The LOUD Tour

I have moved

2010-02-25T16:49:00.001-05:00

I know I haven't posted anything here in quite a long time, but if you should happen to stumble on this page and are looking for me, my blog has moved.

You can find me over at Wordpress.

For Fear of Going Insane

2008-10-31T18:15:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Another LOUD Tour TV Production! Just in time for Haloween! This is a story about a man who is going insane. Cool Narration with Music! Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, music video, haloween, insane, horror, montreal

Rain Drops

2008-10-28T15:46:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Another LOUD Tour TV music video production. Short and swet with minimal editing. This is a video tha tI have been putting off for a while and finally decided to put it together today.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, music, rain, rain drops

Wherever I go, There I am!

2008-10-27T19:13:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Another LOUD Tour TV Music Video prduction. I've been out of the video making game for a few months now. I decided to throw this one together today just as a little practice. I am happy with the end result, so I decided to post my first video back!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, music video

Counter Motion

2008-04-14T15:03:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Another music video with some very simple effects. The illusion created here is very cool!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, music video, music in motion, counter motion, illusion

Picture of My Life

2008-03-06T17:10:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

Here is the latest from LOUD Tour TV Music Video. This one is entitled Picture of My Life. It's a simple video sequence shot while walking down the street in my neighborhood. Some cool effects are added to give it a dream like state. Music is Picture of My Life by Jamiroquai.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, music, music video, music in motion, dream, jamiroquai, pictue of my life

Bach's Jazzy Bus Adventure

2008-02-01T15:57:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

Here is some footage that I've had for 7 months now. I put this idea on he back burner and decided to finish it finally. I shot the video while riding the #27 across Montreal. The music Bach's 2 part invention in D Minor only a totally different take then many of you have ever heard before!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, jazz, bach, music, music in motion

Spinning Wheels...

2008-01-10T13:53:00.000-05:00

Well I am finally back in action after a long hiatus from posting. Much of it was due to the holidays, some of it was due to lack of motivation. Anyhow here is a recap of what went on in these past weeks.

During the holidays I went home to take care of a number of things. I went to get my passport taken care of, to work for a week to make some extra cash, and to pick up some things from a friends house that had been left there for over a year. To say that things didn't play out according to plan would be a huge understatement.

pockets to create the most The passport issue became a total bust when I went to the office to file all of my paperwork and then found out that I could not get my travel documents back in time to come back up here. They mail the documents back with the passport. I have no idea why the system is that screwed up and backwards. They require passports for international travel, but are so backed up that the wait for a passport is several months, that is unless you are willing to pay extra money in order to move your request to the front of the line and even then there are no guarantees. In Canada they get their passport in 10 days. The US needs to get it's act together. On a side note I did get a chuckle out of the form that informed you of the paperwork reduction act. If you really want to reduce paperwork, just reduce it! Do not include a form to tell me all of the reasons why you are reducing paperwork. Yes they created paperwork to tell us how they have eliminated paperwork. The sad thing is, your tax dollars went into someonesridiculous piece of paperwork ever dreamed up! There's not enough money to reform the health care system or to improve the educational system, but there is money to make forms like this?

The work thing was a bust from the beginning. The place where I was going to work didn't have the money to pay me (or so the owner said.) I was in this place on multiple occasions and they made more then enough money to hire extra help (as promised before I came down.) I tried to help out here and there just to show my willingness to work, but that didn't even pan out. Not so much as a free meal or anything. So another bust for me over the holidays.

I was able to at least retrieve a bunch of my stuff from a friends house, however there was quite a bit missing. He decided what he would hold on to and what got thrown out. As a result I am missing a bunch of valuables (not monetary but sentimental) of mine. I am also missing some clothing like my suit pants and a bunch of my ties. I was able to get back my cd's and dvd's as well as my golf clubs and a few other important items. I just wish that I would have had the chance to decide what stayed and what got tossed.

Well enough negative news, I'll be back with a post tomorrow about the good stuff.

One Week Later..

2007-12-12T23:01:00.000-05:00

I have found out that I am not that bad at skating! Of course I can't brake very good yet or skate backwards at all, but I can go forwards and also turn very well. I fact I can turn three different ways. I can turn using the edges, using the cross over or turn very sharp by digging the back of my blade into the ice and leaning sharply into the turn. Not bad for having never skated on ice before in my life. Once I get braking and skating backward down then I should be ready to play hockey! Of course that requires a whole new skill set that I will have to learn as well, but those skills will come fast once I have my feet under me!

I am also heading back to the US for a week to get a passport and to pick up some of my stuff that I left behind. I really miss my CD's and DVD's! There are also the winter clothes that I could really use up here as well. It will be nice to get some of my stuff from home! So 13 hours on a train and then 2 by car, but in the end it will be worth it!

Life and a few updates!

2007-12-05T11:40:00.001-05:00

I know it has been a while since I did an actual post, but here goes! I think the last time I actually wrote a complete entry I was telling you about the plans for my birthday. Actually those plans changed completely and we ended up having a few friends over at my place and then going out for a bit instead of having this epic birthday bash at a club that I was originally planning. All seemed to work out for the best and everyone had a good time!

Speaking of my birthday, this is what I got for my present. I have never played hockey before, but I am learning. Lucky for me I am athletically inclined and can play most sports reasonably well. Once I learn the skills I think I'll be able to play just fine. In fact today I am going to skate for the first time, I'll let you know how that goes!

Happy Birthday Shawn!, originally uploaded by fleurdelys79.

She also bought me a pro account for my Flickr photos, so now I can upload more photos per month. This gives me the chance to get back to taking pictures again. We have two fairly good digital cameras, so it's about time that we really put them to good use.

I'm also in the middle of a lot of video ideas as well. I'm trying to decide which direction I really want to go with it. The music videos I am fine with, but it's the identity of the show itself which could use some help. My next video idea is actually a parody of myself! I am going to write this show down instead of making it up as I go along. I think if I am more organized it will be a better show, especially with the editing skills that I have now!

Oh and then there is drum corps. I haven't talked about it in a while, and that is because I really do need a break when the season is over. It is something that I need these days, the chance to unplug for a few months before getting back into anything. These days it is a bit different for me because I am not on the inside. I also have to change corps because of immigration issues. It is hard to let go of a corps that I have put in so much time and effort with, but at the same time I know that I am not gone forever. This year I am helping friends of mine bring back a corps that has been missing from the circuit for the past several years. If all goes well this season then the corps should be set up for future success.

So that's about it for now...I promise I'll update again soon!

Snow, Snow & More Snow

2007-12-03T23:53:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

Welcome to the Montreal winter wonderland. On today's menu is snow, and a lot of it! It's the first winter storm to hit Montreal this year, here is a view from my balcony!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, snow, winter storm, winter

Fetching Kitty

2007-12-03T12:59:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

Diablo showing off one of his many talents!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, cat, fetch, fetching cat

Going Live In 3...2...1...

2007-11-29T12:21:00.000-05:00

Trust Music

2007-11-27T18:14:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

New from LOUD Tour TV Music Video is Trust Music. This is a cool video that I put together from one 32 second video sequence. It has been mixed and remixed with all kinds of special effects to give it some really cool visual effects. Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, trust music, music in motion, made on a mac, music video

Hitman

2007-11-22T15:59:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

With the new Hitman movie coming out tomorrow I decided to do my own little version. Of course I don't have all of the cool weapons and special effects that they have in Hollywood, but this is still a cool little teaser! Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, hitman, hitman movie, hitman video game

I have been in hiding!

2007-11-21T22:27:00.000-05:00

Actually I haven't been, but I have taken sort of a mini break from posting, shooting video, or taking pictures. I have actually been busy trying to take care of other things. It looks like I'll be catching up on things tomorrow and for the remainder of the week. I just need to find a little motivation and some creative energy and I will be back to normal.

30 Minutes Till 30

2007-11-06T23:30:00.000-05:00

That's right, in just half an hour I'll be 30 years old. It's funny, I don't feel 30! Maybe at midnight I'll suddenly feel old! OK maybe not.

To me 30 is just another number. It's not the big deal that some people would make it seem to be. I'm still healthy and happy and no matter what your age, that is what is truly important!

So there it is, my last blog entry as a 20something year old. The next time you hear from me, I'll officially be old!

Save Using Online Coupons

2007-11-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

The holiday season is just around the corner and there is no time like the present to get all of your holiday shopping in order. Many people these days are doing their holiday shopping online because it is convenient and it saves the hassle of having to go to the store and stand in those long lines. What even better is that many of these major retailers accept online coupons when you do your shopping online!

Many of the major retailers are offering online coupons. If you have someone on your list that is into electronics, look no further then Best Buy coupons. Shopping for designer clothes? Check out coupons by The Gap. If you are just looking for smaller gifts to give you entire family then be sure to check out what online coupons Target has to offer!

There are hundreds of retailers to choose from! Hurry on over and check out the coupon chief website today and see if there is a deal that is right for you!

2 Years Ago Today

2007-11-02T16:50:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

From time to time I like to look back and reflect on where I was in the past. Today I go back 2 years and check out my moblogging adventures. I was heavily involved into moblogging a few years ago and actually be came quite popular in the community for my pictures and for my antics online. Here is a look at where I have come from and what I used to be involved in!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, mobloggging, textamerica, photos, videos, internet

Flat Panel TV Reviews

2007-11-02T12:39:00.000-04:00

Flat panel TV's are a hot commodity these days. With all kinds of HD programming, video games in HD, and new movies coming out in HD and blu-ray the flat panel TV is moving up on people's list of things to buy. Before you purchase a flat panel TV there are a lot of things that you should know. I have found a great site with lots of flat panel TV Reviews.

The site is completely sortable by brand, price, size, display format, and even by recommendation if you just want to skip right into which flat panel TV's are the best. You can even compare TV specs side by side in order to help you decide which flat panel TV you want to purchase. The site offers expert reviews or every TV, but what I like most about the site is that it offers flat panel TV Reviews by other consumers out there like you and me.

Whether you are looking for a flat panel HD TV for watching sports, movies, or playing the latest video games, be sure to check out these flat panel TV Reviews before you buy!

One Week Till 30

2007-10-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

It's funny, I don't feel 30. I knew it was going to happen someday, but it all seems so fast. Maybe it's just my imagination too. Strangely enough there re more memories then even I can remember from the past 10 years alone. One that I definitely remember though was exactly 10 years ago today arriving in California to try out for the Blue Devils. I remember actually being in Berkeley at the time looking at all the people in their Halloween costumes walking down the street. I was eating a huge piece of veggie pizza and I remember the guy I went there with telling me that if I come back to Berkeley a week later people would still be dressed the same. You know something, he was exactly right!

