[Live] The Miller Test

Two Miller Test gigs coming up - one tomorrow at the Bully in Oxford and one on Saturday at the 229 Club in London on Saturday the 2nd of June. Jubilee celebrations indeed...

[Gear] No Input Mixing

I hadn't used this mixer for years, mainly because it sounds absolutely horrible and clips the minute you look at it in a very nasty way. It's a Behringer... I won't say any more than that.

Finally, however, I have found a use for it - no input mixing. This seems to be something it is vaguely good at. I created feedback loops all over the place with it as you can see, so every control actually affects the sound and unlike the other TEAC mixer I use for no input mixing, this one works in stereo. Some definitely good fun to be had by plugging and unplugging the connections to create some fairly intense bursts of noise. Interesting that both mixers sound different when you create feedback loops on them and work in different ways. I think I prefer the sound from the TEAC but that is currently being used as a prop in a play. Also, the Behringer is tiny so it's easy to carry around to gigs and stuff.

One really cool thing is that by using the headphone socket for the output the level of the output signal can be attenuated which doesn't happen on the TEAC. This is good because it means you're not just sending peak output to a PA or soundcard.

I used it on Resonance FM - more pics here where I played a couple of sets with Vultures Quartet and Anton Mobin who was over from Paris recording with us and playing live in London.

Anyway, nice to find a use for crappy old equipment that never really worked in any satisfactory way.

I am now wondering what would happen if I start trying this stuff with a 32 channel, 8 buss Mackie desk ;-)

[Update] All sorts of stuff

I just created one of those Facebook page thingies for my music. It's here: http://facebook.com/Astrometria 

I am adding all kinds of videos and stuff to it and it has a gig listing page - although that doesn't mean I won't be posting stuff on this blog or updating my website.

Also, I realise I haven't really been posting much on this blog for the last month or so apart from gig dates. Well, this is because I have been really busy, recording, rehearsing and gigging.

The recording stuff is going well - in fact I will be mixing a new version of Lacrosse by John Zorn this afternoon by Vultures Quartet which will hopefully be released on Zorn's label, Tzadik, along with some of his other "Game Pieces". These pieces are a lot of fun to play will feature guest musicians as well as the normal VQ line up.

The next Vultures Quartet release is currently being mastered - this will be called What's Wrong With Me and will initially be released as a vinyl picture disc (remember those?). It will be coming out on Zos Kia Sounds later this year, followed by a CD release which may or may not have different material on it - undecided at the moment.

So, lots going on and more to be done...

[Live] The Miller Test 10th May

I am playing with the Miller Test tomorrow... here are the details:

THE MILLER TEST IS LIVE AT THE WORKSHOP, OLD STREET, THURSDAY 10TH MAY, 8PM 

(Actually, the website is questionable - here and here might be more useful.)

£6 on the door, no messing about.