Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas. I like Christmas. It’s hard not to.
This Christmas brings a gift for the Reason users among us. A free crowd-sourced refill was created for the occasion and released several days ago. I intended to have my piano combis included but there was a miscommunication between myself and the organizers (my fault). Oh well; the patches readily available on my Free Combies Page.
It’s a 326 mb refill with patches for most Reason devices and a fair number of Rack Extensions. The total patch count is 1200. I’ve looked through it and there’s some good stuff. Kudos and thanks to all involved.
Damn It, Now Ravi Shankar Too
Fuck’s sake, what is it with 2012? Great Indian sitarist, as if that needed saying. Dead at 92, afternoon of the 11th in a hospital near his home in Encinitas, California. I only have one of his albums (Chants of India), shame on me, but it’s a favorite of mine.
Review: LOXX Strap Locks
LOXX strap locks
Strap locks are a more secure way of connecting straps to guitars, basses, and the like than the factory supplied hardware. While there are low-tech options, the term most often applies to mechanical varieties. They come in two main parts, a replacement strap button and a device that catches on an inner lip when inserted into the strap button (this is to be attached to the strap). While these are in some ways superior to the standard option (a conical piece of metal on the instrument and an expanding hole on the strap), they do have drawbacks.
They can outright fail. They can break free of the strap (in most designs, they attach to the side of the strap towards the instrument), they can slip loose of their mate, they can unscrew themselves from the instrument. Because the strap now attaches at the end of the strap button (unless the button is countersunk into the instrument), there is increased leverage and therefore increased strain on the wood which can rip the whole device free of the guitar. Some even creak and rattle and the sharp edges of the devices can damage the instrument’s finish (though this is rare, thankfully).
But there is one variety that solves most of these problems, albeit with a drawback that put me off at first. LOXX strap locks have a pin installed in place of the strap button which is then grasped by the piece attached to the strap. This has the obvious fault of keeping it from being used with an unmodified strap but not for no reason; this way, the strap is kept almost as near to the instrument as it would with a standard strap button. And since I really only ever use one strap with each instrument (as I expect is the case with most people), this drawback may be overlooked.
The LOXX design is new to guitars but has been used in the automotive and marine industries for decades, securing soft tops and the like. The design seems perfectly robust and reportedly will require 220 lbs of force to be exerted on it to fail. Because the pin is spherical, the lock pivots smoothly rather than requiring the strap to flex as the instrument’s position on one’s body shifts (not strictly necessary but nice – this reduces strain on the strap that might cause it itself to fail). Even the variety of finishes is impressive (I chose black).
Installation is simple: screw the pins into place and attach the threaded strap insert with the supplied purpose built washer. It even comes with a multitool. There was one hiccup (well, two – I accidentally cut myself) in my installation but it wasn’t a problem with the product; one of the pins went in crooked. It could be that I made a mistake screwing it in or it could be that the whole was already messed up (the guitar’s previous owner took it to a tech I used once). I’m pretty sure it was my fault but I’m going to blame that tech (shame on him).
Once the strap locks were installed, I was entirely pleased. They look far better in person and they seem very secure. The mechanics feel smooth while anything can break, I’m not concerned about accidents. Not only must you pull up on the mechanism with even pressure on each side (i.e., even if it got caught on something, which it won’t, nothing would happen) but the device resists disengaging when carrying the instrument’s weight. Best of all, the mechanics attach through the strap, from the side away from the instrument; the washer is just there for when the strap isn’t in use.
All in all, I have to give this a big thumbs up. I’m very happy with the product and would gladly receive samples for more exhaustive examination and review (another electric set and an acoustic set, nickel thanks *wink wink*). Much more information is available at their website, including an informative, albeit biased, comparison of their design and two common alternatives.
Dave Brubeck Dead
The great, great jazz pianist would have been 92 tomorrow. Very, very sad.
Happy Birthday, Thelonious
The High Priest of Bebop would have been 95. One of the finest musicians to ever live, Thelonious Monk was a pianist and composer notable for, among many other things, creative use of rhythm and chromaticism. His unusual style of playing has led to a small controversy in recent years in the form of speculation that he would be unable of winning the contest named after him.
Monk died under very sad circumstances. The last six years of his life in the home and care of jazz patroness and friend Baroness Pannoica de Koenigswater. During this time, he did not play music and spent very little time with guests.
Song of the Week
Autumn Song (Sorry, no link available)
Van Morrison
Hard Nose The Highway
To be honest, I don’t know anything interesting about this song. Odd, as the song’s a favorite of mine.
Homework for Guitarists
Dan Tyminski (the one on the left) composed this as a sort of etude (exercise that sounds good) for picking practice when Eric Clapton invited him to help teach a master class, or so I’ve heard. It’s easier than it sounds.
Songs of the Week
Sorry for the hiatus. Two SotW, this time. Actually three and an operetta, sort of. But really, two songs.
Joe Walsh
But Seriously Folks…
Ah, tales of 70s excess among rock stars. The things mentioned in the lyrics are all too true; among them are specific references to Keith Moon and Walsh himself.
Anything Goes (Different recording)
Patti LuPone + 1988 Revival Cast
Anything Goes
Oh, how I love Patti LuPone. Not a household name but one of the greatest stars there is in theater. In 2004, she performed the role of The Old Lady in a terrific semi-staged production of Candide, which I highly recommend. Here’s a White House performance she did of another song from the show (great performance but poor recording, I’m sorry to say). Both songs, of course, by the prolific contributor to the Great American Songbook Cole Porter.
Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra
The very talented comedian and the BBC Concert Orchestra give a very entertaining tongue in cheek demonstration of the Orchestra. They do make a few enlightening points along the way, however. Very much worth watching.
Last Day of StePhest Colbchella ’012: Rocktaugustfest
StePhest Colbchella ’012: Rocktaugustfest started Monday night and will end tonight. Taking place the aircraft carrier Intrepid, StePhest Colbchella ’012: Rocktaugustfest is, well, to be honest, very little rock and a lot of Pepsi.
The first band was Fun., a power-pop group who weren’t the least bit engaging. Tuesday had Grizzly Bear, an indie band who seemed promising but ended up being quite dull. Last night was Santigold, a pop singer who was ok but, like Fun., used backing tracks. Tonight is The Flaming Lips. Fun fact: their music videos are so weird, not even the one with naked women is fun to watch.
That’s music festivals for you.