So much has happened since those day and now I live in another city all together. Well another country actually! It's funny how life can change so much in such short (or long depending on how you look at it) time. Where will I be at 40? Who knows, lets get through this week and get to 30 first! Speaking of getting to 30 I am having a big party here in Montreal downtown on November 17th at club XO Tika on Crescent Street. The twins are also celebrating their birthday as well. we decided to have a huge birthday bash and invite all of our friends. So, if you are reading this, consider yourself invited!

Well that's it for now, the countdown to 30 continues!

Radioactive Earth

2007-10-25T18:11:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

New From LOUD Tour TV Music Video is Radioactive Earth. This video is a mix of cool effects and some cool camera work. This video even has some "solar flares" which also adds to the radioactive effect. Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, music video, music in motion, radioactive, radioactive earth, special effects, camera tricks

Sometimes Life Just Gets In The Way

2007-10-24T23:35:00.002-04:00

Or in this case it would be me getting in the way of my own life. The last month or so has not exactly been the best of my life, but it seems as though the worst of everything is over and things are finally starting to look a lot better. I have made some really poor choices of late and it nearly cost me everything that I really wanted. I won't go into details because I don't put 100% of my life out there on the internet and I also believe that some things are better left in private. Sure I have my videos and my blogs, but the real me that is behind all of those entries is much deeper.

More importantly I am glad things are finally starting to look up again. I know I have a long way to go to change a few things so that I can have all of the other things I want in life. Still it feels good to know what I have to do to make things better.

iPod Bosco

2007-10-12T14:32:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

If our cat Bosco had an iPod commercial this is what it would look like!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, cat, bosco, ipod

FUBAR

2007-09-27T23:06:00.000-04:00

Nope it's not quite what you think! It's actually a pretty interesting social network. Geared more towards younger folks and partying types, but it has a lot of really cool stuff and features that you can unlock by participating more in the site. I just think that it is pretty cool that it actually encourages social interaction to actually get rewards. Check it out, the site is called fubar. Invite your friends. I have already found a bunch of mine on there! Hope to see you there! My user name is spcbrass!

Co-operative Bank Credit Cards

2007-09-27T21:41:00.000-04:00

I have come across another great website with lots of great credit card offers. The name of the bank is Co-operative bank and if you are looking for competitive credit offers then you should look no further then Co-operative bank.

They have credit cards to meet many different needs. For instance they offer a low fixed rate platinum card with a very competitive rate. They also offer their advantage card that carries a 0% interest rate for six months.

Another great feature with these cards is that you can also donate to some worthy cause with each purchase that you make. There are also travel benefits associated with Co-operative banks credit cards. For more detail please visit the Co-operative bank website and take a look at these great credit card offers today!

This Is Not Miami!

2007-09-26T14:43:00.001-04:00

Collaborative Video Alert!

I plan on using the song above for a collaborative video. It’s a really cool house/techno song. If you listen to it during the course of the song they mention at least 20 different cities from all over the world. What I need from everyone out there in the vlogging community are 10-15 second clips of either the downtown section of your city or some still photos of your city skyline. If you happen to live in one of the cities mentioned in the song that is a huge bonus to me! Some examples that I would like to see are standing in between the tallest buildings in your city and spinning with the camera. I could also use some shots of the most busy streets at their most busy times just to capture the hustle and bustle of city life. Get creative, all I need is just a few seconds of your life!

My preferred resolution is 640 x 480 shot at 30fps. I can edit all video formats, so there is no need for anyone to convert their footage for me.

If yo are interested in helping me out with this video please drop me a line at spcbrass@gmail.com

Presidents Cup

2007-09-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

Presidents Cup Tickets, originally uploaded by spcbrass.

We got 2 tickets to go and see the Presidents Cup this Saturday! I have always wanted to go and see the pro's play in person, especially Tiger Woods just to see exactly how he hits the ball in person. You can only see so much in person!

Included with the VIP tickets is a parking pass as well as all food and drinks while at the course! I can't wait to go and check this out in person! Unfortunately they don't allow cell phones, cameras, or video cameras once the actual event starts, so I won't be able to post any photos, but as long as my memory is still working 50 years from now, something tells me this is going to be something that I am never going to forget!

Free Business Networking

2007-09-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

Have you got your own home based business? Are you looking to connect with other entrepreneurial minded people out there just like you? I have found a really cool website that allows people with their own home-based business connect with one another. This website is called directmatches.com.

When you sign up for an account with directmatches.com you get some great features for your business that you can use right away that are absolutely free! These features include a free business profile, free advertising, free blogs, free forums, and many other great features. You can also post your own videos to promote your product and list any events where you might be promoting your product in the future.

This is without a doubt one of the greatest home-based business websites that I have ever seen! In fact I have even registered my own video business with this website so that I can increase my exposure, my traffic, and my overall web presence. Increasing all of those things can only mean one thing! I should see an increase in sales!

So if you are like me and looking for a way to expand your home-based business without having to invest all of your time and your hard earned money then look no further then directmatches.com! With all of their free tools you will easily be able to expand your business. Go and check out their website today!

So Much To Say

2007-09-25T18:09:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Here is a fun little movie that I put together last night. I have been meaning to shoot this music video for a while, but never got around to it. Finally I have. This is only the first draft, eventually I will turn it into more of a professional production (I need to learn all of the words to the song) but until then enjoy this version. Music is So Much to Say by Take 6.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, so much to say, take 6, music video, sing along

Snapvine

2007-09-21T22:45:00.000-04:00

Have you guys seen this yet? It's a really cool website where you can leave all of your friends voice comments. You can embed the player into just abut every major blogging site out there (except wordpress...sorry wordpress users!) You can also link your account with facebook and leave comments for all of your facebook friends. There is also a number that you can call with a code from any phone to leave your friends messages! Pretty cool stuff if you ask me!

If you want to leave me messages just call 1(641)715-0101 and enter code: *5185818

LOUD Tour TV September 18, 2007

2007-09-20T15:43:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Today I will be bringing you some actions from the hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins. This town loves their hockey! I will also show you a cool movie poster that I got from stellaartois.com. Enjoy

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, hockey, montreal canadiens, pittsburgh penguins, bell center, bell centre, stella artois, stellaartois.com

Tuesday Afternoon Updates

2007-09-18T13:28:00.001-04:00

Sorry if I haven't been posting a lot lately but I have either been too busy or just too lazy to post! There has been a lot of stuff going on and for a while there I was burning the candle at both ends. Finally I think I am rested relaxed and ready to get into some kind of routine again!

I've not only been slow with my blog posts but with my vlog posts as well. I'm working on changing all of that an rearranging my schedule so that I have a little more time for everything. I did manage to make a new episode for LOUD Tour TV and a new music video last week even though I was completely worn out. Look for more videos soon. I plan to go out and shoot some right after I have completed this blog entry!

I played in a golf tournament this past weekend and actually did quite well. My team fell apart on the back nine and we were struggling to save pars so we had no chance of winning the thing at all. We finished at 3 over par which considering the cold, wet, and windy conditions isn't bad at all. Maybe with a little more then 4 chances to play next year we will be more successful as a team.

Anyhow I am off to the hockey game tonight. I'll be sure to take pictures so you can see just how close we are! I might even try to do some video from the game as well! Until then stay out of trouble and don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Stella Artois

2007-09-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

Stella Artois is not only one of my favorite beers of all time, they also have put together this really cool website that is 100% interactive with all kinds of cool features. I don't know of any other beer company that is doing anything like this!

The official launch for the new Stella Artois website is September 18th but you can go there now and sign up for updates. You can also play a few of their interactive games which are not only very cool, but they also teach you some of the history behind Stella Artois. After you have checked out the Official Stella Artois Website be sure to stop by the Stella Artois Blog to learn more about this cool project.

But before you go, why not enjoy a cool video trailer for Stella Artois!

Kloudoscope

2007-09-12T17:13:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

New from LOUD Tour TV Music Video is Kloudoscope. It's pretty cool what twenty minutes of cloud footage and a little editing can do! Music is Ave Maria by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, clouds, sky, kaliedoscope, bobby mcferrin & yo-yo ma, music in motion, music video

LOUD Tour TV September 11, 2007

2007-09-11T17:54:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

This is a short and very simple show. First in the show is thoughts and best wishes for all of the troops defending our countries and borders. After that we move into some news about LOUD Tour TV and then into some big personal news about my life!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, video projects, wedding, tripod

And We're Back!

2007-09-05T22:25:00.000-04:00

Home at last and finally somewhat rested from the festivities of DCA weekend. Overall it was a great weekend. All ups and no real downs either. Our prelims performance was a bit of a letdown, but sometimes a flat show just happens. We managed to turn it around for finals and put on one hell of a performance. I've got nothing really to say about scoring or placements, because frankly I just didn't care.

What I wanted to happen all season long finally happened in the past few weeks with the corps and we really came a long way this season and finally performed up to the level that we were capable of performing. I thought that maybe I would have some crazy emotions this weekend, but there was never even a glimmer of it. I showed up, performed with emotion week in and week out, so really when it got down to it, finals was no different. I was more excited that more people around me could reach the same level and that made the performance very enjoyable and a whole lot of fun.

So now it's on to real life for a while. I went to see someone about a construction job today. $10 under the table and part time which for me is a plus especially with all of the video projects that I plan on getting myself into very soon. We could really use the extra money to pay the bills and to have some fun ourselves. Drum corps really does put quite a strain on the wallet after a whole season. In any event I start working tomorrow!

So that's about it for now...stay tuned for lots of other news and cool stuff coming soon!

And we're off!

2007-08-30T15:47:00.000-04:00

Off to DCA! I'll be away until after Labor Day! Until then stay out of trouble and don't do anything that I wouldn't do! See you guys next week! In case you are wondering what I am up to this weekend, check out the video below!

Click To Play

Cool Photo Blankets

2007-08-29T15:30:00.000-04:00

Have you ever taken a really great picture while on vacation and wanted to put it on a pillow or a blanket? Well I have found this really cool website that allows you to do just that! It is called Photo Blankets.

You will see that there are a variety of layout that you can choose from for your Photo Blanket. You can do a single picture or you can do a collage of up to 16 different pictures on your blanket. If you want more bedding to go along with your Photo Blanket, they also do pillows! In fact you can order an entire bed set!

There is no need to worry about the color of the Photo Blanket fading either. They use a special dye that is machine washable. You can also put your Photo Blanket in the dryer.

This is one of the coolest ideas I have seen in a long time! Check out the website today!

What's in a name?

2007-08-28T13:07:00.000-04:00

So last night I did something that I haven't done in a while and that was to google my own name. The results honestly were not all hat impressive, but I guess that I am really not the most important Shawn Carpenter to have ever walked the face of the Earth, and I am certainly not the most famous! The most important according to google if a former Navy veteran who found a secret Chinese cyberespionage ring. I certianly can't compete with that! And the most famous would have to be the kid who played "Will Roberts" on Days of Our Lives. I did rank ahead of him on the list of importance according to google though!

