Steve Ball Diary
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Tuesday February 26
Wednesday February 27
Thursday February 28
Friday March 01
Saturday March 02
Sunday March 03
Read the archive
Tuesday March 05
Wednesday March 06
Thursday March 07
Friday March 08
Saturday March 09
Sunday March 10
Monday February 25
Over the weekend, the (former) Seattle Circle Fund Raising Team met and decided (via an insight by Dean) to change our name to the Seattle Circle Development Team. Our work is to support the development and promotion of Seattle Circle activities, of which, fund raising is but one (important) component.
More on this as it continues to unfold.
* * *
SBRS show at the Hopvine this evening. A good show by all practical measures. Good networking, too, with our friendly MC host/soundman/fan Kurt who is working to open his own acoustic music venue in Seattle.
Nice to see Tobin, DougB, LisaH, and DavidLV enjoying themselves this evening. The act that followed had some great harmonies cooking too.
A fine evening all around.
* * *
Tuesday February 26
Just got off the phone with the NJ Registrar regarding the upcoming as yet unofficially unannounced Seattle Circle Gala (March 23rd.)
* * *
This just in from BootlegTV correspondent, David LaVallee from the SBRS Hopvine show last night:
Full photo shoot can be found here. Damn, Apple (and DavidLV) does nice stuff with photos... (and music, and movies, and design, and UI.)
Thanks David.
* * *
Ran into BobW at lunch today. Sounds like the SGC had a good night last night arranging a new Wilson's tune with a circulating arpeggio. Sorry I missed it.
* * *
An early evening at home, doing some PC house cleaning after a long day of meetings and writings at the borg. During my house cleaning, I stumbled onto a treasure chest of pictures and movies from SBRS work last year including this:
Here is yet another small gem (2.4M Quicktime movie) of the SBRS captured last year at the Bitstar cafe by our ubiquitous BootlegTV correspondent, David LaVallee.
Found and watched about 15 of these movies as I did my PC cleanup this evening.
* * *
Wednesday February 27
These candid photos of the recent Seattle Circle House Concert just in from
TravisH, (peering in through the kitchen door?):
* * *
Some idiot who edits my diary accidentally deleted the htm page that contains the previous two weeks of entries (Feb 10-24.) If you are reading this page from the guitarcraft.com site or the seattlecircle.com diaries site, and if you recently visited my diary at the steveball.com site you may be able to help me recover the page I lost.
Can you please help me by:
1. NOT going to my diary at steveball.com/words/index.htm
2. open your browser, view cached files, and see if you can find a cached version of this words/index.htm file that has last weeks entries (Feb 10th-24th)
3. save this file and email the htm (or the text from that htm) file to me.
If you do accidentally or intentionally go to my live diary page at
steveball.com/words/index.htm, the new page will overwrite the old. I am hoping
that at least one of you has a copy in your cache.
Incentive: An extremely valuable Herdim pick will be delivered to the
person who sends me this file!
* * *
Quite a thread cooking in my inbox this afternoon:
----- Original Message -----
From: "TravisH"
To: "SteveB; "TravisM” “WalterH”
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 2:29 PM
Subject: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
The following is taken verbatim from Michael's Hedges' 1997 contract rider and provides an interesting glimpse into what is required for his incredible live sound. Also see Michael's stage rig.
Sound System.
