HNY

Further "evidence" of my guru status. It's what I did tonight.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/everything

Have a good one, let's make the next always better, xx, buy the novel, go on, hmm, new year's resolutions, disperse inertia, get fitter, find a way to get the novel noticed without committing major crime. BTW the photo I used for "the secret of everything" is the tree where I almost died as a kid. Dunno if I got more or less deep after a monster whack on the head. You'd have to follow another reality strand and see if it made a difference, whether that one, well, let's not give away the plot of the third novel too soon. Heh. :)

Did three new tracks, including this

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/underside

Fun evening of beer and smokes. Same again tomorrow possibly.

Excellent curry, Dan had a great magic trick in which he handed me the deck and didn't touch it and yet still my card came up. He's getting really good.

Did two more urban tracks today to add to the two I did yesterday. Music by numbers and I feel numb doing it. If this approach makes me money I'll come to hate it. Maybe I already do.

Blimey another Headshock afternoon of recording and hanging out. Could be we got more quality material, hard to imagine. Two effects units failed - that Eventide I got which has been iffy from the start. Hard to imagine no signs at all until it passed to me. The Roland delay also went, bloody hell! Spoilt my trautonium playing.

Had a strange email exchange with some guy from analogue heaven, probably an American, seemed very immature anyway but he was sounding like he wanted to kill me for giving away some free music but taking the name of christmas in vain. Or something. Hey ho. :)

And now, a lovely quiet night with Pat. Bliss!

Philosophy is great for letting you off, just like religion.

Yep, on the Tullamore Dew whilst tweaking latest Headshock recordings. Potentially "The Jar is The Star", another 40+ mins of very addictive material, very organic, really direct and with a few tweaks, sounding very releasable. Just done CD, gonna do Tim an MP3 of my changes.

Worked a little on new novel but laid off the chemicals for today. Had fun, looking forward to making more music - violin plus trautonium!

Changa

A freebie track from me which is essentially two Synthi improvs laid on top of each other and mixed with a tiny amount of arrangement.

http://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/track/changa

Recorded some more cool Headshock stuff today.

Another freebie, limited time on this one, a Headshock track

http://soundcloud.com/timchik/headshock-2012-christmas

ho ho ho

Octatrack love/hate day

Well it was love right until the moment I accidentally cleared the current part. What the hell is the use of that function anyway? Still not sure what button combination I did - all I was trying to do was name the part and Func + Clear usually clears the part name so you can enter a new one. I must have hit some other combination though because it wiped all my samples, machines, the base parameters for everything and with no sign of an undo. It asks for confirmation when you're about to change the trigs for a pattern in the loop slice menu, which is one confirmation too many, but doesn't ask for confirmation when it's going to wipe two hours of fucking work.

You can tell I'm pissed off, right?

More of a rant than a blog but this machine really does drive me crazy some days. It could be so much better and friendlier, even with its many, many key combinations. But almost everything it does it backwards - to my thinking anyway.

Shutting up now. Hopefully the save I did earlier will still have most of the machine settings and I can recover some of the later patterns and add them manually somehow. Can't be arsed thinking about it now though, still angry which ain't the time to fix anything.

Upside-down faces

Just saw this newsreader on BBC1 who had the most amazing teeth. I mean they were white, lots of them, brilliant, but the fun thing was this: they were predominantly lower teeth, a few not so impressive ones on the top but a bottom row like those of a gleaming god. Or goddess, as it would be here.

Pat and I had the same idea at the same time, she looked like an upside-down face. But Pat's mind, faster than mine by a shade, suggested she'd be the ultimate upside-down face cos it would really do your head in.

And she's right, bless.

Saturday night and I have a cold sore.

Watched The Avengers, excellent!

Recorded a 15 min Synthi piece today and did some Trautonium sampling, much of it almost dry although I realised later I could've recorded the delay on inputs 3/4 as I could another person. Idiot, wasn't thinking and I do like playing with delay, makes it better. Some nice phrases captured though, a bit old-movie waily, slidey but I love that stuff. Almost like I can play violin! Will get into Octatrack and see what I can do with them. Has potential I think. The Synthi stuff, individual tracks, can go in too. Lots of ambient backgroundy things to mess with. May slice them into smaller chunks so I can trigger from single pattern (32 bars),

I REALLY wish that when you've set up a Trig and put lots of p-locks on it, that when you switch the trig off and on again, it remembered the stuff you'd just sent. It would only go back to the original raw part value trig if you fully cleared the trig first. May ask, you never know. :)

OK, I really should learn to enter proper links...
Bogus Focus

One day I'll slow down a bit and start to do it properly.

Got an improved quote from Guy, very kind, "Nagle's writing has a hardboiled humour to it that brings to mind Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat books, coupled with the warped worldview of Michael Marshall Smith – both of which are very good things in my view!"

Now to read up on self-publicity, self-promotion and self-branding, all interesting self-oriented activities now tied in to this novel about, hmmm, the self.

Sent in two new library pieces for consideration, no idea if they're what's wanted. That's the trouble, I have no idea.

Should finish the trautonium review really, have been dragging my feet. New app review to do but it's another dull one, but as that's all I have I should throw myself into it. Later though.

New novel: Bogus Focus

It's finally here kids, please buy so I feel justified working on the second one in the series! :)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bogus-Focus-ebook/dp/B00APJX82I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355780933&sr=8-1

Productive Monday

Surprisingly. Continued faffing with novel until I solved the formatting errors. Well, for Kindle Fire but it only looks good on that, not the ordinary Kindle or iPad. Doh! I took out all the tabs, learned a lot about formatting generally. It's published now but I haven't publicised because I decided I didn't like the introduction text. Uploaded a tweak but was a bit stoned so hope I didn't cock it up. Can't read until it's published.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bogus-Focus-ebook/dp/B00APJX82I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355780933&sr=8-1

Good sesh with L this morning, tweaking video and positive vibes.

This evening, I listened to last night's track and was less impressed. Started a new one and I think it'll work out OK. I think I completed traut review too.

So a good day all in all.

Masched

Did a new track from scratch today using Maschine. Added some trautonium which seems to work very well. Arranged Maschine scenes in Logic.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/urbsurbis

Saw a film I very much enjoyed: The Invention of Lying clever idea well executed. I think another actor might have made even more of it but Gervais pulls it off.

Hehe have used my old trick on Tim of showing him an amateur version of the cover to see if a better one will magically appear.

Creativity

This is great
http://vimeo.com/18913413
And it also kinda explains my Sunday evenings and the 'good chunk of time' thing. And playing. :)

So anyway, instead of knuckling down and working, did some stuff with Tim, listened to some old stuff including some music we'd recorded with the trautonium from the other week. Very happy.

Lucy comes home

Tony's done wonders, again! Not only did he reverse engineer the screwy LFO waveform I like, he designed and installed a waveshaper to turn my square wave into the new waveform. He also fitted switches for LFO speed and destination, especially useful with the VCO cross mod I have already, and a button to disengage the envelopes. This works just as I'd hoped, allowing extra articulation where I want it. I like the feel of the button so much that a second one, possibly for the Glide on/off or the preset envelope I was thinking about for LFO speed mod and an extra VCA kick, isn't ruled out. :) Envelope times lengthened nicely.

A good drive up, sadly couldn't stay for lunch as Pat working at four. Now back to review work even though I want to play!

Cheque from the US. Better than a kick in the teeth, must read through and see what plays I got and in which programs. Maybe I should've done more for those guys, a damn sight easier to work for than the lot in London, which reminds me I still didn't reply to that last email of theirs... still biting my tongue!

Chuffed

Despite my shitty PRS payout I've been chuffed over the last few days about bandcamp sales. Bandcamp tell me they've given me an upgrade due to sales and some people are buying everything in one fell swoop. Doesn't take much to cheer me up eh?

Another reader finished the novel, very positive this time but I'll quiz him more as he's the best so far. Sent him the intro version. BTW anyone who reads this blog (oddly I see some do!) and wants to be a reader, drop me a line. Unless you don't want to see any deeper into my mind

Worked on traut review, got my main text and now just tidying.

Off to get Prodigy tomorrow. Tony finished, reasonable too - hope he didn;t undercharge me, will ask. Can't wait, wanna see if my mods do what I hope they will. Think all these performance tweaks started with me getting the theremin, even if I can't play the thing yet it's had a good influence!

Pissed again but it seems to help the writing...

I am a bad person

I wasn't planning on buying owt from Amazon and then I did. Shallow, etc. etc. I know. Started listening to Paul Hindemith on Youtube, always fatal when stoned. Next thing, bang, done it. Not blaming being stoned BTW, I am a weasel. :)

Made some review progress but have less words than I'd hoped. PRS payments nowt to get excited about.