So googling my name wasn't all that it was cracked up to be! I decided instead to google my online nickname, "spcbrass." And all though I don't come in #1 here on google's list by importance I do take the next 98 spots! #1 (and incidentally also #100) on that list is a firetruck equipment vendor. The rest is all me with my various vlogs, blogs, videos, photos, and all kinds of other crazy accounts that I have registered or tagged with the name "spcbrass." Spcbrass for those of you that don't know are my initials, SPC, plus the word brass. I play brass and I teach brass. This is how most people know me.

Well that is about it for today. Go and google your name and see what come up!

Blog Directory Listing

2007-08-28T11:51:00.000-04:00

These days many of us are trying to drive more and more traffic to our websites. I am sure that you have signed up with lots of blog exchange sites in hopes of getting more views, and while your blog may have been viewed more times, most of what you have written was probably not actually read.

These days if you really want people to read your content you need to submit your blog to a quality blog directory. Alive Directory is one of the best bog directories that you can submit your blog to. If you really want to generate more traffic to your blog and get new readers then go check them out today!

These days updates are few and far between!

2007-08-27T16:15:00.000-04:00

It seems that way in the summer time with most blogs doesn't it? And I think that it directly correlates with people being on vacation and enjoying more of their free time and the weather. I know for me personally I tend to do a lot less blogging during the warm months then I do during the cold months. A good part of that is being on the road every weekend in the summer time and being out enjoying other things during the week. I suspect that like the rest of you I will return to a more frequent blogging schedule as the weather begins to cool off and the days begin to get shorter. Much of the bloggosphere will be spending more time in front of their computers and writing and reading a whole lot more. I guess you can count me in for this as well!

So anyhow let's move on to a few updates. I really don't have much this week to speak of. We had a great rehearsal and a pretty solid show this weekend and I like where we are heading into DCA weekend. It should be a fun time and I will be able to get a chance to catch up to the people that I haven't seen since last DCA. The competition itself is really secondary to me. For many people it is life and death where they place come DCA finals. I guess they feel the need to be important or to have bragging rights going into next years DCA's. Lets just say I have won this thing a few times, placed second quite a few times, and not even made finals one year and despite winning or losing it is all about performing and having a good time at the party after finals. For those of you that have dedicated your entire summer to winning and do end up as the champs, congrats! Just stay humble and true to your friendships and to building friendships with as many other people as you can. If you fall short of your goals, here is no shame in coming in 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 10th, or not even advancing to finals. Remember you are out there every weekend doing things that ordinary people are not capable of doing. Treat the experience as just that, a great experience.

Here is an interesting side note to all of this winning and losing stuff. My most enjoyable summers have resulted in the following finishes at DCA:
1995 - 2nd
1997 - 11th
2002 - 1st
2004 - 2nd
2006 - 6th
2007 - ?

Well I guess that is about it for today. The rest of the week is going to be spent relaxing and getting ready for DCA championships. I might even do a few blog updates from there just to tell you how things are going!

Until next time...

Adios, Arrivederci, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen, and Goodbye!

2007-08-22T14:41:00.001-04:00

Click To Play

Here is a cool little video clip that I put together this morning. This is something that you would see at the end of a movie when the main character walks off into the sunset. It's only fitting that I would give it a cool title that says goodbye in many languages! Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, music video, goodbye, walk, walking, montreal, black and white

My round of golf and a weekend wrap up!

2007-08-21T16:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I played my best nine holes of golf ever! I was actually able to hit all of the shots I wanted to when I needed them. In fact I only mis hit about three shots the whole day, and two of those were on the first hole (go figure!) I was six over after nine holes. That is better then bogey golf and my goal is to just be able to go out and play bogey golf! I had at least three good chances for birdie, but each of my birdie puts came up a few inches short. I don't know ho a ball stops when it is rolling downhill, but each of my birdie chances managed to do just that. I almost chipped in for birdie out of the sand as well but the ball pulled a similar trick while rolling downhill and stopped inches from the cup.

The round however was equally satisfying as it was antagonizing and that is what brings us back to this game. I laid up on every par 5 yesterday (there were four of them) and that is how I got all of my looks at birdie. For you amateur golfers out there, this is important. Don't go for the green in two if there is nothing but trouble in front of you. This is only going to raise your score unless you get a luck bounce or hop or don't mis hit your shot. I laid up every time to about 75-100 yards away and put my approach shot on the green. I really like the way I have been playing this year. The improvement has been steady and I am finally seeing results! I hope that it only gets better now that I have more time to play.

So on to my weekend review. It was a very solid weekend for Brigs. We had last weekend off and you wouldn't know it based on the way that we rehearsed and improved in all areas of the program. The only bit of rust that we had was really in the brass warm up because people had taken time off their horns. Once we got over that hurdle we played great in music ensemble and that improvement carried itself over into the show. The show was much stronger in many areas then it has been all season, and finally some of the judges took notice and rewarded us with very good numbers. With two weeks left to go in the season we have a tremendous opportunity to get this corps back up into the upper echelon of DCA. Sunday rehearsal was also very good and we got a lot of things accomplished despite the attendance. Many of our younger members have college commitments and had to meet those. I don't understand why colleges make people come in so early and makes them go through all of those boring orientation classes and seminars. I guess ti is a way of getting students there sooner and having them pay for the extra week in the dorms and the extra food. Like all things in life it's a revenue generator! Money does make the world go round...

But I digress...The long and short of it is, we finally have a really good thing going and it will be good times at DCA this year! But also on a drum corps note in this little community called DCP. If you are involved in a DCA corps, this community is really a joke. It's full of current members or ex members of DCA corps doing nothing but pissing, moaning and complaining. Now the real problem that I have with this is that you have to be "politically correct" with all of your entries or responses or people will really jump on you. And heaven forbid if you jump on someone's favorite corps and say anything negatively about them. For a community of adults we all sure act like children. This is why when I do read what is written there all I can see are the words, "blah blah blah blah blah."

But enough drum corps and golf out of me! The next two weeks I will be limited on updates. Christine is on vacation and we will be doing a lot of traveling for drum corps since the last regular season show is the farthest away for us and since DCA has that extra rehearsal day we need to leave a day earlier. Basically I won't be around as much, and when I am around it is going to be more relaxing and less posting. So stay tuned for a small update or two until after Labor Day! Until then, stay out of trouble and don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Is it really Friday already?

2007-08-17T12:09:00.000-04:00

Somehow another week managed to fly right by and I barely noticed it! Maybe it is because I have been busy with so many other things. You for a guy who doesn't have a job right now I have managed to keep myself at least somewhat busy!

I guess being busy now requires creative energy to do the things that I want to do instead of doing the things that I had to do. I mean all of those years going in and out of work to collect a paycheck can really add up on you, and one day you will wake up and wonder where your life went. Well you spent nearly 25% of it working and 30% of it sleeping. So that leaves you 45% of which 10% you spent getting ready for or commuting to and from work of which 5% was being stuck in traffic in traffic! We're running out of time here folks!

All of which brings me to today. I know it's not possible for me to work, and trust me I miss the paychecks, but it's a different feeling when you actually get something accomplished. The things that I am doing when normal people are working are things that I want to do and that I am interested in doing. This is why I am working so hard on so many different projects right now, in hopes that some day it might actually put a little coin in my pocket!

Speaking of video projects in addition the the SPC Productions Blog you can find all kinds of neat new places to find me online! I have spent this week increasing my web presence to try and get my work out there so that more people will notice it and I can break into the world of Mainstream Media! One of the first thigns that I did was to create a Facebook Group For LOUD Tour TV. I actually put this together before I put the new blog together, I just never made a formal announcement! I also added accounts on The Podshow and on VideoArt.net.

And now here is what I am most excited about for this week. Actually I spent the bulk of my entire day on this yesterday, but for doing so it will pay dividends to me in the future. How about that, 4 hours of work for something that is going to increase popularity, traffic , and web presence! It sure beats working 8 for that lousy paycheck! Anyhow, The Best of LOUD Tour TV is now streaming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (366 on leap years!) Check it out!

Last thing for today and I am done! Drum corps season is drawing to a close and honestly I can't wait. I still love the thrill of performing and the intensity of practice, but these days a lot of the fun is disappearing for me. To me excellence and maxing out performance each and every time is what makes it fun. It's sad to say that there aren't that many people out there with these common goals anymore. People may speak of these goals, but rarely does the entire group put forth the effort anymore. I guess it is because I am a hypercompetitive person. I always strive to be the best and that is what put me at the top of my game. I have become the consummate professional in many ways. To me now it's all about the gig. The gig starts when I wake up and ends when I go to sleep.

Perhaps this is why I am experiencing more fun and success in life in other areas. This is how I focus myself and focus my energy...It's like I have been saying over and over again, "Consistency of Approach!"

Would someone remind me again if I am coming or going?

2007-08-13T20:04:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of a real update for the past week! I have been busy, but it has been with other things and I just haven't taken the time to write about any of it! I will touch on a few of them here in this entry tonight! I also didn't want to do an entry or post a video for a couple of days because of the instant success of my latest video, "The Corner."

Speaking of that video, it's success continues! Right now it has received over 2000 views and 700 downloads at the various sites where it has been uploaded! I am very excited by it's instant success, but even more excited by the feedback that I have been getting from people around the blogging/vlogging community. With each new video I have really been able to communicate my intent across to my viewers. I have others that I will be editing and uploading soon! Hopefully those will be just as effective as my latest video!

So in the midst of all this work and excitement I have decided to take some things to more of a professional level and have come up with the concept of my own company "SPC Productions." The first thing that I have done to put myself out there is to create a new blog! The new blog is hosted over on Wordpress and it will be the major source of all information about all of my latest video, music, and photography projects. So please have a look at the SPC Productions Blog and tell me what you think!

In other news, I had the weekend off, and boy did I need it! I had a lot of fun going to football games, watching DCI, hanging out with some friends, going to a barbecue, checking out an afterhours club, and watching golf on TV! If you want to read more about it, please visit Christine's Blog! All in all it was a good time to hang out with my friends and not have the stress of drum corps and rehearsal to deal with. Christine has pictures on her blog too, be sure to check them out!

So only 3 more weeks left in the season, and it appears as though a lot of groups really still have a chance at the top 3. Now it's going to be a matter of who can really step up to the plate and perform their show to it's maximum capability! We are in a position to succeed and hopefully we can pick right up where we left off last Saturday in Binghamton.

After the season, it's time to put my life fully in order and take care of business to make this move to Canada a legal one. It will also be time for catching up to my friends again and being able to do more of what I got to do this weekend (only not everything in the course of 3 days, maybe one or two things per weekend so I don't burn myself out!)

