#from the audio/video snippets they are given

[rochenn]

People don't even make proper YTPs anymore. This country is going to the dogs

[marimayscarlett]

The untitled album turns 6 today 🎶💿

On this day in 2019, Rammstein released their seventh studio album. What was significant and different compared to previous albums was that this one had no written title on the cover—just an image of a matchstick. As a result, it came to be known as the “untitled” or “matchstick” album.

Richard's recurring statement in past interviews that no new album was planned is widely known. After the LIFAD tour ended in 2013, the band took a year off, and after one more meeting, another year. The general consensus was that they didn’t want to pressure themselves or each other, since the working phase for the LIFAD album had been very exhausting in terms of group dynamics. In an interview in 2015, Till revealed that the band would be meeting in September 2015 for a casual, creative gathering. In October 2015, this photo was published on the official website, showing the band improvising in Schneider’s studio:

It was decided that the band would work between the festival tours of 2016 and 2017, and that rest periods should be respected. Richard worked on his demos together with Till; the final results were presented to the rest of the band during their meetings and discussed.

As the first result of that creative period, the song 'Ramm4' was introduced during the 2016 tour. Flake commented: “We wanted to show the world that we are still together and that we are creating new music.” To this day, the song hasn’t been officially released, although it was used again as the opening song on last year’s tour.

At the end of 2016, work resumed. In March 2017, Richard mentioned in this interview for the Rammstein in Paris film that at that point, 35 almost-finished songs existed, and that the wait would be worth it. Over the course of the year, these drafts were reduced to 28. Sky van Hoff also mentioned that same year that he would be working with Rammstein. Work on the compositions continued until spring 2018, apparently under a rule of four working days per week (Monday through Thursday). The song “Deutschland” in particular weighed heavily on the band - the lyrics prompted them to repeatedly look back on their own past and exchange their views:“Everyone of us expressed his opinion in detail. All of us talked about our experiences and feelings with respect to Deutschland. Some of us even told stories about themselves that I never heard before.” (Deutschland Photobook)

Recording took place in spring 2018 at La Fabrique Studios near Nîmes in southern France, with recordings made for a total of 16 songs.

Jacob Hellner was no longer involved, his role was taken over by Olsen Involtini. In late summer 2018, the orchestral and choir parts were recorded in Minsk. In December of the same year, 11 of the 16 songs were mixed by Rich Costey, Olsen Involtini, and Richard in Santa Monica, California.

As a teaser for the album, a tracklist with placeholders for letters and durations was released in 2019, hinting at the song titles:

DEUTSCHLAND – 05:26

+ADI+ – 03:00

++++ DICH – 03:00

A+S+Ä+D+R – 03:00

++X – 03:00

P+PP+ – 03:00

+AS +CH ++E++ – 03:00

+IA+AN+ – 03:00

WE++ WE+ – 03:00

+A++OO – 03:00

+ALL++ANN – 03:00

Audio snippets, each featuring a short instrumental segment from one of the songs, gave further clues to the tracks.

Starting on the album’s release day, a large truck toured various cities in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Austria. At each stop, visitors were given a special code they could use to win 2x2 tickets to the sold-out shows of the 2019 Europe Stadium Tour.

The album itself was visually dominated by the colors white and white. A making of video was released showing the photo shoot, which featured photographer Jes Larsen working with the band.

More little facts:

If you ordered the album in Germany from Saturn or MediaMarkt, you received a free promotional T-shirt, which has still never been officially released. Another special promotion took place in Long Beach, California: if you bought the album at the store Fingerprints Music, you had the chance to receive a free Rammstein logo tattoo.

The song “Deutschland” triggered a wave of outrage in Germany, as it was frequently misinterpreted and the music video was considered offensiven - particularly due to its references to the Holocaust.

The music video for “Radio” was projected onto a building wall in Berlin-Mitte on April 25, 2019, at 8:55 p.m., shortly before the album’s release. About 1000 fans attened the presentation:

Olsen Involtini also took on the role of mediator during the creative process. Richard reported the following: “Because of his presence, the energy between Paul and I changed dramatically. I don’t know why. It’s almost like couples therapy. It’s not about going there and getting advice from a therapist. It’s more about if you go to a therapist and you’re sitting in front of another person, you’re listening to what the other person is saying, and while they’re saying something, you’re thinking of strategies on how to fight against it. So, all of a sudden, I was listening to what he was saying and he was listening to what I was going to say. Individually, we are very, very different. Black and white. If he says ‘Yes,’ I say ‘No.’ It’s always the same story. But somehow we need that for the Rammstein universe.” (Revolver)

Sources: rammsteinworld rammwiki affenknecht discogs dw.com kerrang

[anonithemousse]

The Magnus Archives: Fresh into the story + Season 1 Fan Art snippets

NOTE: For fanart part, skip to "read more" section!

Greetings!

I've been looking for some idea for my very first post after my introduction. I knew I want to use tumblr to ramble about my interests, recent and timeless ones. Well, guess what I got into about a week ago?

So, I've discovered this series only thanks to Youtube's recommendation system, when the fan animatic popped up in my feed. Fan arts and fan animations are one of pillars that keep the stories alive, ey?

And the one below really made really caught my attention, because DAMN, the camera and light work! The comments are praising and commenting the well interpreted characters and scene setting.

Obviously the vibe of horror story is vivid here, so I hesitated to learn more about The Magnus Archives, especially when I discovered it is in form of podcast.

I have nothing against either horror stories or podcasts. The reason is I am sensitive person since forever, so vivid descriptions/visualisations of violence or body horror cause lot of discomfort, similar with classic spooks (sorry, Jon). I got tougher over years, because hey, there's a lot of great stories I want to watch/read and which have violence/gore, especially in genres that I'm most interested of.

In terms of podcasts, I knew it would involve sound effects to increase the immersion, maybe even ASMR type of SFX. I have sensitive hearing and ASMR stuff causes discomfort to me.

But then I got recommendation for another animation of the same author. Sure, a big spoiler, but at the time I highly doubted I would get into the series anyway. Well, you sealed my fate, my friend! I don't even know where to begin with my comment about your storyboard, but I think I will share it under your video, maybe now, or maybe when I'll reach that point in the story.

I dug into some fandom wiki, to learn more about the protagonist, the story setting, etc. From initial readings protagonist is a bit of a nerd and investigates or makes records about paranormal events. Which by the way aren't so secret, hidden from world like wizards in Harry Potter universe, but they're not so common too - they're paranormal, they're mysterious and unexplanatory.

Investigations? Open world? Being a bit nerd about it all? I think that was the moment when I decided to just avoid getting more spoilers and give it a try. The audio used in animatics was in decent quality, surely there were no sounds effects that would cause my discomfort. About gore stuff - you can always skip the nasty details and avoid visualising them in mind, similar to when reading a book.

I've listened to the podcast with unofficial transcript open on side. This is fresh format of storytelling, where the story is told between recordings supposedly recovered from titular Archives - you meet such medium as lore elements in games like Spider-Man or Horizon: Zero Dawn. This is first time (at least for me) to meet this medium as main storytelling tool. And it's used with such immersion!

Voice actor really handles the emotions of protagonists, and even more impressive, reading statements is as living as if given first-hand from statement givers. Jon breaks that wall between now and the past, so you can easily forget you're just listening to second-hand given statement, that you're in regular office and not in the cave or on the haunted cementery. You may even imagine women's statements, that's how natural Jon's in-character narrative is. And yet it's still a part of the TMA lore! Now add occassional SFX, default tape recorder filter, echoes, distant sounds, and you won't even notice when you stand next to the statement giver.

My imagination really cranked up at that moment. I'm really into storytelling and animation and that podcast gives a lot of room for interpretation.

I've came to a conclusion this is a perfect material to experiment with animation. I was looking for audio that would be interpreted and visualized in storyboards or animatics and this podcast is a good opportunity.

For the last week I couldn't think about anything else. I was visualizing scenes from Season 1, sketching and doodling some first character designs and storyboards.

I'm eager to dynamic scenes, action, so my head was especially buzzing with scenes from Season 1 finale (mainly ep. 39, with parts from ep. 38 and 40).

And look, there's already some animation going on! My initial idea is making and releasing scenes one by one, until I polish them and compile into one long sequence. Let's see how far I'll go with that idea!

