So How is Your 2018 Shaping up?

[starise]

What's new? One thing is a fact, we are all going to be a year older. 

There is another alternative but I'm choosing not to think about it.

 

So far here's the brief scoop on what's happening with me on this side of the pond.  I'm finished with some medical stuff and healing from that. Beginning to get back into the swing of things. I hope I can leave that far behind me now and concentrate on better days ahead. I feel pretty good, just weather worn from, this bleak winter. Winter tends to drain me. This is the coldest it's been here in three decades. I had to bring my outdoor animals into my garage last night so they wouldn't die of frostbite. I mean it's COLD here right now. I hadn't planned on the temps getting this cold this soon, so I'm using a back up heating system while my main one waits for me to finish making it work. I have the parts for it. I just haven't had the time. Luckily the house has been bearable. I have the electric blanket. Heat pumps really struggle with sub zero temperatures. Monday it's supposed to warm up and my poor heat pump will be relieved and so will my electric bill.

 

On the music front I'm really stretching myself to do things that aren't easy, like making backing tracks for my team on software I'm still learning how to use. I decided to go with a portable setup. I bought a gaming laptop so I would have plenty of power for the task, Picked up a focusrite 2nd gen interface to send clicks out to the band. I haven't attempted to record with it yet. Last night I put several of my better soft synths into the lappy.Hybrid 3 is $1.00. If you don't have it, don't even think about it, for that price, just do it. I already had a serial number but bought another so I could start out fresh on the lappy.

 

I chose Ableton Live for the software to use for backing tracks. It has been a little more difficult than I anticipated to feel comfortable with it. The mindset of that software can be somewhat confusing to someone who has used typical daws all his life. Mainly the two main views and how they work together. Now I'm looking for the best controller to use with it. I like the Akai MPC 40 because it has sliders that would let me control tracks independently.. I would also like a controller with a joystick and possibly on board tempo control so I can use my wavstation synth the way it was intended and change tempo on the fly..but yeah, so far it's been slow going. mainly because I won't spend 35.00 per track for pre made stems. I'm attempting to make my own.

 

On the acoustic front, I picked up my violin after several weeks away from it and was surprised I haven't lost as much as I thought I would. Mainly trying to remember the tunes with no music. That's the toughest part. I plan to pick up my guitars and bouzouki this week. Humidity is low. probably all out of tune.I forget that last time I took one of my electrics off the wall.

 

Anyways. Happy New year everyone!

[Rudi]

Nice to read your update Tim. I was wondering how you were going. We've been hearing all about the nasty US weather here on uk news. Yesterday -36 degrees recorded in S. Dakota.

 

I'll put up some sort of brief personal update later. I have a dance to go to this evening.

[starise]

Thanks for chiming in Rudi. I hope to hear how your 2018 is going. I wonder how you were doing too but I haven't been on facebook much. Sour grapes I guess.

 

Have fun dancin'!

[MonoStone]

3 hours ago, HoboSage said:

Happy New Year, Tim and Rudi.  Musically, right now, I'm going back and forth between the distraction of working on a new tune and constructing https://www.hobosage.com/

 

 

 

Eh...? Your site's totally changed since I last looked. It was coming on nicely before!

[MonoStone]

My 2018? It's a bit early to know... I mean I'm 6 days in!

 

All the best to all of you for this year though!

 

 

[starise]

Happy New year David and Dek. I think I can relate to that feeling David. Starting. stopping, redoing, contemplating...over analyzing like I'm doing right now. It's ok. No it isn't. Well maybe...or maybe not. 

 

The nice thing about beginnings is they don't need to end the same. A bumpy start can still mean a great finish. 

[Rudi]

2018 so far...

 

I have only just been permitted back to dance class following the 3 month absence due to leg injury. I was at a dance evening yesterday, but will resume classes tomorrow evening,  this time together with my dance partner Maureen.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday evening and managed to remember more routines than I thought I could.

 

This morning I went to the 2^nd karate class of 2018 which concentrated on Kanku Dai kata. I knew this well 16 years ago. I have about 85% of it back now. It was a small session with only 8 of us present. The 2 senior sanseis shared the instruction duties. I’ve been encouraged to slow down ever since resuming training in November 2015. It’s now paying dividends in unexpected ways. My timing has improved.

 

All this is supplemented with balance board exercise at home, and lots of walking (weather permitting). I still have a lot of excess weight to shift.

 

Issues:

Insomnia (chronic) is worse than ever before. Occasionally costing me almost whole days.

Back pain (right dorsal) is a nuisance but has not stopped me doing anything.

 

Retirement. Since taking early retirement from work in June 2017, I have been able to concentrate on neglected projects at home, though not much music yet. In the last 6 months I have had roofing work done and my porch rebuilt & glazed. I have also have spent more time in the garden than at any point in the previous 10 years. In 2018 I hope to clear the front garden completely. This is the stump of the shrub that used to cover 70% of the front garden.

 

2018 will be my first full year of retirement and I hope to carry on at least as productively as the previous 6 months. I hope to avoid debilitating injuries such as the two in 2017. Left Hamstring (Karate ushirogeri) and right torn calf (badminton). The calf was the worse of the 2 by far. I will not return to badminton for that reason. My son will be disappointed at that. He helped me a great deal in badminton and gave me an excellent racquet last birthday.

