’t go all the way. There is something extra powerful about having a physical relationship with art, in a community context. We vacate the bubbles that we spend most of our time in, and become an active part of a larger creativity. I could hang the Mona Lisa in my living room, and have a completely different experience looking at it, than if I encountered it in the Louvre with a hundred people who were sharing the moment with me.

Most of the brightest creative minds I have known have been committed consumers of ‘live’ art. Unconsciously aware perhaps, that their next great idea may spring from the richness of that kind of experience. Sitting in a bar on College St listening to an author read from his new novel, wandering through the Burtynsky exhibit at the ROM, sharing the dark with a handful of foreign film buffs at the Carlton Cinemas…we owe ourselves these experiences, not only because they offer entertainment, or provoke thought, but also because they connect us.

This feels like an appropriate moment to mention to all you creative minds…that tonight Aug 24^th, our very own Kai Koschmider and his wickedly talented band mates in St. Dirt Elementary School, are releasing their latest CD at the Tranzac back room. It will be a rollercoaster of music. You should probably come out.

(Your next great idea could be waiting for you.)

Beautiful sounds...

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:37:31 -0400

...coming from studio 2 today as our man Keith Power works on orchestral arrangments for Hawksley Workman. Keith was also just nominated for a Gemeni for his wonderful work on Heartland, and he writes for commercials in Canada exclusively with Keen.

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:53:42 -0400

"I've worked with Thomas for almost 10 years and every single time, he's outdone himself. Great ear, great direction, great team and great times. Happy agency and happy clients."

Jenny Smith | Creative Group Head, Target

Shhh...hear that? (a follow-up)

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:01:07 -0400

A while back, I posted this. If it resonated with you at all, then I encourage you to check out this short (6-minute) mini-doc about R. Murray Schafer's approach to soundscapes and listening in general.

Watch it at nfb.ca

A few words about html5 audio

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:08:18 -0400

If you follow this blog, you'll have noticed that most of our interactive audio experimentations are executed in Flash. Because of this, the first question we're usually asked after demonstrating our engine is "why didn't you build it in html5?" occasionally followed by "that's cool, but Flash is dead".

While much has been written already about the future of Flash, I'd like to explain what the audio-for-web playing field looks like right now.

Html5's audio capabilities are great for playing back sounds one-at-a-time when not synched to anything. By all means, replace the Flash-based song player on your band's website with a Javascript version.

But for anything more complex, such as scoring a site with responsive music, playing back multi-track audio or synching separate audio and video elements, the cracks start to emerge in the html5 toolset. Example: the html5 audio api includes the ability to play a new sound upon completion of a previous sound. Very useful for playing back a song that's been sliced up to make it user-responsive. Except that each browser has a different time offset, meaning that on one system there will be gaps between the clips, and on another, the files will overlap.

Of chief concern amongst many ad folks is that content will play back on their iPhone or iPad, hence the html5 question. But get this: the iOS Safari web browser audio api won't allow for any overlapping audio or preloading, and can't handle any sort of synchronization, so it's a non-starter for the work we're doing.

There are ways around this. For example, Objective-C, the language used for iOS apps, has fantastic audio support, but an iPhone app is certainly no more universal than a Flash execution.

Let's be pragmatic here: a company homepage, for one, should be viewable everywhere, on any platform. Contact info shouldn't be unaccessible due to missing browser plugins. On the other hand, a rich, immersive campaign micro-site with game dynamics and user-responsive, slickly-produced audio and video should be created for the medium that provides the best experience...the desktop/laptop computer (the device that still accounts for 95% of web browsing) and select the appropriate programming platform to deliver that rich content. Right now, audio-wise, Flash is the only one that stacks up.

We're eager to see standards-compliant, universal and open tools like html5 and Javascript take over, and we're always working to make those limited tools do more, and harness their emerging capabilities, but with the current state of audio in html5, it's a bit odd to say that Flash is dead when its supposed replacement hasn't been born yet!

The medium IS the message.

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:53:38 -0400

We have, here at Keen, been devoting considerable energy to figuring out how, from our little musical, soundscapey, know-how-to-make people-feel-things corner of the world, we can raise the bar of work being done in the digital or interactive world. Adapting our musical skills to non-linear situations where a user decides where a production is going to "go" next is challenging but we have gotten really good at it. Same goes for making audio actually function well on the web. It didn't and we wrote code to fix it. So we are now capable of making really exciting, functional non-linear sound. We even provide the code that runs it.

The difficult part has been finding people who are ready for these ideas. People who are thinking about digital as it needs to be thought of; as a medium that is not yet defined and that can be almost anything you want it to be.

As we take our innovations out to the world to share with people I am discovering that there are in fact two kinds of agencies in the world just as they said there are: integrated/media neutral/whatever you want to call them and unintegrated traditional agencies. The thing about the "integrated" ones is that they are often only integrated in name. The real difference between agencies lies in their process. It's in how their creative people work. Here are the two ways of working: One; a process where people generate communication ideas for the mediums as they know them and Two; a process where people are willing to invent the medium. And that is the true dividing line between "siloed" agencies and "integrated" ones. Telling the silos that they are going to work together is not enough. Having traditional creative teams hand ideas down to the digital people to execute does not generate really innovative work. In fact it generates conflicts between people who have different ideas of how things are done. The only way to truly innovate is to allow the whole group to invent the medium and to together decide how things are going to work.

We are starting to be invited to the table by agencies before the medium has been invented so that we can invent it with them. The process is intoxicatingly exciting, the results are innovative and the level of collaboration very satisfying. There's nothing wrong with the way traditional media campaigns are conceived of and executed. It generates plenty of good work. But it won't do for the new media.

My stopwatch

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:57:49 -0400

It was built in the USSR and purchased on eBay from a dude in the Ukraine. It feels good in the hand, is simple to operate, has a nice retro vibe, and completely eliminates the need for word counts in radio scripts.

Colin Stetson

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:05:19 -0400

Do yourself a favour and check out Colin Stetson's Polaris-shortlisted album "New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges". I promise that you will marvel at the sheer density and complexity of sound generated by a single person with a single instrument ("recorded live in single takes with no overdubs or loops" is declared on the jacket).

That single instrument is a bass saxophone, a rarer member of the sax family, and one you surely wouldn't want to carry on your bike. Its huge size makes for an immensely rich resonant chamber inside the instrument, allowing Stetson to create beautifully (and disturbingly) complex sounds - think overdriven guitar, exotic percussion, wild beasts and passing freight trains.