Next came early character design. I only have Jon so far, but I am already happy with the current results. My thoughts are racing in such moments and drawing on paper lets me picture the character in raw state before refining it in digital drawing.

I won't hide it, ThirdChildFilms' Jon had a huge impact into my vision of Jon. I'm not looking for original character design, but for Jon that will suit best for who we hear in podcast and who I'll present in my storyboards.

I think that's wraps up my fresh experiences when I got into that story. For now I want to progress my storyboards and share something more juicy, as part of next blog, maybe on reddit or my youtube channel. Stay tuned!

[atiny-for-life]

Xikers Full Storyline Explained - BONUS 2: The Maze of Choice

Masterlist

If you happen to be a Markiplier fan (which would be fitting since Xikers are all about games in their universe) who's played any of his multiple choice adventures (the Date, the Heist, the Adventure in Space), you will know how these types of games work: You have a public starting video which ends on a choice between two private videos which you can click to move on in the storyline. This results in branching paths leading you through various alternate storylines with multiple endings. In order to explore our options, I'll take the path I chose for myself first and then follow the rest:

Video 1: Maze of Choice

We open on Minjae's POV at the start of the maze and he seems to be looking for his members as he approaches two wormholes/vortexes - one black and white, one bright blue like the Goblin fire we've seen in so many of their music videos.

The footage glitches and two video options pop up: "follow the blue light" and "follow the white light".

Video 2a: Follow the blue light

I am 100% useless at voice recognition but I think it might be Hunter (?) whose perspective we now switch to.

Either way, we're now in a stone maze and Hunter (?) talks to himself as he walks forward. He states he may have gotten lost during his search for a specific place and that no one can know he's gotten lost so we need to be quiet.

Upon reaching the end of the section, we get the option to move right or left.

Video 3b: Go to the right

Upon going to the right, we switch to Sumin (? - I'm sorry if I'm wrong) who hears a sound from the darkness behind him and freaks out so he starts running.

The maze winds for a bit and he goes from "This is driving me crazy..." to "Does it even exist...?" extremely quickly. As a result, we're given the option to "Find another way" or "Break through".

Video 4b: Break through (Ending 1)

If we break through, we end up in a less textured white maze with Yujun (I believe) guiding our way. He claims the place seems familiar, similar to the place he started out in.

As we approach a fork in the maze, a crackle of blue fire appears to the right just at the edge of the wall but when we look around the corner, there's nothing.

We follow the path regardless with the knowledge "There's nowhere to run now" and, upon turning the corner, the blue flicker returns to our left, illuminating the entrance to the path. We look inside and, this time, we get to see the full flame.

This ending provides us with a link titled "Spoiler House". Click on it and you'll reach a website called watchoutxikers.com.

You can close the video on top and then choose between the different track names to get to different content.

Click on "Sandcastle" to get to a photo gallery with promo pictures.

Click on "Bittersweet" to open a tab leading to a YouTube short titled "Shhhhh" which gives you a little taste of the upcoming song.

Click on "Watch Out" to get a cute little audio snippet of Minjae and Yujun.

Click on "Witch" to get to yet another website, this one titled xbettingxikers.com where you get to choose between two teams based on audio-snippets, then enter your player name and play for your team so your song of choice will get released early on August 31st! (It's a really cute Pacman-type game where you play as the logo of the team you chose, the blue or orange X depending on your choice, and you need to catch TRICKY to trigger blue flames to fill the field which you have to collect to earn points while avoiding the green ghosts.)

Click "Back off" to return to the Maze of Choice video to try out the other paths.

Click "Hang Around" to get to a sort of guestbook where Roadys have been sharing spooky stories with each other in both Korean and English.

Now that we've explored the first ending, let's go back and choose the other paths:

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Go to the right -> Video 4a: Find another way

Going this route, we return to Minjun and the two voids but we're not back at the start, no. This time, we get the option to either "Follow the blue light" or "Give up".

Video 5b: Give up (Ending 2)

Giving up returns us to the stone maze where the footage begins glitching right away as we hear slow footsteps. There is whispering as we move down the path until... the footage and audio glitches, there's screaming, high pitched, the video goes black. There are no options left to choose between.

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Go to the right -> Find another way -> Video 5a: Follow the blue light (Ending 3)

We're back in the white maze with Yujun (?), following the blue flame which we find again in the same corridor leading us to the website link from Ending 1 (It's the same video as 4b: Break through). This means there are two paths to victory!

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Video 3a: Go to the left

Much like if you go to the right, going to the left also takes us deeper into the stone maze. We're with two of the members this time (Jinsik and Hyunwoo, I'd assume, since we also see them navigate the maze together in Bittersweet and WITCH) and they're talking about how unfamiliar the sky looks, how dark it is and how they're unsure if there's even a way out.

We walk into a dead end where the darkness suddenly creeps up on us. We're left with two choices: "Fake the darkness" or "Give up".

Giving up leads to the same video as last time: the corridor, the footsteps, the glitches, the screaming, so let's choose the other path.

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Video 3a: Go to the left -> Video 4c: Face the darkness

We find ourselves outside this time where the walls have turned to hedges, but the sky is still pitch black and the ground now covered in fog.

The member we're with is freaked out immediately, unsure how to go forward and hearing weird noises so he remains frozen in place as our surroundings suddenly darken further. We now have the option to "Turn back" or "Move forward".

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Video 3a: Go to the left -> Face the darkness -> Video 5c: Move Forward

Since we're no cowards, we move forward and find ourselves back in the stone maze where we suddenly hear a screeching, then a siren. We start running.

The commentary from our accompanying member is back to "This is driving me crazy..." and "Does it even exist...?" and all we can now do is "Give up". We've gotten too lost and it's time to start over.

Maze of Choice -> Follow the blue light -> Video 3a: Go to the left -> Face the darkness -> Video 5d: Turn back

So, clearly, moving forward was a bad idea since we were already too far astray. Let's turn back then.

We're back with Minjae at the two vortexes now and we get to choose between the blue and white light again which means truly starting over at Videos 2a and 2b. Since I believe I've explored the full 2a branch now, I'll use the opportunity to move on to 2b: the white light.

Maze of Choice -> Video 2b: Follow the white light

Back in the stone maze once again, we encounter a video identical to Video 3a: Going to the left with the same options: "Face the darkness" or "Give up", both leading us down paths we've seen before. I think we've done it then!

TLDR:

TRICKY is in charge of promotions this comeback and has decided to get the members stranded in a maze which defies the laws of physics. Depending on how you make your choices, you can get to one of two endings: Ending 1 - The Website or Ending 2 - Death. Two paths lead to the website but many others lead to looping back or dying.

[fagbearentertainment]

Hey mx. transgender swag tell us about ur welcome home thoughts

Anon you have open the floodgates and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop it

I HAVE to talk about my theory right now or I’m going to fucking EXPLODE

Under the cut for length reasons

Ok so theory is I do not think Wally is evil, before you start throwing audio snippets at me let me explain

Now I could just be falling for the facade he’s putting up but to me in the hidden tapes he doesn’t sound evil or malicious, he sounds desperate.

I, personally, believe that he’s self aware. Not self aware as in “kids cartoon who talk to the audience like they’re another character” I mean self aware as in “knows he’s a puppet being controlled in a tv show and can’t talk to his friends about it bc they don’t.” He knows the audience exists and he wants to communicate with them by any means necessary.

Like imagine being Wally in this case, going from everything he had with the talk shows and filming and everyone knowing his name to being lost media next to no one remembers existing. The guys starved for the interaction he craves, he’s the protagonist of a children’s tv show that’s been cancelled for over 40 years!!! He NEEDS an audience, he NEEDS people to know his name

There’s also a tape of Home saying something in Morse code I wanna talk about, I can’t translate it myself but I’ve seen a few things people think it’s saying. It’s likely either saying some variation of “help” or “hello.” Either way I can tie that into my theory, with it either showing Home is also self aware and knows we exist or it’s asking someone (likely us given that it’s a hidden tape like Wally’s but it could be talking to Barnaby since they’re shown to be close) to help it, possibly to help it help Wally.

I’d say it’s very likely Home knows Wally isn’t doing well, with his constant zoning out and possible self isolation, and really wants to help him if “help/help me” is the correct translation.

