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Monthly Archives: March 2003
I’ve been trying to think of ways to organize cables and the like, and/
or to organize effects pedals.
Wont someone buy this for me
Actually, now that I think about it, the flat file I already bought might
actually make a pretty good way to store cables/gadgets/pedals/etc.
I ordered a Soundbug from thinkgeek
and it arrived yesterday.
It’s more or less a speaker/transducer with a suction cup attached for
attaching it to windows and other smooth services. Theres a small
powered amp in it for driving the transducer, and you a headphone
style cable.
The sound quality is adequate, more or less what I expected. I
wasn’t looking for $10k flat panel speakers or anything.
In fact, it seems to work okay for the main purpose I bought
one. Attaching it directly to a guitar/chapman stick. And it
does basically what I expected it to, which is somewhat
simulating standing in front of a very loud amp.
aka, it’s seems useful for getting feedback at low volume
levels, which is what I was looking for. It can be a little
picky as to placement, and the feedback can be a bit
hard to control (kind of lack standing in front of a cranked
amp, but not being able to move/twist/change orientation/etc)
It would be nice if the suction cup were smaller so it could
more easily stick to the headstock, but alas. It’s
not exactly a
sustaniac, but a lot cheaper.
Now to wait for the other cheap electronic noise toys I
bought to arrive. I have evil plans.
I so want that.
Slept about 90 minutes sun/mon morning somewhere between 11am and 1pm. Got up.
Stared into space. Took large dosage of sudafed.
Decided it would be a good idea to go outside (sometimes it helps sinus stuff).
Mistake. While outside I decided to drive around. While driving around decided
to do some shopping. Shopping on an hour or so of sleep… yeah, great idea.
First stop, Fat Sound.
Resisted the urge to buy the Zvex
Nano Head
Didn’t have much luck finding expression pedals there. In fact, had a hard time
convincing the guy at the counter what an expression pedal was. Ditto for the
momentary foot switches I was looking for. But they at least had some channel
switching foot switches which would have worked, but not what I was looking for.
But thats okay, I’ve come to expect that from music stores. I suspect if I
asked “do you have any guitars?” I would get blank stares. I seem to dumbfound
music store employees with amazing consistency.
So got out with two guitar stands that I’ve needed for a while, and a copy of
Adrian Belew’s 1984 instructional video “The Electronic Guitarist” on a whim.
Then headed to Guitar Center, and had basically the same experience, but
after being told they don’t have line 6 expression pedals, and then physically
pointing at the boxes marked “Line 6 Expression Pedal” directly behind the
counter, they let me take a look at them. Price was reasonable, so picked up
two. They had some momentary switches as well (eventually…) but they
were $30 a pop, which seems a bit much for a switch. Still need to find a good
volume pedal (or after watching the Belew video, several…).
Then, for reasons unknown, decided it would be a good time to buy another
bookcase. So off to target to buy a cheap one. And some floor lamps. And
a ice tea machine. And a water filter. Must be the sleep deprivation. The
ice tea thing works surprisingly well. Though I don’t think trading sugary
carbonated caffiene-free Sprite for sugary, caffinated, non carbonated sweet
tea is much healthier.
Went home, put the lamps together, tested the expression pedals, watched
the Belew video. Holy cow that guy is talented. And creative. And original.
And more than a little twisted. Surprisingly entertaining for a “instructional video”.
At least for a odd music fan like myself.
Got in the mood for gpg key signing at work for various reasons.
Having not actually bothered to get anyone to sign my key before,
there seems to be a bit of a weird “sign my yearbook” aspect to
the whole concept.
Hmm, weekend.
Took off work friday early to head up to Asheville to see King Crimson. If your
not familar with King Crimson,
they are more or less the inventors of prog rock, aka, the The Music That
Will Never Be Hip[1].
Stopped in Winston Salem to pick up scott & marty from Japan Air.
badger came along as well.
Then headed the rest of the way to Asheville.
The show was at
The Orange Peel, a relatively new large club. I’m curious to see how
long they can stay around, they seemed to done lots of work, and have
a ton of staff. Crowd was probabaly about 1000.
The show itself was pretty damn impressive. An interesting set, comprised
almost entirely of recent material. Nothing older than about 8 years old,
which is saying something for a band thats been around in one form
or another for almost 35 years.
The emphasis was on the newer, heavier, darker material, with only
one or two of the softer songs thrown in. This lineup does a very
good job with the dark and heavy stuff. Very impressive. Fripp
actually sat at the edge of the stage in full view of the audience
(he’s historically sat at the back of the stage, unlit, sometimes even
behind the drum kit[s].).
After the show, I ran into some old friends from Statesville I
hadn’t seen in years, so that was pretty cool and unexpected
(though, they are as big of music geeks as I am, so I probabaly
shouldn’t have been surprised…).
Fun drive home through the fog, but mad it okay.
Woke up at 4:30pm or so saturday and spent the rest of the
day doing as little as possible.
Sunday went over to badger‘s place and played
a bit. Took over the parker and the stick, and only one bin
of effects pedals!
[1] Or at least not by that name. I heard about 50 people talk about
Godspeed You Black Emperor at either the KC show, or
the fusion show thursday night. And GYBE is about as
“hip” of band I can think of (at least in the art student/record
store clerk version of “hip”).