2012

In 2012 a lot of things happened, as I would expect most people could claim.

However, I won't bore you with details. Besides, I can't remember all of them anyway. I will just note a few of the highlights, good and bad.

At the beginning of 2012, I had my new speakers from the previous 2011 Christmas. I received my Alesis M1 Active MK2 monitors as a present from my parents. You can see them in the picture to the left. I had no where to put them at first, so I just used the top of this dresser for a platform. I started learning how to use them from the community at www.guitarmasterclass.net.

I would soon change my setup with the purchase of a desk. I actually changed it twice. First, I was just trying to be compact. Then I learned from a pro that the brick wall would cause the bass frequencies to sound different on one side. (I was in the added in part of the house.)

My second choice of the setup was much classier, and better for the frequencies - right there facing the corner. You can see the HD video of the room as it looked in the photo the right here.

In February, I conceived the idea for a solo project called Analyzed Within. It would later become a collaboration, a band in the making, with my cousin as the vocalist. You can watch the story in this cool video.

Analyzed Within is basically a Christian Progressive Metal project. I come from different approaches in the metal and hard rock spotlight. I like bands such as, RED, Demon Hunter, Hope For The Dying, Becoming The Archetype, As I Lay Dying, and Days Of Confusion. So you could expect a mixture. We are still waiting to release the single, "Living in the Last Days."

In April, I purchased my first DSLR - a Canon T3i with an 18-55 mm lens. I had problems with it so I had to send it back and get a replacement. Later that year, I would also learn I had purchased too slow of a memory card. So, I would later purchase a $70 card at Bedford's Camera and Video.

In May, my life changed forever and I moved. I started a new chapter in my life.

In July, I went to see Tim Hawkins with my brother. Tim is a Christian comedian and is very funny! You should check him out at www.timhawkins.net.

I have all his DVDs and CDs. "If you can't laugh at yourself, laugh at other people."


For Halloween, I dressed myself in toilet paper and played an original song.


And lastly, for Christmas I covered "Mary, Did You Know?" in my own hard rock style.



And you can find many more details of my 2012 in this blog, and my two YouTube channels, TheFireball100 and Analyzed Within.

Thanks for reading this entry.
-Brandon Burch

Camera replaced

I finally got a replacement for my Canon T3i. Right out of the box, using the battery I had purchased previously, the camera turned on and off 5 times in a row as supposed to. The first T3i did not even turn on the first time I switched it to ON (with a fresh full battery). So, I have now a working camera with two batteries, and my 32 GB SD card I bought in the original transaction. I'm a happy camper now. No more messing with a faulty camera. Sad it had to happen with my first DSLR, but it's over now. ;)

Dud Camera

Besides having moved with the family, I had a twist in my life. I ordered a Canon T3i on the 23^rd of April from Amazon.com. It was my first DSLR. Bottom line is I got a faulty camera. I’m sadly not surprised. Things like this happen to me in life. What is God trying to teach me? :D Tribulation really does bring about patience. That’s not to say I’m fine with the situation. I find myself having a hard time dealing with this stuff. It’s really annoying when you get a bad camera. I did send the camera back on the 16^th of May. However, I have a potentially funny story to tell concerning it, found in the third paragraph. But before I tell the story, I would like to say I will not be posting a Youtube video after all on this adventure. There are too many gaps in this story to be able to document the story. I will just keep this as a blog, unless I get enough people wanting to see it.

The day I received my camera in the mail, or rather the day I chased it down at my local post office (scheduled to be mailed to my house the next day), I videoed my adventure. I made a commentary as I left my room and drove the mile and a half to the post office. I made an unboxing video and read in the book I needed to fully charge my battery before using. I did so. I videoed my turning the T3i on for the very first time. It did not come on. :( It only came on sometimes. I continued to fiddle with the camera for days before finally ordering a second battery. But it turned out not be the battery. After very recently describing my ordeal to an associate of Bedford Camera & Video, it was confirmed the problem was the camera.

