April sun & showers

 I'm generally getting in the mood for Berlin and pondering any gear I want to try there (the Beetlecrab Tempera is something I'm still curious about, for example). Would like to talk to the Osmose guys and see what they're up to and a few others too, but mainly it'll be about the people I guess. I wonder if a new generation MPC is around the corner with a bigger, snappier, better-used touchscreen? I used to hate touchscreens but there's probably no better way to do a DAW-like interface in hardware.

Tree & Leaf arrived. Not cheese-free but hey, of its time. 

Fridays music had its moments, Saturday with Tim wasn't bad either. Didn't sort out new recording stylee but moving towards it. Setup MOTU's Performer on laptop along with new audio interface (M4) - did basic test but not sure it looks great on small screen. Setup Live Lite 12 which looks better so may try that, initially with arrangements of some BB recordings, which seems a good way to work. Maybe. 

Easter, sunny, off to see mum. A far cry from 2 years ago...

Hilarious - Synthi behaving itself AND the P3 too, the lack of MIDI output seemed related to connecting it to the Vermona MIDI/CV interface. So I'm basically going to Tony's to get Tim's Jupiter fixed. Oh well, it'll be nice to catch up and will get Tim to go get it when sorted. No worries. Oh, Ableton is much easier than Performer, clearer too - but dragging the audio into tracks produced clips of varying lengths so maybe I need to do something else. 

Feeling deflated this morning (Wednesday) as Walter finally met a marauding cat. Looks like he put up a fight. He'd been doing so well too, had even managed to get on the fence yesterday. RIP Walter. 

Friday was an odd day, slept on the settee for some of the evening, not entirely sure why. The music was a mixed bag with the weirder parts being the best. Saturday Tim came with his Machinedrum and Monomachine - sounded great and we recorded them separately. 

Hey it's almost the end of April, Berlin soon! Oh, I bought the Behringer 2-XD but am sending it back as it's a bit cheap and nasty. The MIDI doesn't work properly either, although maybe only for me. I think I've probably bought enough of their gear now and if the race is on for the bottom, I should be wary of getting any more. 

Stuff updated

 The most important of which is MIDICake Arp, which goes to V8. It still only has 8 chords for all pattern banks to share but at least now you can store up to 12 chains - with up to 32 links, each of a length you specify. Not all numbers are available - so no wacky primes or owt - but it's a great step forwards. Now you can have a chain running, switch to another and then manually load different patterns as you go. I had a great day with it anyway. It has some other stuff but less relevant to me as my "chords" are just note pools. Suggested a few display improvements - e.g. showing the chain progress rather than the somewhat pointless BPM and chord name (custom, all of mine so a bit tedious) and key (which is shown already on the actual keyboard). Anyway, he's been great at doing the updates and considering further ones and Arp has evolved into a very useful little jamming tool. 

The GR-1 got a fix update so should now be better for performance naming slots and so on. The other update I can't tell you about until it's official - and anyway, it doesn't work yet, for me. 

Friday and Pat just headed south, back tomorrow. I note that RK Dining is open at 10:30 so will head down there and stock up for tonight so I needn't go out for a takeaway. Yay! We will see what emerges...

Saturday again. Good week. Sunny. Hence not looked at blog. 

Mick did a remastering job on Lore, much happier with it now. That piano always set my teeth on edge and now it doesn't cos Mick snipped it out. I put it out and invited people to re-download (included the first edited track as a bonus in case anyone prefers the CD version. All good. Friday's track isn't bad either so the fact it's been too sunny to do owt since is fine. Tim and I drank beer on Saturday and absorbed some rays. Next week meant to be nice too and we're going to see Mick on Tuesday. What fun!

Great seeing Mick, must do it again soon. Decided not to walk tomorrow after being in too much slow traffic yesterday. Want to do some S4 beta testing. Will walk with Pat & Broc in the morning.
PRS day - another good one. I am constantly amazed by this and wonder what's going on that it keeps giving. Berlin soon so should get a new carry-on bag. 

The Ides, innit

 The fifteenth, which is today, Saturday. Yesterday's music was fairly inconsequential, had some moments but didn't hang together perfectly, which seems a common theme when working with my Cirklon setup. The Uno synth sounded great, as always, and I liked some of the Opsix parts but generally there's a lack of cohesion that I don't get with the Digitone setup. It's always the sequencer parts that make what I do in setup 3 suck. Added Tim's P3 to setup 1 to replace mine, which is throwing a wobbler. Replaced the battery and I guess I now have a completely blank P3 to start working with. Could be fun. 

I notice that Oojami tagged me in a gig happening in May, I wonder if I'm supposed to be playing and what, if I am, I should do about it. Oh well, sunny today and no Tim; Tony has gone to Scotland for a week and I intend to use the time foolishly.

This was part of Saturday's thing. Kinda simple but pleasant. Like me.

Tuesday and glorious sunshine. I have a book to finish and Margaret's mobility scooter to deliver but, otherwise, feel a sense of freedom. Should maybe do more Cirklon testing but as he's released the beta to the wider community, feel less pressure to do so. Plus, there's nothing been added that I particularly need yet. 

