Keira, Keira, draws a step nearer

In the January 2012 review of the OP-1, I speculated that the slender and elegant machine was, like a certain actress, out of my reach. More than 5 years later I finally find myself in a position to own an OP-1. It has revived my hopes, slightly, of a chance liaison with the lovely Ms Knightley. I do not, of course, live in the real world. And you can't make me.

http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/teenage-engineering-op1

It seems to have grown a lot since my review, especially in last year's update, which I guess could be the last. Why did I buy it, you ask? Well, I expect to be spending time pottering around outside the sweaty studio, maybe recording in foreign climes. It follows that a portable instrument full of groovy options to assist the Electribe Sampler and Microgranny 2 is worth having. Yes I could have used my iPad but I want to have fun...

OK it arrived. Wasn't entirely happy that it didn't arrive with box, cable and overlay - so screams 'second hand' rather than 'B stock'. Not too impressed with Gear4music. For the sake of £50 I could've had a new one. Might still return it actually even though it's wonderful. Didn't take long to get back into but some cool new stuff since I reviewed it. Might need the FM aerial at some point. And since I don't have the box, the carry case! :(

Builders did a couple of hours today. No idea when plasterer or electrician comes. Pat off visiting on Friday so binge planned, might do an ambient noodly video using the OP-1. Already started recording some freaky sequences to the tape recorder (tape recorder still my favourite thing).

Crashed it too, in less than an hour.

Nearer and nearer

I mean our conservatory is nearly done. Well, it's up and has windows in. They're using some powerful sealant or glue that's making me quite high.

Turns out I do have a book to read, I bought Wind in the Willows having never read it before. I also have some David Gemmells we got because we lost our old copies.

Unusual for a Friday but at a loose end. I bought an OP-1. A B-stock one, still expensive but something I always thought I might buy one day. Good for Headshock beach sessions and hanging in the conservatory when the studio is too stuffy. I'm making excuses to myself for spending money unnecessarily. Mind you contemplated selling both my Elektrons. Funny how that happens. Now the desire to play live has gone, they seem to merely occupy space and demand too much time to use compared to other, faster gear.

Work continues on 'the book'. Think it'll be launched officially at Synthfest and I'm increasingly optimistic about how it will turn out.
Getting so many Facebook friend requests I'm considering only accepting them from folks who send a photo of them posing with one of my novels. ;)

Right, it's Friday and time to make noises.
Bloody hell, the Synthi is ill! All it will do is scream and get hot. Not something I usually aim for in a synth. Arse! First the Morpheus and now this. At least the Synthi will be fixable.

Saturday morning, listening to a free download from Brendan Pollard. Good Berlin stuff, I should seek out his bandcamp and actually buy some. Oddly enough now I have my USB stick mentality sorted for music it doesn't seem quite so pointless to buy downloads. Who knew? Everyone I guess.

 Tim's Aira Green shot

Pat's happy

Did this mostly to try and use the A4/OT and reassure myself it would be daft to just flog cos I'm temporarily fed up. Probably does need a remix but have lots of separate tracks thanks to new mixer.

Just seen Greg Doran on TV, reminded me of choir days.

Busy

Finished Hyperion. Very good, had proper ending too with all the kind of elements people associate with a story well had. If it has a weakness (and it has) it's the god-pandering that never quite goes away, the dripping justification for submission to a higher being, even if the apparent theme is seeking freedom from thrall. Still, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses by a long way and the shrike is a good faceless, emotionless baddie. Some great points about humanity and its current state.

Can't bring myself to tackle the Dark Forest. Written in Chinese, translated by someone else, it reads horribly. One rainy day maybe. So I'm out of books again.

Building meant to start again tomorrow. We currently have thunder and lightening and a very black sky. Sigh.

And the bloody Morpheus died.

