Mystery Solved!

And by that I mean the mystery of my ideas and character appearing in another novel. I finally worked out who David Graham is - an author I know and very probably did indeed give permission to. I know, I know, what a fuzzy-brained idiot! Anyway, there's an acknowledgement at the back, which I finally reached. Admit I skipped over quite a few bits (and all the gay stuff) - hadn't realised he was that way inclined (actually he might not be, could just be attempting to seize the zitegeist or whatever it is). Anyway, I guess this also solves the mystery of why I had it on my Kindle, hoho. ;)

Took mum to specialist bloke who told her she's not well enough to operate on, so will have to live with her hernia. She seemed pleased that the operation was a no-no. Sun's out and I really do have a few garden chores to do, but not feeling all that great generally so it can wait. Tim came round and we had a pleasant afternoon, although somewhat curtailed by Pat being unhappy. Later we had an almost-row, which is rare. Unfortunately, I'd indulged in some variable-strength shortbread so kinda spoke my mind more than usual. Afterwards we seemed to reach some kind of uneasy truce but I guess the topic of how we spend our post-horse retirement together still needs proper resolution. 

Sunday and it was the Polypores gig, along with Preston Field Audio (I think that's the name). Tim and I had a great time, thoroughly enjoyed both sets (esp the Polyp Lyra/looper/reverb bits) then went for a Thai meal from that place that was thankfully back on form. Think I got ripped off at the Plau though - £15 for two pints! Stopped at Continental for another one on way home and all was well. Pat seemingly mellow but talking about going south for a couple of days sometime this week. I do sometimes worry that she wants me to be someone else, dearly wish I could wean her off reading the Daily Fucking Mail online. 

Monday and it's a bit rainy. I'm going to work on Tony's track today - Andy sent me the guitar parts and they're fabulous, as always. So good that I'm going to try and have a section with almost nothing else. Playing the Jonathan Bree CD that arrived yesterday - lots of cool spooky songs on first listen. Got the new Ott too but not heard any yet. OK, now I have and it's very good indeed - also it's precisely everything, every box ticked, that a lot of people will have been hoping for.

I worked on the track, managed to slot in the guitar although no idea if it totally lines up as it's free-floating audio. It sounds so nice I decided to use it twice - and for that I'll need all guitar parts (4) separately. I also want to streamline the backing as it's too cluttered and that dry percussive sound that I was filtering in Logic should be removed if I can. All down to what's in the BB and how I divided everything up. If it comes to it I'll redo the sequence from scratch. Still not convinced the tempo actually was 84BPM but I'll make a loop in Logic and confirm what it really was/is.

Wednesday and I think this track for Tony (the quiet man) is done. Working on it and making endless tweaks in Logic has reminded me I could never do what Dean does - I don't have the skills or patience to endlessly work to perfect something, hence my love of doing everything live as a performance. I doubt I'll be going back to DAW too often. My final mix doesn't sound quite as loud as it did in the studio but maybe that's OK given the title. Will play through a few times and see. Walking tomorrow...

Synthi comes home

 I'm driving up tomorrow to get the Synthi, DFAM, DRM-1 and maybe something else (sorta losing track). I want the Synthi for the special track for Tony S (provisional title the Quiet Man). Andy Boland has agreed to do some of his lyrical magic on guitar and I have a couple of places that need (i) Synthi wibbles (ii) string synth swooshes. Will wait until Andy does his bit. 

Today I did some tidying with a view to finding the MN handle - which I found almost right away in a drawer, possibly the only drawer of six I didn't look in. Ah well. 

Ah bugger, can't have all the MS20 mods I wanted as the new MS20 doesn't have much spare power for all the extra circuitry. Looks like my ring mod will have to be external and there's no capacity for the PWM pot. Arse. 

Here's a weird coincidence - reading a Kindle book by David Graham called The Screaming. I just encountered a character called Dai Williams - not an uncommon name of course - but he has a curious habit of  'zoning out' - somehing he calls (get this) hocus focus. My Dai Williams zoned out and called it bogus focus, which is strangely close. I will read on with interest...

