b i t l e y m u s i c

For all of you (or us!) believing the Moog SL-8 was a Memorymoog prototype

2010-07-02T07:56:00.000+02:00

This landed in front of my eyes on a swedish forum just the other day;

"There has been scant information about the Moog SL-8 so I am going to take this opportunity to tell you what I know about it.

I started with Moog as a Sales Rep in March of '83 taking Bob Wehrmann's place who went to Sequential Circuits. I was probably Moog's worse factory Sales Rep (Central Division) although I had sold a many $100K's of product in Dallas. I was brought to the factory in late May before the Summer NAMM show at McCormick place and was told that I would be performing the "demos" of a new instrument in the hotel room.

Rich Walborn came and took me back to the back development area and I met a long haired gentlemen I believe was Ray Dennison who was the software engineer of the SL-8. The name SL-8 means the SPLIT/LAYER eight voice and the idea behind it was to create a low cost variant of the MemoryMoog that would be more reliable and penetrate the market segmentation that the Prophet 600 and Juno 60 was currently reaping.

The SL-8 was based upon the TI 99/4 16 bit microcomputer and the SW development was done on the TMS 9900 development system. A single precision relaxation oscillator circuit was reset by pulses that were generated by "lookups" within the microcomputer memory and the resultant "DCO" based design was very stable. Standard waveshaping components were derived from the basic sawtooth waveshape and enabled/disabled through CMOS switching. A master output VCA of the oscillator allowed the discrete transistor ladder VCF (also DCO) to be overdriven and be "phattened" in the Moog tradition.

A "Variable Harmonic Multiplier" quasi 2nd oscillator section could be "soft synced" to the main DCO and the VHM reset pulses were generated by the 99/4 controller and this overcame some of the single oscillator stigma since the waveshape of the VHM could be modulated as well by an EG or LFO.

The VCA path was CEM and a stereo chorus programmable per patch with variable spped and depth parameters really fattened up the sound.

When I first saw and heard the instrumant in early June it was barely working. Rich and I worked on HW issues and Ray toiled at writing the code that would make the SL-8 usuable as a hotel room "BUZZ DEMO" synthesizer. After many hard hours of testing and SW debugging, the SL-8 finally started becoming a decent sounding Moog that would split, layer, and edit from the panel scan and store about ten patches. It ran on the development system until two days before NAMM when I suggested that we try running it on a 99/4 in the socket instead of the emulation environment. There were numerous issues, but it actually ran on the IC computer instead of the emulation system before we left for NAMM.

At the hotel suite across the suite from McCormick Center, we had a sales meeting before NAMM and I had been pledged to secrecy not to "spill the beans". Nancy Kewin, Lee Hargrove, and other Sales Reps were booted from the room and Ray, Rich, and yours truly set up a SL-8 with the hidden TMS9900 development environment behind a backdrop. The system was booted and with a pair of SynAmps (for stereo) and started programming the ten demo sounds into the SL-8. I remember hearing Rich say "He really knows how to program this instrument!" as I continued. Nancy, Lee and all the rest of the other Sales Reps had their ear to the door outside until I said, "OK....I'm Ready!!???!"

I performed about a 15 minute demo with the ten sounds and then watched the faces with big smiles thinking ($$$$$$$) commissions.

After a few drinks and everyone discussiong how to market the instrument to the "big dogs" that would be brought over to the hotel from the NAMM floor for a demo.

Next day the major synth sellers in the US were given private demos and the vaporware SL-8 was given thousands of units of token orders.

On the last day of the show I finally got some time to go over to floor and at the Moog booth and I saw an ashen faced Herb Deutsch say to me "Craig, go over to the Yamaha booth". I went over and saw a sleek keyboard with velocity/pressure sensing and put on the headphones.....to my great surprise the six operator DX-7 synthesizer with the new algorithms and feedback added to the older GS-1/TRX FM was astounding. I asked how much...and the $1995 answer explained Herb's crestfallen demeanor. How would Moog compete with this?

Tom Rhea was brought in, there was downsizing, and the rest is known.

The SL-8 blew away the Phophet 600, Juno 60, Poly Six, and the other subtractive synths, but the DX-7 was a megaton range instrument in the sea of synths and went on to decisively command the market.

The DCO and assignment algorithm was capable of polyphonic portamento unlike the other DCO instruments of the time. We discussed emulating the four assignment algorithms in the MemoryMoog although only the NEXT mode was operational for the demos. The integration time of the poly portamento was a linear response curve. This was because that was easiest to do quickly with the time we had. An exponential portamento response curve would have only taken a few more days.

The EG resolution was very high with 7 bit accuracy for all of the envelope values. The Prophet 600 was 4 bit, the Roland 5 bit so the sound design was much easier and predictable. The VCA and VCF would "snap" if you set a 50% to 60% sustain level with no attack, delay, or release just like the Mini or MemoryMoog.

The oscillator had a Schmitt triggered suboctave square wave available that could be switched in at equal output. PWM (ok rectangle wave mod) could be manually set, EG mod with atten, or LFOed with the dual slope integrator LFO triangle/square wave.

The Variable Harmonic Multiplier also allowed some wave shape modulation from the EG or LFO with its own attenuator.

If you carefully set up the DCO with some smooth PWM, and modulated the VHM with some tweaking, you got a pretty good dual oscillator unison sound. The amplitude nulls between beating oscillators on a true 2 or more oscillator synth were not audible, but the waveform animation was phat and very distinctive. With a little syrup on the VCA EG and the internal stereo chorus tweaked it did a great string chorus sound that was very versatile.

I realized great brass, organ, monster unison dual layer basses, great tearing sync, and many other highly usuable patches with relative ease because of the controls' resolution, Moog ladder LPF, and distinctive wave shaping circuits taken from legacy moog designs. The inaccuracy of pitch control through exponential current converters was gone and just enough slop was in the oscillator integration circuits to keep it from being totally sterile with "perfect" interger derived tuning (which is what you really want).

One of the really cool attributes of the TMS 9900 MCU was it had a considerably faster 3.3 MHz clock than the 8051/8031 MCU used in the Roland and the 8085 in the Korg units at the time. It ran rings around a Z80 because of the 16 bit data path and the unique ability of the 9900 to store all user registers in RAM and update the "RAM Registers" in a single instruction cycle. If you called a subroutine or a NMI call was true, you could update the user register directly. This was how all of the parameters were stored/updated once a program or configuration change was made. It also made complex multi tasked threading for the housekeeping, DCO timing, triggering, MIDI, and controller interaction much simpler to code.

Which brings up another point......this baby would have been reliable if built. Almost all of the issues associated with the needed tuning accuracy that the MemoryMoog did not have were mitigated. The MemoryMoogs 12bit DAC only allowed 4096 tuning units. With all of the summed trims there are in the MM, it's a wonder that they even tune at all. You have to get everything right and then it's an evanescent experience. If you are really competent and make it a labor of love, then a MemoryMoog tune may last a few months, but its the Fluke 87 III, mirror, and a crooked neck after that time span.

THE SL-8 would have had none of those issues, but it was still a Quiotic Quest for Moog Music. The Japanese Stentorian Monoliths of Yamaha, Roland, and Korg had the research and investments. They were in it for the long haul as are most Asian companies, and they gathered Traction in the 80's with only Sequential, Emu, and a few others able to eke out some profit.

BTW Roger.....who got the cool Hockey Game in the cafeteria with the great sound effects? Very Happy

Craig"

MATRIXSYNTH: TALENT LOOKOUT. REMIX THIS VIDEO.

2010-06-23T04:34:00.000+02:00

MATRIXSYNTH: TALENT LOOKOUT. REMIX THIS VIDEO.

b i t l e y m u s i c: Remix competition

2010-06-23T04:30:00.000+02:00

b i t l e y m u s i c: Remix competition

Remix competition

2010-06-23T04:28:00.000+02:00

Remix the sound from my posted YouTube clip here.

Post it on YouTube and notify me.

Deadline July 31st 2010.

Read more on the supplied links!

New! Updates!

2010-06-22T07:34:00.000+02:00

http://bitley.laconicsounds.net

A bunch of updates now! :) Fairlight Supremacy 1.3 has just been released and it contains 200 Mb of additional samples for all Fairlight CMI Legacy refill users - a free update as always. The new sounds include for instance D-50's Pizzagogo, the Chariots Of Fire sound as used by Vangelis (synthesized on a Roland D-50 and then sampled in 24 bits), over 50 new Combinator patches, about 30 new NNXT patches.

Also new - a completely new free ReFill called "Dreams Of Robots.rfl", 10 Mb of samples directly from a Roland Jupiter 8 kindly provided by Firechild, a producer / songwriter from Sweden. The sounds were Jupiter 8 renditions of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" main lead synth and the LFO-animated patch used by Kraftwerk for their legendary "The Robots".

I have now also made a 13 page PDF document with the entire patch lists from the De Light, Orlando and Fairlight refills. You will find it in the menu - and users will find it in the dropboxes. Might come in handy. Print it out and use it for putting your own notes on the sounds and what you like or dislike. Let me know!

As for the music production, I'm working on different deep house tracks now and I even made a new track with the Supremacy 1.3 sounds - you can find it on my SoundCloud page. The track's title is Hauz Vaib. Rickard K (Richie Kay) and I form the DJ-friendly "Groovekissing" and we're working on new things for release, hopefully, on iTunes and the regular DJ spots for purchasing trax.

Mid summer is coming up by the end of this week and the weather in Sweden is now better and better. It's been rainy and rather cold but I hope for HEAT now.

Best,
Patrick

The Orb to perform live in Sweden on saturday

2010-06-04T03:48:00.000+02:00

The annual VOLTFESTIVALEN will be held on saturday in Uppsala, Sweden, starting 7PM, and the lineup is crazy, including LE PETIT ORB! Since I live in Uppsala, I will of course be there!

http://www.voltfestivalen.se

Reason 5 & Record 1.5

2010-05-25T08:11:00.000+02:00

Dr. OctoRex. The first new member of the upcoming Reason update. Stunning graphics and well thought out new features are coming our way later this year.

The OctoRex holds 8 loops in memory at once, and will contain a new file format; loop packs of 8 loops will be easily loaded in one go with the Combinator-like top display. I see a lot of possibilities with this. It also has very cool playback features like the ability to switch loops every bar or even every 16th step. It doesn't take much to get the imagination spinning on what can be done with this. Take 8 nice synthesizer loops for instance, playing notes. Just a little bit of tweaking and voilá; instant modular synthesis-like sequencer patterns can be done. I really think it feels amazing.

I will update this post with the four remaining new items to be presented this week.

CTRLRS synthesizer editors

2010-05-19T01:24:00.000+02:00

CTRLRS is an open source project with MacOS X and Windows midi synthesizer editors. This is something which really should solve the problems for all hardware synth users out there. For now, some famous old and new synths are represented, for instance Juno 106, JX8P and the DSI Mopho. Click the headline to go there and check it out. I don't know yet how it's supposed to be built up with more synth models but I could clearly see a spot for the Roland JV/XV synths and much more. Many of the recent synths were delivered with editors but for older gear this is a godsend.

Teenage Engineering

2010-05-18T03:47:00.000+02:00

This cool dude is part of ACNE in Sweden, designer and as it haps also a muso. Wonderful new toys with a very smooth Apple kind of vibe. I really think the little controller / synth looks ultra cool. It's not ready for release yet but it's a bit sad it seems a bit steep - anyhow, a very cool approach. It looks like Elektron & Clavia gets a new partner in the swedish crew of synth manufacturers. Had someone told me we'd have three synth "factories" in Sweden some years ago I would have nodded my head. But look! :)

http://www.teenageengineering.com/

The world economy & food situation

2010-05-17T23:59:00.000+02:00

A worldwide survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was:"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"

The survey was a huge failure... In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant. In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant. In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant. In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant. In the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant. In South America they didn't know what "please" meant. And in the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant.

By the way, my site is under maintenance tonight so if you haven't been able to reach it, now you know.

Factory preset findings 2

2010-05-13T22:39:00.000+02:00

We also have the mighty old 1987 Fantasia.

Prefab Sprout - "Wild Horses"

Intro sound: Roland D-50/550 - "Fantasia".

Factory preset findings

2010-05-13T21:39:00.000+02:00

Over the years great songs have been made with great instruments. I have come to play with these instruments and recognized the patches.

I will post a number of blog posts with the results but let's begin with the late Michael Jackson who to the huge shock of the entire world past away last year. I still feel like crazy writing that. That can't be. Mike will live forever and peace to his soul - rest in peace.

Man In The Mirror

Intro: The Roland D-50/550 preset patch "Afterthought", recorded in stereo (that'd be two overdubs; Bruce Swedien says he always tracks things on one side at a time).

The Packrat - archive

2010-05-04T15:16:00.000+02:00

For all synth punters - the hilarious Packrat archives. Great comics! :)

Vince Clarke Rarities

2010-05-04T15:08:00.000+02:00

Depeche Mode, Yazoo & etc fanboy / fangirl? :) Check out the Vince Clarke Rarities, just click this blog post's headline to get there. Obviously lousy sound quality but still highly entertaining, a view into the early days of Mute records. Pure history.