But even more amazingly, Stetson weaves his freak-show-grade extended technique and virtuosic dexterity into an album that's full of emotion and musical variety, well worthy of repeat listening. It's getting a lot of spin here in the production office, that's for sure.

Hear for yourself...

Melody and Lyrics in Pop Music...

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:20:15 -0400

I recently went on a small roadtrip with my sister. Like most 20 year-olds she's into the latest, poppiest music on the radio... as a musician, it was incredible to hear how similar the compositions are in top 40 radio. I would venture to say that 80% of what I heard was the same chord progression, without exaggeration!

It goes to show, melody and lyrics are absolutely paramount in Pop Music. An instrumental track would just not stand up by itself.

Interesting.

Shhh...hear that?

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:13:02 -0400

Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) is a big problem for folks who deal with music and audio. If you've ever experienced it, you know how annoying and disruptive it can be, even if you're not trying to focus on making things sound great.

But this blog entry isn't really about tinnitus. It's about what happens when tinnitus goes away, because in most cases, it doesn't - the brain just compensates.

The human brain has an incredible ability to adjust for and tune out constant stimuli. Think about the way your eyes can adjust to a colour cast, (as evidenced by the phenomenon of afterimages). Our ears (or more specifically, the part of the brain that interprets data coming from our ears), often deals with tinnitus in a similar way, by re-calibrating so that the constant ringing is perceived as silence. To go back to the visual metaphor, it's a lot like setting white balance on a camera.

Our brains do this to help us make sense of the vast onslaught of sensory data to which we're exposed every day, by filtering out what's not crucial to our functioning or survival.

It's the same re-calibration that lets you tune out constant noises in the background; take a second to listen to the surprisingly loud mosaic of ventilation fan, computer, traffic and human sounds in your environment right now that you probably hadn't noticed before. And in a sonic environment like that, one of the most startling things would be if those noises suddenly stopped.

Which brings me to why all this is on the keenmusic blog: amongst the dull roar of radio ads, the most startling sound is silence, because it almost never happens. So if you really want to be heard, instead of shouting louder and filling every millisecond, invest in quiet moments and pregnant pauses.

Turn You On?

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:04:51 -0400

Am I allowed to use this channel to turn you on to some exciting new music? We saw these folks, all 9 of'em, in Toronto the other night. It was full on exciting live music! Imagine that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28fk5jVxE2E

Further to my words on licensing...

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:22:40 -0400

Here's a tune the super-talented Andrea Koziol co wrote with Matt Redman that just got licensed for a Government of Ontario spot. It's a nice way to work from our end too. We write whatever we feel like, somebody likes it and we hand it over. The end.

Coming Home - Andrea Koziol and Matt Redman

PLEASE! Write something for the actors

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:46:46 -0400

I am continually pleased at how much great acting talent we have to choose from in our city and I'm thrilled at how technology has made all of the great actors in the world available to us . We can find exactly the right person for any role and we can make radio that is deep and wide, funny, moving and memorable. The unfortunate thing is there's very little radio, and by little I mean almost none, being written that really takes advantage of what actors have to offer. Rapid fire "comedy" dialogue, and I use the word comedy loosley, is but one style of writing for radio. It is by no means the only one. For all of you writers out there; there exists an opportunity today to write radio better than the rest. The bar is very low and the resources plentiful. Throw off the shackles of the tried and true and go on a writing adventure. There are actors waiting sink their teeth into your fine words.

Here's some inspiration written by a very fine writer named Matt Syberg-Olsen and directed by me. CPRF '911'

What's With All the Music Licensing? How to get the best possible track for your work.

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:04:25 -0400

There are a whole lot of songs being licensed for use in films, television and advertising these days. It's not a new phenomenon by any means but there's more of it than ever. Why is that? At one time the main reason was popular culture equity. But so much of what is being licensed these days has no real equity. Much of it is music that has never been heard outside a relatively small circle of dedicated fans.

I think there are a few reasons why licensing is so popular, and there are interesting things to be learned from it.

Reason number 1: Supply

Put simply, there has been a revolution in the way music is recorded and distributed. There is an outrageous amount of it to choose from and it's very accessible. From basements to bedrooms to studios and concert halls, tons of people are making literally millions of recordings, and many of them are not just good they're excellent.

Reason number 2: We Feel the "Real"

It's true that all music is real, but the songs that people are licensing were written with heart, integrity, and a purpose separate from the work they are synched with. They came into existence because somebody had something to say, so they already have a life of their own. Equity or not, that has value and that integrity carries straight over into the work it is applied to.

Reason number 3: Resonance

The "real" tracks that people are making are pieces of art and the resonance that art has is an abstract quality that gets carried over into the thing that it is applied to. A film scene or TV spot grows new layers when a good piece of music is put up against it. This is especially true in advertising. Advertising at its core does not resonate abstractly. It is created and executed to be didactic. Creative people making ads, tv shows, films or whatever want to add resonance to their piece when they look for music. They may not know exactly what this abstract quality is going to feel like but they know they want it. By throwing up - somewhat randomly - people's musical creations, they can explore the possibilities, and if they find the right thing they'll KNOW it. It will just feel right.

Reason number 4: Pleasure & Surprise

Placing finished tracks up against a picture is not only a nice way to discover new layers in your work, it's also a pleasurable way to "do" the music. You don't have to understand and explain your ideas to a composer, you can just explore, and the more open-minded you are at the outset, the larger the range of wonderful and surprising musical solutions will be.

So is being open minded the only thing we need to get a great music track? It's important but it's only the first step. I think that with a slight re-jigging of the process of picture editing and "doing" the music we can open a great opportunity to make the whole process more pleasurable and many times more effective. Here is my prescription for getting the best possible music track for your work:

Step 1: Hire a professional and start early.

Music producers and composers have a wealth of connections and experience that can bring a greater quantity of high quality and very appropriate music to the party. Hire a good one and get them thinking about musical possibilities and sharing their ideas with you as soon as you have your very first rough assembly cut. Start by asking them to bring music that can be licensed to try against your picture. See where that takes you. Bring more music and because there are still some things you simply cannot get from finished music tracks, like a finely tuned musical reaction to your piece of work, have some demos composed as well.

Step 2: Have the video editor refine their cuts to the music pieces you like best.

