The Steam Abacus 'poots forth.

Full albums available from.....

http://steamabacusproductions.bandcamp.com/

http://stevebaker.bandcamp.com/

Assorted Emissions from the Steam Abacus

There may be life out there!

[edit 06/02/2023] NOW WITH VIDEO! - https://vimeo.com/793448249

Uncle Sam's Robot On Mars - Hawkwind (SteamAbacus remix) 6'24"

Samples taken from ...

UNCLE SAM'S ON MARS
           (HAWKWIND - TAKE ME TO YOUR FUTURE. 2006)
UNCLE SAM'S ON MARS (EARLY VERSION)
           (HAWKWIND - QUARK, STRANGENESS AND CHARM, ATOMHENGE REISSUE 2009)
ROBOT (FIRST VERSION)
           (HAWKWIND - PXR5, ATOMHENGE REISSUE 2009)
ROBOT (LIVE)
           (HAWKWIND - ASTORIA LONDON, 19/12/2007)
THE FIRST LANDING ON MEDUSA, SNOWFALL, CATERPILLAR
           (ROBERT CALVERT - CENTIGRADE 232, 1986)
PERSEVERANCE MISSION LIVESTREAM
           (NASA-JPL MISSION CONTROL, 18/03/2021)

Uncle Sam's Robot On Mars

From the album - 'Unquiet Spirit, Steve Baker Guitar Diaries, Winter - Summer 2013'.
Available to download (with full CD packaging artwork) from http://stevebaker.bandcamp.com

© Steve Baker 2013


Another volume from my ongoing Guitar Diaries. There's been a lot of material in the last 18 months and  this latest volume brings things right up to date.



What are ‘Guitar Diaries’?

“In my home studio I have a guitar recording set up that I can power up at any time with just the throw of a couple of switches. I don’t even need to start up the computer as I have a minidisc recorder ready to record immediately. I can plug in a guitar and be recording an idea within, literally, seconds. I use a ‘looping’ set up that allows me to layer guitar tracks on top of each other on the fly (based around a Line6 DL4 looping pedal, occasionally I will also employ a software sample player for beats). The emphasis is on spontaneity and creativity. Every 6–12 months I will compile the most interesting of these ‘sketches’ using the computer – the tracks will be edited, cleaned up, mastered and ordered into an archive CD with accompanying artwork. These are my Guitar Diaries.”

Slow Melt (from the album 'Unquiet Spirit', available from stevebaker.bandcamp.com)

From the album 'Fretboard Challenged', available to download (full CD packaging artwork included) or stream absolutely FREE from ...
http://steamabacusproductions.bandcamp.com/album/fretboard-challenged

As a denizen of thefretboard.co.uk guitar community I
have been a regular contributor to the periodic 'Fretboard
Composition Challenges' under my forum username of
SteamAbacus.

Every 2 or 3 months there is a new challenge with a
different remit - these can range from as simple as
(Challenge #11) -
"Freedom! - Record whatever you like! No time
limit!"

through the more technical (Challenge #3) -
"Chord Fun. Create an audio track a minimum of 1
minute and a maximum of 2 minutes in length using
only the chords Bmaj7, Gmaj, Esus4 and the notes
within them"

to the downright silly (Challenge #9) -
"They said it couldn't and shouldn't be done but to
save the world you must compose the ultimate funky
folk mash up song! Go forth and ruin music forever,
good people!"

My compositions have ranged from simple guitar &
looper based recordings to fully-fledged tunes multitracked
on the computer. Part of my motivation in undertaking
these Composition Challenges was to familiarise myself
with my 'new and improved' computer recording set up -
which, for me, actually means a WindowsXP computer
running CubaseSX! Not without reason do these
productions go under the name 'Steam Abacus'.

This collection is a chronological record of each of my
submitted compositions and my struggles to embrace
modern (or not-so-modern) digital recording technology.

My thanks to Sheldon (Antique_Guitars on the forum) for
organising and to all the other contributors to these
Fretboard Composition Challenges.
- Steve Baker, 28/05/2016


© Steve Baker 2016

I Have A Door! (from 'Fretboard Challenged', FREE album at steamabacusproductions.bandcamp.com)

I've recently uploaded another album from my 'Steamy Vaults' to my Bandcamp page, available for download or streaming and absolutely FREE!

https://steamabacusproductions.bandcamp.com/album/circulation-of-the-light

This is from 'Circulation of the Light' from 1999 and, although the title track, it is quite different to the other seven tracks that comprise the rest of the album - they feature virtually no guitar and consist of long meditative (and admittedly quite psychedelic) synth and sample drone pieces recorded on some borrowed synths/keyboards and rack fx. The tracks are named after the stages of meditation in a Taoist alchemical text and this solo acoustic guitar track is the endpiece to the album.

[from the sleevenotes]

1. Cessation of outflowing
If thou wouldst complete the diamond body with no outflowing,
Diligently heat the roots of consciousness and life.
Kindle light in the blessed country ever close at hand,
And there hidden, let thy true self always dwell.


2. The six periods of circulation in conformity with the law
If one discerns the beginning of the Buddha's path,
There will be the blessed city of the West.
After the circulation in conformity with the law,
there is a turn upward towards heaven when the breath is drawn in.
When the breath flows out energy is directed towards the earth.
One time-period consists of six intervals (hou).
In two intervals one gathers Moni (Sakyamuni).
The great Tao comes forth from the centre.
Do not seek the primordial seed outside!