Wednesday and I had the rather brilliant idea of putting the Blofeld in the Weird Corner - messing with processing 505 through Biscuit, some more minor tweaks to that little setup and already it's a limited but powerful array of instruments. When the MS20 comes back will be even better. Why on earth didn't Korg fit a MIDI out to the MS20? Using Keystep anyway and it's good. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cda4PJiKsLY/

So far have failed to contact David Graham, might add a message in the novel I'm currently writing to see if it gets through in whatever weird form of osmosis is going on. Got a hint today that my week alone in June will be a week puppy-minding. Hey ho. Walking tomorrow.

And now, despite it being Friday, I'm off to Longridge to take my mum to some doctor thing... hope to get some studio time tomorrow to finish off Tony Sawford's tribute track, assuming Andy gets me the guitar parts by then. Splendid!

RIP Klaus Schulze

 We did Illgill Head this week - a very long walk over drab, empty countryside. On the drive back, I was ill - and Tony had to drive while I vomited in the passenger seat (into a bag with a hole). Think it was a bug I picked up from Pat which picked a weird time to leap out at me - fortunately at the end of the walk rather than in the middle. Throughout the journey we played the music of Klaus Schulze, which Tony thought was mine, or at least he says he's definitely heard me noodle in a similar fashion. I still don't think I can properly sum up the essence of Schulze since he produced so much output, so much of it varied but, to me at least, always with that special thread of Schulzian uniqueness. His was simple music in most senses yet when he was really on form, perfect, deep, satisfying and very personal and intimate. Of all those who have influenced me, I think it was the individualism, the singular human character and the dogged pursuit of his own path that counts the most. Long form, radio-unfriendly, often unchanging and relentless, Klaus made these qualities into a kind of alchemy - it worked for him but so often defied analysis. That might be why I've struggled to pile in with any kind of meaningful tribute - the answer is in the music but never on the written page. 

Anyway, yesterday Pete came and picked up his modular case. I had forgotten removing the handle, or rather forgotten where I'd put it. I know it was hanging around for ages and I thought I put it near the case but the damn thing was elusive yesterday. Tony (the other one) has fixed/modified most of my gear so I'll go up next week and get it - particularly looking forward to getting the Synthi back with its new knobs and range switch for VCO2 (it will go even slower than VCO3 now if required). Awaiting new knobs for the DFAM as Thonk sent wrong ones - the idiot who fitted the previous lot destroyed all the shafts meaning I had to get the lot replaced. Ouch! Only the MS20 and Wasp Deluxe await work, which is fine by me - the MS20 mods might be better than Korg's as Tony is going to think about what I want and do it his way. Oh, and I had some ideas for Tony's (yet another one) tribute album and recorded some sketchy sequences on the Jupiter, Supiter, Model D and Freak. Some Schulze influences definitely leaking through - just need to get into the right frame of mind for a very long noodle over the top. And some Synthi wibbles, I mean why not?

Saturday today, hopefully a Headshock sesh but we might sit in the sun and drink beer, also good. ;)

Tim and I did a thing yesterday (Corrandula) which snaked around the BB from the bottom left corner, each of us contributing in turn, only listening to the previously-recorded cell. I then did a 20-odd min mix, Tim a more reserved half as long. It's possible that, as always, we still have that elusive third perfect mix to make - something that's been occupying my thoughts of late. I *think* that some kind of arrange window organisation is what's required for all these BB recordings - a means of laying them out in a definitive version kinda thing. Yes, I know what you're saying, a fecking DAW like Logic does this. And it may be that the obvious answer is, indeed, the answer. 

Today (Sunday) I really should work on that ANT song Don sent. Will see how I feel when I get home from mum's - also want to work on novel which I haven't touched in a week. I wonder how many times in blogs I write about things I should do? Should also look for that MN case handle.  

