Notes_Norton

When I started doing mp3 files in 2002, access to storage was about 2G. I had well over 300 songs, which would have filled up the hard drive very quickly if I used lossless files.

Since I make my own backing tracks with high-end MIDI modules, I set up a test.

I sat up my PA set, and in one channel I put my MIDI file mix, in a second channel, I hooked my ThinkPad through a USB->Audio interface with the mp3 files on the ThinkPad.

I sat 4 musicians up with their backs to me to see if they could hear the difference. One of the musicians recently had her hearing tested and it was perfect, plus they were all critical listeners and interested.

I played the actual MIDI files and mp3 files at 128, 160k, 192k and 224k. I played slow songs, fast songs and songs with a variety of different instruments.

Everybody could hear the difference between the synths and the 128 and 160k files immediately. So I omitted them after the first song (I could hear the difference myself)

At 192k it was tricky. Some songs passed the test, and some had a slight degradation at the highest frequencies. At 224k nobody could tell the difference.

Since storage was limited, and we had well over 300s songs then, I chose 192k. I figured if trained ears couldn't tell anything but the slightest difference, the average listener in a noisy lounge environment wouldn't be able to tell at all.

Things have changed, and storage space is huge now. If I had to start over, I'd probably do WAV files.

My ThinkPad computers have been extremely reliable, almost bullet-proof. I use two, although I only need one (the show must go on). In the 19 years I've been doing this, I had to move the USB to a second computer twice. The first time the CMOS battery failed, and I later found I could still boot the computer manually, but switching the USB plug to the 2nd always up-an-running computer was easy. Repars cost $5.00. The second time the Hard Drive was making a mechanical noise, so I switched, replaced the HD the next day.

I eventually retired one of the 2002 ThinkPads when I dropped it, and broke the hinge. It still works, but replacing the hinge was out of the question, as it was 12 years old then. I just replaced the second 2002 computer for something with a brighter screen. The new screens are just better. 19 years later, it's still working and doing jobs at home for me with XP (I never hook it up to the Internet).

I never considered a Mac for 2 reasons; (1) I didn't want the glowing Apple icon on stage advertising that I'm using a computer. In 2002 that wasn't widely accepted yet and (2) if both my computers fail, I could zip on out to an office store, department store or many other places and get another Windows computer. It's another fail-safe thing.

I thought about an iPad, but I like having the keyboard up and available at all times. I can start a song playing on Media Player, hit Alt+Tab to bring the focus back to the File Explorer page. Right before the end of the song I'm playing, I can make a decision or change my mind according to how I read the audience for the next song. Since the Explorer window is up, I can type the first few letters of the next song which would highlight it, and when the first song ends, hit Enter and the next one starts immediately. That keeps dancers on the floor.

There are a few notes on the sax that can be played with the left hand only, so I can type those letters very quickly. If I had to mess with a disappearing on-screen keyboard, I wouldn't have the time to get back to the sax before the next two-handed note needed to be played.

Of course, there is more than one right way to make music. This is just my way.

Whatever works for anybody is a good way.

Notes ♫

MP3s are the way to go.

I learned my lesson many years ago.

I was playing the last Christmas party of the year. I had a 10 space rack of MIDI Modules including one sample player that loaded with a floppy disk (remember those). On the disk were samples of a Fender J Bass, plus drums, snare, kick, cymbals, and so on.

Before the gig we setup, loaded the samples from the floppy, and set something on top of the rack. The sample player turned off and on again and had to have the samples re-loaded. That took a minute or two. Testing it the slightest touch made the device reboot.

Our next gig was New Year's Eve, which was booked over a year in advance, for $2,000 (in the 2002), and for a steady client who wouldn't be able to book another band at this late date.

I took the device to the local repair guy who opened the lid, stuck a probe in to see if he was getting voltage, sparks flew and the unit was dead. He said I'd have to send it back to the factory. The problem was, the factory was closed until after New Years Day.