 

I promised myself a proper holiday last year, but had reckoned without the unexpected retirement. I can’t let this go on for a 4^th year (of no hols) , so I will see what’s available soon.

 

Here’s wishing a Happy New & Prosperous New Year to one and all at songstuff. Also to our erstwhile members.

 

Over & out - Rudi

Edited January 6, 2018 by Rudi
crap auto text formatting

[TCgypsy]

I hear you, Tim, it's freaking cold here! It got down below 10 degrees last night and I live in the southeast U.S. I have a frozen pipe I am trying to deal with today. What a major pain in the ass. Even my fuzzy dog, who I call Nanook of the North won't stay out long.

 

2017 was a setback for me in music productivity because my wife contracted RA. She is doing better and I am determined to get more music done this year. We will see.

 

I am shopping for a new bass guitar. Last year saw some upgrades in mic/preamp as I finally came to the conclusion that the tracking phase is the most important in getting a great mix. I think my mixes are getting much cleaner but there is always more to learn. My upgrades will mostly be on the front end. Now that I have a decent main mic and preamp, I am going to replace the crappy bass I have been using. It's an Ibanez which are good but it's the SR300 on the low end. The intonation sucks, and the build is sloppy at best. The sound is okay but it is the weak point in my guitar collection. I just bid on a Prestige series Ibanez bass on eBay so I am keeping my fingers crossed!

 

I have decided to REALLY learn how to slap on the bass this year. No more faking it.

 

I have lots of songs in the pipeline. I hope to get at least 6 out the door.

 

The website is a great idea, David. Let us know when it's done.

 

Rudi, I gave up martial arts awhile back; you are tougher than I am! I remember some nasty injuries from those days, and I am not into broken fingers at this point, lol.

 

Onward 2018!

 

--TC

Edited January 7, 2018 by TCgypsy

[starise]

Rudy you are very active for being retired. This is how I hope I can be when and or if I ever retire. You may or may not agree with this, many people who "retire" really don't. They just do other things. I see myself doing other things I would rather be doing. Sleeping in later, 

playing more music. 

 

I'm glad you are still able to do the karate and the dance. I'm sure Maureen missed you. Big tree stumps will kill you trying to get them out with no machines to help. A storm blew three big locust tress down at the house I once lived in. I decided equipment was too expensive and that I would dig up the stumps manually. Yeah right. It took my back years to recover from that decision. Probably why so many early american settlers died before they reached 40. Glad you have your boy there helping you on that one.

 

TCgypsy I am so sorry to hear about your wife. Best thoughts, wishes and prayers her way toward  better health.

 

I hope you soon get a break in the weather. The forecast here looks like things will be warming up over the next few days. Warm is a relative term here. It's still cold , just not as cold. I can't go out for very long in my short sleeved tee shirts. You maybe have had the same storm front we did here in SE PA. Good luck getting that water pipe repaired.

 

You really have some concrete goals there. I agree the tracking phase is the most important. Whenever I forget that golden rule I pay for it. Hard to "fix it in the mix". Good luck on getting those songs out! 

I can't really play bass very well, but I still find it fun to play on the bass. My old ESP usually sits in the corner gathering dust. I generally have better luck with sampled bass for the reasons you mentioned. If it doesn't go into the mix right. If you nail the bass and the drums, you nail the groove

 

I did pick up something I think will help me ( or so I hope) with triggering midi in Ableton. Like you I looked all over ebay . I am disappointed in ebay lately . Everything gets bid way too high. I found a fixer upper keyboard and the price has already gone through the roof. I had better luck with my last item looking in the used Guitar center stuff.

I found this: https://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/quneo/ for 139 used at GC. It was in Delaware, so not far to have it shipped. They cost 249.00 new. 

If it works it should be a nice find combined with my 88 key midi controllers.

 

 

 

[TCgypsy]

I've seen those controllers and they look sweet. That smart fabric technology or whatever it is called is very cool. The Linnstruments use that and are very drool-worthy!

 

I pulled the trigger on the electric bass I wanted. I got it for a great deal used (almost half off the street price new). It is an Ibanez Premium SR1405E:

 

It is shipping out today so I am pretty excited.

 

 

I'll be so happy to replace this SR300 I am currently using. It was fine at first (since I am not a REAL bass player) but I have outgrown it.

 

Now, I am stoked to finish this song and put this puppy through its paces!

 

--TC

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by TCgypsy

[starise]

Great news! I'm happy for ya dude.

[Rudi]

19 hours ago, TCgypsy said:

I pulled the trigger on the electric bass I wanted. I got it for a great deal used (almost half off the street price new). It is an Ibanez Premium SR1405E:

 

It is shipping out today so I am pretty excited.

 

 

Now, I am stoked to finish this song and put this puppy through its paces!

 

--TC

 

 

Smart looking bass! Congrats.

 

I mostly still use a Squier Jazz bass for recording. I also have a Dillion Dagger which plays easier, but the Squier has the cleaner signal.