Your own Minimoog in 15 minutes

2010-04-21T09:34:00.001+02:00

It had to come one day when someone handed out free minimoogs, those old and completely overpriced gadgets from the past.

Happy joyful times!

http://www.synthgear.com/2009/diy/free-diy-minimoog/

To be honest I love the minimoog. Anyone into synthesizers do. It's impossible to resist it, I just wish I had silly amounts of dough so I could jump on the train and get one... ;)

Fimmfördurhals - Iceland

2010-04-20T18:50:00.001+02:00

Fimmfördurhals on Iceland from Marc Szeglat on Vimeo.

This is really, really happening. Or - it was; just a few days ago. Nature's powers are truly staggering beyond words. I can really only let the video speak for itself. Impressing and scary at the same time. Eruption.

19 new versions won't do it justice. Ju-ju-ju-ju-justice.

2010-04-20T18:41:00.002+02:00

Now this is a classic song.

Remember to never, ever listen to the just released new remixes. Because they suck and they kill the track. I just heard them and they made me feel really bad. In a way that transfer my classic hero Paul Hardcastle into someone who should be called Paul Hasbeen.

This version, however, feels just as fitting on clubs and discos as it always did. It's a classic.

They say "kill your darlings" and that may be something good at times, but here - all of what was cute, groovy, sweet and wonderful about the original song just got lost in the post... editing.

Back and forth... sorry for this

2010-04-20T18:40:00.001+02:00

I tried Squarespace's web hosting / CMS system. It was great. But they didn't have any solutions for selling products - not a big issue since they tipped me on checking out a good provider for that. But it's getting a bit messy having paypal, squarespace and a 3rd party involved for transactions. And it costs.

As I'm starting out I decided to get back and hold my horses a bit - therefore - a new site has been built at the address I've had now for a while - http://bitley.laconicsounds.net.

I tried the blogging functions at Squarespace and it was so good I was ready to abandon this blog. Now, this blog is free to use. That's got to be good? I think it's great. So why abandon a fully functioning thing? Exactly - so I changed my mind. I'm going to stick with this site for that.

Anyway - now I've managed to set up some paypal links from my site and I've fixed automated direct downloads for some smaller products. Also new: SysEx banks for synths. Check out bitley.laconicsounds.net. Sorry for going back'nforth!

New website & new blog

2010-04-19T02:18:00.000+02:00

Please click the headline to reach my new website & my new blog. This blog will now fade into oblivion, I will only check it occasionly. The future looks bright and the Bitley™ is getting a site. Rhymin' for ya!

KTHXBAI!

The mini refill is out! :)

2010-04-16T03:31:00.000+02:00

The $2 "De Light" refill is now released featuring 60 patches, some samples and a bit of the Legacy cake for each and everyone.

Fairlight CMI Extra Info

2010-04-02T04:24:00.000+02:00

I wrote down some info & stuff on a little webpage, reach it by clicking the headline. Kudos!

Free Refill with demos & updates now released

2010-04-01T15:32:00.000+02:00

Click the headline in order to reach the product page on PowerFX where the new refills are released. The Farirlight CMI Supremacy refill is a free refill with demos and updates. So if you bought Legacy, now you're getting about 300 new patches. In total, Supremacy has well over 550 NNXT patches. All Combinators are updated and there's also new Combinator patches. New drum sounds. Additional machines sampled (D-50 and TR-707 for instance). Supremacy comes with about 50 Mb of new samples. If you plan to purchase Legacy, this is a great start and hey - don't throw Supremacy away when Legacy is installed. They work hand in hand.

Additional revisions

If the following will be large enough, I will keep adding patches, demo songs and whatnot to the Supremacy refill, keeping it alive and kicking. Users who wish to contribute - send your zipped patches to patrick.fridh [at] gmail [dot] com and I will add them into next revision.

Fairlight CMI video

2010-03-26T02:37:00.000+01:00

Click the headline to see a little info / commercial (sorry) video about my new Reason refill.

Finally the Fairlight library is available in a format usable today!

Fairlight CMI Legacy

2010-03-17T19:41:00.000+01:00

The new Refill I've been working on is now online & available. It feels great to finally be able to think of this mega(byte) project as finished. We sampled a Fairlight IIx and put together presets and patches for Reason (version 4). And demo tracks. And made some Combinator patches. Click the headline to read more about it & hear some demos.

Some people have asked for WAV/AIFF libraries in order to use the samples in other sample players. Problem: No one has found out such a smart way to package sounds as Propellerheads. To my knowledge. The Refill format is just great. One file with everything. All 1700 sampled sounds.

Remember Master And Servant?

It's a lot.
It's a lot.

Bitley + Tintin = Titley ;)

2010-03-10T14:53:00.000+01:00

I have been collaborating with Martin Ternander aka Tintin on a new track called "I May Be A Robot", and it's now up on Soundcloud. I also made a remix in a recognizable style... that is, if you enjoy Art Of Noise.

Jim Aikin

2010-02-10T02:12:00.002+01:00

The great synthesizer reviewer from Keyboard Magazine's old & catalogue-sized times! He's on the internet, blogging! I've got to find the other guys too. I just did a quick search and found websites for Greg Rule and Mark Vail as well, but no blogs (there, at least).

Jim's got a lot to say and he does it with style, as always.

Jim Aikin's blog

Some new mixes posted

2010-02-09T20:38:00.000+01:00

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley™ on Soundcloud

Some new demo material posted on SoundCloud now that Trig.com seems to have fallen asleep. Check out the mixes of Sophie Rimheden's never released cover of "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes".

Making rounds with Oscar: The extraordinary gift of an ordinary cat

2010-02-02T21:33:00.000+01:00

The headline is copied from a newly released book about the cat Oscar, who's got a sense for when people are about to pass away. When it's about time, he joins the person and helps out by offering his sheer presence. Very interesting. This phenomena has happened about 50 times to date. Oscar is 5 years old.

Handla tyskt?

2010-01-30T07:25:00.002+01:00

Gemeinschaft

Handla tyskt? Ja, det låter nästan som skällsord. Handla tyskt. Smaka bara på uttrycket. Det känns ju liksom lite fel. Bo här och handla från Tyskland. På något vis känns det som om det skapar en ojämn handelsbalans.

Men på något vis känns det som en smart grej. Vi är ju med i EU. Från barndomen minns jag att det fanns en massa kampanjer för att handla svenskt. Var det Volvo och Saab som samarbetade om det uttrycket? Har dock inte sett det sedan Dackefejden. Köp Svenskt!

Idag landade trevlig post i min brevlåda. Den fullkomligt hemska katalogen från Music Store i Köln. Hemsk på ett tyskt vis. Fantastisk på ett tyskt vis. Stort sortiment. Många special bundleprice! och liknande. Det finns liksom ingen finess - men å andra sidan, vad gör det när priserna är så låga som de är?

Ibland är detta dock en myt. Om man jämför med våra svenska handlare så kan butiken runt hörnet vara bra mycket billigare än Heinz Von Knackwurst & Co där nere i den europeiska högborgen. Men det är tyvärr bara ibland. Med betoning på ibland.

Man bläddrar igenom katalogen med skräckblandad förtjusning. En otrolig mängd prylar. I en salig röra. Omöjligt att hitta vad man söker. Lättklädda damer, vad ska jag tänka nu. Vackra också. Hoppas inte flickvännen råkar se mig över axeln just nu. Bläddra förbi. Ah, där är ett säkert uppslag. Nå´n tabell av något slag. Tumgrepp där så man har en "boss key" om hon råkar tjuvtitta. Man vill ju inte bli anklagad för att ha blivit fluktare på äldre dar.

Texter som ser ut att vara översatta av Altavista´s Babelfish eller någon annan digital maskin. Ibland ett ganska bra engelskt språk, ibland rent komiskt, sjukt dåliga översättningar. "The absolute mega hit!". Tyskar har ibland också en förmåga att skriva samman engelska ord. Så de blir tyska. "Brandnew!". Man riktigt hör hur den düska brütningen tar överhanden.

Hur mycket jag än vill hävda den svenska smakfullheten så finns det en motsägelse i detta. Ni har väl sett reklamtidningen från Musikbörsen? Inga lättklädda brudar (tyvärr), men i stället ett fullkomligt horribelt språk. Av svenskar, för svenskar. Kan känna att hur komisk Music Store´s katalog ändå är mellan varven så gör de i alla fall ett försök. De breddar sig och säljer utanför landets gränser. Jag tvivlar inte på att Music Store exempelvis kan skriva bra tyska - för sin tyska publik. Och inte alls uppfattas som stötande bland tyskar. Lättklädda damer, ha! Det hör ju till vardagen. Där. Så vad är då problemet?

Var är svenskarna? Var är våra svenska reklamutskick, var är våra svenska internethandlare för musikutrustning? Jodå, det finns några. Jag känner till tre: Sagda Musikbörsen (som nyligen öppnat en "webstore" på allvar), JAM (som inte har store-funktioner men använder websajten väldigt aktivt) samt Feedback Music i Malmö. Se´n har nästan alla musikaffärer websidor, men samtliga känns lite svårgenomträngliga. Inte övertydligt med KÖP-knappar, utan mest informativa sajter. Ibland snygga produktioner för övrigt, men med en klar "kom in i butiken!"-stämpel. Det är inte dumt. Musikaffärer är trevliga.

Vad de dock glömmer är att det ofta är söndag då man har bestämt sig för Den Där Prylen. Eller rent av sen kväll. Med eller utan Luuk. Och man känner att det vore rätt kul att få hem prylen rätt snart. Utan att behöva gå och pruta hos tomtenissarna i butiken. Tomtenissarna som ibland inte ens bryr sig om att man försöker få uppmärksamhet. Tomtenissarna som i värsta fall får dig att känna dig som Den Beige Kunden, som du säkert minns från Roy & Rogers mack.

Det är väl klassiskt. Kunden som kommer in i musikaffären och bara ska köpa ett plektrum. Får han bra service kommer han in nästa vecka då ProTools ska inhandlas. Men musikaffärerna hoppar runt i ett ekorrhjul. Kunden som bara ska köpa ett plektrum får sällan den där toppenservicen han tänkt sig.

Och då står Tyskland där och bankar. På dörren. Achtung, polizei! Vi har 30% lägre priser på allt. Hur ska du ha det?

Det är frågan det. Handlar du svenskt? Eller tycker du tysk internethandel funkar bra? Får du bra service när du ska handla plektrum? Bildligt talat, naturligtvis. Översätt till det språk som passar dig. Plektrum, midikabel, DAT-kassett, CDR-skiva. Ska musikaffärerna vara som de är, lite sävliga sådär, lite hemtrevliga men ibland ganska frustrerande? Eller ska de vara som skoaffärer med ihärdiga tanter som rusar fram och möter dig i dörren? "Kan jag hjälpa dig med något" och ett trevligt leende? Ja. Både och. Men inte bara ungdomsgård. För då kan man ledsna. Gå hem och sätta sig vid datorn och knäppa upp en Bier, ta en bit tüsk ölkorv och surfa in på en sajt där man serverar allt på ett stort fat, sedan få hem sin Prül två dagar senare. No worries.

Svenska musikhandlare borde vara frustrerade, slita sitt hår... men jag ser inga motaktioner. Privatimporten tillåts växa i lugn och ro. Och samma sak gör tysklands BNP. Vi fattiga svenskar bidrar. Sned balans eller sund konkurrens?

Texten kan vara något utdaterad, den skrevs och publicerades 2003 på forumet 99musik.

Sagan om en trummaskin

2010-01-30T07:15:00.000+01:00

Jag vet inte om alla kan historien men det är ju ganska kul att skriva, så here goes.

Roland TR-909 var typexemplet på den misslyckade trummaskinen i samplingens premiärdagar. När den kom 1984 så hade redan Linn brutit mark med sina trummaskiner, som till och med användes på hårdrocksplattor för att de kunde låta trummis, med den tidens mått (och med duktiga studioteknikers hjälp). TR-909 ansågs med andra ord låta riktigt, riktigt illa. Den enda som använde den var Phil Collins och något ytterst fåtal andra, möjligen Cabaret Voltaire någonstans.

De flesta 909:or hamnade snabbt på second hand-butikernas hyllor och rasade där i pris så pass mycket att de som inte visste något om tekniken men var intresserade, såg någon konstig box från det där stora märket Roland och köpte den billigt.

Det här är samma sak som hände med SH-101, MC-202 och TB-303. Instrument som ansågs ganska meningslösa i DX7:ans högtidsdagar. Små monofoniska syntinstrument som lät som "leksaker". De var ekonomiskt sett värdelösa.

Roland själva fick panik och hade bråda dagar att snabbt göra en maskin med samplingar, och rusade ut 707:an redan året därpå. Väldigt få 909:or hann faktiskt byggas. Tänk att dessa glada japaner på allvar tyckte att 909 lät tillräckligt mycket "riktiga trummor". Ännu konstigare är egentligen hur de tänkt om CR-78 och TR-808. Var det så nära man lyckades göra ett riktigt trumsound på syntetisk väg?

