Karelian Skies

I may be offline for a while as I'm off to play in Finland (and check out the forests and lakes). No writing deadlines until middle of next month so tomorrow is about deciding what to take and packing it.

http://www.karelianskies.fi/x/183-karelian-skies

The Cosmic Smokers gig seemed a bit chaotic but apparently sounded good and certainly went down well. The guitarist was great and the 'scultpture guys brill as always. Nice to have drums too - hope to repeat the experience one day.

Interesting experience using the Analog Four. Not so immediate and fast as the P3, you have to rely on 'prepared spontaneity' (tm) and what I find is it's a much closer-in thing, more DJ than musician. Which is fine if you aren't leaping back to play keyboards and interact with people. I think Elektron stuff might be best in a small, packed tabletop world where everyone is hunched over squinting and making tiny adjustments with fingertips. Must work harder to master and also preparation is key.

Currently listening to Sibelius to get in the mood, having read up a bit on Finland. So hot it's almost impossible to work and in the evening, instead of working, we're watching Breaking Bad.

The KS-4 picked up some odd interference in the gig but is fine now I'm home again. Strange but it meant I played mostly the SH-101 and didn't do much with the looper. Will use it more in Finland as it'll be my main thing along with the A4. I should've borrowed Tim's Volca Beats as it's smaller than the ER-1 and would do the same job. Lots to do, but tomorrow, always tomorrow.

Beer now.

Underneath:

Andy Bole's guitar pedals (he's an ace looper dude)

Followed by Ade's gorgeous little sequencing rig.

Sadly we were unable to successfully sync it up to everyone else but stand-alone was probably better anyway. 

Cosmic Smokers

Well, it's the gig tomorrow but all I've really done is decide what gear I'm gonna take, which is:

Roland SH-101
Elektron Analog Four
Novation KS-4
Roland RC-505
Eventide Time Factor
Korg ER1

Think that's all I need, thought of the theremin too but with 6 of us on stage, it's all overkill.

Also had an interesting offer for next year, nothing concrete yet so won't write it down.

Review thing I was waiting for happened at last. Now I have the worry about being able to write it before Finland next week, not made any easier by the fact we're having two windows replaced when ideally I'd be working. Hey ho...

Scorchio

Yeah, almost too hot to go out or do anything much except drink beer. Finished review I was working on, a couple of short ones came in but studio is an oven so will keep until later. By the same token it's unlikely I'll do any prep for the Cosmic Smokers gig, but shouldn't need to. Taking A4/ER1 for my rhythmic bits and the looper and a keyboard, dunno which yet. Would happily stay home. :)

Beer in freezer, cooling rapidly. Listening to Mendelssohn and starting to sketch new novel in my head. Must chase Tim for cover for the one in waiting, darn but he's busy so can't really... could ask Matylda I guess.

Almost at the end of Breaking Bad season 2. Lots more to come...

Random pic (there was a cloud I liked)

World Cup, gig prep, some review work

Part of a bank in the A4 using the performance stuff I'd set up. 

https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/bank-3-92-a

More trees with sunset through them, awesome!

Have enough ideas for Cosmic Smokers gig, also enough for Finland given I'll have the looper too. Job sorted, must get some money ordered and find out some stuff. 

Hoping Germany win the world cup!

Sunny Beery Afternoon

Yes, the sun came out. Who knew? So I did some work, wrote down some ideas for the review I'm doing. Realised some of my old stuff isn't so bad. Will re-release 'Everybody Needs Their Monsters' assuming I can get the CD to work or find the source. A lot time so extracting from CD probably best bet. Fingers crossed.

Also gonna put out 'Seekers Of Oblivion'. I sent it to that Spanish Label who didn't even reply. I have hardly heard it but now I do, it's way better than And Darkness Falls, and I like that still. It's a Synthi album but performed then arranged Synthi.

Hey ho, family do last night. Pat dyed her hair pink, I dyed my beard blue.

So here I sit with beer. Curry later with Carl, all is good. Earlier, it seemed I had some wisdom to impart but, alas, it has departed. Heading out for some sunshine now.

A lull

A dull lull at that.
I am as up to date with stuff as I can be. This is a rare thing and I'm momentarily at a loss. I should write some music but instead I might continue to dig into the Analog Four, programming more patches, start a new project. I filled my first and out of the 8 banks, 6 have something promising in them. I'm also compiling a 'tips and frustrations' document that I'll use to hold my working knowledge of the thing and how it might be slicker.
Expecting some new review kit but no sign yet but no worries, have read the manual and should know a fair bit about it already as it's similar to something else. :)

Pat made jostaberry jam from our own bushes - and it's awesome! The bushes obviously needed to mature. Either that or this year's lack of caterpillars helped more than we realised.

A random pic from a recent walk to Badger's Wood, just so all the text doesn't look too naff. If I were a perfectionist, I'd have cropped the bottom ever so slightly.

Should work on getting novel out but depending on Tim for cover. Should prepare for Finland but it sounds like they fancy practising all week, in which case there's no point. I voiced my concerns (again) but think NR was wise after all, he suspected it'd be another 'blokes in a room' sesh. Actually, should prepare for Cosmic Smokers gig but still in two minds whether to take P3 or A4. If P3 I can wing it on the night. A4 not quite so immediate but perhaps I should use that to make me concentrate more on it. Decisions, decisions.

Headshock CD sold into profit, phew! Seems to be getting some word of mouth, now to find more folks to review it. :)

I suppose I could open some beer now.