Well, I'm happy to announce that after a month and a half of jumping through hoopes to get this thing off the ground, it has finally begun! The construction of the new home for Advanced Budget Studios has officially started, and I cannot tell you how excited I am. The only down part of this whole situation is - the waiting.  I anticipate t...

Below is a photo of how my little studio looks right now... Despite the fact that it's now nothing more than a bedroom, with piles of acoustic pucks and other audio paraphernalia scattered about, I've gotta say - "I'm over it." In 3 days, I'll say goodbye to this place, and begin anticipating the construction of our new abode, as w...

Today was spent with my good friend, and brother, Ryan (and his family, who happens to love my family!) We spent the day moving all sorts of large items from our home into the storage space we're renting.  From the kitchen table and chairs, to the couch downstairs, to the hutches - we made two trips full of items, with our mini-van and Dad'...

Wow...  I can't believe it's here. For those who don't know, Advanced Budget Studios resides as a single bedroom rigged up as a recording studio in my basement. Thanks to all of you, I'd like to announce, both sadly, and beyond excitedly, that I have outgrown this little single-room studio.  The acoustics, the size, and the location...

So I've been working on a lot of projects lately, but one I thought to be of particular note was the song "Blind World" by Lucid 8.  The song is well-made on a variety of levels, but one of the coolest aspects of this song is the way they presented it to me. Jonny (drummer for Lucid 8) came to me and asked if could incorporate an ...

This was in response to people NOT SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS AND VETERANS.  When the people calling our veterans scumbags and persecuting the people defending them - can defend our nation better than our veterans and soldiers, then they can say something.  and NOT BEFORE!!!! THE ARM OF OUR NATION! READ RIGHT NOW!!! and let me know wh...

So, a few years ago, when I had no idea what I was doing in the studio, a guy named Rich Bischoff contacted me and asked me to give him some drum samples from my studio.  He didn't call me back.  I don't blame him. hehe... So, for the past 3 years, I've been dedicating myself to getting the studio to be the absolute best it can possibly...

Okay, so I recently watched a documentary on the Foo Fighters called "Back and Forth", and I thought it was really well made - okay, I thought it was awesome.  The funny thing is - I don't own a single Foo Fighters album, and am really not familiar with them as a band, even though I generally like the "rock" genre they asso...

I don't even know where to start.  Let's start at the beginning... So, 10 years ago, I got a hair-brained idea to buy a keyboard and start writing and recording music.  Seven years ago I thought it'd be a good idea to get a mic kit for my drums to learn how to record drums better.  Three years ago the studio had its first paying c...

So, I just got a new Logitech C910 web cam, and when trying to join or create google hangouts, I couldn't see myself in the stream at all, nor anyone else's.  I can hear everyone, and everyone can see me, but I can see nobody, nor myself.  I found this gem of a site with a very easy solution. I'm using gentoo Linux, and this simple tric...

"What is a motorcycle doing in *this*?", I thought as I continued upward through the winding Spanish Fork canyon.   It wasn't so much that a motorcycle was in this particular canyon, but rather in the canyon during one of the 3 most torrential downpours I've seen during my lifetime. I was coming home from work today when about ...

 Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the first solemn assembly I remember having attended.  As I raised my hand in my bedroom while sustaining President Nelson, tears welled up in my eyes.  I felt as if I was partaking in something very important.  I was with Luci and Leah.  Everyone else in my family was out doing o...

Well I was going to do this last night but it was just to much to do.  So here it goes.  Wow what a life changing event.  This might be a little bit graphic for some but I am going to tell it how it is.  So here it goes.  Yesterday I worked at the airport I transport people to and from the airport.  I was called to go ...

Well...  Yesterday, a friend of mine had told me he had the privilege of being formally taught how to tune a snare drum. I read what he had to say (he posted it on facebook, so if you're not his friend, I imagine you can't read it, but here's the link anyway) So, today, I went and investigated a bit of whether I could get the proper tool...

