Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    Well, I got nothing in terms of hardware.  HOWEVER, I've been able
    to rack up a bunch of hours on my synths, and it looks like between
    this weekend and next weekend my wife's going to let me finish up
    something for COMMUSIC IV!  ;-)
    
    Steve_who_is_*still*_satisfied_with_his_equipment_but_who's
    _thinking_of_getting_an_RA3_and_some_patches_for_the_CZ-101
    _and_the_TZ_with_some_Christmas_money_:-)

    Oh, puh-leeze! You had to ask...
    
    Christmas Day I decided to learn a new tune, Fleetwood Mac's "You
    Make Lovin' Fun". In order to do the tune I needed to use 2 separate
    keyboards, one with a clav type voice and another with an organ
    type sound.
    
    Those of you who have seen my studio in recent months know that
    I've had all my stuff arranged in a large "U", like this...
    
                              R H O D E S
                           M              Y
                           I              A
                           R              M
                           A              A
                           G              H
                           E              A
    
    The rack mounts went on top of the Rhodes.
    
    Since I was using the Mirage for the clav, when it came time to do
    the chorus I'd have to spin around *real* quick in order to play
    the organ part on the DX. This became a real PITA, so I figured,
    hey, I'll spring for a stand.
    
    Saturday I came home proud as all git out with my new 4-tier USS.
    Anyone with a USS knows that the initial set-up of these beasts
    is frustrating. In the course of making some adjustments, one of
    the cross bars popped loose and broke a window. As I valiantly tried
    to catch the wayward aluminum, I knocked over the Rhodes and cut
    my foot on the glass shrapnel. All this comotion scared the bejeezus
    out of Aja (my cat) who was comfortably sleeping on top of one of
    the monitors. Leaping for her life, she knocked over a beer and
    and an ash-tray with a lit cigarette in it. Luckily, the beer put out
    the smoke before it burnt the rug.
    
    Oh yeah, since I'm allergic to the glue on band-aids, I had to just
    put my foot in the bathtub and wait for the bleeding to stop. While
    doing this I noticed I have mildew growing between the tiles...
    
    Yeah, I learned the tune...
    
    Edd

    >Yeah, I learned the tune...
    
    All's well that ends well, eh Edd?  ;-)

    Steve

    Re: .2
    
    Glad to see your Rhodes is serving a useful purpose too, Edd :-)
    
    		Derek

    Re: .0
    
    Duh, what's a Yamaha SHS-10?
    
    BTW, *I* got a guitar strap.  Does that count?  :-)
    
    Rodney M.
    

    I got a harmonica.  It's not MIDI compatible.
    
    I guess in a way, I asked for it.  I've been singing a line from
    this song that goes "I hope that you remember who I am - (I'm the
    guy with the harmonica)".
    
    So I got this present from my girlfriend with a note saying "Of
    course I remember who you are".
    
    Next year I'm gonna sing "I'm the guy with the Synclavier".
    
    	db
    
    p.s.  Really enjoying the harmonica too.  In fact, I'm already planning
          to use it: you may hear my recording debut as a 'harmonicist'
          on Commusic IV.

    
    Re: .5
    
    Is the SHS-10 that "Gui-synth" thing that Sears has been selling
    exclusively this season???
    
    The ads led me to believe it was a cross between a Porta-Sound with
    a MIDI out and capability to use as a remote MIDI controller of
    sorts....If so, review please!!!!!
    
    

    I got a sort-of-talking bear.  He (AG Bear) repeats what you say
    to him in electronic bear mumbles.  He's not MIDI compatible.
    He doesn't have a disk drive.  He doesn't even have tape back up.
    
    But he's cute.
    
    Maybe I'll go on the road with my 17 bears.
    
    Drat, Adrian Belew's already got the name...
    
    len.
    

    I got clothes...
    