Idk I could be completely wrong but it just seems like Welcome Home isn’t gonna go the “Wally is PURE EVIL and KILLED EVERYONE for no reason!!! Look at the scary blood!!!” route, i feel like we’re being set up to think Wally is evil for the rug to be pulled out from under our feet and show a different side to things.

Also I just wanna say, this it isn’t related to the theory at all but I’m being completely serious when I say Wally is autistic. I think I could actually spend an hour talking about why I think he’s autistic.

Now that I think about it me seeing him as autistic, and being autistic myself, might actually be why I don’t think he’s fully evil bc everyone else points out the things like his robotic like way of talking or constant staring or zoning out in the hidden videos as proof that he’s possessed or evil or whatever but to me that’s him having autism. Like yeah some of it’s meant to be creepy but those things are also autism things ya know?

Ok that’s all for now it’s almost 3am, I’ve been typing for like an hour lol, and I’m eepy

[furiousofpanda]

Idk man, if I were to make a creepypasta au, there would be 3 "slendermans" as in like, treating it as a species rather than a person

We have the Operator, the actual concept of slenderman slenderman, and the "adoptive parent" slenderman

The operator and the actual slenderman can't talk while the adoptive parent can, but they can all like,, send vibes across telepathically/control but just each one has their own way of doing it and own personality

The adoptive parents is essentially the Fandom take on slenderman/Fannon if that wasn't clear

This also means in my headcannon all canonical parts of Marble Hornets can happen and yet be completely unrelated to the "adoptive slender" (idk, I don't like the idea of masky and hoodie as alters being put into the houses and given wrong personalities and then not even considering that tim and brian are there too)

All slenders are territorial and would 100% get into a fight if they crossed paths

I may expand on this idea if people want

Edit: Nobody asked and so now out of spite I'm writing more

Imma just write profile like things for em:

I'm using the term proxy very loose for the Operator as he basically only rarely ever takes control, but rather teleports them around and make alter egos via the sickness. I know they aren't proxies directly in the way of the original slender and I don't perceive them as it either but the term works for short explanation so- also I'm calling em "slenderfolk" since they are all essentially just based off of slenderman, so the same species. All electronics when up close start to not work. Audio players, lights,video and audio recordings all cut out when slenderfolk are near, all electronics really. It can occur when they are in frame, deliberate interference, and based on distance to the tall folk themselves.

Operator, Slenderfolk, infectious, Verbally Mute, communicates though mental/physical images, vague telepathy (not direct words but convaying meaning wordlessly) and through proxies.

Operator is distant most times and focuses more on control, disregarding anything a human needs to survive as long as the proxies are working in his favor. Tends to mentally ruin and destroy his puppets, or otherwise spitting their personalities via the Operators sickness. Exists primary in and around Rosswood Park or near related proxies. Killing tactics are different than the actual slenderman, will make infected subjects that he can control do his dirty work for him. The operator is hard to read and almost has very little rhyme or reason for things that we simply cant see at face value but it works in his favor it the end. Operator doesn't kill his subjects but rather let's the suffer until the sickness kills them. Operator vaguely only starts hunting thoes who learn about it though is very distant, and stops for a bit once they become under his control.

Slenderman, Slenderfolk, Mute, Communicates only through proxies, can cause hallucinations and visual blurring, actively hunts anyone who tries to learn about him. Slenderman is nor bound to some set forest and is seen all over the world in densly wooded and abandoned areas. He will at first only stalk in plain sight/sender fashion unless physically engaging with (aka victim attacks slenderman, he impales them on a tree and guts them) otherwise if not engaged with physically. Slender will slowly stalk until the subject is mentally unwell, and then taking them. This, unlike the operator, has whisp like tendrils that come from behind his back and into the air that can reach impossible lenghts but are slow. The tendrils aren't solid like Slendy's.

Wrote something and it got deleted and it's too late to fix it so here's fandom slender snippet that remains

Slendy (Fandom Slenderman), slenderfolk, can talk but prefers to just communicate telepathically, can control proxies but rather doesnt and is kinda lazy about it. Houses killers that in return that they become a proxyof a sort. Won't admit it but Slendy Is the only one of the three that care about their proxies wellbeing and will make sure his proxies can still function, though uses mental manipulation and guilt/trama tripping to keep everything in line.

Slendy is sorta bound to a forest? It's his stomping ground but he can leave (different from rosswood but there isn't a written fandom agreed name for it) which is why he needs proxies but can also appear near thoes under his control If needed or be outside of the forest on rare occasions.

[thenwethrowitonthefire]

hi, this is not ask but opposite! it's me talking and is about Pacific standard time, now Im not as good as you in turn my thoughts on words but; you know how some songs only hit you when it is the time?

the other day because of the heavy snow I couldn't go back home, trapped in small twon, on sunday was standing in corner of yard at 12pm, noticed the silence, time hadn't stopped but landing smoothly on my black winter coat with the snow flecks, and there I thought of this song. this song had a melody I enjoyed yet it didn't much make me think of it, often skipped it,

Clouds may be moving in People may be too thin Traffic may be a crawl

Seasons, there’s none at all

there looking at cloudy sky coating sun deep into background I fell into the time of small twon world, thinking of  how time passes differently, we all live on one earth but thousands of world runs by many more clocks yet there are moments times of worlds crashes into one another causing near-divin experience by living in time of unfamiliar world!

In Pacific Standard Time Mine is yours and yours is mine In Pacific Standard Time Everything is near-divine!

also I read the answer to last ask. and I thought it would be fun if I be the one who explain it this time around (:

Yes!!! Do please share your thoughts on songs! I love reading your thoughts and interpretations! I absolutely know how some songs only hit you once it's time (or intensify when the time is right).

I love how it made you think of all the worlds and the different clocks that all exist at the same time, that must have been a truly beautiful experience :) I love that so much! It's wonderful how their lyrics can contain so many thoughts and ideas at the same time. Thank you for adding another angle to a song I already love so much.

Honestly, it's one of my absolute favourite tracks on that album. I remember first listening to the album so vividly, and that song was one of the especially memorable ones. At its core, there's two things I hope for when listening a new Sparks album/song (without confining them to be a certain way because what I love foremost is for them to do whatever the hell they want and for them to blow me away with some good surprises). But for me it's all about: 1) Ron's writing, wit and piano playing, 2) Russell's voice being the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. This song is quite possibly THE song on the album when it comes to Russell's voice. Every time I hear it I'm just floating into another plane of existence (especially the falsetto parts). I don't have the words to describe how much I love his falsetto.

(My Sparks roots may be showing - I first saw them live during their Two Hands One Mouth tour, which as the name suggests was just the two of them on the stage. It was all about the things I love the most: them at their core and just the two of them carrying the entire show. It was theatrical, intimate and absolutely transcendental. I love the way Russell moves and how the audience became like a third instrument. It completely changed my life. I don't think I've ever heard Russell's voice be more beautiful, in part because you can obviously hear it so clearly when it's just them on the stage. I wanted to share a snippet of the live performance of Metaphor from that tour because I think you might like that one, but the sound quality of those videos does not do his voice enough justice when reaching the falsetto part. ...So instead I'll add a bad quality video of Good Morning, one of my favourite songs. A lot of this song was completely sung in falsetto. (And here's a link to an official live audio recording of Metaphor, in case you are interested to hear his voice in actual good quality.))

(You can count on me to always bring up more stuff when it comes to Sparks, and to talk about Two Hands One Mouth at any given opportunity.)

[techit-rp]

From Prompt to Masterpiece: How Prompt Engineering is Powering the Gen AI Revolution

The age of artificial intelligence is upon us, and Generative AI is one of its most powerful engines. From creating stunning visuals to writing complex code and generating realistic audio, generative AI is transforming industries at lightning speed. At the heart of this revolution lies a surprisingly simple but crucial skill: prompt engineering.

As more professionals recognize the importance of mastering AI tools, many are turning to Generative AI training in Bengaluru to gain a competitive edge and future-proof their careers.

What Is Prompt Engineering?

Prompt engineering is the practice of crafting effective inputs to guide AI systems toward producing the desired output. In simple terms, it is the art of talking to AI in a way that gets you exactly what you want.

