HALLOWEEN VIDEO CRYPT

Interesting collection of horror, science fiction, music video and weird video clips:

www.halloweenvideocrypt.com

FEEDBACK DRONE

This one is a little embarrassing. A one note (literally) video with noise attached. Crude effects applied and a manipulated soundtrack that is a gratingly enlongated feedback drone. I guess it represents a time and place. The little uke or guitar is long since gone either broken or sold on ebay.

Syd's Ghost logo for the time being.

My friend, Scott Caldwell

A buddy of mine who I grew up with and saw sporadically over the years after high school, passed away recently.  His name was Scott Caldwell and I miss him very much.  He was the guitarist in the second band I was in and he was phenomenal.  I miss his wit and keen insights which I remember from long ago but which stick with me.  His musical tastes were exquisite although greatly varied and I respected his opinions and taste. After he moved out of state, I wrote him too infrequently.  We still held some small hope of getting a band together over the span of 20 or more years and great distance seperating us but I think I held that dream as a remote but still possible occurrence that was always a place of calm and reassurance in my soul, I guess.  Well, now he is really gone and his talent and energy no more but I feel like he is a point of inspiration and I want to continue on and keep his memory alive.  This is a song that I love very much and I think reflects somewhat how I feel toward him and I dedicate it to my brother Scott Caldwell's memory: The Kinks' "Around The Dial".

Roger Waters performs The Wall in San Francisco

Korg Kaossilator 2 Rocks!

Hello.  Just a few words about the Korg Kaossilator 2 dynamic phrase instrument:  It's sweet!  There are over 100 different instruments built in to this handheld unit which is only slightly bigger than a deck of playing cards.  There are synth instruments, guitars, basses, drum sets, percussion, etc. that the user can access and manipulate.  Use it as a standalone instrument, or treat it as an idea generating musical sketchpad that can inspire you toward new compositions and musical approaches.
The "K2" is playable through a touchpad interface that allows you to crudely play "notes" and adjust volume parameters.  Being as this is a black screen on which you are tapping and dragging your fingers to alter the sound, finding the precise spot where a note can repeatedly be played is a little difficult.  Maybe a grid pattern could be added that would roughly estimate where notes are and what various effects are possible with sliding your fingers across the touch screen. 
That being said, there is a lot of cool sound packed into this little box.  Try out the various synth leads, traditional instruments such as trumpets, kalimbas, piano, a Mellotron influenced "tape flute", guitars, or drum kits and percussion.
  Another nice feature is a looper function which allows you to lay down some musical patterns and then play another sound over the top of it.  Soundscapes created in this fashion can then be saved to an optional microSD card you can add to the unit.  There is a headphone jack for playing in private but a word of warning.  You may get lost in the rich, lusterous tones.  There is also a mic in, 1/8" jack for adding an external microphone.  The unit also has its own built in mic.  Vocals can thus be added over other loops you have previously created.  Nice.
We haven't used the K2 in a live setting but it would definitely be capable of adding some interesting flourishes to a live performance environment.
The Korg Kaossilator 2 should keep you busy for some time to come.  Go check it out!

Syd's Ghost Second Trailer

Here is the second Syd's Ghost promo piece.  More to come, eventually.

http://youtu.be/JorMMNlWYj0

Syd's Ghost Project

Here is a clip from a music project I am sporadfically involved in (like this blog).  Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/GxMXbIc8ulc

Oops! It was an accident!

Actually, the violin was not as valuable as you think.....

Everybody Is In Showbiz

There are too many mediocre singers and performers in the world today. No thank you American Idol and Glee, etc., etc. for this miserable trend.

QUESTION FOR ANYBODY

Hello. Has anybody purchased the low-cost Bass Synthesizer pedal available out there for about $49.99? If so, how does it sound? Is it worth the money?

Adventures in HD Music Selections

We got a 1080p plasma for the house. I was watching Comcast HD music channel. Regrouped Asia and Yes - Pathetic. Steve Howe is basically a skeleton holding a guitar. Also carried Royal Albert Hall clips of the Who in 2007. Roger's voice is godawful. The Seeker is already sounding well tired. Bright spot in group is Simon Townsend. Handling the high vocal parts and looking like he is actually enjoying being onstage. The rest are stiffs. Pete Townsend,too. Deep Purple - a train wreck. Only decent sounding band is Rush in a Frankfurt concert. But they are obviously only going through the motions. Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart are middle aged in appearance and spiritually fat. Geedy Lee always looked bad and that is nothing new here. Bryan Adams doing some solo guitar performance at some peace festival. Looks like hell but has a surprisingly strong and decent voice. Haven't watched old Joe Strummer video yet. More ugh for sure.

R.I.P. Richard Wright

Go listen to the live disc that was part of Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma" release. Richard Wright provided the keyboards to "Astronomy Domine" and "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun". In a few words, haunting, otherwordly, hypnotic. Good music to travel by in the wee hours. Or put some headphones on and slip into your isolation tank. Space music for you to expand by. Another fave of mine is the work Wright contributed to the Floyd disc, "Animals". His axes included vocoder, organ, synthesizers. Beautiful, fluid work. Displayed nice chops when he accompanied David Gilmour on his recent "solo" tour. I didn't see the live show but caught a tour video. Turns out Wright sang the early, warped Floyd single "Arnold Layne". He did it again for the Gilmour tour. Hard to believe 40 years passed by at all. Surely, a virtuoso of the colorful, economic, tasteful, flourish and fill. Wish he had been heard from more.

The Rock Lifestyle

Listening to the recent Nickelback cut, "Rockstar" brings to mind other peons to the life of a rock star. A few of my favorites in this group include The Kinks' "Rock and Roll Fantasy", and "Life on the Road". The Who offered "Success Story" and "Long Live Rock". The Byrds summed it up by asking "So You Want To Be A Rock and Roll Star" and chronicled some of the highs and lows of the experience. The money apparently is VERY good.

Noise That Hurts

Fun With The Nero Sound Recorder

I was performing a rudimentary test of the sound editor function on my work computer and I came up with this scratchy-mic soaked trifle. I like to pile on the effects.

Pop Mediocrity Knows No Height It Can't Scale

Natasha Bedingfield sings of a "Pocketful of Sunshine" in her bland pop tune. Truth to tell, it will be a "pocketful of gold" more likely judging from the overwhelming popularity and response to the ditty. Fool's Gold.

eBay Update

I sold an Echoplex on eBay recently. A very nice unit I owned but which I didn't use much. I am next trying to hook up with a buyer on eBay who requested a Marxolin. Yes. I have one of those, too! I think I bought it from the same place that sold the Echoplex. How amazing.

eBay To The Rescue!

I am going through my collection of old pedals and musical instruments and weeding out the items that I no longer use. I am placing things on eBay for sale. Sad but true. Quite a bit of time and money was spent on some of this stuff. What was I thinking???!!! Well, I was in love with the things then. Had to have them and exploit their unique qualities. Now, I am not playing or recording anything so these pieces sit idly by. I know I can find them a better home!

Electro-Harmonix: Behave Yourselves!

Electro-Harmonix is killing me! I have seen and heard some of their guitar FX products and they are must own(age). Here I am at a time when I am trying to sell some of my old gear that isn't used anymore and then I stumble across these wonderful toys. I love the octave generators that can produce the psuedo organ/guitar hybrid sound. Love that! May break down and get something soon.