Well thats it for now! Remember check out the new blog! Only 28 days until Football season! Woo Hoo!

The Corner

2007-08-07T23:18:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

New from LOUD Tour TV Music video in "The Corner." This is your typical street corner on a typical day here in downtown Montreal. Music is "Something This Way Wicked Comes" from the Lost Highway Soundtrack by Barry Adamson. As always there are lots of cool special effects added to this video which compliments the music! Enjoy!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, the loud tour, music video, lost highway, barry adamson, special effects, music in motion, st catherine, downtown, the corner, street corner

This post has been up for a little under 24 hours on numerous websites and already has over 1000 views and close to 400 downloads! This is easily my most popular video of all time!

Another Week In The Books...Well Almost!

2007-08-03T14:31:00.000-04:00

Yet another has come and gone and before I head out the door for the weekend I suppose I should take a look back at what has gone on in the past few weeks and let you in on what I've been up to! Sure posting lots of videos and articles is one thing, but all of that is merely a byproduct of what I have been doing!

Let's first start with LOUD Tour TV and all of the madness that has spawned since it's creation back in March. I am still filming episodes, but they are coming out later then I would like. Much of that has to do with getting too many projects rolling at the same time. I am focusing more on the music videos these days then the actual episodes, and for good reason! The music videos are much more popular then the episodes and there is a much higher demand for them, so this is where I am focusing m time. With that thought in mind I have decided to change the format of LOUD Tour TV. It originally started off to be a show about me and about my life to supplement The LOUD Tour. Some people are interested in the show, but the interest has not spread as far as I would have liked. I think people need more variety to keep them interested. So it comes down to this, I need to get some guests and some more original material on the show in order to broaden the audience and increase it's popularity. So the episodes may be farther and fewer in between, but the content should be significantly better then before. Look for new episodes of LOUD Tour TV in it's new format to start near the end of August.

LOUD Tour TV v3.0 is still in it's infancy as well. I know you are probably asking yourself what the hell happened to v2.0? Well that idea got scrapped in it's infancy when Operator 11 came along. I was looking for places to put live video on the internet and increase user interactivity. Operator 11 gave me everything I was looking for and much more. I am still in the process of building a regular viewer ship right now, and it is difficult to find the right time to air my show to get the maximum number of users to view it. The real key is getting the live viewers to the show and getting them involved in the interactive experience. I have lots of great ideas, now it's just a matter of getting the people involved in the show so those ideas can be realized.

As you can tell video and live video has become a big part of my life these days. It's all part of trying to launch myself into a new career. There are going to be a lot of trials and tribulations along the way, but I figure the more I put my stuff out there, the better chance I have of actually getting noticed and succeeding at what I want to do.

Oh yeah there is also this drum corps thing! You people that have known me for a while probably thought I forgot, but I haven't. I'm still out there busting my butt and competing at the top of my game. The only difference is that these days I lead the people that want to be better and keep my mouth shut to the rest of the drum corps community. Yup, that's right I am identifying and building leaders for the future of the activity. You can have all of your trophies, rings, and medals! I'm in the business of developing performers while also stretching the limits of my own performance level. It might not show yet, but in time it most definitely will!

Last thing and I'm done I swear! You may notice a crazy thing called "guest posts" at the end of the first post on my blog these days. Well guys this is a great way to get other readers to view your blog entries and leave comments. Guest Posts is sponsored by PostReach which is the same people that brought you the cool little Click Comments buttons at the end of each of my posts. So be sure to check them out and add these cool features to your blog! And while you are at it, please click on the little comment icons at the bottom of this posts! I would really appreciate it!

That's it for now! Please Check out my live show today on Operator 11! See you next week!

Looks Like I got featured again on the Operator 11 front page! Check out the show!

A Musical Hiking Adventure

2007-08-03T12:53:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Here is some footage that I shot while climbing up Mount Royal here in Montreal. Music is I'm Shipping Up To Boston by the Dropkick Murphy's. This song was made popular because of the movie The Departed. Inspiration for this song comes from a good friend of mine Christian Beliveau who asked me to produce a video for him using this same song.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, mout royal, hiking, climbing, dropkick murphys, the departed

Apparently This Game Won't Be A Smash Hit!

2007-08-02T13:21:00.001-04:00

For those of you that know me as Shawn the contra/tuba player you will totally get a laugh out of this article! For those of you who are in drum corps or who are musicians you will get a laugh out of this article as well! This article is from The Onion. Enjoy!

Activision Reports Sluggish Sales For Sousaphone Hero

SANTA MONICA, CA— "I played in career mode for hours and kept feeling like I was playing the same annoying circus tune over and over," complained a disappointed gamer.

Feel's So Green

2007-08-01T14:55:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Here is another vdeo from the LOUD Tour TV Music Video series. This one is called, "Feel's So Green." Footage in filmed on Crescent Street here in Montreal during a busy afternoon. The look and color of the video gives it sort of a night time feel, which I think is very cool. Music is by Jamiroquai. This is the hidden track on the Funk Odyssey Album.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, jamiroquai, a funk odyssey, crescent street, green, electric, feels so good

LOUD Tour TV July 27, 2007

2007-07-31T13:29:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

More sights and sounds from around Montreal. Ill be visiting Old Port, Old Montreal, The Franco Folies Music Festival and a few other sites around town. You will really see just how many people do go out during a normal day and what they get into while out on the town!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, old montreal, franco folies, music festival, groove jeans, summer

So Many Projects, So Little Time!

2007-07-25T23:06:00.000-04:00

It's true, I have been extremely busy lately! I know it's not a regular nine to five job like most people in the world have to deal with everyday, but it really does take a lot more creative energy to keep things in order. It has been different these past ten months not having a job and then picking up all sort of new things that I am interested in doing. Whether it as been pictures, videos, or blogging, it has certainly stretched the limits of my creativity and my creative energy.

Lets start with the blogs. At one time I was on my way to setting up 4 or 5 different blog projects. The main goal of the blog projects was to make some money, but while I was developing my reputation in the blogging world and raising my rank and meeting the requirements to make the money, the qualifications changed. It made the prospect of making money that much more difficult, because you need to have a blog that is extremely popular and reaches a lot of people in order to have the best money making potential. I for one am not going to "sell out" in order to make a lot of money with my blog. Basically if there is nothing to advertise that I am interested in, then I am not going to do it. Well to make a long story short I put all of the other blogs to rest and no longer update those. It is just too difficult to build up multiple blogs to a high level just to make a little cash. In the grand scheme of things all it really amounts to is a little bit of pocket money anyway.

So lets get on to the pictures. For a couple of years I have been taking a lot of pictures and posting them online with my cell phone. Only recently have I started taking high quality shots with a good camera. I have been told that I have an eye for taking great pictures. In fact Christine has decorated around the apartment with some of my pictures and other people have asked for copies of them as well. I have put pictures on the back burner lately as well, though I have been meaning to take a lot more. It's funny because I take my camera with me everywhere I go, but my mind is so consumed with other things that I often forget to take it out and capture the moments. On my way to Brigs this weekend I did manage to capture a great sunset. Here are a few shots that I did manage to get! For more pictures please visit my Flickr page.

These days, in case you can't tell, it is video that consumes most of my time. I have been shooting videos now for almost 5 months. Of course I have my LOUD Tour TV series. From that series I spun off LOUD Tour TV Music Video, which is a collection of music videos that I have shot and edited that I include along with my regular series. All things on that front are going quite well, but I have been neglecting that a bit due in large part to Operator 11. Operator 11 gives you the ability to broadcast live social internet television right from your own home. I have been there nearly three weeks now and let me tell you, the possibilities with it are endless. I do have some gripes about it though as it is really it's own little subculture of people and trying to break in and find you own little niche can be very difficult. You really are competing in a sense for time slots and for viewers. It is just like any other network, they want you to watch their shows. Now of course we all do support one another with our shows, but there still is competition to gain a viewer ship and to gain popularity. If you happen to broadcast at the same time as a very popular user, you aren't going to get the views. If they happen to decide to randomly do a broadcast while you are in the middle of yours, you will have the same problem. So far I have managed a mixed bag of success with some shows being very highly rated and very highly viewed and others being barely seen or viewed at all. It really is hit or miss. but I intend to keep on trying.

So now on to the grand scheme of where this is going to take me in life! Honestly who knows? It sure beats a nine to five job working really hard so that someone else can become rich. But on the other hand, none of this brings in any money. And herein lies the key towards a successful life. You need to find what you love to do and then the money will come to you. Well I think I have found it, now I just need all of the exposure and help that I can get to get both my work and my personality out there. So the window of opportunity is very wide open, I just have to find a way to capitalize, grab hold and hang on for the ride. Someday all of this work will lead to bigger and better things, all I can do is wake up tomorrow and keep working towards those goals.

Well that's my time for tonight. I have to get some sleep and get the creative juices going again for tomorrow. I have lots of video and pictures to work on, as well as planning a show for Operator 11, and putting together an internet reality show for someone else! It's going to be a busy day! See everyone soon!

Air, Water & Movement

2007-07-19T08:15:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

The latest from LOUD Tour TV Music Video. Enjoy this video for it's simplicity of both movement and sound. Footage is from the Old Port of Montreal and music is from Suite No 3 in D Major by Bach as interpreted by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, old port, music video, bach, movement, water

LOUD Tour TV July 17, 2007

2007-07-17T11:42:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

On today's show I will take you to a really cool website called Operator 11. This website is revolutionizing the way people watch and broadcast live TV right on the internet. I will show you around the website today as well as some of the features and shows on the website. Once you are done watching the video head on over to the Operator 11 website and start broadcasting today!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, montreal, operator11, live internet tv

My Live Show Featured On The Front Page Of Operator 11

2007-07-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

Looks like I might be on to something here! Check out my live internet TV show that is featured on the front page of Operator 11! The show was recorded less then 2 hours ago and it is already a hit! This is the second time this week I have been featured on their front page! I am very excited for the future of The LOUD Tour and of LOUD Tour TV! Please view the episode below!

Yet Another New Show!

2007-07-10T13:44:00.000-04:00

This is my latest creation over on Operator 11. Featured on the show today is the Mojo Master himself Tony Lucero. He is a hypnotist/comedian from Lincoln, NE. He brings a unique experience to the world of comedy that shouldn't be missed. You can find his video here at the -15:23 mark of the video. Be sure to check out his website for more cool videos!

Speaking of comedy the Just For Laughs Festival is going on here in Montreal. I am going to check out the schedule and try to get to at least one show. Christine wants to go check it out too, which means that there is a better chance of me going to this then to the Jazz Festival!

So the Operator 11 things is going really good right now! I didn't realize how much fun producing your own live TV show could be. I am in the process of putting together promos for it now as well as intros and endings. For those of you not on Operator 11, you need to check it out today!

