Writer, Musician, and Animator of simple-drawn things.
Age 34, Male
In between colleges
New York
Joined on 6/25/12
Posted by Belthagor - December 16th, 2018
Alright everyone, a few people were saying that my interviews were too generic, so instead of copying the questions the same way I have been doing, I asked a bunch of different ones.
Here we go!
I'll start with question 1, and btw you have unlimited time to answer these.
How did you make up your username?
(Btw I usually ask the same questions for everyone, but a few people were complaining that it's too generic, so I am going to ask you some unique ones too.)
-I don't really know how I came up with my username. MajorMusic just seemed to work well.
What instuments do you play?
-Piano, cello, and flute.
I should probably ask, which one of the three instruments are you best at? :3
-Piano
Are there any composers you like?
-My top five favorite composers are: Beethoven Mozart Chopin Liszt Bach
That's in order of most favorite to least favorite?
-Yes
What kind of piano do you use?
-In my apartment I have an electric piano, but my parents have a baby grand at their house that I often use when I visit them.
Super cool!
Lets see, what else should I ask....
Do you think I am an awesome person? =)
-Yeah
What else do you want me to ask you?
-I don't know.
That is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard.
What kind of music do you like to make the most? Ex: Classical, Jazz, other.
-I'm classically trained, so I'm most comfortable with classical music, however, I am open to going outside my comfort zone if a client requests it of me.
I have written rock, jazz, and even pop music before.
What kind of music do you like to listen to the most?
-I generally listen to classical and cinematic music, but I'm also a huge fan of alternative and classic rock. Some of my favorite bands are Queen, the Rolling Stones, the Beetles, Imagine Dragons. 21 Pilots, and the Beach Boys.
-Do you like to listen to men or women singing more?
-I don't really care so long as they have a good voice.
Idk what else to ask...
Oh right.
Do I have your permission to post the interview on newgrounds on my newspage.
-Of course.
-How else am I going to get people to view my page?
Okay, I'm going to edit it a little bit, for grammar on my part.
Everything will be the same.
Posted by Belthagor - December 3rd, 2018
If we could only figure out a way to report it...
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Posted by Belthagor - August 21st, 2018
Okay so the first thing you would want to do is: Make sure it's around summertime cause that's the best time to work with cement. Never try this in the winter.
Last I checked 50 pound cement bags are about 10$, but this was a decade ago, prices may have changed slightly. You will still get a lot of bang for your buck if you go this route, so I recommend buying one if you have a place to store 50 pounds of cement.
If you are low on space like me, or don't want to carry a 50 pound bag of cement home from the hardware store, there is also the option of buying fast-dry cement (self explanatory), in a small 15 pound size bucket. Either way, store the cement, sealed, in a dry place, where it absolutely can't get wet.
Do not mix cement with water in the sink.
I feel I need to say this for some people, just in case. Your sink will get clogged if you do, as the cement hardens in the pipes. So will your bathtub if you decide to do it there.
The best place to mix cement with water is outdoors. The temperature should be hot but not too hot, as the cement will form cracks from hardening too quickly. Wear gloves and protective goggles.
I recommend using foam core (styrofoam with paper on both sides) as the material for your cast. It is easy to remove when the cement hardens inside. Do not use tape, except on outside layer of the foam core. Tape will leave imprints on the cement while it is hardening which will look very ugly, if you do.
Do measurements for the foam core, and draw lines where you will cut with a pencil or pen. Take your time. 1 inch thickness/scale is good for pure cement castings. Draw up a plan on paper or on computer, and use lots of numbers, height, length, width, before drawing on the foam and cutting/glueing the foam core. Your mold should be finished before you mix cement. I recommend a box cutter for cutting the styrofoam.
The best thing you can use for a cast is starch-based glue. (There are a couple ways to make it, google can help.) Glue seems weak but it will leave a nice smooth finish to the cement. Starch based glue is tougher than most other glues.
If you made a model previously, do not put your model inside of the cement.
Gradually add cement mixed with water (using a stick and bucket) to the inside of the foam while doing this until full. Pour it all in one session, but not all at once. You might want to lightly tap the sides of the foam with a hammer while pouring cement in, so the cement falls and it is tight and compact. You will also need a cover depending on what you are making, made of styrofoam, for the top of the cast, so the cement doesn't leak out. After filling with cement put the cover on top, and something heavy to keep it in place.
Cement should be evened from hardening. You can sand it down to make it even afterwards, however it will leave a coarseness to the material when touching it.
