*** Here are some of our Hobbies ***
Hobbies for Winter and summer alike, combined with the need to
keep the body and mind active, mean we have a lot of hobbies or pastimes. So here
I will list a few and you can link to what we have posted here.





*** Music Composition ***
One of the fun pastimes with a computer is simple music composition. The old 1301
Computer had a punched card based, sheet music player. Which as simple as it was, could
produce a triplet ( just about ). I dug into that code so deep, I believe it was
a good basic education in sound production using a simple computer. In my
youth, I not only enjoyed playing the old piano around the house, I also enjoyed
the electronic music of my period, Jean Michael Jarre, Iasoma Tomita, Tom Disseldorf and
Joe Meek's fantastic mixes of the new Electronic effects and Pop Music enshrined in
pieces like Telstar. The vinyl records are treasures to this day.
The advent of Computers and MIDI, meant it was possible to capture and edit a sequence,
then the arrival of sequencers, with the likes of the Atrai ST and the Amiga, gave
source to the MODULE music format, which was open to the playing of sound samples.
My software base for this is somewhat old, but I still use Cakewalk's products, and
MOD trackers to access this base of inspiration. The newer packages combine the two
basic functions into one package, an up and coming star application, is SKALE which is
currently in Beta release. It is good, has a familiar interface, and most certainly
worth trying.
*** Current Composing setup ***

To me music is about describing a scene, for the listener, so lets take the following
example. When we visited Tunisia, one of the trips was to the Sahara, included a ride on
a camel. If you have ever rode on a camel, you will know the uneven rhythm of its feet
and the somewhat sea sickening, roll of its walk. Use that as a rhythm base line and add
the sheer joy of a ride 10 foot up in the air. The result was Sahara Ride, which was an
mp3 file, it was available here along with Petra Sunrise both of which I had good
responses to. But due to space limitaions, I only offer Midi works on this site now.
Music creation needs inspiration and the last cruise has provided lots of new idea's.
Having sent some of my music all the way to South Africa, I have now started a new piece
called " Echo's from St Petersburg " and finalized a work in progress, now called the
" Tallinn Dance ". Extracts from these may be posted up soon. Space limitations on this
site mean I cannot share whole pieces with you, and if I were to post up the Midi files
then I am afraid that your midi setup will be different to mine, so I only post up
extracts which will download in a reasonable amount of time.
The midi files below are currently being worked on, most of this work is undertaken
in the winter months, whilst the weather is inclement. The Quotes below guide me, as these
were people who influenced my own generation with their work:-
Joe Meek " When it Sounds Right, it is Right !"
April 5th 1929 - Febuary 5th 1967
Delia Derbyshire " Fell the music, not the Notes !"
May 5th 1937 - July 3, 2001
This last Quote is pure Delia, said one night on Putney bridge.
"What we are doing now is not important for itself, but one day someone might be
interested enough to carry things forwards and create something wonderful on these
foundations."
What do I like to listen too? Well the human voice as an "instrument" is a unique one.
So it has to be:- Enya , Clannard, Oldfield, Jarre, Karl Jenkins, Adiamus and the Like.
Although Vocals are acceptable, I prefer the voice to be used as an instrument, this I am
sure comes from my early years, in choirs at school and later. Although any 'moving' piece
of music is acceptable, so I have a broad taste. Iasoma Tomita'a interpretations of Classics
are wonderful enlightenment's, if you like to explore uncharted territory ! But then I am also
at home with Les Baxter and his moody African and Native orchestrations, Caribbean Moonlight
and Tamboo, both good period interpretations.
Links to the individual 'ongoing works' for new and old pieces are here.
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