(Producers will have to move some of the music time that traditionally has been allotted after the fine cut to the period during editing to allow for this). And present your edits with your favorite pieces of music on them. My suspicion is that you will have a much higher success rate presenting edits that are locked to really great, appropriate music. The music will "fit" better and there will be so much less that has to be imagined.

Simpler than you thought, isn't it?

Iain Tait: a smart dude in the non-post-digital age

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:41:06 -0400

Iain Tait makes some pretty interesting points during his address at the 2010 CaT London event. It's full of golden digital observations, but I was struck by what he had to say about 7 minutes in...

His point centres on gaming culture and how it's creating users that are expecting their media to be as moving, immersive and rich as their games. So I'm wondering, if the bar is indeed set incredibly high, why are we seeing little more than banners and social media executions in this industry? It's where the collective taste buds are heading...who's gonna pioneer this revolution?

(We're ready for you.)

Old Avatars, New Avatars and Music for Dance

Fri, 20 May 2011 16:02:49 -0400

If you've been in the Keen lobby in the last few weeks, there's a good chance you've been enveloped by a mezmerizing, free floating, South Asian audioscape. That's because our very own composer/producer Meiro Stamm is in the midst of a project with brilliant contemporary Kathak dancer and vocalist, Bageshree Vaze.

Together they have created an album's worth of music, which will accompany Bageshree as she premieres her brand new dance work Avatar(9) at the Harbourfront Centre's Enwave Theatre on May 27th and 28th. In the artist's own words:

Using the concept of the Navarasas, the nine emotions in Indian classical dance, this world premiere in the Kathak dance style by Bageshree Vaze delves into different incarnations (avatars) in the human experience. She explores characters in a contemporary manifestation through movement, melody, and rhythms.

Musically, it's a blend of Indian classical melodies, electronica and orchestral arrangements, and I've gotta say that although it was composed specifically for this dance work, I think it would make a brilliant film score.

Have a listen for yourself.

We also have a limited number of tickets to give away. If you're interested in attending, contact Matt.

Just one of the many things going on around here...

Out of tune...with reality

Wed, 11 May 2011 13:06:38 -0400

Sometimes when I listen to current mainstream music, I feel like I'm at a party where everyone's drunk on auto-tune, and I'm the only sober person in the room. Seriously, doesn't the 'dead robot' vibe bother anyone else?

I'm not talking about the T-Pain/Cher effect. That's...well, an effect. It has its place, and used judiciously it can be effective, if that's what you're going for. I'm talking about that odd, lifeless, hollow sound where it seems like the artist started the note, took a quick nap, and then returned to finish the phrase.

Are you familiar with the concept of the uncanny valley? I'd argue auto-tuning a voice sends it straight to the bottom of that valley. It's the 'Polar Express' of vocals.

Sure, I use auto-tune too sometimes. But here's the concept that so many producers seem to be missing: 'in-tune' is not a yes/no question. 'In-tune' is a range, the boundaries of which move and change shape depending on so many other aspects of a performance. For example, our ears have a greater tolerance for someone singing out-of-tune if they're singing quietly than if they're belting it out (a phenomenon I call 'the karaoke principle'). And our perception of out-of-tuneness changes depending on whether the offending notes occur near the beginning, middle or end of a phrase. But automatic tuning software can't deal with all those parameters; it just figures out how far from the pitch centre the note is and wrenches it into place.

So here's a modest proposal for everyone with the tools and inclination to tune-up a vocal: follow these easy steps. 1)Listen to the un-tuned performance. 2)Make a note of any specific moments where the tuning bugs you. 3)Tune only those moments. 4)Listen again. 5)Leave it alone. Got me?

The Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra - Say What?

Wed, 04 May 2011 13:48:46 -0400

It was named as one of the top ten albums of 2010 by CBC's The Signal, alongside Owen Pallett, Jonsi and Laurie Anderson. "Desert grooves and derelict loops, Omnichords and Marxophones, slide guitars...and the ghosts of electricity". The Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra is the creation of the wonderfully talented Andy McNeill and Andy writes for commercials exclusively with Keen. Have a listen and let us know if you like it. Andy is a generous and creative individual who is a joy to collaborate with. Maybe he's right for your next project.

The Auctioneer

Black Mambo

Age of Steam

MCC Ready In The Lab! (and you won't believe what he's cooking...)

Mon, 02 May 2011 15:09:41 -0400

Just back from an awesome workshop at the FITC, and my head is buzzing with great ideas and new-found knowledge.

I've been working on a lot of cool stuff in the Flash audio world. Recently an agency asked us to create something really cool for their zoo client. It's a web-based audio app that allows the user to write a song using animal sounds and then share it with their friends. The project uses our Audio Engine which allows the user to create loops and play along with them, while keeping all of the elements in sync.

I have also been experimenting with a monophonic subtractive synth prototype built within Flash. It has 2 oscillators, an amp and filter, both with full ADSR envelope. It also has an LFO that can be used to modulate pitch or volume with 5 different waveforms. (editor's note - if you don't understand any of those intimidating audio words, don't be afraid...just go play with it!)

The coolest thing about this synth is there are no audio files involved. It is actual dynamic synthesis with the audio being generated by the Flash client. The underlying tech that powers this application will allow us to score an interactive website with dynamic audio without requiring the loading of hundreds of audio files. Just think about that for a second...pretty amazing stuff!

Check out our synth module.

Fiddle with the sliders and see what crazy sounds you can come up with.

X is the funniest letter!

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:19:34 -0400

Think about it: Xenon, Xaviera, Xanadu, Xhosa, Xyloid, Xeric, Xylem. That's funny shit.

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:36:51 -0400

"As goofy as it sounds, the kids at Keen always live up to their name."

Craig Redmond | Creative Director

Celebrity Voices... Who Cares?

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:42:50 -0400

From time to time I'm asked to book famous (or semi-famous) actors for voice work. It makes me wonder how valuable having a famous voice is. Does anyone really care?

Well, hearing the final results, my experience says that people do care… but not for the reasons you may think. With the exception of a few well-known examples (I'll just call her Paris Days Inn...or is that too obvious?), most celebrity actors are known first and foremost for their acting skills. They're famous because they have something truy special and that extends into their voice work. And their exceptional vocal qualities can make a good ad great.

I'm reminded of a spot we did a while back, written by our friend Michael Clowater:

The Voice: Will Lyman ('Welcome to the Dollhouse', 'Iron Man', 'Frontline', 'Nova')

The Product: Ontario Greenbelt (PSA)

The Result... you be the judge!:

Friends of the Greenbelt 'Apples'

So much talent coming through the doors...

