Hear My Plea

Call of the Sea

Dancing Guitar

I'll slowly keep adding a few more of my songs from my 6 albums.

Enjoy!

Incarnations of Immortality (1991) mp3

You can see the list of my songs here:

Old Static page of Synthetic Zen

Chord progression:

F#dim

Gdim

Adim

Aaug

Click the "Read More" link to view the lyrics...

Incarnations of Immortality (c) 1990-2005 by Hawke

There's a mistress of fate

Three into on they make

And they will not wait

for any Man...

Death rides on a horse

Pale, and steady of course

Collecting his souls

of Everyman...

There's a slave of destiny

Who cannot be set free

And follows the threads

of the Tapestry...

From the mists of Chaos

She does form her threads

To weave the pattern

of You and Me...

(Chorus)

(Chorus part 1:)

(Chord progression: E, F, G, A)

So you thought you could

do what you wanted,

Live life to the fullest

everything you wanted,

But when Thanatos

does arrive,

When you are no longer alive...

(Chorus part 2)

(Chord progression: Dmin, Cmin, Dmin, C#min, Cmin, G, Ab, A)

You will see how gaunt your soul is,

And you will never find solace.

You'll fall down

to Lucifer's old realm.

Where Satan rules,

You'll pay your dues.

(Chorus part 3)

(Chord Progression: D,A, C, G)

But the cycle

will continue

You'll be

Stuck.

You can run

if you want to

You're out of luck.

The flames will

keep on burning you

you'll be stuck.

(finale)

There's a mistress of fate

And no one can make

her

late.

I'm feeling really, really awful, so I'm trying to distract and prop myself up with music as usual.

As a sidetrack, I've decided to list the various instruments I play/own (with a few pics, I'll try to add more later, especially of the plethora of guitars), and a little background on each...

I apologize for the poor photo quality, these were shot only on my Treo 700p pda/phone.

I'm feeling really, really awful, so I'm trying to distract and prop myself up with music as usual.

As a sidetrack, I've decided to list the various instruments I play/own (with a few pics, I'll try to add more later, especially of the plethora of guitars), and a little background on each...

I apologize for the poor photo quality, these were shot only on my Treo 700p pda/phone.

Sitar. I just received this for my 37th b-day. Thanks Mom! See the earlier posting about the sitar for details on the quest and my history with it. Basically though I'm brand new to the Sitar.

Bolivian Charango (5 pair strings sort of guitar/ukelele)

Many thanks to my (now ex-) brother-in-law Kurt Christen for his giving me this great gift on his return from his LDS 2 year mission in Bolivia.

Fender Squier Stratocaster electric guitar with Floyd Rose locking bridge and other mods

Samick 4 string electric bass guitar

Ovation Celebrity Acoustic-Electric (round back) (Acquired 1

Classical Guitar - Yamaha CG-120 (Acquired December 1988)

African Djembe drum

I first learned about the Djembe when I was referred to a Shamanic "Healing Drummer", Toby Christensen ( http://www.healingdrummer.com ) to "get drummed on".

This was a remarkable experience (and repeated it over the years when he's in town), that I will detail in a separate posting some day. Anyhow, after some time I decided I wanted such an instrument, and so when he had a fresh shipment of handmade drums from Africa I was right on the list of requests to buy.

This is made from an actual Djembe tree and is the traditional goat skin. It's a PITA to keep tuned/tightened however.

I have used it in one live performance with the EWU Choir. I was going to do so with a second performance but I just couldn't get the rhythm down reliably so someone else used my drum at the last minute who had a lot better natural rhythm than I. I play this intermittently and definitely struggle with keeping a proper rhythm.

Didgeridoo. This was a gift from Karina my (soon to be ex) wife. She gave this to me as a Christmas

present last year? or the year before? knowing how much I like instruments of different types and cultures.

I've managed to get the hang of making the right sounds. But I still haven't managed to tackle the correct

"circular breathing" technique to make the sound sustainable.

Native American Wood Flutes

I acquired my first (cheap, crappie) flute in Salt Lake City, Utah arond 1991 at a Native American

shop in downtown SLC. It never played right, and turned out really to be more for decoration than playing

(what a rip off for $100.00). Some of my earlier recordings with this flute sound terrible. See

http://www.synthzen.com for all my albums and music freely available for download if you're interested.