3. The two energy-paths of function and control
There appears the way of the in-breathing and out-breathing of the
primordial pass.
Do not forget the white path below the circulation in conformity with the law!
Always let the cave of eternal life be nourished through the fire!
Ah! Test the immortal place of the gleaming pearl!


4. The embryo of the Tao
According to the law, but without exertion, one must diligently fill oneself with light.
Forgetting appearance, look within and help the true spirtual power!
Ten months the embryo is under fire.
After a year the washings and baths become warm.


5. The birth of the fruit
Outside the body there is a body called the Buddha image.
The thought which is powerful, the absence of thoughts, is Bodhi.
The thousand-petalled lotus flower opens, transformed through breath-energy.
Because of the crystallization of the spirit, a hundred-fold splendour shines forth.


6. Concerning the retention of the transformed body
Every separate thought takes shape and becomes visible in colour and form.
The total spiritual power unfolds its traces and transforms itself into emptiness.
Going out into being and going into non-being, one completes the miraculous Tao.
All separate shapes appear as bodies, united with a true source.


7. The face turned to the wall
The shapes formed by the spirit-fire are only empty colours and forms.
The light of human nature (hsing) shines back on the primordial, the true.
The imprint of the heart floats in space; untarnished, the moonlight shines.
The boat of life has reached the shore; bright shines the sunlight.


8. Empty infinity
Without beginning, without end,
Without past, without future.
A halo of light surrounds the world of the law.
We forget one another, quiet and pure, altogether powerful and empty.
The emptiness is irradiated by the light of the heart and of heaven.
The water of the sea is smooth and mirrors the moon in its surface.
The clouds disappear in blue space; the mountains shine clear.
Consciousness reverts to contemplation; the moon-disk rests alone.


- from the HUI MING CHING, The Book of Consciousness and Life



All instruments played by Steve Baker

© Steve Baker 1999

Circulation of the Light

Circulation of the Light(from 'CirculationOfTheLight',FREE at steamabacusproductions.bandcamp.com)

From 'Substratum' - the latest volume of my 'Guitar Diaries' covering the period summer '16 to spring '17 and available to stream or download (with full CD packaging artwork) from ...
https://stevebaker.bandcamp.com/album/substratum

© Steve Baker 2017

What are ‘Guitar Diaries’?

“In my home studio I have a guitar recording set up that I can power up at any time with just the throw of a couple of switches. I don’t even need to start up the computer as I have a minidisc recorder ready to record immediately. I can plug in a guitar and be recording an idea within, literally, seconds. I use a ‘looping’ set up that allows me to layer guitar tracks on top of each other on the fly (based around Digitech JamMan SoloXT and Line6 DL4 looping pedals, occasionally I will also employ a software sample player for beats which are then loaded onto the JamMan looper). The emphasis is on spontaneity and creativity. Every 6–12 months I will compile the most interesting of these ‘sketches’ using the computer – the tracks will be edited, cleaned up, mastered and ordered into an archive CD with accompanying artwork. These are my Guitar Diaries.”

- Steve Baker

Substratum

How Could It Be?(from 'Substratum', available from stevebaker.bandcamp.com)

From the album - 'Or, Steve Baker Guitar Diaries, Summer 2012 - Winter 2013'.
Available to download (with full CD packaging artwork) from    http://stevebaker.bandcamp.com

© Steve Baker 2013


Well, my series of 'Guitar Diaries' CDs has finally gone digital! (just the one at the moment but more will follow). These tracks have been posted in their raw form up here on SC over the months but have been cleaned up and mastered for this CD.


What are ‘Guitar Diaries’?

“In my home studio I have a guitar recording set up that I can power up at any time with just the throw of a couple of switches. I don’t even need to start up the computer as I have a minidisc recorder ready to record immediately. I can plug in a guitar and be recording an idea within, literally, seconds. I use a ‘looping’ set up that allows me to layer guitar tracks on top of each other on the fly (based around a Line6 DL4 looping pedal, occasionally I will also employ a small Zoom ST-224 sample player for beats). The emphasis is on spontaneity and creativity. Every 6–12 months I will compile the most interesting of these ‘sketches’ using the computer – the tracks will be edited, cleaned up, mastered and ordered into an archive CD with accompanying artwork. These are my Guitar Diaries.”

- Steve Baker, 06/03/2013

Light in Water (from the album 'Or', available from stevebaker.bandcamp.com)

Steve Baker, Producer/Guitarist, London, UK

Guitars, guitars, guitars.....and some more guitars! With a few other devices thrown in (notably, a Line 6 DL4 looping pedal).

All the tracks here are emissions from the venerable 'Steam Abacus' - once a wheezing old pentium-powered antique (Windows 98SE!, mainly utilising Cubase VST 3.7, Cool Edit Pro and T-Racks), now resurrected as an only-slightly-antiquated younger specimen (Windows XP, Cubase SX, et al).

Much is initially recorded direct to minidisc before being edited/compiled on the Steam Abacus.

Some older tracks even started life on Compact Cassette. 

State-of-the-art this ain't!