The album is finally out this week!

Yesterday afternoon was a good one - made some progress making interesting patches from the cello, violin and viola fragments. I was using MIDI-clocked grains quite a bit, creating these strange, cascading patterns. I could link it from here but, as usual, they'll be deleted by the time I post this blog. 

I made a further refinement to the DFAM setup - removed Stages as I decided to put in a different filter for the overall output of the drums. The Moog eurorack filter seemed to work well - and can be driven from any of the filter outputs of the DFAM itself. Stages is just another multi-functional module that I'd probably prefer to be simpler and less crammy. My Eurorack philosophy in a nutshell. I might swap it for the Natural Gate and see what difference that makes to the DFAM output. I guess having two delay modules in that tiny case could be considered overkill. Magneto is so damn large but it sounds great so I'll maybe ditch the tapographic delay. 

Made more sweet Sys8 patches. No need to sequence it from the Digitone either as its own sequencer has both step and real time modes so I can capture a few performance type things in it. Unlike the JD-XA, you can switch to a new patch when the sequencer is running and it takes over smoothly. Very useful. 

Monday now. Seems a little warmer than it was last week. 

Ah yes, the album. Not mine but the ANT vinyl/CD/download. I think on Wednesday it's the album of the day on Radio 6, meaning they'll play a track in every show throughout the day. If that doesn't cause several sales I don't know what will. I can see the admin part of the bandcamp page could get complex given Dean's gonna send out orders but they'll come to me initially, paypal too. This is when my total lack of organisation will  probably become clear. 

Turned a knob on the DFAM today and the whole thing fell off. Turns out whoever fitted the additional knobs to the sequencer and mixer screwed them so tightly they split some of the underlying stalks. I glued the top of the stalk back on (after spilling a bit of glue on the panel and sticking my fingers together) but I think I'll not reattach the larger knobs. I prefer to use the SQ1 as sequencer anyway so it's not a huge deal. 

Tried the Natural Gate in the Roland case and on power up it went crazy - all modules doing mad flashing lights and the audio output going ape. Didn't bother to faff any further with it. 

More plays on Radio 6. Wrote a very quick biog for Radio 6 as they're giving us lots of play on Wednesday. Dean's popularity and Don's songs could take us a long way. We'll see if there's a sales burst. 

It's Wednesday and we're album of the day. Been listening but I've discovered that commercial radio gives me a headache. Sales pootling along without going mad yet. I've been trying to do some video - stock footage and faffing so far but it's taking shape. A bit. Gonna film some knob twiddles and see if Don and Dean supply footage to cut in. Added some random text plucked from song. It's not great and the laptop is creaking like mad - but getting there. 

More gear swaps

 Yeah, what started as swapping a few eurorack modules switched to a swap of my Pro 2 for a System 8 and DFAM. As of right now, awaiting Parcelforce completing my half of the transaction (and worrying about the packing the longer it is in transit). The System 8 has some oddities - not least that its base mode operates in key-synced mode for the arpeggiator (unheard of in Roland synths before to my knowledge). It also had a broken Plugout 3 - ostensibly the JX-3P but a factory reset revealed it was, in fact, the SH-101. I think he maybe tried adding it but it didn't work out but either way, all good. The Jupiter 8, Juno and 101 are pretty decent additions and the JP8 arpeggiator works properly out of all the arpeggiators. The sequencer is pretty sweet too and can record up to 64 steps with 4 parameters recorded too. DFAM may or may not be useful (suspect not) but it's sat where the Tanzbar sat and offering some different noises - and timing if I use Steppy to drive it. Useful module that. Eventually the DFAM will either get passed on or move into the euro drums case and remain switched off. 

Had a nice walk today and now am contemplating a bit of whisky. Ordered more of that sherry-casked stuff cos it's delicious. 

The album is done and uploaded. I missed Bandcamp Friday but should I wait another month? Novel artwork still no progress, have given him another couple of weeks because, well, nobody's waiting for that either. ;)
Some artwork progress - he's on the right track too, phew. Worth waiting a bit longer. When I was looking through the text I spotted a couple of errors immediately, plus a typo. Guess I could go through it all again if I can bring myself to.

I completed the Schulze book. Sense Klaus himself was not involved at all and that the good stuff spread around the book comes from the few anecdotes compiled at the back from friends. It's basically about the albums released but written from the point of view of a non-musician megafan. I did learn the identity of Clara Mondshine though. Oh well. It's approximately as illuminating as the Roedelius book but I guess neither were written by writers. Back to mushrooms.