Watched Prometheus last night, not very impressed.

Finally got remastered Excession released

http://jointintelligencecommittee.bandcamp.com/

Cold comforts

A nothing day, hence the blog post. Faffed around in the studio, sorted a few little jobs, pottered with a few half-ideas that fizzled out, started something maybe interesting on the Octatrack but to be honest, I could've achieved almost as much by remaining in bed. :)

Skype seemed not to load properly and as I never noticed, failed to communicate with Tim who might've got me out of my rut to do some music. Tomorrow, always tomorrow. Orbital tomorrow too. Must check when they're playing as 7pm on the door seems bloody early!

I uploaded this tune to Soundcloud from the other day, starting to compile a few of these odd little tracks that don't really fit with anything else.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/gadzooks

This evening I'm gonna sit around and  veg out.

Glorious morning, lovely walk with Jasper, this afternoon it's knuckling down to work even though I'd rather play.

Worked a little more on the experimental novel intro last night. Against my better judgement but it needs something, clearly, and a rewrite would change what I have in mind for the rest.

Listening to Haydn and looking through the morning's photos while last night's chinese goes down. Poor guy would never have written his greatest symphonies these days, would be accused of keep doing the same thing for too long and hounded to do something different. A much overlooked composer I reckon. Same for Schubert, perhaps the greatest potential of all but of course he croaked at just 31. If there's a better fragment of music than his Unfinished Symphony, I've yet to hear it. There, that's my intellectual outpourings done for the day. :)

Now here's a photo of a dog:

Had a good idea tonight about the three novel idea and sketched more of the second, started a couple of chapters and two more addenda for book1, may only need one of them. 

Micmacs

Great film, well chuffed to find the music so easily online too

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/4nvh

Funny day, sent in app review but main review needs another look this w/e, circumstances out of my control. Pat asleep most of day due to working nights. Somehow keep thinking it's Friday but it's Thurday. Fasted so that shoulda been a clue.

Got a brilliant email from a composer of a well-known US TV series. I was asking him about his beautiful production and specifically the reverbs he uses. Musicians really are the best people! I shall apply what I learnt next time I do something!

Hey, it's sunny today. Whoop.

Wrote an app review today or most of it. Didn't seem to get a whole lot else done except bits and pieces of ephemera.

Life seems to be hurtling by with little input from me.

I wandered lonely as a cloud
But then I stopped
It wasn't allowed

I wandered lonely as a bat
I stopped again
So that was that.

Old Stuff

Well, CDs from the 90s. I have not listened to any of them for a long time, wouldn't have today if not copying for someone. Jesus, every track is like Russian Roulette. I don't know if I'll fire a harmless blank or blow my own head off! I mean, I listened through a very painful workstation guitar solo and some out of time organ playing and wondered what the fuck I was thinking in those days. Working by yourself is all very well but I really needed someone to tell me when I was playing like a total twat. Nobody did! Thank heavens for later collaborations.

It makes me think.
If I knew so little then, how can I be sure I know anything now?

Evening didn't achieve much in review terms, confirmed a few things and started going through text looking for a nice flow. Kinda lazy, lager evening though. Listened to fab new track from Paul, only goes wrong towards the end but he knew that already.

Eaten By Pigs, must re-release that track. Waves stuff all working at last, no idea why the problems but related to them sending me two licenses I think. Fingers crossed we're sorted.

Childhood's End

I love that book.

This track is called Karellen.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/karellen

My afternoon's work, using gear I'm currently reviewing and old faves too. Now, back to work!

Late night last night, grabbed a load of Phil's Repeater loops thinking I could do good stuff with them. Will certainly load a few into the Octatrack but there's a hell of a lot of delay on most, which makes it kinda hard. Good old chat into the early hours, think I crawled into my pit at around half one.

Had more novel feedback, not good news I'm afraid. If I'm gonna expect people to read it, it can't be based on plot alone. Nobody is gonna get to the end of a novel if they dislike the main character, which is something I really should've considered. Putting in a few clues of redemption after 60,000 words is clearly not enough. I'm trying to think how I can turn it around without a rewrite. Returning to an idea I've been nursing about adding a Foreword, suggesting a few of the things that are obviously way too subtle in the text, giving more explicit clues that the character telling the tale doesn't always tell the truth, suggesting the reader read between the lines, oh I dunno. It won't make it more engaging. Maybe I should just write the second one and make it the first in the series! Maybe I should give it up as a bad job. A lesson anyway in the old head/heart ratio. If you go entirely for the head maybe the only folks who'll read are nerds. Will hold off sending any more to agents for a while.

Plodded on with review today, mainly throwing text around, trying to work out if I'm saying everything I want to with no holes. I have this feeling a new upgrade will come next week and throw a lot of what I'm planning to say in the bin. In a sense I hope so. Anyway, with a week to go I'm happy I'm on course. Can look at that little app review too if I remember.

Last night did a fair bit of jamming on the Trout. Amazingly I can play it, not well but I'm developing some kind of technique, even for staccato notes. It already puts my theremin playing to shame, but then what doesn't?

LOL, funny how my blog entries are always the longest when I have the least to say! Overtly anyway. As you were.

Doesn't look like I'll get much work done today. Visitors in afternoon and evening, welcome visitors I hasten to add, but I have a few hours now to do some more review work, mostly typing up notes and putting them into some kind of coherent order.

I uploaded this to Soundcloud, just for shits and giggles, a track Tim and I did recently with a lot of Octatrack on it.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/eternity-program

I thought I'd over-herbed last night's spag bol but it turned out to be OK, phew! Serves me right for looking at the ingredients online but taking no account of the amounts. Depeche Mode had it right!

Missing my Prodigy already. Hoping Tony can replicate the LFO waveform I wanted. Turns out he thinks he knows how to do it, which reminds me how darn clever he is!

Didn't get much done today, hung around not starting owt all afternoon, bought the special offer Waves L1 but totally failed to get the licensing to work. Still unclear whether I've actually bought it or just borrowed it for 12 months. Sorta wish I'd not bothered now, reply from tech support ignored my email and just asked the standard questions which were irrelevant in this case. Sinking feeling. Don't like the software thing you have to install that gets it working, even less so cos it doesn't!

Interesting that so many of the things I wanted for Cirklon and felt important are starting to be requested. Coulda been ahead of the game I spose but I think a good push after this build cycle will get it going again.

Good plodding progress today. Have tried almost everything, made loads of notes, beginning to arrive at conclusions. Some better stuff at least.

Received the CD from Vic, haven't listened yet but I note I'm quoted as an "also" on the rear. Amazing really but reserving judgement until I hear.

Prodigy went to Tony for further mods. I still have to analyse the LFO waveform I want him to make for me. Got too busy today.

Fasting tomorrow, made a nice bolognese for breaking my fast. Remembered the mince swells up this time so it's a better mix. Paul has his Mini back. Had a bit of pining for mine but I'm actually happier with the Prodigy than I ever was with it, especially now it's being reshaped.

Tiddly pom, looks like I have nowt to say today. LOL just remembered I delivered 7 new KBB tracks, sorta forgotten cos they were done already, just uploaded. Still haven't quite got that lush, produced sound I'd like. Thinking that maybe a really good reverb is gonna prove essential....

Fixed something!

Yes, I fixed the cooker. Took it out, replaced the grill, got it back again with only a few screws missing. It works!
Concentrated on the review I'd touched least, lots of work to do and deadline 1st week December, which should be do-able. At least I've tried most things and am starting to get a good feel, have written copious notes so will work next few days going over and confirming before starting to type.

Now Pat's watching some program about a horse being castrated. So I'm fleeing - time for bed!

Got first rejection letter, actually a good one which was strange. It's basically all praise but they suggest I publish myself online - well cheers! Still, unusual in the sense they replied and only had positives, just confusing. I guess they need to gush, and I suspect I need male readers of a certain age for that. Hmmm, actually exactly the age that don't gush about owt. I may have spotted a flaw in my master plan here...

Nighty night!

Worked a bit

In theory was day off due to cruise, no not mine! Afternoon spent time with trouty and started writing up notes, asking questions. Later worked with other review kit, lots of crashes but making progress by looking at hardware not software. Some good answers back from previous questions, wrote a groovy sequence on it, tried out all parts not yet tried.

Chilling now as feel more on top of things. Some beer may have helped.