    Tom

    I have several back orders....at least the stuff will arrive someday...
    
    
    an HR-16, a Symetrics 525, an RC-71......
    
    dave

    
    
    I've been on a binge adding stuff to my rack the past two months.
    My wife got sick of hearing me complain about having to unscrew
    everything to rearrange the rack every time I added something new.
    So I got one of those B&D power screwdrivers.  Now if I could only
    get it to PLAY something.......:^)
    
    ralph
    
    

	The Yamaha SHS-10 *is* the guit-board selling at Sears. They
call it "FM digital keyboard with MIDI". It's got 2.5 octaves of mini
keys, 25 voices, 25 rythm patterns. It has 4 effects on the voices; vibrato, 
portamento, pitch bend and sustain, plus three variations on each rythm. The 
rythm machine can be synchro started, has the auto bass, auto chord, single
finger accompanyment stuff. Paramaters can be changed to tune, transpose,
change the tempo, the portamento time, the pitch bend amount and accompanyment 
volume level. This is read out to a 2 digit LED display in ranges such as -12 
- +12. It also has a small sequencer which will record 3 parts of the rythm 
accompanyment. Each of the 3 banks will hold 150 chord changes. It has MIDI 
out only, and the channels are assignable. Keyboard notes can be transmitted on
any MIDI channel 1 - 16. Accompanyment voice commands are transmitted on 
channels 12-16...

	It eats batterys ;') and each of the different rythm styles have these
"cute little endings" that are all programmed into it and can be invoked by
the synchro start switch. It's kinda like you play as much of it as you want;
*it* plays the rest. Would be a definate "round the campfire" hit...As the
instruments playing the accompanying tracks are not reassignable, you're kinda
stuck with *it's* version of "boogie woogie" or "slow rock". The idea is to
program a song's "3 parts" of 1 rythm type into the sequencer, play these back
and solo over them on the keyboard.

	Like most of these I 'spose, some of the sounds are kinda "eh" - like
the "rock guitar" or the "synth" ones, but there are other's that'll knock
your socks off! The Jazz organ, electric piano, wood bass, marimba and horn
are all *excellent*...well, remember this is an "<$150.00" item! I havent had 
*such* a favorite Xmas present since I can remember!

	Joe Jas

	PS - I'd be willing to demo it with a COMMUSIC tape entry, or, if anyone
is interested in more details, drop me a message at FLOWER::

    
    What ever happened to the YAMAHA KX-5 ?  This too was a guitar-
    -keyboard, but it was really just a midi controller.  I  would
    kill for one of these.
    
    Zach

    I just picked up a Casio DH-100. Yes I know...Casio, I admit I spent
    money on Casio :-} . It costs about $200 list but I got mine for
    about $160 plus tax. 
    	This is a *fun* little toy! It looks like a toy saxophone with
    a speaker built into the bowl of the horn. It has MIDI out capability
    only. It offers 6 preset sounds, and two different fingerings (standard
    Boehm and Casio's own "easy" fingering.) It also allows BREATH CONTROL
    of the volume.
    	I am a keyboard player by training but I get a kick out of the
    fact that I can take this little tooter *anywhere* and play, although
    I have to admit I'd be embarrased to play it at a gig in front of
    a real audience. It outputs on channel 1 and produced some interesting
    effects on my Ensoniq ESQ1. The breath control (selectable on/off)
    controls volume. This allows for some pretty impressive dynamic
    control. You can play it as is, or plug it into your amp, but to
    do this you will need a 1/8 to 1/4 inch adapter. The DH uses 5 penlight
    batteries or an optional AC/DC adapter. When played through an external
    amp it actually sounds pretty good.
    	All in all I would be the first to point out the fact that this
    thing lacks any "coolness factor" but for around $160 it is a fun
    addition for those of you looking for a new toy. I expect it will
    be good practice until I can affort the Yamaha WX7 wind controller.
    (mfg suggested price ~$995, I called them.) Now *THAT* is a *REAL*
    wind controller. If there is any interest I can post some of those
    specs. I was sceptical of the price at first, since I have seen
    the functional specs I now think it is worth it!
                                                       

    How does it know what NOTE-ON info to send???
    
    Is it assignable? Transposable?
    
    Edd (who_thinks_whipping_out_a_cheap_plastic_horn_at_a_gig_is_too_cool)

    I haven't seen one of these, yet.  Is it durable, or will it fall
    apart after some serious play.  Chitzy looks can actually be pretty
    neat if it sounds like an orchestra when it drives my system ...
    