For best results, please do not approach this as a typical acoustic guitar concert. Although it is not readily apparent from his Windham Hill recordings, Michael's show requires sound levels approaching those of a rock show, with "audiophile" quality, and especially crisp, clear high end. Please provide the following:
A. Front of House System1. House Console
a. 24 channels, 6 post-fader, post-EQ aux sends
b. 4 bands parametric or sweep EQ per channelc. Ramsa (840 or better), Soundcraft (Delta 24, 500 or better) or Yamaha (PM3000 or better, please)
2. Processing
a. two (2) digital reverbs: LXP-15, PCM70, REV-5, REV-7; (We cannot use Yamaha SPX-90 or SPX-90-II)
b. one compressor/limiter such as DBX 160x or 160A
c. CD player for backing track on flute performance [For the rarely performed "Transience"-M@]d. real time analyzer set up and operatinge. 1/3 octave graphic EQs for stereo house feed; plus individual 1/3 octave EQs for any clusters or balcony fills used
3. Amplification and Speakersa. high quality PA system, tri-amped w/active crossover, capable of 100db, undistorted, 20-18Khz, to last row of seats
b. high quality sub-woofer system
c. system should be configured in stereod. system should cover venue evenly throughout with crisp, clear high end4. Two Beyer M88 microphones with boom stands on stage (or SM-57, SM-58, beta 87)
B. Stage Monitor System (number of mixes/cabinets may vary with instrumentation; see 3. b. below)
1. Monitor Consolea. 24 channels, 6 mixes (see 3. b. below), 2 post-aux effects sends, post-1/3-octave-EQ listen buss
b. 4 bands parametric or sweep EQ per channelc. Ramsa Monitor, Soundcraft 400B Monitor! , or better (preferably not Yamaha, please)
2. Processing
a. two (2) digital reverbs: LXP-15, PCM70, REV-5, REV-7; (We cannot use Yamaha SPX-90 or SPX-90-II)
b. one compressor/limiter such as DBX 160X or 160A w/cables for channel insertionc. 1/3 octave EQ for each mix
3. Monitor Cabinets and Amplification (see stage plot)
a. Five (5) identical very high quality extended range 15" 2-way bi-amped wedges (EV 1502ER or better), plus two (2) very high quality bi-amped side fills (OR seven wedges as above, using two raised to side fill height). Crisp, clear high end essential.
b. configured for 6 mixes: 2 mixes for downstage center L/R wedges, 2 mixes for side fills upstage left and right, 1 mix for Hedges' keyboard wedge (if needed), 1 mix for bassist wedge (if bassist present); remaining wedge/amplification is for monitor engineer cue. (If no bassist, cut 1 mix + 1 wedge. If Hedges will not play keyboard, cut 1 mix + 1 wedge.) C. AC Power requirements.1. Monitor and Front-of-House Sound must be powered together on same leg, but on separate leg from lights.
2. Please provide 120 volt AC outlets at each of the following 5 locations:a. Four just onstage of Monitor mixer to power Artist's rack
b. Four at Monitor mixer position to power tuner, etc.
c. Four at House mixer position to power DAT machine, etc.
d. Four at stage left to power Hedges' keyboard setup (if present)e. Four downstage right for bass rack (if present) and/or any AC powered Hedges pedal effects.
-----Original Message-----
From: WalterHarley
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 3:34 PM
To: Travis Hartnett; SteveB; TravisM
Subject: Re: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
There are two telltale phrases here: "system should cover venue evenly throughout" and "last row of seats."
I claim you guys have yet to play in a venue that can be covered evenly with anything at all, no matter what the system or source. And you have yet to play in a venue that has rows of seats, that is, that is designed with acoustics in mind.True?
-w
----- Original Message -----
From: TravisH
To: 'WalterH; TravisH; SteveB; TravisM
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 3:34 PM
Subject: RE: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
Don't argue with me -- just start buying all this stuff...
----- Original Message -----
From: SteveB
To: TravisH; WalterH; TravisM
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
Wow - what a thread. Wish to get permission to put this whole thread in my diary.
RSVP.
Thanks,
-s.
PS - This should become our default rider from now on too. Did I mention that I can hear the difference between Rayovac and Eveready batteries in my Ovation??
----- Original Message -----
From: WalterH
To: SteveB ; TravisH; TravisM
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 4:55 PM
Subject: Re: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
Fine with me.
I can hear the difference too. The Ray-o-Vacs have a higher-pitched rattle.----- Original Message -----
From: Travis Metcalf
To: SB TH WH
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 6:28 PM
Subject: RE: What does it take to get a good amplified acoustic sound?
Uh... my guitar has strings!
* * *
Well, looks like no one wins the Herdim pick contest and my last two weeks of diary entries have disappeared into the ether.
Ah well. Buh-bye.
* * *
Thursday February 28
TaylorS reminds me that one year ago today, BTV was about to announce a second set of layoffs at 11:00am. Fate kicked in around 10:58am and about thirty of us rushed down four flights of stairs and into the middle of Second Avenue.
Seems like that was about a megazillion years ago.
