Octatrack Tutorial - Trigless Locks vs Trigless Trigs

As a new Octatrack user, the variety of "trigs" and "locks" seems pretty daunting.  This video does a good job of explaining the different between trigless locks and trigless trigs.

Week 1: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 1

Day 1 - Moderate Intensity

V Warm-Up + V Clubbell + V Cool Down


Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 2

Week 3: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 5

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 3 - High Intensity

CC Warm-Up + CC Clubbell + CC Cool Down
7 sets

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 4

Week 3: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 4

Day 4 - Low Intensity


Sadly, ran out of time before I could do the CC Cooldown.  Need to plan better.


CC Warm-Up + V Warm-Up + V Cool Down


Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 3, RPE: 3

Week 3: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 3

Day 3 - High Intensity

V Warm-Up + V Clubbell + V Cool Down

7 sets

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 4

Week 3: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 2

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 2 - No Intensity
CC Warm-Up + V Warm-Up


Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 3, RPE: 3

Week 3: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 1

Day 1, Moderate Intensity.

 

CC Warm-Up + CC Clubbell + CC Cool Down

Scores:  RPT: 7, RPD: 3, RPE:3

Week 2: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 5

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 5 - High Intensity

V Warm-Up + V Clubbell + V Cool Down

6 sets

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 4

Week 2 of 3-day schedule complete!

Week 2: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 4

Overslept, so had no time to do the full Day 4 routine, which would have included the cooldowns to both Cold Core and Vortex as well as the warmups.  Instead, I did just the warmups:

CC Warm-Up + V Warm-Up


Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 4

Week 2: Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 3

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 3 - High Intensity

CC Warm-Up + CC Clubbell + CC Cool Down
6 sets

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 2, RPE: 4

Catching up with Hurricane Healing Mobility

I've been too lazy to keep up the blog.  I did complete Week 1 of Phase 1 of the program.

This week so far...

Week 2

Monday:

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 1 - Moderate Intensity
V Warm-Up + V Clubbell + V Cool Down

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 3, RPE: 4

Tuesday:

Hurricane Healing Mobility - Day 2 - No Intensity
CC Warm-Up + V Warm-Up

Scores:   RPT: 7, RPD: 3, RPE: 4

Hurricane Healing Mobility Day 3

Week 1, Day 3, High Intensity

V Warm-Up + V Clubbell + V Cool Down


For this week, do 5 sets per side







Scores:  RPT: 6, RPD: 4, RPE: 4

Hurricane Healing Mobility Day 2

Day 2, No Intensity

CC Warm-Up + V Warm-Up

Scores:  RPT: 6, RPD: 3, RPE: 1

Clubbell Flow Evolution: Hurricane Healing Mobility

Today, I started a new program called Clubbell Flow Evolution, designed by CST Head Coach Shane Heins.  It's actually three programs in one, but I'm focusing on Hurricane Healing Mobility.  From the Clubbell Flow Evolution site:

Hurricane Healing Mobility (HHM) is an incremental, 3 phase, 9 month training program that utilizes a Single 5 lbs Clubbell with all the movements specifically designed to release tension and open up the body, while laying down a foundation (or shoring up weak spots) in Clubbell basics that will provide a platform for launching into more sophisticated and challenging applications with greater effectiveness and benefit.

This program is ideal for: beginners to Clubbell Training, healing and recovery from injury, warm-ups, lighter intensity sessions and training while you travel.

I re-injured my left shoulder a couple of years ago, and it's been a bit unstable ever since.  I'm not in constant pain, but I was getting an ache there every now and then.  When I heard about HHM, I figured it would be worth a shot to take my shoulder recovery further, as well as shore up those weak spots, release tension, etc.

I'm following the 3-day, MWF schedule.  I used to assign intuitive training scores (RPT - Rate of Perceived Technique, RPD - Rate of Perceived Discomfort, RPE - Rate of Perceived Effort) for each exercise, but I'm just going to grade the entire day.

Ok, here's the Day 1 log:

Day 1, Moderate Intensity.

CC Warm-Up + CC Clubbell + CC Cool Down

Scores:  RPT: 6, RPD: 4, RPE: 4

6 pullups today

I was never able to do a single pull-up as a child.  I could even do a chin-up (the variation which has the palms facing me, so that I could use more of my bicep muscles).  I didn't have a very active childhood.  It's a miracle I wasn't as overweight as I could have been from all the exercise that I missed out on.