Some of it is half way decent at least.

Years went by without me trying again to play the flute. Then around (I believe) 1999, an old

family therapist named Bill Hughes started learning how to make flutes, and gave me one.

This played somewhat better than my earlier one, but was still a bit "reedy" and not very dynamic. But

I was very grateful for his gift and began learning to play it. That flute is the 2nd from the top of the photos

of the flutes (and didgeridoo at the bottom) pictured above.

Below is a close up of this simple flute:

Then several years later (while I continued practicing on my own), Bill Hughes gave me two more flutes in the Fall of 2003. These were the two flutes hanging vertically in the above pic. He had come a long way in developing mastery in his flute making, and now taught workshops on them to people around the country, no longer doing his primary psychology practice. The flute on the far right he designed to intentionally be difficult to play. It requires having just the right amount of air pressure to get a clean sound. He did this to help me with

my lifelong practicing of meditation and breathing techniques. The one on the left he made easy to play.

It was intended for my eldest son, but unfortunately he lost interest and didn't really practice, so it ended up drifting back to me. I have since played with that flute both privately, and at live (small coffee shop type) performances and on my albums. It has a great dynamic range, beautiful haunting sound, without being to reedy. It is generally what I play the most, and am the most accomplished with for the flutes.

In 2007, he gave me another flute. The one at the top of the pic. It is a "double barrel" flute.

See the more detailed pic below:

This allows playing "normally" on one side with 6 holes, but also accompanying with a "drone like" note on the other side. This "drone tone" can be two notes, either the low-end of the flute range, or with more

air pressure, on the high end of it's scale. This causes a neat "two flutes" effect.

It is much harder to play, and the finger holes are not as easy to feel, but I am slowly mastering it and learning lots of subtle tricks to make the most out of it. I have not yet done any recordings with it, though I have performed live (small coffee-shop type) a few times with it.

That same day he gave me this wonderful gift, I also asked him to sell me one of his giant flutes.

He acquiesced at a very generous discount. This flute is about 3/4 the size of my didigeridoo!

It has a deep, rich, haunting sound that I absolute love! It takes a LOT of wind to blow this instrument, and my various lung impairments make it a challenge, but I am getting better and better with it.

Bill Hughes is now recognized by much/most/all? of the Native American Community in the Utah (and greater?) area as a mast craftsman with his flute work. he now has workshops he gives around the county and offers DVDs on how to make them yourself. (I need to find that url again and post it and get the DVD myself ASAP).

Below is a closeup of this large flute:

Note the work of the duck as the "bird" and also note that the blow hole is on the side rather than the end of the instrument. Note also Hugh's sigil engraved in the side as well.

I have not yet made any recordings with this flute (though I plan to very soon), though I have had some live performances with it (coffee shop type).

My eternal heartfelt thanks to Bill Hughes for all his years of kindness, insight and guidance, as well as his wonderful gifts!

Harmonica (regular "C"):

  16 key chromatic Harmonica:

Casio Privia PX-310 electronic keyoard

Yamaha Keyboard:

The “World Music” segments include Celtic, Gaelic, Japanese, Chinese, Inuit, Native American, South American, African, Middle-eastern, Finnish, Russian, Indian, Australian Aborigine, Pakastani, Turkish, Medieval, Baroque, and other diverse music.

The “Dead Can Dance” music segment includes any of the hundreds of records music and vocal pieces from the group or Lisa Gerrard with others.

The “Select Film Soundtracks” music segment includes pieces you will usually never get to hear on any of the “classical” or “popular” radio stations, including: Braveheart, Last of the Mohicans, Lord of the Rings, Matrix, Reloaded, Revolutions, Animatrix, Ultimate Matrix, Conan the Barbarian, Dragonheart, Excalibur, Brahm Stoker's Dracula, Gladiator, Baraka, etc.

The “Synthetic Zen” music segment includes pieces from Enigma, Enya, Roger Waters, myself, Kitaro, Michael Hedges, Paul Oakenfold, and others.