Had hardly used it too.
Tomorrow I'll finish the two Eurorack reviews (they're done actually but I like a last read). Up to date with book edits, at least for now. Spent a happy hour this afternoon just playing piano. A little glimpse of what I expect retirement to look like ;)

Decided to do the COS gig using the Lyra-8, Pro2 and some effects. Should be plenty. I'll inevitably take the Microgranny 2 and looper but a nice change for me.

Rediscovering Fun

I have to admit it, being able to have a stable studio is really making a difference. It seems like all the time I get in it is quality now I'm not moving stuff around to integrate review gear into things. If I could only ditch the module reviews at some point. Actually used a review module today, changed my opinion of it too once I dug in and did proper tweakage.

Bliss!

Did a video. Somehow cocked up the audio by forgetting to record the new mixer's first set of group outputs, losing the MG2, Synthi and OT/A4. Eejit! Not a great thing anyway, too much beer first. Weird how people like the noodles I cock up. Must be a lesson there.

Should do a Headshock video, shame I can't get the camera to get the whole room in.

Good day noodling. Didn't do any work. Recorded though and learnt about System 100m. Lyra through Pitch Factor sounding amazing, making weird chordal nonsense that's quite different.

Woke up today convinced it was Monday. It's not, it's Sunday. Off to see my mum, curry with my sis later, must start the two module reviews properly. Time to start sweet-talking Tim re: book cover ;)

In the crappy video, the part of the studio the camera doesn't show.

Tim and his new toy :)

Sunshine, builders, inertia

Still at the stage of having started my retirement but being tied up doing things or, worse, waiting for others to do things. A pile of bricks just appeared so I guess that could mean builders are not far behind. I just want this job done so I can get on with my life! Apparently concrete coming too and being dumped into the trench ready to start brickwork tomorrow.

Today would have been lovely to wander up to the Lakes.

Got relevant data from UPS to make my claim. Filled in form, need to take to library and print then send.

Getting towards the end of Fall of Hyperion, given up taking notes of the similarities and conceptual coincidences. And I thought it was fantasy where all the tales had already been told?  Maybe all this stuff is more obvious than I thought. Good job mine's written in the style of shallow farce - the only qualities that set me apart! ;)

Brickie dude did quality work today. Then we hear they don't plan to do anything else for a whole week - yes, construction starts next Thursday. Gonna ring up and moan tomorrow, feckers. I didn't take a photo today but basically we have a nice wall and a concrete base but it'll be another weekend with nowhere to hang out.

Another module arrived today. Aaargh! Still working through my new day job as Mr Editor. Took Jasper to have more arse analysis. Vet recommends staged feeding rather than letting his evening meal sit on his colon all night. Also will take him out for a late night walk to encourage movement. Ah, it's tough getting old. And to quote from one of my own novels "It's always the arse that goes first!" Yeah, wisdom like that don't come cheap. Oh, actually it does.

I've been to the gym 3 times this week. Tomorrow I shall drink. Dunno if I'll go see Nik Turner on Saturday. Usually do of course, in spite of the old kazoo.

Round and around

Giving up chasing DSI Support. Apparently "the second filter's minimum cutoff point will never be as low as the first filter due to the architecture of the filter's electronics." which sounds like bollocks to me. If a problem can't be fixed by replacing the main board (i.e. the whole synth), it seems like too much trouble to address, like the MIDI clock reception thing. I still suspect version 1.3 calibration routines but got mine as good as I can, moving on. I think I'll avoid future issues in my traditional way.

Builders working Friday so I will plod on with book editing if I can.
Update: builders did sod all. Well, they dug a hole and asked for money. No idea whether to expect foundation / concrete over weekend but suspect not. I kinda chilled in the studio rather than chasing them and getting wound up. Made drones on the Pro 2 using 4 external CV sources. Good fun really. Missing my conservatory though, probably fave room in the house and we've had it knocked down!

https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/pro2-drone

Finished a bit more for the book, returned Pro 2 board, tried to get the info from UPS concerning my claim, no response as yet, guess they want me in their phone system again. Completed Hyperion (very good) and ready to start Fall Of next.