Jimmy Carr has a false and annoying laugh. A scary ventriloquist doll of a face. Watched some program about Hitler and ended up ordering a load of Wagner! Bonkers, not totally sure why, may have been the beer and shortbread. Heh. Tony Fecking Blair, the man everyone talks to about peace in the Middle East. I think I'm drowning in irony!! Had to flip channels.

Random memories: staying at Rich's, must've been sleeping downstairs, waking in the night for a drink of water, breaking the kitchen tap meaning it gushed all over the place, having to wake Rich and fix it in the early hours, drunk and stoned, felt guilty but Rich laughed.

Curry night

Excellent curry with friends and family, what else can I say? A great day, saw Mick, John and Simon for tea and cake then Lisa, Dawn, Danny and Carl for curry. Life is good and they do everything they can at the Sangham Balti. This is a dull blog entry but I'm gushingly happy with it. I'll go away now. :)

Headshock session

What a cracking day - saw John for tea and cake in the park, then walking by the river we saw a seal.

This afternoon it was a Headshock recording session, think we got some real good stuff done. Have made up a CD of all the recent material and I'm, well, hopeful...

Discovered something extra for review I'd almost finished. So glad and it'll be better for it. Yay!!

Dunno if anyone coming tonight, curry to book for tomorrow, just need to know how many for...

Fasting today which maps well to sitting and working with a piece of review gear, going over everything I can find, reading the manual. Realised I'd missed something from an earlier review of similar gear but probably too late to include. I hate it when that happens! Edit: Phew wasn't too late!

Today I bought a new iPad app I'll probably not use much. Does look fab though: Samplr. Reminds me of the Op1 a little. Very easy to use but good so far. Maybe I will use it!

Still lots of chatter about new Elektron analogue synth. Arturia, Elektron, who's next? And why are Korg lagging behind now having started so well? Hope I'll get my hands on it for review.

Started to work on new review even thought not written up old completely. Wanted the new thing to bed in over time so the sooner I put on all software, look at it, try things, think about it, the better.

Very happy with the opening thing I wrote tonight. It'd been a bit empty and characterless until then.

Have planned out my new Prodigy mods, Paul going up to get his Mini so he will take it for me, save the drive. I will go up whenever ready, may be able to get his SH-1 if Tony has done it. I mentioned the FM mod.

My new mods, in case anyone's interested in this shit:

LFO Destination 3-way switch above the mod wheel. Left means VCO1, Middle both, Right means VCO2.

I've been trying to analyse the weird waveform I sometimes get from the LFO when the switch is misbehaving and reckon it's something very like a triangle but with very inwardly curving exponential shape, like a very thin unstable blip. An LFO that does that please. Will record example.

LFO speed switch - I've seen some Prodigies with a switch to give the LFO a much faster speed. Not essential but would be nice.

Momentary switch to defeat keyboard triggering of envelopes. Just something like the button on the Digisound EG (not in function), When you release it the envelopes are triggered normally but when held down they just drift away in the release phase. Would really like much longer releases. I know, I know.

Green LED instead of red.

That's enough. Combined with previous mods (anyone interested? I'll note down if so) these will make the Prodigy my perfect solo synth, searched for for many years.

Magic shortbread kicking in, back to writing stuff... :)

Good progress, took break to post this, Tim supplied incredible haunting picture

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/something-comes

Mmmm a wet Monday, let's see, what's up? Saw Agitation Free in Manchester on Friday night, very enjoyable even if they didn't play an encore. Michael seemed to indicate they weren't allowed but seemed a shame to me. Drank too much, missed the train I'd intended and ended up on the last one to Preston so poor Pat had to come fetch me. Felt rough Sat morning, that last Monkey's Shoulder hitting me hard...

Worked on stuff over weekend, reviews coming along nicely but itching to get to do some of my own stuff. Read the new Culture novel (Hydrogen Sonata), which was OK, a bit routine perhaps. Feels like he's very comfortable with the limits he's set and doesn't want to be too adventurous. A good read though but has made me keen to go back over classic Culture novels again.

I plotted out the second novel in my own current series, switching back to more character-focused rather than plot-driven stuff as I think my plot will hold for the full three novels anyway. Must do more agent letters even if it all feels a bit futile.

I like the video for Elektron's new synth/sequencer. If it's the right price it could be very exciting. Aware that the Perfourmer is a bit large for any international stuff I might do so a small four voice analogue could be really useful. I wonder if they'll do something that's 80% brilliant 10% wacky and 10% downright hair-pullingly frustrating? All part of the fun!

Right, domestics day. Taking Les to hospital, then shopping, back to writing in the evening. Waiting for feedback on updated KBB tracks, fingers crossed. May also need to look at that Izotope Ozone mastering thing I installed but didn't immediately like... have 10 days to try it out.

Some guy called Bolok won the big US popularity contest. Still don't know why he didn't just wipe out his opponent with a drone strike. I think he won cos he's really starting to look like he hates his job. Folks can associate with that. I don't think the other guy lost purely cos he's a rabid businessman and nutter.

New reviews to start today, fortunately have used the kit already and have a feel for it. Should not be too hard.

Ah, that was Tuesday? Mum got bad cold, wanted me to take Ally for two days then changed her mind. Said I'd happily take her. Janet in dog house for taking cold round. Gotta all be careful from now.

Had smoke and drink and improved last review. I'd been about to send it in and made a few final changes for the better, I hope. Will have morning sanity check but I think it's a good one. Never want to get where it ain't fun and I'm churning 'em out.

Plotted out the next two novels in the series. Had a good idea about the third one, at least I hope so. The second one is what it was always going to be but the third will work really well, given it's actually an alternative first. It's written in the third person this time, of course.

Good Monday

We managed to get the old printer going with CD printing, so a good morning. Afternoon did a few bits and pieces, sent off Vic's CDs and the Clouseau one for the guy in Germany. Not as good as I remembered it, maybe not a good idea to hear some of these old things.

Amusingly, copying "42" a cassette I did back when I still had the home organ. I can hear Peter's drum machine that I borrowed, that Ibanez phaser, the great british spring, Elka stringsynth, very unsubtle, Yamaha CS10. My bass pedal playing is so bad it's almost, but sadly not quite, ironic. The organ had a string synth too. It sounded terrible but I seemed not to have noticed.

The Headshock stuff we recorded on the 3rd. I did very little except boost the levels and trim a few peaks, even kept in the distortion although de-crackled in a couple of places where it was too annoying. Anyway, what was I saying, I think it sounds really good stuff. The Octatrack fiddling I was doing combined with Tim's Microsampler, Elka, SH1, Prodigy. Oops, just heard some more bad cheese on the tape that's currently being copied. What was I saying, oh shit I really didn't care about bum notes in those days either. Thank Heavens for Logic, LOL. Jeez that sounds dreadful, wonder if I should lose the tape? Heheh...portamento lead solos. Yowch, gotta get soloing out of your system early. Or learn to play. Hehe, took the path of least resistance...

Good day

Blimey, some guy wants to release some of my stuff from 1980-84 on LP. I've been digging but it seems he has cassettes. Only found one anyway (42) so will send him that. Would like to listen first though, think they're all a bit shite.

Tim and I recorded some stuff this afternoon. Two tracks were good, maybe very good. Three other tracks that weren't as good but I'm happy, had fun. Like the sound of those drum machines but MUST learn how to stop the feckers alternating between the two halves or pattern and fill.

Pat made lovely tea, so it's telly and early night. Life, I love you!
Yes, we had a smoke this afternoon. You can tell, can't you? :)

Small steps

Well, after a painful birth all is peachy with that one track. Hopefully will get more to do soon and the chance to do a few before holes are picked in them and I lose all joy! Spent yesterday waiting for a workman who never came. It gave me chance to sit and write my latest review but reading back half of it is woffly philosophy rather than good, readable text. Still better than FM though! Actually bought that mag for the first time in many years but there are slim pickings. I wanted to know about the Microkorg XL as I thought there were meant to be mellotron samples in it - but no mention of them in the "review". So I'm none the wiser. It looks nice but it's all style and little substance, which is weird cos I'm sure I read a review a year or so back in WH Smiths and thought they were getting a lot better. Ah well, way of the world I guess.

This afternoon think I'll take time off and have Tim round to make noises. Workman allegedly coming but Pat can deal with him. Don't like having loft open when workmen around and we'll have to keep the smoke down too. So won't be the usual relaxed atmos.

Was very pleasantly surprised by the number of people coming out of the woodwork to say they liked, really liked Future Art Factory. Makes me wonder if I have deviated too much from the style with the new one but let's see what feedback I get. Couldn't persuade Iain Banks to write even a one-liner for me. I guess that was a cheeky thing to ask but you have to try. I even offered to listen to his music. Hey ho.