Another thing that you guys should check out is at the bottom of all of my posts. Click Comments is a really cool feature to add to your blog and a great way to get your work indexed and viewed on the net a lot more. If you see something that you like on someone's blog there are a bunch of different buttons that you can click and it will automatically index them on the PostReach website. Add this feature to your blog today and you will definitely get more views. Also please help out all of the Click Comments users by clicking on those buttons when you see something of interest!

That's it for now, I'll be back tomorrow to talk about Cam Twist, a very cool plug in for Mac users that like to vlog and broadcast live shows on the internet.

More cool websites on the internet!

2007-07-06T13:10:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I have been checking out a bunch of other video and live internet TV sites this week and putting up quite a few updates on those. Mainly I have been checking them out to see what kind of interface and what kind of audience you can generate. So after a week of checking a bunch out, here are three that are worth taking a look at.

The big boy out there is blogtv. I had some difficulty in the past week getting everything set up, but once I figured everything out I was able to finally make some videos there. The lie broadcast allows the viewers to interact through a chat box within the show. It's cool to be able to interact with other users while doing a live broadcast. The only drawback is that you get 2 hours of recording time for each show. So if you do 30 minutes a day for 4 days then you have used up all of your time and you have to create a new show. Still it's the largest community out there and it will reach a much broader audience.

Viddyou I wrote about last week a little bit. There is no live broadcasting with viddyou, but clips are posted immediately after uploading. If you have a webcam you can record with the pres of a button. It's a relatively new startup company and it's really more of a place to network and chat with people by leaving each other video clips. The community is good people and there is no badmouthing going on like you will find at some of the larger sites. If you aren't ready to do live broadcasting then this is a great site for you. It's very easy to use and like I said the people there are all great. You can also upload your own videos here as well, so if you like to prerecord shows you can do so and upload it in the future.

The last site that everybody needs to check out regardless of whether you are a vlogger and interested in live broadcasting or just a regular person who is bored on the internet with nothing to do is Operator 11. Operator 11 allows users the ability to broadcast and interface with other users in real time. Anyone can be a part of your show and you can be a part of anyone's show. You and your friends can all meet up on the internet and broadcast your own live TV show! Each person can get in front of the camera from their own computer and offer their input into the show. Each person can also share their video clips during the show. This is live internet TV at it's finest. Everyone needs to go and check this out now, this is the future of live TV right here! To see my show, please visit my profile page. Also be sure to add me as a friend and I'll invite you to be on the show each time I run it!

Well there you have it, if you are bored this weekend be sure to check out these great websites! As for me I'm off to Rochester, NY for yet another show! See you next time!

A Quick Update Before I Hit The Road!

2007-06-29T12:59:00.000-04:00

Yes I am off to Bridgeport, CT this weekend. I hear is lovely this time of year (sarcasm!) We have a show and a parade there this weekend. There is lots to be done this weekend too and it ought to be interesting how we respond after having a weekend off.

I went to check out the International Jazz Festival yesterday here in Montreal. The setup and the whole atmosphere looks really cool. I just wish I didn't have to go to CT this weekend and miss out on some of the big shows. Wynton Marsalis plays tonight and Harry Connick Jr. on Sunday. Those are the two acts that I really wanted to see too. I took a couple of cool pictures from the festival yesterday, here is one to share. I also took a video for LOUD Tour TV. You can view it at the top of my blog or on the entry below. I'll be back to check it out more next week so look for more cool pictures and videos!

In other news, I have finally launched LOUD Tour TV Live! I was originally going to do the show on blogtv, but I could not get the camera working properly for it. I tried to get some tech support, but the answer that I got didn't really help me out at all. Their software is built for windows not for Mac, although some Mac users have got it working, I just could not figure out where to change my camera settings. I am tech savvy enough to figure these things out, I mean I produce and post my own videos everywhere on the internet! So I took my live show elsewhere. It's a relatively new company, but they seem like good people and a good community, although I feel like the old guy over there! Go and check out the Viddyou website and decide for yourself.

And with that I am off to eat some lunch, then shower, then pack for CT. See you next week!

Montreal International Jazz Festival

2007-06-28T20:31:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Today I take a visit down to the International Jazz Festival here in Montreal. They are really just setting up, but this is one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world. I go check out one percussion group that is playing and then tell you a little bit about the festival. I'll be down here multiple times next week with plenty more updates from the festival!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, the loud tour, montreal, jazzfest, montreal jazzfest, international jazz festival

State Of The LOUD Tour Address

2007-06-27T15:30:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

The first ever State Of The LOUD Tour Address. This tells you where I've come from and where I am going. There is also some very exciting news about The LOUD Tour and the future of LOUD Tour TV! If you want to know about the future of all things LOUD Tour then this is a can't miss episode!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, the loud tour, montreal, future, plans, videos, video blogging, vlogging

Web 2.0, What Is It?

2007-06-26T23:25:00.000-04:00

I have been sitting here all day checking out all sorts of new applications and all kinds of cool websites all day long. I've been keeping up with the happenings of all of my internet friends, checking out what some of them are into on various social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook as well. In addition I have probably watched at least 30 different videos at multiple websites during the course of the day. You could say that I am a bit of a web junkie!

I got to thinking in the past few hours about this Web 2.0 phenomenon that I keep hearing and reading about. Web 2.0 is supposed to be the latest and greatest version of the internet that is going to revolutionize the way people find and share information. It also promises to be a multi-billion dollar industry some day.

Multi-billion dollar industry? Where do I get a piece of this action? Sadly I am not a programmer or a developer, so I don't know if I'll ever see a piece of this action. Interestingly enough I did realize that I have become wrapped up in this Web 2.0 phenomenon without even really knowing it. My blog is one example of it, my videos another. Those of us reading, writing, filming, and sharing information everyday are a part of it.

The web these days is all about interactivity whether it be with your blogs or at your favorite shopping website. Keep this in mind the next time you are surfing and checking out all of these different websites and movies and flash introductions. Everyone has become a part of it. The real question, at least for me, is how do I cash in on it?

This is a question I may never find the answer to...

Listen To The Sound Of Opportunity Knocking

2007-06-25T19:29:00.000-04:00

Or in this case opportunity may be kicking the door down and leaving me no choice but to take it! I had a very interesting meeting on Friday with the owner of a clothing store here in Montreal. In the next few weeks I really hope to make something big happen out of it. So let me give you a rundown on how this opportunity fell into my lap.

A few weeks ago Christine and I were out checking out some novelty t-shirts for drum corps. For those of you who have never met me in person, I wear these crazy t-shirts all of the time with different funny sayings. I have a good collection and I like to wear them around on weekends! In any event we wandered into this new store that had just opened on St Catherine here in Montreal. We saw all kinds of cool shirts there. Well it turns out the store has it's own press and makes it's own t-shirts. So we end up talking with the guy for a while and telling him our story of me moving here, so he says as a welcome to Montreal that he will give me a good deal on a custom t-shirt. Pretty cool stuff!

Now the store itself carries much more then novelty t-shirts. In fact it carries the latest fashions for both men and women. And when I say the latest styles I mean if it came out last week, they have it in the store. They are that up to date with all of their clothing. So I figured I could help them out and do a couple of short video commercials for them that I could put up all over the web. The guy made me a deal, so I was just trying to repay the favor to him. Producing a couple of short commercials would only boost my resume, especially if they are high quality videos. With the new camera's and software I have the capability now to produce something like this.

So the owner, Terry, is very receptive to the idea and wants to talk about it in the coming weeks. Then he drops the bombshell! He really wants his own reality show about the store, their philosophy, their business model, and the personalities working in the store. He has just recently moved here from Miami and he actually got his inspiration for the show from Miami Ink on TLC. I personally feel that is a great concept and that there is so much that you can do with this show. The fact that they are right here in Montreal, a bilingual city, just opens up so many doors for what can be done.

Now he has seen the traditional models of reality shows and their impact on television. I briefly explained to him the impact that something like this would have on the internet. About how he could reach a broader audience in a shorter amount of time ad really open up the door for customer as well as fan interaction. So now I need to put together a plan that incorporates his vision along with something that is feasible given my skills and experience. So clearly I will need some help with a project of this magnitude. I have already talked to a few people that I know with experience in the industry, so I am awaiting their input before I jump in over my head.

So as you can see sometimes opportunity does more then knock. This kind of project could really put my name out there. Hopefully with a good vision and a whole lot of luck I will be able to pull this off!

Stay tuned for more on this!

Internet Presence, Making Money, and Yet Another Cool Video!

2007-06-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

In my endless quest to increase my internet presence I have added my videos to two more site! The first is a Canadian video site called video.ca. It is a very simple site comprised mainly of Canadians all doing their short films and posting them online. OK, so I'm not exactly Canadian yet, but my videos are made here, so why not share them with the people who live here! You can see my videos here.

The second site that I am now sharing my videos with is called Atom Uploads. They are part of the company Atom Films which has helped quite a few people who are making short films get discovered. In fact a few of the films there are featured on Comedy Central. Another great thing that they have is some revenue sharing potential if your film gets featured. Sure it's a long shot, but aligning myself with a company like this only increases my chances of getting discovered and having the chance to make some money! Anyhow you can check out my stuff on Atom Uploads here.

There is only one thing that I don't like about these sites and the same rings true with all video sharing sites out there and that is the compression of the video to fit their players. You lose the quality of the video when you have to upload to these sites. In fact I already have to compress my newer movies down just so that they can be uploaded. Consider my latest LOUD Tour TV video. It's a huge file 443 MB. I have to compress it down to 100 MB in order to upload it to most of these video services. The quality suffers if you don't view the film as I originally intend it, particularly when you are shooting in the highest quality possible. I guess it's just growing pains and storage space, some people don't care, but I do.

So that's about it for today, I'll leave you with this really cool video called Music For One Apartment And Six Drummers. This video is genius, so be sure to watch the whole thing, even though it is nine minutes long!

Video, Blog Features, and Some Other Cool Stuff!

2007-06-21T12:05:00.000-04:00

Now that I am back in the groove here I have some interesting items of note that I would like to talk about today. I'll start with video. And not just LOUD Tour TV this time! I had to work that shameless self promotion in there sorry!

Actually I want to talk more about revenue and how to generate revenue from these videos online. Last night Christine said that I really need to start offering my videos for sale. Some of the videos are of really good quality, while some are just of average quality, but it's the ideas and vision in my videos that I should be selling to people. I do have my video's available on iTunes and through other sources and I do have the option of charging people money on either a per view basis or to charge them to own the video outright. Selling the video's like that is going to generate a minimal amount of revenue in the long run and I feel it will hurt my overall viewer ship. Plus I have made my videos available out there through a number of different services not to mention the various video feeds that my show already goes out to. You can read all about it here. Basically people aren't going to pay for what they can view for free, even if the quality is diminished.

