Adlibbed this tonight
Feeling inspired, got beats in my ears and words on my mind, typing out what I think cos it just feels right, lucky to be where I am in life, grateful for the talents I have and the chance to use them, not everyone gets to shine like I do, some might not see it because I’m quite reserved but there’s a light in me and oh how it burns, even I sometimes get overwhelmed hence why I stopped.
Shame I can’t vocalise it, just not got the voice.
I continued exclusively here
I’m pretty overwhelmed a little confused about what to do, I really like you but is the age a problem? I really like you but I’m not sure you like me back. Is it possible I can find out without asking, I don’t want to ruin it before we started, just let me know. I’m pretty sure I’m overthinking but tell me something new, I really like you and I think you like me too, I’m not sure I could be overthinking but maybe you like me too?
Every beat I hear I’m picturing future memories of us doing things couples do, picnics and lazy days, dancing in the club like nobody or everybody is watching, when I’m with you I don’t care.
I think I’m moving too fast in my head, I’m scared I’ll push you away
I’m pretty sure I’m overthinking but tell me something new, tell me you feel the same, that I’m being daft, let’s go. . . .
I think I’m moving too fast in my head, I even dreamt of you last night, what does it all mean, will I ever know
Update – patterns
So I have just got out of a chaotic week, thinking back I likely made it worse than it was. It has made me think again about my own mental health, my condition, that is dyspraxia and my lifestyle. For those who are unaware, I am a heavy gamer. I make music, either playing my handpan or electronically. The latter being very infrequent as of late. There has been a constant thought in my life for a while at least the last four years, growing in focus since then anyway. There is not enough time, for me to do what I want, but it’s not as simple as do less hours at work, go part time, because the money I make there is valuable to build a better life, do more with it. I feel I need to be more focused, this is definiitely something I struggle with, it feels like either my condition or my mental health gives me a fog that stops me from being productive at times. The other thing I noticed was the patterns, I knew a slump was coming, a time when I would need to recharge and zone out, but I couldn’t stop it, maybe I had been fighting through the fog for so long I couldn’t see it, who knows.
So with this in mind, I want to say that I’m going to be more disciplined, focused and set plans in motion. I know I won’t though, I’m well aware I might do something to that effect for a day or two. I have decided though I need to organise my food intake better, as for many lockdowns and new routines with work, have taken a toll on my eating habits and my exercise, I am going to work on the exercise, but no promises, I want to look into the food more closely. I notice i go through stages of eating ready meals, because its easy, it saves me some time to do what I want. An added bonus here is they are portioned, which if I cook I probably eat a lot more than I should. I love food, I feel this is a tough ask, so we shall see how far it goes.
In other news, outside of gaming, work and music, I write. Here is not the only place now you can read my ramblings, although Real Rasslin is purely where my wrestling content is posted. Weekly I review NXT, WWE’s 3rd brand, most class it as developmental and although I see where they are coming from I’m not convinced it can be purely that. If you like wrestling at all or my writing, I would love for you to check us out. I am not the only writer of course but below I’ll link you to my latest post.
Before I go another link to add below is my YouTube and TikTok focus of my handpan playing. I am struggling with the direction for my setup. I have z Zoom H2n mic but want something that can both do audio and video. The audio often distorts and something easy to setup at home and ideally in the park would be highly useful, feel free to comment if you have any suggestions. If you know me and are able to help in person get in touch too. I’ll post links to both accounts, I’d appreciate the support there, it might help motivate me.
TikTok and YouTube for Handpan
I hope you enjoyed reading my little update,
Pixc
Update – pondering this and that
Just thought I’d update the blog with a post on what I’ve been pondering lately.
As some of you may already know, aside from my full time job, I have recently started writing weekly reviews of NXT over on Real Rasslin. My latest one is here. We are currently on the Road to Wrestlemania, which is the biggest WWE event of the year and have just seen the marvel of the Royal Rumble. So there is a lot of hype and it usually brings back a lot of fans.