A good way to start if you have no ideas on what to make would be:
Take a large cardboard (usually called a plastic cup but it's really made of cardboard, idk why they named it that.)cup, and a smaller or same size cardboard cup. Start mixing cement with water in a bucket you can throw away, outside of your building, and then fill a small area, around 1 inch deep with cement mixture. put the smaller cup on top of the mixture and fill the sides with more cement until full to a little below the brim of whichever cup is lower height. This is just to make sure the cement doesn't expand upward and leak out of the outer cup, Tape the top of the two cups, tight, with strong tape together, since if the cement is hardening it will push the smaller cup upward, ruining the cast without the tape on it. Wait a few days for fast cement to dry, and a longer period of time for regular cement. You now have a vase.
Lastly be sure to clean up and wash your hands. Wash any cement off of you before it hardens. Use plenty of water to get it off.
P.S. IF temps are really hot, fast cement needs cooling while it hardens. Heck, even regular cement needs cooling. For a large concrete building, this would be done by spraying the outside with cold water occasionally. For a small cast I would recommend wrapping it in a bunch of wet newspapers. Leave a bunch of dry newspapers at the bottom, and point a fan at it. Don't do this if you have pets, or don't have a safe place in your house where you can leave the project. Leave it on the floor, not somewhere high up, because it could fall and make a mess. And definitely leave it somewhere you will not be walking around.
Here is a cast I made
https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/belthagor/open-space-viewed-as-a-solid-see-wood-model
@Troisnyx Please comment! xD (I know this is a very long newspost. I spent a lot of time making it shorter.)
Posted by Belthagor - August 7th, 2018
From my years of listening to music I have noticed that the longer you hear something during a single period of time, without breaks, (especially if the album(s) have words in them that are in a language you know), the more dull the sound becomes.
You eventually tend to zone out and it turns from music into regular volume noise going through your musical device. The length of time it takes for this to happen correlates with how professional the musican is in making their melody and lyrics. And while zoned out, you may zone back in by hearing something very nice. During this zoned out phase you can see how good the artist you are playing is.
My idea for this guide started recently as I was taking a long walk outside, while playing Alizee with headphones on. I had been walking for 2 hours and some minutes, and the second album was halfway through. I had had my ipod on for about an hour and a half, and I was tired of hearing music. I could only focus on the usual things people do while walking. Anyway, the song "Les Collines" was halfway through, and although most people will agree that Alizee is no Britney Spears, the lyrics "Never wanna leave you" came on repeat, and I zoned back into the music, while still paying attention to walking, of course.
So in short my guide to vocals in an album based on all this length of time and zoning out and in would be, make sure your lyrics have something nice in them, on repeat, that everyone would like to hear, somewhere in a song or two in an album. Maybe in the middle of timespan. Before zoning out, I assume memorable lyrics would have the similar effect of keeping you zoned in longer. Melody and rhythm are more complex, but if you listen to music for long periods of time, when you have free time, you have noticed that you can listen to some songs or albums in the same genre for longer periods of time than others
wrote this in 2 mins, sorry for grammar but you get the idea.
Specifically looking for commentary from you two.
Posted by Belthagor - July 14th, 2018
I am glad you decided to fill out this interview, Shabbyjazz, and let us know more about yourself.
How did you make up your username?
My username here is what I usually use on most platforms, and it's a character from a story I've written. My artist name is "Ciel Ouvert" and comes from one of my favorite songs by Yello called "Ciel Ouvert". It means "open skies" and I find it very fitting for the style of music I create.
Is there a certain message you want to give your audience in your works?
Most of the time I try to convey certain emotions, I'm very interested in music as an experience of visuals as much as the sound itself. I often imagine visuals to go with my songs, like a story being told through the sounds.
Would you have any difficulty composing a certain type of music or genre?
I've been asked a few times why I don't create music that's hip and pop at the moment. I can't do that, because that's not what's inside me when I create music. The only styles I can create are electronica based; like downtempo, ambient, chillout and new wave.
What programs/instruments/other things do you use?
I use FL studio and have been for the past 15 years or so. Within it I use a variety VST plugins like Nexus and Massive. As for instruments I have a shabby Yamaha PSR-E333 that I play whenever I need to create melodies that are harder to program.
Do you see music as a career?
No, not really. It has always been just a hobby, and I don't think it'll ever become anything more than that.
Are you working on anything right now? Tell us about it.
I always have a lot of projects going, most of the time I'm just creating a small piece that works as is, but I can't get any further with. So I jump onto the next one. Sometimes I go back to a small piece and figure out how to make it work.
Other comments?
