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.