H2O Above & Below

 

There's something very calming about water.
I hadn't planned to ride along the towpath before I went out but it was suggested to me by my girlfriend and I'm glad I went along with that suggestion.
My journey started out riding against the wind. I didn't mind this as I was in no rush and I knew it'd be at my back on the return journey. I cycled into the Leicestershire countryside and it wasn't long before I was surrounded by fields. The roar of city traffic faded and the wind blowing through trees and hedges became my soundtrack punctuated briefly by the odd passing car. After stopping a few times to photograph my surroundings I rested at a rural centre coffee stop and filled up with my usual sustenance of caffeine, nicotine and cake. The clouds parted briefly to bath me in sunshine and a cheeky Robin even sat on my handlebars as if to befriend me in return for sharing my banana bread slice. I welcomed our short encounter even though I wasn't looking for company.
On my return journey I rode over a railway bridge and then a canal bridge which offered steps down to water level. With that suggestion from my girlfriend still alive in my head I decided to take up the offer. The beautifully flat ride took me further away from the bustle of city life. It was water, nature and I. Only occasionally did I meet up with fellow humans at which point a cheery hello was all that was needed. Canals seem to be the last bastion of civility in a world where technology steals our eye contact and greetings to strangers. I rode happily for a few miles and then rejoined a main road which would take me all the way home with that welcoming wind at my back.
As I returned to the Tarmac and traffic the rain poured as if to remind me of the water I was leaving behind. It didn't take long to soak me through to the skin. When you're wet you're wet and nothing can be done about it. It didn't bother me anyway, I was on my way home with a head full of images and experience. I don't take enough time to enjoy such things. Even when I'm in my truck working my eight hours I enjoy the views of nature but never get to stop and breath in the air I'm passing through.
Today I rectified that and I'm glad I did.
 

Time To Myself

 
I'm not in work today.
I've been in a strange mood for about the last week. I have a lot on my mind and I'm a bit darkside. Nothing too bad though. The best thing for me to do in this situation is just step back for a day or so. To avoid the rat-race and find some time for me. So that's what I'm doing.
The one benefit of not being so happy is that my creativity levels soar. As the strip above shows I can really make something out of nothing. I've decided that I'd like to get on my bicycle with my stills camera and go and get some shots of whatever I can find interesting. As long as its not raining too hard that's what I'm going to do. I haven't looked out of the window yet so I have no idea what the weather is like.
By doing what my heart tells me my head clears and getting out of the city for a few hours to munch on crisps and chocolate and to think always manages to rebalance my priorities and get me on the right path.
So everyone, have a nice day. I'm off to do the same.
 

Mostly Good

 

 
So first the bad news.
The cable seems to be omni which means it'll sent any MIDI data it gets and it seems to forget MIDI off notes. Ho hum, not the end of the world.
On the plus side I can send send QY100 patterns to the Yamaha MMS and record them which means that the whole QY100 pattern library is at my disposal as long as I send one channel at a time.
The fact that it works albeit in a limited capacity is a small miracle and the fact that with prudent usage it'll provide me with a library of styles is a major advantage. It means that the Yamaha MMS app just got a whole lot more interesting and as an iOS library that can power virtual MIDI apps its like having a huge download of styles on an arranger keyboard.
I'm in my element but there's a lot of work to do.
Viva production.
 

To Be Or Not To Be

 

 
Cigarettes, large Bloody Mary and a glass of Côtes du Rhône.
As well as all that stuff I have a package from Hong Kong. It, as you can see, contains a USB to MIDI cable. These things are designed to work with computers and keyboards. I've read a lot of reviews on Amazon and it seems to be a 50/50 chance that they'll work with ones setup if they work at all.
At £3.84 it seemed like the risk was worthwhile. The postage is excellent. I received an email telling me to expect delivery somewhere near Wednesday. But here we are with the package already in my hands.
What I want to do is connect my iPad to my QY100 directly without going through my Evolution X-Session. Will this cable work? Sort a problem of firing up multiple devices? Probably not. I'm expecting nothing.
So here goes. For what it's worth the booze and fags will probably entertain me more but if it does work I'll let you know so that you can purchase some cheap interconnects.
Or maybe not.
Chin chin.
 

PalmSounds Pt 2

 

 
So what happened next?
Well, the plan was to grab a beer or two and grab a bite to eat. The plan went well for the first part but the second was somehow overlooked. I usually gauge a friendship on how much you get on, be that interest or conversation or just a feeling that you've known that person like any other friend.
Over the hours the conversation flowed. Not so much like friends who hadn't seen each other for years but like friends on any other Saturday night. We moved from bar to bar talking, laughing and learning the kind of stuff that doesn't get posted online. The stuff that rounds out the online persona. Everyone has has public side and a private side. No secrets, nothing weird, just the stuff that's not for public consumption. The kind of thing you know about your mates that strangers don't.
The conversation flowed freely like I'd know this man for years, it never stopped. No awkward silences, no checking your phone for messages or the time. Just a damn good night out. And all this with a person I'd never met before. I'll explain a little more.
It sounds like I'm being sycophantic here but I'm not. Some people I like, some I hate, some annoy the (insert word here) out of me and some I just get on with with no effort. PalmSounds falls into the latter category. I mean, this is my blog and I get to decide what to write, no one else. No influence, no sponsorship. When I'm annoyed you know about it and the same when I'm happy.
Moving on. We never did get to eat apart from a selection of crisps and chocolate when we finally arrived at the hotel I was booked into, again arranged by my meatspace stranger friend. To make PalmSounds blush further I'd like to point out a small and insignificant thing to you, wonderful to me. I smoke. Period. Get over it. But for a non smoker to consider this and find one of the last hotels in the world where there are smoking rooms is no small achievement. I told you he was a nice guy.
If you ever get to meet PalmSounds keep some change in your pocket for a take-away burger or chips or something. On the way to the station or the bus or car grab a quick bite. It's good advice because for the rest of the time you'll be getting on like a house on fire and time will diminish into something so insignificant that you'll wonder where the hours went.
Summary.
In the PalmSounds Lottery you can win a small amount each and every day. Occasionally it's possible to win the jackpot. Last Saturday was my day to win. I can only advise you all keep playing.
I know I will.