31/10/18 Diary Am v fortunate to go to lots of festivals for work, Got interested years ago about making field recordings of the sessions I hear at folk festivals but in the early days the work was too hard, there was no time. Now with better organisation, amazing backup staff, smartphone and the ability to just move around the festival site and take small recordings I have started to work them into music ideas. Most of the time have no idea what I am doing, just keeping a very open empty brain (easy for me:-) and seeing what happens, These tracks are v rough ideas, most done over a day or two so unmixed, samples not properly matched in, just slamming down stuff as it happens. Its always a surprise, there is no game plan here. Just a curious fascination as to what might develop, good, bad, rubbish or otherwise. Always learning, interested in reinterpretation, and the folk world suits me. So many amazing tunes, so many possibilities (am not a folky, so if any of this offends then please forgive, am just interested in working with the raw nuts n bolts of sound)
Big game changer this year has been owning a laptop for first time and running Logic on it. Being able to work anywhere is awesome. Being freed from the constraints of being in a studio surrounded by all that 'stuff' and much as I love my analogue gear and my gorgeous old fashioned mixing desk, working in the box and being able to choose the location, the view and seeing how that affects mood and creativity...or not... has been brilliant. Started this project bored at an airport, parent overseas visit. So difficult. Then, K n I  stayed in some amazing places on Crete, quiet mountain locations, hopping lil beach villages, in the middle of nowhere cottages with proper fires and a silence you could slice an eat for a joyful breakfast. It all sinks in and emerges perhaps. Favourite place at the mo is headphones on working at the kitchen table while some 'supper In a pot' is puttering away on the stove and a sulky afternoon fire is starting to deliver some heat to the house. Jobs done for the day and the setting sun is streaming colours through the window as I work.

Shrewsbury Very Rough Ideas rough mixes, Samples all over place at mo

Electronic synthpop idea reliving summer festivals on a cold grey March day...

ProjectNumber5RoughMix12:3:21

usual, working with samples, snippets, ideas, trying stuff out, seeing what happens

Bromyard 2018 Will £ Idea1 (Stratford ShaftSpeare Mix)

v rough ideas unmixed listening. Was so lucky to work on this tune in this amazing place: Anapoli Plateau White Mountains Crete. The view out of our cottage front door. How could you not be inspired by this. At night it was even better as the stars appeared. Spent most evenings sitting in awed reverence whispering and wowing at the milky and the Pleaides. And the quiet: off the scale. Tho there are the dogs barking at their echo, and the cockcrow kicks off round 5.30. In between that and the goats, there is a silence so deep, so cleansing, something that most of us have never heard or forgotten. Once remembered it never leaves.

ShrewsburyCharlotteViolaTuneRoughIdeasListeningpurposeonly

One of a series of lil tracks am working on with rough field recordings taken from sessions at folk festival. Very rough work in progress, mostly done on airplane and working mobile in v quiet place Crete. Ooh get me with my new mobile laptop studio.....:-)Thanks to Charlotte for not minding me recording this (iPhone garage band sampler) at a late night 'secret session' at Shrewsbury....shhhhhh....

ShrewsburyViolaCharlidea, working progress

VeryRoughIdeasMelodeonWARWICK:unmixed, headphones, listening purpose

ShrewsburyGoldenHair?WorkinProgress/RoughIdeasUnmixed

rough recording at shrewsbury folk fest, think tune is called Golden Hair but maybe wrong, anyone know better let me know. Ideas, messing bout, rough stuff, samples all over the place, yet to be fixed. unmixed done on headphones so hoping to do proper listening here

ShrewsburyNewGoldenHair?RoughIdeas

rough idea today, some samples from field recordings at folk festival, working them into a lil tune. Emotions always work their way into music: festival season done, a lil holiday and back to doing applications for 2019. Have been asked to do meat on our veggie pizza stall. Dilema, and shocked at how rude to be asked. But what to do, questioning what we do? morals, ethics, etc whilst just thinkin, you know what, to hell with what you believe, its just business. We need to earn money. Not sitting happily with us at the mo. A bit of respect would have been nice. Or do you just think of the money, the bills you can pay, spread your legs and whore on?