Information

This day in history

Zenthesis

Tech Talk with Hawke

Internet Weather report

Infinidigitum

The “This Day in History” subcategory is a quick listing of events on the day (or week) of the show as listed on The History Channel's website, and other history related websites, sometimes just a quick “bullet” list, and other times with a little more brief detail.

The “Zenthesis” subcategory is a short reading or quotation from such sources ass Aristotle, Descarte, Socrates, Sophocles, Plato, Jean Baudrillard, Mahatma Gandhi, Arthur Schopenhauer, Aquinas, The Tao (Dao), Lao Tzu, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Goethe, Kant, Kung-fu Tzu (Confucius), Quine, Han Fei Tzu (Legalism), Sun tzu (The Art of War), I Ching, Buddhism Without Beliefs, Robert Aitken, J.R.R. Tolkien, Sartre, Sellars, Nozick, the list is ever growing...

The “Internet Weather Report” segment is a quick listing of the current reports from the

SANS Institute Internet Storm report and Top 10 current Internet Attacks list.

The “Tech Talk with Hawke” segment covers technology of the day for both the technology geeks, and the “Average Joe” just trying to makes heads or tails of the new innovations of the 21st century. Recent example topics discussed include: How to deal with Spam/UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email); Wifi wireless networking; VPN (Virtual Private Networking); Hackers, Hacking, Innovators, Computer Criminals, and Script-Kiddies; Spyware, Adware, Malware; Viruses, Worms, & Trojans.

“Infinidigitum” (I'm still trying to come up with a more apropos name, I've also considered “The Electronic Frontier” “Report from the Cyber Rights War” and others. I'm wide open for suggestions): Technology news impacting your Civil Rights, Privacy, and Security. Keeping the public informed about technology, privacy, and security issues threatening civil rights and technology. Recent example topics I've discussed include: MGM vs. Grokster and the Supreme Court Rulings and the chilling effect on innovation; The Digital Broadcast Flag; Electronic Voting Machines.

Other names for the Electronic Civil rights section have included: The Virtual Frontier: News and commentary from the Electronic Frontier, The Digital World, The Cyber Universe, The Cyberverse, Privacy Battleground, and the Technology and Civil Rights War.

Sources for Infinidigitum, Tech Talk with Hawke, and Internet Weather Report include, but not limited to:

EFF.org (Electronic Frontier Foundation)

Slashdot

Wired.com

BBC

CNN.com

MSNBC.com

FoxNews.com

Drudgereport.com

Wall Street Journal

New York Times

Washington Post

This day in History from Historychannel.com

SANS Internet Storm Center Weather report & Top 10 current attacks

Scifi.com

Merp.com

OtherHands.com

GuildCompanion.com

The list goes on extensively

Sample show schedule (this varies sometimes from show to show just for fun ;) ):

00:00 – 00:05 Show Introduction with editorial disclaimer

00:05 – 00:07 This day in history

00:07– 00:10 Reading and/or quote

00:10 – 00:30 World Music, Dead Can Dance, Synthetic Zen

00:30 – 00:34 PSA, STID, DJ Promos, Sponsors

00:34 – 00:35 Internet Weather Report

00:35 – 00:45 Tech Talk with Hawke

00:45 – 00:58 World Music, Dead Can Dance, Synthetic Zen

00:58 – 01:00 STID, PSA

01:00 – 01:30 World Music, Dead Can Dance, Synthetic Zen

01:30 – 01:35 PSA, STID, DJ Promos, Sponsors

01:35 – 01:45 Infinidigitum, Technology and Civil Rights

01:45 – 01:58 World Music, Dead Can Dance, Synthetic Zen

01:58 – 02:00 Show closing and farewell and show hand-off to next show

It might also be useful to know some of my background and qualifications related to the content of The Synthetic Zen show.

CLICK THE "READ MORE" LINK to read the rest of this article and view the attached poll.

I have worked in many industries including: automotive, professional photography and fashion, theater, medical, educational/instructional, security, technology, information security, mining, construction, ranching, food services, and many others. I started working my first paying job at nine years old at a mining camp, as a general laborer, helping with surveying, chopping wood, washing dishes, and more. Over the years I had manual labor jobs including lumber jacking, mining, surface blasting, road construction, heavy machinery operator, heavy construction laborer, surveyor, delivery driver, convention & events organizer, labor crew foreman, ranch hand, horse trainee/trainer, and many others until I was about 17/18. Then I worked as an automotive technician speciliazing in automotive computer, electrical, emissions and performance systems. I have also over the years worked as a certified nurses aide, emergency room prep tech, emergency medical technician trainee, security guard (armed and unarmed), body guard, habilitation therapist, professional commercial photographer, lab technician, server (waiter), store clerk, cashier, apartments and office buildings maintenance worker (and later manager), the list goes on and on...

