My Latest Thoughts

CD Release Party - Nov 25th, 6:45pm @ Annex Live

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:02:45 -0400

Hey Toronto! My CD is nearing completion and you are all invited! Bring your friends, significant other, and even your mother!

Full band. NO COVER. Free hugs!!

Sunday November 25th, 2012.
Doors: 6:45pm
Show: 7:00-9:00pm

@ ANNEX LIVE
296 Brunswick Ave. (@ Bloor St West)

Some gratuitous music studio shots.

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 15:45:14 -0400

Some gratuitous music studio shots.

Out of Time

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:17:47 -0400

Your hands push me forward but I pull away
While my feet try to run from yesterday
I’m always stepping out of time
I’m tripping and falling, sometimes behind
You can never stand still

At times I find myself ahead for once
But then it seems I miss out on the fun
‘Cause my mind is always on overdrive
Yet somehow I leave my heart behind
You, I’m counting on you

You’re the only constant thing I know
Always moving and on the go
You stay on track
And never look back again

While I’m in a tug-of-war
With myself. And chasing what came before
And so I find
I’m out of time again

I’m always stepping out of time
No matter how you try to keep me in line
You, I’m counting on you

— Noella Choi

B-Sides

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 11:09:00 -0400

I wrote this song a while back, and even though I like it, it just doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the songs on the EP. I haven’t quite decided whether or not to record a fuller, more arranged demo version and put it up on Soundcloud or Bandcamp and offer it just as a free download. Until then, here is a one take version with just acoustic guitar. This is the first time I tried recording with the Aura Spectrum DI to add some fullness to the guitar sound.

If You Want Me (Original Song) ~ Noella Choi

Had a great time visiting my friend down in Nashville. I really...

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 13:08:00 -0400

Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge

Parthenon, Centennial Park

Grand Ole Opry

Casey James

Rascal Flatts

Country Music Hall of Fame

Country Music Hall of Fame

Broadway

Country Music Hall of Fame

Elvis' Car

Had a great time visiting my friend down in Nashville. I really took to playing the part of tourist to my friend’s annoyance. I bought boots and a hat, visited the Grand Ole Opry, Bluebird Café, music row, went house hunting, had 3 hot chocolates within 3 hours at Fido in Hillsborough Village (the guy behind the counter was really close to cutting me off from getting more.)

I also went to pretty much every music store in town. You MUST go to Gruhn Guitars. MUST! The owner of Cotten Music was really nice too. If you’re an electric guitar guy, then I suggest Rock Block, which was the one place I found that did not have country music blaring from their stereo system. They were actually tuned o Jazz when I was there, and that was a nice break for my ears.

Really very sad that the trip is over. I’d definitely go back. =)

“As musicians, we only know all too well that there is no...

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:56:14 -0400

“As musicians, we only know all too well that there is no such thing as good timing.”

Being a musician can be a lonely existence

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:51:35 -0400

I often talk about this with a good friend. He knows all too well about the sacrifices he has made in order to succeed, and he has. But at the end of the day, how happy is he when all he does is work pretty much all day and only goes home to sleep? And forget about any semblance of a normal relationship! What girl can handle those crazy hours?

You have to sacrifice a lot—friends, family, social life. It’s not for everyone.

That being said, I still continue to do my thing. The “alone” factor probably helped me write a number of songs. I realized a long time ago that I could never be one of those people with their names in the big lights. There are things in my life that I can’t give up or give into. Because to make it, you have to do whatever it takes no matter what and you often have to do it alone.

The question is whether the sacrifices are worth it.

My love-hate relationship with Social Media

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 11:03:27 -0400

Can’t live with it. Can’t live without it. Social media is a necessary evil. Everyone and their moms and kids are on facebook. Kudos to those of you who have resisted. I know that I’m so integrated to the online culture that it’ll be impossible to get away from it.

On the one hand, it’s great for keeping in contact with people, especially if they are in another town or country. On the other, the TMI oversharing factor. I am guilty of doing that too. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I had another cupcake and here’s a picture of it on instagram. And I’m going to cross post that to FB and Twitter! Do you really care??