Någonstans på vägen inträffade magi. Någon upptäckte att 909:an hade en ganska magnifikt fet bastrumma. Och en rätt nice handklapp också. Nästan ibland fetare än klappmaskinen nummer ett, 808:an (känd från Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing"). Men vänta nu. Vilka hihats. Housemusiken som börjat göras på TR-707 rullade ut på obskyra tolvtumsplattor. När man provade att efterlikna beatsen med TR-909 måste det ha varit en rasande trevlig dag. Kompisarna som först fnös och skrattade svalde nog snabbt sin besserwisser-förståsigpåar-koll. "Öh, du kan faktiskt få byta den mot min 707:a om du vill". Det lät ju f*n så mycket fetare. Vips tömdes hyllorna på den stora trummaskins-besten som stått och samlat damm i många år. TR-909 blev en hit och där skapades sagan om en flopp som blir en dundersuccé.

Tillgång och efterfrågan gjorde att TR-909 runt 1990 var värd runt 3000:- i Sverige, men då hade man gjort ett ganska bra klipp ändå. För raskt var den uppe i fyra... nej fem, nej sex, nej sju... nej! Åtta tusen kronor. Runt 1994 låg den redan däromkring och skvalpade. Året därpå var den nog uppe i tio lakan.

Precis samma ekonomiska utveckling drabbade TR-808 och TB-303. Många började samla på hela Rolands äldre (och framför allt analoga) x0x-serie (303, 606, 909, 808, 101, 202). Plötsligt var de omöjliga att hitta. Dök en TB upp så kunde man se priset 12.000:- helt plötsligt. Och även mer. Men de såldes ändå.

De såldes till dessa priser av en anledning; instrumenten bildade ryggraden i house- techno och acid-musiken som börjat bubbla under mitten av 80-talet och framåt. Framme vid 1994 hade housemusiken kommit så långt att den skulle komma att förändra klubbmusiken på ett sätt som varit ihållande sedan dess. Den hårda och feta baskaggen i 909:an har använts på så många houseklassiker att det är löjligt, det går inte ens att räkna antalet låtar innehållande just denna trummaskin. Men för att nämna en låt som brukar omnämnas i sammanhanget kan man ta Adamskis monstruösa hit "Killer" med sång av den där okände killen som kallades för "Seal".

We get a little bit... crayyyyyyzeeee...

Och för oss som växte upp med soundet så kvarstår 909 som en ypperligt fet klassiker. Väldigt få lyckade house-baskaggar görs med någon annan maskin än just 909 än idag, även om soundet blivit långt mer komprimerat och utstuderat. 909 är en välbyggd best, med separata utgångar för ypperliga möjligheter att processa ljudet.

Då det också är en häftig pryl rent allmänt så kan man nog också säga att mycket av värdet ligger i att människor samlar på dessa maskiner. Även om de inte används så ofta så ger det en positiv känsla för vem som helst som gillar dansmusik att ha en 909:a i studion. Den är ofta lika given som Technics 12x0-skivspelare och Rolands Juno 106.

Ett tag rasade värdet en smula på 808 och 909, då Novation släppte DrumStation som var en trummodul som kunde återge dessa två på ett rättvist sett, men erbjöd lättare MIDI-möjligheter. 808 hade ju inte ens MIDI även om 909 triggade hyfsat snabbt över gränssnittet. Men det var en kort succé för rackmodulen, snart återtogs balansen och maskinerna från Roland blev åter i ropet.

Det är som om åren inneburit prövningar; samplingsbanker med ljuden har gjorts i mängder, men ändå söker många originalburkarna "bara för att".

Jag tycker personligen TR-909 låter förträffligt än idag, inte minst så är reglagen ganska balla och man kan ändå förändra soundet ganska mycket med bara 909:an själv. Addera sedan kompressorer, delay, reverb, pitchshifters och annat och möjligheterna blir ganska outtömliga. Åtminstone för dem som jobbar med nämnda musikstilar.

Så likt Minimoog, Jupiter 8, TB-303 och Juno 106 så har TR-808 och 909 kommit att bli "evergreens". Oavsett det digra sortimentet kloner och kopior, samplingsbanker och till och med nya mjukvarutrummaskiner som kan göra helt nya ljud i samma stuk så är originalen numera vintage. Klassiker. Odödliga.

Att 909 säljs för 12.000:- än idag är alltså ingenting konstigt.

A Reason ReFill in the making

2010-01-13T22:20:00.001+01:00

I've moved to a new location now, ÖRSUNDSBRO a few miles outside Uppsala. It's been (and still is) a mess with all stuff and quite BAD planning from my side.

However, I'm still working on the Fairlight CMI Legacy ReFill and if you click the headline, you'll get to hear some of the demo songs I'm also making. I just now added "The DX Element" featuring DX7 sounds... or A sound... THE sound... or so. :)

FAIRLIGHT CMI LEGACY

2009-12-10T05:32:00.000+01:00

In a joint venture with Fairlight CMI IIx owner Jerker Lindborg we've recorded all 33 Fairlight disks at highest audio quality, and we're building a ReFill bank for Reason 4 with LOADS of new tricks with these old and highly sought-after, classic sounds.

The bank will contain hundreds of 100% Fairlight II (& possibly III) patches!

This is one of several demo songs / fun sequencer moments that you'll hear over time when we're programming up more patches. Oh yes, we're going to maximize the Combinator, too. Check out PowerFX for my producer page with ReFills!

Click the headline to hear the brand new all Fairlight track! :)

Roland JX-8P

2009-11-26T14:26:00.001+01:00

The headline takes you to a brand new soul-inflected track I made with exclusively JX-8P patches and just a drum loop from Logic (and some plugin FX like reverb & delay).

I just got a JX8P again and I seriously think it's one of the best keyboard synths ever produced. It's fat, lush, bright, wonderful.

Think leather couch, Manhattan view, drink in hand. Fat.

TRE GITARRIGA SKISSER

2009-11-18T15:11:00.002+01:00

Here's a little mini album of three brand new "guitary sketches", click the headline in order to reach them & stream them. If you would like them as a little mini-album zipfile, just drop me a line at patrick.fridhATgmail.com and I'll bounce them back. Enjoy!

The Orlando JX10 ReFill

2009-10-29T23:25:00.000+01:00

PowerFX is about to release my new ReFill for Reason called "The Orlando JX10 ReFill". It contains 444 synth sounds and 25 drum kits!

Here's all the info:

The Orlando JX10 ReFill

Imagine having a classic Roland synthesizer at your fingertips - a JX10 SuperJX (the huge keyboard that also came in the form of the rack-mount MKS-70. Imagine having more sounds than it could ever hold in memory (it had a memory of 50 user sounds, 50 factory sounds and 64 patches - which combined the 100 tones in memory). Imagine having things it never had - like multi-timbral operation, no limit on simultaneous sounds and voices, built-in effects and more. This ReFill gives you a total amount of 444 synth sounds, as well as 25 drum kits. The sounds are sampled from unique patches made by Patrick Fridh as well as a couple of classic factory sounds.

Tape saturation

Not only do you get "analog feel" into your Reason rack, you also get a healthy amount of tape saturation to spice things up even more. Most of the JX10 sounds were recorded to cassette tape before being sampled. This gives these sounds a special feel which is great combined with the ultra-clean sound of Reason.

Interesting Combinator sounds

Full advantage has been taken of the Combinator module, making it possible to create not only 4-oscillator sounds like the JX10 could but why not 16-oscillator sounds with full polyphony? Make sure to try out buttons and switches - many patches were made to make the Combinator become an instrument of its own, combining the lush analogue feel of the JX10 with the synths in Reason to create sounds you have never heard before.

Sound types

In this ReFill, be prepared to get huge bass sounds, new and original synth sounds (even some tricks with the Subtractor you probably didn't think of before), amazing pads and sound beds, a wide selection of drum samples taken not only from the JX10 but also from a TR-909 and the amazing V-Synth. Added to this is a couple of great lead sounds, poly and mono synths, synth FX sounds and more. A special selection of techno & oldskool rave sounds have also been included, so this ReFill could clearly become one of your best sound sources for your music production.

Contents

291 Wavesamples (142,1 Mb of samples)
189 Subtractor patches
102 Combinator patches
90 NNXT patches
38 Thor patches
25 NN19 patches
25 ReDrum kits
14 Songs and demo files
12 Rex files
10 Malström patches

ReFill size: 113,3 Mb

Copyright info: Roland, TR 909, JX10, MKS 70 and V-Synth are registered trademarks of Roland Corporation, Japan.

The ReFill will retail for $49 at PowerFX. If I'm lucky, they'll find time to put it up online starting tomorrow.

Check out my Vox profile! :)

2009-10-19T05:15:00.000+02:00

http://patrickfridhakabitley.vox.com

I just created a profile at Vox.com, perhaps this blog will be moved there too, I don't know yet, but it seems much easier reaching out & touching faith from there! :)

Yellow Orange (2009 edit & remix)

2009-10-18T03:03:00.001+02:00

BRAND NEW REMIX ONLINE - JUST CLICK THE HEADLINE - WATCH & LISTEN IN HD!

"We were not punk - we're an industrial experiment band"

2009-10-17T20:01:00.000+02:00

Check out my YouTube channel to get some of the fantastic clips from BBC's new synth series, I'm adding them to my favourites so you can find them quite easily. This is fantastic historical material.

The Balloon Boy

2009-10-17T05:09:00.000+02:00

A big talkie in the US right now seems to be the somewhat confusing story about a little boy who was toying with his dad's "experimental balloon"... I don't get it, really...

New track uploaded on The Tube.

2009-10-14T14:32:00.000+02:00

"Italio" now got a little 2009 edit as well. A track that was originally made in 1990, can you believe it? I can't.

The average age of the US soldier was nineteen. 19.

N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-19.

Nineteen years ago. Nine teenyears. Of my middle age. Crisis. I'm 37.

As always,

Click the blog headline to enter this malfunctioning muzak!

press release: UNIQUE REMIX COMPETITION

2009-10-12T03:22:00.001+02:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact information:

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley™
Sound designer and musician
E-mail: patrick.fridh AT gmail.com
http://bitleymusic.blogspot.com

YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlXYjFeC_mw

SoundCloud
http://soundcloud.com/bitleytm/koolkordz-2009-remix-kit-worldwide-remix-competition

99musik
http://www.99musik.se/showthread.php?t=270782

UNIQUE REMIX COMPETITION
Uppsala, Sweden, October 12, 2009

The Reason specialist Patrick Fridh invites all musicians of the world to participate in a remix competition which incorporates video.

KOOLKORDZ 2009. The iTunes and Spotify musician Patrick Fridh (also known as Bitley™), known from (but not affiliated to) producing factory sounds to Propellerhead's Reason software package as well as sound banks for PowerFX AB, welcomes all creative musicians in the world to participate in an unusual remix competion for his track Koolkordz 2009, presently only available on YouTube.

In 1994, Patrick Fridh wrote "Koolkordz" using an Atari, a Yamaha TX81Z and an Ensoniq EPS 16+ sampler. Now he has made a new version of the track using Reason 4.

This new version is open for being remixed using any tools available today. All remixes are to be placed on YouTube only - this is the remix artist's duty, and should feature original video material or "video samples" taken from the original video (by recording Fridh's YouTube video using any video recorder).

The remix kit is uploaded to SoundCloud and free to download. See link above.

The competition entree finishes his or her remix, adds video and edits this with any tool (Windows Movie Maker for PC and Apple iMovie for Mac recommended as basic choices) and then adds a comment about where on YouTube the remix is placed - this comment is to be added in the comment field of Patrick Fridh's Koolkordz 2009 video on YouTube. See link above.

The remixes will then be linked and voted for by members of the free internet forum 99musik. See link above. As a note, Patrick Fridh also formed the original version of 99musik in 2002. 99musik is today one of Sweden's largest independent, national music forums (however welcoming visitors from all over the world).

The competion winner and two runners-up recieves sample CDs and recognition. The best remixes will later on be released on iTunes Music Store, and all incomes from the remix album will be shared equally to all participants. This is a great opportunity for both known and unknown artists to reach out and gain more listeners. The unique thing about this remix competition is that not only audio shoud be provided, so should video.

This is - in other words - the first time anyone merges the powerful possibilities of the combined forces of YouTube, iTunes, SoundCloud and web forums in order to reach out and touch new listeners and viewers.

Deadline for the remix entries is November 15, 2009.

Entrants should be able to provide a full WAV or AIFF file with their remix for the planned, future release on iTunes.

ANNOUNCEMENT : WORLDWIDE REMIX COMPETITION

2009-10-12T02:00:00.000+02:00

Patrick Fridh (also using the moniker Bitley™) hereby welcomes YOU to REMIX the SONG and the VIDEO to the track called "Koolkordz 2009". By clicking the headline of this blog post you will reach SoundCloud where you can download the remix kit, then just start working. You will also find some more information on SoundCloud.

Press releases of this will be sent to some major music sites to make sure lots of creative people will participate.