Synthfest being advertised, presume I'm not much involved this time. Will be rather nice to go across on the day, maybe even take the train, potter around, talk to people. Must see if Tony's coming.

Tim home from Bulgaria. Soon be time to start the begging messages to get a nice book cover ;)

Plodding on

Ringing UPS proved to be another disappointing experience. Apparently I can't pay once the item is in transit to the delivery depot. When it arrives I can, but I won't know that, although they can recommend an app. Groaning I eventually got the guy to say I could pay the driver. Who will come sometime, there's probably an app for that too.

Today we heard the new conservatory is starting this week - with the knocking down of the old one on Thursday. I have several competing ant colonies to relocate before then, would feel too guilty otherwise.
Another good PRS, getting a bit mad really. Next week I'll draw my first pension too so really should slow down. Alas the book is now demanding time and slowing down will have to be put on hold a while yet. Spent the day editing and making suggestions.

Wonder when I'll next get into the studio?

Ah, the Pro 2 adventures continue. Board arrives, I pay up.
Then I followed the steps they gave me, including clearing/initialising the calibration, downgrading the OS, calibrating again. Oddly it made no difference to my board. However, since the new board was already running an old OS, I tried calibrating with the cutoff knobs at Minimum then Maximum, which produced a clear improvement. The filter almost closes.
So what I did then was cunning. I upgraded this board but didn't touch the calibration. It now works much better, than before, suggesting to me that the cockup is in the later OS (1.3) calibration routine.
I've suggested that's where to look and that if there's an OS fix, there are a couple of other things outstanding too.  We'll see.
Oh, and in the debug menu they showed me there's an option to copy user banks over the factories, which is pretty cool. So not all is bad... but hey, they should have taken more interest before all the hassle of sending PCBs across the Atlantic!

Thursday, builder meant to come, didn't. So I did some book editing then got bog-eyed and went outside.
 I'm now well into Hyperion and encounter an AI who is ready to take residence in an organic body with an organic brain. I should at least be pleased he isn't called Gloolup Curiosum but simply Johnny.
You know, I'm starting to think that reading sci-fi is going to prove ultimately depressing and demoralising. Yes, I have no original ideas, no I don't want that confirmed. Thank you very much world.

LOL - Customs nonsense

And by this I mean Lord Of Light. I'm glad I read it now rather than years ago. It features beings with god-like powers who change bodies, are virtually immortal, who struggle with any of the same struggles as my Vaneer and Hazeer. So once again some of my ideas, while new and original to me, have been thought before, if thankfully in a very different form and style. LOL wasn't the easiest read but I expect the second time through will be easier and better. I shudder to think what familiar paths are trod by the remaining classic sci-fi books I still have to read.

Ho hum. At least those classics don't have my puerile, Harvard Lampoon slant on things. At least I still have my still-somehow-adolescent angle to speak from. Yeah, that's reassuring.

Babel-17 has started in a fairly annoying style but I'll stick with it. Haven't had a lot of time these last few days, manic baby rushing around. He has two speeds - full on or zombie telly-staring. Book editing starts in earnest soon. Must look at those short pieces and see how much work they'll be. If it keeps on being sunny, any work is going to be a drag. Getting towards last SOS 'big review' - from this month's Lyra-8 it'll be modular only.

Monday, finished Babel-17 (Samuel L Delany) but can't say I enjoyed it. I'll put it aside and maybe return to it one day but not with relish. Next up is either The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu or Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I suspect I'll leave Hyperion to the end as my spider senses tell me it's the better of the two.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Struggling to get UPS to understand the concept of a repair enough to escape charges for it.

