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Why MJEB Can't Blog - or- 7 Screaming CPU Processes

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Created: 04 February 2015

Howdy Folks.

I had the bright idea of doing a video for one of these mixes that hasn't yet been mastered, because, well, because there are different rules for the vids.

Soo...I decided to try some visualisation software.

It didn't like my trusty, reliable 32 bit operating system (sigh). 

So I had to install Win 7 (hey I'm not nerdcore here, it's not like I'm running Ubuntu Hybrid Android)

Then I battled the Update-a-thon 24 hours worth of downloading and patching to bring the 'new' operating system up to 'New' and 'working'.

Finally, I settled in with the new program, the patches, the codecs, the fixes, the shaders, up to date drivers, re up to date after the last patch exposed a new updated that INFINITE LOOP ARGH, built my model and hit GO!

Presto.

Max CPU.

Anyone for  a cup of tea?

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My box has been locked up solid for 18 hours rendering frames and calculating fractals. 

FARK.

This better be one spanky looking videoclip.

Out.

Read more: Why MJEB Can't Blog - or- 7 Screaming CPU Processes

6 mixes from whiches to pickses and music visualisation

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Created: 01 February 2015

Howdy Folks.

Down in the 'cellar the leetle magickal elves that do our work for us are busy hammering away, sometimes even inadvertantly hitting each other with hammers. Nope, that was a freudian slip.

6 mixes to pick from, or do we use them all? use some, not others? Hmm

1. Everywhere feels like home - standard mix; Guitar, Cello, Double Bass, Percussion.

2. Mix 2 - Vocal Mix - standard mix + add teeny little 2 line vocal from me

3. Mix 3 - Harp Mix - standard mix + harmonica

4. Mix 4 - Horsefiddle & Guitar Mix solo

5. Mix 5 - Strings Mix - Std Mix + Horsefiddle

6. Mix 6 - Ecstatic Yeti Mix - Std mix + horsefiddle and Bhuku singing in traditional styles + whacked out delayed vocals from me.

Whilst we ponder these questions, i've been looking at Music Visualisations again and spotted this.

 

Read more: 6 mixes from whiches to pickses and music visualisation

Listening to the Ecstatic Yeti Mix.

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Created: 31 January 2015

Spent a few hours in the studio today finishing the final variation of everywhere feels like home, the Happy Yeti Mix.

I was restrained by Mr Wizard and Theo from turning the delay effect up to Warp Factor 9. Nonetheless, we have a truly trippy mix, with the intertwined Cello & Horse fiddle, Khyrgraa and Sygyt singing by Bukhu and some other fun stuff.

Plus a CRAPLOAD of delay and reverb.

Happy Yeti.

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Read more: Listening to the Ecstatic Yeti Mix.

Not making an album un-continues.

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Created: 30 January 2015

I am firmly in denial that we're making an album. it's just a very naughty bunch of tracks creeping towards that magic threshold of... what the heck. Does the album even exist anymore? At what point do we throw up our hands, look to the skies and demand answers! ANSWERS dammit!

And why the sky?

These and many more questions are quite likely to remain unanswered by this blog.

Meanwhile, deep in the Stormcellar, I am listening to a potential track order for this non album, this un-nameable entity that might not even be released in an order, other than what your filebrowser is set to.

So far I've tried putting them in geographic order, interspersed with the versions of Everywhere Feels Like Home and that's kind of appealing.

The idea of dividing the project up into Singles  - nice clean tracks, use them as you will, and my own personal Dark-Side-Of-The-Moon-What-Else-Did-You-Get-For-Xmas version is also greatly appealing.

I've been struck by some of the commentary of late about the music world, that the most interesting music to be had is 'off the radar' and artists are taking greater chances.

Really? That sounds kinda fun. I mean, we've already mutated, what's a few more limbs? 

This afternoon will see the mixing of the Yeti Mix for Everywhere Feels Like Home. I've been waiting to get into the studio for a month to do this so I am buzzed. yay team.

 

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Read more: Not making an album un-continues.

The Sun sets on the Peppermen!

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Created: 27 January 2015

This is a caricature I did for the Museo de Humor in Fene-Spain Exhibit 2014The peppermen

Read more: The Sun sets on the Peppermen!

Rain, Songs, Release Formats, Lyrical Symmetry and Wrestling

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Created: 27 January 2015

Morning Folks. It's coming down in steady showers. Rain pools in the unven spaces of my roof and runs off to clatter on the concrete path to the clothes line.

