January winds down and the frogs are at it already.

 Tried getting video recording again but it wasn't the most successful time and I find myself constantly frustrated whenever I use my Cirklon setup. Can't beat a simple Elektron sequencer, a P3 and a Roland RC-505, it seems to me. 

I may trim out the nonsense - could be a decent 30 min track in this lot. 

Wednesday, Tim and I on top form with Chatto. Osmose sounding sweet through the BOUM and the JD-XA back in setup 1 where it belongs. Cat sequenced by Digitone now as P3 doing all JD. 
Novel done, I think. Sorted issues with Epilogue, it fits better with the tone of book now, explains a few things and I deleted a load of stuff that would be better at start of last book in series, if I write it. Nowt back from Cara's pal Seth re: artwork so I maybe didn't write a very good email. 

Tweaked as SMD liked it. 

https://wilyepeyote.bandcamp.com/album/beera

Continuing to learn KSP and reduce modular and generally slick up setup 2.

 Yeah, the bank select functionality seems borked and another person was able to reproduce my disappearing display bug so I'll report it, assuming Arturia get back to me after my initial report. I've removed more modules and now have the left Doepfer case being mostly processors and FX, the right being synths to sequence. The Roland case is now going to be just the Tonestar with sequencer, not that it's much needed but perhaps I'll sequence that from the A4 in setup 4. 

We had some snow. Then it had to go.

https://wilyepeyote.bandcamp.com/track/zorxit-mix-2

That's probably gone by now. Along with the ones that followed. Tim and I did a good thing on Saturday in setup 1. Sunday I worked a bit on the novel front cover text. 

Got a survey from Arturia today. Filled it in asking for some dialogue due to many issues I've had with the Chroma. Let's see if they want to make it better or...

Recorded a restrained thing yesterday with the Osmose. Did a sequencer version too but it sucked. Pat's chair arrived for her new space but I think its size caught her by surprise - rather small it was. Comfy though. She's still looking for some kind of table for her jigsaws. Trying not to miss the library and my easily-accessed music collection. 

Heard that my 'introduce human error' philosophy is not even new - Persian carpets always have a deliberate flaw but for different reasons (i.e. "only god is perfect"). Oh well, nothing original about me then. Have had a fair bit of studio time lately and the more time I have the more mundane my output. Sitting on the beanbag chair in Pat's new playspace and feeling the start of neckache. Sigh. No walk today, Tony wants to do tomorrow, which caused issues as Pat had arranged to go riding. She cancelled without telling me then looked glum to tell me indirectly. I should probably pull one of those unfinished paintings out and try to do something other than sit at synths. Ho hum. 

New boots (but no panties), Arturia Keystep Pro Chroma, book cover and new proof

 As the title says really. Amazon's order page cannot order the right size so I cancelled and did it direct with the company. No toe appointments today so have to try next week. Did a test cover yesterday morning and sent to Guiseppe who admitted he wasn't doing anything because he wasn't inspired. He said he can make the one I did look better though so that's something. Anyway did a new print proof of what I think will be the final text, barring minor tweaks once I see it.

Ordered an Arturia Keystep Pro Chroma. OK, could have gone for an older version but couldn't find a black one and the Chroma lets you set colours for each of the tracks - for an extra £45! Intending to put it in the MS20/modular corner and add the Blofeld for chords. It can drive the MS20, Blofeld and perhaps a modular voice or Model D. Seems like a decent idea anyway for jamming and its arpeggiation is more straightforward than Arp's. 

The Keystep Pro Chroma is wonderful. I wasn't sure if the colour changey thing would be a gimmick but it's ace to colour-code your synths. I had green for MS20, yellow Wasp, White Blofeld and red Model D, all pretty fab and easy to use. 

Sunday and I wasted much of the afternoon moving modules around then being puzzled by a dead Doepfer case (eventually traced to a bent pin on the power supply). Non-productive day but I guess the case is now fine and I removed the Roland case and replaced it with a Wasp. Yesterday Tim and I recorded Monty 2 and later I talked with Guiseppe and tried to let him down gently with his variation on my cover design. Have got used to my version now even without the sword that Guiseppe successfully added in the end. Played with Tony's Wacom tablet and think it'll work nicely for my future art projects. 
Oh, some pix from Thursday's walk and a recording from Friday..

Track that I may delete - features KeyStep Pro Chroma

It's, like, January!

 Yeah and I dd an early Friday this week on account of going to Janet's party tomorrow

https://wilyepeyote.bandcamp.com/track/grate-2

That was today's thing. The Finalizer doing good I think, although I was very drunk at the time. Hope to hear from Expressive I about my silent Omose :(

Well, the Osmose was an interesting one. Turns out that if you set it to MPE it, in the background, without saying, turns haken local mode to off. When you set it back to Poly AT it, in the background, doesn't put things back. So that's something I didn't know! Seems the worried DAW crowd and their USB/MIDI loop fears have screwed it for us oldsters with simple one-way MIDI (in this case). At least I know.

Sorted the GR-1 - turns out the onboard card can get buggered after a few years use. Solution is to set up a new card and install - not too bad to do fortunately. Now the firmware updates fine without the confusing 'broken file' message. Huzzah. 

Anyway, Friday night was a pleasant enough evening, although I didn't do the heavy drugs and therefore went to bed at 2am. Some pleasant acidy patterns but not much sleep as I could hear chatting all night... Saturday recorded with Tim and, I think, Monty was the title, hoping to capture the spirit of Lionel and Rupert. Tim gonna have a go doing Logic mastering of 888 with a view to putting it out. Well, hiding it on the internet anyway. Always liked that one. 

Next week it's the ongoing toe/cyst saga, blood test, new boots to sort (again) and hopeful;ly some musical noodling. Have agreed to play another MR although, as I thought I might be sending the osmose back, put it off until June. Oh and a 30 min spot in December. 

Novel finished (again) but still no movement on cover. Will ask guy for whatever he's done so far and finish it myself. Might just have a go anyway from scratch. 

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.