In the end I did a bit more on Tony's tribute and did a mix to listen to. It's getting longer but I'm no longer sure the opening sequence should be the opening but could close it, if I can add some suitable melodic stuff to complete it. We'll see. Bank Holiday today so I hope for another day of the same. Tony posted a pic of the updated DFAM - he even cleaned off the superglue I foolishly got everywhere trying to hold those broken shafts together. Given the duff stuff I've swapped (that broken MI module, JD-XA mod wheel and now the DFAM), remind me only to swap stuff very selectively in future, with people I know well. 

A little walk, some singing, some pratting around

 Yeah, it's all go here. After being put off another month before she can see the specialist, Pat has given up on the meds that have been affecting her badly and the mood in the house is already a bit lighter. We walked on Thursday - a shortish one (less than 7 miles) in the sunshine, very much enjoyed by me. Got home to see Anne/Colin/William/Benji waiting - rather touched how much Willliam had been awaiting my arrival. 

Friday was a typical one - added a few things to some ideas Tim and I had the other day and did a quick mix. I know I should have been working on Cirklon 2 but the MPC is still not quite in my headspace so I'm concentrating on that for the time being. Anyway, setup 4 is working better than the others - I even used it to record some vocal takes for a chorus of 'Spontaneous Human Combustion', a track I'd written some lyrics for (Don improved them and added the catchy chorus). It's all good!

Saturday now, hoping for more Headshock riches to be unearthed, which is maybe greedy given the vast catalogue of unreleased gems we are hoarding. Aoonish4 was the result - didn't even need more than Tim's initial mix, which was fab.

Tuesday now, everything still relatively sweet, Pat cooked steaks yesterday and we had Margaret round, had a day in which I tried to do something musically but failed. Agreed to do a track for a Tony Sawford tribute, will write some words too. Novel progressed a bit - a section I'd been planning started falling into place, although a couple of details need refining. Anyway, will do some cooking this week even if it's just my basic repertoire. No response from the checkatrade thing trying to get our sewer pipe fixed, which is a pain. Talked to Tony about the MS20 mods and position of jacks/switches. He's gonna have to replace all those DFAM pots, which is bad - I won't do any swaps with that guy again. 

I made a chilli which went well but unfortunately Pat ill so threw it all up. Can't help but worry. Walking tomorrow which means I really should crack on with that track - some crappy ideas for a piano piece yesterday not really going where I want. Anyway John says he's doing a piano thing so I'll find something else. Pete meant to be driving by Friday to get his modular case and modules, he wanted me to go up on Saturday and walk with them but as I have quite a long drive tomorrow don't really fancy it, especially the Lakes tend to be rammed at weekends. Really hard to get anything done at the moment as I never seem to quite relax. 

Funtime, frankly

 Sunday was good, at least once I knew Pat had arrived safely. She got held up in the usual M6 traffic jam which must have been terrible given her cystisis. I never spell that right, do I? Anyway, the day was spent pottering with the MPC again - no way round it I've got to take time to learn the thing, seem completely unable to suspend that and just be productive. Got a few cool grooves down and some ideas generally, spread across several boxes now. Didn't go up there until 16:00 and spent a good while into the evening, until curry called. A few episodes of Last Kindgom, some novel scribbling and lots of absinthe...

Monday morning I did a tip trip, picked up more beer, realised we could actually walk tomorrow if Tony up for it. Today could be music with Tim, will see if he fancies it. Somewhat delicate still but sure more beer will fix that. I see there's an update to the RC-505-II that addresses a couple of the issues I had - i.e. you can now put the mic level as one of the encoder top level roles and they supposedly sorted my crash. Will fire it up later. 

Well it's Tuesday evening now and I'm having a last night alone. Was a rainy day and I've little to show for it. Pat seems to be enjoying herself, Broc going down well and I'm missing her by now, predictably enough. She may be taking an extra night away to remind me I need her around ;) Painted a bit (badly) and wrote a bit, also nothing amazing. Should have fired up the studio I suppose. Tomorrow I'll tidy the middle room for Colin and find the blow-up bed for Tony. Oh and hopefully we'll take that cover shot. 

 Ah, dear old RK Dining. Feel I've achieved very little this time Pat was away, not totally sure why but the mood remained elusive. Colin and Tony here tomorrow, I'll probably load Tony down with repairs, if he's amenable. If not, Synthi knob replacement is the main one. 

