The Smith's Journal - December 2008

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2008-12-03

64 Studio

Tags: Music, Studio, Computers

After weeks of reading and building up my knowledge, I managed to upgrade my music studio computer's obsolete software to its successor, 64 Studio, a Custom Debian Distribution tuned for production-quality audio and multimedia work. Despite some puzzles, it worked, and I now have an operational studio at last. I'm still figuring out the details, such as how best to connect up my HDSP soundcard to my audio converters and mixer.

This is the major event of the year for me, enabling me to start digitising my vast archive of recordings and putting the best online (I'll include links from here as they appear). I can also begin new projects, now that multichannel recording and mixing is a reality, although how complex I can get without upgrading the olde hardware remains to be seen; I have my work cut out for the next year or so anyway.

Of course, this won't all happen overnight, as there is much to learn in mastering the new tools. Expect all other activities in my life to take a backseat from now on while I concentrate my efforts on my new family.

[UPDATE: when the distro later became Ubuntu-based, I migrated to the wonderful aptosid flavour of Debian 'sid' GNU/Linux.]

2008-12-11

Lucky you

Tags: Pro

You are lucky, Dear Reader. We are blessed to inhabit a special part of our universe. Our domain is just beginning to undergo a considerable period of positive growth on many fronts simultaneously. You may have stumbled onto this page quite by chance, or may have been drawn here unconsciously, or may even be a regular Reader. Whatever: no matter. We all share a common link in that we are all about to blossom, in our careers, in our artistic and personal lives, and our spiritual pathways will all suddenly open up in new and never-before conceived dimensions. All our hard work of recent years is coming to fruition now and will pay off a thousand-fold. Enjoy it :-)

2008-12-13

Classic Acid House on YouTube

Tags: Music

As a follow-up to last month's African drumming+dance footage, here are some classic house music records. These tunes still rock today, twenty years on (feeling old now!). Having been there back in the day, it was an amazing time, and hearing these tracks makes me want to start spinning again. Since I'm lucky enough to own a few of these classic house records, I do feel it is sort of my duty to keep people's ears and minds open.

Maurice - This is Acid
Exactly what it says on the tin. It's tracks like this that got me into polyrhythmic African music; check the way the 303 and 808 patterns have different repeat lengths. Cool dancing :-)
Adonis - No Way Back
I've never heard this before, but it absolutely rocks!
Underground Resistance - Jupiter Jazz
I own this awesome record and play it whenever I get the chance. Sublime syncopation. Nice video featuring the keyboard the song was named after, which I also own ;-)
This Ain't Chicago - Ride The Rhythm (acid not placid mix)
I also play this a lot. The first acid record I heard in a club, which changed me forever.
A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
I'll never forget dancing to this at Aqua House in Nottingham: a party in an echoey Victorian swimming baths :-) Check the classic original mix and Gerald's Rham On Acid mix with cool gated madness at 5'20"
Humanoid - Stakker Humanoid (Snowman Mix)
Ah... dancing to this in smoke-filled warehouse parties, strobes on stun! The heartfelt intro on this mix is really special.
Royal House - Can You Party? (aka Todd Terry)
Top tune which is based on Marshall Jefferson's Move Your Body and the next item (so legendary it deserves an entry all of its own)...
Fingers Inc. - Can You Feel It?
Quoting one of the comments: "It's hard to believe that these guys aren't FREAKIN' MILLIONAIRES". Indeed: I never realised Mr. Fingers/Larry Heard was such a prolific icon; his work is well worth looking deeper into: such awesome, warm, soulful, funk. The text used is the gospel according to Chuck Roberts. This is in no way related to The Jacksons' anthem of the same name, which is well worth checking if you've never seen the video (incredible for 1981!) with unique orchestration and electronic effects I don't remember.
The Early UK House Movement - Old Skool
A nice mix including Rhythmatic's "Take Me Back".
Frankie Knuckles - Your Love
Oh yes.
Rhythim Is Rhythim - Strings of Life (Original Mix) and The Dance
Wow. The electric atmosphere dancing on the stage in The Kool Kat, Nottingham, when Graeme Park and Allister Whitehead would play this again for the third time that night...!

OK, perusing some of Mr. Park's recommendations, I need to share these - not acid, but cool:

Maceo & The Macks - Cross The Tracks
45 King - The 900 Number
Sugar Bear - Don't Scandalise Mine
Dinosaur L - Go Bang
Donna Summer - I Feel Love (you need to hear what I can do with this record!)
InDeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - 1982!
Carly Simon - Why - 1980!

Gonna build me some proper house music all of my own real soon now...