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:11:31 -0400

One of our most wonderful assets, Ron Lopata, writer and producer of many great tracks at Keen and artists at large, has recently agreed to do A&R work at Warner Canada. One might think this is bad news but in fact it is a boon. Ron and Warner have agreed that he will continue to spend a portion of his time writing for Keen. In fact Ron is maintaining a studio here to do both Keen and Warner work.

So in addition to the mellifluous strains of music for ads and television coming from his studio doors there is now also a seemingly endless stream of very talented aritists coming through Keen to exercise their musical muscles. Singers, writers and instrumentalists all of whom are very talented and some of whom are the stars of tomorrow. Very exciting for the culture at Keen and rich with possibilities for collaboration. Good vibes all around. Thanks for sticking with us Ron.

An intense wiener situation

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:52:24 -0400

Here's part of a fun campaign I just did with the lovely Sarah Park and Jenny Smith at Target. It is the very talented Robert Latimer who plays the hostage taker.

Larsen 'Hot Dog with a Vengeance'

Lefsetz Letter

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:47:17 -0400

I make a habit of reading just about everything Bob Lefsetz writes on his blog. Billed as "First in Music Analysis", his musings really cover everything from the role of YouTube in the contemporary music biz, to customer service and why he's loyal to his auto mechanic, to which songs blew his mind as a college freshman, to the lessons we can learn from the Rebecca Black phenomenon.

I don't always agree with everything: Lefsetz and I have somewhat different tastes in music, and, like anyone who has convictions by which they will stand, he can come across a bit curmudgeonly at times. But his insights are pointed and entertaining. Check it out if you have a moment or two. Here's a great starting point.

[Thanks to Keith for turning me on to this blog.]

Word counts don't work!

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:56:27 -0400

I think the most common problem I encounter in producing radio is over-length scripts. I fully understand that one of the big reasons for this is that scripts start out to be very good and the right length and then somebody insists that items need to be added. Fair enough, but another common cause is that for some reason writers are still using word counts. Word counts don't work. When you write a script read it in character and make it sound good. If it's multiple voice then get someone to read it with you. Break it down into sections if you need to, but read it out loud and perform it! If you run a stopwatch on that you'll find out how long the script actually is. Good comedy, good drama, even good announcer copy relies just as heavily on the spaces between the words as the words themselves. Tension comes from making people wait, laughs get delivered when the comedic timing is right. Word counts don't allow for that. Do your words justice and let them live and breathe.

Happy writing.

Arcade Fire and Building Bridges

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:29:19 -0400

By now, I think most people in this industry have experienced the Acrade Fire Wilderness Downtown colaboration. It is, without a doubt, a fascinating and pioneering use of Google technologies, HTML5 and popular music. Let me just say, that it's well deserving of all the awards and accolades it's been heaped with recently.

So that's why, as I was interacting with it again today, I was trying to figure out why I found it troubling. It's a great song, with no shortage of "wow...that's cool" going on in the programming, but after repeated viewings it still left me cold. Despite what I know of it's technical prowess, and the way it capitalizes on the navel gazing aspect of our human nature (who didn't love having a look at their childhood home) I didn't find myself captivated. I wasn't moved.

The thing that is so exciting about the project is it's re-purposing of technology built for an entirely different reason. That's also the reason why it doesn't work for me. It’s simply aesthetics. I can’t wait to see what these ideas look like when they’re refined; when my awareness of the re-purposing hops in the back seat.

So as I think about all this, I’m struck by the nature of innovation in the creative world, and how sometimes it presents itself as a step backward.

Early portrait photography (due to the need for lengthy exposure times) gave us countless images of incredibly tense and unhappy looking subjects, some of whom, I’m sure must have been secretly cursing the fact that they didn’t just hire a painter. (Poor dear Harry.)

CGI has changed the face of animation, but early CGI films seemed just plain cheesy in comparison to the classic hand drawn movies I was accustomed to.

I think of these creative offerings as bridges, spanning the gap between how far we've come, and where we are headed. They’re the products of restless minds, beautiful because they’re dressed up in potential. At face value they don’t always seem to be ‘better’ than what came before them, but they effectively redraw the landscape for everything that comes after...

Here’s to the brave builders of bridges!

(And there are more than a few of 'em right here at Keen!)

A Weekend of Radio

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:38:47 -0400

I guess this is a kind of companion piece to Thomas' recent post. I just had a weekend full of great radio experiences, and though none were specifically advertising-related, I think there are some things worth mentioning.

Friday night:

The Signal on CBC2. I'm happy to let Laurie Brown curate my evening listening. She started with some Maple Mountain Sunburst Triolian Orchestra (genius music from Keen ally Andy McNeill), followed by a dreamy track from Valgeir Sigurðsson (featuring Keen fave Sam Amidon on vox), and lulled me into oblivion at the end of a long week with cuts from Antony and the Johnsons, Bonobo, Laurie Anderson...not to mention the things I didn't recognize. So much amazing music!

Saturday evening:

"War of the Worlds" at The Art of Time Ensemble. The Wells/Welles radio landmark performed live on stage in a kind of meta-play, with live foley, live band, and all the inner workings laid bare. Simultaneously thrilling radio and amazing, intricate theatre. Sure there was some action on the stage, but the real visuals were conjured entirely by what we heard, just like that broadcast in '38.

Sunday evening, part I:

The Air Farce tribute to the late Roger Abbott via the CBC's video streaming site. There were innumerable sketches from AF's many tv seasons, but every funny moment brought to mind two or three from the old radio days. For a guy whose first political memory includes John Turner and Brian Mulroney trading barbs, I learned a lot about Canadian politics from the Royal Canadian Air Farce's saturday morning radio show. Moreover, it was damn funny!

Sunday evening, part II:

Watched Jian Ghomeshi's Q interview with Don Ferguson, Luba Goy and Rick Mercer on the subject of Abbott's passing. Many of you will be familiar with the video versions of this radio show from the YouTube clips of the Billy Bob Thornton debacle, but even when things stay on the rails, witnessing the unfolding of live radio is totally riveting, and completely different from watching the equivalent tv interview. I can't imagine Don Ferguson's emotions emerging under bright tv studio lights in the same way, nor would the quiet, easy banter have felt so intimate. Aside from being a touching tribute, the episode brought a truth into focus for me: radio, while a medium of broadcast, feels like a private endeavour to those creating it, and as a result, it hits the listener in a very direct way.

