August 8th, 2010
I recently became Level 1 certified in Apple’s newest cutting edge high end audio recording application Logic Pro 9 (part of the latest version Logic Studio). I am a long time user of Logic.
Apple Logic is a great tool for singer/songwriters and composers and provides a great deal of flexibility when recording or composing. It is often very hard to be 100% perfect when recording a track – you may have some great moments and a few not so great. One of the newest features is the ability to lay down multiple versions of a track (say for example a lead vocal) and select the various portions of each take to create a composite or ‘best of’ take.
Want to add a little piano or hammond organ to a track? Logic comes with a plethora of great samples such as pianos, hammond organs, horns, etc that can be triggered with a standard midi keyboard.
When you are ready to step up and have tested and certified engineer record your project send me an email or give me a call. I specialize in singer songwriters, acoustic projects and small bands. I can import GarageBand tracks directly into Logic Pro 9. I can also import your wav and aiff tracks.
Joe Rizzo
Cosmic Circuit Studio
Engineer, musician, producer
510.868.9323
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August 4th, 2010
Peter Rowan performs at Jerry Garcia Day, San Francisco
Every August 1st Jerry Garcia day is celebrated at the Jerry Garcia amphitheater in McLaren Park, San Francisco. Friends and fans of the San Franciscan native gathered for a free festival with music in the transcendent spirit of Garcia. This year was the 8th year of the annual celebration and featured musical performances by Check Engine Light, Front Street and Friends, Peter Rowan and Melvin Seals with JGB. The outdoor amphitheater is located in the Excelsior district of San Francisco - Garcia’s childhood neighborhood. McLaren amphitheater was renamed The Jerry Garcia amphitheater after fans petitioned the city of San Francisco. August 1st marks Garcia’s birthday. The Jerry Garcia Amphitheater is located at 45 John F. Shelley Drive, San Francisco.
For more info:
jerryday.org
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June 8th, 2010
Khi Darag performed at People’s Park in Berkeley on Saturday June 5th as part of the Berkeley World Music Festival. The music blended elements of many different styles of music including surf, klezmer, pop, trance and more. A difficult band to describe but definitely worth checking out. Listen to samples on their web site.
More info:
http://khidarag.com
http://www.berkeleyworldmusic.org
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April 3rd, 2010
We recently posted a few vintage clips of some local musicians performing in the San Francisco Bay Area. There are a few clips from a live performance in Black Oak’s Bookstore in Berkeley, California from 1992 and some clips from the Freight and Salvage. Check our YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/cosmiccircuit
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January 14th, 2010
We recently opened a Twitter account. Twitter allows you to receive ‘tweets’ or posts from various people, businesses, etc. If you would like to receive tweets from Cosmic Circuit, click on the link below.
Stay connected! Follow us on Twitter 
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December 6th, 2009
Saturday night Dec 5th was Musical Night in Africa at Ashkenaz in Berkeley with Kotoja, the West African Highlife Band, Afrobeat Connexion, the Nigerian Brothers and DJ Mike Onas. Musical Night in Africa is a decade-old Ashkenaz tradition produced each year by Nigeria’s Babá Ken Okulolo. The night began with an opening Libation Ceremony with Babá Ken followed by the Nigerian Brothers and some excellent rhythms. Each band had very strong hypnotic dance rhythms. The night ended with Kotoja and an excellent horn section.
For more info:
ashkenaz.com
kotoja.com
AfricanMusicSource.com
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October 19th, 2009
Apple recently unveiled a new version of their flagship video editing application Final Cut Pro 7, part of the newest Apple Final Cut Studio suite.
I recently became a ‘Certified Pro’ in Final Cut Pro 7. I have had a level 1 certification since Final Cut 5. I am also certified professional in Apple Logic Pro (Audio).