Other than wrestling, many of you will know my focus is often on the gaming world. I am currently playing a lot of different stuff. For multiplayer action I am dabbling in Rocket League and Call of Duty Black Ops, although Crash Team Racing is being added to this. I am digging into more Football Manager on my own only 2020 version though. Continuing my work at Huddersfield Town and currently placed 8th in the Premier League, possibly just after the transfer window mid season. I started a new save with Plymouth Argyle but am yet to really spend much time on that one. I have plenty of games on the virtual shelf so to speak. Lastly let’s look to the future. I am still yet to acquire my PS5, with a combination of scalpers and poor launch management from Sony, I have had no luck. The money is waiting but I have no desire to pay over the RRP unless I am getting some nice extras, maybe a headset or extra controller. I’m not overly fussed about buying any games or getting any bundled with it yet. I am keen to try Destruction All-stars and have been torturing myself watching gameplay of it on twitch and youtube. I hear some bad reviews but it’s free so I will definitely be giving that game a try. I was a massive fan of the Twisted Metal series and have liked the look of it so far. Then I am expecting a new DLC for Two Point Hospital, I hope that once I make some time to finish the other DLCs off, I will be excited to dive back in for more. I have a close eye on Dorfromantik, a peaceful, strategic puzzling city/landscape builder, in the vein of Carcassonne or Catan. I have been playing the demo which is now available on Steam, or on their itch.io page. It is great for winding down after a hard days/weeks work. I am considering diving in with Coral Island soon too as I really like the look of it. I dipped back into Nom Nom Galaxy not long back but on your own it gets a tad frustrating and I don’t seem to have a good grasp of the automation required in solo play.
Just a little note to scalpers and Sony/Ebay, if they are allowed to sell it at above RRP, i.e selling the console at £700 or more, then they will continue to profit, didn’t Boris say he would take action against anyone profiteering during this pandemic? Hopefully something will be done, I said recently to friends if I won on the lottery, I would set aside a little and purchase a couple consoles for myself and friends so that at least me and my buddies didn’t lose out, the thought also crossed my mind to sell more at RRP to give people a chance to game, who can’t afford to pay these stupid inflated prices. I did recently find out that realistically the PS5 is likely more expensive in the UK than most other places, as if it was the same price it would be $617 in USA for disc version, Obviously this will fluctuate due to exchange rates but that is over £100 difference.
So music, well I am on tiktok, but I am struggling to get the quality I want from my videos, mainly due to ability to record not being great. I need to figure out an easy way to have the camera show myself and the handpan. Electronically i have some interesting beats in the pipeline but I am not finishing them it seems still. I get close to finalizing a track and use the old adage of coming back months later to test if I really feel it is ready. Unfortunately by then my motivation is gone and it sits in my project folder waiting that export. A common problem I think most producers struggle to overcome. So a bit slow in this part of my life.
So yeah keep it locked here and on Real Rasslin, I do sometimes stream some games over on twitch or youtube.
Thanks for reading, Pixc out!
Guess who’s back . . . .
Yes, Noroch Music, or rather myself, I am back making music and on my updated PC, enjoying the likes of Two Point Hospital and Planet Zoo again.
So it’s been a busy, rather productive week or two. I have been in the studio, working on a reggae/dub track with my friend, he is doing a vocal that he performs as a poem or with musicians at the lovely Northern Quarter in Huddersfield, Thursdays at open mic, definitely worth a visit. I sometimes pop down and play my drum but alas work often stops me feeling like risking the late night!
I am cracking on with Two Point Hospital trying to get the max stars, bit of a grind at the moment I must say, but still loving the game and can’t wait to start again on switch come the end of the month. Was tempted to get me some easy trophies on PS4, but the portability has just pushed me to get it on Switch. Borderlands 3 has been and hopefully will continue to be a focus, with these “Events” dropping and awaiting news on the new content, potentially some absolute clangers, in the Battle Pass that has been rumoured and microtransactions, I hope they don’t do either but the battle pass intrigues me.
I am trying to grind out some ideas in Ableton, with a view to upgrading in the next month or two. Whilst trying to save for a holiday and do a few jobs on the house. I am definitely feeling a change in the momentum. Actually speaking of which shout out to Initial Audio, who I hope to “working” with a lot more in the very near future. I have been using their plugins for a while, great guys who I urge you to check out and let them know what you think, good or bad!
Anyhoo, busy sunday ahead, thanks for reading, keep em peeled!
