New year, new stuff, new goals. Or not, I don't know. I'm currently not so sure where to proceed from this. I still have a few older pieces I need to finalize and upload to Funkwhale. Something I wanted to do last year and then we all caught influenca and stayed in bed all december long. It's something that comes up quite often: I wanted to do things but then life happened. Well, you don't stop life from happening, do you?
If life allows, I'd like to attend GPN23 this year. I will also go to Rockharz Open Air 2025 as it is tradition. You might hear me playing on the campground. Or listen to the recording afterwards. Also, if I can make it happen, I'd like to visit the MRMCD in Darmstadt this year, but that's a bit iffy.
So, if everything goes as expected, you can technically meet and listen to me at:
Well, TECHNICALLY we always come 2 days earlier to Rock Harz to put up our tent. You will probably meet me there from the 30.06. on but well... things can happen. Life, for example.
I want myself to improve in what I do. Last year at Rockharz was the first time I used the Volca Sampe 2 as an additional drum computer to the T-8, adding 808 and 909 percussions. It worked out very well and I want to further include this. My goal is to have at least a ride cymbal available for driving parts. The RD-6 has a Cymbal but that is a bit... trashy? I dunno. I'd love to add a real 909 (the Behringer RD-9 for example) but for one they come as big devices and two they all need 18V/1A to work and I currently have no way producing this on the go. Yes, I know, there is also the boutique Roland TR-09 which comes with Mini USB and a battery compartment. But to be honest: My fingers are too big for the controls. Heck, I struggle with the T-8 at this point!
So, my first goal is to include the Volca Sample more and put samples on it which I really need. It comes with 10 sample slots and so far I used like 3 or 4 of them. I also bought a Roland S-1 and want to use it to add more background flavor. I experimented with that and it worked well for me, but I need way more training. Choo choo, here comes the Synth train! My third and last goal is to find a mixing solution I feel comfortable with. Until now I used the Moukeys whenever I needed an external mixer. They work okay but they "just" mix signals together. No Send/Return for effects. No filters. The Korg Volca Mix solves this but the unit is noisy as fuck and I'm not sure if I can work around it. For now it will be part of my setup. It has one effect bus and I'm not sure what to add to it. The Volca Sample could use a compressor. But I don't need an FX channel for that, just throw the compressor directly between the sample and the mix input. The S-1 does not have any form of distortion, so I could use the FX to add some of it. My first experiments were... not so great. You can fuck up a drum computer or a 303 with a high gain distortion and it sounds awesome. A bit of overdrive always adds character, too. But for any reason this doesn't work so well with the S-1.
Okay, long story short:
When I play all this in a live set like some raving madman, I'll be satisfied. MAYBE then I feel comfortable enough to go playing as an artist for example in the GPN lounge. And not like an underground raver in the parking lot. Although, the parking lot was fun last year!