I'd like to thank you belthagor for this interview.
Posted by Belthagor - July 13th, 2018
https://www.newgrounds.com/bbs/topic/1433628
Is anyone interested in teaming up for the ultimate dancing animation??
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Posted by Belthagor - July 11th, 2018
I am glad you decided to fill out this interview, Jessie Yun(Thunder Cat), and let us know more about yourself.
1. How did you make up your username?
My dad named me Jessie when I was 7 years old. The name Thunder Cat just came into my mind while reading a book, which showed a cat being scared of a thunder. That's when I named myself Thunder Cat in electro genre.
2. Is there a certain message you want to give your audience in your works? I try to speak hope and peace, since I'm in the only country where the nation is divided. I also try to give encouragements to the listeners.
3. Would you have any difficulty composing a certain type of music or genre? There's a lot, actually. I'm mostly familiar with orchestra music (cinematic/movie scores), so basically I'm not familiar with most electronic genres. But I'm still trying to learn and get inspired by listening to great artists out there.
4. What programs/instruments/other things do you use? My old iPhone 5 is the only studio I have, unfortunately. I use Garageband iOS and Groovebox iOS as a DAW. Once, I used iSymphonic Orchestra, a mobile software, but now I'm not able to because of a big storage amount.
5. Do you see music as a career? Are you working on anything right now? Tell us about it. Somehow. Definitely not into music career as an electronic genre artist, though. Just considering to have a side-job as a movie score composer.
6. Other comments? Well, although I don't have any academic background or professional tools, I'm still trying to become at least a good composer for the listeners out there. I just hope my listeners enjoy the piece, gets encouraged, and share the voice I speak with others.
Posted by Belthagor - July 11th, 2018
I am glad you decided to fill out this interview Henyx, and let us know more about yourself.
I'm just an average 17 year old named Braulio Guerra, or most commonly know by the alias Henyx / Henyx Aster. Been maing music for four whole years now, and I can't say I would've rather done anything else instead. Over the past two years however, life's been a wild ride, my dad passed away during hurricane Harvey, leaving my mom and I behind to fend for ourselves. Whilst hopping from house to house, I've still managed to write some music, as I find it my main method to let out stress, this being the main reason I really don't like most of my music, since every time I re-listen to it, all I get are sad memories and broken dreams. Now, I sit comfortably in semi-permanent location, where my girlfriend / fioncee are expecting our child somewhere mid-November. (spoiler alert, it's a boy <3)
How did you make up your username?
The username "Henyx" is incredibly derrivative of the word "Onyx", since that used to me my old internet alias. In fact, back in my old soundcloud account, when I had just started producing, I noticed that link to my page was "/henyxaster/" so when I felt like I was ready to move onto bigger things, I changed my alias, and thus began a new era of music, as well as life.
Is there a certain message you want to give your audience in your works?
The only message I could see myself giving people is to always follow your dreams, and I don't mean that in a cliche way. I honestly believe that as long as you hold on tight to what you want to accomplish, not even the wildest stroms can stop you. My music has gone from questionable quality to half decent quality, so I feel like if I continue with the path I've chosen, I'll one day be good enough to make my loved ones proud.
Would you have any difficulty composing a certain type of music or genre?
I think in terms of composition, the hardest genre to make would be glitch-hop / complextro, and I mean good tracks, not just lazily made loops. I just often have a hard time sticking to their respective genres, since when I try to make basses for them, I have a tendency to get lost in the music and create basic progressive house or straight up dubstep.
What programs/instruments/other things do you use?
I use FL Studio 20 as my digital audio workstation, and Xfer Serum as my main plugin. Both of these things where bought for me by my dad, as he believed in me from the very start, so now I hold onto them just as much as I hold onto his memory.
Do you see music as a career?
Honestly, this is a question I've been thinking about a lot lately. I still have high hopes that one day I will be able to live a happy life with my family whilst doing the one thing that helps me feel better: music. Realisticly speaking though, it would take quite a while before this dream came true, but I know it's definately possible.
Are you working on anything right now? Tell us about it.
Actually, I'm really not. Let me explain: Recently, I've been job searching non-stop irl, so my time for music gets cut by a LOT, and aside from that, all the projects / previews that end up surfacing on my page are just little things that I managed to finish after long enlongated sessions of continuous production, telling myself the entire time that "I have to finish this."
Other comments? (This section is for anything else you would want to write)
Not really, if anything I want to tell any artists that read this to never give up, no matter how tough life gets, since I firmly believe that you and I will get far as long as we hold on for the ride.