Pixc
Noroch – my music alias
Hi guys,
I just wanted to do a post about my music production stuff. I have been making music on and off since 2007, I lost interest for a while and recently got back into it. I own Ableton 9, a Push 2, a IK Multimedia Uno and am definitely a fan of my KRK rokit 5s. I am still barely scratching the surface with my push 2, I partly feel this was due to my studio space when I bought it, A high desk, like a kitchen counter not ideal, recently managed to acquire a full 6ft standard size desk and am much more comfortable.
Anyway, the reason for this post is really a shamleless plug for my own music, to let people know I am back making music, hopefully better music or different music at least. I am trying to experiment more, I have picked up some new tools in the last year or so and am using Splice to increase my sample library and possibly gain a few new plugins.
I am listening to more music, I recently purchased two steel tongue drums last year and will hopefully squeeze some of that into my newer stuff. I will post some links below of recent stuff.
by all means give me a follow
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed the music.
Pixc
Still here / Me
The weather inside my mind is fog and rain, most days, constantly running in every direction trying to find the sun, fighting against any wind in the hope behind it lies blue skies.
Searching for the new sound, knowing I stopped because I couldn’t find it, knowing music is key for me but feeling like I’m impossibly searching for a tiny speck of dust on a massive shelf, that might even be too high for me to reach it
Looking to the past, seeing the good and the bad, constantly focused on the negative, not intentionally, but like it is natural, thinking there is only progress so that when I stop making progress it can mock me and remind me what I should be doing.
Knowing the answers, the path, but unable to follow it, either through lack of discipline, motivation or confidence. I never gave up, I still try to resolve, I look to help myself because there is only one person who can get me out of this loveless, guilt driven hole, of this quicksand of unreciprocated, bitter twisted sea of desolation . . .
Me
Thanks for reading,
Pixc
Tangents on Thursdays!
Well, what a few weeks I’ve had guys, a reyt emotional rollercoaster! Three options on the job front, for the same company, two of those in different locations, one of which was a completely different role, needless to say it looks like am sticking where I am due to my own stuff going on. So no commuting and sticking with the gym as it would be much more difficult to maintain from a further away location.
The World Cup has been on, not been watching every game, seen england games, but though we look a lot better, first half against belgium and we don’t look great. Nice to see some of the smaller teams fighting for a good show. Panama’s goal against England was pretty good. So what other Tangents we gonna touch upon.
Gaming is always a good one, being such an avid gamer, I must draw attention to three of my favourites, Rimworld, No Man’s Sky and Borderlands. Firstly Borderlands, where is the news, where is the release date, we are so hungry, well I definitely am, I cannot wait for this game. Hopefully a solid release date arrives before the end of summer. I’d love to see the game arrive before the end of the year or latest end of march, oh and an update Belgium are winning, see England are shite again, normal service resumed.
So gaming, Rimworld 1.0 is available on the steam unstable branch, not tried it seen some gameplay, not sure if I like it as much, may wait until mods are released properly as I daresay I will miss them. I will probably cave at the weekend so look out for that on my channels. Lastly No Man’s Sky, yeah I really like it, have since release, i’m tired of the hate, they really don’t deserve it. Destiny or Fifa or Call of Duty deserves it, but not this. So the new NEXT update, fully fledged multiplayer and so much more. I can’t wait to see what is coming, so am off to watch some NEXT gameplay I got recommended, right after writing this.
So with gaming out of the way I can look at some music stuff. I introduced hopefully two, but definitely one person to a band called Dirtwire, intriguing sounds remininscent of a rustic badlands from borderlands type vibe. I urge you to check them out, if you’re a fan don’t be shy say hi in the comments!
I’ll leave you with a final thought, time is ticking, we ae getting ever closer to the first female lead of Doctor Who, also shes from my hometown, what a win!
Thanks for reading,
Pixc
new sounds
Been a while but I uploaded something new.
Any thoughts please drop a comment here or on soundcloud 🙂
Pixc
Welcome to the New Year
Yes we made it, 2017, a brand new year people, this is just a quick post to say Happy New Year, eager to see what 2017 holds, this is a big year for me really, the big 30 is upon me and I will spending my first birthday outside of england, far as I can remember anyway.