Speaking of videos, it has become even more easy now for an amateur to get started shooting and sharing videos on the internet. I was check out this new device called Flip Video the other day. You can see a picture of this device down below.

This device allows even the most novice users the opportunity to shot video anytime, anyplace, anywhere and upload it to your computer in just a few simple steps. Now for all of you tech-types here are some quick specs. It shoots a full 30 frames per second in 640 x 480 VGA video. Files are recorded in MPEG-4 format and saved in AVI format. The device is compatible with both PC and Mac. You can buy this devices with 30 minutes of recording time or 60 minutes of recording time for less then $150. Check out the Flip Video site for more details.

I figure since all PC's come with Microsoft Movie Maker and all Mac's come with iMovie, then anyone can can make great movies and post them instantly to the internet. Cool devices and software like this is worth looking into. After that all you need is a place to store your videos online and you are all set. There are plenty of places where you can do this for free. I recommend blip.tv because they offer the best quality.

And now some cool features and a cool guy that does some awesome video work himself! Regular readers may have notices a few changes to my blog recently, such as the addition of the recent comments widget on the sidebar and today I have added the Click Comments widget to each of my blog posts. I was reading my friend Maurits Blog and I saw all of these cool features and I just had to add them! For those of you that have never clicked on him in my blogroll I highly suggest that you go on over to his site and check out what he has to offer. If you guys like my videos then you will absolutely love his! Maurits is a pioneer and a visionary in the internet video age! I learned many of my tricks simply by watching his videos! If you are thinking about starting a video blog or doing cool music videos yourself, I would check his website out first!

So that's it for today, stay tuned tomorrow for more, until then...Watch My Videos!

A Funky Walk To Flavour's House

2007-06-20T17:04:00.001-04:00

After all this time LOUD Tour TV is making it's official return today! Here is my first return episode, a music video! Soon I will have the new Fuji camera and be able to film regular episodes on location. Enjoy! I recommend that everyone go and download yourself a copy of Quicktime. My show as well as many other video clips online are better viewed with Quicktime then with anything else that is available out there. best of all, the software is free.

Click to Play

Here's the latest from LOUD Tour TV Music Video! I call it A Funky Walk to Flavour's House. The footage is all of me walking through the neighborhood. Music is by DJ Flavour. Enjoy the cool color schemes and effects, I think they add to the music!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), MPEG-4 Video (.m4v), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: loud tour tv, shawn carpenter, dj flavour, montreal, music in motion, techno, house, color, effects, the loud tour

I missed the US Open again!

2007-06-19T11:34:00.001-04:00

But then again I miss it every year because of drum corps! Anyhow I have spent the entire morning catching up on my US open news and happenings, so now I can finally get on with my day! For those of you who missed the final day, and it was an exciting one, check out the news story below!

So, as always I missed the US open because of a drum corps show. We had a show this weekend in Wildwood, NJ. The corps had an excellent rehearsal, and a very solid performance. The numbers weren't where we would have liked them, but that sort of thing is beyond our control. What we did get was a great reaction from the crowd during multiple segments of our show. It is obvious that the people in the stands really like the program, once we get the execution up to a higher level the scores will come. For now it's a week off and then we are in Bridgeport, CT.

In other news, LOUD Tour TV Live will officially launch today. Stay tuned for the link and for more info! LOUD Tour TV will be returning to a normal schedule now that I have another new camera that won't have problems with quicktime conversions and file formats. With the weather being so warm, I am excited to go out and get some more footage!

In other news, I have officially jumped on the Facebook bandwagon. You can check out my profile here. Some people don't like all of these social networking sites and think that they are a joke. To some extent I feel that people join them all because it is the latest and greatest thing to do. I join them mainly to get myself more exposure on the internet. It really helps me to promote my pictures and videos everywhere. In the past 6 months I have probably tripled my presence on the internet. Some people say that I am telling people too much information about my life and that I should be really careful how much I expose myself out there. In reality I expose people to the things that I want them to see, hear or read about and nothing more. So until the camera rolls 24 hours/day and I get my own reality TV show, remember you are just getting a snapshot of my life and not the whole enchilada!

And with that...I'm done! Time to film the show!

Now Available On iTunes...

2007-06-12T23:17:00.000-04:00

LOUD Tour TV! Yes, my videos are finally available on iTunes! Not all of them yet, but you can get my latest 12 videos now! You can even subscribe to my feed via iTunes and get instant updates as soon as I make a post! How cool is that?

I've got another cool feature coming soon and that is LOUD Tour TV Live! I am setting this up now. Since I am very busy this week and Christine is on vacation I am not launching LOUD Tour TV Live just yet. Look for an official announcement sometime next week.

I tried to download a copy of Final Cut Pro today so that I can edit some of my video footage together. Some of you may feel that pirating software is wrong, but I feel that charging $1300 for software is also highway robbery. Someone is raking in the big bucks from this stuff, and a small time guy like me just can't afford to shell out that kind of cash, especially if I am going to offer all of my videos for free.

I did find some cool add ons for iMovie HD today, and those too cost money. To get the full package of add ons it costs almost $400. You can edit your movie to make it look professional, but then again I am offering all of my movies for free, and shelling out $400 just doesn't make smart business sense to me at this time. There is no return at all on my investment.

So that is it on the video front for now. I've got some other cool news to share, but I'll do that in a different post tomorrow! See you then!

Video formatting issues and new computers and camera's.

2007-06-08T14:03:00.000-04:00

LOUD Tour TV is still not back up and running at it's full capacity!

There are some issues with converting the videos right now. The video format is MPEG-1 Muxed format, which basically means that the audio and video are compressed into one track. What happens when you attempt to convert this into a quicktime movie you lose the audio and get only the video. I found a workaround so that I can convert the raw footage to what looks like a MOV file so that it can be posted to blip.tv, but when I upload the files and flash conversions are done sound disappers. Also, when I import these files into iMovie HD or even into Garage Band to try and do a podcast, I lose all audio. This is a problem and there is no immediate fix for it, so all Mac users with Sony camera's be forewarned. This is also a problem with Panasonic digital cameras, or with any other digital camera that records in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 formats. All digital camcorders that record in MPEG-4 format, no worries, your video should import normally with all video and sound.

There is another option to work around this issue and that is using 3rd party software to extract the sound from the MPEG file and save it as an mp3. You will have to add both to your video project and then sync your sound with your video. So unless you are an advanced user, don't attempt this stunt! I'll give it a shot if I can find a free converter out there on the internet. By free I mean something that offers more then a 15 day trial of the software. I need a permanent fix, not a 15 day trial of a permanent fix that might still not work! Capiche?

In other news Christine's insurance company finally decided to replace our stuff. They are sending a check to replace the cell phone. We are not sure when we will get that, but we will have it in time. I hate not having a cell phone! They have also decided to replace my laptop computer and also our digital camera! Well the aren't replacing my laptop, they are giving me an Acer laptop instead. Have a look at the specs. The good news, it's Windows XP, not Vista! I don't want to go off the deep end trying to understand Vista and is crazy security measures.

The digital camera that we are getting is a significant upgrade from the model that was stolen. They are sending us a Fuji FinePix E900. It's 9 mega pixels, which is an upgrade from the 7.2 which was stolen from me. It is basically the same camera that we had before but with better quality photo's. The video quality is still the same as with the old Fuji at 30 frames per second. I may shoot regular episodes of LOUD Tour TV with this and music videos with the Sony, it will all depend on the video quality. It doesn't have the image stabilization like the Sony, so I'll make my decision on what I am shooting video with in good time.

So that's about it for now! Watch the video! I'm off to Syracuse for a weekend of performances. See you guys when I get back!

I've got to get out of here!

2007-06-07T11:36:00.000-04:00

I have been couped up in the house all week so far because the weather has been absolutely terrible! Yesterday was the first decent day that we had if you like 1000 mph winds, imagine trying to see or do anything when there is nothing but wind in your face, not fun. So today wind, rain, sleet, hail, or sunshine I am getting out of the house! But before I go some interesting items of note!

First of all it's my moms birthday today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! She doesn't have any cool websites or anything like that where I can wish her a happy birthday or anything, so I'll just put it up here! I know she reads this blog anyhow, she told me, plus I can see the stats for people that visited my blog and where they came from! How many people in her little town have any real interest in my blog anyhow!

This weekend we have three (four if you count both of Saturday night's dress run through's) performances. The first is Saturday morning at Community Wide Dialogue's "Duck Race" to End Racism. You can read more about our actual involvement in this event here. We follow that up with a long day of practice on Saturday and the two dress run through's of the show on Saturday night. If you live in the Syracuse or Central NY are, please come out and support us. The final performance of the weekend is on Sunday in Canastota, NY at the Boxing Hall of Fame parade. Again for those of you in the Central NY area, come and check us out this weekend. Even if you don't know what drum corps is, come and check us out! Check out a sample of what we do below!

Click To Play

Well that should about do it for today's update! I'm off to explore Montreal! See you folks next time!

A New Movie and a Scary Story

2007-06-06T11:26:00.000-04:00

Do you believe in ghosts or in the afterlife? Have you ever experienced a paranormal event in your life? Are there good spirits and evil spirits still walking this earth? If you said yes to any of these questions then you need to check the the new 1408 Movie starring John Cusack.

Why do I believe in ghosts and paranormal events? Because I have experienced these things first hand. I used to live in a house that had it's own ghost walking around inside. The house itself was built in the 1800's and has a lot of history dating back to the Civil War. Inside of the house you see all kinds of strange things on a regular basis. Appliances turning themselves on and off, figures walking back and forth in the lights, sometimes even the lights themselves will flicker and get brighter and dimmer. You could be sitting alone in the dark watching TV on a hot summer day with no breeze in the air and feel a very cold draft of air on the back of you neck.

I once saw one of my friends walk toward one of the figures in front of the light only to freeze in his tracks and not be able to move. Another friend of mine came over to the house to stay for a week, not knowing about the ghost that we had inside, and he told us that after the first night we had something in the house. When we asked him why he thought that we had a ghost living there he told us that he woke up on the middle of the night and was floating above the bed he was sleeping on. The scariest moment I ever experienced in this house was one night when I was up late watching TV. I actually said out loud to myself, "It's getting late I should be going to bed." At that moment every light downstairs turned on and got really bright. Needless to say every hair on my body stood straight up. When the lights turned off, I went right to bed. I could hear someone walking around downstairs the rest of the night. To this day you can still see and hear things in that house. No one knows why this spirit is still there, but it will remain there until it gets what it wants.

In the new 1408 Movie you will see some of these same things. Restless spirits and ghosts who have some very horrible tales to tell and things to show about their lives. Some of these exact same things that happened in my house will happen in this movie, like that clocks acting funny, and the lights flickering. Of course a movie like this is just fantasy...or is it?

