Why there is no BLSS in 2009 YET!

I have been super busy at work. Here’s some of it!

Tonight was the first “Soundtoy” workshop held at Timespan. It ran from 6.30-9pm and it was attended by Heather, Jamie and Gillian and Ruth (please email me folks if I have spelled your names wrong!). During the session we looked at what a Soundtoy is and I did a quick impromptu soundtoy gig which lasted five minutes. Then we cracked on and made some noises with whatever was to hand. We used sweet wrappers, voicework and daftness to create a pallette of sound. We then edited the material and then I demonstrated how easy both Audacity and Soundtoy is to use. Then I split the group up to both practice with Soundtoy and to explore all of Timespan’s nooks and crannies to make sounds with. Everyone recorded their own sounds on a Zoom H2 recorder by themselves and learned how to edit the files in Audacity and export them into Soundtoy. Which we hacked a bit, to play our own sounds and not just the ones that come with the excellent CD of music and software from bip-hop. It was designed by Studio Tonne.

Our first track can be heard below. I am writing this post in The Bridge Hotel opposite Timespan and out of respect for the guests and wonderful manager Shanaz I am not going to play it loud in the bar! So it is a little raw and unedited right now. But I was really impressed with everyone’s contribution and am really looking forward to part two on Saturday!!!

Here we go! It’s called Achoo

Like it? Why not download it here.

Thanks to Douglas Benford for his help in locating bits and pieces for his workshop. The participants (who are really my bosses) liked your work on that CD a lot as did the artist in residence here, Ruth Macdougall. I wish I could do this job forever here. I love it. Ellie is away in Elgin till Saturday arranging high fallutin’ book signings at Waterstones and other local booksellers in that neck of the woods. Tomorrow I am going to record some material at Helmsdale School on their piano after hours. I can’t wait. Then on Saturday we have Soundtoy part two plus Cath Whippey is coming up so I can film her on Sunday dressed as a Salmon of Knowledge.