Today I was commissioned to create an FTP server here at work.  Through persistent pestering of the hideously insecure nature of FTP in general, my boss let me dedicate an entire server just for the company's need to FTP.  This was to negate the possibility of any hacking of the web server, should the FTP server be compromised.  It's...

I haven't written in a while- my life is crazy. Balancing all the ingredients of life is no easy task. Ingredients. Hmmm.That reminds me, I love this recipe I found online that is SO easy. It takes five minutes. Literally. It has simple ingredients that can be found around the house. Chocolate Mug Cake. Thank you to Group Recipes.com. Enjoy! In...

Last night, Christie Berube came over for the finishing session on her new song, Daddy's Little Soldier, and to be honest, it was a complete honor to work with her on such a brilliant piece of musical artwork. As an afterthought, I usually like to listen to the final master on as many different sound systems as possible, just to learn from what ...

Wow... What a week this has been! Yesterday, we welcomed in a new client, ScramJet to the studio by running a recording marathon with them! We pulled a full 8-hour session and all through yesterday, we managed to get recordings for three whole songs.  By the end of the day, our engineer was ready to collapse. Today, they all came back to...

A while ago, Advanced Budget Studios had the privilege of working with the author of a great book in a voice-over.  The author's name is Phillip Jones, and his book is called Worlds of the Crystal Moon. When I was contacted to help out with the voice-over, I had no idea what to expect, and I wasn't sure what Phillip was expecting, either.&n...

I've been pondering, and struggling somewhat, on how exactly to write what I'm going to write today - for quite some time. Growing up, I was encompassed by stability.  I had a stable religion which required us to attend meetings once per week, which we did religiously (pun intended).  I had two parents who loved one another.  My m...

So, I just got a new Logitech C910 web cam, and when trying to join or create google hangouts, I couldn't see myself in the stream at all, nor anyone else's.  I can hear everyone, and everyone can see me, but I can see nobody, nor myself.  I found this gem of a site with a very easy solution. I'm using gentoo Linux, and this simple tric...

I was sifting through some old voicemails today, when I found this treasure.  I almost deleted it when it was originally left, but I'm glad I didn't. This will be fun to show Luci when she's older. The voicemail itself is attached as audio in this entry....

Well... Today was the big day at church with the blessing of the newest addition to the Jones family, Samuel Jones. The blessing went well, even if I did botch the proclamation of the power by which the blessing was given.  I'm glad God is a forgiving God. The spirit of the meeting was wonderful, and it testified quite powerfully of one sp...

Well...  I just spent about 2 hours writing a how-to on going from an Nvidia-based graphics system in gentoo Linux to an ATI one, but I accidentally erased the whole thing, so I'm going to try my best to be patient and do it again. When I originally got the box for my new ATI Radeon HD4850 video card this morning, I was impressed even in the ...

Today I was commissioned to create an FTP server here at work.  Through persistent pestering of the hideously insecure nature of FTP in general, my boss let me dedicate an entire server just for the company's need to FTP.  This was to negate the possibility of any hacking of the web server, should the FTP server be compromised.  It's...

This is an audio recording of tonight.  FHE is included. That's about it....

Oh, man...  Where do I even begin this post?  And from which angle?  How about I just start typing and figure it out when I'm done....  Yeah, that's what I'll do. I just finished reading this Microsoft article which explains, using no uncertain terms, how to get "IT Management" to see the "value" in upgrad...

As many of you know, I recently upgraded the exhaust on my 2007 Mustang GT. Well... Tonight, I had to take it out to see what I could do.  So, I went the usual route and didn't find much more than a crappy 90's Eclipse that wanted to play.  After almost an hour of dragging back and forth, lady luck just didn't have it in for me tonight...

Words could not have said it any better. Makes me smile every time I look at it....

This morning I decided I'd start the traditional blogging of each general conference talk from the last general conference in October. As President Monson began this talk, a familiar spirit filtered in to my office at work and inevitably, my heart was opened to the inspired words of our wonderful prophet. I'm so grateful for our church.  I...