Contiguous Time / new case arrived

It's like this: you can't add up all those 5, 10, 20, 38 minute chunks of free time in a day and say 'look at all that free time you had!'. In the same way, a forest or nature reserve is not the same when sliced and diced by roads, quarries, pylons, clearings and housing. It's Friday and my afternoon, hopefully, will be a contiguous, slow-paced session of music capture - the track I forgot to play at the gig, some work on a piece Andy sent, maybe that's enough.
The modular is still dead. That old Doepfer power supply clearly not up to the job and a pure coincidence it died when it did. I'll go along with that until I know better. Ordered a new case with an update power supply, will get the old one fixed, hopefully next week, have the one from Ross coming, in theory. Frustrating as two very cool-looking modules arrived yesterday but have to put ideas of those aside for now.

I can see why people get hooked on euro, start looking around for things to sell to get more. I'm doing the same, I notice. Ultimately will it be a habit I kick? Hard to say but it does so much it's gonna be tough.

I know. Another picture of 'the tree'.

Today I did a version of one track I didn't play well at the gig. Worked on overdubs for one Andy did. Chilled. Good day. Hopefully going out later for something to eat.

OK today is Saturday. Which is a different today than the earlier one. Deal with it. New case arrived - good old Thomann. Modules installed, all peachy, should really look more into the power consumption. Tried the two new modules that have arrived - both impressive. I sorta thought they might be. Made a well groovy sequence using the Tonestar with two filters, each articulated by different EGs.
Colin sent me the 19" Eurorack-style BOB, like awesome! Lots more CV to play with. Need longer lead though as the 25-pin connector on the far end. Could mount it upside down I guess. Hey that would work...

Yes, I had a relaxing afternoon... :)

Binar Gig

Well, it came and went. New venue - better than the school hall but very hot and sweaty. A good night though, enjoyed everyone's set, especially Monkey Trial.
I think that might be my last gig, of that type anyway.
The idea of a 90 min set wasn't mine and the last minute idea to make it 2x45 didn't suit me as I totally forgot which songs I'd played already when it came to the second half. Alas I totally failed to stick to my running order which was a mistake. I may even have forgotten to play the best one, at least the catchy one I'd given the highest rating to in my listening the day before. Still, despite playing way too long I think there were some great moments - as usual those that were completely random. Looking forward to hearing the recording.

The Keyboard/Rack swap didn't go well. I failed to look at the rack I was getting, which is a mess - slider snapped off, main encoder not working, actual rust on the front panel and 3 knobs missing. So will reverse that when I get chance. Possibility we'll hire a rehearsal room somewhere and record more material for future releases. Might do that but, as I say, don't really want to go to the effort of more gigs in this style. It's either ambient drones or complete, planned structures from now on. I've done this weird improvised middle ground for too long, feel it's time for a change, especially as I doubt we'll ever top the best of previous work.

Back to modular tinkering today. Got a really cool module to review, another on the way that looks interesting. Still no case from Mr L after 1 year so maybe Synthfest will be the next chance. Else I'll buy a second Doepfer basic case and dump that large Synthracks thing which they still haven't sent a power supply for. Sigh. Bet they never send a power supply for my Doepfer ribbon either. Grumble, moan...

Of Interest only to me

Today we (Tim & I) recorded 'Hell Knuckle' having temporarily adopted a new naming standard. Listening now it's a masterpiece but, hey, it's Friday afternoon and I always say that. It's tagged onto a session from a few days back which we called Ylem. Did some production work to improve a few parts of it, which seems to have paid off. Quick and decisive working here. Apply same to 'knuckle' and we have a hit. No. not a hit, what's that other word?

Glad we did something on Friday. I sometimes think of all those times Phil wanted to record and I couldn't be bothered.

Seems I have at least one catchy sequence for gig. Excellent! Will play them through in the week, catalogue them. Still not totally sure I'm happy it's 90mins. Woulda been nice to have been asked if I have enough material (I wonder if I do?).

I am reading Steppenwolf again. In breaks between review stuff.
It occurs to me that all I've ever done in my own novel-writing is to paraphrase this book, in a style closer to National Lampoon than the Kurt Vonnegut I aspire to. Not much of an epitaph so call that version 1. :)

The sun seems to be here. Apparently for a few days. I should maybe post some incisive comments about it on twatter.

Synth DIY

Went. It was very quiet. Kept thinking I could've saved money and bought modules. Sad or what?

Hmmm wasn't meant to be that way up. Mind you, could say the same about life.

Anyway, don't think I'll be doing DIY next year. May organise a meet further north - assuming Colin hasn't departed these shores by then.

Have some cool stuff in for review, haven't asked for the new Behringer. Figure it'll already be taken and I dunno how interested I am anyway. Seems good for the price but they'll be everywhere so I think I'll stick with my Juno 6. :)

Lots to do, including more library work and a quick turnover 'exclusive' review, about which I've heard little since the first ask. Presuming it'll still happen. Waiting for my euro power supply, discovered it was sent to the office - weird since the case itself was sent straight to me! Still no sign of the UK power supply for the Doepfer ribbon. Dunno if I'll use it at gig now.

Looks like the beach volleyball has ended. Pat put on this weird sport with guys trying to do the same thing and I kept asking 'what's this?' until she muttered something and turned over. I don't know, there I was trying to be enthusiastic about sport and the thanks I get?