But here’s the thing, for a singer-songwriter-photographer-designer hybrid person like me, it’s an important tool. Posting pictures from photo shoots or behind the scenes or design project samples is part of marketing myself.

And especially as a singer trying to get her material out to people, it’s ever so important to have fresh content constantly even if the updates are not music specific. People want to know that I am real person and not a “Noella-bot.” And you have to reply to Twitter @’s in a timely fashion.

It also can’t be one sided. You can’t just be putting out content only. You have to take the time to read other people’s posts and add your 2 cents. It’s about creating a conversation and engaging people so they want to know more about you.

So here’s my social media plug:
FOLLOW ME on TWITTER: @noellachoi
STALK ME on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/StoriesByNoellaChoi

FREE TIMES CAFE—RECAP I had a great time playing at Free Times...

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:33:00 -0400

FREE TIMES CAFE—RECAP

I had a great time playing at Free Times Cafe. There were a few faces I did not expect to see. It was really nice to play pretty much all original songs, some older ones and some really new songs which I’ve been dying to play for more than just my neighbours through my walls.

As I’m writing this, I’m preparing to do some more recording for the EP. I’m hoping it’ll all be done and wrapped up by September. If it doesn’t, you can help me bug my Producer friend. (heehee)

Here are a couple video of new songs from the show. Thank you so much for supporting my love of music. =)

Confessions of a Hot Chocaholic

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 22:10:00 -0400

It’s no secret that I love hot chocolate and other chocolate related drinks. Chocolate Martini? Yes please! I’ve been trying different brands at home trying to find my favourite one. So far, I’ve tried 7 different brands:

Ghirardelli (overrated)
Camino (nice packaging)
Silly Cow (tasty!)
President’s Choice Sipping Chocolate (also tasty!)
Niederegger Marzipan (not a fan of the Marzipan with the Hot Chocolate, but when I add Baileys to it, it’s divine!)
Cows (too bad we don’t have it here in Toronto =( )
Trader Joe’s Sipping Chocolate (my friend sent me some one Christmas and I loved it. Again, no Trader Joe’s here in Canada)

I’ve exhausted the offerings from my local grocery store. I still haven’t found the perfect one yet. I have a William Sonoma sitting on my counter right now which I will be trying next. If you have any recommendations on brands and where to get them, let me know! I do prefer a milk chocolate to a dark chocolate.

Play me, I’m yours. I love this. There are 41 pianos...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:09:00 -0400

Play me, I’m yours.

I love this. There are 41 pianos (representing the 41 different countries participating in the toronto 2015 Pan Am Games) all around Toronto. And it’s awesome seeing people getting creative, showing off their skills or just plain have fun. I wish they could leave these pianos there. Sadly, it ends July 31. Here are a few photos I took on a Saturday afternoon.

More info here: http://www.streetpianos.ca

Welcome to my studio! I have what you would call a project...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:07:00 -0400

Welcome to my studio!

I have what you would call a project studio in my home. I did most of the recording to my upcoming EP here so far. And really, I don’t have much in terms of equipment and gear.

The set up:

Audio Technica AT-4033a Condenser Microphone
Yamaha Motif 7 Keyboard
Apogee Duet 2 Audio Interface
Martin DCME Acoustic Guitar
Gibson J-45 Acoustic Guitar
MOTU Midi Timepiece Interface
Logic Pro
Ozone 4 Logic Plug-in from Izotope

And that’s pretty much it. I plug the mic into Duet, sing or play my acoustic and record it directly into Logic. I program using the various sounds in the Logic suite, play with plug-ins, eqing, reverbs, delay etc… I mean, my music isn’t anything too crazy to begin with. My main focus is my voice and acoustic guitar. I want them to sound great.

It’s not the amount of gear you have, it’s what you can do with it. I try to squeeze as much as I can out of what I have. I know that it can’t compare to getting it done by pros in a fancy well equipped studio. But most of us are on a really tight budget and we have to make do.

But really, the most important thing of all is that you have to use your ears.