I didn't have a spare (I learned that lesson too).

There wasn't enough time to remix 300 or more sequences for new bass and drums from my other modules. So I started calling music stores from Miami working my way north. I would have flown to the west coast and back to meet my commitment with this customer.

Fortunately, I found one 200 miles north in a music store. Someone ordered it and changed their mind. The gig was saved!

So after New Years I bought two ThinkPad computers, recorded everything as a 192k mp3 file used a USB to Audio interface to feed my mixer, and with two up and running computers with identical data on them, any problem that happens is quickly remedied by moving the USB to the spare computer.

So IMO you are doing exactly the right thing.

I wish great success, lots of gigs, and no equipment problems for you.

Notes ♫

I'll also use a VPN.

Yesterday I was in Georgia, today I'm in New York. And I haven't had to go through the lines at the airport once.

I decided I'd confuse them. I'll keep the Gates tracking chip inside me, leave my iPad home, and leave my phone at my sister's house. Like magic, I'll be in 3 places at once!!!

Thanks.

The SoFussyCats >^. .^< >^. .^< are being careful about the gigs we are taking. Of course we aren't going to be risk-free, but we aim to minimize the risks.

Yes, we are the hot-zone. Our governor was voted by a PAC of his own party as the worst governor in the USA. The newspapers call him DeathSantis and only the hard-core trumpuppets approve of what he is doing.

So it's only outdoors with adequate ventilation and adequate distance from the audience.

As soon as a booster is available for us, we are in-line.

Notes ♫

We're now getting booked once a month at a huge RV resort after a year and a half off. Come the winter season, it'll probably be twice, and they've already reserved a few important future dates.

After 12 consecutive seasons, once per week at a particular marina, COVID put a stop to that. In the meantime, new owners bought the place and have different ideas about entertainment (I wish them a lot of luck, they seem like nice people).

So we approached a competitor, a beachside restaurant/bar and the owner was overjoyed. He offered us the spot, better money, and a free meal too. So the party goes on, but in a different place. It's also outdoors, so it's less COVID risky.

We've also been booked for a few old condominium clients that we've worked for through the years.

Florida is currently an epicenter for COVID, thanks to our GOP governor, who the Republican PAC calls the worst governor in the nation. It's pretty bad when your own party PAC disses you. But sooner or later the anti-vaxxers will either get COVID and become immune or dead and therefore no longer the great threat they are now.

Work is coming back, so Mrs. Notes and myself can resume doing our second favorite thing to do.

Notes ♫

For me, a mask won't work. I haven't figured out how to play saxophone, flute or wind synthesizer with a mask on. And I don't know if singing would work well with a mask either.

We just got a gig, outdoors, in one of those 'office' locations because one of the band members got COVID and is hospitalized. If she is who I think she is, she is a very vocal anti-vaxxer. I don't feel sorry for anti-vaxxers who get COVID anymore. They have to accept responsibility for their decisions.

Now, instead of one gig there this month, we have two. I'd truly rather not get an extra gig this way, and I hope she recovers.

Notes

I own neither, but as a former electronics student (may years ago) I think RMS is a better figure.

Measuring the peaks is one thing if I remember correctly, a sine wave's output is somewhere near 70% of it's peak.

As long as everybody is using either RMS or Peak you will be able to make a comparison.

Notes

As far as anti-vaxxers are concerned, this is what I think should be done.

Since I read that it costs the taxpayers $80 to vaccinate each person, if someone who is eligible for the vaccine and refuses it, this is what should happen; The government pays the firs $80, and the patient has to pay the rest -- in advance -- or they don't get treated.

It shows responsibility for one's own decisions, and it doesn't force anyone to get their jab.

I wrote this to 'my' GOP 'representatives' and other than the form letter letting me know they got my mail, I haven't received any response.

Oh, well. I thought they were elected to represent me. (Foolish, I know).

