Melodica Malfunction Revisited

Some time ago I wrote about the sticky key issue I experienced with my super-cheap Hohner Student 32 Melodica and the steps I took to correct the problem.

Since then I have played a few parts on a few different tracks and have found that the problem has returned, but in a less drastic way. While the keys do not now stick when depressed, they stick when not played. Depressing the keys unsticks. The part of the key in the interior that closes the gasket now sticks to the gasket. With a little playing the problem lessens but it is still irritating and impedes fluid playing. I'm no melodica virtuouso but I suspect that any player whatever his level of proficiency would find this unacceptable.

At the moment I have no idea how this can be corrected. Clearly the yellow rubber foam can't be replaced as it is moulded very specifically to the shape required to make an airtight seal.
Nothing that comes to mind (a silicon lubricant? talcum powder?) strikes me as a viable solution.

Any tips or recommendations are welcome.

Apart from that, the keys are really too small on this instrument and when funds are not so tight I hope to buy a bigger, better melodica made from superior materials. Recommendations invited!

It has been a while!

As the recently added begging letter notes, times are financially hard at ACEtone Studio. I do hope some of you reading this will be moved to buy some tunes to help out and ensure that ACEtone Studio can continue releasing quality original music.

As to what is currently in the works, a new net-release of a reworking of 'Be Strong Dub' from 'Every Spoil a Dub' will be coming soon, but there is still some work to be done. Just a bit of tweaking on the mix.
The plan is to feature three versions of the track:
1. Good and Strong - vocal by Idren Natural
2. Good and Dub - Melodica instru-dub
3. Untitled (still trying to think of a good title) - Organ Instrumental

The inspiration for this release was prompted by Callum (Culture Reggae/Sama Sound) who kindly provided Idren Natural's vocal take and encouraged me to do a further dub.
The organ version was something I had been meaning to do for a long time - not specifically for this riddim - but it all fit together really nicely.

Currently working on melodica, hand-drum, guitar over-dubs for Dougie of Conscious Sound's reggae version of 'Sound of the Crowd'.
Yes, that 'Sound of the Crowd' - the original version of which ironically has as its main hook a very typical 1970s roots melodica type melody though played on a Moog or some such synth.
Pretty easy to play, even with the sticky melodica keys.

It is very nice to be asked to do over-dubs, I must say.

Microsoft determined to make everything crap, including Music...apparently

I came across this article at Ars(e) Technica recently and was fascinated...in a disturbing way.
Microsoft is soon to release (or maybe has already released) a software, uh, thing to enable people to sing into their Pee Cee and have the software automatically create a backing track. Sounds...like...a...great...idea...yes?
Before I proceed, let me say that I am absolutely all for any and every new technological development with regard to music (and most other things).

The writer Erica Sadun seems pretty enthusiastic about the process of destroying music and goes through all of the hoops to make her track, though we never get to hear it. But by her description alone, this 'Songsmith' software is a true horror. The retro-equivalent might be the 1950s home organ with built in rhythm box (bossa nova!). I personally defend the right of the musically inept and tone deaf to do whatever they want with regard to music - what I object to here is the abject lack of decent musical backing for the awful vocals.

To illustrate here is a selection of demos made by some crazy person
Apparently it is not enough that the backing is rudimentary, bad sounding (think 80s), but Songsmith doesn't even get it right! The wrong progressions and chords are glaring. This is for the tone deaf, no doubt.

Songsmith is technically interesting but musically it should have been held back until it actually had something. So...it is toy software. Garageband is toy software, yet if I needed to I could make it work for me. Songsmith is not competing with Garage band - despite the slant in the article. Songsmith has no competition, because it is utterly useless. Thank you Microsoft for further proving the MS irrelevance market niche. Irrelevant product - irrelevant people! They automatically buy our crud so let's just pile it on. Here's a music 'product' you will love (buy).

Songsmith is frankly, musically meaningless. Unless I get to use it and find myself sorely mistaken - at which time I'll plead amnesia and delete this entry...
When MS brings out an OS X version of it I'm sure I could have fun with it, but I'm sure that afterwards I would feel dirty.

