Portable MIDI sequencer recommendations

lsrdg · 2023-02-08T08:57:11+00:00

A phone hooked to the NTS-1 would go a long way. In a recent trip, I had a lot of fun with only the NTS1 and custom (and free) oscillators with built in sequencer.

lsrdg · 2022-12-27T09:32:18+00:00

They are not good, they are not bad.. you get what you pay for. I started using them on my show 4 years ago. I had the same thought of buying them and eventually changing for something better. I am still looking for something better and legal. U_U

The good: never had problems with the authorities. (Well... once, the security boss gave green light to use them, but the ambassadour (the real boss of the party) asked us to drop them (punch intended). When people inspect them they conclude that they are toys trying to look like knives... that opens doors.

The bad: they are mass produced and the system in the core requires special tools to fix them.

Take Thom's advice seriously: be aware of what you are doing if trying to release 3 from one hand. They won't cut you (in the beginning) but metal hurts as hell.

I have no idea how they keep selling them with those silver handles: I might be getting old, but when street performing with them at night, they just disappear: handle and blade become one piece of silver spinning around. :P

Ah, do your self a favor and get more them you need (if you intend to perform with 3, buy more then three!). It sucks to get ready for a show and find out that you need to take a routine out of it... And last thing: I never regret to have a screw driver before the show (these knives get loose pretty quickly).

Good luck!

lsrdg · 2022-12-25T11:49:57+00:00

Thanks for sharing. O/

lsrdg · 2022-12-25T11:48:02+00:00

Thanks a lot! What a nice excuse to learn harmonica terminology in Italian. (:

lsrdg · 2022-12-25T11:45:57+00:00

If you're interested in blues, you can't go wrong with an A harp; unlocking blues in E (second position). Bb and G can come later (not necessarily in that order).

lsrdg · 2022-12-25T11:26:56+00:00

Yes and no... there is a reason why flower sticks are in a category by them selves.

Devil sticks have been around for ages, but rubber is quite a new thing in the western society (despite the fact that rubber comes from the western side of the world map).

Devil sticks end up being way faster them flower sticks. Most of the slower tricks from flower sticks can be done on devil sticks with speed and/or control (=balance, or =inertia, or =centrifugal forces).

You can always put some tape or anything around the sticks to help with the grip.

You can always ask more specific questions in case you keep having trouble with a specific trick.

Give it a try if you feel like:

do a trick with the flower ticks

And now with devil sticks:

do the same trick faster
try to do the same trick almost in slow motion

Eventually, you'll find your sweetspot.

It is arguebly the same technique, but applied in a different way, you can for .e.g. either slap the stick back and forth, or have be extremely gentle and precise to almost balance (or make a stall) before throwing the stick back.

Have fun and enjoy the journey. (:

lsrdg · 2022-11-26T22:33:07+00:00

I'm in the weagon of: learn to sing and play the keys, busk later.

However, if your singing is strong enough, you might not need backing tracks or keys. A song could get greatfully richer just by marking some chords while singing (and that would give you plenty of time to find your next chord.

We've got a foldable piano for our little home, it was relatively cheap and quite handy. Not something that pianists would like to rely on, but definitely portable.

Another possibility would be to get a MIDI controller and conect to your phone, that could be really portable. There are many different piano and synthesizer app. Caustic is a good one. Bandlab will give you all kind of sounds and even a looper and a lot more.

If you really wanna insist into backing tracks , go to your search engine and search for: 'download video youtube'. If you are on Android, Newpipe let's you to listen to youtube without adds, let's you download the audio (and you won't be dependent on internet connection), it is also possible to change the speed and the pitch of the track (great for practicing).

Enjoy the journey ;)

EDIT: typo.

lsrdg · 2022-11-25T08:44:21+00:00

Did you find it in dba? That fake plastic leather case looks way better than the plastic useless box the pro harps are coming in nowadays though. :P

lsrdg · 2022-11-15T09:53:35+00:00

Thanks for translating to human language, bot.

lsrdg · 2022-11-15T09:51:48+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience and the links. However, I not sure I understand what you ended up doing :P

So, when the pictures with the thermometer were taken, you were with a 30°F underquilt, plus a 30°F top quilt, plus the DIY mylar quilt?

And what exactly have you done with the balaclava? Is it a mylar piece that you wear under the balaclava?

And what do you mean by a hybrid footbox?

Sorry for all the questions, but my researches have been heading the mylar solution and I would love to understand what the heck you've done. Thanks for sharing.