So what does 2017 hold for Pixc, well hopefully an Ableton Push 2 and some motivation and discipline to get back into making some beats. I ain’t making any promises I have claimed for the last three years at least that this would be my musical year, the year I take it to new heights but it hasn’t quite happened yet. I do hope that I can be a little more disciplined this year that’s for sure.
As some of you will know I am a heavy gamer, some would argue an addict. I lots track of time for the first time in a long time playing a game, Prison Architect, I just got immersed in the story, for a game that is essentially more about the building of a prison, it was quite a surprise. I looked at the clock to find it was 4am, whoops! I still think there may be a place for me in youtube or twitch to carve out some sort of niche for myself, but I’m less confident, it is tough going, if you watch me. Thanks for your support, it means a lot. I think focusing on one platform would be a great idea, but unforunately YouTube makes it really hard for a small time youtuber to make anything out of posting content online unless you are lucky enough to have tonnes of fans and well Twitch is very limited in who it reaches I guess, more people are willing to have a youtube account and comment on videos, subscribe to channels etc.
So who knows what 2017 might bring, let’s hope it’s a good un eh!
Pixc
Musings as December hits
So I have been churning out some WWE 2k16 content on my youtube and twitch channels, so feel free to drop by them, there are links in previous posts, this is just a quick update for now.
Reggae tune hunt is well under way. I added some new ones to my phone for journeys and possible mixes down the line. I am holding off on that while I solidify my work life. Upgrading my pc in the mean time to play games better.
I am trying to lay off the gaming so much, spreading it out more to enjoy it, as I know I am missing out on so much else, TV series, music, movies. Not keeping up with the Whoniverse news from Adipose TV for a while, hope to be back in that community more soon, as I am enjoying the new content from the folks at Tiny Rebel Games, Doctor Who legacy is a must have android game for any whovians! I must admit looking forward to playing more of Fallout 4, my last game I’m buying til Christmas at least.
So yeah, I’m trying not to forget that this reggae am constantly listening to is keeping me positive, laid back and thinking less, just soaking it in.
Thanks for reading,
Pixc
Reggae – a love I can’t deny
So I just got home from a reggae night, 2nd time I went to it but last time, I was dragged away as it wasn’t everyone else’s scene, this time I spent more time there, admittedly I’d have stopped longer had someone stuck around for the ride but it was so nice to just sway to the reggae beats immersed in the music, not caring what anyone else was doing, so relaxing, for a busy environment.
I can’t get enough reggae at times, the bass the feel of love there is pouring out of each track, the feeling of relaxation and easy going attitude it instils in me. I am definitely making this a regular haunt of mine, shame I will miss the december one. I will just have to fill my phone with a lot of new reggae and get some extra home listening in.
Any reggae lovers out there want to recommend some awesome tracks I may not have heard then feel free, I have a range of taste, from Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown to Protoje, Sara Lugo and Sizzla Kolonji, to name but a few!
Cheers for reading,
Pixc
Returned to the Dole
So back looking for work now for a few weeks, surprisingly with 1 year in work added I feel only slightly more confident applying for jobs, it has opened some areas up to me a little, but not I think enough for me to feel this will be a quick move. Ideas for where I could take my career are very slim, I’m open to suggestions, I can write I can edit images to a point too. Resized them in my last job and cut bits of furniture out of rooms to display them on Amazon and eBay. I’m keeping an eye on my health, particularly stress. I find blogging and music keep me at least able to deal with what life is throwing at me, I did an activity that was basically see this car, write a sales pitch for this car, a small paragraph, think it was meant to get you to think about your own personal profile, it kinda fits like a sales pitch, except you are selling yourself. I don’t like sales as a career personally but it makes me wonder, maybe I would be ok at it, in a certain environment. I don’t like rap but given the right topics and the right sound, I reckon I could at least write rap lyrics. Can’t imagine spitting on stage or even in a more intimate setting, nerve wracking eh!
So I think music on from now on, hopefully I won’t be on this bullshit tip much longer, stay in work, not because it pays, but because the alternative is dealing with so much unnecessary drama from a system that does not get it, the people behind those desks, they don’t distinguish between someone who wants to work and someone who doesn’t they just check the figures, are you doing what we ask? not enough? right this is what we need? it’s all pigeon holes and no thought or creative thinking, it doesn’t get you from A to Z, just from A to B if you’re lucky.