    Steve

Being a sax player also, I tried one out at Wurly's in Worcester. It has a
grey plastic body, somewhat out of proportion (on the bulbous side), and
light weight metal keys. Knowing what a beating my Selmer sax takes,
I would say that if you are going to do any extensive amount of playing,
it would be worth getting the WX7. See note 1523.1 for mail order prices.
I would say that the market for this
instrument is for MIDI musicians or beginners who do not play a wind
instrument seriously, but are looking to explore the creative and
expressive capabilities of a wind instrument without making a major
investment up front. If you are already a sax or clarinet wiz, you will
want to get the WX7. I think that better styling and materials would make
this a much more popular product for about $30-50 more. It does have
kind of a funky pop-art look. It provides more expressive control of a
D50 or D110 flute, bottle-breath, clarinet, sax, harmonica, horn, etc.
Much more realistic control than a keyboard. A good used alto sax (Conn
or Bundy) is in the $250-300 range, although it is very difficult to
play, relatively speaking, and is restricted to (albeit wonderful) sax
sounds. The embouchure factor is not present on the Casio or WX7.

 The WX7 has pitch bend and a 7 octave range. It can transmit on
MIDI channels 1 & 2 or 3 & 4. Fingering the keys produces MIDI note data,
blowing into the mouthpiece generates velocity and breath (MIDI controller #2),
plus after-touch and/or volume (MIDI controller #7) data, and tightening
your mouth around the reed creates pitch-bend data. There is also a pitch
bend wheel next to the lef-hand thumb rest. Five small buttons grouped beneath
the the right thumb position double as octave switches and program-change
buttons. There are dip switches and screws to adjust air velocity sensitivity.
It has switches to transpose from concert pitch (C for flute and oboe players),
to Eb (for alto and bari players) or Bb (for tenor players and clarinetists).
There is a key hold button which makes it possible to play two notes at once.
The WX7 has excellent tracking. Yamaha has announced the MFC2 (about $300)
which includes a bank select footswitch and 6 program select switches.

The IVL Pitchrider 4000 Mark II is a pitch-to-MIDI converter. The pitchrider
is a rackmount unit with an optional five-switch foot controller for program
changes, etc. The Pitchrider is used with a pickup or microphone.

Akai has announced an EWI (around $2k) and Roland the VP-70 ($mucho$).

dave

    
    
    The Christians. (one of the best bands of 88)were recorded 
    on the subway in Tokyo this week playing the casio saxette. As Edd
    hinted the kudos must be worth the investment. Look no Hype !!
                                                               
                                            Paul (Dark Glasses) Kent.

Note that the Yamaha brochure shows one as well.  I don't know comparable
cost, etc.  It only has the standard finguring.

    The Yamaha controller is a pricey little devil....~$900.
    
    ...but it does have bells and whistles.
    
    Edd

>                              -< Yamadollors... >-
>
>    The Yamaha controller is a pricey little devil....~$900.
					
	But Sam Ash quoted me $697, so it can be done...

>    
>    ...but it does have bells and whistles.

That it does (not speaking from experience)

CHad

    I've been using a Y-word breath controller (BC-2 - the new one) lately,
    and have found it to be most expressive.  Granted, the ESQs easily map
    controllers ... but I find the thing incredibly expressive on choral
    pads (map BC filter) or for chorusing effects on leads (map BC to OSC
    modulation).

-b

I've had my y-word WX7 wind controller since last december. It is extremely 
expressive, given the right patch on the other end. I've spent much of my time 
since then trying to find the right combination of functions to make the synth 
behave properly. I think(?) i have it about conquered.  Great stuff


Geoff

    I'd like a Y-thing DX11. I had another go on one lunchtime, and
    these things not only sound great, they have a really nice keyboard.
    
    Richard.

    I just bought a Casio myself. I have also played Geoff's WX.
    
    I am also a wind player and believe for the price you can't beat
    the Casio. (If I had the spare bucks I would get the WX though).
    
    A few other features worth  "noting". The fingering system is VERY
    versatile considering there are only three keys. With all the "fork"
    fingers, I had no trouble playing in ANY key for the full 2.5 octave
    range. It actually has a four octave range and transposition but
    these are really clumsy to get at. (I did not like the "easy Casio"
    fingering at all - but I'm a woodwind bigot).
    