Warwick2TRKIDEA20182ndIDEAmelodeonlogic

latest very rough work today, ideas, just messing around .....See what happens. ~Hell, it was raining today, stoked up fire, a week ago we were in a sunny place, what a difference.
In the midst of getting back to work/business quite liking the silliness of this tune. Bit of self indulgent nonsense playing round with samples, bit of summer nostalgia for the Summer Folk Festivals
Decided to wear all the glasses I need midlife at once. Short sight, long sight, sunglasses, extra sunglasses for when I lose the first pair, his reading glasses as he can never find them, and some funky non functional glasses because well hell you just might Really Need Them....

Warwick 2018FIDDLEBANDlogic

Rough ideas today, started making very dark track yesterday but that infectious folk stuff kinda lifts you up. Good thing as back in the doldrums of trying to get work for next summer and questioning what we do, why we do it, and losing faith. Hell, we just make some food, hopefully most people like it. We happen to not do meat, please respect that. Its hard enough anyway doing what we do without having to continually justify it. Dark thoughts with dark evenings, need to wake up in a better mood tomorrow. Meanwhile, madness tho this is am quite enjoying this tune and the surprises it is bringing. Certainly didn't turn out like I expected.

Meetme@theMeetFeast(roughideastodayfromWarwickFolkSundaySession

One of a series of tracks I am working on taken from field recordings made on phone (garage band sampler, works for me) at folk festivals this summer. A session late Sunday night Warwick folk festival, was a joy to work with these snippets, playing so tight, Never easy working on field recordings but these easier than some and fidelity not bad considering the background noise in the bar. Did some eqing but as usual have slammed down some really quick ideas in last couple of days.  Its too easy in early days of a tune to get bogged down in mixing and arrangement so I try to just go with the initial idea and then have a break. Will leave this one to rest now til I get it into proper studio for some intense mixing. Hashtag...see what happens....

Warwick31:10:2018RoughMixSpookyMeetFeest

Quick idea, rough, unmixed, loving Logic step FX, playing with samples from field recordings at folk festival sessions. Trying to work vocal in but not there yet, v tricky timing. Made this little tune way up in the White Mountains Crete, working with samples. Originally I wanted this to be the backing for Polly Parker vocal but it proved too difficult to work in timing wise so ended up with this. Don't mind it, kinda like the weird piano sample, recorded at Bromyard on when I messed about on mate Tims little portable acoustic piano that he wheeled about at the festival, lovely sweet dull (in a good way) sound. Pic, our mate at Anapoli and his horse that he rides bareback in the traditional mountain way. Its called Pirate, apparently the same word in Greek?

Warwick 2018Polly2:11

bit of a conundrum this, not v good mix turned out though all the ideas were there. Found some great samples from session at Warwick folk festival, recordings taken on iphone. But there is a lot of background noise, hence the laughter included. Tried to do a big dance tune but nothing kinda working, almost is and then is totally not. Spent too much time last week fiddling bout with levels, orchestration, samples. Anyway, its put to bed now, see what happens when I get it in proper studio world as working on headphones has been difficult with this one. Oh well, another day tomorrow, another tune......cant wait to see what happens...:)
Pic: Our mate Nikos. He lives on the Anopoli Plateau White Mountains Crete. With his parents they run a pretty awesome taverna with guest rooms. To stay there is a delight, its v quiet at night, the mountains dominate. The old guys come off down from the mountains where they have been tending their goats and beehives (best honey ever), and hang out at the taverna, drink some raki. The priest comes by. He's always trying to do a deal on a car. A priest has a big flock an needs wheels for seeing the flock. Everyone there drives big 4x4 dropsiders. He drops by, everyone has some raki. He wanders over, kicks some tyres. Hell, he's the priest, no one is gonna cross him. So, more raki, frappe, cigs, all freely given. And then the serious debate starts bout them tyres....for a start. Goes on late into the night, but long after we have gone to bed you guess that the priest will win. After all, he is the hatcher n dispatcher. All is respect in the mountain plateau surrounded by the bigger mountains. Meanwhile Eva, the Greek American (bought up in Brooklyn, moved back here in her twenties but never lost that gorgeous accent) presides over all. Bringing coffee, raki, frappe, water she is an amazing presence. In a mans world she has rare respect. But she knows her limits. The world is changing, but for her clientele it is too soon, they are not ready. As they watch their grandchildren go to school and become immersed in the digital world, they are torn between admiration, sadness and disbelief.