Syndication, Syndication, Syndication!

2007-06-05T16:16:00.000-04:00

My videos are now everywhere! You may ask what is the purpose of hosting my videos all over the internet? Well the main reason is for me to get them as much exposure as possible. Of course the official home of LOUD Tour TV is still blip.tv, but now you can my videos at a host of other places online! Here is a rundown of where you can find my videos online!

The Official Home of LOUD Tour TV

LOUD Tour TV on VEOH
LOUD Tour TV on YouTube
LOUD Tour TV on Myspace
LOUD Tour TV on Google Video (coming soon)

And my latest and greatest venture, LOUD Tour TV on iTunes! That's right, now you can download each of my episodes as a podcast directly from the iTunes store! All of the episodes are free, so download as many as you like and share them with as many people as you can!

***iTunes Update*** I am having some issues with the file conversions at this time, I hope to have this resolved in the next few days. Once it is resolved I will make a formal announcement and then you can download your little hearts out!

This is an exciting day for LOUD Tour TV! New episodes and music videos are already in the works, be sure to check them out soon! As you can see, I have also now added a video player to the top of my blog where you can watch all episodes of LOUD Tour TV anytime you want!

Check Out This Cool Shoe Website!

2007-06-05T15:14:00.000-04:00

I came across another great website today that sells all kinds of different urban shoes and clothing. The name of the website is Kickstime.com. They have a wide selection of shoes to choose from including Timberland and even all of the original Nike Air Jordans! All shoes come in their original boxes with the original laces.

They also have lots of cool hoody's and jeans for sale as well. They have hoody's from LRG, Evisu, and 10 Deep as well as many others to choose from. Hoody's come in sizes from Medium to XXXL. They have a wide variety of jeans to choose from from the designers mentioned abot as well as a whole bunch of others!

Ladies there are plenty of shoes, handbags, and accessories for you to check out as well! They carry handbags from Louis Vuitton, Coach, Juicy Couture, and many others. They also carry sunglasses for you as well.

They ship worldwide and shipping is free! Kickstime also accepts Visa and Mastercard! Get over to their website today and get the hottest gear for summer right now!

Fun With Photos!

2007-06-04T17:07:00.001-04:00

Fun With Photos!, originally uploaded by spcbrass.

Cool effects huh? I finally got a chance to play around with some of the cool stuff that I can do with this new iMac! The next thing that we really need is a fully functioning version of Photoshop so that we can do more with the pictures that we have. Christine would also like to have it so that she can do her graphic design stuff again. I mean she did go to school and get a degree for it, so it would be nice to use it once in a while!

As for me, I'm still a bit stumped on file conversions for my videos and LOUD Tour TV. Eventually I'll sit down and dig into it all and I will probably find that the files are much easier to convert then I had originally anticipated.

That's about all I have for today, I'm a bit tired today and somewhat unmotivated. I did put up a post earlier today to try and pay the bills, but the rankings magically changed before I was able to submit everything and I lost the opportunity. Hopefully in the next few days I can recover my Alexa ranking and be able to get paid for my work!

LOUD Tour TV, Back In Action

2007-05-30T19:59:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

After a near two month hiatus from posting new episodes LOUD Tour TV is back! Each week you can expect at least one episode or music video to be added! Tune In and Turn On to LOUD Tour TV!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: shawn carpenter, loud tour tv, the loud tour

Parental Advisory!

2007-05-28T16:20:00.001-04:00

New T-Shirt, originally uploaded by spcbrass.

I AM LOUD

This t-shirt was the best find of the year so far for me! It suits my personality very well! I also suits my drum corps persona and performance level perfectly!

Speaking of drum corps, it was a pretty good weekend at Brigs. We can play and march the whole show with the drum line. Now all we have to do is plug in the pit and the guard and we will have our full show on the field! The ending is very challenging both from a visual and musical standpoint. Once we get it clean it is going to be very exciting to perform and for people to watch. Hopefully we can get a full run through in this coming weekend! That way we all will know exactly where we stand in terms of having the stamina to perform the whole show.

As far as other things going on right now, there isn't all that much. Most of my free time lately has been spent playing golf with the guys. The public transportation in Montreal was on strike all last week and I didn't go out and shoot any video footage. I will be out a couple of days this week to get some good footage. Then I have to put it all together on the computer. There are a bunch of extra steps towards getting the videos how I want them on the iMac, but the end result is a much better quality product.

So that's it for now...short, simple, and to the point! Stay tuned for updates all week long!

Another Great Concept From PPP

2007-05-28T13:53:00.000-04:00

PayPerPost has just launched a new and exciting program that is available to all bloggers that are looking to make some extra cash while blogging. The new program is called PPP Direct. It is very simple to use and very easy to install on your blog! Advertisers can then browse through different blogs and then hire bloggers directly to post about their specific product or service!

There are two great things that I really like about about PPP Direct! The first is the ability for you to set the minimum amount of money that you would like to receive for each PPP Direct offer. This way if you set your minimum offer to $10 you will get offers for posts that will pay you $10 or more. This is a really great feature for those of us that have been doing the blog advertising for some time now and don't want to have to go through a bunch of $5 offers to find something of relevance to our blog.

The second thing that I really like about PPP Direct is that you actually get to keep more of the money that you earn. PayPerPost's competitors will often charge a 50%-100% markup to advertisers. So if you are making $10 on a post the other guys are making anywhere from $5-$10 on your work. What PPP Direct does is only charge a 10% markup fee of which 5% is used to cover the cost of PayPal and credit card fees. The result of this is the ability of PPP Direct to get you more offers because advertisers are going to give more of their business to PPP Direct then the other guys. The end result is more opportunities for you and also more money in your pocket!

Warning...This image is not suitable for anyone!

2007-05-25T15:22:00.001-04:00

Front & Back, originally uploaded by spcbrass.

The 1998 Blue Devils Contra Line in all of it's glory!

Since I am on my way to a drum corps weekend, and things like this happen more often then not at drum corps weekends, I decided to post it and show the whole world!

Let this serve as a reminder that we all take life way too seriously and sometimes we need to enjoy ourselves a bit more!

Pardon Me While I Pay The Bills!

2007-05-23T15:28:00.000-04:00

The next few weeks I will probably be making numerous paid entries so that I can get a little more money in the bank. So for loyal and new readers alike be prepared for lots of entries between now and the end of the month. It's nothing personal, just business!

*****Update*****

So I looked today and there was nothing of any relevance to my blog or my life that was worth posting about. I for one am not ashamed to sell out and use my blog to make a little extra cash, but I will not shamelessly promote something on here that makes no sense in the context of what I would normally write or be interested in. This doesn't mean that I won't sell out tomorrow as long as there is something interesting to post about!

Groove Trip

2007-05-18T14:41:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

My first ever music video! I made this back in December of 2005 with a Sony Ericsson S720 Camera Phone! The resolution isn't all that great, but hey back in 2005 what camera phones took great videos? The music is all improvised and made up as I go along! Video and music are shot and sung simultaneously!

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: sony ericsson, camera phone, music, groove, improvisation

Color Change

2007-05-18T00:09:00.000-04:00

Finally after a few years of blogging I have decided to change the color scheme! I am not sure that this is the scheme or even the template that I am going to stick with. For now it's what I've got, so I am going to run with it. I am on the lookout for better templates and better designs as we speak. More changes are coming soon!

The Return Of The LOUD Tour!

2007-05-14T16:57:00.000-04:00

Finally after a one month hiatus I will be returning to a regular blogging schedule. A few things have changed, for instance I'm now doing all of my blogging and surfing with a Mac! I've also changed cameras, so we will see what kind of difference I get with picture a video quality. It should be relatively the same as before. No HD camera, because of the circumstances here in real life I am just not able to afford one of those at this time. Maybe in the future depending on how other things work out. Basically I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. So look for more episodes of LOUD Tour TV in the near future. For now I have to somehow rebuild my 2500 song music library. Some of those recording were very rare and difficult to find, but in good time I hope to recover most of them. Well that's it for now, stay tuned really soon for plenty of updates to The LOUD Tour.

New Computer Soon

2007-04-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

Hey all, just another quick update to let you know how things are going. I will be getting a new computer within the next two weeks, so I should return to a normal blogging schedule after I have it all set up and ready to go. My new computer will be an iMac. It will work out much better for me for all of my video and music projects. The only pain in the ass is going to be replacing the 2500 songs that I had on my old computer. As far as getting a resolution from the hotel, they won`t even return my phone calls, so today I plan on getting downright nasty with them, and very soon I plan to take legal action if they cannot get things resolved. And with that I am done! See all of you folks really soon!

I will be away for a while...

2007-04-18T16:59:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend my laptop, cell phones, camera, and other items were stolen from my hotel room. I am currently in the process of trying to get these items back, or a large chunk of money from the hotel to replace these items. Until then I will not be able to make very many posts here at all. I will also not be able to run my video project until this situation is reconciled. I will be back as soon as I can. See you all soon...

LOUD Tour TV Music Video - Aftermath

2007-04-12T19:03:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Another LOUD Tour TV Music Video. This one should evoke a little more emotion then my others. I call it Aftermath. This is what I would imagine things would have looked like after a war or some other terrible event. The music is Greenhouse by The Yellowjackets.

So I said I wasn't going to be able to post or do too much work this week on my blog. I guess I found time to do more then I had originally planned. Now granted I didn't film a new episode of LOUD Tour TV, but I will be filming it over the weekend. I did manage to put together two of my music video ideas and get them out to the public which is pretty cool.

Speaking of videos, I am also featuring them over on another site called Veoh. There are drawbacks to their website that are similar to Youtube. They resize all of my video to a larger format and it becomes quite pixelated. I even tried filming in a larger format and it got shrunk down into theirs and became pixelated as well. There is no happy medium. The reason why I went of there is to gain more exposure for my work. That and they have seamless posting to myspace, yahoo, youtube, google and other places. So I can post in one place and then have it syndicated other places. Basically it's all about gaining popularity and exposure without having to put in all of the effort of uploading it to 5 or 6 different places.

Well this is going to be it for my real entries until some time this weekend (but only if there is time, there may not be enough time!) I may make one more entry before I head out the door, but it will be one that pays the bills! Most of this stuff that I post is actually very good and I encourage you to check it out!

Until next time...

Earn More With Better Interest Rates

2007-04-12T12:56:00.000-04:00

How many of you out there have savings accounts and are satisfied with the interest rates that you are receiving? Most savings accounts out there offer a minimal return on your money. In fact most savings accounts are still earning less then 1% interest on their money! Did you know that there are savings accounts available that are offering rates as high as 6%? If your money was earning 6% imagine how much faster you could save for the things that you are really trying to buy. Imagine opening up a savings account for your child's education and earning 6% interest for 15 years. Even if you only opened an account that gave you a 3% return you would still earn significantly more. Savingsaccounts.com is a consumer driven website that allows you to see exactly which savings plans out there are yielding higher interest rates. You can pick and choose which savings plan is right for you!