More 'Bogus Focus' - quite interesting
https://ploum.net/2024-03-18-lost-focus.html

It's been a lovely sunny, relaxed week and tomorrow the weather is supposed to turn a bit, which is perfect for me given it's Friday and I'm feeling the urge to do something. Today I walked with Broc and it was lovely. 

Boing!

 Yeah, March, Spring, spawn (but not in our pond yet). Got modular track done and sent off. Did a second mix which is shorter and maybe useful for something. Cirklon testing to do, weather bucking up (so that spawn is already in peril in some ponds) and feeling as optimistic as world events allow. 

Pix from Wednesday's walk. Thursday was lovely - was meant to get to Tony's and have the car window sealed but he went for a nice lunch and then I had the Openreach guy to deal with, thankfully sorted now. Had a chippie tea and it bloody well rained in the evening. Good for the frogs - meant to be wet tomorrow too, but as it's studio day, I'll cope. 

Friday I did some random stuff, far from perfect so dunno how long it'll stay on bandcamp. There were some good bits. Oh and the frogs arrived and we have a lot of spawn now, phew! Each year they are so much later now, hate to think of the journey they must take. Saturday Tim and I sat out in the sun cos, well, who knows how many more sunny days there will be? And now, Sunday, preparing to go see mum and see how she is this week. Dunno if I should try and see what John/Andy/Rick are up to, if anything, on the project or if that would count as pestering. I suppose that's the thing with other people, they work to different timescales...

A perspective from the past that's shockingly apt right now. 

A good walk (Thursday) to Whitbarrow. 

Faff

 The broadband wasn't fitted right, apparently, not high enough. Unfortunately, they will either sort it, probably going to the back of the house (again) or cut us off. Fucking brilliant work. 

Today I was almost getting somewhere with the modular thing - some nice sequences and some cool noises from Plaits. Then I noticed some audio cutting out - some of the loops I'd captured had gaping holes in them. WTF? I did a Save As for the project and will look at what there is tomorrow. Annoying as I was getting somewhere. Walked Broc again today as Pat had to paint at Margarets. Same tomorrow as she's doing the horse. I don't know when life is going to calm down to actual retirement pace but I'm sure ready. It's been a shit start to 2025. 

Thursday was gorgeous and I was relieved to find my audio, at least of the first project, intact. So I ignored the new parts I added in the second version and did them again, mostly with Plonk and Akamie's Taiko. Developed it further today, the two opposing sides (in terms of key) both having sections that can  fight amongst themselves. The transpose thing didn't entirely work but it's weird enough to use and if I bring it in from nothing, slowly, rather than trust the attack of 100%, it could be a nice way to end. Anyway, didn't do a mix cos I am going to walk Broc and move some furniture. There's one space left too and I have a good idea for it. 

Friday was ace. Moved Margaret properly then came home to the track for Ian. Got in the mood.

Didn't rejig Light Studio for HS shit but otherwise good day. Sent Ian track

Dynamic shit going on

 Well, I booked my Berlin flights - Pat agreed to take me to the airport and Liverpool was much cheaper, especially if you don't care about the long term parking which was twice as much as the flights. 

Monday and this week we're meant to be moving Margaret. My back is gradually recovering so hopefully I can do my bit without breaking. Tidied setup 1, reduced some clutter (that mixer and Tony's ensemble) and added the RD-8 back again. It's always worked rather well there and continues to do so. Doing more regular JD-XA patches now, my typical solo and pad noises to go with the ambient mulch of the Super 6/Cosmos. I seem to be getting better with the ribbon, or at least the things I do with it feel under control, which is a pleasant departure from my early fumblings. Not sure if I'm walking this week as it depends on my back - could be silly to stress it if I'm to carry some shit. 

Featured on a playlist, which is always nice.

Reached Thursday without incident. Matt meant to be coming, he says he's actually in town, which is almost en route. Still we'll see. I'm trying to decide whether to review the Wave as they have apparently decided they want that. Been working on a track for a few days, which is unusual in itself. It's not necessarily going anywhere but it feels like it could. 

Friday's music was pretty good. Saturday I spent trying to get the Wave firmware in (failed but at least I got it running again and backed up my sounds) and received Rick's string parts. Did rough mixes of the ones with Rick and John in - there's another with John but he's only supplied a small part so far so I haven't done a mix of that. Seeing him tomorrow along with Andy so will talk about it then. Good day and now awaiting a takeaway. Simple pleasures while the world goes to shit. 

Where are we now? Last week was busy with various things move-related (Margaret). We had a walk but not great weather and cut short. Tim and I had a good sesh on Saturday and, inspired producer that he now is, some of the material is already becoming more fleshed out. If this trend continues we'll either be enormous and much-loved or the same as now. This week I intend to write something more for Rick to get his teeth in. Final move is for the carpet guys who are coming on Friday but shouldn't be too bad, Pat and I can probably manage. She was meant to be posing for the artist guy the same afternoon but had to cancel to get all this done. Not sure where the month has gone - and I don't expect that'll be the last time I write that.

My S-4 review was published and I decided not to write the Wave one.