The original idea with this remix competition

The idea is that you not only remix the track, you also make your own video (or sample snippets from mine, found via my YouTube channel http://youtube.com/bitleytm). You then post the result on YouTube, linking your remix to mine by writing a comment to my video.

There will be a voting to see who's making the winning remix, and the voting will take place on the music forum 99musik.se (http://www.99musik.se) - to vote, you need to become a member. This is free.

Winner and runners-up (places 1, 2 and 3) will recieve sample CDs (and perhaps more) AND they will possibly also earn money from it since I am thinking about releasing this on iTunes later on. The 10 best mixes (if we reach that quality, who knows? Even more?) will be released on iTunes Music Store.

Koolkordz 2009 [new track, premiere on youtube]

2009-10-09T23:47:00.000+02:00

Please click the headline of this blog post.
Please listen.
And please comment nicely & fly me some stars.

I need your - the world's attention.

History of the track

In 1993 or 1994 I worked with an Atari 1040 STFM and some hardware synthesizers, like a Yamaha TX81Z and an Ensoniq EPS 16 Plus sampler. I got tired of using the Lately Bass patch on the TX and tried to find new uses for other types of sounds [that I liked]. I ended up creating this line on the Xylophone preset which formed a starting formula for the song. Piano was added to the main melody.

The original version is online somewhere, possibly on iTunes or Spotify. I will post it on Youtube as well just shortly.

Now in October 2009, I finally decided to sample that xylophone lead and try to take the track to an updated stage.

While I was trying to edit something visually in iMovie I browsed around for tutorials, and I found this great one by a guy named Anthony & called Oneironaut420 on Youtube. Being from Sweden I have always appreciated english spoken natively (american or english or australian, respectively). Anthony has a soft american way to talk and I got the somewhat weird idea... can't I use that on my track? So I asked him and fortunately enough he was online on Youtube and replied promptly, saying it was a kind of fun idea.

Technically

Following this great reply from him, I just taped of his speech onto my trusty old Technics cassette & reciever combo, recorded that back into Peak 4 on my Mac and normalized the gain. I then opened the file in Propellerhead's ReCycle 2.1 and had it slice up the phrases. Saved that as a REX file and opened my Reason 4 project with the song again. I added the small mixer as a submixer (since the 14 ch stereo mixer already was filled with synthesizers and effects). I opened the REX file - which comes up like a "folder" when browsing samples with the NNXT. I selected 89 clips and had them mapped up on the keyboard (NNXT does this by just two simple commands). I then played the song and trigged samples and chose a few that sounded nice.

As for the video material, I used Berio (mentioned here earlier on) to screendump the Reason sequence running. The original idea was to simply show others the Reason track running.

Then I got the idea to add some video footage. I had old clips on my harddrive and it seemed like a good thing to try and make use for them. So I added some clips, and striped off the audio from most of them. Some of the clips' audio were kept and can be heard in the track, like when my family sings to congratulate my grandfather GP who turned 85 years old last year.

There's also a little swedish in there when my son says "Är du klar?" (meaning "Are you ready?") when I asked him to walk around with a carbon box over his head - I don't know for what reason. Some clips are made with Apple's PhotoBooth which we've had a lot of fun with. The kids love performing in front of the camera and seeing themselves mirrored back in a twisted manner.

Not just the kids - even my friend Jens Kallback (known as ~~~ nowadays on 99musik.se) who did a mysterious little dance. When the beat comes on he kind of stops dancing, which pretty much goes in line with how he feels about my music, he doesn't get it (lol). But we've done some tracks together which more fits his electronica & underground taste for music.

All in all it's a "80's" kind of track which shouldn't harm anyone, really.

Thanks for reading.

Again - the music video can be found here.

52 ways to speed up MacOS X

2009-10-09T04:25:00.000+02:00

Click the headline in order to read about speeding up MacOS X. I deleted languages I don't use and much more, the machine feels even faster now. This should be done with some precautions, of course, since tweaking too much might create the need of a reinstall, and you wouldn't like to go that far I guess.

I hope you're not analyzing at which time I wrote this post... ;)

Once a geek, always a geek...

Taking a "screenshot" movie and iMovie'ng it!

2009-10-08T21:16:00.003+02:00

I'm currently working to find a way to do a little music video, I'll put the new version of my old track "Koolkordz" online on Youtube (my channel is http://youtube.com/bitleytm). I'm just now importing a 800 by 600 pixel dump into iMovie to see how it turns out. On my 2x2 Ghz G5 importing a mov file into iMovie takes about 7-8 minutes (the clip is under 5 minutes).

For doing the screenshot-recording I use the free app called Berio that I found today. You can find it easily by just clicking this blog post's headline. It's a free app from a guy who's doing work for Apple so he seems to know what he's doing. I know OS X 10.6 can do this natively, but unfortunately Apple has dropped support for the PPC machines, so I'll stick with 10.5.

Yesterday I also wondered which OS X version would run best on my machine, but I couldn't find a really good answer to this even though I googled quite a bit. I've got the original 10.3 discs and I wondered if 10.3 would make the machine feel even faster. Some people say OS X is continously developed into running faster but some people say older OSes are better on older machines.

This Mac has 4 Gb's of RAM and 650 Gb's of hard disk space so I guess 10.5 delivers just fine and dandy, but if anyone recommends 10.3 instead, I'll give it a try.

I used a MacBook 2,4 Ghz (early 2009 model) before and I shame to admit it, but it's faster than the dual G5 Powermac. Some of my Reason projects from that period can hardly be played back; I used too many instances of the Thor synthesizer for that.

On new projects, I work the way the G5 likes me to, using just one or two Thor synths and more Subtractors again. It's not bad either, considering I know my way around the Subtractor so well, having used it ever since Reason 1.0 came out.

Great new shit

2009-10-03T18:45:00.002+02:00

The Mac G5 2 x 2 I got has proven to be GREAT. I've fixed 4 Gb's of RAM & an additional 500 Gb drive to it now so it really rocks, a true workstation I got for peanuts, including a flat screen (!)... jabadabadoo.

Currently I'm working on something funky, it's gonna swing, gonna be the big thing, aaah... luv it.

Goodbye Mafia Wars

2009-10-03T14:00:00.001+02:00

Time-consuming brainless motherf* badly programmed sh*t in my Mac! No way! Mafia Wars gets kicked out, permanently banned, no longer will I need to see those tiresome graphics, endless dialog boxes, "Level 2 mastered", meaning you've got to collect energy and do the "jobs" again 499 times, needing 8549 Untraceable phones... GAAAAH!!! I got up to level 103, so I've really played the game a LOT. Now, enough is simply enough. Thanks for stealing my time, wankers!

Myspace page revamped (you can click right here)

2009-10-01T13:43:00.002+02:00

Ok, the design isn't updated but the tracklist is! Ten songs from me to the world, just check it out. If you want more, there's iTunes, Spotify, Trig... and more places to find the music I make. Currently creating house with Richie K here in Uppsala. More on that later... and on Beatport!

TALK AND DRIVE - STAY ALIVE

2009-09-28T14:01:00.004+02:00

After your late night session, you might need to approach that tired, battered old car; or hey - maybe you're the tired old punter yourself. Even though this is something you wouldn't admit in front of an audience, where you shine and give your best. But hey, we all need to sleep, it's pretty common, it's pretty natural. It's... I mean, you need to sleep, nothing should surprise you about that.

I have an uncle who works with rescue; he's a firefighter. Meaning he has seen more shit than you and I wouldn't dare to imagine - on the roads (or - more likely, off the roads). He's of course signed a lifetime ethical principle of confidentiality through taking this job, but I once asked him about sleepy drivers. He told me most of the accidents happen when people are just a few miles from home. On long journeys like from a working week in Stockholm back to home in Gothenburg, drivers who fell asleep on the wheel did it just outside Gothenburg. It's all more simple and human than you might think. It's simply a sign of relief, having the dead tired driver think... oh, I'm finally home. And this sends relaxation through the body. There. Goes. The car. Slides off... I guess in most cases, nothing serious happens, perhaps just a micro second of sleep. Causing the driver to steer the car back on track again, jolted, in a state of "what-the-fuck-am-I-doing. I need to shape up!"... but Thinking isn't Doing. No gory details here, but some people never woke up. Do you want to be on that list? I wouldn't.

What always should be done, of course, is stopping several times during a long journey. It's really good having an old car with a halfway broken radiator on the car. Meaning you've got to turn the heat all the way up, turn the windows all the way down and stop for new refills of cooling water every two hours or so. This is really how one should treat the human body as well. It also needs proper water circulation. Don't ever ignore a simple need to urinate, just stop wherever it's safe and perhaps a tad private (but a car passing you in full / albeit legal speed travels about 100 yards every second! So they won't see much of your hotspot anyway).

Talking about heat, heat is really bad as well. I once had a Baader Meinhof Wagen... oh sorry, a BMW... and in its excellent manual, proper descriptions of how to stay alert while driving were printed. The most important factor is to keep your head pretty cold. A roof hatch is good to have, climate control in the car is better. The more tired you feel, the less heat should be flowing around you. Of course, turning the heat all the way down could make things just as bad, as you wouldn't take your jacket off if it were too cold. Enter car in something like jeans and a t-shirt. If you're wearing sneakers, don't. You wouldn't find a worse example of a shoe, really. They look nice but they give your feet zero air circulation. Nike Air Jordan, righty. Just marketing. No air. No air!

Now, what I did yesterday was I held a huge lecture on synthesis in front of a mildly interested crowd, meaning I had to tell jokes as well. I started lecturing while still in Stockholm, and my lecture ended just when I needed to reverse the car into a parking spot here in Uppsala. I was alone in the car, but I talked as if I'd had an audience in front of me.

Other times, I've had meetings with myself, going "Hi Patrick, how are you?". "Thanks Patrick, I'm fine, but...", then letting my heart out. Naturally, the subject for most parts is love issues. Or non-love issues, as for the time being. And dealing with that.

So talk and drive, stay alive, keep singing, stop thinking too much. And stop the car every hour and a half. Get out. Stretch a bit. Drink some water or coffee. And if you smoke, do it OUTSIDE the car (it's also keeping your car's market value more intact). No stress. Forget about stress. You will arrive when you arrive. Simple as that.

"I LOATHE WEARING JEANS & T-SHIRT ON STAGE"

2009-09-25T02:59:00.000+02:00

Martin Gore interviewed in Spin Magazine a few months back. Gotta read it asap.

HEY HUN UR THE SHIIIIT GOD I LOVE YOU COME TO AIM!!!

2009-09-24T19:45:00.001+02:00

Quite entertaining investigation from a dating site checking which words gained interest and which ones didn't.

KUTIMANS MEGA PROJECT

2009-09-24T15:25:00.003+02:00

KUTIMAN is a gentle fellow who's scanned the Youtube for sounds, solos, clips, vocals... everything in music. He's brilliantly edited all of it together for it to become fully arranged songs, with a 11 year old trumpet player from china, a 47 year old bass player from Arizona and a 31 year old female singer from Italy. Now, that's just to give you the idea, but it's how it's done. People say "Coldcut has been doing this for 20 years", but with videos? And with credits to all people involved. A masterpiece of modern day internet creativity. Just brilliant.

Where the F can I find true CURIOSITY?

2009-09-24T14:26:00.001+02:00

I need to know which channel to use for stretching out my musical ideas to the world. iTunes is okay, I actually get a few listeners every now and then. But online listeners, where do they hangaround? How to spread the word on the music but not interfer with other things...? How to not end up among thousands of other creative people?

My Trig page is now totally reconstructed, featuring tons of REMIX MATERIAL. People who's remixed me, tracks I've remixed from others. FREE AND STREAMING BRAND NEW REMIXES OF STUFF. It feels like I'm shouting out to a dead crowd here.

I need to find my channel, my room, my space, where my words are counted as meaningful. Where people say with surprise: "Oh, have you made anything new!? Let me have a listen!"...

How do I... how do I reach out and touch faith? On the music?

New albums online @iTunes!

2009-09-23T18:02:00.002+02:00

Or more like, singles! Tracks! I've just seen that some of my new tracks already are up and online at iTunes, feel welcome to check them out, previewing is free and the tracks are dead cheap. Fill your iPod with my stuff and get out in the world & let them know about the music.

As for production, it doesn't stop - I'm collaborating with a DJ here in Uppsala and we're building deephouse stuff for the future!

The discography is updated - clickable links to both iTunes & online streaming sites for many remixes & more!

PATRICK FRIDH AKA BITLEY™ DISCOGRAPHY

A bubble on the double

2009-09-18T11:42:00.005+02:00

My swedish pop song "Hoppet" (on Spotify via this URL) is just fading out on local radio, "P4 sormland", where it's one of two songs this week, trying to reach their Top 5 list. For Swedish viewers, if you vote for me that'd be highly greatful.

SRP4

Send your SMS to number 72250 (in Sweden) and text "P4sörm 6" to bring my track to life!

By the way, just learned how to make a screendump on the iPhone; just press the home button, keep it held, then press the lock button just shortly. A camera sound should be heard; tadaaa... image captured.