We had a decent 2022 season going, but some have already called to let us know if Delta or Lambda is running amok, they may have to cancel.

And I blame the anti-vaxxers for this. If we had acted sooner, and if the anti-vaxxers got on board, we could have had herd immunity in the US already.

August and September are notoriously the two slowest months around here, so I don't expect many. I have an outdoor one day a week gig coming up in either October or November, depending on Delta and the Canadian Border situation. It'll be our 13th season. Plus, I'm still holding deposits from people who canceled in 2020 (I gave them the choice).

Too bad people aren't avoiding COVID like the plague.

Notes

Yes, our governor has created the USA's biggest hotbed of COVID here in Florida (and he wants to run for president). The newspapers are calling it "Death by DeSantis".

We had an offer for a gig in a nightclub that has been closed twice due to COVID.  It's a place that is frequented by the Anti-Vaxxer and Anti-Mask crowds. We've played this club in healthier times, and right behind the band is the AC return vent, which is the most dangerous place to be. So we declined the gig. In order to not hurt the feelings of the client, we told her we were sorry, but we had a previous booking.

Leilani and I are mRNA vaccinated, the wind was at our backs, and we both have strong immune systems, so I hope we are OK. There was no way we could get out of the marina gig.

I hope the lady from your church recovers quickly and completely.

Insights and incites by Notes

We gigged a party that was booked and paid for before COVID.

Florida is the COVID capital of the USA, but it was outdoors, it was supposed to be for the guy's 90th birthday. They called, and I didn't see any way to decline, he might not make 92. Thankfully, the wind was at our back.

I was in the wrong place, but it must have been the right time ♫♫♫

Summers are always slow in this part of Florida, but I have quite a few one-nighter gigs lined up for next fall/winter when the tourists come back, and a one-day-per-week gig that should last all season.

Things are looking up.

Notes

Good for you!!!

We'll probably be that busy in the winter. We make 3/4 of our money between Halloween and Easter.

Notes

We've done a few pool parties for the snowbirds who left for summers 'up north. That's typical for the retirement development market, although a little later than usual this year.

We're getting bookings for next winter season, but so far, the summer, which is always slow down here, looks pretty bleak.

I'm OK with that, and looking forward to next season.

Notes

I know a lot of other people know how to deal with Bridzilla (and Mom-zilla) but I guess I'm just too independent to enjoy being micro-managed and don't know how to side-step that.

Don't get me wrong, I've played some fantastic weddings in my day, but more and more the wedding industry is telling the bride that this is going to be the best day of their entire life, unless their friend's wedding is even a little bit better, and if that happens the bride will be a pariah. That kind of pressure is not good for what is supposed to be a celebration.

I was never in a 'wedding band' per se, but took wedding jobs. I started out doing high school dances, then nightclubs/singles bars, then show clubs, then opening concerts for major stars, then better nightclubs, then cruise ships, and then after a few personnel problems that left me unemployed for month-long stretches, I downsized to a duo with Mrs.Notes, made my own backing tracks, and targeted the yacht club, country club, retirement development, and private party market.

Each part of the biz that I worked has its pros and cons. IMO all of it is better than working a day job as a wage slave for some faceless, soulless corporation -- even Bridezilla.

Playing singles bars on the road after the Summer Of Love and before AIDs came along was a blast for a young guy with raging hormones. Warming up for major stars in concert and being treated as an equal by people whose records we copied in our cover band was nice. Cruise ships were great, no lugging and toting gear, a different audience every week so the same jokes worked, and star status was fun. Being independent with Mrs. Notes in downsized venues playing 3 hours for decent money and having a local following is right presently perfect.

Right now it looks like next winter's 'season' is going to come back fine and be normal again.

Insights and incites by Notes

Good move for you MikeM

Weddings also pay well, but I abandoned them a long time ago. Bridezilla trying to micromanage her wedding took a lot of the joy out of the gig for me.