Friday today. More playing with the System 8, which could easily become a major favorite synth. I've created some great noises so far - and even did some good stuff on the DFAM. The trick is in using the SQ-1 sequencer instead of its own. Wild, I know, but it's just far superior and can get much more from the synth engine. I added Stages to my little case as a flexible modulation source. We'l see how that works out but if it doesn't delight, I know the much simpler Doepfer VC-envelope will.

The one I recorded the other day (with the DRM1 groove) is really rather good. Next time I fire up Cirklon I'll do some kind of finished take of it. Using Cirklon as my drum brain and the DRM1 as voices is going to be brilliant. My recent swaps have really worked out. I should get rid of other things I'm not using much, like the Minilogue xd maybe. 

I should also say that one thing that put me off the Sys 8 was its lack of aftertouch. However, on balance I now know I really like the feel of its keybed. The keys are a bit smaller than usual but nice and rounded and nicely responsive to velocity. Reckon I'm going to enjoy it loads.  

Almost

 Worked on three different sections today - played a Lyra solo on the track where I'd thought of having Mark play. Remixed the string part again and made a small tweak to Martin's track. Once the violin is added could be there, still undecided about flute, could be unnecessary. 

Monday evening and Rick sent the violin part through, plus some noodles for me to granularise or generally faff with. I am very excited. Not super excited, but very. 

Wednesday. Tim was allowed to come yesterday so that was nice. Sold my Juno 6 and immediately ordered a green MS20. No, I can't explain it either - but they look so nice. This will be my 4th and there must be a reason I keep getting them (then selling later). Oh well. Comes tomorrow. 
Spent this morning faffing with cello additions - not sure I've made track better but have replaced a few of my dodgy phrases with Rick's nicer and more lyrical ones. Will let it lie a day or so then come back and see what I think. That could be the final bit before I send to get mastered. 

Weird. Chatting to Paul this morning I told him I'd never had to work and he had to remind me of an entire IT career that had somehow slipped my mind. Must have done 25 years and somehow I casually forgot all about it. 
Saturday night. We watched Parasite (very good) and I drank whiskey. Earlier I sent the album to Dean and it's on its way back already. Incredible! Recorded some MS20 noodles today which could be quite promising I think. Indeed, it began morphing into a minimal techno track without me even thinking about it. The Cirklon / BB setup is going to be another good one - different flavour than the Digitone / BB setup. 
Should be able to release album for next Bandcamp Friday. Ben has promised (again) he'll work on book cover. 

I'll take some more pix soon. This was the thing I recorded today. 

Dean did another brill job with the mastering. Just listening and feeling content. 

The strange, silent house

 Without the clicking of pooch paws on laminate floors, without the wildly enthusiastic greeting when you come in, without the roar of unfettered delight when a tin of dog food is opened, without the constant companion who follows you from room to room, forever under the feet but always welcome, always loved. Without. 

I deliberately didn't take a 'last' photo, but here's a set from last October that seem to fit. 

Friday now. I buried him deep and under stones to prevent anything digging down. Had a walk with Tony this morning which was nice. It's still early enough to drink and hopefully ease the back pain I can feel. I might write some soppy, sentimental music (from which Tim would recoil in horror). Ultimately, I'm a soppy, sentimental kinda guy. 

It hasn't been easy. I keep checking when I open a door to see if he's lurking on the other side, curious to know where I am and get to me. I've seen him running through long grass in dreams, I've half seen him when I look up sometimes. My pal Tony's 15 year old lab came to the end too, so I guess we should go for a walk and be miserable together.  

Time has passed, I still haven't finished this blog entry, not sure why. In the meantime I've got Rick's first string part - cello and viola over the piano / wind thing I was close to abandoning. Did my first mix of it yesterday and it's good - wish I'd taken more time over the notes now as this was an afterthought really and sometimes sounds like it. I have ideas for a couple of harmonic touches on Minimoog that could give it some extra interest. We'll see. Oh, Martin's theremin and subtle guitar worked really well, did I tell you about that, dear diary? I expect so but my mind is mush. Maybe still needs some flute and manic guitar from Mark, although he says he no longer plays. 

Did a thing yesterday that sounds promising. That was before taking delivery of a Vermona DRM1, which I swapped for a couple of modules and which I've fancied since reviewing it. 

I think that will be the album cover - no text. Fits the idea, plus it's a photo I took on Jeffrey Hill and all the trees have since been cut down. Going with the faded/sepia look to squeeze out max nostalgia. Rick says he'll have the violin part on Monday - that's the one I spent a little longer on and the blend with synth strings should work nicely. 