Sound example from Reason's Alter notes function

2009-09-14T21:30:00.003+02:00

So, you knew Reason could create randomized music? Well, it's not able to do it from scratch. But it can alter notes, hence the program's function Alter notes. Nifty, huh.

I used my track "Nevertheless (A Green Moon)" from the Aurora Borealis album as starting material;

Click here for a sound example and description.

... various things happens to the music when the effect is applied.

PATRICK FRIDH TO DEMO SYNTH TECHNOLOGY FOR KIDS

2009-09-04T14:14:00.004+02:00

Starting this fall, I will be holding demonstrations for kids showing synthesizer technology, sampling, music production, sound FX and more. Kids finds this subject highly entertaining and I let them participate by recording samples (audio recordings) of their voices and other things (slamming doors etc), building tracks with this material. Videos will be posted on Youtube when allowed from parent groups. I can travel around in the Stockholm & Uppsala area. Booking info: patrick.fridhATgmail.com - +46 731 502205. I can also do this on an international basis provided payment upon agreement + flight & cargo (not much) and hotel room / bed & breakfast.

9090909

2009-09-03T05:14:00.004+02:00

New track posted scheduled for iTunes placement by 09|09|09 celebrating the date and the dated (but beloved) Roland TR-909 drum machine. Track length 9.09, 122 BPM. A happy little housey & pop'ey tune.

Speaking of 9's... my favourite music forum 99musik has just got out of the 99.se network and is on its own legs again, on its very own and very Swedish domain.

Discography

2009-08-26T01:52:00.002+02:00

CLICK HERE to see my discography of releases and remixes. Direct links to the music.

Note to self

2009-08-19T07:30:00.002+02:00

Gitt diss record jah man!!!

Sweet jazzy'n pleasant, highly skilled productions, beats, vocals, chords, harmonies, basslines, samples. An amazing collection of broken beats / nu jazz / deep house / moodz / headnoddin'.

I'm teamin' up with Richie Kay here in Uppsala to create shiiieee like this, we luv this kinda shiieee. :) Inspired by the sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s, this is what has happened to the music on the dancefloor... or some floors, like... the best floors out there. Focusing on the interesting parts, the odd breaks'n'stuff of the past, building new atmospheres.

I'm noting to myself... buy this record as soon as the matafakin salary says hi.

She Left Me

2009-08-10T15:12:00.001+02:00

Everyday that passes by
new problems will arrive

You might think you're on your way
when something happens like today

Met a girl I instantly liked
I don't know but it just felt right

Happened to say "I want this to last"
And she went "you're moving too fast"

Bridge

Then she said "I wanna think a while"
I began to see I'd sink a mile

Refrain

She left me just like that
She let me just pass

enjoy!!!

(c) patrick fridh 2009

Click here to listen at Trig, just press play.

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley On Spotify

2009-08-07T19:01:00.003+02:00

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley - "Hoppet"

Enjoy my stuff on Spotify! More to come! :)

Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers

2009-06-28T23:40:00.002+02:00

I were remixing Games Without Frontiers the day before MJ died. So don't think I've been too creative after that horrible report. I have been discussing MJ and showing him all the respect I have come to feel for him.

If you want some seriously good reading about MJ - you need to read Lisa Marie Presley's blog on her Myspace.

Now, as said in the header, I've remixed Peter Gabriel again.

The result is online at Realworld Remixed.

Games Without Frontiers - Bitley's Greetings From Uppsala Remix

You only need flash to be installed on your computer to play it; of course good speakers are recommended.

It instantly flew into chart position #4 just in a couple of days.

I am very greatful for that.

Love to the music,
Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley™

A moment to think back of all moments of sheer admiration

2009-06-26T02:22:00.003+02:00

Michael Jackson leaves us

I sit her, remebering phrases from songs I love - and I'm in a state of mental emptiness. Saddened by the news reports of today, now trying to take the fact in - Michael Jackson is no longer with us. It would be a crime stating this on a blog had this been yesterday, now - it seems, I'm afraid, it's true. Michael Jackson will live forever through his music and videos, but he has left our universe for some other mission now.

I can't believe it's true but I'm trying hard to do it.

Michael Jackson is no longer with us.

Rest in peace, my brother. You have given me the finest music known to man.

New remix online - please vote generously!

2009-06-16T16:30:00.002+02:00

Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara - Kele Kele - Bitley's Slick Trick Remix

Please check out my new remix of this african world music track, my mix is more of a slick trip into Arif Mardin & Quincy Jones landscapes! I really appreciate votes and neat comments. For you music makers out there, Realworld offers remix competitions and remix packs - start creating. The original track is also available at the site for reference listening. Enjoy!

Nu är man på plats i Uppsala (snart!)

2009-06-01T21:09:00.003+02:00

Tja! Orkar inte skriva på engelska, så högtravande... å ingen läser ändå. Eller? Jag har iaf precis flyttat till Uppsala... eller håller på. Officiellt datum är den 1:a juli. Söker nya vänner i denna stad! Av en händelse började jag jobba här i januari. Får se om jag får förlängt, hoppas på det. I vilket fall bodde jag i Gnesta innan & det var pisstrist, så Uppsala borde kunna ha förutsättningar. Förutsättningslöst får du gärna skriva ett hej - patrick.fridhATgmail.com har jag - är en frånskild tvåbarnspappa på 37 bast som brinner för... (nähä?!) syntar å elektronisk musik, grillning i en skön park, ... jobbar på Uppsala Kommun numera, fastighetskontoret - där jag bygger webbsidor för glatta livet. Har cykel! :) Mitt hood är Ekeby! TJABA!

Wrong

2009-03-28T06:10:00.001+01:00

Integrating hardware synthesizers 2009?

2009-03-01T02:02:00.002+01:00

I am sitting in a studio, surrounded by the following synthesizers;

• Alesis Fusion 8HD
• Ensoniq EPS 16 Plus (dysfunctional!)
• Roland MKS-50
• Roland MKS-80
• Roland Juno-106
• Roland JV-1010 (expanded with the built-in Session card and a Vintage card)
• Yamaha TX802

For quite some time, I've had this equipment right at hand, but it's just sitting here. The Alesis Fusion have been used, more or less, like a hardware controller to Propellerhead Reason 4, my main production area. I'm also using Logic but I'm not finding it too logical these days, even though I used to love Logic 3 & 4 back in the days of the AMT 8 & more.

I have stumbled upon hardware synths from time to time even though I decided to go all software back in 2001 when I worked for Propellerhead. The love of synths takes me back down the road of Nostalgia (sung to the tones of Nasa's wonderful 'Road To Newtopia', check it out!). I've borrowed most of the vintage gear listed above. Then plan was to use them, sample them, program new patches for them, whatever.

The problem is that it seems impossible to find a really good MIDI application today that integrates the hardware synths with the software in a smart way. Of course, I can send MIDI to them from Logic, but how the h*ll do I chose patch 129 in bank 13 of the Fusion, chose the right FX setting for it (working in a multitimbral patch), the right pan & volume settings? In a word: impossible. At least from the computer. I can set all this in the Fusion itself but it's cumbersome and uneffective. In the same amount of time, I could make a Combinator patch for R4 that sounds fatter, better and more interesting. But if I'm a bit decided in my quest to really use the Fusion, then? I don't know. There's a program called MidiQuest XL (in a true 1987 manner of name conventions and all). I checked it out. It's kind of horrible and it doesn't even have an Alesis Fusion layout.

So, from surfing the net on the subject for hours and hours, I have now decided to try sampling the gear instead.

So, yeah, right, you think I'll go ahead and just spend some time multisampling all of the 194,650 patches available in these synthesizers? No way.

I'll try a robot application called SampleRobot!

Now, things finally starts to look interesting, at least from looking at the surface of it all.

First things first, I'm most fond of using my iMac ('08 model, the one Apple sells today in '09 as well). It's silent, has a wonderful monitor and feels awesome to work with.

The program is a Windows program.

So, first steps first... I'm using the Windows 7 'experimental' version (nothing pirated here, it's Microsoft's free, public beta) and I've just installed Parallells 4 - a 15 day free trial. I've download the demo version of SampleRobot 3. Total cost: Zero, zip, zilch. Just some spare time.

Now, Windows 7 is installing. So I'll get back as soon as I know more.

Project Synthesizer Preservation has begun!

Mattias Montin

2009-02-27T02:01:00.002+01:00

Tack för din otroliga vänskap under många år Mattias. Vi fick umgås nästan dagligen mellan 1998 och 2005 då våra familjer hade kul och trivsamt ihop. Sedan tog detta slut i och med min och Janes skilsmässa. Men jag tänkte på er i alla år. Och fick höra om er då och då, under perioder då jag och Jane varit vänner åtminstone. Du fick leukemi. Vi blev djupt chockade. Men du besegrade den. Men så kom cancern tillbaka och tog ditt liv alldeles för snabbt. All värme till de som stod dig närmast. I morgon begravs du men du kommer alltid leva i mitt hjärta som en av de finaste vänner jag någonsin haft. Tack för detta.

Kram från Patrick, Packa, Puttefnask, Putte, Fnasket.

Shock The Monkey

2009-02-13T17:39:00.003+01:00

Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey (Bitley Turned Gabriel Into Chaka Remix)

This remix is now three years old. It's been listened to over 3,600 times online. But I'd like even more people to find it. It's kickin'!

Virus Information

2009-02-08T00:45:00.002+01:00

Access has just updated the Virus synthesizer again - this time around it's the second incarnation of the TI hardware for the big brothers in the gang. The Virus TI Snow (pictured above) remains the same - after all, it's pretty recent anyway. Being a synthesizer nerd I had to find out more about all of it, and it's really quite simple facts - I'll add more details as soon as I find out more about it.

The very basic information of the Virus synthesizer is that it's a virtual analogue instrument which has been around for about 10 years now. It's been upgraded from time to time; the first one was the Virus A, followed by B, C and TI ranges. The Virus TI added USB interfacing and does work as a software synthesizer in a modern sequencer, using the synth as a DSP engine, a front end to the software, midi and audio interfacing for other duties as well.

• The new TI 2 models (Key, tabletop and Polar) has improved design visually and features 25% more processing power compared to the original TI range. However, the new 3.0 software is backwards compatible so the "old" TIs are basically just about as cool as the new ones. However, I think the new design is really attractive. Small but efficient changes have been made. The computer plug-in has been updated as well. The 3.0 update adds some interesting effects such as a tape delay and more.

• The Snow model has these disadvantages: It's 4 part multitimbral compared to 16 part on the bigger models. It's got stereo outputs only - where the big brothers has separate outputs and digital in- and outputs (SPDIF). It's unclear if it has less processing power - the PDF brochure states that all models can have up to 110 voices of polyphony. The earlier TI range had up to 80 voices of polyphony. I don't know if the 3.0 update can give the older models more polyphony than that. The Snow model is interesting because it's quite a reasonably priced unit; it's about €1100 where the tabletop TI 2 is about €1700 and the keyboard versions cost about €2300 each. Since audio tracks could be used for recording the synth, 4 part multitimbrality doesn't have to be a restriction - just record it to audio and add more after that.

• In TI mode (TI means 'Total Integration') the instruments does double duties as audio and midi interfaces.

A web presentation of the TI 2 range here!
Access 2009 product catalogue (PDF) here!

And here's some more information - the press release for the TI 2 instruments;

"We is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the Virus TI2 series. The successor of the acclaimed range of totally integrated synthesizers adds 25% more calculating power and sports a redesigned housing and front panel. We also used new materials to bring down the weight of the keyboard versions. On the software side of things, a major feature update, OS3, will be available by the time you read this. The new operating system adds several new FX such as a Tape Delay, Frequency Shifter and several new Distortion algorithms along with a new feature called Character.

Character allows you to adjust the overall tone of a preset reminiscent of several vintage and well-known synthesizers. In addition you can emphasis certain aspects of the patch to allow it to cut better through the mix, or fade it into the background with an extra-wide stereo field.

The new distortions were built from scratch and feature an extreme dynamic range along with sophisticated controls to tailor the sound to your specific needs. They can add everything from warm, tube-like overtones to complete sonic deconstruction more reminiscent of circuit-bending. The new algorithms also include a revamped bit and sampling-rate reduction, allowing you to change the quality and cutoff point with precise, continuously variable control.

The stereo Frequency Shifter and the new Ring Modulator are state of the art algorithms modelled with old '70s stomp boxes in mind.

The Tape Delay goes way beyond the possibilities of the real Tape Delays in the '60s and '70s. It smoothly syncs to tempo, lets you decide if a Doppler effect takes place when changing the tempo, and even switching the delay time between presets is all smooth, making it perfect for performers. Last but not least, a modification to the main "VCA" algorithm enables OS3 users to design gating FX known from electro and minimal influenced music.

Virus Control has received a completely redesigned user-interface thanks to various improvement requests over the last years. The plug-in now features a side chain input allowing you to mangle audio from a sequencer track with the FX and sound engine of the hardware Virus (for selected hosts only). The best news, however, is that OS3 is compatible with all legacy Virus TIs and the Virus TI Snow, thus enabling Access' vast user base to update their existing instruments with all the new software features totally free of charge.