Whether you are asking an AI to generate a painting in the style of Van Gogh, summarize a research paper, write an engaging product description, or compose a melody, the way you phrase your request dramatically impacts the result.

Unlike traditional programming, where instructions are given in code, prompt engineering uses natural language to communicate with AI models such as ChatGPT, DALL·E, Midjourney, or Claude.

Why Prompt Engineering Matters

Generative AI tools rely heavily on the context, tone, structure, and clarity of prompts to generate high-quality results. A vague prompt may lead to confusing or irrelevant content, while a well-crafted one can yield remarkably accurate and creative outcomes.

Here is a quick comparison:

Poor prompt: "Write something about marketing"

Better prompt: "Write a 150-word introduction to a blog about digital marketing strategies for small businesses in India"

The second prompt provides purpose, length, and context. It significantly improves the quality of the output.

Where Prompt Engineering is Being Used

Prompt engineering has become a critical skill across multiple industries:

1. Marketing and Advertising

Marketers use generative AI to draft email campaigns, create ad copies, and even design banners. Prompt engineering helps refine brand voice, messaging, and target audience alignment.

2. Graphic and UX Design

Designers use AI tools like DALL·E, Midjourney, and Adobe Firefly to generate prototypes and design inspiration. Prompt precision ensures better alignment with brand aesthetics and client requirements.

3. Education and Training

Educators and e-learning platforms generate lesson plans, quizzes, and even interactive learning modules using generative AI. With the right prompts, they can customize materials for different age groups or learning styles.

4. Software Development

Developers use AI to write or debug code. Prompt engineering helps them get clean, functional snippets and accelerates development time.

5. Entertainment and Creative Writing

Writers and storytellers use Gen AI for plot generation, character development, or writing assistance. Effective prompting allows for creative storytelling that aligns with genre and tone.

Mastering Prompt Engineering: Why Bengaluru Is a Hotspot

As India positions itself as a global leader in AI innovation, Generative AI training in Bengaluru is gaining rapid momentum. Bengaluru, often dubbed the Silicon Valley of India, is home to some of the most cutting-edge AI startups, tech giants, and research institutions.

Professionals across fields are enrolling in specialized programs to learn how to work with Gen AI tools effectively. These programs go beyond basic AI usage and offer hands-on training in:

Prompt crafting techniques

Image, video, and text generation

Ethics and bias awareness

Real-world applications across industries

Tips to Get Better at Prompt Engineering

Here are some practical ways to improve your prompt skills:

1. Be Specific

Include as much detail as possible in your prompt. Mention tone, style, format, and context.

2. Use System-Level Instructions

Start your prompt with a system message. For example: “You are an expert graphic designer. Generate 5 logo concepts for a fintech startup.”

3. Iterate and Refine

Don’t expect perfection on the first try. Use follow-up prompts to refine and improve the results.

4. Experiment with Role-Play

Assign roles to the AI to guide responses better. For example: “As a legal advisor, write a summary of this contract in simple terms.”

5. Structure Your Prompts

Use bullet points, numbered lists, and examples in your prompt to organize input and guide structure.

Why You Should Consider Generative AI Training in Bengaluru

Taking a professional course in Bengaluru provides several advantages:

Access to expert faculty and industry mentors

Exposure to real-world case studies and use cases

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Hands-on training with leading Gen AI platforms

A quality Generative AI training in Bengaluru doesn't just teach tools. It teaches how to think creatively with AI, how to engineer your prompts, and how to build a future-ready career in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Conclusion

Prompt engineering is quickly becoming one of the most valuable skills in the modern workforce. As Generative AI continues to revolutionize the way we work and create, knowing how to guide these tools effectively is what sets the best apart from the rest.

Whether you're a designer, marketer, writer, educator, or coder, developing your skills in prompt engineering can open up new creative horizons. And if you're serious about it, enrolling in Generative AI training in Bengaluru can be your launchpad to becoming an AI-powered innovator.

[fineartsjournal]

213729 Fine Arts Research & Development: Honors ⋆ WEEK 1

Focus

My focus at this point is to continue creating and experimenting with interactive, tactile audio-visual pieces. These are to be reinforced by large sculptural forms that serve conceptual function over decoration. Together, this sound-sculpture blend seeks to immerse the audience into a personal frame of mind as an autistic artist, with works staged to embody experiences of growing up neurodiverse upon the interacting viewer.

Background

What began last year as experiments in sample-based audio developed, through a need for visual reinforcement of the sampling taking place, into interactive, heavily concept-driven works that put the audience in control of the remix. The culmination of this was "Brain", which presented a DJ controller, sitting atop a locked box, connected to a computer within the box - as a stand in for my own brain, which connected to a screen. Following the crudely written instructions painted atop the box to 'play with brain', pressing buttons on the controller would cause snippets of a childhood video of me to play on the screen. This could be endlessly tweaked with the many knobs at the interactor's disposal, essentially allowing the audience to reshape my own memories. I'd whittled down the elements presented in "Brain" to their limits, keeping as few moving parts as could still invite touch, or be anthropomorphized as a post-human spectacle, without the need for further decoration. This move was enthusiastically received by the audience during presentation, and harkened back to the positive response that my garish, spider-like sculptures of the "BRAZEN FUCK OBJECT (and children)" received at the end of 2023. These sculptures, which took a looming, disruptive presence in the room and forced attention in and around their features, were born from a similar, year-long effort to convey a very specific topic to the viewer, which in this case was an accelerating visual culture gone awry. I lean heavily into the hindsight gained from these past showcases this year, where I can recognize, through the power of driving the audience right into the thick of the artwork, the message I wish to express is beamed upon the interacting viewer, their physical, tactile responses embodying the ethos of the piece.

Objective

The trajectory of my work currently melds sculpture, sound and audience interaction. My sculptures, being of sizeable cardboard and duct tape, are familiar to me; the scale of time is known, with the only wildcard being the concept behind it. The sound-based, audience-centric side to this is where experiences are unknown, reactions are unpredictable, and technical 'happy-accidents' are excitingly subject to occur. For me, sculpture will be a reliable medium from which I can amplify the chaotic process that goes into my audio work, a chassis given definition by the sound it projects. Experiment and concept are closely intertwined in the development process. Perhaps I come across some new technology and develop my ideas through it, or perhaps ideas are formed first, then I flip through the practical avenues of bringing it to life, which in turn influence the message it conveys. With the intense physical work that goes into my cardboard sculptures, and the heavy personal interest behind my audio experiments, I put trust in the process that an authentic self comes shining through. This 'self' did not form in a vacuum. I've come around to placing a more personal spin - as opposed to simply personal interest - within my works. This coincides with me growing more comfortable with my identity as an autistic adult, an experience which I am eager to convey through my works this year.

Timeline

Week 1:   (done) Setting up workflow, drafting up sketches from holiday notes.               Week 2:   (done)  Week 3:   [Finish up writing IPO]   Week 4:   IPO due Week 5:  Crits (Wednesday) Week 6: [Finish the head form; first functional prototype from software] Week 7:  Formative Assessment  Study Break: [Mainly working on Creative Practice Research Methods] Week 8: [Developing body; custom MIDI controller] Week 9:  [Developing body; custom MIDI controller] Week 10: [Developing body; custom MIDI controller] Week 11: Crits (Wednesday) [Finish the full body - self contained and installed] Week 12: Summative Assessment survey

Resources 

SCULPTURE:

Cardboard: Free, can be found on the street during recycling night or at the back of cafés.

Duct tape: Typically $5-7 per roll. All three "BRAZEN FUCK OBJECT" sculptures took roughly $100 of tape in total, so a larger sculpture may be up to $200.

AUDIO GEAR:

Speakers: JBL Xtreme 3 Bluetooth speaker with an audio jack. Blown-out KRK Rockit 4 monitor, which I can use for testing. Better options can be borrowed.

Microphone: Cheap, untested XLR; better options can be borrowed.

Instruments: Elektron Model:Cycles, synthesizer/drum machine with MIDI options. Boss SP-202 budget sampler.

Mixing: Wharfedale Pro Connect 802 mixer.

USB interface: Behringer UCA-202.

Misc: DVD/CD drive with USB port. Mounting gear will need to be borrowed. Power supplies easily accessible on campus.

SOFTWARE:

Audacity: Free but limited general audio workspace.