    There is also a portamento key - allowing sliding for notes.
    
    It is not rugged, but neither is my oboe or bassoon.
    
    I would not be timid about playing this on a gig hooked up to the
    right sound box and system - it is quite expressive and facile.
    I played some transcribed Adderly charts with no trouble, as well
    as some "classical" flute solos.
    
    For $150 or so it is definitely worth the investment, if for no
    other reason than you can take it on business trips to amuse yourself.
    
    -Neil
    

    
    re .25
    I agree with you Rich. I am not a wind player by training although
    I did learn some flute. (As a LONG term keyboard player I longed
    for a truly *portable* instrument. but that was before the electronic
    revolution really had an impact on the music biz.)
    	I started using Casio's "easy" fingering, but feel more comfortable
    using the standard fingering. Something about the Casio fingering
    just isn't intuitive enough. Mentally you can memorize it in about
    60 seconds, (70 for those of lower IQ). With the standard fingering
    if you want a higher note you generally lift more fingers, with
    the Casio fingering you have to think through the pattern. Take
    this assessment for what it's worth, I've been practicing on it
    for about 3 weeks now for about 5 hours per week.
    	I don't think the DH-100 is very durable. The keys have a lot
    of slop in them. In fact I use this slop as a kind of poor man's
    aftertouch. I can wiggle the Octave key enough to cause it to open
    and close.
    	My past experience with Casio is still true today, They give
    you tremendous function for the $ at the expense of *some* of the
    quality, and quite a bit more of the sound quality. Still playing
    the DH-100 through some other synth solves the last problem quite
    nicely. Besides what else can you buy for the price that has a MIDI
    interface???
    
    				Mark 
    

    This note was a good idea last year.  Good enough for me to find
    it and try and kick it off for this year.
    
    Last year I got a harmonica.
    
    This year, I campaigned all year for a MIDI merging device.  I drummed
    the words "MIDI merge" into my SO so many times that it became a
    private little joke between us.
    
    She kept telling me that she wanted to get something more personnel
    than a black box that does something that she doesn't even understand.
    
    Without going into detail she made several statements and performed
    several tasks to utterly convince me that I was NOT getting a MIDI
    merge!
    
    Before we start opening presents, Peigi (my SO) and her
    confederate Jason (sorta like my little brother but not really) 
    "sneak" downstairs (their loud giggling made it clear that they 
    were "planting" one of my presents.
    
    Well, we're opening presents.  And after awhile, Peigi says "You'll
    have to come downstairs to see your next present.
    
    "Downstairs" I think, "that's where the 'studio' is!  She *DID*
    get me a MIDI merge, bless her heart."
    
    Well we go down stairs.  At the bottom of the stairs I turn towards
    the studio with a smile on my face and a "tee hee" carefully 
    suppressed in my throat.  She turns towards the garage, sees us
    heading in opposite directions and asks "where you going, it's
    in here".
    
    My heart sank.  Well, for a little while.  Cause what she got me was
    a large crate of juice oranges fresh from florida.  (IN addition to
    my addicition to MIDI equipment, I also have to contend with a rather
    severe and, I fear, permanent addction to freshly squeezed OJ).
    
    We go back upstairs and continuing opening presents.  I got a
    hard-to-find Phil Keaggy tape (it's hard to find cause they only
    sell it in Christian bookstores, and you'd be hard pressed to "find"
    me in a Christian bookstore).  That was nice, and the tape was
    really good.   Not overly (perhaps even "hardly") proselytizing.
    
    Anyway, I'm down to one last gift.  It's a fairly small flat box.
    Far too small to be anything that would go into a rack.  In fact,
    the thought of it being a musical device (yes, I know that not all
    musical devices are rackmounted) was very far from my mind.
    
    The situation was perfect - like in a film.  I tear the wrapping paper
    and see a word - "MIDI" .  I tear a little more and see another word,
    "MERGE".  (OK, I guess I should be fully disclosing and say that
    when I tore a little more, I saw another word that some folks in
    this conference can't even bring themselves to say.  You know:
    
    "Ya...", 
    
    
    I mean "Yaaaa...."
    
    
    
    "Yam...."
    