Ring ring
UPS here, we have a shipment from DSI. It is being held in customs for you.
Ah great, that'll be my replacement main board for my synthesizer.
It's a new item?
I presume so, or another one they repaired already. It will make my synthesizer work again. Yay.
A new item will incur charges.
Why?
If they send you a new item, it incurs charges. Because it's new.
Look, it's a repair job. I have a synthesizer with a fault. My options were to send the whole synthesizer to the States and be without it, send the PCB to the States and be without it, or to have a circuit board sent to me then I return my old one on receipt. You're telling me that last option incurs charges?
Yes. You're sending the old board back?
I am.
Then you can claim the charges back later, with form C285
Sigh. It's a repair. This is how repairs are done these days. It's a fixed fee $25 dollar repair, which will probably entail replacement of a few dollars worth of components on a circuit board. This circuit board could be one from a synth that got the same treatment. How much are the charges?
I'll calculate and send you an email.
....
Hello,
Charges are
Duty £1.26
Vat  £17.66
Dan  £11.25
So about £30 because the VAT is calculated on the shipping costs, or something.
The secret, if anyone wants to know, is to send your old board first. Yes, it means you're without your synth for longer. DSI will send a replacement on receipt. As far as Customs are concerned, pretend it's the same board repaired - then the extra charges are not incurred. Sigh.
Tried paying online (a different amount than quoted, natch) but the website crashed twice. I'll ring 'em... have at least found the online claimback form.

New books and CDs

In an attempt to keep myself amused, I've been buying stuff. A pile of supposedly classic sci-fi and a random selection of albums, including Earth by Vangelis (great from 1973), OMD's Dazzle Ships (dunno why this one passed me by, could be the awful cover), and Public Service Broacasting - a live album. Oh and some Ligeti piano stuff, some of which I'd heard before on 'Eyes Wide Shut'.

Of the books, I've read Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds (good) and have started Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light but I'm not far in and reserving judgement for now. Still to come are Dan Simmons' Hyperion and books by Cixin Liu and Samuel R Delany. Oh and I ordered the 3 David Gemmells we somehow don't own, or at least can't find.

And I sent DSI $200 for a replacement Pro 2 mainboard to fix my problem. Funnily enough a problem that wasn't massively bothering me - but as DSI refund the bulk of that when they get the old board back it's well worth doing, unlike the V-Synth board replacement which was silly money (and which will probably only go again in the same way in the future, as indeed it already did).

Today I'm lazing in the sun, not doing anything remotely like work. Babysitting for a few days too so work will be a distant memory.

Hmm Friday here. Jasper limping this morning, same leg as usual. Think we're going to have to make the walks shorter. Touch of arthritis and a wonky arse, nothing good about getting old.  Further into Lord of Light and enjoying. One of those books I'll probably get more out of the second time through, which is alright by me.

New album seems to have gone down rather well for a series of spontaneous/stoned sketches. Can't see myself ever going back to DAWs and arrange windows and bar counting.

Baby coming later, so no Friday afternoon indulgence :(

Post-retirement blues

You know, it's tough enough getting used to the freedoms of retirement without regular requests to do stuff. Not only is it proving difficult to get someone to take over the modular column but the book is also now demanding work. Not editing work but actual words. And cos I'm not the kinda guy to just let someone down, I'm trying.

Trouble is... my mind has shifted almost completely into Bogus Realities. I only realised this over the weekend when I started contemplating what would happen next to all the characters. Regardless of whether anyone else cares, I find I'm paging out huge swathes of data from my mind, or at least deep-archiving it, to make space for my virtual universe and its characters. Must keep at least some normal personality left or Pat will accuse me of being a monosyllabic zombie.

Hey ho.

I did a video showing my problem with the Pro2. Seems they want me to send my motherboard back, they won't let Tony fix it. Frustrating but perhaps worth it.

I also put out the pre-gig sketches, not as me though. Mick did his usual great job making it sound way less shit. I should let him do the music too.
https://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/album/subliminal-to-liminal
I may announce it at some point soon or just let it fester a whiles ;)