Max: $30/per month subscription. Extremely versatile 'building blocks' for wiring up audio experiments.

References (I'll elborate on these later on)

Disney’s Animatronics: A Living History. Directed by Kevin Perjurer, YouTube Video, Defunctland, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=jjNca1L6CUk. Navasquillo Lorda, Eduardo. Remix Theory: The Aesthetics of Sampling. Springer, 2012. https://autoriaemrede.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/remix-theory-eduardo-navas.pdf Feaster, Patrick. Phonogram Images on Paper and the Frontiers of Early Recorded Sound, 1250-1950. https://youtu.be/TESkh3hX5oM?feature=shared. Association for Recorded Sound Collections in Los Angeles. Nikoladze, Koka. People. Video, May 2024, https://youtu.be/7rb-KELFb7U?feature=shared. Reddaway, Richard, and Bryce Galloway. A Late of Zanies. Sculpture, 2021. Glass, Marvin I., et al. Game Utilizing Electric Probe. no. US430395A, US3333846A, 1 Aug. 1967, https://patents.google.com/patent/US3333846A/en.

I really got the ball rolling after I made Brain last year.

The capacities for sound sculpture (in all senses of the word), along with the delightfully cavernous realms of MIDI had me imagining all sorts of avenues I could take things this year, along with a plethora of artists and artworks to draw from. All this I compiled on a single sheet of note paper.

I will be addressing all the ideas and references on this sheet, mark my words.

As I am taking my workings from last year further, there is a lot of context (both technical and concept-wise) that'll need explaining. For that, I'll add some useful snippets from my 2024 workbook, like this:

Along with the snippets, several tests and research recordings from the tail end of my 2024 studies blend the line to what I'm looking at this year, and will also be thrown in too, such as:

An experiment using the automatic drawing feature in JSPaint (a browser version of Windows XP Paint) I oversaw last year. Let it run until it crashed.

Following the last of our 2024 classes, Em, Olivia, Kiera and I had a conversation about our future projections for art, a portion of which I recorded (the wind gets a little loud at some points).

I own a fair bit of gear now, so let's talk about it.

To begin with, my 1998 Boss SP-202 took up a lot of conversation regarding my work last year. Will I use it as much? Probably not.

I acquired it from Ebay around February 2024, only got around to using it in May, had an electrical issue and nearby burnt the house down, your average stuff. What's important is that this is a sampler, and if a good chunk of my workbook should make any lick of sense, you should probably know what that is.

Take it away, Indio from August last year:

"As a sampler, the SP-202 doesn't make any sounds of its own. Instead, you record sound clips to each of the pads, which in turn play the sound back to you when you press them."

I went into last year getting heart rate spikes when I heard the word "mixing". How the hell did I end up buying my own synthesizer?

It was clear that I'd have to familiarize myself with this side of musicmaking if I wanted to go far with the facets of my sound art. Through the powers of weaponized autism, I simply willed myself to hyperfixate on electronic instruments. At first taking interest in samplers, I soon honed in grooveboxes, which are these all-in-one sequencers that perform the function of a synth, drum machine, and composing workstation!

Several months of research later, I'm now insufferable at functions, but I also brought the Elektron Model: Cycles groovebox for $650 new off eBay. It's an airtight 2020 one-man-band with an FM engine (I will not elaborate) and an incredible skill ceiling!

Where the Model:Cycles gets funky is with the addition of external MIDI control. Simply put, the MIDI can do the walking, and the Cycles can do the talking, and I look forward to having it accompany my experiments this year as a versatile sound module.

But what is MIDI? If you have a sound module (be it a sampler, synthesizer or what-have-you) and want to play sounds from it, chances are you'll be hooking up either a keyboard or a pattern sequencer using MIDI.

When you press a key on your MIDI-compatible controller, a signal is sent out via a MIDI cable, converting this single action into a digital signal of 1's and 0's. The MIDI-compatible module receives this signal, which causes it to play the action assigned to that specific MIDI key.

It is through MIDI that my final piece Brain was possible last year, as each key on the controller was assigned to a different video scene/effect. MIDI will be playing an important role in my works this year.

Over the holidays, I taught myself basic mixing. Making music to any electronic extent is one of big decisions, and expensive mistakes. Hours of comparing price options, consulting forums and asking begrudging music store employees paid off, and I'm wiser for it.

I now own a Wharfedale Pro Connect 802 mixer, which I use for playing sound from my SP-202 and Model:Cycles at the same time (I needed to buy a lot of cables for this).

A Behringer UCA-202 lets me connect my SP-202 to my computer, which makes sampling and recording a breeze.

Lastly, my search for a singular, stereo speaker that doesn't have latency issues led me to the JBL Xtreme 3.

Other miscellaneous items also include a cheap microphone and a DVD drive, which I mainly use for scanning bargain bin CDs.

[charlesmwa]

Sound Design Basics: Tools and Techniques for Beginners

What excites me is this absolutely dynamic field merging creativity with technology. Whether you want to be a film music producer, compose music for video games, or just simply work with sound on personal projects, some basic concepts about sound design are quite essential. For this blog post, we're going to look into the very basic tools and techniques beginners need to know to get started on their own journey.

Understanding Sound

Well, sound is, in essence, a vibration transmitted through the air-or another medium-but when it reaches our ears, it becomes audible. So, before we look into the tools and techniques of sound design, let's first think about what sound is.

Key Concepts in Sound

1. Frequency: This is the pitch of a given sound in Hertz. The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch, and vice versa.

2. Amplitude: The sound loudness is termed as amplitude. The more the amplitude, the louder the sound will be and vice versa; that is, lesser the amplitude, softer it will be.

3. Waveform: The shape of a waveform. Waveforms exist in different forms, such as sine, square, sawtooth etc, which will determine the variations or differences of timbre associated with sounds produced.

4. Envelope: A description of how a sound changes over time. It typically has four stages: Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release.

Essential Tools for Sound Design

Sound design always depends on the right tools and equipment. So here's a list of basic tools and software you'll need to begin with:

1. Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

The right sound design always depends on the proper tools and equipment. So here's a list of basic tools and software you'll need to begin with:

Ableton Live: Mostly known more for simplicity and flexibility in use, especially for electronic music.

FL Studio: The best for beginners and advanced alike.

GarageBand:  More intuitive in design. For free loving, Mac specific individuals it includes most of the basics required by the actual sound design.

2. MIDI Controller

A MIDI controller is used to create and influence your music and sounds. In all forms from keyboard and drum pad to many others, the device can help you send notes into a DAW, control virtual instruments, among other things.

3. Audio Interface

An interface with audio quality will offer you high-quality sound for your recordings and give you the opportunity to connect microphones, instruments, and speakers through your computer. It is a great tool, especially if you record high-quality audio.

4. Virtual Instruments and Plugins

Virtual instruments and effects plugins expand your sonic palette. Here are some beginner-friendly options:

Native Instruments Komplete Start: It's a free group of instruments and effects.

Spitfire Audio LABS: Offers all sorts of sampled instruments of highest quality for free.

iZotope Ozone Elements: A mastering plugin with extreme ease of use for newcomers and to make the final touches on your audio somewhat easier.

Basic Sound Design Techniques

Now that you have your tools, it's time to jump into sound design techniques. Here are some basic methods to explore:

1. Synthesis

Synthesis is the process of synthesizing sounds; you create sounds from the beginning by using electronic instruments. Here are some forms of synthesis:

Subtractive Synthesis: This is the most basic form of synthesis; it employs the filtering of harmonically-rich waveforms in order to outline the sound.

FM Synthesis: It utilizes another waveform to modulate the frequency of another. This creates a highly complex sound.

Wavetable Synthesis: Here, a series of waveforms determines an evolving sound. It causes the texture to be rich and varied.

2. Sampling

Sampling is taking a bit of recorded sound and manipulating it to create something new. You can sample anything-from field recordings to snippets of existing music. One of the nicest features most DAWs have built in is built-in samplers that can take your audio and slice it, stretch it, and do all sorts of transformation to it.

3. Layering

Layering sounds is a powerful technique to create depth and complexity. By combining different sounds, you can create a richer final product. For example, layering a synth pad with a vocal sample can add warmth and texture to your mix.