I did my first pull-up as an adult after discovering the weight-assisted pull-up machine at my university gym.  I started using it at a weight of around 80lbs, so that the machine would allow me to do pull-ups as if my body weighed 80lbs. lighter than it actually was.  I gradually lowered the assistance weight as I progressed.  After several months of use, I was able to do a pull-up with no weight assistance at all.

My previous best was 4 consecutive pull-ups.  After I achieved that, I didn't practice pull-ups as much, especially after I moved into an apartment where my door pull-up bar would not fit into any of the doorways.

About 6 months ago, I finally began regular pull-up practice - minimum of 3 sets per session, 2-3 sessions a week.  My max pull-up reps had decreased to 3, with the 3rd requiring noticeably more effort than the first two.  It didn't help that I'd injured my shoulder twice.  After a couple of months, I started doing 5 sets of at least 3 reps per session.  After a few weeks of this, I was able to do 4 reps/set for some sets.

About a month ago, I'd progressed to doing 5 reps/set.  And today, I did a set of 6 pull-ups for the first time in my life.  My shoulder seems to be holding up.  It's not pain-free all the time, but that's because it's a little "loose".  I'm confident it will stabilize over time as I increase my strength.

I wasn't doing just pull-ups.  I've actually been following a program called "Intro to Ring Training for Beginners".  You can get this free program by visiting this page at the Gold Medal Bodies site and scrolling all the way to the bottom.  It comes with a PDF and video.  It could be that the Baby Muscle-Up and other exercises in the program also contributed to my improved pull-up strength.

Foot Controllers for Ableton Live

Guitarists, violinists, horn players, and other musicians who don't have both hands available to trigger clips in Ableton Live need foot controllers, particularly those who record their instrumental playing into Ableton, then immediately play back the recording while recording another track (aka "live looping").

I have a Roland FC-300 foot controller, which I got to select patches and control parameters on my Roland VG-99 processor.  I've used the FC-300 a little bit as a MIDI controller, to send on/off type messages to a synth.  However, I don't see a way I can trigger Ableton clips without changing VG-99 patches, or change VG-99 patches without triggering Ableton clips if I use the same foot controller for both VG-99 and Ableton Live.  So I'll probably use my FC-300 just for VG-99 control, and get a foot controller for transport control of Ableton Live, as well as triggering Live clips.

This is my humble attempt at a roundup of footpedal makers which I'll probably revisit and update from time to time:

Maker: Behringer
Product: FCB-1010
Comments: Very popular because the cost is low.  The main disadvantages are the learning curve involved in setting up the FCB-1010 to work with Ableton, and the size of the unit.  However, there seem to be plenty of tutorials on the web.

Maker: Gordius
Products: Little Giant Module, Little Giant Foot Controller, Little Big Giant Foot Controller
Comments: The Module adds functionality to an FCB-1010.  The two foot controller products are alternatives to the FCB-1010.  The advantages appear to be smaller footprints and bigger feature set than the FCB-1010.  The main disadvantages are higher costs.

Maker: Liquid Foot
Products: LF+ series foot controllers

Comments: Like Gordius' products, these are quite a bit more expensive than the FCB-1010.  On the other hand, the LF+ 12+ and LF+ JR controllers have colored LCD displays next to each button so you know at a glance what each button is assigned to, which alone might be good enough reason to spend the extra cash.  Helps to see which buttons are for enabling recording, start/stop, and for individual Live clips.  No price however for the LF+ JR, which is probably the most appropriate option for me. 

Maker: Keith McMillen Instruments (KMI)
Products:  SoftStep, 12 Step
Comments: Both of these controllers use rubbery foot switches instead of metal switches like the other controllers.  SoftStep looked intriguing at first because each of the switches are sensitive to both direction and pressure.  However, early adopters have reported these switches being harder to "play" in practice - not that easy to play guitar and keep track of in what direction you're pressing your foot on the pedal at the same time.  Also, some users complained of the response of the pedals compared to metal foot switches, which is critical for live looping.  12 Step looks more practical to use - it can be used for triggering clips, and also MIDI/OSC note data with aftertouch and velocity.  Both KMI controllers are light, in comparison to the FCB-1010 and cost only about $100 more.

Maker: X-Tempo Zone

Product: POK

Comments:  8-pedal wireless DAW controller.  The main advantage is the POK being wireless. 