Conclusion:

Radio may be a medium in transition, but it does what it does in ways that are totally unique and worth holding on to. Let's decide how we're going to harness that power!

Room-tone and a drawing of a chair

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:29:34 -0400

Grade 10 art class. Sketchbook assignment: draw a chair.

The teacher assessed my drawing at a 6.5/10, and noted that I should "rely less on dominant outlines" in my work. But this post isn't really about my drawing skills: it's no accident I work in audio today.

Mr. Phillips' real objective became clear when he pointed out that the most effective ( = highest graded) pieces in the class had one thing in common: even if it was as simple as a horizon line, there was some sort of context for the chair.

Looking at my horizonless sketch, I considered this. The addition of a single horizontal line would create an entire implied world. The blank space above the line becomes a wall; the space below it, a floor. Now we know we're in a room. Placement of the line affects the chair's position in the room, and our position relative to it. A short line gives the sense we're looking at a tiny vignette; a long line gives the sense of a lonely chair in a big, empty space. All this from one simple line it'd be easy not to notice.

Room-tone (the inherent sound of a space when there are no other sounds present) is the aural equivalent of that horizon line. With very subtle sound effects, we can provide a great deal of context to the foreground sounds and the picture. We can describe the location, our proximity to the action, and even the mood.

To this last point, I found this Heinz spot in the archives; I just love how the buzzy fluorescent lights set an uncomfortable, off-kilter mood right away, and how the sound works with the hand-held cinematography and colour cast to deliver the low-fi vibe the team was after. All this from a sound you'll probably have to turn up your speakers to hear...

What the heck is radio good for anyway?

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:50:37 -0400

Listening to commercial radio I wouldn't blame anyone for thinking that the only thing radio is good for is screaming laundry lists of client demands and special low prices or ill-concieved comedy "acted" by announcers firmly planted in the 1950's school of radio announcing selling some local retailer's wares. We all know that by employing fine creative writing and great execution we can make better ads that sell more product but have you considered using radio with a different objective? These :15 second spots that I did with the very talented Steve Persico at Leo Burnett have a singular focus: drive listeners to a website.

5 Alive - Dog 5 Alive - Theme

What else could one persuade a listener to do? Could radio actually become interactive?

New gear, Thom Yorke, and TED Talks.

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:50:13 -0400

OK, just bought an old Eb soprano clarinet on Ebay. For those of you not familiar with this instrument, aside from being a rather nerdy piece of music kit, it's a smaller cousin to the clarinets you're used to seeing and an instrument I had never played before mine arrived yesterday.

Setting it up and playing it or the first time, I was reminded that there's a feeling to playing a new instrument that's totally unique; it's a different sort of headspace than playing a horn I'm really familiar with.

Radiohead front-man Thom Yorke, in an NPR interview, talked about his relationship with new gear, and characterized the process of exploring a new instrument's capabilities as the time when he's "really writing". I kind of get that: it's all about figuring out (and pushing past) the limitations of the instrument, finding its sweet spots, and exploiting its uniquenesses. It's a totally creative period, and usually yields musical vocabulary that's completely new. What's more, just getting my brain into that headspace seems to sharpen my creativity and problem solving skills in other areas of life.

I think it's the same for any sort of new idea or pursuit, and maybe why TED talks are so compelling, almost regardless of topic: mental doors are blown wide open.

Makes me feel like if we all took on tasks like that with some regularity, we could solve just about any problem.

How about starting with this?

Mergers & Aquisitions

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:14:16 -0400

Toronto Ontario (March 25, 2011) - For Immediate Release

Toronto Canada-based, sound production companies companies Keen Music Inc. and Problem Child Radio announced today an equity merger and plans to create beautiful sound for all electronic media under the well established Keen Music, Voice & Sound Design name.

The merger combines Problem Child Radio’s radio specific production expertise and industry leading creative writing services with the long standing leadership in music, voice and sound design that Keen offers. By sharing the creative sparks of people in these various disciplines and combining them with newly developed audio technologies developed by Keen specifically for interactive audio, the newly enhanced Keen Music, Voice and Sound design will deliver innovations in audio for Radio, Television, Film and Interactive. “The synergies between these two companies were undeniable” says Keen’s president and creative director Thomas Neuspiel. “The respect that the problem children have for excellent creative and their passion for stirring up shit can only be positive for the newly created alliance”.

Keen Music Inc. started as Keen Communication Systems incorporated in 1988 and has delivered cutting edge audio in the commercial recording, film, television, live performance, advertising and communications industries for nearly 25 years. Since it’s very earliest days Keen has been an innovator. Keen’s founders were among the first people to make commercial music with computers in the 1980s. “We decided that music could be made with any kind of sound and we eradicated the line between sound effects and music.” says founding partner/composer John Tucker. “At the heart of Keen is a passion for good art well executed. “

Problem Child Radio was created in 2006 by leading advertising creative Jeff Eamer and Radio Director/Producer/Writer Thomas Neuspiel. It’s sole objective was to shake up a radio advertising industry that was phoning in it’s productions from nap time.

For more information please contact info@keenmusic.ca

Keen Favorite - Sam Amidon - at the Drake!

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:40:37 -0400

Understatement #1 - Music is VERY important to us here at Keen.

Collectively we listen to an astonishing amount of it, and though as individuals our tastes are somewhat divergent, we manage to avoid fist fights at all of our listening sessions.

One thing we all agree on, however, is Sam Amidon. The guy is a freak and a genius, with the unique ability to charm you one moment and disturb you the next.

Proof.

Understatement #2 - If you get tickets for Sam's show at the Drake on Sunday the 27th, you will not be sorry...

Details.

See you there!

Sometimes it's ok to be explicit.

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:06:02 -0400

I commonly get radio scripts where the SFX lines have lengthy descriptions of the great sound scape that will be created to engage the ever sought after “theatre of the mind” for the listener. Now don’t get me wrong: I have no problem with lengthy descriptions of the sound a writer would like to hear. The problem arises when the theatre they are trying to create can’t really be supported by sound effects alone. For example:

SFX: An elephant flying in perfect figure eights high above the lake. His flight is graceful and effortless.