4. Effects Processing

Effects are also crucial aspects to the shaping and transformation of sounds. Some of the common effects are:

Reverb: It adds space and depth to sounds, simulating a variety of environments.

Delay: Even delay creates echoes. Adding it to sound design might create a sense of rhythm as well.

EQ (Equalization): It lets you amplify or reduce certain frequencies in order to aid in defining the tonal balance of your sounds.

Compression: This regulates the dynamic range of the audio. So quiet sounds become as loud as necessary, and loud sounds less loud. It makes your mix sound more professional.

5. Field Recording

Field recording is the act of recording sound from your environment. This could include everything from city noise to nature sounds. These recordings can then be utilized in projects toward which you are designing the sound, thereby giving each piece a level of authenticity and uniqueness.

Learning and Experimentation

Sound design is a fluid and evolving category of work that is partly fueled through experimentation. The following are some ways you might continue your own learning:

Online Courses and Tutorials: There are some such platforms that have vast amounts of resources for beginners like Coursera, Udemy, and YouTube. Look up courses that are specifically on sound design.

Join Communities: Online communities might inspire you and also support you. You might find a sense of belonging with online forums like Gearslutz or r/sound design on Reddit.

Practice Regularly: Give yourself every week to just go out and try new techniques and sounds. The more you practice, the better your abilities will be.

Summary

Sound design is a fun and very fulfilling creative activity. First, getting a handle on the basics of sound, knowing the main tools, and a vast accumulation of techniques, you can start to create your own unique sounds. The bottom line, experiment and have fun-and there are no strict rules in sound design other than endless possibilities. So, grab your DAW, take it for a spin, and let your creativity flow!

[virtualsketchbookartapp]

Virtual Sketchbook #1

Hi, my name is Brooklynn. I am a VPK teacher at the ripe age of 19, and with that receive a ton of art. When I first saw my piece it kind of confused me because there was so many different things to see, like goggles on horses, a car that has been painted, random stars, and some random green spots.  

I was given #23, by Banksy done October 9th 2013, it was spray painted (graffiti) done on a wall and car on Ludlow St on the lower East Side of NYC, it has since been removed. 

Five Facts: 

It was a part of Banksy’s Better Out Than In series/show. He had been hiding it under a tarp. 

 Most of his work was left with a “funny museum-style audio description” but this one was left with an audio snippet of the Collateral Murder video, it showed a US Army Airstrike that killed a Journalist, his driver and injured two children.  

He did a new piece every day for 31 days, mostly graffiti but one was a stone sculpture of the great Sphinx of Giza, one was a fiberglass statue of Ronald McDonald, one was a “spray paint booth,” and one was a truck full of puppets. Mine was day 9.  

At the Spray Paint Booth original canvases that had been signed by Banks were being sold for $60, with the grand total of the day being $420. 

Banksy was in NYC for October, evading any identification of who he is.  

When I originally looked at his work, I was a bit confused but as I read more about him and what he did it became a bit clearer. He was doing a political statement with every piece of work, defacing multiple spots around NYC. As I looked at more of his pieces, I loved how simple they were and how sweet or uplifting most of them were, something that would spark a bit of endorphins. When I look at the piece, I was given I am not confused for the same reasons but for others, like why is this one darker and more technical then his other colorful, simple designs. But ultimately I do like the piece and think its a nice brain teaser.  

2. I am currently moving so nothing is on my walls, but I have a gray painting that is a quote from Fiends that says, "I'm curvy and I like it -Joey Tribbiani." This is important to me because I 1. Love Friends and 2. Am all about self acceptance and appreciation. It is a simple acrylic paint painting, it is simple but to me it is a reminder to love myself.

3. I am 19 years old, I am a white female and am Florida born and raised. I do not typically get a lot of free time to go do things for fun but I love to read when I can or go watch a movie. I am not a member of any organization but it is because I work full time at FORZA Child Development as a VPK teacher. Something unique about me is I grew up in an extremley small school.

4.

[works-ez-works]

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[kirk-goes-to-gallifrey]

I AM BACK WITH KNOWLEDGE

and ooooooh we've been missing some ✨ interesting shit ✨ that's been going on apparently

Here's a summary provided by this reddit thing:

A “Notice of Privacy” email was sent out by Atlantic Records regarding Foster The People, updating the email list, and how Atlantic will provide new news about the band under a new privacy policy about information the user has given to the website.

Lost in Space first found on TikTok! It was originally documented by a member of the FTP Discord who accidentally stumbled across it while trying to find Static Space Lover.

Foster The People is confirmed to play at Austin City Limits (October 4th and 11th).

By calling 512-872-2576 for ACL clues, Mark left a message, saying how they’re “Lost without you,” along with an audio clip playing in the background that faintly resembled Lost in Space.

Foster The People website updated, with binary code that spelled out a secret message. Once translated, it would say: “I’m lost without you.”

Slight website update, with a box provided to put in your email. Along with the removal of the phone number to contact them.

New binary update on the website! Translating to: "I was trapped inside a glass heart"

Another binary text update on the website! This time, translates to mean: “And I’ve been drifting in a daydream”

The website was updated once again. This time, with removed binary, and new artwork. Along with an email box and phone number.

One minute clip of “Lost in Space '' starts gaining a tiny bit of popularity on TikTok after it was initially found. Shortly thereafter, the FTP community number sends out a link to listen to the minute clip. Therefore, making it actually official.

Contact photo update, with Isom and Mark in the photo rather than just the ever iconic Mark-Mirror-Selfie.

Posters titled “I’M L ST WITHOUT YOU” were found posted up in Chicago. (Documented by ftpnostalgia on TikTok

Website update! But this time in the genuine, ACTUAL coding of the website. Shouting out a couple of Redditors and members of the Discord who followed along with updates about the band, with heading text above it that reads: “Thank you for following along”

Web store to relaunch, along with the verification of their new TikTok account. Along with posters being sighted in Glendale, AZ.

Group hug post made!!! <3 Many Redditors in the sub shared their personal experiences and memories with, and about Foster The People, Shortly thereafter that post, a few of the Redditors got mentioned in the HTML of the website, with every mention being signed by Mark.

A new promo video was sent out by the community number! Showing a galaxy-type background. However, the video shows many glitching graphics, then at the end, plays an audio that sounds like it could very well be the intro to Lost in Space. (The clip was also uploaded to their TikTok, Instagram, and literally just all their socials I think).

FTP profile photos changed over most to about all of their socials. Changing from their Torches X-era logo to a solid black logo.

New community number video! This time, it is a compilation of all the “I’M L ST WITHOUT YOU” posters in different locations, with more audio snippets of Lost in Space.

Once again, new community number clip! With more glitchy-space-neon visuals and Lost in Space audio snippets, BUT, this time, with vocals and lyrics! Some of the lyrics are the same ones in the translated binary code on their website!

Genuinely cannot fucking believe I missed all that. But oh well, I bet if I joined this discord server I would never check it anyways ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

@staticspxcelover WE ARE INDEED IN A NEW ERA

🎉✨🎇🎆🎊🪅

i have no socials besides tumblr, do you know what's going on exactly??? i saw someone say they cleared their insta, and idk what mark does with his twitter (besides basically nothing lmao), but does this mean we are finally entering a TRUE BRAND NEW ERA AFTER SEVEN YEARS?!?! (also is Sean still with Mark and Isom?)

