Monday, August 24, 2009

NEW! HappyHarryNET Toolbar

Having my own toolbar has interested me for years, and now I have one! The HappyHarryNET toolbar is useful, fun and feature-rich! Having PC problems? Look no further. You are 2-mouse clicks away from PC help videos, pick-of-the-litter software programs and even fun-filled online games!

I am very particular about toolbars because most of them are bloatware and riddled with adware, or worse yet, you must remove them using HijackThis. My toolbar installs in seconds, does not irritate your operating system, and contains no spyware. You can also look forward to my toolbar updates that I am constantly designing to make your toolbar experience pleasurable!

My toolbar offers easy access to PCTech’s entire website, including newsletters from 2007, 2008 and 2009. These newsletters alone provide a bevy of PC knowledge and links to great stuff including software programs, food recipes and jokes! With your participation, PCTech newsletters can be alive again. Of course, my toolbar provides access to all HappyHarryNET websites as well. And malware cleanup tools are just one click away, so there's no need to run around the net or Google for solutions.

Below is a graphic banner I will place on my website to access installing my toolbar. HappyHarryNET is still under construction undergoing upgrades including a new theme and improved CSS for faster page loading.



happyharry.net/toolbar

As you can see above, it is very easy to tell other users about my toolbar. You simply say, “Happy, Harry, dot, net, slash, toolbar”. Can't remember?

happyharry.net - "visit a website with REAL content"

Remember, my toolbar is a community toolbar. This means, it is YOUR toolbar. If there's something you would like to see in your toolbar, let me know. I am very accessible. Visit my website and click on CONTACT ME.

You can also reach me using:

+ Yahoo! email
+ Yahoo! Messenger
+ Paltalk Messenger
+ Windows Live Messenger
+ AOL Instant Messenger
+ Facebook
+ Twitter
+ YouTube
+ ning.com
+ HappyHarryNET Forums

Wishing you a wonderful remaining summer!

HHNET

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Website Overhauls

Finally got my home page re-themed and posted. The idea was to create additional space within the confines of my rounded-rectangle.

Also, I finally settled with a background color that I feel enhances both the black slate and the new custom yellow border.

Additionally, when I began using Fireworks I didn’t know how to center the website when there were Flash objects involved, so I kept things safe and adhered to flush left for the sites. It’s nice to be centered and have some scaling ability for both Mozilla and IE browsers. The CSS is optimized and pages should load faster. But right now, my main site URL is the only optimized page.

http://happyharry.net

HHNET

Monday, August 10, 2009

Recording Status

The table that I chose to use in the studio is made of a soft plastic material. It looks great and is very easy to clean. But, the first problem that arose was the microphone boom mount soon became loose, to the point I had to remove the mount altogether. So, whereas I am not a carpenter, I need to get a power saw and cut some small custom pieces of wood which I can bolt underneath and atop the table surface. This will provide a stable foundation to screw an additional mount that came with the microphone boom.

Meanwhile, it will be mid-August before I order the new vocal processor and 12-string guitar. For you shoppers these two items are: Voice Live 2 and Ibanez 2012. I have grown tired of hearing my own story. This is the part of my studio and recording plans which frustrate me the most, because everything has come to a screeching halt. Sure, I enjoy playing and practicing piano and continue learning how to use the MOTIF_XS, 01X mixer and LogicPro8 which will soon be replaced with LogicStudio_9. But, I am working on song number 1 and we're at the stage of recording vocals. Lots of vocals.

If you’re asking what is a vocal processor, or why do I need one?
The answer is simple. I am a one man show, and although many times when recording I will record my own vocal harmonies manually [that means that I will sing them myself] I have other musical ideas where having a quality harmonizer provides a bevy of ideas for vocal performances. This vocal processor has a MSRP of $1000 dollars so it comes as no surprise to have jaw-dropping vocal sounds, access to 6 effects blocks, USB connectivity for updates and programmability, harmony control via guitar, MIDI or MP3, up to 8 vocal harmonies or 4 doubled harmonies, separate doubling and harmony blocks, reverb, tap delay, uMod, T-Pain effect, megaphone, distortion, tone and pitch controls, plus the guitar effects block are totally separate from the microphone and harmonies. One of the features I really like is the onboard, computerized audio engineer. Adaptive EQ, gate, compression, de-esser, and digital microphone gain can all be applied to a microphone input with the touch of a button. Although I have learned how to apply EQ and compression using the onboard DSP in my 01X mixing console, it is a luxury to have such automated audio engineering to accompany my musical performances.