Until COVID I was never out of work. I actually had to block out a few weeks for a vacation because if I didn't, I'd take bookings and wouldn't get a vacation. That actually happened one year.

COVID happened, and my client base went into hibernation. They are emerging now, and the phone is ringing, but being Summer in Florida, it's mostly for next season, as the snowbirds are going back "up north".

Notes

12 hours ago, modulusman said:

Be sure and let us know how WAP goes over.😀

THANX!!!!! :D :D :D

Although the Seniors seem to like playfully sexual themed songs, I don't think we are going to learn this one.

I'm old enough to remember when the Stones' "Lets Spend The Night Together" was banned because it insinuated they were going to have sexual intercourse.

I think there is a mid-point between those two songs that would be right for my personal tastes.

Notes

When I turned 40 I targeted the Senior Citizen population in South Florida and never looked back. Yacht clubs, country clubs, retirement developments and so on.

When I was younger, the old timers told me that once I got out of the bars and into the adult market, I'd wonder why I didn't do that sooner. They were right.

Pros:

• The gigs are short, usually 3 hours.
• They finish early, usually by 10 or 11PM.
• There are no fights
• There is no pressure to sell drinks.
• There is always an audience (no Thursdays playing to the tables and chairs).
• When you learn a song, unlike Top40, it's good for years because it's already an oldie.
• You get to play a variety of music styles
• Two gigs a week pays as much as 5 nights in a bar.
• At the end of the night, they thank you for giving them a wonderful evening.

Cons:

• It's mostly one-nighters, so you have to move gear every gig.
• If you are single, there are no young babes to hit on, (but if you like them mature, you are in luck).

Fortunately I'm in a duo with my wife who is a great singer and plays both guitar and synth so the lack of young babes (above) is not a problem. I go home with the same beauty every night and wouldn't want it any other way.

In South Florida, it's Seasonal. From Halloween to Tax day. You work very hard in 6 months and make at least 3/4 of your yearly income then.

Insights and incites by Notes

On 6/2/2021 at 11:06 AM, daddymack said:

YAY, Notes! Glad you and Leilani are getting booked...

Thanks.

It went well. The person who booked us told us everybody loved us, and we'll definitely be back next season (it was a going away party for the winter residents at a mobile home park). The dance area was full, we had a dozen or so requests and knew all but one, and at the end of the night while we were packing out, quite a few of the residents made it a point to stop by and tell us how much they loved the music.

Being a pool party for senior citizens, we did a couple of Jimmy Buffett songs, a couple or reggae songs, and a lot of pop hits from the 1950s to the 21st century.

It was hot, we were sweaty, the 2.5 hours went by much too quickly (there were hundreds of songs we didn't get to play), we went home tired (a good kind of tired) took showers and at the end of the day felt it was a very good day.

We're planning on learning the request we didn't know.

We're getting some other bookings for next season as well.

Notes

I thought I was going to need a new hip. I couldn't walk two blocks without sitting and resting, and I couldn't drive without a 'blue ice' pack behind my right hip.

A doctor told me to try the "Arthritis/Bursitis" diet first. It's quite restricting, but it worked. I can now walk 4 miles briskly (for exercise) and I've driven as much as 8 hours straight without the ice pack and neither caused me any pain.

I'm sticking to the diet for life. A nice side effect is I lost a lot of excess weight too.

Notes

We have a booking this month!!! A going away party for some summer residents that haven't fled to "the north" yet.

Hooray!!!!

It'll be the first one since March 17. 2020.

Notes

About the time the vaccines rolled out, our winter audience went back 'up north'. I've got gigs for next winter when they come back, between now and then, if anything comes, it'll be slim pickings.

They won't hack your reeds, instead they will hack your sax to make the G# key stick, just when you need to play a long, climatic, G natural note ;)

(A lame attempt to return the humor)

That's one reason why I stick to mixers with knobs and sliders. Adding an iPad to the mix just adds one more potential failure.

I'm glad your gig went well!!!