Anyhoo rant over,
Pixc
Tangents on Tuesdays
So I’m sat here for the first time in ages Tuesday morning, usually I am away at a friends Monday nights, so yeah getting to tune in to Late Night Lurking with Gunda G, only Gunda is not well this week so Darkman is filling in, doing a stellar job with some wicked tunes. Gunda is live on soundpond.net every tuesday around 11.30am GMT I think, so I thought I’d revel the world with my blogging presence as I am kind of waiting to go shopping for some bits.
So am pretty stressed but nothing new there, I am looking for work and finding a lot of invisible barriers for myself, so I’m trying to plan a way out of this situation. Spec letter drafted for applying to do sound design or make myself available for games design in the video games industry. Kind of getting a bit annoyed that I have to either do spec letters galore or apply for lots of jobs I know I won’t have a chance at getting, yes I know you never know but thats not actually the case is it, if we are honest. I know there is a lot of competition, I know I’m not very good at selling myself against competition. I haven’t got the experience, I’m limited in skill compared to a lot of competition, I’m a realist, I need to improve myself or get a placement or some form of work trial, to get me started, the job centre do not care or notice this situation, they just want me to apply for anything and get off their statistics, point taken.
Anyway something more cheery, I am testing Absynth out, its a VST from Native Instruments, meant to be good for soundscapes, as I’m starting to want to lean into that area a little more, I’m hoping I can find some use for it. I’m feeling the power so far, but I can’t say I’m finding it easy to use. I find the presets fairly good though. I really like some of them, think there is a lot of scope to just tweak things, maybe with some guidance from tutorials I could grasps this synth. One thing I don’t like, you can’t seem to get Absynth on its own, just it seems with KOMPLETE, I suppose having the complete collection might be a great addition to anyone’s studio but the price means I ain’t interested.
But all in all folks, things are not too bad, just gotta keep plodding on yeah!
Sharing some music . . .
I am just going to share some music I’m listening to at the moment, my music tastes if you keep an eye on my music vary very much, but they do sometimes venture into some slightly more commerical music, these are some tracks that I have been listening to and they might surprise some people . . .
Katie Melua is one of my favourites, love her voice, very talented musician it seems also.
This version of Skazi/Infected Mushroom – I wish , one of my all time favourite psytrance tunes, a banging beat and some lyrics I can relate to, I even did my own lyrics to this once, but truly I would have this tune as one of my songs for my life, maybe requested for my funeral who knows :p
This is one of the deepest, most emotional, most painful but beautiful tunes I have ever heard, I was introduced to this not so long ago and I must say I share the video with lyrics purely because the lyrics are so deep, you need to read them in case you miss them, a real thinkers song, but beautiful even on its own merit. Patience is an awesome tune.
Hope you enjoy these tunes 🙂
Musical Inspiration has Struck
Ok, for those who started following me due to my musical leanings, whether it be my tutorials, my music or just to keep tabs on what I’m listening to, I feel I have drifted away from the main reason I setup this blog, it was for my music, for my thoughts on music, to share and create, to teach a little about how I make music. I think this has in the main fallen by the wayside, because I want to make tutorial videos, I however can’t seem to find a way of doing this with video editing software that allows me to record my own voice as I make the video and the sound from ableton, record the screen also in windows, soundflower seems to be the choice in mac users. I am familiar with Eidus and if anyone knows of anyone who has used this to make videos of a similar nature with it, then let me know.
I also feel I have been feeling a little more deep and moody, leaning more towards my poetry or writing about my feelings I guess. I want to re-address the balance somewhat and have a major announcement to make :
I have been working on something new, I will put a few buzz words here to give you some idea; ambient, industrial, strange, dub, 4×4 and dark. It is something I have been edging towards with my unfinished stuff I think, wanting to do a more darker style for my Noroch persona. It is almost finished, I’m struggling with a melodic bit but this is the final sort of piece before I look at playing it on a few systems to test its quality and possibly a final few touch ups.