Well now, it's Wednesday, after Tony and Colin visited. You can always tell when I'm busy having a life as I don't write any blog. Cirklon updated, Tony checked the Super 6 and found plenty of reasons not to get one, as I suspected he would. He also took away a pile of my gear and John's Wasp - I don't know what I'd do without him but I also worry he takes it on when he'd rather be done with it all. He was looking well though and hopefully this year we'll do Synthfest, Synth DIY and have a better time generally. 

Pat still struggling in general - the new medication seems not to agree with her and she's developed what sounds like an awful throaty cold. Being weary and foggy-headed, she's also finding all kinds of  jobs that suddenly can't wait - like cleaning the front of the house, the windows and so on. Can't deny that this martydom thing gets me down but hopefully it's just a phase as she adjusts to her life away from the yard. She told me I had a paunch the other day, so that was nice. 
Tim and I had a few beers in the sun yesterday and noodled on the MPC, all jolly lovely in comparison to my regular existence sitting around feeling like an unwelcome spare dinner. Off to see John today, walking tomorrow, sorting Les's studio Friday morning. 

Oh yeah, another 'bonus' of having a dog is seeing the destruction done by the council regularly, something I'd managed to put out of my mind. 

A cold start to April

 Well, it is. Mick had covid so didn't come. Think we're walking Friday this week, hoping my back will be OK for it as I hurt it a bit yesterday. It's Tuesday and I'm pooch-watching for an hour while Pat walks round to Aldi. Later I think I'll crank up the Cirklon setup and finally incorporate that Virus B I picked up a while back and ensure the DRM1 properly working again. Should advertise a few things I'm not using but can I be arsed? Will see what Tony says about the MS20 but if I can't get some mods to make it more interesting, I should get rid. The Repeater can go, more Eurorack, that Novation thing, 303 clones. I think I might put OT back and keep MPC as slave, just to keep the warbles at a minimum. 

Bugger, the DRM1 has reverted to its non-working state now it's back in the rack. Tidied the Cirklon end, not sure the JD-XA works there though, it really belongs with the P3 and as a controller for the Memotron. Mind you the JP6 is good where it is for the time being. The Cirklon setup still ain't totally coherent - has too many options. 

Got Tim round and he took some fab photos with a view to being cover shots - too psychedlic for intended purpose but very cool for ours. 

Put OT back as clock master and the Microfreak clock began working again, so that sorts that. Spent Thursday treating MPC as a drum machine - some very good results due to the great samples and FX. Didn't explore the built-in drum box but will get round to it. Made a good few sequences and drum programs. Still walking on eggshells at home a bit, could be walking in the Lakes tomorrow dunno yet. 

No walkies, Tony's back still sore. A studio afternoon then, building on yesterday's MPC sesh which was essentially using it to play in beats. Learning how to set different kits with FX, haven't decided if I prefer putting things in separate tracks or not - easier for muting but not for banging in patterns. The explode thing didn't seem to work out as expected yesterday, so will try that again and see where I went wrong. 

Listening to a track from the new Schulze album - some swooshy Virus-like noises in it. 

Not a bad afternoon's faffing in the studio, MPC as drum machine / looping thing seems the best way. Pat also in better mood, we tested out the new puppy cage and it seems promising - he can be left without the fear he'll chew stuff to bits or go generally apeshit. Gonna try a nice walk in the morning together, see what's what prior to her heading south for easter. Still trying to gauge how much current mood down to general disappointment in me being me and wider cystisis problem. Either way, must try harder, hate it when there's an atmos. 

Seems I missed the 'multi' option for the drum synth - multi has a different meaning on my DRM-1 so it was one of the options I didn't look at. Had a few beers with Tim and played some Vangelis at him. Decided my phase of vague ambient droney ephemera is well enough explored, fancy a phase of more precise, short, tuney things without lots of layers, pads, percussion or faff. Good discipline for the MPC too and maybe future ANT stuff as not been pulling my weight there lately.

Sunday, Pat off for a few days so I'm gonna have an indulgent time... 