During this whole time I continue working in the technology industry since 1981 starting out programming inventory and accounting software when i was 11. I've worked building over 10,000 computers with my own hands, and surpervised the building of many others by others, I've installed hundreds if not thousands of networks, administrated desktops, servers, mid-range servers, and mainframes, working in just about every facet of the computer and information technology industries possible. I have had my some of my published and other works re-republished and adapted by some of the largest technology and government organizations in the US and internationally.

In later years, I was certified through a program sponsored by the NSA and FBI for Information Security. I have worked as a “grunt” and as top level executive and business owner, working my way from the bottom to the top in many industries and companies, so I have a broad range of experience in relating with other's challenges and injustices. Since retiring, I'm now working toward becoming a Recreational & Music therapist to work with children who have learning, emotional, disabilities and challenges.

The above give you and idea of the "Synthetic" part

Below is more the music and "zen" part"...

I have been playing music since 1979, starting with piano and keyboard, in the mid-80s i started playing (mostly Blues) harmonica and chromatic harmonica, then in 1989 picking up guitar and bass then teaching in the 90's. I started playing Native American wood flutes in 1999, and started learning the African Djembe drum in 2005. I started composing electronic (computer-generated) music in 1992.

I have been broadcasting an online show 2-3 times per week for an Internet Radio station called NEKKID Radio (www.nekkidradio.com) since February 2004. This has helped me in slowly fleshing out what kind of show I wanted to do, and help towards developing some broadcasting skills.

I have been involved in theater and video as an actor and musician on and off most of my life, and that has helped with developing a stronger stage and on-air “presence”.

I have a natural keen interest in trying to understand all aspects of a topic.

I have studied martial arts (Kung fu (4 styles) and Aikido) since 1974, and this has without a doubt been a key part of my interest and studying of East Asian history, culture, language, spiritualism, and philosophy.

Below are some of my favorite quotes that I try (and frequently fail, but try, try again) to live by:

"Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later." -Brook's Law

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." -Mahatma Gandhi

"All truth passes through 3 stages. 1st it is ridiculed. 2nd it is violently opposed. 3rd it is accepted as being self evident." -Arthur Schopenhauer

"If a man does his best, what else is there?" -General George S. Patton, US Army

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." -Aristotle

"Rather fail with honor than succeed with fraud." -Sophocles

"The only thing I know is that I know nothing" -Socrates

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." -Plato

"Flexibility masters hardness." -The Tao (aka. Dao)

"Though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been associated with long delays." -Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

"May you live in interesting times." -Ancient Chinese Curse

"A monk asked Chao-chou, Has the dog Buddha nature or not? Chao-chou said, Mu. "-Wu-Men Kuan "The Gateless Barrier" (Zen koan)

"An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger." -Kung Fu Tzu (aka Confucius)

"Those who know, do not say. Those who say, do not know." -Lao Tzu ("Father of Taoism")

"...I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday...that's no way to treat an expensive musical instrument!" --Meat Loaf

"Yes, of course. Who has time? Who has time? But then if we never TAKE time, how can we ever HAVE time? -The Merovingian (The Matrix Reloaded)

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." -Thomas Jefferson

"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have ... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases." --Thomas Jefferson

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin (or was it Thomas Jefferson?)

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination

encircles the world." -Albert Einstein

All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." - Goethe

_________________

Dr Z and the Synthetic Zen Show

http://www.thesyntheticzenshow.com

CS, SANS-GCIH, MCSE, MCP+I, SCSA, CNA

Computer Scientist - Systems Engineer, Software Developer, & Information Security Specialist.

(Retired).

Open-source/Open-thought advocate

Just click the Downloads section on the left hand navigation of the site: http://www.synthzen.com, then go to the Music section, and then the Album: Zenthetic section to download this mp3.

