Glacial Communications

Press The Button Podcast for February 3, 2010. Show notes are available at http://www.glacialcommunications.com/news

As I’ve sort of mentioned before, I’m taking a ’sabbatical’ from most of my DIY activity next month in order to record an album for the RPM Challenge(my third). It won’t be completely ‘cold turkey’, so don’t worry about me – I will allow myself a little hack time at the project nights popping up with the Cleveland Hackerspace community that’s starting to come to fruition. But no PCB soldering – that’s right out…

Rules for the album that I will be recording:
1) Basically all DIY gear. That means built, repaired, or modified by me. Since I’ve fixed my DR-110 and my MG-1, they’re fair game. The DR202, which has had nothing done to it, isn’t, so I can’t use it.
1a) Non-DIY microphones are allowed this time. Signal Intercept only used a DIY’d contact microphone for bizarre reverb purposes, but I’m going to allow real mics this time, if for no other reason than to use my newly finished PAiA Tube Mic Pres…
1b) I will allow myself the use of one MIDI controller keyboard – the Alpha Juno-1, and only used for MIDI notes – not as a synth.
1c) computer-based patch editing on the MIDIBox SID is allowed, since I don’t have a control surface for that done yet.
1d) computer-based recording is allowed, if for no other reason than digging up blank tapes for the four track is a pain. I’ve also built my own USB interface, so that’s a good reason too. No plugins though. Just use the computer as a straight-ahead multitrack recorder.
2) Since I have a DIY sampler now (the WTPA), in theory I could just sample a non-DIY instrument and call it a day. I think that for non-DIY instruments or samples from somewhere random, that the sample shall have to be captured into the sampler using a microphone, just to add some complexity. Sampling the modular or a DIY instrument can be done direct.

Any other rules I should impose upon myself?

And finally, in other news, the Arduino module I’ve been prototyping for a few weeks is now somewhat operational – in a “still on the breadboard, getting power from the laptop” kind of way – but operational enough to use it next month.

A(nother) look at Shortwave Radio & Numbers Stations, part II.

A(nother) look at Shortwave Radio & Numbers Stations, part I. The second hour features a large part of Public Spaces Lab's Number Stations compilation.

H.P. Lovecraft meets William S. Burroughs in an Emeralds and Telecult Powers controlled spaceship.

Press The Button Podcast for January 6, 2010. Show notes are available at http://www.glacialcommunications.com/news

Some news of a “we are sort of a record label, aren’t we?” type:

1. I’m selling a number of copies of GLAC-18 via the ‘Shop‘ link. A mere $5 plus shipping, and I’ll try to throw in a special ‘extra’ or two.

2. In 2010, I’m going to make a concerted effort to put out at least one release per month. Now, ‘release’ may be as small as a  two track ’single’, or an entire album. It may also consist of new things, or old stuff dug out from the vault, or something in-between. There’s even some chance I’ll release some stuff by other folks or collaborations, provided that such things happen (Interested? Get in touch…). Most of these will probably be free downloads, but there may be some further experimentation with that Shop page,  and perhaps physical releases as well. But yeah, one release a month. Probably towards the end of the month. But if you’re in need of sounds RIGHT THIS SECOND, you might find some fun stuff on my SoundCloud page. I’ve been putting up a few experiments with the modular and some other gear.

3. My vague plans at the moment also include taking a ’sabbatical’ from building gear in February in order to have time to record for the RPM Challenge, so obviously I’ll be soldering and building like a maniac through January 31st, so that I’ll have the gear I’d like to use for it. My plan for the RPM Challenge album will be “DIY Volume II”, with an as-yet unknown subtitle.

That’s it for now!

Press The Button Podcast for December 30, 2009. Show notes are available at http://www.glacialcommunications.com/news

Finished the XR2206 VCOs that I got the PCBs for earlier this week, so the rack is now full:

(click on it for details if you’re into that sort of thing)

It’s been a crazy four months or so since I started seriously working on this – the first module kits that went in were ordered August 24th. A few PCBs were ordered before then, as well as the rack. And now, four months and one-ish day later, it’s filled. All DIY. Crazy.

It’s hard to call it ‘done’ since there a few things left to do (knobs for the VCOs are enroute, half the bottom row needs labels, and I think a passive mixer’s going to go in the bottom half of the RRM panel…), and really, when is a modular ever really done? I’m already planning a bigger cabinet (the ’studio’ cabinet, to compliment this, the ‘live’ cabinet), and have several modules on the bench or in the works coming soon.

Next, I’d like to thank everyone who has offered support, whether of a technical(providing modules/kits/PCBs/parts), logistical, or moral(encouragement, nudging) nature. You know who you are and what you’ve done. Thank You!

Lastly, there should be a brief announcement of some label-y things soon (plans for 2010) – certainly before the end of this year.

Almost a continuation of the classical show I subbed on sunday at the start. Later evolved into some Telecult Powers-related stuff since they're playing NTC on Dec. 26, and later into mayhem.