Tao of Glass

I could have taken a photo of the Flying Scotsman but I didn't.
John and I went to Manchester to see a rather interesting thing at the Royal Exchange Theatre. It's always good going anywhere theatrical with John as he's so loaded with useful titbits of knowledge and memory. I think the show worked better for him than me though.
The theatre is lovely - a sort of apple with a central, rotating stage and the audience wrapped around it and upwards. The show was essentially one man's story of the parts of his life in which Philip Glass featured, whether on vinyl to annoy his dad or chasing him around trying to do some kind of collaboration. This chap's tale was punctuated by puppets, flying sheets of paper and four excellent musicians who made the whole day worthwhile for me. It could have been better if the main chap was an actor rather than a director type who fancied having a go, but what the heck.
Later we had some beer, at double the Preston rate. Bars where this wasn't the case were so rammed we gave up trying to get served.

This is a bit of it

The day after (Sunday), I began work on a piano piece laden with simple, repetitive motifs. I overlaid this on the reverb part of the Synthi recording from the other day - and since it was 18 mins long, I looped and repeated a few parts then did a mad free jazz improv at the end to fill it out. Listening back there are some good ideas, it just needs a more thoughtful arrangement. I may even keep a fair chunk of the improv parts as they mix nicely with the reverb whooshes. Even while working on it I was thinking it might fit with the more mellow piano thing I did when Pat was away. I suppose I've never done a piano album so perhaps I'm already half-way towards that non-existent goal.

Oops, it's a week later and I probably have nothing to report. Was meant to be going round the Trough of Bowland with Tony but our plan was thwarted by the hottest day on record. I pointed out there's no cover up there and it would be unpleasant so, instead, we walked to the Conti and had lunch and beers.

It's been too hot this week to get into the studio but the rain is now cooling things down. I should do a module review, or something, but I'm finding my life so much better now I ignore the news and everything Eurorack.

Hot hot hot

Yeah, mostly too hot to get into studio. Had a longish walk in the Trough on Monday. Still keen to get into studio - I feel a fast and catchy one is probably a good idea for the ANT project, plus it will test my new mixing setup.

Oh well, I haven't been to the gym this week and it's Wednesday already. So I guess I should. Although...
Thursday I finished moving the power distribution around - freeing several 4-ways in the process. I now have my work areas as follows:

Mac only
Modular & Synthi
P3 / TT-78 / KS-4 / Lyra-8 / Juno-6 / Electribe Sampler
Cirklon Main / TT-606 / RC-505
(Usually CV-driven) Analogue Keyboards

May be a few refinements still to make. I'm conscious that the Spirit mixer is woefully underused, having only the TT-606 and SK-20 going through it. Since that mixer has the Space reverb, I'd like to maybe introduce another synth - we'll see. Progressing nicely though.

Home Alone

Yeah, starting today (Monday) I have 7 days by myself, which is rather a lot. If the weather cools down I may get some music done - I seem to be brimming with ideas at the moment. I was even thinking of a piano piece the other day but that would involve turning the computer on, or recording the Casio piano (which doesn't sound anywhere near as some of the Kontakt pianos I have).

Still absolutely no desire to play with Eurorack gear, but I think I may move the Synthi into the Light Studio for a bit. I look at the Dark Studio and think about moving everything, then I tell myself it's a job for when it's much colder. Seems silly to waste time doing that when I could be enjoying myself noodling on the other stuff.

Knuckled down to it today (Tuesday). Inspired by the Eno thing maybe, I recorded an ambient piano thing that sprang forth this morning. Good to catch it like that, and of course needed the computer. For the quality of piano as much as anything else. Could have done with Cirklon but wanted these sounds and no mixer noise.

Plumbed it in this evening, tested audio and MIDI. A few tweaks still needed, then I have to fix the Light half as I piled quite a few things in there. Progress though and both studios standing now, OK with the Synthi and modular more arse-oriented.

Thursday morning. I tidied and organised all the spare leads that are lying around - found a lot of useful long ones (audio and MIDI) and started to plan work areas in the dark studio. With 3 mixers and theoretically 4 working areas and 6 power points, I want to be as efficient as possible - i.e. to power on the minimum of gear for whatever mood takes me. I should get the Minimoog, Prodigy and 101 sequenced directly from Cirklon, certainly the Moogs, which could mean moving the CVIO board away from the modular area. Actually that's fine as the P3 with the Vermona QMI is perfectly able to sequence the modular and provide clock.

OK, studio still a work in progress in terms of work areas but all running nicely using CVIO (even the Odyssey). I split off the P3 so it can be the master clock in its little area - but without going that extra step to allow it to be master overall. Sequencing the Mini, Prodigy, 101 and Odyssey was very satisfying and with the extra bus output of the middle mixer, I can now divide the instruments or send FX separately for recording etc. I may look at doing the same for the Spirit mixer but we'll see. Not doing things just for the sake of it!
I have a zillion unused leads, as usual, lots of long MIDI leads and quite a few long audio ones too.
Recorded quick jam and all sounding good. Tomorrow probably the Light Studio, we'll see.

Reface (CP) arrives tomorrow. Was a tough choice between that and the organ actually but the secret acoustic piano did it for me. Yamaha monumentally stupid in their attitude, but then again this is a company that invented yet another MIDI adapter! The tiny keyboard is better than Korg's tiny keyboards (ok, not saying much) but I think I'll mostly use it as a module - except when I noodle around the house or go on hols.

Friday afternoon https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/gamboge followed by curry. I expect I'll watch more shite TV tonight and repeat the exercize tomorrow.

More from the Machine

Yes, two new tracks, both of which I like hugely. One is really good, the other an actual classic. I really wish I could share it widely. It makes me think I should maybe arrange the new one for Don to tackle - might give it a verse/chorus structure for a change, so the guys don't have too work too hard to impose one.
It's Saturday. I have done absolutely zilch. Too hot for the studio, although I may get in this evening while Pat watches ladies play footie. I got to the end of Bogus Realities and was relieved the the final book has some good points - a couple of days editing would fix them, but I seem to have lost the original text. And the middle book would be way too much work still. I am encouraged though and my zombie plot progresses nicely.
I started reading After Life in parallel with some Asimov, the one diluting the other. Both have more weak points than they should have but I'm happiest with AL of everything I've done, with the possible exception of FAF. I could write, about my own stuff: employs females only marginally better than Isaac Asimov. Yeah, still reading Foundation.

Today is Thursday and I'm struggling to do anything due to the heat. I reached bank F and abandoned yesterday's crappy (and cheesy) melody in favour of a simple 8-step sequence. Now it works. Maybe if tomorrow isn't too hot I'll record it. I had beer and smokes today which I think helped me work a bit more efficiently.

Next week is an odd week. This week I recorded 'Fuchsia He Say' which I'm glad of. In it I use samples made in the OP-1 and captured into the OT. I know, I can't sell that thing.

Friday. Curry last night (naga, awesome), studio today, fun!!! Maybe thai curry and spicy chip type things.

No pix. Haven't taken any. Friday vibes.