OS3 will be available immediately. The Virus TI2, which comes in the following flavours will also be available shortly after NAMM.

Virus TI2 Desktop 19" desktop synthesizer with wooden front application.

Virus TI2 Keyboard 61 keys (semi weighted) keyboard model with wooden side panels.

Virus TI2 Polar 37 keys (synth action) keyboard model with alloy and wooden side panels.

For pricing information please contact your local dealer or distributor."

Sonic State's video review of the Access Virus Snow synthesizer module.

New song: "Hoppet"

2009-01-20T21:20:00.002+01:00

Click here to hear it!

The new song "Hoppet" is pure swedish 80s-inspired, happy pop music. Perhaps our language seems exotic to a foreigner, but I could be talked into doing an english version too. I'm currently asking a friend to make a french version, watch out! ;)

Lyrics:

Hoppet (c) Patrick Fridh 2009

Känner ett hopp när jag tänker på det här
Gav nästan upp av alla besvär

Som jag har längtat efter nya tider
Men jag vet ju att sår försvinner

Jag kommer hitta rätt till slut

Nu kommer våren 2009
Jag var en svår en i fjol

Jag säger välkommen, här är min hand
Du får inte flytta till nåt annat land

Jag tror jag hittat vägen ut

Nu är hoppet här och jag tar för mig
Nu är dagen där livet förför mig
Nu är hoppet här och jag tar för mig
Nu är dagen där livet förför mig

Tänk om chansen aldrig kommer tillbaks
Ja vad fanns sen när man hade sitt kval

Du verkar fantastisk å alldeles perfekt
Jag hoppas rent praktiskt på kärlekseffekt

Solo

Nu är hoppet här och jag tar för mig
Nu är dagen där livet förför mig
Nu är hoppet här och jag tar för mig
Nu är dagen där livet förför mig

"HAGAGATAN 10" ON P4 RADIO SORMLAND TOMORROW

2009-01-08T10:49:00.005+01:00

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley & some cool synthesizers

MY SONG "HAGAGATAN 10" will be played on P4 Radio Sörmland, Sweden, tomorrow the 9th of January. They'll also perform a live (telephone) interview with me so I can chat about the track.

The song is about (the total cult of) synthesizers & the music stores in Stockholm during the early 80's, a pure 80's nostalgia track. Follow the first link to hear it - I'll also place it on my Myspace page shortly.

I will have a chance to get in @ the TOP 5 list tomorrow, given that enough telephone votes will be done - so tell everyone in Sweden to check this out... ;)

For 99musik members;

2009-01-08T04:24:00.001+01:00

A brand new song of mine, in Swedish, available here - a very emotional (demo) recording.

The new, free remix album is here!

2008-12-24T16:40:00.004+01:00

Nevertheless Remixes

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley™ - Nevertheless Remixes

This is a remix album officially released on the Pirate Bay as a silent protest against IPRED. To show good & fresh music can be FREE and LEGAL.

Track list:

1. Nevertheless (Bitley's Booyakahasha Remix)
2. Nevertheless (Carl Cadello's Never More A Green Moon Remix)
3. Nevertheless (Lanigans Van's Greenmixed Remix)
4. Nevertheless (Spacecave Intermezzo)
5. Nevertheless (Odd Bob's Venus Mix)
6. Nevertheless (Daniel Hulth's Remix)
7. Nevertheless (Deadbeat's Vocal Edit)
8. Nevertheless (Sector One's Green Moon Remix)
9. (BONUS TRACK) Nevertheless (Bitley's Poorly Edited Version Just For Show)

The original album is on iTunes Music Store and called "Aurora Borealis". But this remix album is OK to download and ENJOY! Please buy the album if you like the music & like the idea of supporting me as an artist!

(c) Patrick Fridh 2008
(p) Patrick Fridh 2008

The copyright is the track itself, you as a user can download it and share it. Please seed. Radio stations must report to STIM and other organizations but they can also obtain this music here and play it. This will render money to the ones involved.

Like father, like sons

2008-12-22T04:31:00.001+01:00

My two wonderful kids sometimes enjoy jammin' away on the keys just like me. I used the Fusion on a concert this saturday, playing christmas'y bells, a flute patch, some strings and some piano patches. Tomorrow I will use it on a TV performance for a local swedish channel. I wonder if my kids will find music interesting when they get older but I'll support them no matter what, as long it's something good. Have a nice christmas!

In B-side days...

2008-12-18T14:18:00.002+01:00

When I'm down... I enjoy music which has a positive mood & message. Wonderful track!

And I'm not way too much down either. Despite the fact that my girlfriend broke up (again) after a 1.5 year relationship that's been rather rocky the last months. So, one week ago she decided she didn't want to walk my road. I've been down and up, but I'm actually feeling much better than I thought I would.

Perhaps part of that is that I'm rather buzy these days.

I will perform live together with an old bandmate named Bengt Sjöberg on saturday, including backup singers equipped with shakers and eggs.

Info about our upcoming christmas concert (swedish).

That's not enough either; we've been asked to play live on a TV recording as well, and this will be on next monday. We're going to perform a christmas tune he's written called "En vit jul" (that'd be "A white christmas" in english but it's not at all like Bing Crosby's old christmas classic).

Rounding up 2008 then? Nah, I'll wait. Perhaps I'll know what to say about 2008 in the end of 2009 or something. :)

Making a blog come alive... hints?

2008-12-06T06:12:00.001+01:00

OK, I'm realizing this blog isn't active yet. Few people have found it. So, do you have any tips for making it come alive?

Get a signed copy of Aurora Borealis

2008-11-30T21:27:00.002+01:00

Aurora Borealis is an ambient & instrumental album which has gotten a lot of publicity on public forums and music forums. It's just released and was made during the summer of 2008. It's filled with beautiful melodies, atmospheres, grooves and moods. The main inspiration when making the album was the Mike Oldfield record Crises, which was released in 1883, sorry, 1983. This takes of from where he left his Oberheim synthesizer gathering dust, rips the dust off and takes new and forceful roads out into the northern skylight, focusing on the beautiful views of a real Aurora Borealis.

Now's the time if you want a signed copy of my album Aurora Borealis. Pay any amount above or exactly $25 (to my Paypal account patrick.fridh@gmail.com) and include your contact information and I'll package and send the CD promptly, to anywhere in the world. I'll include a special bonus CD as well. This way, you support me as a struggling composer and artist, and you'll also recieve a teriffic album to enjoy. You can preview the album on iTunes Music Store (direct link to the album) or using any other store listed among my music links in the right field on this webpage. A perfect christmas gift & easily ordered, especially if you've got some dimes on your Paypal account to spare. Of course, if you prefer a downloaded version, you can get it directly from iTunes and you'll have it in a few minutes, including the functionality in iTunes to write it down on a blank CDR instantly.

Any way works for me, and I'd be very proud to add you to my row of listeners!

Kind regards,
Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley

Trig.com says SOMETHING

2008-11-29T04:00:00.003+01:00

Yeah, right. Scheduled. The site has been stone dead for well over a week now.
But at least that image is better than a completely dead end. As it was.

We'll see... they'll blame some server, I'm sure.

The Deep Synthesizer Waters PART 1

2008-11-28T04:39:00.006+01:00

Andreas Tilliander, a swedish electro creator & performer known in quite a few places; nowadays also a regular radio voice on Swedish channel 2 (SR P2) in the radio show 'Ström' - placed a question about music and synthesizer blogs on 99musik. If you wish to know, his nickname on 99musik is something similar to Inshape. At least I think he's in shape, he looks pretty fit. He seems to be pretty 'In'. However! Responses gave URLs looking as this:

Sequence 15

This blog comes from one of the DIY guys out there, and here's diving into the deep synthesizer waters; technical comparsions between Roland's Juno 60 and 106, how to fix & solder various circuit boards and the like. I have noted that some people like synthesizers more for their inner means than strictly musical abilities. This is for people like that.

EAM Snippets

Pär Johansson writes about electro-acoustic music. Feature savvy in the link departement, this blog seems to be a mixture of swedish and english. The guy seems to be highly aware of what's going on in that musical culture though, so take a peek and get free education.

EMS - Electroacoustic Music In Sweden

EMS is a kind of electronic music school, focusing on EAM music as well. I don't know much about it but I helped Folke Rabe fix his MIDI sequencing partner, an Apple Macintosh SE/30, many years ago. He released EAM music as long ago as in the late 60s, using a Moog 55 synthesizer.

Little-Scale

Here's a blog loaded with info on chip music systems (like LSDJ) and how to use old, ancient home computers (I am not talking 486'es here, I'm talking the first home computer revolution; I'm talking 1980s!) to run sequencer applications, as well as programs that goes Beep. And beyond. Sinclair Spectrum could Beep quite a bit back in the days. I remember copying code from a Sinclair magazine to create a "Spectrum Piano", very convincing! ;)

Jean Michel Jarre

This seems to be some hairy guy from France or something, and he seems to be talking about live things he's done. Fairly interesting. I don't recognize him really. Just kidding. I belong to those who grew up on Oxygene, of course. Who grew up on menu-driven synths with displays, always finding strange patches named "JMJ" this or that. JMJ pad, JMJ bass, JMJ snails in garlic, and the like. The cool thing about him is that he seems very, very down to earth, communicating with the fans. Lovely fella.

Buchla Tech

Daniel Araya says; "this is the only blog you'll ever need", giving us a link to a New York-based guy chit-chatting about his project with his Buchla synthesizer. Donald Buchla belongs very much to the history of synthesizers and his instruments seems to have a growing following. I have always had the impression Buchla instruments does "a little extra" and "a little special" variations on the themes introduced by Robert Moog, Alan R Pearlman (of ARP synthesizers) and the other pioneers.

My favourite games 2008

2008-11-27T18:53:00.006+01:00

Some nifty Flash programming makes it possible to now play one of the first, if not the first, FPS computer games - Doom. I tried it but I instantly realized I don't have patience for games like this; In fact, I never did. But for the gamer, it might be a cool link. The graphics are very pixely and on a standard PC with Vista, the sound doesn't work properly.

My favourites this year, instead, was and still are:

1. Gran Turismo 4 for Playstation 2

This game got me spending many late nights driving, taking lessons, trading cars and tweaking them to the maximum. Highly enjoyable. The first week, we played so much, me and a friend, that we got Gran Turismo Thumbs. We needed to develop better driving techniques, so we tried various different ways of holding the PS2 controllers. Finally we got it. And we hit the road. The Opel Vectra became his favourite; mine were more classic cars like Porsches and Audis. We still love it, but it's a bit strange it's two different games in one. I have quite a garage now!

2. The Sims 2 for PC

This is just a hilarious game. When we started creating characters of some people we know (no names given at this point) as well as creating Sims that looked like hell, we laughed into tears. Just totally wicked. And the design features are awesome as well. What sets it down is that it's a bit hard to play a big family, especially with kids. Do you know any tricks that makes those babies and kids just satisfyed all the time? It's a lot of getting them fed and into bed and all in between. Like a dollhouse somehow. But when just fooling around, building some cool houses and weird people, it's still a winner. Simply hilarious, when played in the right mood and setting (wine is an excellent addition, playing among us adults).

3. Betapet

Betapet is free and online, and now only swedish (again). It's games of Scrabble online, perfectly coded and designed. They did an attempt of an english version, but too few people used it. At any given time, about 500-2000 players are online; they've also got a quite interesting discussion forum and it's actually a place where you can meet real life friends too. In a word, Betapet is just addictive. When everything's right and you win five games in a row, you just can't stop playing it. I tend to think it's good for the mind as well.

Whatever happened in LIFE?

2008-11-27T03:32:00.006+01:00

Hitler, Thanksgiving Day, 1937, Buckeberge. "The Street of People."

LIFE magazine had photographers build an image library containing 10 million pictures. Google has now indexed this and it's able to browse all of it.

LIFE photo archive hosted by Google.

Take a good look at the first link in this blog post for instance. Study that incredible crowd of people gathering to listen to Hitler, the worst and most crazy man on earth ever - I hope. Little did they know, maybe, of his plans, and what would happen to Europe and the entire world. In 1937, they needed something to believe in, I assume.

A lot of the images were never publiced, but thanks to the internet, it's all now available to see, study and learn. "A picture says more than a thousand words", something about that sentence is just true. I have read books by Gitta Sereny and many others, but seeing pictures also makes it all become very real.

While the snow now currently is melting in Stockholm, and while the world now currently is turning, history is always with us and thanks to libraries like these, it's possible to not only know what happens today. Is it really that interesting to read about Britney Spears, the economy crisis in the USA, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson? Long before our lifes began, LIFE had documentation going on, covering what was going on by then.

I think it's amazing.

I have added the link to the LIFE image library to this blog's permanent links section, viewable in the right field.

By the way, don't you think the LIFE logo seems to have inspired FELIX, makers of microwave-ready food tasting just about nothing.

Trig.com = MP3.com = Stone dead!

