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2020 Resolutions and the Gear Puzzle


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A combination topic, if you will.

 

I have a brief/simple resolution list.

1) Lose that impossible last 20 pounds.

2) Do an unexpected kind act daily [when possible

- I let California drivers cut in front of me without going nut-zo

- I was in line at Panda and anonymously paid [ cash] for lunch

of the 2 police men in line

 

I also plan to upgrade my gear. Budget under $3000.

Anyone else looking at a significant upgrade in 2020 ?

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I'm well outside of the wide range spanned by the principle of coveting either losing weight or acquiring music gear, and will be happy when my final move to cracking that wide Kurzweil sound palette is continuing to give me past acceptable sound. If you get a PC4, you can try some of my published experiments, which I think is completely worth it!

 

T

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For me it get back on my diet I lost control of towards the end of 2019 so that is priority one. Then need to finally do the major cleaning and clearing out of stuff in my apartment so I have more space and get rid of books and such I'm never going to get to so pass them on. Get rid of the Wurlitzer upright I bought in 2019 because living in a apartment it's too big and mainly too loud. That is part of my second cleaning up and maybe replace the Wurlitzer with a workstation and computer setup up to dig into music from a different point of view.
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I'm well outside of the wide range spanned by the principle of coveting either losing weight or acquiring music gear, and will be happy when my final move to cracking that wide Kurzweil sound palette is continuing to give me past acceptable sound. If you get a PC4, you can try some of my published experiments, which I think is completely worth it!

 

T

 

You have a good memory, brother. PC4 is on my radar- I want to add a 2nd big dog keyboard.

Thank you for the offer to share your great sound programming.

Or I might simply go soft, since I don't gig like most here.

 

my wife corrected me; its a mistake to state I plan to lose 20 pounds. Therefore the correction is

" I am going to make or continue making healthy life style choices " ;)

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I honestly don't much like the sound of any of the software I've carefully listened to demos of, so I searched for the sound depth of instruments and effects I knew had a background with studio a grade origins, and am at least much more satisfied than I've ever been about my results, both for studio use and for (currently only tested, not executed) live use.

 

Cut the trans fats!

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I honestly don't much like the sound of any of the software I've carefully listened to demos of, so I searched for the sound depth of instruments and effects I knew had a background with studio a grade origins, and am at least much more satisfied than I've ever been about my results, both for studio use and for (currently only tested, not executed) live use.

 

Cut the trans fats!

 

we have different requirements, likely. Its an accident if 2 keyboard musicians are 99% the same.

 

Home studio person, no gigs here. So no logistical constraints.

 

I enjoy acoustic instruments and guitars, brass, etc etc.

The keyboard co's, Roland, Korg are not going deep

on guitars or trumpet, sax, etc etc.

[ no arrangers, please].

 

For example, Guitars have 50 yrs of specialization with tone, amp and Fx. Our Yamaha boards do a

good job on the basics. Kronos is almost good on guitars.

Etc etc.

 

I can find the era or decade specific guitar tones

I require by using software.

 

IOW, a hybrid here. 2 big dog keyboards with select software.

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I resolve not to get any new gear until the "next big thing" from Korg. Thought the new Fantom would scratch that itch, and it may after the product matures, but until then any money I spend could be applied toward the next big thing...so I'm going to try to sit tight.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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I hear you. Korg is the biggest dog IMO, due to all my programming and file creation in Kronos.

 

Along that type of board, my tea leaves say its Kronos business as usual for 2020.

 

I am waiting for a major OS upgrade on Fantom - there is no guaranty when and what.

Thus my interest won't chase the $4000 Fantom until that happens.

 

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Years ago, my family moved from creating resolutions to coming up with one word we wanted to use as a guidepost for the new year. My 2019 word was "build," which applied to a lot of things (my new marriage, my bands, my gear collection). 2020 is "prioritize," which is a nice balance following a year of more, more, more.

 

As I settle into my 30s and my needs and goals change, so does my relationship to music-making; now that I've established myself in my local music community, I want to start zeroing in on the really fulfilling, engaging opportunities, and feeling comfortable saying "no" to sessions and gigs if the psychic weight of taking it on will be more than the emotional (or financial) reward. I want to make sure I don't get into a rut of playing the same local spots over and over; I'd rather play a little less every year if it means I strike out and play new, exciting places.

 

"Prioritize" is also about making sure that I give equal weight to the time and energy I need for other aspects of my life, and not just sacrifice everything else I enjoy when musical opportunities come along. The reason I majored in English and studied music independently back in college was because I felt I needed to have a life that I could write about, and from which I cultivated emotional and intellectual depth that I could transfer to my music. I want to make sure I prioritize that balance, so that I'm not just an empty shell running from work to rehearsal to work to a recording session to a gig and having nothing left to give at home, nothing new to give onstage, and no motivation to practice and learn and grow. I've learned that some of the gigs give you energy, and others just drain it.