So yeah, I want to do more tutorials, especially seen as I have found very little on using my Gladiator 2 synth, a powerful HCM Synthesis, well worth the price I paid for it 🙂
If I was Really That Powerful
Power corrupts, I hope I never have so much power that I can do what I want
When you get that power, it changes you
But if I had so much more power than I do
Oh some things would be so different for me now
I’d use it to get me money to make me successful
I’d use that success to get me more money
All of this is key to any plans anyone would ever have regarding power
Then you can distribute this money however you wish, for good or evil
I’d give a sizeable sum to my family, to help them along
I’d give a sizeable sum to some friends, to help them along
I’d get on the phone to Richard Branson and start talking
Cos Richard, I want a rave
I want a rave on train
I want all my favourite DJs, local and global
I want all the people I’ve become fond of to revel in a journey unprecidented in the realms of time and space
I want to finish it off in Berlin with a massive tribute to Kraftwerk and Schranz/Hard Techno music
I’d have three carriages of different music
Ambient more chilled out stuff including Dub, Reggae, Jazz in the chillout section
Hard Techno, Schranz, Gabber and Hardstyle in another
Lastly Psytrance, Electro and Breaks in the final carriage
I want a few pickups, we start in my home town of Huddersfield, the train station is pretty well known and listed
We head from there to pick up one of my best friends, some people with him from Aberdeen, yeah long journey but its only the beginning
Then we come back down calling at Newcastle, party central, home of many stag do’s
We then head to Manchester one of the biggest scenes for music for me
We head almost back home to Leeds the most amazing city for my music tastes so far in my life, Riff Raff, Cabbage, Sunrise and Remedy crew all aboard!
So we picked up the majority of my friends by now, I’ll be honest a few are a long way off
I love my dubstep, all be it mainly less wobbly stuff, so we couldn’t fail to miss out Bristol so onwards to Bristol
Now I’d quite like to go to the centre of the whole country next, Birmingham, I’m a bit of a Villa fan so lets stop at New Street and pick some Villa fans up.
So the party is pretty banging im guessing by this stage, I don’t care much for London I’ve had any desire to go there, but its the capital so can hardly leave it out
Many of my favourite DJs have no doubt played some good stuff there too, so London would be our final stop in this country
Ok we are missing a few more people, i’m not a big fan of france but if a certain someone isn’t already on the train
Due to a message from me and a nice flight up north, then we have to call in to Belgium, to pick her up
At present seeing some DJ so one more for the road eh?
So I can’t think of many places left now, that I’d rather be than Berlin at this stage
Where it all began, electronic music, with Kraftwerk
So seen as we are all hear lets express this motherfucker to Berlin!
Party on a train, its the vision, a rave all the way to Berlin
Not a road trip, a rail trek
Virgin Trains and Noroch present – – – “RAVE ON A TRAIN” ©T.Newsome 04/08/12 (if you want rave on a train gimme a hell yeah!)
very very unlikely to happen but would be so awesome!
Borderlands 2 – buy it!
I wanted to write something about someone right now but I can’t do it because it would be petty
So I figured I’d write a fictional tale about a planet I know so here’s how it goes :
I’ll see you on Pandora with a corrosive sniper
We can take claptrap to hijack the overseer and take Jack down, yeah
We’ll go searching for Moxxi’s photo’s but who shall we take them to?
I don’t know yet
This is the Borderlands, soon to be 5 classes and a bazillion or more guns,
You will love it, I know because this is the second time round
The world is more bright and colourful,
The guns are full of variety and there’s much more loot
A world of bullet penetration insanity
To let your inner Gunzerker loose
Lock your enemies on another plane
Watch those carefully before they turn super bad ass
This is the Borderlands, welcome to the game!
Music – Relaxation
Now I saw a few new followers join us, after my last music post, so I thought I’d dive in and get some more reading out there for em, welcome to the blog and I hope you enjoy the read. I want to put something down about relaxing to music, I did a course on sleep well the first half of it last month and found out a lot of people can’t actually relax, so here is one way I do it, usually to help me sleep.
I get some music, usually its something ambient, no words generally. I get my little CD player or maybe just use my headphones and my phone. Lay back on the bed and do some steady breathing, just concentrate on the music and my breathing. I find after a short while, I feel more relaxed and sleepy and can either just drift off or turn the sound off and then go sleep with ease. I also usually stick music on to relax to when I’m in the bath, bathtime is a real relaxer for me. I often wondered about water and me, I hate it going in my eyes but love being in the bath and if I was loaded I’d almost definitely have a heated pool or a villa in a hot country with a pool huh?