SFX:__ Suddenly he is filled with fear as a giant bird comes into his path. He collides with the giant bird and crashes into the lake

How a flying elephant sounds specifically different from a flying leopard or any other number of flying objects I have not yet, in my many years of making radio, figured out. My point is this; if you want to make good theatre of the mind and the sound of the thing you are trying to paint a picture of does not describe it clearly and quickly then don’t be afraid to use words. One of your characters saying “My goodness that elephant is flying perfect figure eights!” on top of well executed sound effects will paint a vivid picture. But don’t over do it. The giant bird and the collision are easy to describe with sound effects so leave them alone. We don’t want to get pedantic.

Happy Writing!

Keen Audio Engine

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:39:52 -0400

For the past few months I have been experimenting with the audio capabilities in Flash. We had noticed that a lot of interactive sites were lacking in the audio department. Either the audio didn't feel as truly interactive as the visuals or the audio was plagued with sync issues.

We were interested in finding solutions that would allow us to provide a truly compelling audio experience in a non-linear interactive environment. What started out as experimentation led to building a complete audio engine built on the Flash 10 Audio API and Pixel Bender.

This engine allows us to easily keep multi-track audio in sample-accurate sync. Giving us the tools to work on the audio side of a project independently from the people working on the visuals (the same way that we do our work for TV and Film).

At the heart of the engine is a communication module that allows simple communication between 2 flash files, one housing the visuals and the other housing our audio code. The visual side can tell the audio engine when to begin a sequence, when a user clicks a button, when to start a transition, etc. The audio engine in turn can tell the visual side when a sequence is complete, the current position in a track, etc. This is all done in a very simple way using the flash event system, allowing the coder working on the visual side to spend more time on their visual art and coding and less time on making the audio work.

Here is an example. This flash project allows you to listen to a music track we did with Ian Thornley for the folks at GM. This is not a Pro Tools file, it's build using FlashCS5 and our audio engine. You can play back the track and mute/solo different elements listening to just the drums, or drums and bass, or maybe you just want to listen to Ian's amazing guitar playing.

The audio side uses the audio mixer module we wrote using AS3 and Pixel Bender. This allows us to load in the individual stems and play them back in perfect sync. The user interface resides in a separate file and feeds simple commands to the mixer telling it to play, stop, mute tracks etc. Hope you enjoy the opportunity to disassemble this track and hear the individual parts that make up the mix. I look forward to sharing more demos of our Flash Audio Engine.

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:49:23 -0400

"In the many years I have known Keen, they have never let me down. Their work continues to be great! Thomas is one of the most talented people I know."

Karen Blazer | Director of Broadcast Production, Crispin Porter + Bogusky

Writing dialogue and the voices in my head

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:13:03 -0400

One of the best things a writing professor of mine ever said to me, whilst I was fretting about how to write great dialogue, was: stop worrying so much about what words you are going to write. Get to know your characters. If you know your characters really really well then you can just sit and listen to them talk. They’ll write the dialogue for you. It works.

The Power of 'The Nod'!

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:24:45 -0500

Hi all! Matt here; mild-mannered Production Manager by day, rock musician and Music Producer by night, Superhero the last Thursday of every month, and occasional chef.

Of all the things I've learned about recording music, and working with recording artists, the most powerful tool has been one of the simplest; a move I like to call "The Nod".

I have to credit the great Bob Cook for this one (formerly with CityTV, now with TaDa Voiceworks Inc.) it's a specialty of his, and it was during a lecture of his that I picked this up.

One of the main goals as an recording engineer and producer is to make the artist comfortable during the recording process. When the artist is comfortable, the music flows freely. This is where "The Nod" comes in, and here's how it's done:

Squint your eyes a little, to show you're concentrating on the recording. Not too much; you're not struggling to see.
Smile ever so slightly, perhaps out of one side of you mouth. Not like an insane person, but enough to show that you approve.
Nod your head in approval very slowly. No sudden movements, you don't want to alarm the talent.

When the artist looks up through the glass and sees this, the result is threefold:

you affirm that there has been no technical issues, and the recording is still running.
they feel like you like what they're doing (even if you don't!).
they stay in the comfort zone, and their performance is reinforced.

The key is small, slow, non-exaggerated movements. Regardless of whether the performance totally sucks, or whether it's blowing your mind, you can't let on. If you're not careful you may find yourself scowling at a bad take, or loosing your mind over the brilliance of an improvised solo. Either of these actions can make your artist uncomfortable and bring the brilliance (or terrible take) to a screeching halt.

Works every time. Also good for: a children's play, a bad movie that your date is somehow enjoying (*cough* Marley and Me *cough*), or experimental cooking.

Better voice castings

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:27:08 -0500

Why do we often hear people say that our castings are better? How could that be? It’s just casting.

Well let us explain how: We believe that castings, above all, should be an opportunity to hear new voices. So rule number one is: bring lots of new people in.

We also believe that the creative discussion our director/producer had with the creative team about the job deserves better than a perfunctory, broken telephone, description to the casting director. So rule number two is: have the director/producer actually attend the casting, explain first hand to the casting director what the creatives are looking for and actually direct the first few auditions in collaboration with the casting director to explore the possibilities and set the tone.

That’s exactly what we do and the end result is a bunch of interesting people giving the script the reads it deserves. In short, a better casting.

Writing Lyrics for Ads...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:24:42 -0500

Good lyrics are a beautiful thing, and I must admit that as a songwriter I am particularly drawn to music that gives good word. It is, however, more difficult than it seems to successfully wordsmith something resonant, if you’ve only got half a minute.

I approach lyric writing for ads the same way I approach writing a song; the words and the melody have to inform and inspire one another of course, but I also load my head with the bigger picture (setting/characters/story) so I have lots of metaphorical soil to muck about in. I’ll often write more than I need to just to see where the thing will go, and then pick the most compelling ideas to refine. If the aim is to strengthen a message with lyrics, the biggest challenge is making that message sound like it was always part of the song. If you want your listener to invest, the lyrics have to have their own life, even if the whole story isn’t revealed in the 30 seconds you’ve got.

Here are a couple of examples of purpose built lyrics that work. These song-ettes were written to help a creative team with a pitch.. The first was trying to convey a bigger picture idea of faith and inspiration, and the second wanted to focus on the notion of searching for something that was right in front of you all along.

Inspiration and Ease 1

Inspiration and Ease 2

'90s music

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 14:53:04 -0500

Had a lot of fun listening to a recent NPR "All Songs Considered" podcast about the music of the nineties.

Here's a link to the show page, which includes a list of, and videos for, most of the songs they played. I really encourage you to listen to the full show though, to get the proper context (the Collective Soul track was meant to be indicative of one of the negative aspects of the music business in the '90s - not so much a shining example) and to listen to a bunch of 30- and 40-somethings wax nostalgic.

