Hello,
so it's been a while, since the last post and video and with that in mind I wanted to post an update to touch base.
Things have been busy as you may have imagined, with planning for up coming events, videos/discussions/stages to run around all that and videos for future ideas and module demos as usual and a good side of 'life' going on. As summer moves to Autumn it's going to be BUUUUSY on the modular front. Here's a few things to mention, as always chat in the Discord with you all!
DEER SHED FESTIVAL
Deer Shed Festival as usual was a great experience. I think this is the 6th year that Mylar Melodies and I have gone to the festival, taking modular / synth / music tech gear and letting people come play and workshop those things with us in the Science Tent at the festival.
Deer Shed is a family friendly annual festival in North Yorkshire with a Science Tent packed full of good stuff for adults and kids to come and do. We bring a load of gear for some free play and workshop style activities. You may remember THIS video and THIS video from previous years.
If you're curious about Deer Shed festival, check out the site HERE. I also wrote a post on my website with more information, pictures and going through what I took to the festival.
I do have a bit of a soft spot for the festival too as a band I used to be in (Black Diamond Bay) were the first band to play the very first Deer Shed, opening the event. Though that feels like a bit of a lifetime ago!
ONE DEAD TAPE ECHO
At the festival I took my Echo Dek, vintage tape echo from Simms Watt (see that on my website). It lasted Friday and most of Saturday until I heard a massive rumble bass drone that I thought was another area of the Science Tent with NoisyToys making low cymatic rumbles but it was actually the motor in the tape echo crapping out and going wild. I need to investigate this further it still spinning, mega loud and fast, but I feel there's at least a motor replacement and probably a good service long overdue.
I've nothing of value to really add or talk about here, I just wanted to mourn the poor thing! 50 year old gear needing a service is nothing new and all part and parcel of using it, I also find the fun with real tape echos in them being kept a bit crappy and extra lo fi. Tape emulations for FX are amazing in general so when there's an option to keep a cheaper more lo fi unit that bit more grungy I'll usually go with it. This Echo Dek was my favourite grunge machine in the studio. I do still intend to make some videos on the various tape echos in the studio so I'll see if this can be brought back to life at a later date.
THIS PAST WEEK OF NUMB TINGLES
It's been particularly quiet this past week or so after going to Deer Shed Festival I ended up pulling/trapping a nerve and causing some issues with my left arm (I'll preface this by saying I'm ok, there's nothing to worry about). My left arm went weak and numb and I had pins and needles "dead arm" feeling throughout my hand. It's a feeling we'll probably all know fairly well but it had lasted almost 24 hours (rather than about 5 minutes) so I was concerned.
I got to speak to a doctor who was concerned for the heart/stroke adjacent symptoms and they had me go to hospital which was over 10 hours in urgent care and A&E, luckily all heart related things were fine. I got some fantastic care and loads of tests (all good) which I'm grateful for but I was discharged once those concerns were gone.
That was a week ago, the tingly and weakness has lasted a few days, all pretty painless luckily, but it's morphed into a more achy painful RSI type feeling. I've been stretching, light exercising, trying to take more care of myself in general and massaging the area as per some Dr. Berg videos on Carpel Tunnel.
Anyway ... I bring this up just to say take care of yourselves! I've certainly let things slip and whatever led to this past week I would like to avoid in the future. It's been super disruptive too, I haven't been able to work proper single handed/armed it's felt like for over a week. Which has caused delays in lots of things my side.
COMING UP
Machina Bristronica videos from the DivKid Discussions stage last year. As we ramp up towards this years event we'll be sharing more of the discussions from last year.
Module videos as you'd expect videos on modules, technique and patch idea packed as usual are in the works.
BETTER BLEEPS, Pedals & Patches & other 'series' while things get busy and life gets in the way it's harder to fit in the extra series but they're not forgotten. If there's a pedal you'd like to see used with synths let me know in Discord or in the comments below and likewise feel free to share a tip or technique for BETTER BLEEPS exploration.
FEATURED SYSTEMS will be returning soon. Submissions are open in the #featured-systems channel on Discord, if you're not sure what this is feel free to leave a comment on ask in our Discord server.
Dutch Modular Festival while I won't make it to Knobcon this year the same weekend is the Dutch Modular festival. I'll be there (flights booked), excited to return after a couple of years and to see Rotterdam for the first time. Come say hi if you're going (let me know ahead of time - again in Discord - I'll bring stickers etc).
I think that's it for now, I mainly wanted to post something as I haven't for a while. I'll be back with more as it's ready and as usual I'll see you in the Discord!