Well well, another day that didn't go to plan. Workman dude was here all afternoon, no music was made, worked on review and agreed to do another - of a competing product. Having lots of good vibes about alternative workflows and am really starting to think of ditching Logic. May be worth looking at Ableton again with the new version out... the new door looks excellent. The guy did a brilliant job, can't deny it. As usual Pat was right and I was wrong. :)

Groan, why am I not surprised? Finally got client feedback on the "tron ripoff" track which seems to put me back at the drawing board. Having extended it by 20 seconds they think it's too repetitive and the ending I changed to be as they requested now has to be put back to how it was at the start. Now, with one day to production, they're talking about it being disconnected to the visuals! I'd been told ignore the visuals and concentrate on the tron. A zillion other things I need to do today but bogged down with this again. Deep breath Paul!

Pretty sure whatever I do they'll want something else as soon as I've done it. :(

Wow!

Amazingly, another song today. Something about the simple, stripped-down, limited interface and approach to automation stops me getting bogged down. I just make music, concentrating on what actually makes a decent tune: the notes.

Blimey! At this rate I might become productive again. A scary thought. 

So much for doing a review of something that once wouldn't have attracted me at all. Shows you have to keep being open to new stuff or you become a boring twat! Hehe. 

Difficulty printing the novel at Pat's work, their email system soon get clogged up. I wonder why? Must sort that printer squatting here as I don't want to wait another week. I rewrote synopsis and extended it. I feel reluctant to explain any more as it feels wrong to do so. Bloody agents and their quick fix requirements!

A good day. I am slightly drunk but very happy. Making simple sequencer music with my Mac's instruments is quite inspiring. Shows what a dog Logic is, I think. I may have to contemplate getting Cubase. Might even ask to go back on the beta list, if they'd have me again. Which reminds me....

Message from Vic about Italy CD. I didn't get on front cover, hey ho. Good practice for downgrading the ego! If I hadn't heard that Youtube thing I'd never have known it even existed. hey ho!

Link, as reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aEG9U1njTxQ

Hmmmm good drunken night. Wrote a song on the new thing, not possible to drag/import into Logic due to various factors. Still a list of questions to solve but also suggestions for developer if they're into making it really cool. Hmmm, I see my bounce just began again. Let's hope that's a good sign...

Last one of Thick of It was fabulous, I'll really miss it. Their series are way too short.

Still bouncing.

Single malt from Aldi for £8.00. Actually rather pleasant too, not rubbish. However, cheap good whisky, or was it Irish? Actually tastes more like Irish but I'll have to go check now and report back, anal git that I am. Plenty of time while this bounces. That's me and my 32 bar patterns. It temps me keep asking me to double it. Can't seem to stop. Then they end up very noodly. But no intros/outtros unless always remembered and played manually.

Half way through bouncing, I realise this ain't much of a diary entry. Was raining. Didn't go out for lager. Only thing in the house this nice whiskey. Hedging my bets there. Memory tells me I'm wrong though, Scottish, Glen Divot or some such concoction. The progress bar has stopped at half-way but there's a message that says "done". Not promising...

Ah, was done just tiny buglet then. And it bounces the whole thing as one long thing. Sounds splendid...

new toys!

ah, some good stuff has arrived at last. Varies from very, very expensive to cheap but cool to computery and colourful. A good, possibly very good weekend ahead.

My pal Dave rang to say Mike Moorcock's written him a foreward for his country notebook jottings. If that doesn't get him published what will? Awesome and well-deserved.

Went to see John do his 1-man show "Hewitson's Diaries" and it was most excellent. I think Pat and Dawn were surprised how good an actor he is. It's been too long but so pleased for him. The show was sold out. Dawn's birthday so a late night dropping her in town then home later. Taxis so expensive these days.

Sigh...

I knew it had to be too good to be true. A series of changes to do, the feeling of doom grows but I'll try my best anyway. It now has to be 20 secs longer and be far closer to the fucking daft punk "reference" track. Originality, nah, who wants that these days?

Edit: spent a lot of time cursing Logic tonight. Apart from a random crash the bloody thing refused to show me any velocity stems except on the tiny/useless window that I can get under the arrange window. Nothing I could do would make it work so I gave up. I extended the track, tried to follow instructions, I pretty much hate it now. Will listen again in the morning if I can bear it.

Calmed myself down by going shopping.

Last night's Headshock session was lots of fun, even if I once again failed to record something good. I really wish Wavelab would let you do multitrack recording so I could leave Logic out of the equation. As it is I hit record OK but failed to record enable the two tracks. So it pretended it was recording even though it wasn't. Not the first time I've done that, idiot!!

At one point I stuck some pins into the Synthi randomly and got this almighty crashing snare sound (helped by the Eventide Space). Recorded it and have just taken a series of the best hits to make as loops for later chopping and changing in the Octatrack. Should be immense! Would like to work on that this afternoon but should press on.

Also to do: set the Dark Time to sequence the SH-1 and find a power supply for the x0xb0x so Tim has something else to mess with. Actually could use that as a sequencer instead of the DT...

Dawn made a very hot vegetable stew with lots of chillis. Went round to bravely eat some and took rest home. Live and learn eh?

I must be improving

... cos they liked both my tracks. Now for the client!
Perhaps I should always work at breakneck speed?

Right, off to do my weekly halo-polishing. This afternoon might get some studio time but really would like to get that novel letter written up. Ideally I'd like to harvest some quotes from other authors, which means I should read Iain's latest so I have an excuse to write to him.

Contemplating using the MIDI sequencer on the Octatrack. Realised I could fit the Octatrack, ESX-1 and maybe Blofeld and Dark Energy into my small footpedal case. That on a single stand with my Prodigy would make a pretty awesome small gigging rig. Actually wouldn't even need the DE, which is just as well since Doepfer will want it back sometime. :)

Phew, late night but good night

Awakenings was excellent yesterday, in particular RMI and a new discovery (for me) cosmonnaughttransfer (sp?). And it ended with a Stylophone solo, something I won't forget in a hurry.

Made me pine a little for a P3 again, could still be the perfect step sequencer, especially V3 with its playlists.

Got a text from lib company wanting music for tomorrow. I agreed, still waiting for the brief. Hope it comes soon today! :) Will have to go see my mum in the week sometime.

Trip with Tony let me ask him loads of questions about other possible Prodigy mods. I have some ideas but will see how the current mods bed in first. Top of the list, I think, will be an MS20-style push-switch by the wheels that temporarily cuts out envelope triggering by the keyboard. Still aiming for that perfect, fluid feel without having to play legato. Gonna swap the LED for a green one, dunno if I want it to flash in time to LFO or not, would rather mess with the square wave a bit, add some kind of lag to it to smooth the shape. Of course ideally I'd like to recreate that accidental "spiky" shape I sometimes got when the switch was dirty. I know if I challenge Tony to do it he will. :)

A sunny day today but I guess I'll be working and miss it. Didn't seem to get much sleep last night either.

OK, new track started. A challenge but I have an idea and it should be do-able this evening, after darkness brings its own brooding inspiration. Strange that, whatever my own doubts and insecurities, someone out there considers me a composer. I shall endeavour not to shatter that illusion. So much for completing the novel synopsis and other association guff to send to agents. Tomorrow hopefully.

7 new library tracks

Submitted, still not sure about the strings but they're as good as I can do.

Feeling very rough this morning. Turns out that public transport to see a gig ain't the best idea, running for the train full of Guinness when Hawklords were still only half-way through a 2-hour set almost killed me. Arrived with 3 mins to spare but the distance looked much easier on Google maps! Next time, drive you idiot. Beer ain't that amazing you should die for it! Good to see Harvey, Dave, Phil and Steve. Band sounding good, bought a CD.

Today get my Prodigy back, Paul drops off his Mini.

Lots of speculation about new Elektron. Latest SOS had Sledge in it, I'd been waiting for that as it looked promising but hey ho, some you lose. New stuff arriving next week, should have been this week but photography didn't happen.

I shall take a day off today, maybe see if Tim wants to make some noises, try out the repaired Elka Rhapsody too. Also have proper synposis to write for my novel. What I've done so far is a precis, apparently. I know so little...

Coffee.e......ee.e.e.e.e...

Awake!

Yep it's Friday. Off to see Mick's band tonight. Hope to send off three or four new tracks for lib comp to listen to, they're all maybe a bit Philip Glass but I really don't find it easy doing the strings. Will let Paul listen later and tell me how shite they are. Getting the timing right is a big part of the challenge as all these strings have a delay so need bringing forward to be tight against other instruments. Finding exactly the right value is real trial and error, probably due to my sloppy playing in the first place.

awake cos I still ate too much after fasting. I almost got away with the large plate of pasta but it was that last waffer-thin mint, in the form of a teacake, that did me. Shoulda said no. Guts feeling better now after some Andrews, well almost better. Will slope off to bed soon. Jeez it's twenty past three!