* * *
And speaking of start-ups, I ran into an old friend/co-worker (Pete Schwab) at Starbucks this morning. We traded some start-up war stories -- Pete is still swinging it out at his post-MS company, Meta-Stories. Sounds like they even have a business model and revenue. Imagine that....
* * *
In other news, SBRS plays a new venue this evening, the Industrial Cafe 5503 Airport Way, circa 8:30pm. Hope to see you there.
* * *
The Industrial Cafe was certainly Industrial, but hardly what anyone could rightly call a 'cafe.' SBRS fan, Ed Smith poked his head in the door around 9pm, quickly groked the situation, and bolted almost immediately.
Nonetheless, despite the horrid sound, a comatose audience, and a massively 'bogo' vibe, we played well. It is a sign that we are getting better: the quality of our performances are becoming less dependant upon the quality of the sound system or the audience. However, it is clear that we need to do something proactive to increase the quality and reliability of our 'sound' at our live shows. Post-show discussions on possible ways to improve our sound on stage. Need some exploration and R&D in this area.
The Michael Hedges rider copied in a previous diary entry is one extreme for how to guarantee a good on-stage sound. There must be an easier way...
Some ideas brewing.
* * *
Friday March 01
Saw an intriguing film this evening: Wendigo, an indie release, the first
feature film (shown at the Uptown) that was presented (and projected) in WMV
format. Not sure I would recommend this to everyone I know (like
In the Bedroom, this is a somewhat dark and disturbing piece), but for David
Lynch fans (even though this is not a Lynch film) or dark film buffs, this is a
piece of work worth seeing.
* * *
Spring, and my personal allergy season, is just around the corner.
* * *
Saturday March 02
Up very early for the kick-off of the AAD2002 project. 8am calisthenics
with the usual suspects visiting a short excerpt from Bicycling to Afghanistan
followed by some work with the ever-relevant Geballian 1st primary permutations on a Dorian tetra-chord.
The final 20 minutes were spent on a G-vamp with free-range roaming for a
musical right-hand tempo-transition work-out.
We were joined by a few more visitors for the sitting (a strong sitting for me -- very peaceful this morning), and afterwards, leads from the Development, Performances, and Workshops teams met with other interested participants in the green room for a short Seattle Circle synchronization planning session. Each team has been asked to put together a concise one page business planning document designed to get us and keep us in tune with our individual and overall team missions, goals, and tasks.
This document will also be used as an accountability tool. As a group, can we clearly envision, articulate, share, and finally do what must be done?
I also gently challenged the Workshops and Performances team leads to (both literally and metaphorically) 'think outside the Circle'
What would we do if we did not assume that success was impossible?
There are some relevant quotes from Bono in his Time Magazine cover story in this area:
At 41, Bono says, he has given up on music as a political force. He believes his work negotiating in political back rooms is more vital and effective than singing in sold-out stadiums. "Poetry makes nothing happen," the poet W.H. Auden once wrote, and Bono wistfully agrees. "I'm tired of dreaming. I'm into doing at the moment. It's, like, let's only have goals that we can go after. U2 is about the impossible. Politics is the art of the possible. They're very different, and I'm resigned to that now. Music's the thing that stopped me from falling asleep in the comfort of my freedom. I learned about South America from listening to the Clash. I learned about Situationism from the Sex Pistols. But that's a long way from budget caps and dealing with a Congress that is suspicious of aid because it has been so misused."
* * *
Read an insightful statement today (by a close friend) where the word 'inertia' (meaning resistance to change or acceleration, usually used to indicate a natural difficulty in moving from a state of inactivity or rest to a state of motion or acceleration) that (perhaps) deserves some exploration. I believe what was intended was the use of the word momentum (meaning natural tendency of an object to remain in motion once it is in motion) rather than the word inertia.
Inertia is usually used to describe a situation that requires Work (Energy x Time) to overcome a state of inactivity or static immobility (although it also refers to difficulty in deceleration, too.) However, in non-physics analogies, inertia is generally considered to be an undesirable property - it is part of what keeps us from changing our current state (of implied inactivity.)
Momentum = Mass x Velocity. More mass means more work is required to slow down or stop the motion. More velocity means more work required to slow down or stop. Momentum is generally considered to be desirable - it keeps us moving when we get tired or feel like giving up.