    
    
    Oh well, you know the word right?
    
    
    
    Anyway, it really took me by surprise - I almost dropped it right
    there.
    
    So anyway, now I can both sequence my rack mount stuff from the 
    Multi-timbral SQ-80 and still play the part using my weighted
    88-key MIDI controller.
    
    Now, I'm thinking of starting a new note: "Dear Santa".
    We all get to pretend that we're sitting in Santa's lap and
    tell him what we want for Xmas next year.
    
    And of course, be sure to tell him what good little Commusicians
    you've been (like practicing safe sysex and such).

    I got a wok. Non-MIDI, uni-timbral. I cooked Szechuan food in it.
    
    Edd

	Edd already told everyone what I got.

    I got a mixer, three new pickups for my strat, a new guitar (actually
    it's the second time I've owned this guitar so new is relative), a
    DD5, and a pair of Bose 101's with stands to use for monitors....a
    dozen sets of RPS strings, 3 Denon HD-8's and 10 UDXL-II's
    sigh...that's all????? better luck next year...
    
    dbii

    
    
    
    The closest thing I got to musical gear was a half gross of picks
    and a pair of drumsticks....
    
    ...guess I'll just have to go out and buy that Casio horn as a present
    to myself!  :^)
    
    Ralph
    
    

    I got shirts
    Tom

    one Scruples game
    one Star Trek IV videocassette
    one large water machinegun, orange
    one Steve Jobs paperback
    one Milagro Beanfield War paperback
    one box of reaaly bad chocolate candy
    one hundred stereo chrome C-47 cassette duplicates of my album
    three hundred pairs of printed sticky labels
    five hundred COLOR cassette inserts
    one mongo Mastercard bill
    and a partridge in a pear tree

    I got clothes, candy, deoderant, a new pillow, a book ... sigh.
    But, we did get a tree this year.  Got it for $5 a couple days before
    Christmas.  No MIDI toys.  Cried my eyes out on my new pillow ...
    Well, not really.  My family was good to me and we had a great
    Christmas.  When I can work the finances out I might spring for
    something.  Hope y'all had a good one!
    
    Steve

    The only musical present that I got was a real surprise--praise from my
    brother-in-law.  "Hey, what's the matter with this tape you gave us,
    there's only 15 minutes of music on it?"
    
    	Eirikur
    

    Happy Holiday's to all !!!
    
    music type stuffaroonie:
    
    1 set of headphones AKG  <- awsome!
    
    1 Dregs tape (night of the living Dregs) ---simply incredable. And
         my wife (6 months for us Christmas day !!) can't stand the
         Dregs ! It really surprised me!
    
    non-music type schtickt:
    
    1 bedroom set ( this is the reason the previous list is not as plump
        as I would have liked it!)
              
    
    Have a wonderful New Year!
    
    Frank

I got a full/queen sized down comforter
a Gregorian Chant CD
a TD Optical Race CD
a Grieg/Sibelius CD
a 3lb box of Gummi-worms
car mats
a mini-maglite flashlite
2 pens
a toothbrush
toothpaste
burgerking gift certificates
and probably some other things I've forgotten about.
And 2 Far Side books from a fellow Commusician

Chad

    
    My wife told everybody to get us wine, which they did.
    
    I also got two blank tapes.
    
    

    I got a variable speed power drill. Thats all.
    (i plan to use it to screw in stuff to my 19in rack, when i have
    something to put in)
    I did get a mmicroverbII for my birthday, which i never expected,
    so I guess my SO couldnt afford a teac 38.
    

    
    I got two Teddy Ruxpins tapes
    the Chipmunks singing punk rock
    a coloring book,... no wait these are my daughters presents.
    
    I got one of those Yamaha DD-5 drum kits
    a CD player with a few CD's
    a guitar bag
    colonge (a yearly gift anymore)
    one of them cordless screwdrivers  (just like Bubba's)
    
    and a house full of outlaws, I mean inlaws, for X-mas.
    
    Happy New Year.
    
    bst
    

 Well, i know you'll ALL be jealous as all heck, but *I* got
 a Ya Ma Ha Pisser-16, yes, friends, the ultimate battery powered
 go anywhere do anything keyboard...