2008-11-25T17:11:00.004+01:00

Once again, it turns out that sites for free, streamable music doesn't seem to live easy on the net. Since a few days, the quite popular Trig.com isn't working. Not a word, not a warning, or what have I missed? Rumours were flying around half a year ago about Trig.com having cash flow issues but since then, it was up and running. Didn't they pay for the web hosting? It seems they're simply closed now; not even a half-decent "sorry", just a dead end. It's sad, because I enjoyed Trig.com and I thought it was a good place to store mp3's of my own music, I could put 250 Mb's online and the stream quality was way better than on Myspace. However, I should say Myspace is way better now that it's a proven fact Myspace will live on. It's like the old Betamax vs. VHS fight somehow. The more widespread one gets to live on. Even though it may well be of more poor quality. Myspace has a horrible GUI and is rather unsatisfying, but it's 1) online and 2) big as hell. Well well! So long, Trig! Thanks for a few nice years. I remember when MP3.com did their major overhauls and then got closed. Now it's open again, but it's not at all the same thing as it used to be. MP3.com was fantastic, a story of true internet belief. It payed out money, real money, for tracks played vs. banner views / clicks. Some of us got good stash out of that. Those were the fine days of internet. Now what! Yuck. I guess I'm not all that happy about my iTunes sales... :)

[New Track] Corn Machine

2008-11-23T14:49:00.002+01:00

How about poppin' on a sunday, freely melting and blending the impressions from Dead Stars (by Covenant), If There Was Love (Pet Shop Boys & Liza Minelli) and Pop Corn (Hot Butter)? Well, it turned out to be a new track, I'm calling it Corn Machine. You can find it on the 99musik forum; I hope the D/L link works;

Corn Machine
(c) Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley 2008
(p) Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley 2008

No samples used of course; this is pure synthesis except for some factory preset drum samples; I used Reason 4 to do the track and iTunes 8 to convert it into mp3.

The art of synthesizer programming, part 1

2008-11-21T02:35:00.003+01:00

Learning to program synthesizer sounds on any module, hardware or software synthesizer, is just about as simple as learning to search and find new channels on a TV or a radio. When working with a synthesizer, try not to focus too much on the synthesis it uses (this can be FM, analog, digital, sampled waveforms, wavetable synthesis or many other variations). Instead, focus on what you like to hear. It's that simple really. If you find a sound which is close to what you would like to have, a good start is tweaking it. If it's a complex menu-driven synth, you usually have some kind of button labeled Edit.

Begin by pressing that button, and you'll be in parameter heaven (or hell). Many times, it can be hard to understand what everything means. But the fine feature of programmable synthesizers is, you can simply change the value of the given parameter, play the keyboard (or an external keyboard, connected via MIDI or USB, or even CV/Gate) and listen what happened to the sound when you did that change. On most better synths, a little icon or asterisk in the display and / or a LED on the front panel will be visible once you have started tweaking a sound.

For the basis of learning synthesizers, I always use to point at the Moog Minimoog - one of the first if not the first non-modular synthesizers, meaning it wasn't clustered with cables all over the place in order to produce sound. Instead, it has all the cabling done and ready, underneath the front panel. Tidy. If you study the Minimoog, it has a logic flow from left to right. At the left side, you have the oscillators, producing raw waveforms that sound just as long as you press the key. To form the sound; to sculpture it, is to program it. Synthesizer programming can be a real art; but it's a real treat as well. If you learn to do it, your sound will be more "you", more unique. Sculpturing the sound happens when you start tweaking the next step, further to the right side. You have a filter - doing just about the same thing as the Bass & Treble controls on a stereo amplifyer. Only much more. Imagine a treble control so steep, turning it all the way down would make the sound coming out of the speaker disappear entirely. This is how the filter cutoff works. You also have resonance, or emphasis. Where the Minimoog has proven to be a polite map of almost all synthesizers following it, not many uses the word emphasis to describe their resonance parameter.

To not complicate things too much, I'll follow up with more steps during the following days, so you can take it step by step. But you may already pick up that user's manual and see if you dare making your own sounds!

Beat Box & Vinyl Mania - Scotch, anyone?!

2008-11-19T18:29:00.023+01:00

Beat Box - a story of italo disco

A wave of curiosity and mystery has surrounded the record label Beat Box for a long time. Nobody knows much about it, except recognizing that little logo from classic italo disco singles and albums from the mid 1980s. On the Swedish internet forum for musicians at 99.se, some of us started discussing Beat Box and some people started checking their old vinyl again, for more info. Fredrik Ramel and Gunnar Silins are two important guys in the story of Beat Box. The 99musik member Encore found Gunnar by surfing and doing some hardcore detective work. He then assembled a number of questions, from himself and other members, and e-mailed them to Gunnar, who responded promptly. Thank You Gunnar! And Thank You Encore! I have translated this from swedish in order to let international viewers enjoy the info; I'll let Gunnar talk - some of my comments are in italo - sorry, italic ;)

Background

"Perhaps I should begin by saying something about the background.

During those years, I worked as a mix engineer and was responsible for the studio at the record company Grammofon AB Electra, which at that time was one of Sweden's largest record companies (that went into a rather spectacular bankrupcy around 1989). My job was to run the studio and also to handle most of the recordings Electra did locally.

Vinyl Mania and their label Beat Box was one of the plentiful small record companies who got assistance with distribution from Electra. I don't remember exactly, but Fredrik Ramel approached me and asked if I wanted to help him remix a song which had a mix he considered a bit weak. He had gotten the permission to do this from the songwriters.

The co-work

I don't remember which song it was, perhaps it was the "cough track" with Scotch (This is the track we know as Disco Band with Scotch). But the results were said to be good. This instituted the start of a co-operation which lasted for a few years. I don't remember how many tracks we remixed; maybe 50 or 60 totally. I did a few of them on my own but mostly we worked head-to-head doing this. At some point we did a complete production with some swedish female singer and a guy with a lot of programmed synthesizers. This also came out on the Beat Box label.

Fredrik used to call me in time for new mixes and book up the studio. We mostly worked late evenings and nights. He came with the multi-track tape, a copy made for us by the record company down in Italy, and a stack of hamburgers from McDonalds. We had dinner in the studio and then started working. Beginning to end, a track took about 10 hours to finish, giving us a complete master to engrave records from.

I can't say that I felt anything for the music, rather the opposite. I thought it was quite vacuos and uninteresting, like most music in the dance scene. I'm rather listening to King Crimson...

But it was fun from a professional standpoint. I had a lot of possibilities to come up with new things, try different ideas and be creative. And Fredrik was a nice fellow who I enjoyed working with.

For me, the Beat Box mixes was a fun feature of my normal working day, whereas I usually recorded everything from death metal to big band jazz, folk songs to children's records and dance band music.

Beat Box and Vinyl Mania

I have no idea whatsoever about how Vinyl Mania / Beat Box worked, how they ran marketing, chose artists, license deals and other things. But I know many DJs liked the place and DJs also ran the place. I also know that some parties liked these "Swedish Remixes" (Sweded? Sweded films? Did Michel Gondry collect Beat Box singles? :). A lot of the production went to southern Europe. The only thing I know really is that Vinyl Mania was a record shop (placed in the centre of Stockholm) focusing on dance/DJ stuff and they came up with a label of their own; Beat Box. They were three shareholders, of whom Fredrik was one. In the end, they argued about something; I don't know what. And Fredrik disbanded, so my mixing of Beat Box things came to an end. The store also disappeared, I think. Fredrik vanished from my horizon. I have reason to believe he had family savings and his DJing, Vinyl Mania / Beat Box involvement wasn't essential for him to be able to put food on the table.

Questions

The question from Introvert (a 99musik member's nickname) about Vinyl Mania / Beatbox is something I can't elaborate on much better than above.

"A division of Vinyl Mania" is something I think was made to make it look cool, a way of coming on as bigger!

Kreppen (another nickname on 99musik) had questions about releases; I have no insight on numbers and releases. Beat Box was probably registered as a company and I don't think it went into bankrupcy. I don't think Vinyl Mania did either; I think it went into liquidation.

Swedish Remix

So, what I can reply best to, is how a "Swedish Remix" was made.

The material always came on 2" 24-track reel tape, the professional standard format by then. On the 24 tracks, all synthesizers and voices was recorded, usually in a 7" version, lasting four minutes or so.

Work began by me laying up the mix while Fredrik did something else in another room or left for a moment or two, to do errands. I fixed all levels, eq settings, compression that fit, added some base reverb, delays and so on. All in all, a complete mix that I thought was suitable. This usually took a couple of hours.

Then Fredrik came in "thinking". He might have ideas on levels, some eq setting or so. But usually he didn't change so much. After that, we sat by the mixing desk and listened to the different tracks, muted and solo'ed, tried to see how things interacted, got ideas for in- and outro's, breaks, thought about plans for the song and so on. Fredrik didn't have any deeper insights on music technology. His role was being the thinker and add extra fingers when many channels needed to be muted at specific moments. He was a producer with a clear vision on the final product, letting me handle the technical stuff.

Percussion

We often felt it would be fun to add some percussion. If we were lucky, SMPTE time code was recorded on channel 24 for synchronizing. Otherwise I added a sync track myself. Then the project was getting the sync from the timecode to MIDI, to get the right tempo, the right bpm, number of bars etc to fit through the entire song. I hade a special Roland gizmo (I don't remember the model name, something -80 I think) (SBX-80 is the name of it, I think, on the other hand?) that read SMPTE and took the trig from a bassdrum or similar. Alternatively, I tapped all fourths through the entire song, into its memory. Then I could program percussion running in sync; I had a Yamaha RX-something drum machine, Roland TR 707 and 807 (It's 808, of course). Sometimes I also used a Yamaha DX7. On rare occasions I redid some bassline, added some pad or some other bell or whistle.

When the mix was complete and eventual extra instruments ran in sync, the remix work began. Basically it meant mixing down chunks of audio (analog ¼” with 30”/min speed) that I later spliced. It could be an 8 bar intro with just bassdrum and hihat, followed by another 8 bars with another percussion sound - everything got physically connected on the tape by cutting and pasting. That's how the song was rebuilt - chunks of even bar numbers spliced together.

Samplers

There were no samplers at that time (that were usable for us). The ones on the market were expensive as hell, too bad, too short sampling time and too low quality for our needs. So we didn't sample (is this entirely true? On some remixes obvious sampler effects are applied, like pitch bends (ok, can be done with tape) and trigged samples played seemingly from a keyboard?).

If we were to move choirs from one to another place in the song, I did a mix of them, recorded them on ¼” tape and "flew" them in at the right spot on some free tracks of the multitrack tape. Pressing play and record in just the right time to make it fit! Incredibly tiresome with many, many attempts before it was tight. If the chunks were long, there was a risk that they'd drift in time after a few runs, even if it had fit just right in the beginning. Compare this to sitting with ProTools or something similar today! What a relief that would have been, so simple!

At some occasions, I also did endless loops of some instruments or voices mixed down to quarter-inch, which depending on length would loop around strategic objects in the control room so that the tape was sufficiently tense (imagine this) - and then "fly" this back on to the multitrack tape. At some breaks I did reversed reverbs by splicing a piece from the tape and pasting it back in reverse order.

In a large sense this was "manual analog sampling" and a ridiculous amount of cutting and pasting - the master tape became completely tabby by all the tape edits! I had experience in this field from before, having had to learn how to cut fast and tight in tapes when I started my mix engineer career - by recording talkbooks and show tapes to dragshow acts! To cut and paste in analog tape is probably a dying craftsmanship!

So, eventually the mastertape was finished and Fredrik went to engraving, where the struggle always was to engrave as strong as possible without adding distortion or putting the engraving box on fire.

Equipment

The equipment used on all of the mixes were, except from the instruments mentioned before, a Harrison 2432 mixing desk, a Studer A80 2" 24-track tape recorder and a Studer A80 2-track ¼ mastering tape recorder. Monitoring was done with Yamaha NS 10 and a couple of big JBL monitors with 15" bass and horns for mid- and treble. Outboard used was Urei LA3 compressors, Drawmer M500 compressors, DBX compressors, Drawmer noise gates, AMX RMX 16 reverb, Lexicon PCM 70 and PCM 80 reverbs, EMT plate reverb, Roland tape echo, TC 2428 (?) digital delay, assorted multi effects from Yamaha and Roland like SPX 80 (?!) and the like.

I had a routine of running the mix to the master recorder by twin stereo busses, where I treated one stereo signal with a rather heavy compression through a Urei 1179 (I think) stereo compressor and then mixed together with the uncompressed signal for more punch. The master track recorder was running hot, I peaked + 6-8dB over 520 nW/m reference level (if someone gets something out of that in the digital world of today). That way, I got a whole lot of tape compression adding even more "punch"

Regards
Gunnar"

Some example Beat Box Releases:

Between The Sheets - Late Night Radio (Kraftwerk Medley)
Koto - Visitors - 12" Swedish Remix
Scotch - Delirio Mind 12" Swedish Mix
Miko Mission - How Old Are You? 12" Swedish Remix
My Mine - Can Delight
Hipnosis - Droid 12"

The original swedish text can be found here:

http://www.99.se/1651931-post1.html

All the Beat Box releases - a huge list:

http://www.discogs.com/label/Beat+Box+(Sweden)

Real To Reel?