Jeff Buckley's "Grace" album is a total desert island pick, and there was a lot of great music besides (Radiohead, Beck, PJ Harvey) but the Lauryn Hill track surprised me the most; it sounds utterly current - it hasn't really aged at all. Can't say that about most pop music 12 years on.

Of course there were many omissions, and a couple of head-scratchers (never really got into Neutral Milk Hotel myself), but it sure was fun reliving the days in which my musical awareness really got going. Even more fun was filling in my own imaginary list: The Breeders' "Last Splash" is a gem; Moby's "Play" and REM's "Automatic for the People" got a lot of spin; Björk; Rheostatics...

Fast and Furious Tim Hortons?

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:59:46 -0500

Here, a cue from Fast and Furious a 2009 action flick starring Vin Diesel.

Click here to listen

And below Tim Hortons 'Camp Day'

Yup...Our very own Keith Power wrote for both. And if you listen carefully, you can even hear him singing in the Tim's spot. Keith Power writes commercial tracks exclusively for Keen Music in Canada. He could be writing for you.

Anatomy of a job - how we build a music track for animation, from the ground up

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:57:33 -0500

We think the process of going from a silent animatic to a fully scored :30 tv spot is pretty interesting. It's fortunate that we find it interesting, because, well, that's what we do, and it feels good to do interesting work.

But even if it's not what you do, we think you'll find the process interesting as well. Using a recently completed job as an example, here's a peek behind the curtain.

Theatre of the mind: it's in the details

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:49:25 -0500

People often say that the magic of radio is that it allows listeners to use their imaginations. The pictures aren’t drawn for you as they are in TV, they are suggested and you draw them yourself. This theatre of the mind is a truly wonderful thing about the medium and it is a great opportunity that is not often enough exploited. Or sometimes it is attempted and it isn’t done so successfully.

Painting a good picture in radio is not unlike painting a good picture in any other medium. It’s in the details. Whether a picture is stark realism or abstract craziness, it needs layers. Simply, it needs foreground, middle ground and background. There are a myriad of techniques we radio producers use to create space and depth in a radio picture but as in all things radio the place to start injecting the depth is in the script.

The following spot started with the simple concept that there would be a choir of trees. One of the members of the choir would sing a line solo and then the large group of singers would demonstrate their strength in numbers by singing the line as an ensemble. An announcer would take you through the exercise.

Evergreen :30 radio "Trees" - version 1

ANNCR: Many people are uncertain how nature can benefit a city.
Well, imagine trees are singers. Would you rather have one tree?

SINGER: I’m making oxygen.

ANNCR: Or would you rather have more trees?

CHORUS: We’re making oxygen. Hallelujah! Oxygen! We’re making oxygen!

ANNCR: See, more nature does make a difference.
Find out how you can bring more nature to your city at Evergreen dot ca.

CHORUS: Hallelujah! Oxygen!

ANNCR: Evergreen. Imagine your city with nature.

One of the very talented composers in our shop took a first crack at this script and did exactly what it said. It felt very flat. The solo singer sounded just like everybody else in the choir and the picture had no depth. Some adjustments to the script suggested fore, middle and background.

Evergreen :30 radio "Trees" - version 2

[sfx: City Ambience: traffic, horns]

ANNCR: Many people are uncertain how nature can benefit a city.
Well, imagine trees are singers. Would you rather have one tree?

SOLO (overwrought): I’m making oxygen.

ANNCR: Or would you rather have more trees?

[sfx: reduce cars etc. Add birds]

SOLO & CHORUS: We’re making oxygen. Hallelujah! We’re making oxygen!

[SOLO Holds last note in Joyous rapture under Announcer]

ANNCR: See, more nature does make a difference.

SOLO: Oh Yeah!

ANNCR: Find out how you can bring more nature to your city at Evergreen dot ca.

SOLO & CHORUS: Oxygen!

ANNCR: Evergreen. Imagine your city with nature.

In the new version, the Announcer is the foreground; bold, big voice, no reverb. The choir is big, no individuals stick out, so it lacks detail and it appears further back. A solo singer who is given more words and who sings with real expression and individuality feels, by virtue of that detail, like he has stepped out in front of the choir to the middle ground. Way in the back is the breeze, the birds and some city sounds that paint the street, the blue sky and so on.

It should also be pointed out that before the solo singer was given his more developed character there where no interesting individuals in the spot. You need interesting characters to tell an interesting story. More on that in another blog but for now here’s how the final spot sounds. A winner of more than a few awards.

Evergreen 'Trees' - click here to listen

Who's writing great radio these days?

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:13:53 -0500

Great radio is a beautiful thing. And really, it's all about the writing. These gems are some of our faves. How about you? Any great writing you'd like to share with us?

In the mean time...music!

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:30:10 -0500

Here is the first Keen holiday offering. More to come richler...

better than cats - the keen holiday colab

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:03:58 -0500

In between the sessions, after business hours, during our lunch breaks, before our yoga classes, in advance of the fabulous and copious parties, in the midst of the insanity that is December...we...at Keen, are working on our very first Holiday Music Colaboration.

I can assure you, that it will mess with your heads.

Stay tuned for our blog posting on Friday December 17th, when this genre bending, cross dressing, creature feature will be revealed to us, and the world.

Happy holidays.

-AK

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:33:23 -0500

"They are keen and they are good."

Paul Lavoie | Chairman/Co-Founder, TAXI

Suzanne Ciani '80s synthesis

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:20:37 -0500

Using computers to make music has come a long way.

Iron Man II

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:31:25 -0500

Keith Power, one of Keen's great composers, has just put the finishing touches on the score for Iron Man II, working alongside film legend John Debney, who scored and orchestrated the film. Keith's job was to put the edge on Debney's lush orchestrations. Keith is credited as Electronic Score Producer, Musical Score Arranger, Guitarist, Bassist, and Percussionist

Here are a couple of cues for your listening pleasure.

House Fight IM2

Senate IM2

After writing with Keen for six years in Toronto, Keith is now based in L.A. where he writes commercials exclusively for Keen in Canada.

New in the Keen Lab: generative music for interactive environments

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:21:18 -0400

Almost everything you need to know about can be read on the project page. For everything else, drop us a line...

Miniature Wonderland!