Farewell old friend

 Well, Pat pointed disapprovingly to my belly and suggested I was drinking more beer than usual. So that's nice. Good she looks out for me though, I'll hide the bottles in future ;)

The conservatory has a small leak. It explains the wetness over quite a long period that we'd put down to all sorts of nonsense without really investigating. Pension dude reckons my tax bill is about right, which is sobering but I think I understand. It will probably mean we pay very little next time due to their dodgy estimation algorithms. Anyway, rather a drag having to get cash at this stage (especially after we just did our annual 'legacy' thing) but has to be. I'll maybe keep some of the PRS back in the coming year rather than blow it on toys. That's assuming it keeps coming, of course. 

Possibly the BB is coming today but no delivery info yet. Went shopping but it was the shit sushi woman so didn't buy any. 

Friday again, yay. I'm thinking of a couple of places in the Accidental Hermit where some Rick Curran violin (and cello if poss) would really enhance it. The BlackBox slotted in perfectly, as I knew it would, and in a Cirklon environment I can do things like close the filter smoothly over loop transitions, for those times I was noodling too far away from the BB to see the loop coming to an end. I do sometimes forget to end with a similar sound to how I started but automation from within a Cirklon pattern is the perfect solution. Pointed out a few simple flaws in recording, say, a 32 bar Ck pattern in terms of visibility but at least I do finally have a use for Cirklon's A/B knobs - recording my tweaks. The MIDI Learn of the BB was as easy as I hoped too - and I see how using Cirklon's sequencer to trigger samples is going to be a logical next step. 

I think some cello over the windy piano track (the one Tim isn't keen on) might lift it from so-so to go-go. Will offer to pay Rick something though, only fair. 

Where are we? Could be Tuesday. The book about Klaus Schulze arrived and I had a mess with the oil paints. Realised the canvas boards I bought are way too large for a 'getting reacquainted' session so abandoned the woody one in favour of a smaller self-portrait. I can come back to it, of course. So far I'm much happier than I was using acrylics, although I'd forgotten how messy I get when using oils. Will definitely need more paint and a couple of extra brushes, and some more turps than the wee bottle they sent. Still, pretty happy so far and it's better than sitting on my arse. 

It's raining and it was sulky sushi lady's turn at Sainsbury's today, so none of my favourites prepared. Woe is me!

It's a rainy Thursday and we've decided Jasper has suffered enough. Had an awful few days with him - he's barely managed to crap at all. I suspect I'm going to blub but I think we need to go through with it this time. The periods where he is able to function normally are getting smaller and smaller. Made a start on a painting yesterday but don't feel like doing much today except sitting around. Bad news about conservatory too - was made with several important errors. No wonder they went out of business!

Nearly done

 A few bursts of inspiration, some ruthless deletion and I'm at version 1.4 of Accidental Hermit and it's hanging together fine. Three tracks of 20-23 mins, just need to be sure all sections work then get it mastered and do some artwork. I ordered some oil paints and a couple of boards and even a palette knife just cos I've never tried one. 
I sold my 0-coast and bought another BlackBox - to attach to the Cirklon rig and hopefully make it more productive. It'll fit in where the RC-505 is now and be able to sample from the two mixers in that area using a bit of bus routing and spit. I am hopeful this will spawn yet more groovy shit!

Tax bill is larger than last year when my earnings were more. Depressing but we'll need to grab some more pension money to pay it. New single / EP is out.  to almost universal lack of response despite the Marc Riley 'exclusive' that resulted in us pulling it from bandcamp last Friday when the release was meant to happen. 

Had a walk and took some pix. 

Think I'll put the 1.7.4 beta on the BB when it arrives and see how it handles. 

HNY

Another year. I will start to compile the stuff needed to do my tax return. Not so much this time as there's almost no SOS income. PRS still higher than I'd expected but I doubt it'll be high enough to cost me too much. I really should advertise some stuff. Had contemplated selling the Pro2 but sometimes could see myself keeping it. I do like its keyboard feel/length for one thing and I was getting some fun stuff from it yesterday despite its hated envelopes. Thing is I rarely use it in recordings, replacing it at the last minute. 

Gear combinations of the moment: Odyssey & Tapographic Delay. Also: Blofeld and Magneto. Adding crinkle to its PPG noises and mellotrons is very cool. Thinking the only good use for my modular is to grab a few individual modules for processing other things. 

Recorded a few things, ambient and much more the kind of thing I want. Parking idea of new album for a bit and see what else appears. 

Just noticed it's Friday. 

Just pix from evening poo walk. All I have right now. 

Wednesday now, Jan 6th, little to report other than fear and panic all around. Ordered some slightly more expensive whisky. Walked with Tim this week, missed going with Tony but may catch up tomorrow morning. Must see John next week, feel I'm letting him down. 
Our new EP will be out on Friday.