I was never formally trained in recording. I’ve done my share or reading and listening though. I know what I want things to sound like, and I try very hard to achieve that sound I want.

So that’s it. My humble little studio space.

At what point do you give up or give in?

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:35:51 -0400

I’m not the type to give up so easily—on anything. It probably doesn’t help that I’m a perfectionist and I like to follow through as much as I can while having things as close as possible to what I want. And if there’s a problem or obstacle, I see it as a challenge. Even with the most mundane of things like cooking a perfect poached egg in the microwave, a big check in the accomplished column. No joke!

The more I’m told it’s impossible, the more I want to prove that it’s doable. But sometimes, this leads me to hanging on to things for far too long. I don’t really know how or when to let go. It’s not about winning or losing. I just feel incomplete and I end up with crazy thoughts driving me insane.

Like right now at this very moment, there are a couple things worming its way in my head and it’s causing insomnia. Oh sleep, where are you???

Lines and boxes. Colouring inside and out.

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 17:48:02 -0400

A few years ago as I was graduating, our instructor gave everyone a few parting words. He said to me that I needed to learn to colour inside the lines once in a while.

At that time, I didn’t really know what he meant. I didn’t think my work or ideas were all that crazy. In fact, I thought they were quite the opposite. It wasn’t really my ideas he was talking about, it was me as a person.

I guess I have never really quite fit neatly into a box. I seem to constantly spill over into other spaces and going in all sorts of direction. Maybe it’s because I need some sort of stimulation constantly, and maybe I’m a little bit ADD (and OCD). The moment I stop, I get bored and need to find something—anything to do!

This “anything” is probably why I do music and photography and design. And it’s probably also why I do many things on my own. I don’t have the patience to wait for when others are free. I will go on my own and sit in a coffee shop, walk around the city, shop, see a movie, dine, or whatever I happen to feel like doing.

Some people may see me as brave and some may feel sad for me because I’m alone. But there is a difference. I’m not lonely; I enjoy being on my own. And you’d be amaze by the interesting people you might happen to meet along the way!

I still don’t know what it means to colours inside the lines. Who created these lines in the first place and why do we have to stay within them? No, I’m just going to stay me.

Hmm.. what should I do tonight?

A Self Portrait. I’m the queen of diamonds, but a fool at...

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:26:00 -0400

A Self Portrait.

I’m the queen of diamonds, but a fool at heart.
I can laugh and cry in the same breath.
I’m gracefully klutzy
And an old soul with a youthful outlook.

I care more than you will ever know.
I need more than I will ever show.
I feel everything exponentially more without a middle ground.
I undercut bad situations with humour.

I hate my speaking voice, but I love to sing.
I always want to be going forward, but feel I’m standing still.
I’m in games but don’t play.
I make my own rules.

I’m simply complicated.

I’m easy to talk to, but hard to get to know.
I have many friends, but few are close
Because I take time but most don’t have the patience.

I am a contradiction.

Less is more

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:21:14 -0400

Last night, I had a discussion about music arrangement and approaches to songwriting. Everybody has their own styles and ways of doing it. Oftentimes, I would have the melody and music but no lyrics. But I have found that when I do write both concurrently, those almost always sound better. Or rather, I’d perform them better because I feel a stronger connection between the words and music.

Mark, who is arranging and producing one of my songs, would hear the entire thing in his head complete with all the parts already formed.

Lately, I’ve been going the “less is more” approach. And according to Mark, it’s a little more experimental. While I do hear the groove and instrumentation of the song in my head, I often come up with parts as I’m actually arranging.

Because I often write with a guitar, I would first lay down that part and the lead vocals. Then I would build the song around it little by little. Maybe some keys, maybe lots of background vocals. I want everything to have a place and to support and enhance each other. It is way too easy to jam pack a lot into a song!

The end result isn’t anything too crazy or over complicated. I’m still very simple after all. And for now, simplicity is what I’m after.