Cosmic Circuit Studio offers video editing, DVD authoring, audio services and other post production services. We work on many custom projects for businesses, artists, musicians, etc. Call or email for more information or assistance with your next creative project. For more detailed info check cosmiccircuit.com/video
Joe Rizzo
Apple Final Cut Pro Certified Professional
Toll Free: 1.877.793.4195
Local: 510.868.9323
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October 3rd, 2009
John Prine (right) joined Lyle Lovett (left) on stage Friday Night in Golden Gate Park
The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival kicked off the weekend with 3 days of free musical acts at Speedway Meadows in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Lyle Lovett headlined the event on Friday evening with John Prine warming up. Gillian Welch, Jorma Kaukonen, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes were some of the bands that performed on Saturday. Steve Martin, better known for his acting abilities and his hit movie ‘The Jerk’, ended his set Saturday with a rousing rendition of ‘The Simpson’s’ television theme song.
For more information check:
http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Gillian Welch Saturday in Golden Gate Park
Steve Martin on banjo Saturday afternoon
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September 13th, 2009
The 35th annual Solano Stroll in Berkeley served up plenty of local musicians, artists, food vendors and shops this Sunday Sept 13th. The event covered 26 blocks and was heavily attended. Surf bands, mexican dancers, caribbean steel drums, orchestras, one man bands, literally something for everyone. If you missed it, check it out next year…
For more information:
http://www.solanoavenueassn.org/strol.htm
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August 25th, 2009
The Cheeseboard, located in the ‘gourmet ghetto’ district on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, not only serves up great gourmet pizza but also has live music. The lines for pizza are typically long and out the door – but the wait is definitely worth it. The Lee Gaines jazz trio performs on Fridays at 5 pm and other musicians and groups often perform on different days. The Cheeseboard serves lunch 11:30 – 3:00 Tuesday through Saturday and dinner 4:30 – 8:00 Tuesday through Saturday. The Cheeseboard was founded in 1967 as a collective and has become somewhat of a ‘must experience’ Berkeley institution.
K.I. Nicholas Three Piece Band
Lee Gaines Trio performs most Fridays
For more information:
The Cheeseboard
1512 Shattuck Avenue
Berekely, Ca 94709
http://cheeseboardcollective.coop
(510) 549-3055
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August 15th, 2009
Sandy Rothman and Stu Allen performed at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, California August 6th with Brian Godchaux on fiddle and Justin Purtill on stand-up bass. The band performed a mix of old-time and bluegrass classics. Stu Allen performed lead vocals and acoustic guitar. Sandy Rothman, who previously has done acoustic work with Jerry Garcia (Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band ‘Almost Acoustic’) and performed with Bill Monroe, played mandolin, dobro guitar and lent backing vocals and lead on a few tunes.
www.well.com/user/smarcus/sr/Sandy.html
www.stuallen.net
www.ashkenaz.com
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August 7th, 2009
I recently upgraded our studio’s audio recording software to Apple’s Logic Pro 9 (part of the new Logic Studio) and have been putting it through the paces. New to Logic Pro is the ability to add and embed written notes to each track and project. This is very handy for writing down microphone settings, pre-amp settings, and mic placement, etc. A new feature called ‘Flex Editing’ allows you to adjust the timing of various sections of a take without having to splice and cut up the track. For instance if a few chords or drums hits were a little late or early these areas can be moved easily now with the Flex Editing tool. Flex editing also now works even when compositing various areas of multiple takes in a take folder into one cohesive track. There is now more granular control for setting the entire volume fader of each track. There are new guitar Amps, pedal boards, and variable speed recording.
Performing live musicians may be interested in the upgrade to Mainstage 2. Mainstage now has the ability to play audio files as backing tracks via a ‘Playback’ plugin. There is also now the ability to record your live performances to either a .wav, .aiff, or .caf file. The ability to customize a template including set lists, images, mapped volume knobs, notes is really great. There is also a ‘Looping’ plugin and also support for rewire software instruments.