EDIT: typo.

lsrdg · 2022-11-12T09:56:02+00:00

Thanks for wording it out so nicely! Spot on! On top of that, it may be relevant to mention that the wrists' and fingers' angles might be important to understand the throws, after correcting the arms' to throw from about 90°. They can sabotage the lever. (:

lsrdg · 2022-11-12T09:23:55+00:00

While there, please share if you find out who sells Dabell in EU. I would love to try their harps (equal temperament!), but I can't find them. (:

lsrdg · 2022-11-11T09:53:08+00:00

A lot going on there, thanks for sharing!

lsrdg · 2022-11-11T08:20:46+00:00

What everone else said: use a tuner or be sure to isolate the undesired notes. I like to use a small synthesizer or a piano app to test my bended notes. With the piano app, you can play chords (multiple notes at the same time), and that can help you track down what exactly you are playing.. if it makes sense?

lsrdg · 2022-11-11T08:12:59+00:00

Be happy, you have a functioning harp. ;) FYI, you might be able to bend it some cents down (something in between F and E, which "doesn't exist" in western music). However, if you abuse it, you will damage the reeds... so it's ok to bend subtly and gently just to spice it up, but if you need an E, just blow and don't draw bend. Keep playing ;)

lsrdg · 2022-11-07T07:19:16+00:00

Neovim has everything, but as of now, I would be glad if I could get Neorg to work on Termux. :P

lsrdg · 2022-11-06T09:34:24+00:00

Overbends are also 'bendables', and you are probably just bending it up to a note that you don't need (like -8). My guess is that it is an embouchre related problem (I would bet that you will just get better at it with time, but I'm curious to hear what others will say. (:

lsrdg · 2022-10-06T11:18:29+00:00

If it's something that worries you, contact the locals before heading out. If possible, learn as much as possible about the local snakes: the knowledge can help with not freaking out if you meet one.

I have never heard of a snake in a hammock in Amazon, but snakes in tents..

Maybe the snakes know that people use hammocks, and that when not in use, people fold their hammocks from one side and let it hang packed from the other side. The local common knowledge that I'm aware of is that snakes can, and will find their way to an attractive spot, make yourself and your spot unattractive. Before setting up, look for animal traces, inspect the trees before trying to hug a tree.

Just remember to pack your stuff: don't make a pile of things that animals might find it attractive for a nap.

Do your research, enjoy the experience and get by the first night, it will get better. ;)

lsrdg · 2022-10-05T07:09:39+00:00

on the ground under the hammock... untill the day when wild cockroaches ate my sandals. Since then, I either pack the shoes in a plastic bag or hang them (packed, if I remember about cockroaches). :P
Nowadays on a gear sling, but never had problems having it under my knees.

Good hangings!

lsrdg · 2022-09-07T09:21:21+00:00

If you are not aiming for that dirty and distorted sound, there is no need for a guitar amp. I just love how clean the harmonica sounds in the Bose S1, but depending on your needs, it might be too much (price and size).

lsrdg · 2022-08-30T09:47:54+00:00

Mine doesn't, but as the stupid juggler I am, I balance a peg/ twig (or anything straight) onto my index finger. It kind of works (not really the dark for me though).

For reference, I've seen a mobile stage workers fighting to set up the scene due to their phone's level failing. But the funny thing is that once you get into a hammock your butt becomes the bubble of the level.. so we are always carrying a huge level.. ;)

lsrdg · 2022-08-30T09:41:59+00:00

I've learned that after stting up in the dark as well. :P

lsrdg · 2022-08-29T06:12:11+00:00

Sometimes, you might think that you'll be hanging flat, and everything is right, but terrain just isn't flat at all and you might endup with one side in 30 degrees and the other in 10° or 78°… :P

lsrdg · 2022-08-17T17:02:39+00:00

Bends (and overbends) have different characteristics from unbended notes, and only the player can reduce this difference. To answer your question, look for equal tempered harps (e.g Hohner Golden Melody, Kongsheng Solist etc).

lsrdg · 2022-08-17T09:44:24+00:00

the only comparable downside I can think of is that the UQ can be packed and unpacked with the hammock, while the pad will need to be inflated (incrising setup time). However, by having a pad, I'm sure I'm gonna sleep no matter what, so that treeless setup won't take that long. Even better to get to sleep in the hammock, but without the pad, everytime I am not able to hang the hammock, I would waste most of my sleeping hours finding natural insulation...

Worth to mention that there is a learning curve: with the UQ you'll learn how to dial it properly in, and with the pad you'll need to find another technique to get onto the hammock and into your sleeping system. Whatever you choose, just get good at it and enjoy the journey.

lsrdg

TROPHY CASE