Next On the Radar!!!

Anyone who knows me, would also know that when it comes to music gear, I plan "excessively"

My Wife thinks its a never ending list of "I want", and to a certain extent, thats not untrue, for as times and technologies change.. I will occasionaly want to upgrade some things.. I wont deny that, but by and large... theres a "End" to the list of "I wants"


Essentially, the dream has been to have Everything I'd ever need to Write, Record, reherse and perform with a full band..

All the instruments, PA, Lights, Cabling, Effects, and a cool place to put it all...

Yes.. I realize I'm bordering on mental.. but truth is.. I've had a version of this "Music got to Have" list in my head for as long as I can remember... Now I'm not completely crazy... as I do also realize that I may not reach the "End" of the list until Well into my retirement years... but then that is the dream isn't .... to retire and be able to play with your toys all day!!! Just so happens that favorite of all possible pasttimes /leisure activities is MUSIC..

Anyways.. I'm slowly getting through some of it..

For example,. the Korg D32XD I can cross off because I got the Korg D3200... I'll likely not get the tascam FW-1884, not because its not great, but for what I need, its too damn expensive.. So When the time comes, I'll likely get one from Phonic instead..

I've already got the Korg padKontrol, (it kicks ass by the way) and the way things are now, Im leaning away from the Roland version of a Vocoder, and more in favor of a version from Korg or Yamaha... But that being said... these are just samples of the Ultimate "To Do" Music list... Depending on how long it takes for me to save enough to get the "next thing" the specific item may have become obsolete, upgraded, etc.. so it is a moving target....

But its not unachieveable.. At the end of the day, I could probaly get all of this stuff for less then the price of a new car (don't worry, I've made that argument once before) but I do ahve other commitments, So I'll have to get it piece by piece...

Now Heres where it gets just a little silly, but maybe not..
the best part of the "dream" is to also eventually have a cool place to Keep all this stuff... Ideally, in a room above a 2 or 3 car garage, separated enough from the house that you can jam at Full volume and not keep children awake...

I'd have all the features of a comfortable Mini-Pub... Heck.. I've even drawn sample plans (see grahic sample rendering)

now, you'l have to cut me some slack as my CAD program doesn't have sample 3d images of Drums, or PA Speakers.. so I had to improvise and use a weight bench to represent drums, a chest of drawers to represent speakers... etc... so While not completely accurate.. you get the point Im sure..

(by the way, if you click on each pic you can see them closer up)




Am I crazy??

Maybe... but I Don't think so.. Just Motivated...
I've always envyed folks I've met who can do something Music related full time.. And not just the musicians either..

I've met Agents, Sound techs, Recording Engineers, Promotors, roadies, publisist, you name it... And I am both happy for them, and Supportively jealous all at the same time..

At one point.. things could have gone either way for me..Actualy, a couple of points.. .

No, I've never been close to being a "rock-star", not by a long shot.. but I was accepted into St. FX music program out of highschool... I was also accepted at a recording arts program out of Ontario... and at one point, I probably could have had a bottom feeder entry level job at Spectacle Entertainment brokers (division of DKD from back int the day) if I really pushed it.(I knew some folks there, and did some limited work for them in early 90's for the band "Too Many Cooks", but thats a story for another blog). But i didn't do any of those things.....

I don't know if I would have been successful at any of those things or not... who knows for sure.. and to be honest, I wouldnt change a thing.. as its lead me to where I am now.. I've had some great times, met some great people, most important of all, Trena and Sarah..., So Although I'd be lying if saud I didn't wonder sometimes where i'd be today if I'd gone one of those routes, and worked as hard as I've worked in my current field, I have No Regret, as I also believe everything happens for a reason..
And Now that I've renewed this passion for music, in some ways it is very comfortable to be able to have it as a hobby, and not have to think of as "work"

but, when i think "pie in the sky" I also think of folks like Cheryl Crow who was almost 40 before her music Career took off...

So I really can't complain.. and who knows where it might lead.
Maybe knowwhere... just some fun.. but ya never know if you don't try...

overall, I think I actually have some pretty good 'balance'

I can go to work, work hard, come home, and play hard...

only thing i have to be carefull of is not to get too drawn into it...
I can easily spen 4 hours working on a song as if it was 4 mintues.. but then I have to suffer the next morning, dragging my arse around cause im so tired...


where was I going with this? see... I got all philisophical and lost my train of thought and started rambling... Must be tired... lol (its 11:20pm)

oh yeah... next on the "radar"

I'm now thinking of the next item on the "to do" list.... and The next thing I think I need are some good quality cables.. and a Cable snake..


Unlike the Motif and the Studio Board this Not a big leap, cost wise...

Ya got to have good cables to connect all this stuff together with.. otherwise all you get is static and hum, And the best part is that to my delight.. I just found out that these things are not overly expensive..

I'd thought a cable snake was like over 1,000 bucks.. but i was VERY wrong..
you can get a decent one for in the 100 bucks range an up (at least in so far as what i need), and I may be able to sell enuff junk... opps, I mean.. quality used and un-needed stuff on ebay to pay for it all...

Anyways... Not that it will be the Last thing I'll ever get, but at least once I have that, I'll be all set for portable Live, and in house studio recordings of Full Bands...

Fun Stuff!!! yee ha!
But it is a practical investment..
I can learn to do Live sound for other bands, (and maybe get paid for it also) and it will also be a big help for the Rockumentary project...

Yes, Yes... I know... "Im crazy"

But like I said before... Music is the best drug in the world...
But its legal, all, and all natural!