what is going on in your musical life

it's always a positive thing to feel good about what you are producing -- essential imo! it's what happens next that someone (mystery person i guess) might find objectionable. you can feel very strongly that it's your favorite/best of your own work without sharing it publicly as such.

But I actually really want feedback on this stuff.

Therein lies the problem.

Maybe I'll post them on unlisted YouTubes when I get home, just to share with you guys.

Because honestly, I value what you guys have to say more than just about anybody else these days (not kidding here; very genuine).

at a certain point I think one has to let it go despite one's own feelings - it's hard to maintain a solid perspective on work that's been with you for a while. if you really feel like you failed or know you can do better / fix known issues, do so. but vague naggings keep so many people from releasing work and moving on. even if you don't like it at the moment, someone will.

But I actually really want feedback on this stuff.
i mean who doesn't? i think there is a reasonable expectation that one's work can stand on its own and will elicit the feedback on its own strengths

imo you can only truly expect feedback from someone who is in a teaching role or overtly supportive role, like a group of people you are workshopping something with
idk

my feedback diet is basically plankton that happens to float across the path of my organism -- sure i would like to know more about what people think is strong or not but can't make the plankton drift past, they have to do it on their own via current

Here `tis.

Still sounding good. Needs some more stuff to fill it out, imo. Vocals in particular. Do you play to a click track?

Thank you!

I does not sing.

I play to a metronome about half the time. I did on parts of those songs.

Whooshy beginning reminds me of Flock of Seagulls (not a bad thing btw). I really dig it once the pulse kicks in. Have not listened to the second piece yet. But great atmospherics

. . .seriously? A Flock of Seagulls?! That's. . .

. . .fucking awesome. Holy shit. Thank you.

I am an impatient old man.

MENTAL ILLNESS
VERSIONS
. . .and definitive versions.

Already finishing up a post-album single / EP that will be 90% new material and probably to be released sometime around the new year.

I started a label with a couple of friends. The first release is an experimental ambient noise drone thing by my band HEP LAD.

Philip K Discs

> Philip K. Discs

lol. liking the logo too.

Slowly catching up: v cool video with Leroy Jones, Jordan! Enjoyed it.

Thanks Sund4r! Appreciate it.

Actually just found out I'll be playing with him again in a month. I'm sure it'll be better because of familiarity, but, like, now I have to practice again? I was looking forward to not doing that.

Austin I really like your tunes. gonna give it another listen

Right on, Jordan. Ha, re practising. I think I might have done too much of it over the last week and had brutal pain in my hands.

Thank you, dog latin. I've been really happy with my recordings lately.

Also, I finally gave in and got a compressor (MXR Super Comp).

So, here's a song I've been messing with.

Here it is again using the Super Comp on three of the four guitar tracks.

the HEP LAD cassette came out today.
https://philipkdiscs.bandcamp.com/album/-

Bought a Squire Jazzmaster a month ago after wanting one for years, a tube practice amp last week, and s bunch of pedals.

Finally getting the sounds I want out of these things, so I’m getting back into playing music. I just need to take lessons again.

teach yourself! it's faster, easier, cheaper, and lord knows there's an infinite amount of tabs, videos, online instruction out there

what pedals didja get

Need photos and a full gear rundown, kingfish. Strictly for scientific purposes.

And yeah, like flappy said, there's so much stuff online these days, it's kind of a waste of money to get lessons unless you want to really get serious. But if you're just noodling on the weekend or whatever. . . yeah, keep your phone handy when you're practicing and you'll be good.

even if you're serious I really don't think you need to pay for lessons, it's just a matter of putting the hours in. IMO all you need lessons for are when you're at absolute zero and are frustrated for months waiting to get callouses, being able to comfortably change chords, etc.

Idk i wouldn’t be as serious at piano as I am if I weren’t taking and paying for lessons, nothing like shelling out $x00 a month to motivate one.

true & I can't speak for piano

It's been at least 6 years since I played music with anyone else, and even then it was very infrequently and I was never any good. Nobody I knew where I used to live played anything so short of soliciting strangers it wasn't going to happen.

I moved a year and a half ago and a whole bunch of people I've met have mentioned having played in bands, wanting to play in bands, etc. About a month ago, I finally said fuck it and overcame my intense fear of looking and feeling stupid and being bad at socializing and told a bunch of people that I'd be up for playing at any point if they were into it.

This past Sunday two of them came over and we played for a couple of hours. One is a colleague in my department, one is a PhD student and both had been in various bands at points in the past. I mostly played bass but everyone sort of switched around a bit and made noise and I played TV Eye on the guitar and remembered how shitty a drummer I am because I can barely get three limbs going but damn it was fun.

I still kind of can't believe I actually did this, and might do it again after semester break or with more or different people, whenever my wife is willing to take off with the kid for a couple hours.

Where do you live, j?

inviting people over to jam is nerve wracking but worth the pain because if you succeed you get to jam!! and that is the funnest thing.

i bought a combo looper and vocal processor pedal box and i can't wait to use it!! i just took it out of the box this afternoon and played around with it for the first time and i am in love!

Me? I live in the lansing Michigan area.

Kingfish you’re in Portland right? I actually bought a squire jazzmaster last time I was there when I still lived in Washington.

Looper news = super exciting!

i really am quite excited about it. the power to make all the noises myself feels like i got handed The One Ring -- what will i do with this enormous power?! (jk - i will use it for good, not evil)

yeah we'll see about that once it has intoxicated u

LL: absolute power corrupts, absolutely. You literally hold the future of existence itself in your hands. Be wise.

joygoat, I was asking because I'm down to jam. Seeing as I live in southern California, I may need to save up some gas money for a few days before we commit to anything.

I can play, but paying for regular lessons forces me to practice. I got good enough at bass to play out when I took lessons years ago back in Ann Arbor. I view it akin to Weight Watchers, where I need externally reinforced structure to make myself gain the better habit.

Bought a tube practice amp, too, a Bugera V5, slightly modded by the original owner.

this year i launched a website for KTUH FM Honolulu, the University of Hawaii at Mānoa college radio station. i haven't shown it off on ILX previously, so would like to plug it here.

it took a couple years to develop and i'm happy with how it turned out, tho i wish the station could stick to my recommended publishing schedule and make more writing available on the site.

check it out if y'interested: https://ktuh.org

Looks great, man!

i'm listening to the recording of last night's rehearsal for a show this wednesday and we sound so much like what i had imagined when i put the band together. it's making me so happy! i'm really excited about the show. we are opening for 2 proggy/out there rock bands and our set is 25-30 min of +/- improvised instrumental ??? with woodwinds, guitar, synth & drums :)

omg that sounds so good! do u have one wind player switching instruments or woodwind players plural?

one player switching between instruments -- clarinet, flute, saxophone
i forgot she also added some wordless vocals at the end
dream jam!!

i fucking love flute in noise/cosmic contexts

(also in genteel chamber music contexts, I just love the flute but i am super excited it is in your instrumentarium!)

what kind of synth roughly speaking?

idk what kind tbh -- "the kind with keys that sits on a table with a bunch of other stuff" is the best i got rn

it's a korg minilogue run through a bunch of effects (sorry i am the guitar player in this thing)

don't be sorry -- thank you for answering the question!! and for playing guitar!! :)

some of the setup here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BsngmhMlUJC/

ooh kalimba

he played a contact mic'd harmonium at our last show, which was fun

i still feel like a sham whenever i play improvised/experimental music, which is dumb because i've been doing some form of it on and off for a while and i think we sound good

we do sound good!!

Nobody owns improvisation imo