What does this mean at the end of the day? I can focus on my music and my singing, without the tedium of getting the microphone, “just right”. To add frosting to the cake, anytime I take my rig and play publicly, I take both my signature studio sounds and audio engineer with me. When I arrive at a new gig location, simply tap one button and the computer analyzes every aspect of the input channel and applies all of the necessary EQ, compression, de-essing, etc., without the usual need to manually set that up, or recall a previous setting that [still] is not correct for the current acoustics. This is a very nice vocal processor and I am very excited about it.

Does Working Hard Ring A Bell?

Recently, I heard a young person remark that they were tired of life, money and the opposite sex. They also stated the infamous phrase, “the best things in life don't come easy.” The truth being, many good things in life DO come easy once you understand some of the laws of nature. Still, being human beings, we can become stuck, feeling trapped, and wondering when are we going to get a break? When will our happiness be delivered?

I can personally attest to and give testimony that life challenges rarely cease until we have worked very hard to win the day. My life is riddled with a myriad of chronic pains, screaming headaches and baffling miseries, yet there is great satisfaction from working hard to overcome both my clinical hardships as well as to achieve victory accomplishing my goals. I find myself amidst these challenges in my dream to record an album of music. It takes hard work, very hard work, and steadfast focus to remain on track, to achieve the plan.

So when does this one-armed-bandit called Life pay back? When do you get that break? Where is the rainbow of happiness?

Perhaps, when something greater than yourself stirs your inner curiosity [and that alone] will motivate you so much, that getting sleep will then be your new challenge. In your passion about whatever it is that fascinates you, there is great happiness.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Music On Hold And Very Busy

Taking my dream of constructing a home recording studio and having those plans come to fruition have been nothing less than stellar. And on July 8, 2009 I began recording album song # 1. Whereas I wrote this song nearly 30 years ago, I chose to record this song in a linear fashion. So, it wasn’t long before it came time to record many vocal tracks which were planned to be appropriately processed through a high quality vocal processor. Unfortunately, there were delays in late June, including the purchase of the new vocal processor which led to my halting recording altogether. The plan was to begin recording this first song after I had purchased a new 12-string acoustic electric guitar and the vocal processor, but the timing didn’t flow as nicely as I had hoped. In any case, the framework for the song is recorded and I am now at the point where until these vocal tracks get recorded I am not prepared to continue. When I began recording, I promised myself that I would not get scattered and that I would maintain my focus on just the one song I am currently recording. Of course, I still play the MOTIF_XS for enjoyment and work on small projects using its built-in sequencer and mixing power.

As for busy. Well jee. I am actively updating and constructing replacement websites for all of my current sites. Many of these sites and pages are ten years old and are needing complete surgery to get ripped from their roots and placed into the new design shell and theme. Along the way, I had to learn a couple new web tricks and implementing them at first was not as easy as I had first imagined. But, designing on paper first always has its niggles by the time you get to actually coding it. And, although Web 2.0 helps, there are still browser-specific anomalies to contend with. All in all, this project is coming along nicely, but it keeps me very busy to the point where I have needed to all but eliminate my Xbox360 gaming time.

While breaking from web work, I have been spending time visiting my old stomping grounds at PCTech on Paltalk Messenger. I was recently invited back to be admin which I accepted. It was my feeling that “the kids” [that’s what I call the group] would enjoy having my personality and expertise, back in the room. I chose to burn a solid 32 hours rejoining the room and enjoy both old and new friends. However, my focus is not to manage assisting PC problems. I would much rather concentrate on  improving room morale with attitude adjustments and room entertainment. Already, there are enough admins to help fix PC problems. So, I felt my participating in a vocational capacity would be more beneficial to everyone than my simply dispensing help in a robotic fashion. Look forward to seeing you there.

HHNET