AAAAAAAHHHHH

I don't have any socials besides tumblr either 😭😭😭

I saw someone posted the tiktok video here on the ftp tag and then I did as millennial does and fucking GOOGLED IT and the only thing I saw was that they were gonna release the entire single this month

I also saw a pic of mark and isom here, it seems it's just the 2 of them rn, but I'm not sure :/

Wait, I think there is a subreddit, I'll see if I can find it (Idk how to use reddit very well but I think I can find something)

Hold up

[gingerbreadmonsters]

do we know what project meridian is yet? like what does james want to use love for?

i am assuming that you are the same anon from earlier...???? but i don't actually know, so if you are a different anon - welcome!! happy to have you in the discussion 🥰🥰

everyone is welcome to theorise, chat, criticise, whatever - this storyline is so damn interesting to me and i love chatting about it! if you want to send anon asks then it might be convenient to give yourself an emoji identifier though so i can tell who's who lol ✌️

MASSIVE spoilers for today's (21.05.22) audio because it's relevant to the question, and also because i listened to it this morning and i can't unlisten to it lmao

as far as i know, we don't actually know what project meridian is - but we can make some educated guesses based on snippets from other videos!

we know that the project that created love ("the asset") is currently owned by ETS (Ecumene Technology Solutions) - it's highly likely that they were in control from the start, but we can't be sure as marcus tells us that when he signed up to the project, it was listed as "an independently funded research project organised in partnership with private donor entities", so it's not confirmed that ETS was always one/all of said "entities".

we also can infer that the scientists like marcus and brian who have been actively working on the so-called "Phase One" of the project are probably all unempowered, and thus have no context for the real purpose of the project, or the references to "Meridian". at the end of today's audio ("Confronting Your Technician"), james confirms to us that:

love had no idea of the existence of magic, but it's existence is at least part of the encrypted "Project Meridian" data packet that was downloaded into their head, which they have just been given at least partial access to ("The world as you know it is about to get a whole lot bigger.")

marcus is unempowered - when discussing the removal of marcus' memories, he talks specifically about a breach of covert, not just a security risk, suggesting that marcus keeping his knowledge of the project would be exposing an unempowered person to knowledge of magic ("[We] take covert very seriously where I come from. So I need to arrange for the removal of that information from him.")

james (and the rest of ETS) is empowered - he is a telepath! ("How I seem to somehow know exactly what people are thinking as they think it.")

(this actually raises some really interesting questions about love's existence - can james read love's mind? what are the criteria for reading someone's mind? do they have to be alive? is love really alive, or just a facsimile? how do AI and telepathy interact?)

so - this confirms to us that Project Meridian definitely has something to do with the magical meridian, and probably isn't just an elaborate red herring or anything like that.

but why does james (and the rest of ETS) care about the meridian?

this conversation takes place within the imperium au, but imperium!avior puts it nicely:

"The fabric of reality that is Elegy is going to be ripped to shreds. [...] You know what the Meridian is? That barrier between Aria and Elegy that you all punch holes in every day when you call on your powers? It isn’t just some minor inconvenience that you empowered humans have to deal with. It’s there for a reason."

"When the Sovereigns began experimenting on humans and imbued them with the ability to call on magic, to draw it out of Aria and into their bodies, that delineation almost unraveled. Our two planes nearly became one, until the Sovereigns wove the Meridian. They bolstered the existing barrier between our realities so that it could survive the constant pull of magic into Elegy."

"More and more and more people born with powers, taught to use them constantly, without any fear of reprisal, ripping magical power through the Meridian faster than it could ever hope to recover. It can’t keep pace. It’s been eroded away. The Meridian has become paper thin and it isn’t going to last much longer. The barrier between Aria and Elegy is going to fall, and when it does, our realities will become one. And humanity will not survive the fusion."

echo tells us that the imperium au is a look into what the redactedverse would look like "if just a few, vitally important events had gone a little differently" - although we know a few (e.g. david's death, the sealing of the barrier between aria and elegy) it's not entirely clear what the full extent and impact of those events are. it's likely that the issue of the degrading meridian in the imperium au is being mirrored (or at least something similar is happening) in the normal redactedverse.

there's definitely interest in the meridian in the regular redactedverse - in "Yandere Cultist Friend Lures You In", blake laments the fact that the magical government doesn't "have an official stance on how empowered people came to have their powers, or where the Meridian comes from", and tells us that CloseKnit believes in the existence of "the Weavers" (presumably the equivalent of the "Sovereigns that we just heard imperium!avior going on about). he describes them as "incredibly powerful beings who had a hand in every part of magical history who were then wiped out by their own creation. They wove together the Meridian. To try and keep us safe after the demons found our realm. And when that plan failed, and demons found a way to cross it, they gave us our powers. To defend ourselves."

we have no idea whether any of that is actually true, and given CloseKnit's general cult-ness, i'm inclined to say that the overwhelming majority of that information is either false, heavily distorted, or manipulated to create a fake narrative.

but wait! who better to ask than somebody who is, last we heard, literally inside the meridian? in his very first audio, "Sarcastic Demon Drags You Into His Hell", avior calls the meridian "a line in the sand, the wall between the human realm and the magical plane. When empowered humans use their power, they punch a hole in that wall and reach across to the other side, taking what they need."

however, it's clear that the origins of the meridian are up for debate - it's possible that Project Meridian will have something to do with trying to find out where the meridian came from in the first place.

it seems that this idea of tearing through the meridian in order to facilitate the flow of magic between aria and elegy is consistent between the imperium and the canonverse, which opens the door for a similar sort of meridian collapse disaster to occur in the canonverse.

maybe james and ETS are trying to figure out if this collapse is happening? or how it can be stopped?

according to the oed, "ecumene" is defined as:

"The inhabited or civilized world, spec. that known to the ancient Greeks. Also (in extended use): the inhabited or developed world (or part of it) as known to or embraced by a later civilization."

and according to merriam-webster, it is:

1 a : the permanently inhabited portion of the earth as distinguished from the uninhabited or temporarily inhabited area

b : the nuclear area or center of maximum activity of a state having the densest population and the closest network of transportation routes

2 anthropology : nuclear area of high culture to which neighboring regions stand in a relation of cultural backwardness or dependence

so why might ETS be called ETS? both of these definitions are focused around the distinction between inhabited and uninhabited regions, and the merriam-webster definition is particularly interesting as it talks about differences in cultural development between the two.

the obvious parallel to draw here appears to be aria vs elegy - ETS is likely to be a human endeavour, so elegy is probably being positioned as the "ecumene" in question here, but we don't yet know for sure.

and this ties in to the biggest question - what's the point in building a human-like robot? why do they need love ("the asset") at all?

my theory is that love is being built with the purpose of travelling through the meridian and into aria - here is what i'm drawing off of:

humans cannot exist in aria - it is physically impossible and any human who were to go there would die immediately

DUMP wants to talk to the chorus about the cause of the inversion, but is worried that the chorus was behind the prison breakouts and the inversion

we have been introduced multiple times to the idea that the meridian can break down and be eroded

there is something trying to get out of death (in "Comforted In Your Nightmare By a Deathwalker", just before the inversion, brachium says "What lies beneath the River wasn’t placed there out of vengeance—they were imprisoned to save your race, not spurn it! [...] And with no one watching them, the powers rose. With help from the other side. Help that I can't stop. I don't know that anyone can stop it now.")

my current theory is that love is being developed as some sort of robotic ambassador for humanity, that can exist in aria as a proxy for the human magical government, DUMP, whatever.

the relationship between demons and humans is certainly not smooth, and the existence of CloseKnit indicated that there are at least some empowered humans who believe that demons are untrustworthy - this isn't helped by the fact that demons can freely traverse elegy with ease, but humans are unable to even exist in aria. we don't know if ETS and CloseKnit are affiliated with each other, or if those storylines are going to cross over at all, but it wouldn't surprise me if CloseKnit was either involved or very interested in gaining greater access to aria.

considering the amount of money, time, and resources that are being poured into this, it's more likely that ETS is being partly or fully funded by DUMP/the high council/some form of human empowered government. it's logical, considering the imbalance between humans and demons, that they would want a way to communicate directly with the chorus on their own terms, and to finally find a way to see what's happening in aria for themselves.

there is also the possibility that ETS is a totally private organisation, with its own unique motivations, but we don't really have any information to confirm or reject that theory entirely.

we don't know how prevalent, if at all, the idea of the meridian breaking down actually is, in the canonverse. however, we know that it's possible, so i'm going to tentatively propose that as a potential reason for love's existence - a highly advanced human-shaped science drone, like a really sexy version of a mars rover or something, who can investigate the meridian from the other side.

the same caveats apply to the "something wants to get out of death" point - sunshine knows this, because brachium told them so, but sunshine is also currently just waking up from a nightmare with blake and elliott, so i imagine that it's not exactly common knowledge yet. however i say again that because we as listeners know of its existence, i'm just going to note that love's existence as a human-adjacent entity means that we might see the "Project Meridian" and "The Balance" storylines crossing over. that's pure speculation on my part, but i thought it might be an interesting talking point.