So I didn't do much else this week. There are instruments I should chase up that I expected here by now but have concentrated on new tracks instead. Novel edited up to ch28 but still wondering about "likeability" and its importance. Do I really wanna put off all female readers for the sake of, well, an idea really?

Pat working Saturday night. Just remembered I had a call yesterday evening I forgot to pass on to her. Doh! Something about shift swap cancelled. Shame I was stoned and in the middle of some music so didn't take proper note. Ah well, if I ever look at this again I'll remember... not that I do!

Sure there was something else I wanted to record for yesterday...

Sunshine!

I took this photo waiting for Jasper to come around the corner but he didn't. On investigation he'd climbed to the top of the tower and was afraid of the steps to come down. So he was quietly waiting for me to come and rescue him!

Here he is again, you can tell that no work has been done yet today. Does that make me a bad person?

So I could progress the three or four tunes I started last night, work on the novel (and the dilemma of making the main character likeable) or enjoy the sunshine. Maybe I'll see what Tim's up to...

Tony's working on my Prodigy. I've suggested a couple of mods that I think will give me more scope. Not doing PWM though, for some reason it doesn't appeal on the Prody.

Aha, just had a request for more music from my library company on a theme I've covered before. This is good news. Time to rouse myself.

Cold persists

Darn it, haven't totally recovered from my little cold. Had a nice walk this morning, best photo of the day wasn't that great. This is the second best. :)

Watching Crazy Heart, good film. Don't seem to have the energy for much else except lounging around. I should work at something, but hopefully I'll feel more like it tomorrow. Pottered with a few uninspiring classical samples, transferred to Octatrack but it wasn't singing for me today. I opened the laptop a few times for no reason in particular. Note to self: rediscover purpose! Jeez I'm crap at being sick! Instant maudlin.

Agreed to a review, colourful thing. Looked at the Brian Eno app and pondered reviewing that, but how would a mental pygmy review anything by Brian Eno? Unlike him, I'm not even 100% sure that's how you spell pygmy but pigmy or pygmi ain't doin it for me and I'm damned if I'll spellcheck it. My reality, my spelling. :)

It occurs to me I ain't seen Big Lebowski for a while.

Smelly weekend of curry and synths...

Colin and Tony have been here, poor Pat's had to put up with the smell of curry from all quarters. She gets me back today but it means I won't be going up to see my mum as usual.
Cirklon's 4th input not fixed, Colin looking puzzled. No biggie. No Elka either, Tony still awaiting part but I did get chance to play and appreciate the modded Micropreset. Mmmm nice.

Didn't so much except listen to the Synthi for hours. Modularis at Leeds was OK, alas no catering this time though just a shitty veggie burger for rather too much money. We didn't stay for the performances this time.

Will be sending my Prodigy back with Tony and hopefully Tim's too. Monowave came home, envelopes seem fixed.

This evening a review (small) to finish and then back to the novel. Or perhaps I'll just veg out...

A novel is a bit like a building. Sometimes it's large and complicated, bits of it stick up but don't seem to have a purpose. Other parts are out of view and their purpose unclear. There are secret bits, signature bits, bits you always wanted to have even if nobody, including you, knows why. It's an analogy I could stretch forever but I won't. Not today anyway.

Sent out v1.0 to four readers. I know there's work to do but let's see where we get....

First draft of novel complete

Yes, pretty sure that I have a complete thing, if not completed. Sure there will be fixes from the immediate session then more general improvements to be made. But it's there from start to finish. Enough of the bits I'd planned to include so that the whole structure is recognisable. Feels good!

A lot snappier, faster and hopefully leaner than the first, this one is a mere 60,000 words!

Leptodactylus pentadactylus

So the name for smoky jungle frog actually is based on it having five thin fingers, not its penchant for a bong and jungle music. Just goes to show, well, something doesn't it?

Today, in order to try and make the week have some meaning, I may release "And Darkness Falls". Depends if I can get myself organised enough to render the 16 bit masters for bandcamp and make a cover.

In the meantime, another brew I think.

Tony has a rather wonderfully modified Korg Micropreset, which I am irrationally coveting. When he decides to sell it I'll be up there and pestering, even if I'm skint. It was my first ever synth, you see.

Yep, got organised. Made a cover, wrote some notes, only thing I forgot was describing how long an overlap there should be for some of the tracks.

http://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/album/and-darkness-falls

May try my new album with that German label Paul was telling me about. Nowt to lose, it's done and I will put it on Bandcamp at some point, assuming I get some artwork done. Lost the PPG review, was promised to someone else. Hey ho, sent Wolfgang the few patches I've done so far in thanks.

Need to find something worthwhile to get on with. Pat finally went to docs and they're fast-tracking her to some neuro guy. Another CT scan. Trying to lock away the worries.

Mean to get on with the pretend brief but may take the evening off and work on chapters 22/23 and try and bring them back on track. Just shows I should have had all the plot points ironed out before starting as subtle adjustments now are proving time-consuming. Still, getting there.

Looking at all the Octatrack comments it's clear I'm not alone in my thoughts. I'm in a positive phase at the moment and I think it's because I have worked out what it is about the OT. It feels and works far better if you use it without swapping to do things on other gear. I now see the OT as being "reverse polarity" compared to everything else I have. Instead of True=(1=1), Elektron appear to work on True=(0=0). If you lose yourself in their mindset and stay there you can be productive. If you enter our universe then switch back to using it, your mind battles the two different, opposing forces and shorts out. Knowing this I'm getting far closer to adapting to its foibles but it'll never be a machine to improvise from scratch with, like Cirklon can be.

I must be being idle, that's quite a long blog entry.

I still hate my hair, or lack of it. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

Staffie Attack!

My normally quiet morning walk was rudely interrupted by an aggressive woman with her aggressive staffordshire bull terrier. It came straight up to Jasper, got in his face and Jasper foolishly tried his little "please leave me alone" growl. The thing attacked him. Jasper's never been great with confrontation so didn't know what to do, I stepped in and booted the dog out of the way. The woman then started screaming at me, calling me a pig and a lout and "how dare you kick my dog!". She continued screaming for a while that I should watch out and she'd be looking out for me. Brilliant!

I've discovered there's no reasoning with people who have just thrown themselves into a fully-fledged screaming fit. By coincidence, the next dog walkers I ran into (Max the old english) described one being attacked by the very same dog.

Hopefully the day will be calm and uneventful from now on...

Hair cut... :(

You know how sometimes you do things that, when asked why, you can think of no reason? Maybe this only applies to me. Anyway, a couple of days ago I let Pat cut my hair. I've been fighting a profound depression ever since.

A new week begins. Made a decent start on review last night, course I really wanted to work on my novel. Amusing I'm now considering a job as a postie when this is the occupation of (very lazy) "hero".

Colin has worked like a god, just spotted an omission from the new manual, something small but useful and I'm pleasantly surprised I remembered it. Hope it's in time. I haven't really read the manual in detail yet, only skimmed. Almost at v1.0, hope folks appreciate all the work.

Made a vid today. Lo-fi rendered for Youtube, should do better quality sometime.

http://youtu.be/bOfBHeGh6Q4

Not bad day, new review keyboard sussed out I think, a little bug-chasing in Cirklon and discussion about screen layouts. Managed to generate a MIDI overflow recording the output of the review synth, perhaps its a few bugs of its own as I managed to crash it.

Played with Octatrack, new project, seems my simple process of grabbing classical music and giving it a hard time with plocks is going to continue yielding great material.

A great night playing with Cirklon beta. Should be available soon and I think the last main feature will prove well worth the wait. Even as it is now it's a wickedly good addition and I'm finding lots and lots of ways it'll be handy, not just the obvious. Bring it on Fill!

Hah, Bad Sugar, at last a new sitcom I like the look of!

Oh and....

...it seems the arctic ice is disappearing faster than ever and lots of companies are going to profit from it big style. Sometimes I think I live in a broken and warped version of reality.

Shamania was a great party and the gig went well.

Cirklon behaved wonderfully, I still seem to be having to work too hard to make Octatrack slot in easily. Actually missing the Korg ESX for its simplicity and tweakability where all the Octatrack can do is play back long, complete tracks. Can't emphasise enough how important it is being able to name tracks, scenes and so on: I can tell what Cirklon is going to do at any point but Octatrack, hardly ever.