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March 27th, 2009
Le’ema Kathleen Graham just released her Snake Yoga DVD. The DVD features unique snake-like yoga poses and postures, an animated visual chakra meditation section and a printed booklet. The DVD provides the option of subtitles for the deaf and/or hearing impaired. There is an option to play the DVD with ‘music only’ – useful when you are familiar with the poses and yoga routine.
Cosmic Circuit Studio assisted with some of the video editing, DVD menu design, DVD authoring and subtitles.
To purchase the DVD or for more information check: www.snakeyoga.com
www.goddesswork.com
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March 18th, 2009
Lyell Davies and Rick Franklin just released their Brain Injury Dialogues documentary film on DVD. The film provides interesting insights into the often misunderstood or misdiagnosed lives of brain injured people. The footage was shot in the San Francisco Bay area. The DVD contains extra bonus features, extra scenes, has the option of displaying English subtitles. Cosmic Circuit Studio assisted with the DVD authoring and subtitles.
For more information, to view sample video clips or to purchase the DVD check: braininjurydialogues.org
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March 9th, 2009
Amoeba Music held an Andy Warhol Factory party at a warehouse space in Emeryville on Friday March 6th. Velvet Underground cover bands performed and local artists displayed works in 9 different rooms. The warehouse space was set up similar to Andy Warhol’s original Factory in New York city. Various local artists were silk screening in the style of Warhol.
Amoeba Music has a wide selection of new and used music and often host musical performances in their retail stores. Amoeba has locations on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, on Haight Street in San Francisco and in Hollywood, California. More info at: http://www.amoeba.com/content/factory_party_wrap_up.html
http://www.amoeba.com
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February 20th, 2009
Marianne Barlow, a local singer song-writer, just finished recording her full length 12 song ‘Magic Words’ CD at Cosmic Circuit Studio. The tracks feature Marianne’s vocals and acoustic guitar with some cello, sax, and flute. A rowdy chorus of women added backing vocals to the track ‘My Right Breast.’
backing vocalists on 'My Right Breast' track
Listen to an audio sample.
For more information on shows or obtaining a CD, check the web at: mariannebarlow.com
myspace.com/mariannebarlow
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February 11th, 2009
For years I have wanted to listen to the multitude of eclectic Internet radio stations on a place other than my computer. Today, this is now possible. Wunder Radio, Pandora, Wolfgang’s Vault, AOL Radio and other applications provide direct Internet streaming of great and often hard to find music direct to your iPod Touch, iPhone or other media device. Attach the device to your home stereo or speaker dock and you can tune in and listen to great mostly commercial free music from around the globe without head phones. Remember that radio station you loved at college, or that radio station you discovered on vacation in Italy or England? Look it up with Wunder Radio, bookmark it and you can listen anytime.
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January 7th, 2009
I recently acquired an iPod Touch (2nd Generation model) and have been putting it through the paces. I am very impressed by the functionality of the iPod Touch compared to the original iPods (now called the iPod Classic). The unit has Wi-Fi internet access, a built in Safari web browser, email capability, contact list, calendar, iTunes, wi-fi syncing capability, YouTube videos, ability to install applications (via the Apple app store). Internet access will work if you are on a Wi-Fi wireless network, for instance having a wireless router in your home or on Wi-Fi hot spots such as Starbucks, Tully’s, and Peet’s coffee, etc. I was able to configure the email application to check 3 different email accounts.
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January 2nd, 2009
We recently installed the latest version of the popular open source WordPress software to our site. You can now easily search for entries by typing in a keyword in the Search field on the top left and clicking Search. You can also now view entries by clicking on a particular category and/or by month.
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August 24th, 2008
The three day Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival held on August 23rd, 24th and 25th in San Francisco’s Golden Gate park was the first festival to have musical artists perform in the park at night (past the typical 6 p.m. noise curfew). Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers headlined at the ‘Lands End’ main stage on Saturday night with Steve Winwood sitting in and performing a few Traffic songs.
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