Warwick 2018ShrewAttic

Mix from iPhone recording field at Shrewsbury Folk Festival

ShrewsburyGaliciaTuneroughmix15:11:18

Diary 17/11/18 some samples from festival field recordings, few ideas slammed down, needs sorting out tomorrow as bit of a splurge.... See what happens
Like most have been glued to news today. Its all a bit sad now.  Poor them, and them, and them, and us. What an almighty fuck up. But was what anyone with half a brain predicted. And we did. And not enough people listened. Hey ho, be careful what you wish for. Who knows....see what happens.

WnFShrewsFFBasicIdeaUnmixedunworked

Field recording from Shrewsbury Folk Fest, lil impromptu session outside the bar with some mates playing, captured on iPhone and snippets of samples taken. Another day, a few more ideas. Still a cacophony of sound, gonna be merry hell to mix properly if this makes it.
As usual, can't help but be influenced by stuff going on. At first it was a bit of a laugh to say....'yup we told you so, we tried to tell you about the mess that would be, but you wouldn't listen (smug face). But now not appropriate. Poor ole Britannia, poor ole Europe, so sad. So resisting the phrase All 'losers' but we don't need to go there. Best description of current situation heard on radio today: 'I always wondered what it would be like if a country walked headlong into a lamppost and then just tried to style it out'
cue laughter. Not laughing.

WilliAm N FriendsShrewFFRoughIdeas18:11:18

really like this field recording, literally field, on iPhone at Shrewsbury festival. Such a great vocal. And lyrics. Just knocked round some rough ideas tonight, yup v rough ideas but good to listen back v Soundcloud, different algorithms. see what happens or doesn't. Whatever, amused a few dull November hours watching an amazing sunset. Thankyou to the amazing Tina Taylor for this beautiful vocal snatched (literally shoved that iPhone as close as I could while she sang)as we all sat on the ground outside, chilling at Shrewsbury Folk Festival late Sunday night.

Collier Lass Polly Parker Trad Tune: Remix:RoughIdeas19:11:18Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Using snippets of field recordings at Shrews Folk Fest. Playing round with ideas as usual.

NewShrewdFolk19 11 18

Not one to delve into the pomposity of spoken word over music nevertheless was searching for some 'folky poetry' snippets to put over this lil idea. Internet search returned little but found some far too grand classic stuff. Not comfortable with using, but they fitted and went with it. Was a complete pleasure to relisten to those well known or not so well known words. As usual, v rough mix, just ideas slammed down. Thanks for listening.

AcquaintedWithTheWorld24:11:18

Little lifts from lively session at Warwick Folk Festival Sunday Night. Ideas, unmixed. Definitely UnCompressed ;-0 Really liking the Lemon Jelly/Fluke feel here. Working at festivals we rarely hear just one band. It tends to be a mishmash of several sound stages all coming at us. Often very loud, it can be disturbing hearing lots of different music, different keys, different bpms all at the same time meshing into one big stodgy noise that stuck in our tent kitchen we can't escape. Have learnt to block it out, literally switch my ears off for sanities sake. But occasionally that mess of sound comes together and blends and you hear something different. Always interesting listening to the strains of a folky session in the near tent combined with the big boomy bass (them damn bass sound waves will travel)of whoever is on the main stage. Glastonbury and the other big gigs, forget it. The sound of at least 5 different stages all converging in our tent means only one thing: switch the radio on to Radio 4 or Crap FM Disco hour, force your ears to focus on that and mentally tune the rest out. Last resort, work in earplugs. Surprisingly frequent.

