EP - The Songs

 

So we put together an EP (Extended Play) with 5 of our vocal / instrumentals from the first 6 months of 2026 and put that on Bandcamp, and also made an 8 page booklet about the tracks, lyrics and the thinking behind it.

Not that anyone will play them. Even for FREE. Uploading to the void it is called.

More interesting for me is putting them, and the EP artwork on my Android phone for the Pulsar Music Player., where I can play them over and over and think about all the mistakes and things that should be different.

These have the vocal to think about. Like the singing lacks emoting and variation.  They are all more like Instrumentals with vocals sections, rather than songs, but that is because they were done as part of MUSIC+COMICS, and not traditional songs. 

At least I tell myself that.

This morning also put up the Comfort & Fear YouTube SHORT.

Not sure if the "cute" animation will attract or repulse with this one.

Other Things

I have Scrivener for notes and writing.  It is very much like a Software IDE, with a group of small text files, you can than place in order, move them around, then compile that into the final document.  It has a few tools to simulate a post it note view of the story too.

I rarely compile anything but use all the small notes files as memos.  I expected to be writing more comics with it, but I end up doing all that in Corel draw itself, as I much prefer the rapid prototyping approach where I do the comic quickly, then refine it, as I can move things around. I don't have the story all finished first then start the comic.  It is just way easier to finish things that way.

One of the many YouTube videos on my timeline was on useful free tools to replace the usual commercial productivity stuff.  I moved to LibreOffice with my move to win11.  I once considered getting Evernote for my phone, but never did, and see that the original promise of never loose any idea ever, was pre ENSHITAFICATION and isn't true now. 

Obsidian gets mentioned every so often, and I tried it today.  A bunch of .md text files, you can trivially add hyperlinks in, and to, other text documents in it. Text files can have images dropped in them, and has all the usual expected text formatting tools and spell checker.  But I see it has to copy the image file into your Obsidian projects folder, and not a system wide link. A least it looks that way at first go.

Reminds me a bit of building my core HTML website, except you don't have to use html to put in hyperlinks. 

Has easy ways to do dated log entries. Not something I need in retirement though. My diary is hand written in paper books, and I refer to that a lot, but automating it doesn't make that easier.  I keep a big Calendar too with key things on it, which makes finding the diary entry easier.  My diary is just a lined B5 notebook where I leave a line and write the date of the next entry. Some days I don't write anything at all, and those days just aren't in the diary. No wasted, fixed sized pages for days not needed.

Apparently the SEARCH in  Obsidian is really good.  TIMER plugins would have been useful in my consulting days, but not now.

It displays your web of links between your notes.  A few from my playing with it.

I guess that is more interesting after a time when you have forgotten some of the idea/notes you have and can rediscover them.

All in all, I don't think Obsidian is something I actually need any more, but would have loved 30+ years ago.  Will try it as a learning tool.  Finding stuff may be easier than just paper notes or Scrivener text files. Don't know. Most of the stuff I have seen as advantages seems overcomplicated and not relevant to me any more. To remember something, writing it out on paper with a pen works best for me.

Wife now back from her 10 day trip, and the time flew by. Feels like she just went to the supermarket.

I have had a few Boss pedals in my time, and sold most of them way before now. I see them more as performers tools, rather than for in the studio the way I work. Still have distortion, EQ and Wha pedal. I think the thing about them is, like McDonalds, consistent quality, powering, useability and availability is in their favor.  

It seems Japan isn't an important focus of the company now though, since I have been back in Japan. The BOSS IR-2 wasn't available in Japan till a year after all the overseas Youtubers and Sweetwater had them.  I had been after one, but ended up with the POD EXPRESS BLACK as being far more my thing anyway, and available.

The BOSS XS-1 has been mostly unobtainable anywhere for 6 months now. Seems strange. Could get a DROP as it is available but I can really do the same thing in my REAPER DAW.   Have an 8 string too, so really low isn't an issue either. The DROP seems to handle pinch harmonics better, but has a greater latency and sounds dull shifting down more than 3 semitones.

I worked in Roland Japan for 15 years. Met people from Roland RG, but have no memory of anyone from BOSS Japan.  Must have met a few, don't remember any. 

Michael started at the cinema here 2026/6/12. I have the same 1958 birthyear as Michael Jackson and it was a shock, but not a surprise, when he died of a painkiller/ anesthetic overdose.  Saw all the documentaries about his achievements then.  Oldest son has gone to see the film today and loved it. It isn't something on my go see list unless the wife wants to see it.

We can be found at ArtAndTechnology  KYOTO JAPAN