Creative Block?

 Someone was asking about this in Twitter but I didn't reply as the question wasn't to me. I've been lucky over the years in that I can usually sit down and tinker with something and get results that please me. I do have two tried and tested techniques that always help clear the creative palette though: drones and minimal techno. 

Seriously, you can't beat a good drone. The only rules are that there should be are no sudden movements, development, rhythm or even sense of tempo. It sounds easy - because it is - and that's the secret to relaxing into it and enjoying it. While it's always better to drone in an ensemble, doing it solo is very calming, gives you time to slowly appreciate the wonder of a long, sustained, unhurried bath of sound. Once your brain is comfortable in that space, you can once again tune in to subtlety and nuance. 

As for minimal techno, again the rules are simple; the trick is not to start adding layers or additional elements beyond a basic pulse and the absolute minimum 'extras' of unchanging or slowly-shifting ornamentation or ambience. That's how I do it anyway. As with the drones, there is a chance that something will emerge from it directly, but that isn't the point - it's to remove the inclination to add the unnecessary. Strip down and become comfortable with that. Sit back or groove along or whatever, then you're probably already starting to fill up with ideas.  

Your mileage, of course, may vary. As I said, my four mini systems are set up so I can power one of them on, touch an instrument, and immediately head off somewhere.

Sold another module, at least I think I have. Dude was a bit odd going on about USD in paypal and wanting me to cover the fees. He was the one who was asking for a Morphagene after all! He ended up wanting a video of it working, which I did quickly on the phone. Then he wanted an email stating terms... jeez, how suspicious! Will see if he turns out OK or not. Agreed I'd cover P&P if he ensured he'd pay what we'd agreed since the fees were due to his dollar thing and nowt to do with me. He's young (25) which probably explains it. Will leave my samples on the card as I can't be arsed wiping it. Found the original box anyway. Update: all went well.

Tried the Microfreak in place of the 101 but, while it has some positives, I think it might be too faffy for live, plus it doesn't send clock until it sees a MIDI start command. Colin's little blue box is better in that respect. I did enjoy the simple transfer of arpeggio pattern to sequence A/B though, it will come in useful because it neatly switches into sequencer mode and becomes live when you do it. If only I could see the fecking buttons! If only you could seamlessly switch back to Arp mode. Oh well.  I think once I make a few patches on it it'll be handy, have started doing a few. Put the GR-1 through the Cosmos and got some good results. 

Buggerations, a module I sold a while back has turned out to be faulty. It's the Peaks thing I got in a swap but, once I found it was infested with Parasites, never used. So I've no idea whether it was broken when I got it or not (suspect so based on a few previous iffy swaps with same guy). Arseburgers! I did, of course, reimburse. Told the guy to chuck it.

Had idea to replace SH-101 with smaller lighter Reface CS. Need one of the Refaces for use with Digitone so if I choose the CS, I can put it through 101 module case for looping. Loses sequencer, gains polyphony. Can do different stuff and the 101 does lead me in familiar directions. Best idea of late is to put Pipe through Cosmos - will be main gig performance thing, with BB throwing in ambient passages when I want something to lock onto. Sorted. Sounds like  this https://wilyepeyote.bandcamp.com/album/abstractions

I expect I'll delete that soon - it came out fairly well as three improvs, only one has an annoying bit I was too stoned to fix at the time. 

Anyway, no sign of creative block from me. Oh, another great plan is to get so stoned you wouldn't recognise a creative block if it was jammed in your U-bend. Tim and I had another excellent Saturday and incorporated some MPC in our day's thing (Galboola). So much brilliant material now, hard to know what to do with it. Back to novel tomorrow as I've been letting that slide (although thinking through some parts of it). Got to take mum for her 4th jab too.