 Great for bedside boppin' under phones,
 Composition at Ballistic Speed on I-290,
 Accompaniment for the casual Mountain Top Yodler,
 And Scoring On The Spot Kayaking Films - makes a great rudder, too!

 Gonzo Keyboarding at it's best.
 
 (Actually, despite the noise, it's got some pretty cooool sounds
 when cranked over a PA, too!)

 Call me YaMaHoppi.

    Studio-related stuff was:
    
    Rackmount unit for Lexicon LXP-1 (1/2 width) unit.
    
    	This lets me anchor the LXP in the rack for safety.  One pain
    is that there does not appear to be a standard or common way of
    attaching 1/2 width devices to full-width racks.  Thus, I have my
    Scholz Sustainor wedged in the other half of the rack but, of course,
    the screw holes don't line up with the ones that fit the Lexicon!
    I want standards so I can buy any old 1/2 width to full-width adapter
    and get my mixed bag of stuff to attach!  ... but I digress.
    
    Remo Drum Muffl'rs (spelling?)
    
    	Little plastic rings with foam to help reduce ring and cut down
    on the volume a little bit.  I can't wait to see if these amke it
    easier to record a decent drum sound.  (Of course, I could just
    use an Octapad and trigger my "obsolete" TR-707, but I don't want
    to start that discussion again.)
    
    Now if I can just pay off all the bills and see what I can buy for
    myself.....
    
    - John -

    
    The only musical thing I got was a (non-MIDI) bell tree. Also got the
    F19 Stealth simulator. Ah well, I'm saving my pennies for a Poor
    Person's SMPTE box.
    
    /pjh

    
    	gee, i got
    
    	the flu (xmas eve, with spouse too)
    	4 blank udsII's - amazing that the 14 year old actually got
    			the right ones!
    	a coat
    	a golf-club tie clasp
    	a coffee table book (imagine)
    	the opportunity to drive spouse and 3 kids nuts with constant
    	rehearsal/recordings that couldn't be finished due to absent
    	voice (see 1 above)
    
    	Oh, and a Traveling Wilbury's which of course my spouse loves!
    
    	so, we're still somewhat midiless - gee, the dd5 outs but to
    what?
    
    	however, a keyboard controller and sgu have made the "i'm warning
    	you, some day i'm just gonna flash that card and that'll be
    	that!" list.
    
    				bs

    I got a Nikkor 35/1.4 lens, a Yamaha (yeah, Yamaha) CDX-810U CD
    player, an Oberheim Matrix-1000, a buncha CDs, a buncha books,
    an OM-500 MC-500 memory upgrade (which doesn't work in my MC-500),
    the S-MRC software that goes with it, and a real perty Hartmann
    leather attache case.  All but the last I, uh, bought for myself. 
    My SO kept saying, "you're gonna *really* like what I got you, and it
    was *real* expensive", so I'm thinking, oh boy, she musta gone to
    EUWurlitzer and they told her what I'd been ogling, like the Amiga
    D-50 and Matrix-1000 librarians, or the Roland M-160 rackmount mixer,
    or maybe even a VZ-10M?  Nope, a beautiful attache case that I had
    pointed out one day in a luggage shop.  Nice, very nice, but it
    doesn't have a Nikon bayonet mount or 3 DIN plugs labeled IN, OUT
    and THRU.  So I went and bought myself some *useful* stuff.  Some
    of it beforehand, in anticipation, you know.  I mean, like anything
    I've bought since November has been justified as a "Christmas present
    for myself".
    
    len.
    

    	Well, on Xmas morning I couldn't believe my porkpies. Mirage,
    Matrix-1000, C-Lab Notator, 60 meg Winnie and 2 meg expansion for
    the ST.
    Then I got up. First problem was deciding which of the new socks
    I would wear: the ones with Tom & Jerry, or the ones with Mickey.
    Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
    Jim Burke 
    
    PS     Do you (lucky) guys use a different Santa to the one we 
           have in Scotland
    

    Santa flies West-East, so California gets the best of the goodies,
    Chicago gets Casio gear, Boston gets the Roland documentation
    and we get the socks...
    
    Richard.

    
    
    Jim
    
    Wherabouts in Scotland are you ?
    
    					Paul.