Some debate on Chord Scale Theory for Improvising

Berkelee College Of Music has a reputation of being one of the best places in the world to study jazz improvisation.  This is what one Berklee instructor had to say, in response to this article in which the author criticizes Chord Scale Theory:

Being a teacher at Berklee, I hear these discussions all the time. The chord scale concept is meant to give you a series of notes to pick from over a chord while improvising. The problem is that if the chords are moving too fast, you can't really play all the notes in the scale and have it come out musical-sounding. 

The chord scale concept was never meant to be used that way. Just the same, beginner improvisers often try their best to be able to get every note of every scale over every chord. Teachers let them do it because it's a good way to learn. There's a point where it becomes obvious to the student that it doesn't work. It's not about know "all the notes" as much as knowing "the right notes" and putting them in the "right places"

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news. You can't learn that from any scale. 

Yup. Practice more.

Fitness update

On August 17, 2011, I started following the Rings One program. I was interested because it was a CST (Circular Strength Training) influenced strength training program for gymnastic rings. At the end of Level A, Phase 1, I was not strong enough to progress to the next phase, so I repeated Level A, Phase 1. On November 17, I completed the repeat of this phase. I was back to doing the same number of pullups I did before my latest shoulder injury, and was able to do 5 dips, sometimes 6 on a really good day, on the rings, which was an improvement from not being able to do any. I think the Rings One program is a great program, but the results will vary depending on the trainee's physical condition. For someone like me coming off of a shoulder injury and never really possessing a great amount of strength, I think it would take at least 3 repetitions of Level A, Phase 1 before the trainee could progress to the next phase. Level A, Phase 2 includes exercises that I was not able to execute even after going through Phase 1 twice, such as Tuck-Up To Shoulder Stand and Inverted Tuck Roll Chin-Up. The exercises I could not do in Phase 1 until the middle of Phase 1 included Jump Tuck to Inverted Hang (could not do even one rep) and Mountain Climbers (8 reps minimum - I could manage 6). I have no doubt if I kept following Level A, Phase 1 over and over, I'd eventually build up the strength to take on the next phase.

 But I started to get bored and am switching to the Clubbell Mass Evolution program. This program includes the use of a 2-handed clubbell. I have a 45 lb. "Bruiser" clubbell, but it's too heavy for me, so I ordered a 25 pounder. Until it arrives, I will follow this exercise routine: Intu-Flow Intermediate 5 Pullups on door pullup bar (breaks allowed if I can't do 5 consecutive) 5 Pike Pushups on Power Wheel (partial range movement ok) 7-10 "steps" per hand Hand Walks in Plank Position on Power Wheel 5 Hip-Ups to Shoulder Bridge on Power Wheel Rest 5 min. then repeat above Cooldown: Pigeon Pose, Hip Flexor Stretch, Hamstring Stretch Cooldown routine from Rings One I'll be doing the Power Wheel exercises to address core strength (abs and back) defiencies. The pullups address pulling strength deficiencies that prevent me from doing Inverted Tuck Roll Chip. The Pike Pushups start to address the upper body strength deficiencies - particularly the shoulders - when I attempt to support my bodyweight while facing downward, such as in the Tuck Shoulder Stand.

What I hope to gain from Clubbell Mass Evolution is muscle mass to help burn fat, and particularly muscle mass around the shoulders to make them a little more injury-proof. The program also has a lower body training component that was a bit lacking in Rings One.

Some links for Emu Command Station and possibly other Proteus synths

Emu Command Station FAQ

The E-mu Command Station XL-7/MP-7/PK-7 and Proteus 2500 tutorials

prodatum - A cross-platform editor for the Proteus family of synths

Jazz and piano advice retrieved from old forum posts

After quite a layoff from practicing the Bach Two-Part Inventions (actually, I only practiced No.1 and was noodling with No.2 a bit), I searched old forum posts for the advice that I dimly remembered getting as to which of the Inventions to learn first and came across this old thread:

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2001420/1

Some highlights:

If you want to improve your jazz playing, there are much better ways than that too.
check out Clare Fischer's Harmonic Exercise book from Advanced Publishing for starters.

... I haven't ordered the Clare Fischer book yet. Doh!

(in answer to which Bach Inventions to learn first) No. 1 in C major is a good one to start with. No. 4 in D minor and No. 8 in F major might be good as well.

It turns out the person who I thought steered me to the Bach Inventions was someone else, but this first person called my attention to Bill Dobbin's books. He has a bunch out - I'll have to ask which ones to check out...