Compare online banking savings accounts and find a new savings account or checking account that earns more interest today with SavingsAccounts.com

Ultrasonic Steps

2007-04-12T00:28:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

New from LOUD Tour TV Music Video, Ultrasonic Steps! The video footage was shot in Montreal's Eaton Center, the music is Ultrasonic Sound by Hive. This isn't the whole song, it is only the ending. You heard the beginning of it in LOUD Tour TV Episode 4!

Formats available: Windows Media (.wmv), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: loud tour tv, shawn carpenter, music video, music, ultrasonic sound, hive, montreal, eaton center

Is It Wednesday Already?

2007-04-11T17:17:00.000-04:00

Yup, it sure is! And best of all I have absolutely nothing to show for it. That's right folks, no episode of LOUD Tour TV today. As I said earlier this week, I wasn't going to take too much time to do any filming because I have too many loose ends to tie up for this weekend. I have two more to take care of. The first is finalizing my travel plans to and from PA. The second is securing a horn for the gig! The second should be a piece of cake. I should be able to call in a favor with the Naval Academy Drum & Bugle Corps to get the horn. After all I did work with them for for close to 5 years and I helped them to get the new horns they are using today!

The travel part is going to be tricky. It's not the time involved in traveling because I have all of the time in the world. It's the money part of things. We are a bit tight in the budget department these days, especially having to pay for Brigs and all. I will get the money back, but in the end I am not going to make as much this weekend as I had originally hoped. I still plan to go because I am a man of my word and I will still give a quality performance because it will set me up to get future gigs and to make more cash in the future.

So that's really it for now. Just a quick update for everyone. I plan on shooting some footage from the train and everything in my travels this weekend and I'll try to edit and post it some time late Saturday or Sunday. Until then, you are just going to have to wait!

Free Antivirus Software

2007-04-11T17:02:00.000-04:00

Do you need virus protection for your computer? I have found a great site where you can download the latest Norton Anitvirus software absolutely free! Thats right I said a free Antivirus download! Now you can get the latest software to protect your PC from viruses and other harmful spyware. Not only is the download free, but Norton also offers all virus updates for free! Before they only offered the first six months for free!

This free download goes along with other great downloads that are already available from Google including, Picasa, Real Player, FireFox, and Adobe Reader. How can you go wrong with all of these great products rolled into one? Start protecting your computer today! Check out the website and download your free copy of Norton Antivirus!

A Light Week In LOUD Tour Land

2007-04-09T17:28:00.000-04:00

This week is going to be quite a bit lighter then normal in the update department. I don't know how much time I am going to be able to put in to the videos or the blog entries this week. My schedule is pretty tight because I am off to PA this weekend to perform in a show and haven't totally nailed down what time I will be heading out of town yet. I will do that tonight. I will be leaving either Thursday or Friday for that gig.

On top of that I have to get the ball rolling with the 401k paperwork and also with the passport and immigration stuff. There is too much paperwork to do and if I let it sit around for too long then when my schedule really does get busy in the summer I won't have time to dig into it. So that is one of my priorities this week so that all pressure of doing this stuff is gone by the weekend.

Christine is also home this week on vacation which means that I will be spending more time with her. Now at times like this when she decided to take a nap or whatever I'll drop in a do a quick post or possibly a video. I have shot tons of footage in the past week so there is material to use without having to go back out and film too much.

So there you have it my plans are laid out, just not finalized. Later this week I may find more time to keep you all updated about my life! Until then I'll be busy!

Check Out The Vonage VoIP Forums

2007-04-06T14:20:00.000-04:00

VoIP is one of the hottest things in the communication and telephone industry today. Vonage, the leader in VoIP technology introduces their new VoIP forums. On their forums you will get the latest news and review of all of the services that Vonage has to offer. They even have a FAQ section for those of you that are thinking about switching to Vonage. Another great thing that you will see on the Vonage forums is up to the minute press releases about the products and deals that they have to offer. Check out the Vonage Forums today and be in the know with everything that they have to offer!

LOUD Tour TV Episode 7

2007-04-05T21:43:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Singing, tuba playing, kittens, lunch and commentary! This show has it all! This is also my first attempt at shooting a show in a higher resolution! Enjoy!

To view the post in it's full resolution please visit The Official LOUD Tour TV Page!

Some Days You Just Gotta Update!

2007-04-04T16:11:00.000-04:00

And today looks like one of those days! For those of you expecting LOUD Tour TV Episode 7 to come out today, you are going to have to wait until some time tomorrow. First I have a cut on the inside of my mouth that makes eating, and even speaking quite painful. It is getting better each day and I hope to be close to 100% tomorrow. So instead of doing a video today, I am going to rest and go all out for tomorrow. Also Christine is home sick today and some of the things that I have planed for the video might me too loud and annoy her, so I am putting off shooting anything until tomorrow morning as well.

In related news I may have my first actual video editing project that pays! Now granted the guy is a friend of mine, but he likes what I have done with the show and has asked me to help him put together a cool video and picture montage for his final exam in 6 weeks. I will meet with him tomorrow to catch up and to discuss some of the details of exactly what he wants to get out of the video. At the very least this will be a resume builder and be able to showcase some of my skills as an editor.

We had a good weekend at Brigadiers this past weekend. The corps is in semi-stealth mode with regards to what is going on, but this year closely resembles 2004, only with less super stars, but better team players and a much better attitude. This group feels like it will rely much more on work ethic rather then raw talent to get by. It should make for an exciting season so long as we have that majority of folks in on a full time basis once we hit the field next month.

I will unfortunately be missing the next camp because I have been hired to play in a couple of gigs that weekend. Sometimes you have to go where the money is. This will be the 3rd camp that I have ever missed since 2001. I know I missed most of last year, but that was also when I was planning on not coming back. From the weekend that I told everyone that I intended to be there full time, I did not miss even one minute of rehearsal.

So that's it for now, I hope everyone has enjoyed my music videos over the past week. I have multiple other music videos in the planning stages. Some footage has been shot, but not set to any particular music of yet. Other videos have the music chosen, but do not have video footage yet! Stay tuned later this week for another music video and hopefully tomorrow I can get Episode 7 of LOUD Tour TV out to you!

How Do You Invest For The Future?

2007-04-04T15:55:00.000-04:00

There are many options out there for you to invest in your future. I really think that everyone should take a look at global futures before you look any further.

Global gives you access to the world's major futures and options exchanges in North America, Europe and Asia. Global has the financial strength to handle large volumes of trading activity through their carefully selected group of Futures Commission Merchants.

For as little as $250 you can get started in investing for your future today! If you are not ready or not sure if this is exactly the right thing to do with your money then you can use all of their trading platforms to paper trade in real time in their simulated trading environment.

They offer the most competitive rates on commissions available. If you need an even lower rate there is even the option to name your own commission and Global will try to match or beat the rate that you currently have.

Before you invest any more of your money elsewhere be sure to look into Global Futures Exchange & Trading Company.

LOUD Tour TV Music Video - Roller Coaster

2007-04-03T16:21:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Here is another LOUD Tour TV Music Video! I call this one Roller Coaster! The video footage was filmed here in Montreal on the Metro. The music is Leave You Far Behind by Lunatic Calm.

I am considering reediting this music video as well as all of my other music videos once I upgrade to Quicktime Pro. There are just so many more options available for editing and effects. In any case I hope you enjoyed "Roller Coaster!"

Music Video - Armando's Walk

2007-03-30T11:43:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Here is another LOUD Tour TV Music Video Production that I call Armando's Walk. This music video is just a walk with me around a small part of Montreal. The music is Armando's Rhumba by Chick Corea, performed by Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin Live at The Blue Note in New York City for Chick's 60th bithday party! This is only an excerpt from the song. If you like the music please visit Chick Corea's Official Website and purchase it there!

Other music video productions are in the works and I plan to release them shortly! I am also in the planning stages of another new musical video series! Details coming soon!

LOUD Tour TV Episode 6.5

2007-03-29T11:44:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Episode 6.5?!?! Yes, I was not too happy with the product that was Episode 6 for many reasons! So I went out today and put some new footage together complete with a little personality and fun! You will find this one more pleasing to watch and maybe even get a laugh or two out of it!

So as you can see, I have been filming a lot this week to make up for last week's lack of filming! I have been shooting (and walking) so much these past few days that my brain (and my feet) are starting to hurt. I have also shot another music video to be released tomorrow. The video is already finished, but I am holding off for now!

I will also be attempting (key word here is attempting) to get some footage from the road and possibly from Syracuse this weekend. All media shot of the drum corps must be approved my corps management before it can be distributed anywhere on the internet. I was going to try and keep it less about the corps and more about The LOUD Tour and friends of The LOUD Tour, but since the way I present myself and present my friends in the video is ultimately a representation of the corps I must run it through the powers that be first. It's not that we don't want our work to be shown out there, however there is a chance that people would use it to maliciously harm or misrepresent our organization. Despite taking all precautions necessary with the proper disclaimers or by using creative commons as a means to license my videos so that no one may use content in any way these things have happened in the past to our organization and to other organizations as well. That's right folks, only in drum corps could Freedom of Speech and Censorship clash in such a way!

LOUD Tour TV Episode 6

2007-03-28T11:13:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Today I am visiting Montreal's Olympic Stadium and the surrounding parks. This video has way too much of me talking, but it does give you some insight into the person I am and how I ended up here! So come along with me and take a tour of the Stadium and the surrounding area.

Not too many funny moments or witticisms in this episode, just me hanging out and talking. I was going to put some funny stuff in there post production, or another short musical video, but I decided against it because I'm not sure how many of you will make it all the way through to the end anyhow! OK it's not quite that bad, but it is rather "Travel Channelish" ($1 to Demon23) minus the 13 hours of the Poker World Tour...

I Choose To Follow The Sun

2007-03-27T17:09:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

Another LOUD Tour TV music video! Music by the Kelly Bell Band. I shot this while I was out putting together tomorrow's episode of LOUD Tour TV! Tell my what you think!

I've got a whole new show for you tomorrow! Episode 6 has a lot more content then most episodes, but it's also a lot more about me! Tell everyone you know about LOUD Tour TV! Promote, Promote, Promote! Tell all of your friends, hell tell all of your enemies if you want! If you promote my show on your blog, I'll give your blog some face time in a future episode of LOUD Tour TV! In other words, if you hook me up, I'll hook you up! Just show me where you have promoted LOUD Tour TV on your blog and I will take care of the rest!

Movie Review "300"

2007-03-26T17:25:00.000-04:00

Click To Play

I went to check out the movie 300 on the Imax theater yesterday, here are my thoughts.