Please feel free to give critique, praise, feedback, what have you, but most of all, enjoy. ;-)

This piece was my first experiment with "ambient" music using computer tools rather than some of my much earlier experiments in the early 90's using analog equipment (Muses of the Early Days album, among others).

I rather enjoy this piece myself, more than a number of my other pieces. ;-)

I haven't played in front of a live audience (for the fun of it) since the very late 80's earliest 90's at The Java Jive in Sugarhouse (Salt Lake City), Utah.

I was waiting for my ASL (American Sign Language) Study group to show up (I am usually early on Thursdays), so there was a guitar lying around and I started playing it for the fun of it. It's an old beat guitar with dirty, dead, worn out strings and a neck too small for my "ham hands". But I was enjoying playing (quietly I thought) anyway.

Then the manager came up and asked if I'd like to add the amp! I became embarrassed and put the guitar away, but he asked if I'd be interested in coming to jam regularly.

We talked for a while and somehow I ended up agreeing (pleasantly surprised) to come jam just before ASL Study group each week.

So, starting Thursday November 2nd, 2006, I will be performing live from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm every week at Kafka's Coffe Shop.

I'll be mostly playing my guitar and Native American Wood Flute, but I may over time, if I become less shy, break out the keyboard, didgeridoo (if I can get the hang of the circular breathing trick), Djembe African drum, harmonica, bass guitar, and maybe even (gasp!) sing.

Anyhow if you're at all interested here's the link to Kafka Coffee house website ( http://www.kafkacoffee.com/ ) with directions to the location.

I'll be there even if no one else is. ;-)

This should be fun!

-Hawke

If you want to hear it while you read the lyrics, click this link to listen to it:

Streetwalkin' (rough recording)

;-P

WARNING: Be sure to don peril sensitive listening devices before hearing. I'm a pretty poor singer unfortunately, and I haven't practiced this piece in a long time. But I hope that I get the gist across at least. I think with a good musician this would be a nice song.

Click the "Read more" link to view the lyrics...

Streetwalkin' (c) 1992-2005 by Hawke

My eyes climb

Through the craggy rifts and valleys,

towers and highways

of her weather-beaten face.

My heart feels for

the deep scars and furrows

welts and bruises

of her hammered grace.

Oh, don't you see?

Oh, won't you feel?

They're everywhere,

but invisible,

to the cold eyes

staying within

themselves.

The selfish lives

staining their own souls.

Seeing only the narrow point

of their own goals.

Ignoring the other's please for kindness,

And trampling

yet another

under.

(Chorus)

Oh, can't you see?

Oh, won't you feel?

Please let me have the strength,

not to close my heart.

I feel, uncertain, like many

of what exactly is my part.

(/end chorus)

See them limp along

hand holding

grubby child's hand.

Calling out to anyone,

just to help them stand.

One cowers in a corner

shelter made of plastic.

But there still is power

though calloused under

many layers of bootprints

on face and back.

They still survive,

just a little longer.

Just a little longer.

(back to chorus)

A BMW drives on by

drivers nose pointing to the sky.

She doesn't let herself see

the little girl sitting on the curb,

who does cry.

Who does cry?

Missing her parents

who are no longer

around.

Gunned down.

In the alley way

just because they had a jacket

that some coked out wacko

wanted to sell.

(back to chorus)

Dark clouds gather

and empty their deluge.

Washing away

the filth and sundry sewage.

The little girl looks up,

tears mingling with rain.

She's closing her heart,

so she won't feel the pain.

Then someone blocks her view

of the overcast sky,

an older bearded man,

with a smile very wry.

She sees his tattered cuffs

and sees the compassion,

even through the gruff.

He extends his hand,

out to her.

And thus slows down

the scarring and closing

caused by another

dirty town.

(Finale)

Oh, don't you see?

Oh, won't you feel?

Please let me have the strength,

not to close my heart.

I feel, uncertain like many,

of what exactly is my part?

What can I do, to help stop the pain?

Where do I turn,

to stop the drain

of all the souls

down the gutter

with that gangrenous rain?

Please let me

have the strength

not to close my heart.

I feel uncertain, like many

of what exactly is my part.

My part, my part, my part.

What is my part?"