Notes_Norton

When I decided to do MP3s as backing tracks for my duo (for the same reason as Craig - file size) I tested it this way. I set up my PA set, consisting of two EV-ZLX15P speakers and a Samson 12 channel analog mixer. I removed all FX and EQ to keep that from influencing the sound I hooked my synth modules up to two channels so that the sound was live--not recorded I recorded WAV and various resolution MP3 files and hooked them up to two channels in the same mixer The MP3 files were ripped with CDex with the LAME encoder, and with the Quality setting at the highest (Q=0) I adjusted the volumes so both the synth rack and recorded files were at 75db, "A" weighted, SLOW response. Next I sat 4 musicians down. One just had her hearing tested and was found as perfect as can be, another worked in a store that sold high-end sound equipment, and the others I trusted to have good ears. The musicians sat with their backs to me, so they couldn't see what I was doing. I played the audio and various recordings, and they wrote down their impressions. Nobody could not tell the difference between the synth rack, the WAV files and the 224kbps MP3 files. I'm sure there was a degradation in both the WAV and the 224kbps MP3 files, and I'm sure lab equipment could measure it. However, trained ears on a high-end PA system could not tell the difference. At 192 kbps all but one listener could hear the very slightest difference in the highest frequencies. I could hear it too. I doubt that anyone without trained ears listening in a quiet room could notice it, it was that slight. Not only that, but I swapped channels at this point between the synth rack and MP3 files to make sure the mixer channels weren't the difference. They weren't. At 128 kbps we could all hear the difference. Probably adequate for causal listening in a noisy environment like a car, but not good enough for stage. The high frequency loss was more noticeable, the dynamic response seemed reduced and the general clarity and separation of the instruments was degraded. Anything under 128 was pure trash. Since no room I play in is either a perfect listening environment, certainly not quiet, and hopefully full of an audience that is having a great time eating, drinking, listening, and dancing to the music, I figured 192kbps was optimum for my needs. BTW, I make my own backing tracks, playing all the parts myself in real time into a MIDI sequencer; Generally an orphaned Master Tracks Pro. It's a straight sequencer with great editing tools and no audio to get in the way, so everything is available from one click of the menu bar (no sub menus and sub-sub-menus). This allows me to spend more time on the MIDI controllers (synth keyboard, wind controller, drum controller, etc.) and less time on the computer keyboard. The synths and sound modules consist of Yamaha TX81z, Yamaha VL70m, Korg i3, Korg DS8, Roland MT32, Roland XV5050, Roland SC55, Edirol SD90, Ketron SD2 and both a Peavey and Akai hardware samplers that I sampled my own bass, drum, and other instrument samples. I choose what I consider the sound for each part from whatever synth I think sounds best in that song. In other words, we're listening to high quality sounds on a high-end PA set. Of course this is my personal experience, and depending on your ears, the app and encoder you are ripping your files with, the system you are playing them through, and a few other things, your experience might be quite different. Insights and incites by Notes

And remember Jagger and Richard got their band name from a Muddy Waters song: Rolling Stone (Catfish Blues) - Muddy Waters

We'll be right over!

I watched a movie about a golf cheater. He didn't play the fair-way.

Thanks, Craig! You took my lamest pun and made it a funny meta-pun. Read this in limerick meter... I posted a very lame pun I posted it just for the fun A few you did add That were just as bad, Now ten puns are better than one.

Can't afford a purple toupee? Get a... Raspberry Beret - Prince & The Revolution

I did enjoy the one about equines. There was a lot of horsing around.

"Pride And Joy" - Orianthi

Child of Mine - Fleetwood Mac

One bird can't make a pun But Toucan

Music from the movie, "La Jeune Fille en Feu" ("Portrait Of A Lady On Fire"). This is very different music for me. It's all female vocals, I don't understand the words, it starts out as an eerie drone, adds rhythm, then polyrhythm, and builds to a nice climax.

Light Cavalry Overture - Franz von Suppé

Tried to watch a show about ursines, but I couldn't bear it.

My minivan is backed up into the carport (in case I need to make a quick getaway) Leilani's Jeep is also backed up in the carport. My bathtub was backed up a couple of weeks ago, but the plunger took care of that. My data gets backed up every day. (MS Sync Toy) My system gets backed up weekly. I also backup before I put any new program on the computer, and when Microsoft wants to do an update. Monthly I make a complete disk image on removable media and keep quite a few of them (as many as the disk will hold) just in case I get some malware that sleeps before it strikes. It doesn't take much time, in a few clicks I can start it and let it run unattended. Notes

You might try one of the less expensive Roland AE models (05, 05, 10, etc). I've never tried one, but some models do have their own speaker and sounds; self-contained, no amp required. There is a Yamaha electric sax, but most of the guys on the wind controller list think it's overpriced. If you're serious, you can check out the discussions at http://www.patchmanmusic.com/forum/ The guys who own one of the reasonably priced AE10 know more about it than I do. N N

Today is John Paul Jones' birthday. He seems under-appreciated in contrast to his other stellar band mates. As a bass player myself, I think he is among the very best rock bassists, and this song demonstrates my point. Just listen to the bass. What Is And What Should Never Be - Led Zeppelin

Video unavailable Steve. Don't know what it is, so I'll react to Stagger Lee Ya Ya - Lee Dorsey

Miller's Cave - Hank Snow

I prefer the WX5 with the VL70m synth. What bugs me about the EWI is that the lip vibrato speed is not controlled by your bite pressure, but by a capacitor discharge. That makes for less control of the vibrato. The WX has true lip vibrato, and the physical modeling of the VL synth makes it feel like I'm playing a real instrument rather than controlling a synth. Unfortunately, both are no longer in production, but I have enough spare parts to last me until I reach my coda. Roland is coming out with a new Aerophone pro that looks promising, but it's going to retail at almost $1500. Since I play music for a living, I might evaluate that to see if it will give me enough more than my WX/VL combo to justify the price. After 9 months of unemployment, I have to think about these things. Notes

Diana Krall - Full Concert at the Newport Jazz Festival I've not heard this before, but I like Ms.Krall live better than on her studio work, so I'm expecting it to be good. Here goes!

Yep it takes a long time, but then it also sits around a few days to a week before we watch it. I suppose with streaming, sooner or later the DVD in the mail will cease. For us, a streaming subscription doesn't seem worth it to watch perhaps 2 movies a month. Plus the DVD rental covers pretty much all and I don't have to subscribe to multiple streaming services to see what I want to see. One more thing, I often like the BVDs; that's what I call the short features on the DVDs like 'making of', interviews, and commentary. (B in the BVDs for 'brief' which gives me a double pun.) I like to be busy - again - I know I'm weird. Instead of watching TV I learned to write styles for Band-in-a-Box, learned to start and run a mail order business, learned to convert that mail order biz to Internet order, learned to write HTML, created my own 2 web pages, created over 600 backing tracks for my duo, learned to play wind synthesizer, and learned to play lead guitar (still working on that). I guess for some people when they do what they enjoy for a living, and it's also their hobby, the pull to 'play' is stronger than the pull to sit and watch. NN

Gallows Pole - Willie Watson