People with laptops have it sooooo easy. And it's so much less backache!

Here's my post to Elektron users about the continuing musing about "should I stick with the Octatrack or sell it". I have to be honest, if there were something else that let me do the synced static tracks then I'd be seriously into swapping. Why do I keep fighting the laptop route? Seems so self-destructive sometimes. I am still sticking with Octatrack though, but I have yet to find a role it fills neatly and comfortably with no awkward bits sticking out and poking me in the eye.

I'm an old dog can't deny. Having had my Octatrack for a long time I finally did my first gig with it at the weekend. There's good and bad stuff still, for me, the good being that you can prepare entire tracks ready to kick off in sync with loops, live sequences, MIDI-synced arpeggios etc. That worked nicely, all the long tracks triggered from Cirklon, starting scenes and tempo also. The bad is always its inscrutability, little multi-function buttons and lack of easily-accessed info. For example, I had 20+ songs ready to go, each with about 12-16 scenes. Although I try to be fairly consistent in the usage of tracks and scenes, in the heat of a gig I have no idea what any scene is really going to do until I select it. Sometimes the result isn't what I would have wanted at that point. 
The lack of any kind of naming/visibility means, for me, I have to restrict what I do, try to make it consistent and never deviate from whatever formula I decide on. The trouble is I constantly change my mind about how to use it, what goes on each track, what the scene progression should be because each track is different and has different needs. 

I guess in giving us an instrument with great power, we also get the great responsibility to bend it to our will. Sometimes that's just too much for me. So Octatrack is occasionally brilliant and wonderful but to be honest I think I found it more pleasurable and natural using my old combination of sequencer/korg electribe, even though I could not do the structured/prepared/mixed tracks that way. We're all different though and it could be what I want to do isn't what Elektron had in mind.

Today's task: open flightcase, copy new Cirkos to card ready to do an OS upgrade just before Saturday night's gig. Yes, that seems a sensible approach. Not sure I'd dare do it with any other piece of gear. Ah, brings back memories of the old days and updating P3 moments before gig at Arcosanti!

OK, despite a few small buglets I'm gonna stick with the latest beta for Shamania. Played through a number of songs today and they appear to work fine. Realised I could reorder my set by manually editing the Songs JSON file but, well, life's too short. Am all packed up and ready to head off, probably tomorrow afternoon.

One Sea is doing very well, shows that all I need to do is tell a few people. Oh and have something worth listening to. It encourages me to get the other good stuff finished off and carved into decent-sized chunks. I don't want people to think we're milking it but at the same time, the quality is too good not to release. There's still the gig recording too!

Pete reminded me of the Ideation blog, which has now got more in it.

http://ideationmusic.blogspot.co.uk/

Nice, new Cirklon beta to test as soon as window guy comes and does his measuring. Two features I've been waiting for so what the heck if it's almost time to go out and play?

I went through the live stuff in Octatrack last night and rearranged all the drum parts to be more suitable for "old-style chillout". So they're less thumpy now. Well, mostly. Will I still incur the wrath of the Noise Police? Taking Virus not Prodigy as it has built-in delay so less time required to set it up, plus if a disaster with rain etc. I'd rather the virus got wet, it's more easily replaced.

Glow in the dark knobs finally arrived. No slider yet though but the knobs are nice and green and will try them under UV later.

Very groovy trick on the Octatrack: have an entire song set to loop in ping pong mode. Freaks you out after 7 mins when it suddenly goes into reverse. Until you remember doing it, that is. Doesn't seem possible to do it and have it stay in perfect time in reverse but the slight slip is "interesting".

Sweet, deviated from app review for a couple of hours and a new track appeared. Well a new section for one of the tracks that was a bit dull. It has quite a simple but nice groove and bassline. Well, I'll listen again in the cold light of day. Recorded video of recording it in case I like it as much as last week's track.

Right back to work :)

Worked on a track using the (knackered) tape delay and SH101, Moogerfoogers, Synthi and so on. It may well be the final track of "And Darkness Falls", will see how it holds up to repeated listenings.

Spent the day fasting again, not hard at all. 24 hours I can do. My body can prepare for curry assault on Saturday.

Paul doing some groovy music with his modular and spring reverb etc. Would like to think I've inspired him a bit and turned him onto Conrad Schnitzler. Good things can only come from it and sweet things for me to hear, done by a proper composer. :)

Ordered OT glow in the dark knobs. Will have a go with that copicat later and pay Nick. A few reviews lining up so that's good. No replies from any library companies, gonna do a bandcamp page for Ideation with "One Sea" as its first entry. Waiting for Pete's OK, have mixed the track and done a very small amount of boost via The Glue. One day I may invest in some mastering s/ware but not really necessary at the mo.

I may work on another track tonight, seem to have a rare focus right now that I should use before it fades away. However, I also have bought more beer...

Phil came, good visit, then recorded this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WilyEPeyote?feature=discovery

Basically I remade a track tonight from scratch with Shamania in mind. It had been a disembodied library track but never quite worked 100% even though the Cirklon sequences around it did. Now the whole thing is a good 139BPM gig finish. Result!

I drank some beer too. That was the evening for me. Octatrack can play back the whole thing but I have lots of prepared scenes with decorations and drastic changes, plus Ck patterns to bring in and out as I feel like. Peachy!

A bit of Vaughan Williams now while we wait for the rain.

Extended the track "Hashtag" to gig length for Shamania, starting to listen through things to see what needs to be done. Considering moving stuff into the slim flightcase which is so much smaller than "the box".

Another day loafing, booked hol in January. Seen the Shamania poster, seems I'm definitely playing so will have a think about how. And if I can take the smaller flightcase rather than the big sequencer box. Two hours, should be do-able and in between Dave and Pascal, which is nice.

a photo from this morning's walk

Well, I deleted all yesterday's string parts, added new ones I'm still not 100% happy with. Decided to leave off the bass, leave it light and airy. Only added a very simple occasional low drum and some cymbals that I may still remove.
I routed all the strings through the Xone VF-1 filter which is always worth trying. I think it came off in this case. See if you agree.

http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/where-once-was

My main library company didn't like the strings though so I guess this piece will have to remain "one for me". I may still do more though.

Started new track today, not totally sure what it's for but I like it. Piano and strings, I may have over-syruped the strings it's possible but it's a simple, self-enclosed track. OK, had to use some smoke and beer but I'm missing my sunday nights... more plans for it include a bass, tried a dubby one but I think a double bass is going to be the thing.

Today I had a wee smoke. As I've been abstaining lately it had a great effect. Wrote most of a chapter, getting towards a critical point and it's lining up nicely. Just the hard chapter and the fun chapter to do and some tidying up work I'm still undecided on. Didn't do any music but listened to VCMG and Man With No Name.

For no very good reason here's picture of me twiddling the old cutoff.

Another day of not much work. Paid Dave for the Analog Laboratory then sat and started to put it through its paces. Wrong order. :) I have to say after Diva it sounds lifeless and plastic and the SEM emulation is unconvincing, the filter really doesn't sound like a SEM and the envelopes are wrong. Yep, they did the stupid start at zero rookie mistake! Unless the beta version of AL has a bodged version of SEM for some reason. I reported it as a bug anyway so maybe it'll get fixed. Some reasonable sounds in the four thousand though and the minimal editing is probably going to be acceptable for library tunes.

Jessica Ennis just said "I'm literally speechless". Still, she's gorgeous.

Spent a few minutes with that free Minimoog. Seems to me they cocked up VCO3, hmm, did I point this out before? Getting old and repeating myself.

Had a lovely walk today up to the atom. It's a panopticon and looks like this:

Some twat had broken the central mirrorball that's meant to reflect all the different windows.
Those are my thoughts for today.

Blimey, looks like the new Mophox4 could have been made for me. Have been pondering getting a Mopho keyboard anyway but the size of this thing is perfect for my needs, even has a space for one of my Eventides.  Fingers crossed I can get one for review and really put it through its paces.
Awaiting possible news of a Prophet 600 too. Hoped I had first refusal on it but there's a possible swap deal lined up first. It'll need some work from Tony and maybe get Colin to rewrite the OS and  improve the envelopes (confident huh?) but it's a decent little budget poly.
Yesterday recorded a strange piece for "And Darkness Falls" using Synthi, Biscuit, Digisound, 101 and Perfourmer. Oh and theremin and Octatrack. Using Logic as a basic multitracker works quite well and a bit of compression and automation of volumes (to smooth over some of the stranger notes I tried) seems to be all it needs. I bet it sounds shit today though. Stuff I improvise unstoned often does.
New Cirklon OS went live yesterday, no comments yet. Swing working well I think but does still need track-level opt-out. Hopefully other stuff can progress now.
Wrote an app review last night, feeling at a loose end. No replies from library company I wrote to, must try harder to find work. But hey, today is sunny!