 

So all that said, I'm thinking about upgrading my stage piano at some point. But otherwise I think I've got plenty to contend with for the start of the decade!

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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There are a few of us among my musical cohorts who have agreed to 1) continue improving our music skills and 2) get better at recording ourselves at a decent level of quality.

 

With regard to #1, there is no instrument in the marketplace at any price that will help me achieve that - I can improve using the stuff I have.

For #2, I recently purchased a Zoom H4n Pro and a few microphones to capture our live big band rehearsals/gigs and small combo stuff. Others in my group made similar purchases, and we are working out doing some live recording.

 

The recording thing is actually tied to #1. I want to get the point where I have something worth recording and sharing. Using the recording goal helps put pressure on me and my friends to get better and have some decent material worked out.

 

The only gear decision to be made this year is for a portable keyboard to take with me on a trip in the fall. The wife retires in June and we are celebrating by taking a 5-week vacation in the UK and Italy. I need to buy something light and transportable so I don't get nutty being away from an instrument for so long. I'm waiting for NAMM to see what comes out, and will make a decision in the spring/summer.

.

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Years ago, my family moved from creating resolutions to coming up with one word we wanted to use as a guidepost for the new year. My 2019 word was "build," which applied to a lot of things (my new marriage, my bands, my gear collection). 2020 is "prioritize," which is a nice balance following a year of more, more, more.

 

As I settle into my 30s and my needs and goals change, so does my relationship to music-making; now that I've established myself in my local music community, I want to start zeroing in on the really fulfilling, engaging opportunities, and feeling comfortable saying "no" to sessions and gigs if the psychic weight of taking it on will be more than the emotional (or financial) reward. I want to make sure I don't get into a rut of playing the same local spots over and over; I'd rather play a little less every year if it means I strike out and play new, exciting places.

 

"Prioritize" is also about making sure that I give equal weight to the time and energy I need for other aspects of my life, and not just sacrifice everything else I enjoy when musical opportunities come along. The reason I majored in English and studied music independently back in college was because I felt I needed to have a life that I could write about, and from which I cultivated emotional and intellectual depth that I could transfer to my music. I want to make sure I prioritize that balance, so that I'm not just an empty shell running from work to rehearsal to work to a recording session to a gig and having nothing left to give at home, nothing new to give onstage, and no motivation to practice and learn and grow. I've learned that some of the gigs give you energy, and others just drain it.

 

So all that said, I'm thinking about upgrading my stage piano at some point. But otherwise I think I've got plenty to contend with for the start of the decade!

 

My wife is super organized. She started a journal of N Yr's resolutions from 2002. Its fun to track progress, or lack of it.

 

after being serious about this stuff for many years, we have arrived at having 2 or 3 goals , and similar to your approach, we have changed.

For example, make or continue making healthy life style choices.

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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There are a few of us among my musical cohorts who have agreed to 1) continue improving our music skills and 2) get better at recording ourselves at a decent level of quality.

 

 

r.

 

I know what you are saying. I see both as similar to sleeping and breathing.

 

There is a school of thought to document and have others hold a musician accountable for progress.

Its a fair approach.

 

I am self driven and on track with my music goals. The music plans are drawn up, foundation, roof and walls and plumbing is done..

Several rooms are done. Now its adding more and/or remodeling.

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I can use my sample reconstruction error prevention (Linux) streaming software with software sounds. In fact some of the experiments I did with Linux sound programs like Yoshimi ( Subsynthaddfx ), Supersampler (with some large free samples, as well as "qsynth" sound canvas sampler), Dexed, 'Calf' organ and monosynth combined with certain of my (relatively complex, but not with the whole studio chain) processing paths can create stronger sounds than I might need. Still I like it most to get those strong but subtle high grade sounds to work like an instrument, which to me is similar for live as for recording. I don't know if I'd use say a Yamaha real piano on a concert or gig and the same one to record something at home, and what the exact differences would/should be.

 

I'm going to start (continue, actually) with making efforts do put small music DSP elements in FPGA for speedup and fixed and (extremely) low processing latency, which could include parts of these programs, since they are Open Source. Some of that would become quite involved, but it's a New Wave, and that I like. There's a rut in software development related to why all x86 processors have a certain latency that wouldn't be expected given their power, which in a way makes music software sound similar in many ways, where an interesting FPGA "program" or block diagram can check out very short loopy elements efficiently that long pipeline processors cannot.

 

Theo

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