So yeah anyone stuck at night, tossing and turning, that would be my advice to you, stick some ambient music on, or soft beats of some kind and breathe! Alternatively get in a bath and do the same but be warned don’t stay too long don’t want to drown. On that note I’m going to leave ya to ponder as I’m straying close to another subject related to baths that I don’t want to mix in this post.
Thanks for reading,
Pixc
Music – without it, I would be so different
I just wanted to make a point about music, it is an amazing gift given to us by people who are talented enough to create it, I have been lucky enough to experience a lot of different music from around the world, some I went looking for myself and some I was introduced to by others. Music is a key part in my life, I listen to it in some form probably every day, I don’t think I could live without it.
I use it to help me relax, I use it to do various tasks and I sometimes have it on to keep me focused on doing whatever it happens to be that I am doing. Since 2007 I have been making my own music. I have in the past tried to learn to play an instrument, but to no avail. I tried keyboard with my nanna, when I was younger but didn’t have the patience or enthusiasm for it. I was bought a guitar for my birthday and rarely even played it before selling it, but now I have found constant enthusiasm and appreciation for making my own electronic music. I use Ableton Live. I bought the software after testing it since 2007 through college and then at home. I couldn’t imagine using any other software to make music. I have tried Fruity Loops, Cubase and Reason but they do not offer the flexible workspace and everything at your fingertips like Ableton does. I would probably love to integrate it with Reason, however as I did start with Reason and thoroughly enjoyed using the synthesizers in the software. Subtractor, Malstrom and Thor were all really easy to use and I still love to sample from them in ableton now and again.
Music can bring out our emotions, it can attach itself to our experiences and tell stories. I listen to certain tracks when I feel certain moods sometimes, I even can think of certain people because of the music I listen to. I love to share music with people, listen to what people make and recommend, but I always have my own tastes in music. some of it comes from my dad, who was heavily into Motown, UB40, Erasure and much more. I grew up listening to UB40 and so they are a big favourite of mine. I do like the odd bit of pop/commercial music but am not overly keen on it anymore and have delved deep underground to get some really interesting music. I like strange singing voices, the best example I can give is Fever Ray and The Knife – same singer I believe, a swedish artist.
I am fond of all sorts of music, I did think that I wasn’t so keen on Drum and Bass but recently went to a night in Aberdeen where the vibe was top and I just felt like I was having a good night. I do like the occasional track, London Elektricity – All Hell is Breaking Loose was the first DnB track I can honestly say I enjoyed and liked that wasn’t Pendulum which I see as more commercial and popular drum and bass music. I also was never a big fan of rap music, liking the occasional track, then I found the sort of chap hop, gentleman rhyming styles of Professor Elemental and Mister B, these two were original and always fun to listen to.
Basically I have found interesting music in all sorts of genres, I love sharing it so if you got anything to share feel free to drop me a comment and link me or just tell me what you think of music and your own music tastes. Maybe I’ll share some more of this over the next few months who knows, but thanks for reading.
Pixc
New Sounds – Audio Only
Right guys,
Posted a new tune on soundcloud. The idea for this was to do a tune with no VSTs, no GLADIATOR, no Operator, no Analog or even Sampler just sampled audio and effects if need be. It is a combination of Dubstep and Gabber, filed under Gabberstep but I think it feels more like Dubstep most of the time with Gabber sounds. Be good to get people to feedback on it, I always like to hear what other people think of it. Played it on some poor quality speakers in Scotland at the weekend and it was pretty bassy. So enjoy.
Anyone done anything similar with their own tunes? Anyone got any ideas as to whether I can break my own rules and/or get atmosphere in there without breaking them?