Read some great Gore Vidal quotes today, my fave being: "Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn." I shall continue to dress in identical chequed shirts and spout rubbish. :)


There's also "A writer must always tell the truth, unless he is a journalist." so I very much hope to remain a writer...

I'm so vein...


http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/hashtag

Idled my day away yesterday, doing that too often. Still, today's sunny and the beach is calling. Why not? No music to write, a couple of app reviews but no hurry on those. Really will have to look for some proper work.... next week seems ideal for that. :)

Apparently they're talking about stretching the Hobbit to three films. Desperate, cynical, depressing. I spose LOTR turned into such a money-making machine they just couldn't resist.

The Grand Egg and Spoon starts today. More cynical money-making but thank heavens for Jessica Ennis and her cute bottom. Oh, and beach volleyball. Roll on it all being over!!

This blog appears to have mostly degenerated into my ramblings about work I'm not doing, or should be doing. It takes maybe a minute of my time to write and has no thought either, so any good ideas always occur later. I think I'm losing the plot, which reminds me...

Heartbeat stuff uploaded today, turns out they liked the early ambient ones after all so it's five tracks (including alt mixes) and edits. All done so I can return to "the infernal machine" and get that polished off.

first a spot of lunch methinks!

Spent the morning working on tension beds with heartbeats. Thought I'd buggered the Modfactor too (swapped for the Filterbank 2) but managed to rescue it with the help of a file found on the Mac and the old laptop, the only thing that appears to be able to perform the update without screwing up. Note to self: don't try with MIDI again!!
This evening Pat working and I'm in between engagements. Tony and Colin here tomorrow, will try and get Elka fixed if poss rather than have it go away, plus will look at Synthi and get P2K power supply sorted. Feel a bit of a loose end. Should work on that infernal thang but I'll leave it until Sunday night I think. Need time to get in the mood for that one final push.
Enjoyed the Ideation gig so much am considering flogging the Octatrack. Life's so much easier without it and all it really does for me is play long static files. The rest of the stuff I can do easier with other gear and I really miss using the ESX-1 for its immediacy. It was very obvious when I was showing stuff off to David (Modfactor guy) that demoing the esx from scratch was easy and I never even considered trying to so the same for the Octa. Wish someone else would bring out a product that simply streamed long stuff from card, I'd go with that I think.
Or am I being foolish (again)?

Chuffed, the gig went well. Even my theremin playing was not a disaster. Lots of good comments after too so we seem to have gone across well also. Happy days! Now back to work, review to finish and that heartbeat tension music to do. Life is good!

Experimented with theremin and freqbox. May take that to gig and see what noises it makes. Wild huh?

Turns out the theremin not so badly out so I've wasted weeks. Still gonna take to gig I think but will probably  concentrate on fx though!

Dunno when I'll get time to work on gig. Not much I suspect so thank goodness we practised.

cracking w/e practising with pete for awakenings. first track we did was brill - hour long too! other stuff of interest also, spawned some good ck ideas too in terms of performance need - jolly useful. stuck in horrible traffic queue on way home though, sat on m40 for over an hour.
This week must send off the app review (almost done) plus work on diva and calibrate theremin and do stuff with tim, time permitting. Really should find some new library work!
tempus fugit....

Progress on a difficult review, well small steps anyway. Still some questions being pondered so hope for more feedback and info but gonna do a total reset and then look at the ext/int storage issues and see if sticking to some manual filing routing helps reduce or even eliminate the crashes/hangs. I am not completely optimistic but will do my best.
Turns out sample import is not actually supported and it seems the internal flash is almost not recommended to be used (!). Some confusion about streaming from external media too as what I was told seems wrong/unlikely/impossible. We'll see. Spose they can't all be a pleasure to do.

No music done, dunno what I'll get done this week really. Have that small app to do plus the softsynth review I really want to get stuck into. But it's gig practice this weekend...

Couldn't watch the Vietnamese thing, too many scary operations. Heard one of my tracks by skipping through and thought of maybe getting Waves to give it that "sounds louder at low levels" thing. Dunno though, is that really what everyone does?

Fighting that piece of review gear. Thought it had broken something on my mixer after one crash involving a massive blast of white noise. I think in my panic I pressed a PFL button though, will look later. Can't trust it without a limiter in future though. Have fired off a lot of questions and will see what they say. could be hardware fault.

Ain't done much else. Still not writing any music although trying to learn Albion. Colin released the JSON version of Cirkos which has individual song/instrument dumps. So that's a good thing. He also added scene-level tempo storage and P3 pattern bar repeats up to 99 (IIRC) but I don't think he's really mentioned the updates. There's more too but I can't remember offhand.

Another filthy day, off to see mum later and sort going in the week for next few weeks. Weekends gonna be taken up with visit to pete, gig, Synth DIY. Wotta life!

Got an amazing softsynth to review.

Music doing well, the Vietnamese tracks I did are being aired on Thursday, Ch5 at 21:00
http://www.channel5.com/shows/extraordinary-people/episodes/the-baby-with-a-new-face-extraordinary-people

So that's good. Spent the day with the drum machine today. Think I've sussed it all without the manual but will have to read it to verify a few things. Should be able to start writing soon. Sorted the Logic end - basically it is 32 bit only and didn't even show up in my Logic until I started it in 32 bit mode. Then when I went back to 64 bit it showed up via the bridge. Support guy was on my Mac 2 hours before it dawned on me what the problem was.
Need to write more music. Not keep faffing aimlessly. Still, novel making progress of sorts although it's straining to go in a direction I hadn't planned.

Phew, didn't flood but I left the sandbags over the gate for now. Pat off tomorrow for a week so should get plenty done. Horse duties but shouldn't be too bad.

Wrote most of the app review I have to do, a hundred or so words still to trim off but should be fine. Started the drum machine review also, will progress as the week goes along. Hope to also get lots of the novel done, prepare gig for Awakenings and write some orchestral stuff. Have set the Humax to record the ch5 program with my music in, better than listening on a laptop. :)

Probably won't take Octatrack to Awakenings. Most of what it does suits dance/festivals so I'll use the Perfourmer 2 I think. Must check whether Synthi really is sick. Cirklon's individual song load/save working well, will be able to grab some older material never properly performed/recorded.

Less good today. Rained, rained then rained some more. We have some sandbags and the drains are backing up. I worked on the app review and played with Albion, which sounds fabulous although I am going to learn how to use it just as I did with Solo strings.

I made a nice chilli and Pat and I took Jasper for a walk in the rain. Didn't do a lot. Not really looking forward to my stint horse-managing next week but will do my best. Just hope the weather improves.

Cracking day

Learned that some of my stuff has been used in channel 5's programmes about serial killers
http://www.channel5.com/shows/killers-behind-bars/episodes/peter-tobin
(for example), got an email telling me which made my day.

SO much that I decided to order Spitfire strings, over £400 including £70 VAT. Have to keep working hard.

So I moved my Sherman Rodec Restyler over from the Mac, connected it to the Cue outputs of the Octatrack, routed its output back to ins A/B and started to experiment. Initially great results but then I noticed the mix wasn't right as I progressed my songs through their scenes. I use up to 14 scenes in most songs and these control the mix transitions as well as effect changes and other stuff. It turns out that when I code XLV of Min in a Scene, this is ignored if sent to a Cue output. Tried the Studio setting but you can't set the levels of each output per scene either. Doh! Asked on forum but no replies.

Next: very disappointed with Elektron's response.
Asked why the Cue output does not honour scene XLV automation and was told it was due to DJ-style performance and headphone use (!)*. Apparently you're supposed to cue stuff up in headphones before introducing it. Fair enough but is that the only way to use it??? I begged them to consider musicians too and allow a personalise option "honour all the effort I put into scene level programming". The only option they suggested was using XVOL which alas I can't because I've already used this programming volumes for my 25 songs.

* IMHO someone sat on stage wearing headphones is disconnected from the audience just like gazing into a laptop. I know we're all different but...

I dearly hope they will reconsider. Never have I come across a company that thinks so completely differently to me and appears unsympathetic to other views. Views that keep consistency with existing functionality but would make such a difference to me. The last time was when I tried to explain to a German company how classic arpeggiators work or to a softsynth company about the function of the capacitor in an analogue envelope.

I've gone off the idea of writing an updated review about all the extras added until now. Anyway, got a new drum machine in and a quick app review to do.