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:52:44 -0400

Who doesn't love small stuff? Incredibly detailed stuff? Useless but fascinating and beautiful stuff? Obsessive, sublime, head scratching, magical, stuff? If you, like we, enjoy the above then check out the new 4 minute vid from our wunderfriends in Hamburg.

Miniatur Wunderland Corporate Video

We like Sam Amidon

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:15:02 -0400

Whaddya say, push-ups?

The Keen Laboratory's first labour

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:16:19 -0400

It's called the colourstepper, and it's a quick and simple step-sequencer programmed as a test of some of our new Flash-audio-module-add-on-thingies (snappy name to follow).

Not much to look at, but fun to play with; so says an informal survey of yours truly, Andrew (the programmer), and chief creative consultants / head testers Sacha and Bella (6 and 9 years old, respectively). Hopefully you will feel the same: try it out.

For the curious, here are some of the technologies we're developing, for which the colourstepper serves as our soapbox racer of sorts. (If the following terms don't mean that much to you, drop us a line and ask us how these technologies will make your rich media richer and your life easier):

Dynamic sound object mixer - using PixelBender, of all things, to combine sound objects with sample-accurate synchronization and 14 channels of polyphony
Round-robin channel allocation - so all 14 channels are available to any sound object when not in use
Sound randomizer - you might have noticed that a pink block won't just play the same sound over and over; actually, during the sound bucket pre-loading, the number of available files for each colour (sound category) is automatically detected, and a random sound is selected from the files in that category
Sound bucket changer and pre-loader - try using one of the coloured squares in the top right corner to change to a different sound bucket - the new sounds to pre-load in the background and then there's a seamless transition to the new bucket, all without stopping playback

FYI, bucket #1 (the teal square) is a bunch of samples surreptitiously pilfered from one of Andrea's songs that didn't quite make it to her last record (but it will to the next one, right AK? Perhaps a colourstepper remix?) and #2 (the purple square) is a bunch of noises I made exclusively by banging, clinking, slapping, thumping and otherwise percussing implements from Keen's kitchen drawers and cupboards. All instruments involved were subsequently sanitized. The sounds from bucket #3 should be easy to identify...

The Keen Laboratory

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:35:53 -0400

Sometimes, the best innovations come out of pure play. Sometimes large, complex problems just need to be broken down into smaller pieces. Sometimes, it's nice to share the small victories.

Ipso facto, we are pleased to launch lab.keenmusic.ca, a place where you can sneak a peak at some of our current extra-curricular activities.

ETFO | Questions

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:52:17 -0400

90% of ad music is in 4/4 time. 90% of the remainder is in 3/4. We wrote this in 5/4. Visionary? You decide.

Singing is Easy...SHH...Don't Tell Bey Once

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:49:21 -0400

After I play a show there are always people who feel the need to tell me that they wish they could sing. They say things like, "I'm tone deaf" or "people would run in fear if they heard me". My response is consistent. Depending on how many glasses of wine I've had, it may begin with "that's bullshit", but it always culminates with "if you can speak, then you can sing." You may not LOVE the sound of your own voice, but that doesn't mean that silence is your only option.

So, for all of those people who maybe want a few tips from someone who is more comfortable with a mic in front of her than without, here are 5 things to remember when you're singing.

1. Sound like you. Unless you're a professional impersonator, don't try and sing like anyone else. It's boring and plastic, and an audience can smell a faker a mile away. Your most valuable asset is that thing that no one else has - the sound only you can make.

2. Let your body help you find the notes. If you're having trouble with intonation try physically representing the note as you're singing. Raise or lower your hand to follow the melody. (I learned this from an exquisitely talented soul singer who couldn't seem to ever hit a wrong note.) It works surprisingly well.

3. Mess around with vowel shapes. If you need to change the shape of a vowel to make a note more comfortable...just do it. If I'm singing ohhhhs way up high in my register, I find that making them a little skinnier, a little more nasal, is the trick.

4. Think about the words. Especially if you're singing someone else's tune, take the time to consider what the song means to you and let that guide how you sing it. Sound simple? Well it's harder than it seems. Often we sing things the way they've always been sung, and anytime music becomes static like that, it ceases to be free and alive. Do the song justice, but don't chain it down. Even if you don't sing it perfectly, people will go along with you for the ride.

5. Listen. OK I saved the most important one for last. The late great John Wyre of Nexus taught me this. If you're not listening while making music, then it's not music you're making. When in doubt, don't be afraid to lay out.

FACT: people who sing; live longer, have better sex, don't need vitamin supliments, are more content on long road trips, and are 10x less likely to be strip searched in airports, than people who don't.

Go on! Sing everyone!

-AK

Rogers | Reminders

Thu, 27 May 2010 11:52:17 -0400

Pontiac | Rain

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:31:38 -0400

This went viral, and there were many requests for a full version of this track. Sadly, there isn't one...yet. Should we write it?

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:16:30 -0400

"Keen Music claims that 'if you can imagine a sound, we can make it.' But more often than not, they surprise me with sounds I never could have possibly imagined."

David Houghton | Creative Director

A cheeky way to your morning buzz

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:42:32 -0500

We partnered with the good folks at Extreme and Lollipop to bring this unusual (and unusually awesome) e-commerce front-end to life. It starts with a heart-pounding journey into the underworld to meet with the dealer, and ends (if you're careful) with your very own stash of the black stuff.

Kudos to the team for making buying coffee so much fun and immersive, right down to the last detail; even the terms and conditions page refers to The Dealer. And Kudos to Black Sunshine for their 100% organic, fairly-traded, downright tasty coffee. Did I mention we're fussy about our joe?

Here's a preview of the site, and for the full experience, jump right in here.

McDonalds 'Too Late'

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:50:14 -0500

Ok the final lyrics for this one got toned down a little but I like the fact that the McDonald’s spokesman, or singer in this case, is a nocturnal animal of the stoned variety. He, by the way, is one of my favourite singers and among the finest that this city of great musicians has to offer. Let’s give it up for Ian Lefeuvre!

McDonalds 'Too Late'

Kai blogs about the launch of blog.keenmusic.ca

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:45:51 -0500

You're reading the obligatory first blog entry at blog.keenmusic.ca.

I think I can skip the part where I tell you what we will be doing here, because you probably know what a blog is. I will also refrain from encouraging you to 'check back often' as hopefully you will feel compelled to do so without any additional help from me.

I would, however, like to assure you that the second blog entry will be fair more informative, entertaining, controversial, thought-provoking, elucidative or otherwise worthy of your time and attention than this one has been.