First ICS virtual game done!

It was great fun but hard work with my sons sharing the attic space. Their constant noise and chatter was quite distracting and I didn't get into my stride until they left to watch TV.

So the first lesson: don't participate unless you can work uninterrupted! Or expect to work slowly.

The second lesson is don't work when knackered but that's not an option in the game and part of the fun! One of the tracks really shows the period when I was feeling completely wrecked. It sounds disjointed and reviewing it I discovered why - the time signature is completely off! Well I had to laugh but really, how stupid. Oh well.

A couple of other things struck me as I worked. The first is that I seriously lack good drum samples outside of Kontakt 2 . Without a decent drum mapper I doubt I will tackle Kontakt's drum sets from Live.

This is one of the reasons I have avoided software like Battery and BFD. Since I want to focus on song writing, not messing about with potentially complex mappings/mapping work-arounds.

However if I can upgrade my computer, then Battery 3 has to be in my sights. I suspect Battery is more appropriate for the kind of music I am producing (as opposed to BFD... but of course both would be fantastic).

Ah the music.

I cannot say I am satisfied with my current sound. But I have to go with the flow. With no guitar and no immediate prospect of getting a guitar the electro noise I am currently making will at least get me into the software.

I also need to focus on sound design. I need a toolbox to work with, something in line with where I want to go musically.

My current lack of a working guitar is really hurting. I was surprised how much I wanted to pick up a guitar and just jam a little. Instead I have this tiny Axiom 25 that I cannot get two hand to play on. Very frustrating.

Of course learning to work within a set of constraints is a useful tool in and of itself. Of course my only real constraints are my 'input' devices. The computer grants me a huge unconstrained working environment well beyond anything I have experienced previously. Right up to the point my PC hits about 65% CPU utilisation!

Final note - roll on the next virtual event!

New Synths

At long last we have the imminent arrival of a Roland Jupiter 8 soft synth. Arturia are to release the Jupiter 8V. About time! I was never a fan of Roland analog synths but the Jupiter series was special. They had this wonderful sound...

The only problem with Arturia is that they use one of those awful USB dongles. Yak.

Fortunately PropellerHeads are not so paranoid and they look as though they may be about to announce Reason version 4. Their website has a very nice picture of Thor - a modular synth for the Reason rack. Very nice.

NAMM will be interesting methinks...

The ICS

ICS = Immersion Composition Society.

I hope to get a UK based lodge going - with of course a special focus around the N.E. and Hexham. In the meantime I will be participating in a 'virtual' game with the society this weekend. SHMBO has granted permission for me to do this. Hurrah!

So this Saturday I will attempt to write 20 songs. Given that I have much less than the permissible 24 hours to do this, it will be quite the challenge. Quite looking forward to it!

It will be fun to just focus on the ideas, the creative side of things... and not to worry about all the technical crap that typically gets in the way.

The following critique and banter will also be fun. Should be a fun weekend.

Some ICS links

Wikipedia entry.
MySpace entry.
ICS website.
ICS Forums.

AdSense?

I was approved for the AdSense thing and it is now working on this page (to the right).

But what is it with the subject material? Self-help CDs? Blogging advice? I was expecting a focus on music, maybe games, etc.

Perhaps I need to go to my account page and do some tweaking...

UPDATE: Apparently tweaking isn't required. The page content should be sufficient. So what conclusions am I supposed to draw from the latest ads to appear? Something about dealing with cocaine and another about drug tests. Right.

So musical stuff is actually about drugs? Is that it? Considering I drink very little, have never smoked and the only drugs I take are aspirin and those prescribed by my Dr I am beginning to feel insulted.

Soft Synth galore!

One of the reasons I hanker after the mighty Mac Pro is that software is the only thing I can (a) afford and (b) find space for.

As this reality starts to bite down on me I have been trying to find solid alternatives to hardware synths. Don't get me wrong - I would love to have the hardware. There is nothing like that spread of keys and sliders and knobs and stuff. Unfortunately it is expensive - very expensive - and takes up loads of space (not to mention power, etc, etc).

And I would dearly love some old analogues but hey, I know I can make a good job if it with a computer and software. Even much maligned software like Reason I have found to be very capable of great sounds. Like everything, it is just a case of applying yourself to the task.

Of course there are lots of seemingly well regarded software out there. I have been looking at Dimension Pro, Ultra Analog, WusikStation and Zebra.

Currently I am not in a position to acquire all these goodies, and mac desires not withstanding I have acquired WusikStation. First impressions were not good! It crashed!

I have not done much as yet with WusikStation - my feeling grot kinda precluded any real efforts by myself to get to know it better. So that will be one of my first tasks.

Native Instruments STILL haven't got their collective arse in gear and made a download update to Absynth 4. I suppose I will have to get a box. Sigh. Wasteful isn't it?

Wups - I really must read stuff more carefully. The download update for Absyth v4 is in fact now available. Apologies to NI - you did get your collective arse in gear!

Adsense & absence

I am finally on the mend but the last four weeks has seen me suffering with some damn virus. Or at least that is what the Doc says. Not the kind of fall-over-and-crawl-into-bed virus. No. The kind of virus that saps your energy, makes you feel miserable and introduces you to a cough that just will not go away.

It makes everything hard work. Anyway I am now coming out the other side of it. At bloody last.

So making my return to a more regular blog I thought I would add Google's adsense. Who knows, perhaps if I write more interesting material people might even come here and read. Stranger stuff has happened.

Feeling as I have been, rather under the weather, I have not done much at all with my music project. I expect I will get back to that soon. Meanwhile I have got to figure out how I can make a case for a Mac Pro. I desperately need a powerful computer and hell, why not a beast like a Mac Pro? We shall see.

The good news is the company I work for now has a discount scheme with Apple. About time. With a product like the Mac Pro that discount is very welcome.

So only one hurdle really: the boss. As in wife!

iTunes - GAH!!!!

It has done it again.

Open iTunes - empty library. All gone. Vanished.

So back again to re-importing the library, creating AGAIN my playlists. And of course the only rated tracks will be the ones with ratings currently on my iPod.

Is iTunes version 7 some kind of malware?