Sweet Changa

Glade was awesome, really hope I can get there next year and perhaps be officially on the bill. My set was just under 4 hours followed by some CDs when they told us to turn it off, then later changed their mind after I'd packed my synths up! Best part was having some lovely young thing climb on stage and do her best to persuade me to turn it up. A real shame they told the previous DJ to blast it out then told me to turn it down and be ambient. Talk about being hamstrung! The place was heaving and I had plenty of grooves but had to hold them back - frustrating! Still, sounded and felt good. The rest of the party excellent too!

Didn't sleep a wink. Ah well, like a zombie I'll follow my satnav to Glade and maybe get some sleep this afternoon in my tent. Yeah, right!
Weather looks OK.

Well well, should maybe have done a last minute practice but no point stressing now :)
Gear packed, a few spare leads etc. to gather and other useful things. Then to find my tent, sleeping bag, get some supplies and check car air pressure. Discovered Glade opens at lunchtime so chances are it might be bloody busy when I arrive and maybe lots of people listening when I do my lengthy, doomy set. Note to self: do some cheery material!
Now to find a few CDs to play to break it up a little. Some JIC/Headshock and anything else I can find I guess. I'm no DJ so I'll keep it just to things I know... wonder if there will be noise restrictions?

Good day's work, reckon I have about 25 songs now, most with two or three sub-songs - so a collection of ambient weirdness, prepared tracks (including some reworked library tracks) and sequencer stuff, all intechangeable and very messable.
Have to copy the Octatrack card tomorrow. Then test. Have to do that the long way for some reason - copying the samples and project stuff manually always results in card errors. Bloody thing! It's almost 14Gb now I think.Discovered a fair few Cirklon bugs, I am pretty sure related to the restore I did. Had more cool ideas, I think, for streamlining performance. Got msg from J, seems I have no worries about light and there will be food also. Excellent. Whatever the weather, will do me best!

Must check about recording.
Provis gear:
Seq box (Cirklon, Radias, RX1202, P2K), Octatrack, Prodigy, Timefactor, iPad, Monotron Delay.
Will the Octatrack fit on my mini-easel?

Glade Prep

Spent last night going through all my Cirklon songs and making sure none of them have the Octatrack try to play on the first beat. Eventually Colin's gonna add a programmable offset for sending prog changes that will get round this. For now, I can jump from song to song without stopping and still trigger the correct samples. In theory. Yes, I know the whole ambient bridge thing might be a little formulaic but needs must and all that! I'll make it a feature!

So the only thing stopping me playing "forever" would be a hostile audience armed with pitch forks. I'm hoping they'll be chemically calmed and into the idea of hours of meandering sequences instead... probably too late to write new stuff, especially as going out for a curry tonight. May get time for a run-through tomorrow evening - some of these things are mere sketches to be developed live. Oh the humanity!


Really, really wish that Octatrack did not silence samples that are already playing when a MIDI start is received. A total pain for ambient bridges is that. Similarly, if you're using Ext sync, it would be great to be able to send MIDI stop but have samples continue to play. You still have the onboard Octatrack stop button if you need it plus individual track stops. I think I need to convince Elektron of a few things but I don't think they do a lot of Ext sync, as evidenced by the recent Looper. If they had Cirklons they'd get it. :)

Worked on my latest chilled/house/lifestyle album for Abs today. A bit of a drag doing all the 48kHz stuff (cos Logic can't remember in between bounces that's what you want) and the various edits. But I've made a good start, even contemplated adding a couple more tracks but will settle for the dozen I have. They go well together I think and should be OK for holiday/travel type progs too. Have compiled some metadata and all I need to do is write some album notes, tempii etc.
Did 10 tracks out of 12, some of the ones I've done may need further tweaks but I prefer to plough on fast and fix later.

Would rather be playing but such is life. Colin working hard too, hopefully cracking the final tough hurdle so it'll be on to the good stuff at last!

Good day. Well, worked on some details of the two short reviews I'm writing, dropped a line to someone about another article and got the news that one of my tracks was used on a channel 5 program "10 things I hate", which I unfortunately missed. Seems like progress, obviously need lots more but it's cheered me up.

Did another piece for Glade today, just some basic beats and ambience to be made into something, hopefully. Used a long synthi static sample plus a library piece that blends in for a couple of minutes of normality before I slide it out again as if it never happened.

Well well a good evening because I have a new "song" to play which is actually two headshock songs but joined together using Octatrack. Very, very pleased with what I'm doing with the two of them at the moment. Big love!
http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/rumping-excerpt

it actually can last forever and nearly did...

Fantastic family wedding yesterday, couldn't have been better. Saw some family members I hadn't seen for years and years. Feeling a little delicate today so cooking myself a vindaloo for tea.

Asked what to be billed as for Glade, didn't realise I'd be mentioned anywhere. Settled for smokyfrog and now thinking of maybe taking a keyboard of some sort, Virus maybe, just so I have some way of jamming along. Aiming to play from thursday midnight until friday 6am with CDs to play whenever I run out of steam. Won't be able to do much if it's too light as can't see LEDs etc. Was gonna mainly wing it but now thinking of possibly preparing a bit more. Time permitting.

Lots of royal shit on telly today. We're all to celebrate queen not being dead or something. Old people seem to like this stuff though so no room for my cynicism. If they were a bit less into the cruelty and bloodsports I might be able to stomach giving 'em forty million quid a year to sit on, or whatever...

This evening continued to go through my songs, trimming here, pruning there.
http://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/letgo-improv
I think I need more Synthi - loops and noises. Aim to make each of the songs I have last 30 mins (do-able). Hey ho!

Swapped my old Proteus for the new one. It seems to run cooler and its screen is dimmer but I can live with that. Had to upgrade the OS and transmit my patches over then, interestingly, had to swap the rack ears because my screws wouldn't go through the holes on the new ones.
All running well though. No actual work done except a small amount of song tweaking. A bit of a pointless week it has to be said. But hey!

Had fun playing the Prodigy, still haven't calibrated the theremin. Getting Dave's Arturia thing as he bought another version. Hope there's no faffing about getting the reg transferred, I remember Paul's hassle with them.

Considering which keyboard to gig with this year. I think if I could get MIDI out on the Prodigy I'd take that. Don't think Colin will have time though.

Being able to backup Octatrack banks is good - odd you can't restore to a different bank though. I also see they added the fast audition keystrokes I suggested yonks ago. Reckon I wasn't the only one though, ditto for the long file name views. All good stuff. Haven't played any more with looper, not necessary - making good use of all that extra flex memory instead. Finally I have a way to work I like. And songs are taking shape.

A number of Cirklon annoyances starting to build, some have been on my tits for about 2 years now!

Excellent day, agreed to do an article I'm rather looking forward to researching, a couple of reviews that look like fun too. Then got a call that my Vietnamese tracks are liked and will be used in the documentary, so I uploaded the wavs. Got contracts for my car ad tracks through so will sign and return.

All good! And a bloody hot day. More offers of Proteus 2000 but I should wait and see what the first guy comes back with as the price including postage. If he's too greedy I'll go with one of the others as one guy offered to do it inclusive. And I'm not exactly rich right now!

Hmmm so the good news is I can reserve no memory set it to be dynamically allocated and get a shed load of new flex memory. That'll do me! Still couldn't get overdub to work with ext sync. Wish I had become a beta tester but that would compromise my ability to review it at some point. Hey ho.

Worked on some tunes, mostly today I sunned myself. A bit more novel written too, sent off some extra Blade screendumps, what else? Proteus making strange noises, I really am going to have to take action. Bugger!

Nice work Elektron

Octatrack's latest OS update addresses most of the things I've asked them for, from small stuff (long file name handling) to the bigger design issues (you can now backup and restore at bank level rather than project. OK, still need a workaround as I work at individual pattern level but I can find a workaround at least, yay!).

The looper is still a bit odd - doesn't seem to overdub when in Ext sync mode (have asked to confirm if a bug) and still only offers 1 octave of transposition but not important right now. The Repeater is gonna remain my looper I think, just so easy and no limitations. I think I found a need for a "clear looper on new pattern/bank" too as otherwise any loops you've made in a session kick in on a new pattern/song, which is bad news!

Anyway, will let the dust settle. Read the PDF all the way through and a few more things to try today. They didn't do the one-handed volume thing (func double click) I asked for nor does muting a track work cleanly, still takes the effects (I think, never saw it mentioned anyway). And no word of any improvement to the chorus, but all these things I can live with. The new trig mode excellent, was looking for something like that the other night.

Sunny again today so how much work I gonna get done??!! :)