Soundcloud – New Tune
Hey guys,
I posted a new tune on soundcloud here http://soundcloud.com/noroch/rose-tinted-world
Just wanted to add some detail about the way the music world seems to be working for me especially on sites like soundcloud. First of all I get feedback from the odd randomer who just loves music, often they only comment on my tune to say “its good” then ask if I would return the favour, I appreciate these comments more for the sharing of their own music than the limited response to my own. I love new music, I appreciate people spreading the word too. I had a comment on my blog from someone saying they spread the word about my blog, if they did thanks, I really appreciate the word being spread. However I look at some people’s tunes, see the sea of comments and wonder if they actually appreciate them? I like to respond to all my comments in some way, if you ask me to return the favour, I often will. If I don’t feel the response was as in depth, then I might feel disappointed but I’ll still comment on yours if I really like it, or if I don’t I’ll let you know. Just a heads up to budding producers, music makers and dj’s, people don’t seem to give their valuable opinions for free, the people that do are amazing, they are special and should be kept close by, people who will tell you how it is, a few people have ripped my music and my blog to shreds, good for them. I’m going to keep on writing, keep on composing and then one day they will find something they really like, probably saying – “I really like this, you’ve come a long way” not a direct quote btw. Either way I will be happy doing what I do and keeping a small appreciated group of people, rocking to my sounds, or feeling my rants. Music is the key for me to anything and everything.
If you have an opinion, on my music or my blog, share it by all means!
Thanks for reading,
Pixc
Music of the Day
I thought I’d share some of my latest findings of golden gems for the ears. I was feeling in a particularly Borderlands mood this morning so thought I’d stick the theme tune of it on for a listen….
Ain’t no rest for the wicked – Cage The Elephant
Ain’t the only song I know with prostitute references either, here is another of my favourite tracks….
Enjoy,
Pixc
August 13th, fancy something different?
Hey guys, fancy something different? A good up and coming electronic night in Leeds is putting on a special night for all to enjoy!
This night is a small but growing night, hell bent on breaking the electronic music boundaries in every possible way. The night includes a production room, with Fractal Injection heading it up, I myself am in there regularly too, its just a fun place to be. Remedy is going places, don’t you want to be on board for the ride? With great up and coming acts like Atomgrinder, Psy-Chi and Psycandy Remedy is sure to be a night to remember.
The latest event is here on facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216560138384243
Remedy also sports a new Acoustic Area, outside where Roo Weaver along with Pete McDonald will be taking the reigns. Open Mic kicking of this next event in august. People from all over come to Remedy, just last time I was talking to someone from Lithuana and I’m pretty sure we had a DJ/Act from Holland and there is a little about something to do with mexico on the event page. Really this is the place to be on August 13th kick off at 9pm right through the night til early hours, just in time for trains home, travel and more details are on the event page.
I hope to see some new faces in the production room and on the dance floor! See ya there,
Pixc
Musical Progress
Right, I just thought I’d let everyone know, I am pretty much a fully fledged mobile dj/producer. I have a little suitcase that with a towel or two can house my laptop and dj controller. The Dj controller, a Numark Mixtrack Pro doubles up as a sound card and has two output sets of RCA, which means I can plug into someone elses speakers if I wanted. I recently have been interested in getting some dark psy on my hard drive to listen to, I have found some nice Frozen Ghost, Antagon and Audiopathik. I probably have more dark psy but that is just to ease your tastebuds into some dark psy.
My current setup is a little all over the place with my studio being abandoned until my PC returns in good working order. I am on my laptop with my KRK’s on standby when I need them in front room. Don’t think the neighbours like them, but tough they kept me awake all the time shouting in the bedroom underneath me, least I should be able to play my music a little reasonable volume in the daytime. It may well be time for some shitty day time TV but I have been working and I am home, time for some proper tunage, not the shitty commercial catchy crap you get on radios at the workplace eh?!
So yeah, I also come across a weird thing today, I got to work looking like a Trendy, with smart jeans and shirt with possible jumper, then come back strip off the jumper and the jeans and look a right chav in my two striped no brand joggers and trendy shirt. Funny how with different clothes you can be seen as a totally different person ha…..
Anyway wanted to wrap up by pointing a few of you to my music I hope, I live in various profiles around the web. I keep these as upto date as i can do really. Sometimes they slack a bit but hopefully with the current contract almost over i’ll have more time to spare for my music soon.
http://www.reverbnation.com/djpixc
http://www.soundcloud.com/djpixc
soundcloud is mainly my latest mix place, as I am now upping my djing skills I like to get an updated mix on there as often as I can
AlwaysMuteTheWeirdo aka Pixcs Blog 