Year ends, novel complete and . . . BOUM

 Yeah, I ordered a BOUM from a guy in Northern Ireland. I didn't even dare do the joke. I'll open it carefully though. 

Completed the novel. Still awaiting artwork. Where have I heard that before?

OK, the BOUM arrived - great comms and packaging, all good. I'm bound to overuse it at first, indeed I have already. As the artwork is going to be a while I'm doing another very quick pass and, of course, still finding things I want to change. I suppose that process could go on indefinitely. 

Did some Osmose/MPE recording into Cirklon today (Saturday) but, as usual, realised how little pleasure I get from doing even basic stuff on Cirklon these days, especially with Ck patterns. Some days I dream of replacing it with an Atari running Cubase. Or an Octatrack, an RC-505 and a P3, even if that would be a little complex. Oh well, struggle on I guess. Concentrate on the good shit and stop moaning.
New Year's Eve tomorrow. 

A Top Idea!!

 Yeah, it was. I turned on that TC Electronic finaliser thing I have and put the BB output through it. So when I do my final mix now on the Ck system I can give it some oomph as I record. It was so cool today I immediately thought of a BOUM for setup 4. 

https://wilyepeyote.bandcamp.com/track/enator

Spent the morning rodding the drains (Saturday) - after neglecting to check them last week. Problem seems to be new carers two doors down and wetwipes. No novel work or review done but I know what I'm gonna do now so that's something. 

Sent off my review, seems OK on a quick read this morning so hopefully David is happy with it. Ordered new mixer, same as my other two, arriving tomorrow (Tuesday). Hate to waste money on that stuff but can't be avoided. Still looking for a random new toy that will amaze and delight. Torso S4 and Vectra thing candidates although maybe more granular not sensible. Then again when has sensible mattered? I like that KO thing Tim got and it'll be nice to try the OP-1 field when that arrives as its improved tape engine very attractive. Still shit MIDI though. 

Pat's going off on Monday to take prezzies and dog back. Hoping she takes Broc so Tim and I can have a good sesh - Xmas day has produced some good results in the past, Will see how Logic new mastering helps our tracks before ordering a BOUM. With extra subgroups on the mixer I could route stuff to that and its output back to a pair of tracks so could either master with it or route individual stuff through it. RD9 sounds nice with a few instruments extracted and treated. 

Well, it's Christmas day and my plans to get novel complete have been scuppered by the early arrival of Margaret. Oh well, I'm close to the end anyway, should easily finish tomorrow. 
Here's last Friday's thing, dunno if it's the last of the year, possibly not knowing me. 

https://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/track/its-that-time-of-year

Bah humbug!

A new window, some review writing and PRS

 Yep, Pat's window in the ex-library was done in a day. Good work too. I worked on the Arp review - new firmware meant to be here early next week so that's cool. Pat away tomorrow so hopefully a good sesh with Tim. Been doing 5 novel chapters a day too, made quite a few changes to one today that felt necessary - hope I didn't introduce more errors. 

Did a track on this, all in a good cause

Been walking Broc quite a lot - cyst seems to be swelling again, which ain't great. Oh and PRS was still OK - around its usual level. Wish there was some cool gear I could get enthusiastic about buying. 

OK, new Arp firmware here but I can't report what it has cos it won't be released for a while. Can try it and complete review anyway so all good. Friday tomorrow but today we had a shorter, better walk cos I got to pick the route. Arrived home not feeling broken although my boots are finally breaking. 

I might buy one of those KOII things too, seems a load of fun. 

Some studio days

 Yeah, Pat was away and I had a very nice Friday and Saturday chilling and noodling. Tim and I made 'Dav' in homage to Davros. Review work paused while firmware worked on. Pat arrived home sneezing pretty much non-stop. Hey diddly ho. 

Well now it's December and Pat's been helping her pal with her horse so I've been walking Broc a fair bit, all good fun. I did manage to start editing the novel, did five chapters of corrections today and hope to keep at it this week. If I do five a day that's a decent goal and actually this is the easy bit. Will still need cover doing though. 