Be-Jaysus!

It's all good, as they say. Channel 5 came through, definitely ready for a new module or two, praise be!

Keeping very busy, done more eurorack reviews, getting some good stuff to play with although they still didn't send the power supply for that case. Not great I ordered my Doepfer ribbon from the UK deliberately so I didn't get a fucking euro adapter - BUT I STILL GOT A EURO ADAPTER. There, capitals, grrrrrr!

Working hard on new 'minmal electronica' tracks for a new library project. They sound good to me so far, got 10 of them, should be a couple more if I get time. Time where does it fucking go?

I finally got 'From Beer To Eternity' redone and out there. No idea how to make Amazon re-deliver to people with the earlier version though, sadly. Must try and sort that out. It still isn't perfect because every time I try and read it I see typos, spelling mistakes or general shit. Why don't I see that stuff from the text editor screen?

BEER

Colin and Tony may be coming tomorrow. Really should find out. If so, must tidy up!

Slow down world,please, I want to take a day off the whole spinning thing!

PRS day

Well, not a great PRS payout but I think Channel 5 is delayed so it might still be OK. Interestingly, back in March I'd thought I heard one of my new drones on a BBC4 documentary (The Beginning and End of the Universe) but wasn't 100% sure because, well, drones are drones. Turns out it was, which is well cool! Another of mine also got used in that one, hey that's actually an ambition satisfied, almost the last one. Hmmmm, best think of more.

Tim down for a few days, should get some music done, have just sent some review stuff in so can relax a bit. Until the other looper arrives only 2 apps and 2 sample shop to do. Should do at least one. Plan to go to Airsculpture gig Saturday but making music could overrule that.

3rd box of Dark Side of the Moog arrived - fantastic stuff too.

------

It's later. Of course I didn't go to the gig but can blame Tim. He brought beer, we made music, I was happy. Have ordered a Doepfer ribbon jobby but it's taking forever to arrive. Ditto for the modules I want to review, the power supply I was promised and so on. Almost bought a Microbrute but after borrowing Tim's again decided against it. Better ways to blow my cash.

Korg finally issued an Electribe 2 update. It mentions 'minor bug fixes' which I hope includes the save glitches and synced delay bug - neither minor IMHO. They added pattern chaining too which is of no interest to me. And there are new models, coloured like the old ones to try and cash in on the popularity since the new models are so drab and anonymous. Hey ho.

The Minilogue got an update - seemed to help the click but not the rtz envelopes. Shame, it's only that preventing me getting one. The new Behringer could be good though - 2DCO and 6 voices (I think). If it has FX and sequencer and costs £500... :)

Sent in 10 new library tracks, which is good. And I started some new ones - chilled, sequencey for a change. If it ain't too hot will work on them over the weekend along with doing sequences for the Binar gig and maybe polishing a few novel chapters. Would love to just do that for 2 weeks solid!

This is cool
https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com/album/forms-3-controls-sources-treatments

And this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHsX8L4qVI0

It doesn't take much

I mean it. One person writes to say they read Future Art Factory and enjoyed it and I'm made up. It's so much harder to get feedback about writing, well Kindle books anyway because we all know they aren't proper books.

I have almost got the rewrite of 'From Beer To Eternity' into a fit state to read through and fine-tune. Lack of time meant I didn't throw it all out. In fact, deleting a load of stuff has really helped it and the changes I made help everything click into place. Basically the plot works for the first time and I ditched all the stupid loops and reality glitches that seemed so clever when I was writing them but not so when I tried to make sense of it later. Hey ho.

My old mate Dave who died perished not from any disease of the liver but that old favourite lung cancer. He went very quickly, in a week basically and they only knew what it was 2 days before he died. How depressing. Sorry, this blog is really for the stuff I don't write anywhere and only for myself, I've probably said that before.

Pat made a wonderful meal tonight but she's gone to bed tired. I'm watching Coldplay's performance at Glastonbury. Everyone hates them, everyone cool anyway. I don't dislike them so I guess that makes me uncool. If he could curb that strained falsetto I could even like them. Well, ish. There is that catchy one I like, bound to be more.

I recorded a new track the other day with just one mono synth and a looper. I did add some Microgranny samples that Tim reckons spoils it. He's probably right, he usually is. It's like 6-7 instances of this synth, no spoilers but it's new, stand-alone and doesn't have a filter.

https://soundcloud.com/smokyfrog/bollockaroo

The RC-505 is almost able to work with polyrhythms now too should have mentioned that. Still seems a bit iffy but the combination of making blank tracks and Sync=Off does seem to let you prepare tracks of any length. Will soak-test it when time. Time, yeah.

A busy week ahead. Started review of the above synth, will progress that and with luck start a 'Rio' track or two. Must up my workload. Binar gig to think about, was informed it'll be a 90 min slot with encores on top. Hmm, seems a bit long to me especially as I intend to wing it almost entirely. Think Airsculpture playing soon, must go along.

Oh, and I joined the Labour party. I know, amazed myself. I just really hate bullying which seems to be the culture we adopted, whether it's to those who come here to sell us their skills and effort or those who try to change politics from the grimy, self-serving game it's become.