Tag Archive for 'instructional videos'

William Burroughs & Gus Van Sant – “The Discipline of D.E.”

SuperForester Jesse sent me this little film last week.

It’s an 1982 Gus Van Sant film based on a William Burroughs short story.

The Discipline of DE is about doing everything the easiest way possible, and therefore the fastest and most energy efficiently. If you make a mistake, go back and repeat the action, this time correcting for the mistake. Eventually, you’ll be moving through life so efficiently, you won’t be “doing” anything.

This Do Easy discipline has embedded itself deeply in my software. Tonight, as I was making my bed, I found myself using the Do Easy technique. I thought: “Oh wow, this youtube video has totally changed my life for the better.” Now I hardly ever twitch hot tea across the Duchess.

Great ideas are sticky like that.

Enjoy The Discipline of D.E. (There is some Old West-style gunfightin’ in the end, but it’s brief and non-horrible.)

SuperForest Celebrity: The Guitar-tistry of Buddy Clontz!

How oh how did I find Buddy Clontz?

It’s like a fever dream… The sweltering wastelands of endless youtube videos… searching for an instructional video… Who will clearly illustrate how to play “Please Please Me” on guitar?… So many dead ends… So much that is unhelpful… and then… Buddy Clontz.

Stumbling onto the many instructional videos that Buddy Clontz has uploaded is like wandering out of a dessert and finding a Pinkberry.

Let us begin…

Firstly, Mr. Clontz’s masterly take on “Please Please Me”:

After watching many people fumble through sketchy versions of “Please Please Me,” Finding Mr Clontz’s video was a revelation.

(Mr. Clontz, may I refer to you as Buddy? Buddy is just too friendly to resist.)

Next, Buddy puts his skilled fingers to the task of George Harrison’s track “Beware of Darkness” off of 1970′s All Things Must Pass.

Buddy can do more than just Beatles. Watch him tear up “Wind Cries Mary”:

Buddy’s quiver of excellent covers is practically overflowing.
He does Kinks, Byrds, Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin. He’s amazing.

I think it’s the mix of the deadpan expression, unforgettable name, high skill level, and sensitive attention to detail that really makes Buddy work for me.

Plus, he lists every guitar he’s playing on at he beginning of each vid!

As you watch Buddy’s videos, which I have for many hours now, you slowly get to know this interesting man. Because he seems to shoot only in his “music room” but in many directions, you eventually get a feel for the room, and the little details begin to stick out.

Buddy’s Beatle memorabilia. His classic rock poster collection. His Marshall stack. His good luck strap.

Thank you for uploading these to youtube, Buddy.

Of all the videos, one stands out, because it is the only one with a light show, and one of the few when Buddy is standing.

Here’s Buddy’s take on Cream’s “White Room”:

Incredible.

Take us out, Buddy. Do that voodoo that you do so well.

For further guitar-tistry, here’s Buddy’s youtube page.

How To Speak Binary!

Got a minute and a half and want to learn how to say “Please forgive my species” in computer speak?

“01110000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 00100000 01100110 01101111 01110010 01100111 01101001 01110110 01100101 00100000 01101101 01111001 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100011 01101001 01100101 01110011″

Have pity on us! We will happily shine your metal widgets!

Huge thanks to youtuber MathCrazyTutoring.

D.I.Y. Vacuum Tubes

This amazingly talented craftsman makes his own vacuum tubes by hand.

(also from the wonderful boingboing.)