Here's my favourite use (abuse) of this rubbish (get ripped and reverse karaoke with your idiot friends!!!):
Hear how horribly shitty the sounds are?
Enough of this crap...

Highly unlikely hypothetical/fictional situation involving musician's need to resort to Songsmith:
I'm in a small hotel in Prague. Staying there for a couple of days for a really cool Dub conference. There is a need for me to do a little improvising at the seminar next day, but my luggage has been lost and due to various factors there is nothing else available to me besides a horrible Dell laptop running some form of Windoze and a copy of Songsmith. After a good hour of software updates, anti-virus scans and updates and ads...
I give it a try...I try again...it is useless. I'm not really a singer, but I can sing in tune when I have a track to sing along to. But that is not possible. Only a beat is possible. Sing over the beat in tune. But the chords are all wrong. The beat is wrong. The SOUND is wrong...help!
Headline in Prague morning papers:
'Musician throws self out of window - suicide note says - throw yourselves out of Windows, for the love of all that is sane and rational'

Striker Lee gets a nod of approval...

A little late noticing this, but apparently Bunny 'Striker' Lee has finally been given a little positive recognition by the Jamaican government in the form of the 'Order of Distinction' (back in Oct. 08). I won't say congratulations because I'm no great supporter of such trifling belated pats on the head. Surely he deserves a bit more than that!

The article from the JA Gleaner is interesting and adds a few details that may interest the more deeply obsessed reggae/Dub afficionado. While I wouldn't expect such an article to go into too much depth it is certainly worth a read glaring omissions apart...

He has also worked with Mighty Diamonds, Bob Marley, Gregory Issacs, Glen Adams, Roy Shirley, Dawn Penn, Derrick Morgan, The Uniques, Linval Thompson, Leroy Smart, Barry Brown, Joe Gibbs, Dennis Alcapone, U Roy, I-Roy, Prince Jazzbo, U Brown, Dr Alimantado, Jah Stitch, Trinity, Tappa Zukie and Beenie Man, when the dancehall 'doctor' was only 10 years old.

Where is Johnny Clarke in this list? And the all important link with the King himself, Osbourne Ruddock? Of course a complete list would have left no space for anything else!
Also a nice pic included of Bunny looking distinguished and dapper...

I am intrigued by the note that he may write a book about his life experiences - I won't hold my breath but to my knowledge this is the first hint of a real home grown account of the rise to prominence of Jamaican music - rather than the musings of well meaning outsiders. Write the book Bunny! Or start Blogging! This is something that is needed...
Wishing Bunny many more years of health and happiness...

Every Spoil a Dub in Rice Radio Reggae TOP TEN!

Not sure if this means the top ten CDs for December 2008 or for all of 2008 but either way it is very nice to be included. Thanks Scottie!

Rice Reggae Radio Top Ten CDs December 2008

Steve Barker reviews Every Spoil a Dub in Wire magazine

Well, this is a cause for great jubilation. In the January 2009 issue of Wire magazine 'Every Spoil a Dub' is glowingly reviewed by Steve Barker (On the Wire BBC, Wire contributer and all around nice chap).
Again, thanks a heap Steve.
And thanks Joe for buying all three CDs on the strength of this review!

Check this snippet:

Overall an excellent third album, but the top track is definitely 'New New Dub', a ouija board studio collaboration with Joe Meek, opening with an irresistible mix of piano and organ. - Steve Barker

Music Thing - obituary

Tom, creator of the Music Thing blog has decided to down tools and will devote his time spent online to his new day job. I certainly wish him well in this but hope that he can be convinced to leave Music Thing online. I've certainly enjoyed it and it has pointed me to plenty of interesting music related 'things' I might not otherwise have found.

And why not keep it going and just post every once in a while?

Jennifer Lara - who knew?

Well, the answer to that is: people who know more about Studio One than I do.