March pootles away, MPC pootles in

 Apparently Pat and Broc heading south for Easter so that'll be a time to relax, chill, make music and just generally not be at fault for anything. Think Colin and Tony coming shortly after that so plenty to look forward to in April. Meanwhile, weather supposed to get cooler again but hopefully we'll get a walk, cool or not. Mick's gonna be here Friday so will see if a meet-up is possible, although that's also the new swimming slot so not straightforward. Broc introduced to Lisa's pooches today and they all got on well. 

I did a bit of garden tidying and despaired to see neighbour's - a lifeless perfect square of close-cropped grass surrounded by thoroughly-purged soil. The only actual plant is a massive Hydrangea with a border of slug pellets - this is the guy who leans over into our garden to trim our trees sometimes. What can ya do? I tried to explain that poisoned creatures like slugs get eaten by birds and frogs but he looked faintly maniacal so I gave up. 

Yesterday (Monday) was nice and Tim and I sat in the sun drinking beer. He brought one of his MPCs so I could get my head round it - could be a replacement for the OT perhaps. 

MPC Day 1 Tuesday
Made a basic kit, tried some of the included instruments, must remember to hit 'play from start' or the BB doesn't fire up (its regular Play must equate to 'continue'). Sequence length rules over all - it resets any track running, no apparent way to get around it other than make sequence very long, like 9999 bars or something. A sequence is roughly equivalent to a Cirklon Scene, with the difference that if you remain in the Scene, patterns loop at their natural lengths rather than being reset. Had some issues with mute automation being recorded but impossible for me to find/remove. Did find some automation and deleted but it was Solo not Mute. MIDI sequencing works fine, not madly keen on touch screen and the key edit process but hopefully will adapt. The FX I tried were really good, must explore processing input channels and sampling tomorrow. Have also still to try loops and chopping stuff, all of which is where it should shine over the OT. Well, and being a proper polyphonic sampler too. Selecting different sequences is pretty good and clear but song mode a bit naff - I guess everyone is (still) waiting for the Force's arranger to be implemented. Audio tracks seem to use RAM (2Gb) but not tried yet. Might even be enough RAM for some BB projects although limited to 8 audio tracks. Will import some BB loops and see how it goes.

MPC Day 2 Wednesday 
Waiting in for pickup of modules sent to me in error. Have read MPC manual, or the sections I'll be covering today anyway. Today is all about getting as many of my samples in as possible and seeing what instruments to connect in order to get meaningful sampling implemented. DFAM and Microfreak for a start.  Got started and made good progress with some things - auto sampling a synth, making basic samples and loops, chopping over pads - all good. Still some basic stumbling blocks such as trying to automate a filter cutoff not working, despite following instructions as far as I can tell. Found a Youtube video showing it and seems I was doing it right so will puzzle over that and quiz poor Tim next time I see him. It doesn't remember the monitoring status either, which is a bit sucky if you wanted to leave synths connected all the time for sampling but also general playing and processing via FX. Factory content seems mostly useless so I'll load up my SD card when it arrives with my usual things sucked from OT. 
Update: returned later and the cutoff automation worked fine - not sure what it might have been, perhaps a bug? Put a bunch of my samples on the card and there's enough to play with, I think. 

Thursday, looks like I'm on pooch watch  all day. Doubt I'm going to make much progress on the MPC, which is quite frustrating. Made the mistake of pulling a face when my day taken away and it opened up all kinds of underlying grief upset, leaving me feeling pretty low. At least it's bright and sunny (contrary to forecast) so sitting around with Broc and listening to music will be my fate. Depressing to learn that I make Pat unhappy by pretty much everything I do. 

Reading the MPC manual today and watching vids. Pooch sleeping at the moment. Headache subsiding. 

Was meant to be doing Helvellyn Friday but Tony did his back. Did MPC instead and got into clips and more trips. 

Saturday Tim came and did fab things on MPC, I learnt more stuff and the track we made (Huxter) was proper blissed out. Not sure the MIDI clock out is terribly good, first time I've heard warbles from new 505, previously synced to the OT.