Sydney's purging itself of heat again. Thankyou low pressure system, the heat was stifling.

We have a period of low Show activity, rare for us. I was bummed about it until i thought of the good some downtime might do. We've been pretty active of late.

We've just set the recording date for Don't Take It So Hard On Me which brings us up to...hang on...better calculate...

  1. you can't push me away
  2. rock river
  3. the flood
  4. sweet mama
  5. everywhere feels like home part 1,2,3 and 4

Mr Wizard says 4 parts to 1 song still make it one song, but imma count it as 8 so there.

We, as in 'me' with some bemused looks from the other cellar fellers, decided that the next release should be limited to songs from and around the last tour. 

That means we still have yet to record;

  • Bloomington
  • Dont take it so hard
  • Rock River Variation 1

Altogether that's 11 songs (well, tracks). that's an albums worth. ish. I'm still set on this project being a Soundtrack style album.  

Most of the single-ish stuff we've already put out as we've been going, except for Sweet Mama which is still is post production.

Everywhere feels like home and it's variants are still unreleased (but I get to listen to them, it's good to be me :-) and I've been thinking about release formats.

Digital release is easy. Pressing cds? Some people are a definite YES, some are 'why bother?'

For the most part, I think people have moved to a Playlist for managing music. I think they choose what they want to hear from your group of songs and it's as individual as well, each individual.

That almost makes the idea of a CD with a fixed order and narrative irrelevant. Or does it?

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I'm ok with having two opinions on the matter, or most matters for that matter. Never preclude that chance that you could be wrong/right. Thank you quantum opinions.

So on one hand, yay for the USB, the download, the ability to craft playlists.

On the other, yay for a narrative, an order, someone who has thought out the emotional roller coaster of an album.

Then again, both Rosie and I are either running cable or Bluetooth on roadtrips, so plastic cd's? hmmm...

In the case of this current project, I'm keen on creating at least 1 LP equivalent with an order and some other random stuff in it, but i am wondering if we can do both - create a data repository with all the songs + a disc image with an order as selected by them what made it.

I've been toying with the idea of releasing some of the guide tracks on a bonus disc/directory where you could hear the progression of the song from guide track to studio release. Hmmm...

 Meanhwile, Mr Wizard has been back in the workshop experimenting with new wonders

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There's a time lag between writing, working on, performing and recording a new song. That often means the track has been with us for some time before it gets an airing. On the other hand, that can be as little as a few hours, as in the case of 'Dropping by' which we wrote up at Tamworth this year and played that night.

There's a batch of new stuff Mr Wizard brought in whilst we were busy doing Everywhere Feels Like Home Variations and we've been working on them.

Once again, contention arises. Great. I'm all for the creative conflict. It's worked so far. Viva el Argumento over all the little details. 

Whilst working on lyrics for a song called 'chalk angels' I noticed the symmetry of the chorus and wondered if the right stuff also showed itself visually. Noise or signal? :-)

By the time our next show rolls up, there will be new songs, and in fact the first show booked in Feb will be a real trip.

We wrote a song for AWE wrestling because

A: we could

B: we could

C: How awesome is this? huh? Huh?

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We'll be there playing 'Return of the King', an unrepentantly noisy little number celebrating Blokes who have the willingness to pursue their dreams. 

You didn't see that one coming did ya?

Let's hope we can continue to suprrise and amuse :-)

Read more: Rain, Songs, Release Formats, Lyrical Symmetry and Wrestling

More Articles …

  1. The Flood released for Australia Day
  2. Music from the road trip - Bombino, Amidinine
  3. Life, Death, Clouds, Crowds: Thoughts on Tamworth and Human Sacrifice.
  4. Back from the Sticks, listening to the Mix
  5. Pack your chicken wire, Stormcellar are headed for Tamworth
  6. 3rd time's the charm - Stormcellar announced for 2015 Crossroads Festival, Rockford Illinois
  7. Stormcellar at Shady Pines tonight Jan 11 6-9pm
  8. Listening to Mix Candidates for Sweet Mama.
  9. Mixing sweet Mama told me this arvo
  10. The downside of using multiple studios for your recording - Traffic Chaos
  11. We blew through the 400 show mark and didn't even notice it.
  12. Stormcellar + Two Girls Will at the Town Hall Hotel, Newtown, Friday Jan 9, 10pm- late (also Shady Pines on Sunday Night 11 Jan Night from 6pm)
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