HappyWarwick Ideas 29/11/2018

WELCOME GEAR JUNKIES: We never have enough, always lust after stuff. My own studio is cobbled together from 2nd hand not so 'chic' (or fashionable or expensive) stuff. It works for me, an I have a lil rule, if its not been used for 12 months it gets to go to a new home....yeah right. We're gear junkies. Anyway, heres my list, nothing expensive, just stuff bought over the years that works for me...a great sound, ease of programming, fits in with my setup, was a right bargain as unfashionable  etc:
In no particular order:
Tascam DAT 2 trk (mastering), Adat 8 trk, Logic, Ableton, Roland Sh1000, Roland String Machine, SR16, Dep 5, Dep 3, Alesis Quadraverb, Yamaha Motif,
Allan n Heath GS3000, Mackie monitors, Zoom FX, TLAudio compressor an EQ, two Alesis 3630 compressors (lovem), old handmade tape delay, Korg Poly800, Kurzweil K2000 samplers X2, Yamaha silly home keyboard ps something, TX21,  Aphex EQ, Ensonique keyboard, Roland string machine, Yamaha TX7, Yamaha Drum Machine, various guitars (yawn) all got humbugger or something. An got a tambourine also....Hi, thanks for listening, thanks for following.
WISH LIST FOR 2017: roland vocoder, Mutronics mutator, anything Moog, a replacement for my beloved SR16 that gave up, some better ears and a whole lot of understanding bout this music thing....mmmm, guess thats all down to me. HPNY
Welcome to another anonymous Sound Cloud site, full of a load of music made by another noone that you probably will never meet. Some tunes here are really thought about and carefully engineered, others just little ideas posted up, sketches. Makes me wonder, why do we make music, us amateurs? We don't earn a living doing this, we do it for pleasure and through need. How many times have I had a tune in my head, an idea, and the luxury of a day off stretching ahead. All I need to do is to go to my studio and turn it into reality. Do I? No, I find a hundred excuses to not visit that space, from needing to empty the dishwasher, cook the tea, iron the garden...its all mostly mundane. And yet, after hours of using up a precious day off when I do finally make myself go and sit down in front of my monitors and indulge in some glorious tune making it is the biggest reward. Am sure I am not alone in this. A couple of years ago I set myself a discipline of getting up early each morning and spending a couple of hours (a bleary coffee fuelled start) in my studio working. The results were really good, clear head, sense of purpose and a self imposed time limit. I really had to be out of pjs by 8.30, the neighbours were starting to twitch nets and point. Honestly the best music I have made was around the start of 2013, faced with eviction and homelessness, struggling to find somewhere to live the house was gradually dismantled, put into storage, ready for a move. I resisted the studio, hung onto it for as long as possible and even two days before we moved with everything literally in boxes I stayed up late, got up early, put every effort into just getting down another tune...and another...and another. Listening back, I think it has been some of my best work. There was something about being on the brink of losing everything, knowing once we moved that I wouldn't have a studio for a while and the obvious emotional response of leaving our home that made it easier to work. I never found excuses to empty the dishwasher, iron the cat, take the lawn shopping etc....
The purpose of this site for me is part diary, a hope that I can get better thru listening here, a space outside my studio,  and part a chance to listen to other peoples stuff. I love it when people comment, please do if you have anything constructive to say, esp re engineering/mixing/producing. I am always learning and welcome any advice and feedback. Like most people on this site I am a home studioist. i.e. a bottomless pit to chuck money down...Wouldnt have it any other way.

Shrewsbury Very Rough Ideas rough mixes, Samples all over place at mo

PanDeMsic