Since my dwelling did not have internet access, I went to the library to print out labels for returning the camera. I went to the post office to mail my package. While discussing mailing options with the clerk, a ceiling fan blew my address label between two unmovable desks. The crack the paper went between was very narrow, making it nearly impossible to retrieve. I had to go back to the library to print another label. Only when I arrived, I was informed they were having technical difficulties with the internet connection. Nearly 10 minutes passed while I waited for a connection, which seemed close to forever. I did make it back to the post office. You can be sure I held on to that address label. ;) It’s just one of the days, I said to myself. Hey, at least the post office and library were within a mile of each other.

Now the hard part will be waiting for a replacement from Amazon. It’s not their fault, really, just a factory fault. I just happen to be the lucky soul to get a dud camera.

Brandon :)

Been trying out new camera

Just as the title says, I have been trying out my new camera. Not much today at all though. I have been sleeping most of the day. I am catching on sleep I missed before my overnight shift the previous night. I should be better prepared for the 10 pm - 7 pm shift this time. Man, God really is teaching me something here - I just know it. I have barely started, but I can feel him leading me somewhere with this. He's totally in the "storm." I say storm because the body feels that with the "sleep shock." haha. It all depends on your attitude. I can do all things through Christ. I just have to want to. I am in my own unique situation, as everyone on this earth is, and I must make the best of it. I just woke up 30 minutes ago and I am feeling alright. By the time my shift rolls around I will be spiff!

I will eventually get around to editing my documented video adventure of getting my new camera. I just need to find out how resolve the story. It is a cool camera. I have taken cool pictures and one really neat video with Jordan. He is my cameraman in this video:

Ordered the T3i

Projected arrival date: Friday, April 27.



BGM by Nolly

Soon to order HD Cam

If the Lord wills and the creek don't rise, I am going to order my Canon T3i with the 18-55 mm lens Monday morning. :) I plan on making a video of my ordering it. I would make that tomorrow's Analyzed Within video, but I don't want to order early. I get a text to let me know what my paycheck is going to be. I am still not sure what to make tomorrow's video about. I upload videos every Saturday on that new channel. I guess it doesn't always have to be guitar playing. I don't always have a project to share, because I work on different stuff. Hey! I just had an idea! What if I make a video on how to become a successful guitar player? Or maybe, how I progressed? There are a lot of people who watch my Three Year Guitar Evolution and wonder how I did it. Yes, I think I shall make a video on how I did it. I want to tell that story anyway. :)

By the way, when I reach 101 subscribers on my Analyzed Within channel, I will make a video that following Saturday about the meaning of that artist name. It has a spiritual application. I say 101 because I am subscribed to myself with my Fireball channel. That's what the other big channels do. Maybe to identify with both channels?

Updates

Just restrung my Drop B guitar. Working on a playing a cover of Demon Hunter's "One Thousand Apologies." That's a great ballad by them. Yes, it's in Drop B. I'm anxious to do a dual cover of RED's songs "Feed the Machine" and "Faceless." I want to do one live take, one after the other. I will switch from my Drop A guitar to my Drop B guitar for the appropriate song tunings. I really wanted to wait until I get an HD camera. I'm not sure if I can wait that long. I am saving up for a Canon T3i. I am almost there. I think I can reach this amount in a few months if all goes well, budget wise. My latest video is a short tutorial on how my setup is wired. I was not ready to show anything new, as far as compositions go, and so I cooked up that video for you. I am finalizing my song "Surge" and will hopefully get it mixed and mastered soon. That may set me back further from the T3i though. My subscriptions haven't been growing as of late for my new artist channel. I'm guessing it's just not drawing attention yet. Maybe when I get Surge complete, I can promote the video and people will see my channel. Again, costs money. Perhaps people will support me though. ;)

By the way, I don't seem to be sore from my 3.6 mile walk I took yesterday. :)

haha. Can you count how many times I said "I" in my first paragraph?

Brandon