2008-11-19T13:14:00.004+01:00

Ok, so the next tool should be a ReVox B77? I've always loved reel tape, and this little video clip was pretty cool. I wouldn't have the patience to do that kind of editing with software; that's done on reel tape though. Splicing up the tape, using edit tape to put the pieces back together, or to "sample" with several copies of the same passage. That's how it was done! Oh, well, we knew that, but seeing it is an eye-opener anyway.

Nevertheless (A Remix Competition)

2008-11-18T19:04:00.004+01:00

Join the forum 99.se (swedish, but it's not too complicated to understand once you'll get the links and all & all members are basically bilingual too hehe). You'll get a working download of the track (Myspace didn't deliver in that sense I'm afraid) as well as the entire arrangement in Reason 4 format AND a weird version of the track just for the craziness & fun of it all.

Here's the remix competition link!

The winner recieves: A christmas gift worth writing home about! (For real!)

Nevertheless (A Green Moon)

2008-11-18T17:08:00.003+01:00

Nevertheless (A Green Moon) is the first track from my 2008 album Aurora Borealis (iTunes link). You can now get the track for free very easily, although it's only a 192 kbps mp3 file (better quality on iTunes if you're an audiophile). I just put the track online on my Myspace site. Just download & enjoy! Comments on the track are very welcome! :) The Aurora Borealis album was highly inspired by Mike Oldfield's 1983 album Crises. I had always loved those Oberheim string sounds and I just had to tweak the Subtractor in Reason to approach the same atmosphere. The entire album was done completely within Propellerhead's Reason 4 software, including mastering and all. All samples (for instance on "Save It") was imported to Reason from Cubase or Audacity recordings. Thanks for your attention!

The end of the world as we know it

2008-11-16T02:18:00.009+01:00

Fomalhaut B is the new word. The new planet. The new 'out there'. Picture this: the solar system is bigger than we thought. We had this in concept. But now there are pictures. Pretty darn amazing.

I made a little song called Fomalhaut B as well, it's available on the forum 99musik. I don't know if this direct link to the mp3 works; if it doesn't, you might e-mail me (patrick.fridhATgmail.com) to recieve a copy. Spread it - it's supposed to reach Fomalhaut B of course. The song's theme was inspired by the theme in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.

In good shape

2008-11-16T02:03:00.004+01:00

The shape of things to come - oh, I wish. I'm working out daily now, though. Doing Betapet. Online scrabble. I love it. When it's going well. I hate it when I forget all nifty words. Happens every now and then. But I won +40 in rating during my last game. Good stuff. Friendly and funny. And completely free. That's some kind of gaming I like. Zero input, major output (entertainment-wise). I shouldn't be bragging too much though; a rating of 1450ish isn't much to write home about. But now again, I didn't write home about this. I just blogged. So there.

I'm 20 times more successful than myself

2008-11-15T23:50:00.004+01:00

My last report from TuneCore just arrived; TuneCore is what I use to be able to market my tracks on iTunes Music Store and other music stores as well (Rhapsody, Napster and more). This time around I had sold 20 times as many songs & albums as the month before. If this calculation will be running continously, I'll soon be able to make music my living. Thanks for your purchases, out there! Keep supporting artists!

Here's my current list of albums and tracks on iTunes!

Kudos & Thank You!

Patrick Fridh Aka Bitley

Realworld Remixed

2008-11-15T03:28:00.003+01:00

Realworld is a dreamworld. But it's all real. It's Peter Gabriel's record company and amazing studio complex. Realworld Records has released material not only by Gabriel himself but also others, such as Angelique Kidjó and many many more. Check the link out to find out more.

There's also some quite entertaining video clips from Gabriel's first experiments with the Fairlight CMI available on Youtube. Already in the beginning of the 80's, he seemed to really enjoy working in the studio & working with top notch gear. By today's standards, the Fairlight perhaps isn't top notch, audio wise. But it's still top notch, on the major merit list of creative gear. Especially gear with keyboards.

I think the story was that Gabriel wanted a Fairlight, but couldn't find a dealer who could supply one. I think that's the beginning of how it came, he started an import company for pro audio gear. I don't remember their name, but they did a good job of delivering Fairlight systems to almost all the people who made worthwile pop hits in England during the 80's. From Trevor Horn to Howard Jones.

Peter Gabriel has had a very good vision on what's working online as well. He did early attempts (and successfully so) on multimedia production, and made CD-roms and DVDs long before internet browsers could deliver movie clips successfully. Even if the browsers could do it, too, back in 1996 you'd have to be working at NASA to have a fast internet connection. Most people had 33,6 modems, at best. Giving you a speed comparable to "go out and make some coffee and sandwiches while you wait for the regular newspaper webpage to become viewable". Today you can't even finish a zip of coffee before it's in front of you.

With the birth of sampling and sequencing, people began making mixes of other people's songs. Us kids from the 80's remembers the Max Mix records, where samples of all Stock, Aitken & Waterman productions oozed all over the place, combined with drum machine beats from TR-707's and 808's. The only one who used the TR-909 by then was Peter Gabriel's old band mate, Phil Collins. Oh, by the way, here's a cool Collins interview. His classic 909 beat is still fantastic. The track? "Take Me Home". The 909 sweetened by DX5 (or TX816?) chords and a beautiful arpeggio.

Fast forward 20 years or so and sampling, synthesizers, sequencers et al is so common, almost nobody raises an eyebrow anymore. You don't even need the gear anymore. With Propellerhead's Reason software (my personal favourite, being an ex-employee and all) and a modern computer, you can start creating the music of your mind. And many of us out there do. Add a pair of headphones (I wear a pair of AKG K240s as of writing this, for instance) and a USB keyboard. With keys. You know. So you can play. :) It'll take some practice before you can play, though.

Being a major recording artist, Peter Gabriel must have been recieving tons of cassettes from creative wannabes out there, like myself and thousands of others. I'm just guessing but I can imagine Realworld got hundreds of cassettes already back in the beginning of the 90's. I guess that's where the idea started. How about if we would let the fans of our music do their own remixes? And it could be put on the internet, somehow. So others could listen. And perhaps make votes on tracks they liked or disliked.

So, fast forward once again and yup; that's reality now. Fantastic huh! Yup. I would like to introduce the world to Loveshadow. To Bitley (sorry, that's me). And many others. There's already been winners of the remix competitions - and they've been given awesome prizes; like a full day's worth of studio time & engineering assistance at Realworld. That kind of recording possibility isn't really available in most people's real worlds, even though technology has gone very very far. You still need expertise, top gear (oh, that's a good TV show) and proper recording rooms for vocals and acoustic instruments.

Enter Realworld Remixed and check it all out. Since I'm shameless when it comes to self-promotion... in some people's sore eyes... I shouldn't disappoint; here's my page at Realworld Remixed. You'll find my remixes of Gabriel, Kidjó, Joi, and my favourite list of other people's remixes too. Everything instantly playable with your browser. Make sure to begin by plugging those headphones in. I find myself going back to those remixes from time to time. My most popular mix has been listened to over 3,000 times. Perhaps it's time to make a 2008 (no, 2009!) remake of it.

Thank You Peter Gabriel, for making all of this possible!

R for Release

2008-11-15T02:37:00.003+01:00

It's not decided yet, but the slightly scrambled title Fpashaivon Yreptort (Bitley's Sley Rcremitix) will be released on single by a major american record company if everything turns out well (well, they'll release the song anyway, but they'll choose from a number of remixes to put on the CD). My remix was very approved by the composer, so he/she/it said it was quite possible my version would make it on the CD. My Version. "Version" was the old time name of "Remix", actually. Scritti Politti also used Version. Absolute Version. That's it. If I'm lucky, I hope I'll make a dime or two this time. Although makin' dimes wasn't ever my vision when making music. But it's a good bonus, if everything works out right. The main kick is to put the kick in the main beat, though.

The Science Of Sleep

2008-11-12T23:11:00.004+01:00

I did write this about Michel Gondry's The Science Of Sleep while I saw the movie. In my mind. So now, when I've seen the movie, I'm sleeping, but this is being written subconciously. It will be published tomorrow. Or it might have been published yesterday. I don't know. I haven't seen the film yet. It was great. No. It made me feel weird. If some movie had the ability to catch on with my inner self, this one had. I felt dream-like while seeing it, and after seeing it, I couldn't really tell whether I'd seen it or not. I mean, I was still watching it. The Science Of Sleep describes a guy with true insomnia problems. He's awake and asleep at the same time. I feel like that at times. In one period of my life, when I was about 18 or 19, I had really deep dreams. I realized afterwards that it'd happened because I was cold; it was winter. So I had been sleeping under my blanket. With my head. This made my oxygen supply somewhat lacking. Something which made me dream really weird dreams. I was flying, climbing and doing things just like Stephané, the main character in the film. So my feeling after seeing this was just surprise. I realized that my mind had become altered, somehow, by the movie. Strange. I've got to avoid Gondry movies for a while now. See at least 10 normal films. Which lacks the mind alteration feature. Scary! And wonderful animations. A great movie! No doubt. But weird! :)

Into The Mist

2008-11-12T00:37:00.004+01:00

Tonight's movie choice went towards the Stephen King based movie The Mist. It reminded me quite a bit of another King story; The Stand. But the ending was different here; it actually left me in a quite devastated mode. At least after the DVD was turned off. I became sad, and frightened of being alone. The film wasn't scary in the sense I thought initially. It was more exciting than scary. Well worked out with quite stunning 3D work. At least in how the 3D animations (not giving away too much details, again) interacted with real things. Recommended if you, like me, are a fan of King's stories. I used to read all books and novels he wrote, but the interest faded over the years. Perhaps I was afraid of being let down by less well worked out stories. My favourite book of his will probably always be Christine, the first one I read, back when I was 14 or 15. It had such a wonderful mood and language; I loved how the teenagers were interacting with their parents and each other. I couldn't stop reading it and I read it over again probably three or four times. Some other stories he's done has disappointed, especially the one named It. The book was OK but the movie was a real letdown. The clown wasn't scary at all. I'd like to quote the Thompson Twins; You, you killed the clown, yeah you shut her down. But The Mist was worthwile. I never read the book though, and having seen the film, I'm not very seized on the book. Enough is enough. :)

Such a Betapet day!

2008-11-11T20:16:00.005+01:00

Sweden is all tucked in, the sun has disappeared, here comes the rain again, raining on my head like an old emotion. It's cold. It's dark. It's boring. It's a sin. It's internet connected. That counts. It's being online. That counts. Everything counts in large amounts. And sucks, for the health. I'm in puzzlin' word games at Betapet. My rating sucks. It's only +1200 something. Some players are super fast. Some guys have all the luck. And they're lucky with the reds and the yellows. Oh well. I'd better put them shoes on, hole in my shoes now, like Neil once sung, I've promised to go out & look for more coffee inventories to pick from & carry home. Oh, how I wish it would rain now, down on me. Not. So, question is, could you find any lyric snippets in here?

The Real Slim Shady

2008-11-11T03:58:00.005+01:00

OK guys, it's PF in the house. Almost 19,000 posts on 99musik by this shady figure PF; who is it? Yup, that's right, I'm the secret mister shady, please don't go, please don't go. Or however that song went. PF. Or "Postförskott". That's me. Click the picture for more details. Where can I get a pair of sneakers like these? I need them! Size 43 though, please. You can call me Bigfoot as well. ;)

Svaj

2008-11-11T03:31:00.004+01:00

It all happened down at Svaj. Svaj is a gathering of... is? Was? What's up with Svaj for the time being? Well, anyway, Svaj was a music café in Stockholm from the beginning. Or, at least from the beginning I know. It might have been something else before that. A space shuttle? A way to describe old VW cars' road behaviour? A thing that happens when a Technics SL1200 MK2 starts spinning around? Anyway; we might say that two cool dudes got together. Let's call them Frej & Fleno. I guess Fleno was the one in the driver's seat. He had this incredible vision, and got some connections together. For instance, he knocked on the door to Hundarna Från Söder and asked them to be a jury. Then he told all members on 99musik there was going to be a competition. Make the best house or club track you can, and the winners will be featured on a CD. Said and done, all of us house- and techno-minded punters on 99musik got going and started producing tracks. Christian Lappalainen aka Calico, Frej & Madskilz, me myself and others were successful at creating beats and we sent our masters to Cutting Room, where a level or two was corrected and normalized & maximized. The CD turned out to be a cool release, but it faded away over the years; lack of money to market it killed it, basically. But something good seems to have come out of it. Two guys had a clear vision and worked hard for it, and it was the nice gentlemen of Madskilz. I just got in contact with Frej again and checkin' their website, I realized they're on the road to success. They've landed a record contract! And it's that familiar WB logo! So I think the guys are on their way to something big. I'll tell you more as soon as I get more info from the source. Good luck, guys!