Now listening to the 'Studio One Presents Jennifer Lara' album. She can hold a note which is no mean feat because many of the singing JA daughtas I have heard sing terribly unlistenably flat.
There is a little deja vu of the incomparable Susan Cadogan (who sang quaintly flat in a manner acceptable to these ears!) for producer Lee Perry, but this is from a different time - maybe five years in the difference - and of course this is a Studio One collection. Late 70s stuff this - which means Mr. Mittoo was spending most of his time in Canada and most of the ruffest and tuffest of the Studio One session lads were off doing something else...

Hence some of the familiar riddims are done over (again) in a generally accomplished and fairly enjoyable way though most appealing when the actual backing tracks featuring the original players were employed. This familiarity gives way to a jazzy soul feel that seems to work very well on 'Our Love' though this is a style I'm not overly enthused by - and it basically doesn't sound Jamaican or like reggae, for that matter.

I detect the hand and musical direction of Pablov Black in much of this production. Not a bad thing, but he could never fill the magical gloves of the aforementioned Jackie Mittoo. Obvious to my ears but perhaps not to others.

This is good stuff, but it is Studio One past its musical prime. Mittoo, Sibbles, Frater, Sylvan Morris etc. all gone.

Exception: Stand out track is 'A Change is Gonna Come'. A riddim that may have been done especially for Jennifer Lara (though I doubt it - I just don't know it from elsewhere) and it is over as soon as it began...clocking at 2:18!

I do have to wonder about the album cover photo - poor Jennifer Lara looks not like she is lovelorn but suffering from a case of gastric trouble and a bathroom break is urgently required. Unfortunate, because in previous years so many of the Studio One album covers were highly stylized and very cool indeed. Could just be the reproduction on this...

I mean no unkindness in this appraisal. Just my take on someone I should have known about before, but due perhaps to the quality of the material had no real need to hear. I enjoyed hearing it, but I'm not sure I will be listening to it much. I do find it very sad that Jennifer Lara passed on at the criminally young age of 52 a short few years ago and hope that whoever she has left behind will benefit in some way from her musical efforts.

There is so much more material from Studio One - so make your own mind up...

Eating Betty - On the Wire - BBC Radio Lancashire

A nice surprise today to find that 'New New Dub' was played by the legendary Steve Barker on the BBC 'On the Wire' radio programme on November 29, 2008.
Playlist and streaming audio here.
Direct link to the audio is here.
Nice one Steve!

And just look at the all star line up - OK then, here's the playlist:

Arthur Russell – Love is overtaking me – Audika Records
Juakali – Run Babylon – Foreign Familiar pre-release mp3
Abassi Allstars – Dub answer – Deep Root
Eating Betty – New new dub – ACEtone Studios
Dead J – Cold light – Modern Sky
Lena & the Free Roots Orchestra – Cheval vapeur – Plush
Marmur – Blackbird – pre-release mp3
Christina Carter – Original darkness – Kranky
Rodriquez – Sugar man – Light in the Attic lita
Al Green – You ought to be with me - Victor Entertainment
The Brothers Unconnected – Space Dragon Ogon – Abduction
Paavoharju – Sumuvirsi – Fonal Records
Kashiwa Daisuke – Stella – Midi Creative / Noble
Goldblade featuring Polystyrene - City of Christmas Ghosts -
The Wedding Present - Holly Jolly Hoolywood - Vibrant Records
The Peggy Lee Band - All I Really Want to - Drip Audio
calvin Party - 8 Days - Eli Records
Awesome Wells - I think I Just Heard teh Hens Applauding in the Hen-house - Red Deer Club
Abe Vigoda - Live-Long - Bella Union
Hot Drop - Tell Me Dub - A QuietBump
Joker + Rustie - Play Doe - Kapsize
Madtone - WP - Blossoms Kitchen
Pascal Comleade - Contre le Style - Because
Seeland - Call the Incrediable -lOAF
Francesco Giannico / Stefano Spataro - 4 Sonatas for electroacoustic thoughts - HysM

Audio on the mp3 is a bit murky so you'll just have to buy the album to hear it properly!

New Review from Deutchland!

Much respect to my dear friend and occasional Big Shiny vocalist midsch for his review.

It is indeed a good feeling to know this release is being so warmly and enthusiastically received in so many places...Minnesota, China, France, Canada, England, Germany...

yea...humbled, warm and fuzzy...