For example, the AAD course already has a certain Momentum based upon its impressive 'mass' (114 people! many old friends.)
Inertia is what keeps us from getting our ass out of bed in the morning. Momentum is what helps us get through the 31st day of a 42-day commitment.
* * *
AAD tasks complete. A good beginning.
I am so grateful that Mobilestar did not go under last month. Wish every coffee shop on the planet was (un)wired with this kind of service.
A matter of time I suppose.
* * *
Looking forward to the upcoming Pitcairn shows (next Friday, SBRS, three Fridays from now, SGC. Wonder if the SGC should look into the live sound solution the SBRS is adopting...?
* * *
home
Monday March 04
Congratulations and great thanks go out to GregS who, just back from a few days in the mountains, emailed me the HTM file this morning containing my diary entries from late Feb. And, on top of that, Greg claims that he does not need the valuable prize I offered!!
In related news, according to a collector on ebay, this kind of rare and valuable Herdim pick may be worth $25. Hmmmmm. Wonder why no one has bid on his rare and valuable pick yet??
* * *
Much fruitful activity over the weekend. Perhaps more on this later today. Much to do to make a clean transition into my prime-time day.
* * *
11:32pm Where to begin reflecting on a day like today? So full of activities, demands, interactions, options and opportunities. Knowingly ignoring the post-11pm sane writing principle, here I go.
A full day at work, shifting gears between short-term problem solving and long-term planning. I have said this here before, but much of my ability to earn a living comes from my ability to juggle: ideas, identities, intensities, insanities, names, numbers, nay-sayers, people, projects, plans, policies, principles, problems, possibilities, tasks, temptations, troubles, tribulations, impossibilities, ideas, indefinitenesses, and implications.
That and, for some reason, knock on wood, I have a good memory.
The smooth flow of my work day was interrupted occasionally by mental back-burner negotiations regarding external burdens I was carrying today due to two recent complex personal interactions. The details are unimportant compared to the moment during rehearsal this evening that delivered a quick picture of an apt approach to resolution: forgiveness and release.
I have been blessed with (or trained to engage) the ability to forgive and release within relatively short rest period.
I also know what I both want and wish for. Is this a blessing or curse?
* * *
SBRS rehearsal this evening with our new amps in the ballroom at HQ. I love the sound, the clarity, and the distinction these amps provide. TravisH is less than happy, but I have a hunch that (besides perhaps receiving a dud amp with a slight buzz that does not plague those of TravisM and I) that the real issue may be in his guitar (and it's pick-up.) But who am I to judge?
Good (if difficult) work on tightening some three part harmonies this evening. Test for singers who play instruments: can you find and play your vocal melody on your instrument? Can you quickly find and play a pleasing harmony to that melody? While playing the original melody? Can you find and play a third pleasing harmony that complements the first two? Can you hear and feel the difference between these three lines?
We may know the letters (notes) and a few words (phrases) but can we clearly articulate a meaningful sentence (melody) while knowing what we are saying?
Can we have a meaningful conversation?
* * *
SGC rehearsal: many new surprises since I was absent at two rehearsals last week. Bob's arrangements, melodies, and harmonies on Curt's CYB7 bass line are stunning. And the circulated melody of Nth Degree is sublime.
I could listen to just that circulation for hours.
The high point of my day arrived during the circulation, and as it arrived, it became possible for me to both hear and play the formerly confusing (3,5,9) part. I stopped struggling to learn and/or remember the part and just heard the notes that I know Bob would have written and put them in the place where they felt like they belonged. I am not articulating this very well, but I just received the piece and its character and played my part, and what and when to play sort of took care of itself. Some music is so intensely Musical that, even given the despairing dullness that generally envelopes who and how we are, it sings through us, and cleans the windows as it moves.
* * *
See, warned you. The post-11pm writing principle has a purpose.
* * *
Tuesday March 05
Satisfying early morning sitting at calisthenics at HQ with Derek, Chad, and
Greg.
The thirty minutes we spent putting the 24 possible combinations of 1st primary fingerings through the eight possible combinations of half/whole steps flew by. We made it through all of the possible combinations only twice in thirty minutes. Wow. Seemed like it lasted about five minutes. We were all quite amazed at how quickly time seemed to pass in this exercise.