Dunno if we're walking this week but Friday's sesh may be scuppered as it's the day Pat's having her window done. She's off on a trip with Margaret that day and possibly Saturday too, calendar not clear. May try and have one tomorrow. Been doing more with the arpeggiator and really enjoying some of the mayhem it can create - today was running four separate scales, not necessarily scales that like each other but by messing with the offsets and modulation, some rather incredible textures appearing. Next I plan to try it with the P2K as modulating MIDI channels is a rich source of fun so why not try 16 of them?

Right, some pix from last week should see this entry done. 

Oh look, Oasis! Can't remember which gig. 

Remember, remember, um, something, and then it's November. Scootland!

Monday it is and a pleasant afternoon was spent noodling waiting for the Arp which only left Bristol today. Also leaving Bristol is my beautiful Super 6, its panel replaced - which is very much appreciated. Finally smooth sliding is gonna be mine. Very excited. The Penguin Cafe CD I ordered from Amazon supposedly coming Sunday hasn't arrived yet, can be up to 10pm they say. Maybe the Prime membership isn't worth keeping up any more. 

Foot day tomorrow. 

 

We're here
Sunday

OK, in one of those I went mad on saturation and levels. 

Oh yeah, went face first into a bog yesterday - totally soaked including phone and camera. Camera seems OK, phone has recovered after a rice bath but some bits not working (e.g. audio through earpiece when used as a phone). What an eejit. Think Tony upset as we turned round and missed out on his summit experience. 

Well, Friday was a day of two halves - morning I spent waiting around for Tony then decided to go out and wander around locally. Wish I'd gone first thing as it was lovely - and got some stream recordings too. Afternoon was too late for the lovely woods trip around Loch Maree so we did an abbreviated version. I was left with the usual impression that much of our time there is spent with me pining for the woods, but short of taking two cars we both compromise I suppose. Drank more whisky and smoked more weed in a week than I usually do in a month. Listened to Radio 6, which seemed considerably shitter than previous trips as they seem to have faffed around with the schedule, filling it with young airheads with zero personality and a list of records so naff I actually welcomed the Archers. Oh well. 

Next week I plan to start the Arp review, even though there's new firmware still on the way. Can cover basic functionality at least. 

Farewell October

 It's getting rainy now as we approach the end of the month. This week's walk has been marred by various appointments - discovered the secret to getting one at the doc's is to stand at the door at 8am rather than try and get through on the phone. Nurse read podiatrist's letter and booked x-ray, took bloods and gave me antibiotics - all without looking at the toe. She didn't know how to wrap it up again afterwards, apparently. Tuesday and I'm going to see someone else who does and there's an appointment tomorrow too, but I don't know if today's means that isn't necessary. Dentist too tomorrow then William coming until Friday, at which point I'm taking mum for a covid jab.

All in all, not a week I'm going to get much studio time in, which is frustrating. Saturday also limited by the need to drive to Kendal in the evening for Penguin Cafe - Tony taking Pat's ticket and John gonna get up here himself so I needn't leave Broc alone too long while fireworks going off (!). Yeah, Pat's off to some do.

Next week currently looking clear, last before Scotland so I hope to get time for play as really itching to use the studio at the moment now it's all tidy again. May order that MIDICake Arp thing, just awaiting answers to a few more questions. Seems like it would be a good fit for the JD-XA in its new position or possibly even Setup 2 - but am I buying it for no really good reason? Emailed Udo to see how they're getting on with my Soup, hope that isn't away too long. 

That was the cover I made for David Law's hastily-assembled collection of tracks, can't actually remember which ones. Don't think I'll make available on bandcamp, plenty on there already. 

My ModFactor pedal was playing up the other day - flickering like the TimeFactor and ModFactor did. Flaky buggers, may swap power supply around and see if that helps. Have yet to find a power supply for John's fx, will see if the one for the 1202 turns up as he can have that. 

Oh, and as our American friends (and now us, inevitably) would say, happy fucking halloween!