-

tldr, bc this is very long: i have several theories about james' ultimate goal for project meridian and they are as follows:

it will have something to do with trying to find out where the Meridian came from in the first place

it will attempt to address the long-term degradation of the Meridian, in the hopes of maintaining the barrier between aria and elegy

love's purpose will involve them being sent to aria as a sort of proxy for humanity, either for diplomatic or scientific purposes

[meichenxi]

I present before the court this offering, allowing myself to be humbled shamed schooled humiliated brought down a peg etc etc in the hope that this time next year I can look back on it and create a really intensely very cool progress video...you also get to see what my constant internal monologue is like. it’s. it’s exhausting lmao. 

This is my fifth day in Korea, and about the second week of me studying Korean with Lingodeer. I made some noise about starting Korean way earlier than that in February but basically never did, so let’s say this is...two weeks in? 

Again, as we know, weeks don’t count. Days don’t count. It’s hours that do. Tragically however I have not followed by own advice and keep forgetting to use Polylogger to track the time spent - I doubt it’s more than 10 hours though since I’ve primarily been using the app.

Anyway. However long I’ve been learning, it’s early enough that it’s kind of shit and kind of embarrassing. But that’s one of the reasons I think that I’m posting it - I follow a few really big langblrs, and whenever they come into my orbit I sort of kneel down and weep bitterly in awe. But we’re all just nerds who like languages and occasionally post about it. I think it’s wonderful that people have been posting things more as beginners in a language, and I hope that we can do that for audio too!! Sure, it’s embarrassing! But that’s ok - we’ll get better! I hope that langblr can be a place to share the journey and encourage each other in things we are just starting out in too.

So posting this, here’s a little challenge to all the beloved langblrs on here: Have you just started a new language? Would you like to share some speaking as a starting point, maybe to come back to some time from now and see how far you’ve come? Tag me - I want to hear!!

---

In this snippet I say the five (5) sentences I can currently usefully say (’the dog has an apple’ does not count), as well as some live practice with Lingodeer. 

I know grammar and vocabulary will improve - that’s a given. My reading is also quite slow even for words that are not new, and that will improve without question too. But I’m mainly curious to see how much my accent and intonation will improve with immersion over the course of a year. Listening back, I can hear what some differences are between my intonation / stress patterns and those of the Lingodeer man - I can hear some places already where I’m going wrong (the stress on issumnida and related words I feel needs to be either on the second syllable or more distributed - either way not so much on the first. And particles I have zero idea how to stress). Others will exist that I can’t hear at the moment. I hope that that conscious linguistic awareness will grow and improve, but I also hope it will eventually marry up with more subconscious intuition. To go from ‘Oh, my mouth should be doing this - let me just -’ *wrestles with mouth* to ‘Wait, my mouth is doing this? Oh. Cool’. 

I hope this snippet also makes it clear that whenever I’m using something like Lingodeer, I may not be speaking usually, but it’s still fairly active study. I’m constantly going - ok, wait, how are these two sounds pronounced together? What’s the stress doing? Why do I sound wrong? Is this sound more palatalised/rounded/aspirated in this context? When are things voiced more or less? How are words pronounced differently in isolation when read in word lists and in the middle of a sentence? Language is an endless source of data and I plan to mine everything I can :)))))

Thank you guys for bearing with me, and I hope to reblog this with a much more interesting version in a year! Fighting~

- 梅晨曦

[funkymbtifiction]

Some questions!!!

1) I just listened to a fascinating audio snippet on a woman whose mission is to eradicate small talk in the hope of TRULY bringing people together. As an ESFJ, I like this approach a lot because true social unity and connection goes beyond "hey, how are you" (although I don't think small talk should be totally gone! it's important to being in society) and it is making me wonder if I'm really an ENFP. I am a social-dominant type, so I would never actually try this approach, but I secretly think it's super cool. If people thought it was weird I wouldn't tell them I like it or use it, but here is the description. I was wondering how you'd type this person & her ideas, if you would like to listen! It's short, but I think she uses Fe and Ni and is a social 7 or social 9. Here is the audio clip: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/741/the-weight-of-words/act-three-7

She's a sexual type -- let's forget the social conventions and get right to what doesn't bore me. I'm not sure what her type is, beyon that.

I'm going to sieze on the most interesting thing you just said (no small talk) and ask -- what exactly about this technique that is being shared makes you "wonder if I am really an ENFP?" You just threw that in there and left it hanging without an explanation.

I like the idea of focusing on the most interesting part of the conversation, and may do that, but I think I'll leave the invasive questions that could make someone uncomfortable at home. ;)

2) Can someone who's a 9w1 love intellectual debate/controversy and be a major peacemaker and be super calming and able to detach? An INFJ I know shows every sign of being a sp/so 9w1 core/953 except for this one quality of theirs. I can't see them having 8 as a wing, they're too peaceful.

9s do not mind controversy or debate, provided the discussion does not fall into personal insults and/or aggression from the person they are discussing something with -- as long as something is respectful and they feel safe in their environment or with that other person, they enjoy banter and discussion. Sp9s are also the most direct 9s.

3) Is Helen from Bridesmaids a really unhealthy ESFJ 3w2?

Yes. I haven't seen it, but I know enough about her to say... yes. She's the stereotypical 'perfect' woman on the outside, while being quite catty and shallow on the inside.

As a dominant Fe-user with a likely 3 fix, I am better at appearance than intimacy sometimes but I would never want to upstage people like she does.

Your Fe is healthy; hers is not. :)

This video about her character & how she lacks meaningful/not-for-show-and-status relationships reminds me of how I've felt when I've disintegrated into 3? I am starting to think I might even be a 3 because of these struggles, even though I am not truly like her. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDqZ_0ncxMk If it's too long for you, can I ask instead: can Fe-doms struggle with emotional intimacy ever in favor of putting up the perfect image for others?

If you really want me to deep dive into your personality, you need to provide examples of what you mean / your thought process, rather than just mention that you relate. Why do you feel like a core 3? What evidence do you have for being a core 3? Is your 3-ness more prolific than your (assumed) 6-ness? What about 3 do you relate to?

EFJs are so busy thinking about other people's needs and wants, and putting aside their own (often) to cater to them (unless they are 8s), that they find it hard to be themselves with others, for fear of being rejected. They are typically very up front about their feelings and in addressing them in the present moment, however, since they feel a desperate need to talk them through with their loved ones, so they are somewhat straightforward in their emotional expressions. A core 3 EFJ would feel a great deal more ambivalence and angst centered around exposing themselves to a lover in terms of emotional intimacy, since they are playing whatever role they are given (wife, mother, corporate lawyer) and wrap up their identity in it, and fear that without it, they aren't "enough" to hold someone's love.

4) How can I convince my Fi-dom acquaintances and relatives that I am not "unhappily living for other people" even when I am being myself, and that I just think total 100 percent authenticity isn't AS important as other things? I even see my ENTP & INFP parents feeling sad that I'm not my true self as much as I could be because they love my true self, but they also can't understand my cognitive processes! We're very close but it's almost like dominant Fe/being a 3 core or fixer is alien to them. They are very socially aware and appropriate but have 4 fixes and hate fakeness. How can I explain being a 3 (or 6? i have no clue) and ESFJ to them in a way that they will understand?

Just be honest. Tell them you are not "unhappy" by living for other people; it's what MAKES you happy. Their happiness is akin to your happiness. Send them to my blog and let them read the EFJ stuff, so they can understand you better. They just want to make sure that YOU are happy, it's not necessarily a judgment on you -- and if you can assure them that this is what gives you happiness, they won't fret about it as much anymore. "Fakery" is different from consideration, appropriateness, and politeness, three things our society needs.

5) Am I a 3 or a 6 based on what I've just said? This is so difficult to figure out -- my tertiary Ne is killing me!

You didn't give me enough information for me to say, sorry. :)

Start by searching 'attachment stance' and 'assertive stance' here on Funky tumblr, and read about the difference. 6s are dependent stance numbers -- they want what is best for everyone. 3s are assertive stance numbers -- they go after what they want, hard and with determination. 6s are more considerate than 3s, but 3s are more self-confident than 6s. 6s do not want to draw negative attention to themselves (I won! Does this mean you hate me now?), 3s want that attention since it shows their competency (I won, this proves to everyone how valuable I am!).