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I'm not sure if we 'finished' or whether the song just ground me down into submission. I think we finished it.

It was an issue. Once something is on the album, it's there forever, and may make the difference between us going 'OMG NOO! quick change track' or 'yeah, that's all right'.

I'm also not sure whether what we came up with is a good solution, or merely acceptable. After weeks of trying and failing, 'acceptable' starts to look Good!

Ye gods.

Oh, for the record, if anyone tries to decipher the stuff in Feels To Win; don't. The sounds are meaningful in some way, as they're from band talking in between takes of the 10th album, in the Dome at Skywatch, and I can say there's at least a pun in it, but not necessarily a very good one. I could explain it but, meh. Somehow it's suitable. 

Needing to start album 10 in order to finish album 9? That's very us, innit? I mean, good manners don't cost nuffink, eh?

Yeah. We're probably just straight up doing a bit of 'Dark Side Of The Moon' and why not. It's half a century since that thing came out. Maybe it's ok to show a little genetic mental heritage.

That said, it means...Logistics. Art's done. When AJ is done mastering, we're good to go. Defiance is just about ready. Meanwhile I am watching and listening to tracks from the 5D project and enjoying it very much. The vibe from it is just what I am up for right now. 

I was synchronizing the takes between Camera Audio and the Stereo Pair, dragged the file, dropped it and NAILED IT.

More luck than skills, normally it needs a nudge. I was so proud. A fine moment. Yeah celebrate the little things. 

I am digging the sound and I feel a bit selfish cos it's taking us a while to get stuff to a 'release' stage and a few cellar dwellers have already been asking WTF dude.

Yeah sorry about that. We're able to have a high output rate because: Internet + Worldwide System/State Changes. But it takes a bit of tweaking before the thing gets out into the wild.

Tonight we're scheduled to try and figure out this last teeny little bit before we release Defiance.

Meanwhile, I get to synchronize more takes and then fret over which combo of audio and video is best. I reckon the 5D project is going to take it's own time, and that's as it should my plan is to start sharing the work in progress with Cellar Dwellers, if I can get the rest of the crew to vote on it. I'll see how I go. I just think some of the sounds we're working on are incredibly stress reducing and I think we could all do with a bit of that right now.

Yeah I'm going to go play Take 3 again and see if I think it's better than take 2.

Saint Bob, we seek to learn from you. See I've been hanging out in the dark recesses of the web and it's shaping my consciousness. I now hail Bob Ross as a signifcant Zen Master.

Teach us Bob.

A few of the crew plus cellar dweller Astronaut Sam went to on a Vivid cruise, had some taco and then I got to come home and listen to takes from Coonabarrabran.

I love it.

As I listen to the stuff in the Dome, I can hear what's bugging lynchy. I think the vibrations set the mikes tapping. there's definitely some reaction to the Djembe, the vox are too far back and some of the mandolin is a bit ragged.

I still love it.

Doesn't mean we won't do some more recording, mess with it, try again. 

But I get to listen to this stuff as we tweak it.

We've been talking about experimenting and I think we're gonna have a crack at sharing the development process with the Fellow Cellar Dwellers. More on that after I get a chance to chill for a bit.

I made a joke to our mate V. saying 'oh we haven't been doing much' as an Ironic Joke. Ha Ha. 

She said 'yeah I am not seeing much in your facebook feed' and she's been a supporter since way back.

Did she change any settings? Nope.

Facebook has limited the posts we make from reaching people who previously saw them unless they perform a totally easy, why-would-you have-a-problem-with-it, your argument is invalid, little 'click' on their settings. 

Or pay. Small, regular payments. Some call it 'advertising'.

Others might have another word for it, whaddya say Al?

So...as an Accredited Nerd, I know a few things about 'User' Behaviour.  No really, I have worked with people accessing and using Data from decades. For real.

I know that small technical change doesn't get made because people don't do that sort of stuff. People just don't.

It's all about manipulating human behavior and then saying 'but they had a choice'.

Just like Poker Machines.

And that goes for the Musicians using Social Media as well, spending our time trying to WIN WIN WIN!

Poker machines are a real thing down here. For Aussies paying attention we know that Poker Machines run algorithms to reinforce behaviour. Yes it's Pavlovian. yes it's manipulative.

A little 'bling' noise or 'OMG!!! GREAT!!!' to reinforce it. as opposed to 'OH SH-T THERE GOES YOUR RENT!'

I believe Social Media reward you with little stickers and Blings for the same reason.

I mean Facebook has the temerity to assess my % responsiveness. Is there a test? Do I pass? 

Oh no, that's just to give people an idea of how engaged you are, as opposed to...creating an impression that you need to be doing better - gamefying your responses. Gaming you.

Don't worry, it's just in my head.

I read an article recently about our society having surrendered the freedom of the web to 1 or 2 companies. 

I reckon that might be true, but it's a self correcting system and i think people are growing wise as the collective web mind gets a little older.

Rather than being miffed at any one provider, I am miffed at what are overtly manipulative practises designed to extract payment.

They may very rightly say 'we have to make money, nothing is for free, how else to you expect us to survive'

Totally fair. Let's play Capitalism though, shall we, I mean after all, that's the argument, right?

For every Watt, Erg, Calorie or Dollar you spend on social media, you are building someone else's business. 

You make the content. You chase the viewership.

They charge you to reach them and then sells ads and sell your data and the users data.

Nice work if you can get it.

Yes i have said this before, at each time that they have dropped organic (that means free) post reach on social media.

I'm not done. There's some hard truths on social media.

Social Media represents users of Social Media, not 'the world'.

It doesn't even necessarily represent people who like music or go to gigs, something that's very pertinent to us as a band.

I am deeply concerned that we are being encouraged to waste time, money and energy tending a rock garden, or feeding a tamagotchi.

I truly question whether pouring effort into social media really does lead to $. If there's no $ somewhere, from however a supporter chooses to support your activities, it's hard to keep making stuff.

One of the best quotes on Social Media I have come across is:

yes we will keep using social media, no I don't know what the answer on how to reconnect with music lovers and our society is, yes I understand the shift in media, I mean Channel 10 just went from $32 share in 2005 to 15c a share in 2017. Anyone for Buggy Whips?

No I am not deleting my accounts, but no, I am not going to spend $ to reach people who already did me the kindness of 'liking; and 'following' our stuff.

And if I change my mind or figure out I'm wrong, I will post a new post saying 'things have changed' or 'I was wrong'.

But as a long time FB user, this stuff makes me truly question the wisdom of investing any effort into it as a platform. I don't care if it's 'reasonably priced'. That wasn't the deal when we started and it feels manipulative as hell.

I question the effectiveness of social media for non heritage, non legacy, non 'established' acts, and there's a bucket load more of them than the Rolling Stones, eh?

If you're already famous, or have a large external/legacy(lapsing) media presence, social media might be the best way to interact with other people, but I have feeling for acts coming through today it's a little like tending an Orchard of Stones and wondering why it bears no fruit.

Sell shovels to the miners boys, there's money in them likes. Sure beats digging for content yourself.

Ironically I might cross post this to facebook :-)

I'm waiting on tracks from Lynchy and for another shot at finishing Defiance with AJ.

Can't make it go any faster. 

Patience is all well and good, but I am ready to finish this album and itching to start editing the 5D project.

Oh well.

We have a quiet month this month as the guys take care of various things.

There's a bunch of stuff happening, as per usual, but you know I don't like to talk about what we 'will' do, just what we're doing now.

If I wind up with downtime, it might be time to implement the changes to this site - we're due to go for HTTPS, plus I want to try integrating that social media module.

Like any ship, there's always something that needs maintenance.