I'm not perfect, and that's perfectly okay

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 13:51:00 -0400

I made a conscious decision long ago that I will not use any auto-tune on my vocals. If I’m badly out of tune, I’ll just sing the line again. Nowadays, music is saturated with it. Everyone uses it to make their vocals sound “perfect.” And it’s all too perfect if you ask me.

It’s the same reason why I can’t listen to any songs from “Glee” and why I can’t stand half the songs from a band that I really loved, “Fun.” So much comping and over-usage of auto-tuning strips all the rawness and intricacies out of the performances.

And if you listen to most songs nowadays, you can clearly hear where the lines were spliced together. Breathing and breath spaces doesn’t matter anymore. Well, guess what? IT DOES!! It’s part of the phrasing. It’s part of the expression. It ALL matters.

To date, except for 2 songs, I’ve recorded and comped all my own vocals. Usually, I’d sing the song through a few times and then take the best phrases. I don’t do micro-comping, like word by word. Perfect performances of each word linked together do not make for a perfect performance. And for sure, you will hear me go flat or sharp in places and I’m okay with that, even for a perfectionist like me.

I mean, I wrote these songs so I better be able to sing them live without the aid of live auto-tuning. And that’s why I love looking for raw acoustic performances online. That’s when you know and you can feel everything the artist is putting forth.

I leave you with the fantabulous duo.

And…. song plug! ;P

The love of my life has always been music. It has always moved...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:23:17 -0400

The love of my life has always been music.

It has always moved me, even before I could speak. Just ask my dad. Apparently, as a baby, every time I heard a song, I would ask to be let down on the ground so that I can dance to beat. And as soon as I could talk… singing was just a natural thing of every day life.

Through everything - all the ups and downs, music has been the one constant thing in life. When I’m happy and especially when I’m sad, I run and grab my guitar and would just start playing. Learning a new cover or writing songs is my a way of de-stressing. I’ve come to think of my Gibson as my boyfriend. It’s the one thing I know I can count on no matter what.

Everything relationship has its problems.

For a few years there though, we had some relationship issues. At that time, I was in a band and to make the long story short, it had gotten to a point where I wasn’t happy with what I was doing musically anymore. Music and I needed time away from each other for a little while.

In those 5 years or so, I never really stopped singing. I just sort of retreated a bit. Am I’m so glad I did! That semi time away has rejuvenated me and I feel like I’m ready to get right back into the thick of things. This year, I’m making my vows.

Me and Spike and the love of my life.

Making this record has been a really freeing experience. Like,...

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 17:05:00 -0400

Making this record has been a really freeing experience. Like, instead of trying to do everything myself (as I usually do), I’ve began letting other people in. A good chunk of this album is produced by my good friend, Wayne Young. And another song is being produced and arranged by my brother-in-law, Mark Wong.

And in terms of writing, this is the most honest record by far. I’ve been on a songwriting kick lately. Usually, I’m not so good with the lyrics. Takes forever to find something to write about. When you (eventually) listen to the new album, you’ll find that it’s pretty focused this time around. It’s definitely a more personal record. I’ve always been afraid to show too much of myself in the lyrics.

It’s like opening up my diary and letting the world read and judge it.

That used to make me nervous. Am I revealing too much about myself? As a person who likes to keep her personal life personal, it’s a fine line to walk when writing songs.

But this week, I ended up writing 2 new songs, which is what happens when I get extra emotional (ha). The words are coming a lot easier now. Maybe it’s because “I’m Older Now” (EP plug =D) and I care less about what people think.

I just spent the weekend recording and have decided one of the songs will go on the EP as well, bringing the total number of songs to 7! I wish you could hear it, but that’ll have to wait. Until then, here are the lyrics to the chorus. Judge away.

“Over and over and over again.
The names would change
but the story always ends the same.
I’m caught in this game.

And they take, and they take, and I’m taken again.
Still I give knowing that it always ends the same.
Oh, I’m tired of this game.”

~ I Heard It All Before, Noella Choi

Graphic designer Noma Bar has created these fantastic...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 08:36:25 -0400

Graphic designer Noma Bar has created these fantastic illustrations in which he manipulates the negative space around various shapes.

via modernizing