Derek's comment when he realized that this exercise would gently lead us through every possible combination of four fingering sequences in every possible combination of whole and half steps on one string (even in a somewhat musically memorable manner!):
"That is what makes this is Guitar Craft."
* * *
Then, a long day at work. Nothing extremely relevant to share except that my hands feel different through out the day when they have had a comprehensive work-out like the one we did this morning. They have an energy, a kind of sensation that is not otherwise there.
Then, playing later in the evening becomes a practical means of reconnecting to the morning and staying in contact with the long sequence of events throughout the day.
* * *
Wednesday March 06
Completely under the weather. AAD tasks accomplished with a dutiful chug
in the morning. At least I am happy with the acoustics in the stairwell
near my office. Almost as good as Redwest C was. Working to break
the 'relaxed right hand at 16th notes at 120 bpm' barrier. This
involves intelligently jumping back and forth well above and below this 'limit.'
Tested theory: to play well at 120, I also need to spend significant time practicing at 132, 144, and higher.
* * *
Thursday March 07
March Allergy season landed hard yesterday and took me out with it. For the past six years, each Seattle March has been a time of sneezing and sniffling. Looks like this one will be no exception. Called in a perscription this morning that may help mask the symptoms.
* * *
One bright spot: saw the Nick Drake bio/film last night at EMP (thanks to a kind suggestion by fellow diarist JanetteR) with LH (for our anniversary) who introduced me to Nick's music years after I had blatently ignored Mary Lou Lord's incessent ranting about this unknown genius. Should have listened to Mary Lou way back when. Luckily, I've learned how to listen to Lisa.
Nick Drake had something. The documentary only played for 2 nights at EMP but will undoubtedly be back. Some wonderful insights about what our parents pass on to us. (Nick's mother was a songwriter and poet and Nick inherited much from her.)
* * *
This just in: NickD corrections from BarryS:
----- Original Message -----
From: Barry Stock
To: SB
Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 10:31 AM
Subject: Nick Drake
Two things plus one:
1. http://www.nickdrakefilm.com
2. An "unknown genius" is probably inaccurate. For instance, R.E.M. chose Joe Boyd to produce Fables of the Reconstruction based partly on his work with Drake, partly on his work with Fairport.
A highly influential but lesser-known genius.
3. Pink Moon, from the album of the same name, was used in a VW commercial.
* * *
Ongoing reading of "The Inmates are Running the Asylum" between meetings today. Interesting quote that is also potentially relevant to music composition and marketing esoteric music:
To create a product that must satisfy a broad audience of users, logic will tell you to make it as broad in its functionality as possible to accommodate the most people. Logic is wrong. You will have far greater success by designing for one single person.
. . .
Robert Lutz, the chairman of Chrysler, says that 80% of people in focus groups hated the new Dodge Ram pickup. He went ahead with production and made it a best seller because the other 20% loved it. Having people love your product, even if it is only a minority, is how you succeed.
-- Alan Cooper, from The Inmates are Running the Asylum, p124-5
* * *
Friday March 08
SBRS at Pitcairn this evening, playing to a warm crowd. This show
was a new high point for me in my own history of song performance. For the
first time ever, I could hear my voice, my instrument, and the voices and
instruments of the other members of the group clearly.
The result: some wonderfully musical moments. I sing best when I can hear myself well. < Duh. >
* * *
Saturday March 09
Calisthenics and sitting at HQ this morning with a slim but potent team.
The Calisthenics trio (CurtG, BillR, SB) spent the first segment working through
the Geballe-Ball 1st primary variations. Then we switched gears to
work on some musical free right hand explorations in G. A satisfying work
out.
Sitting was rough for me this morning as much of my energy was spent resisting incessant allergic itches in my sinuses.
* * *
Sunday March 10
Coffee talk early this morning with Lisa, Derek and Whitney at the local nearby
non-Mobile-starred corporate coffee shop. Then running to U-Village to drop Lisa
off for lunch with a friend before returning to same non-secret corporate cafe
for an hour of local landscape analysis with DavidLV.
David also was kind enough to deliver a DVD of SBRS BootlegTV video content from the past few months. Looking forward to seeing this later today.
* * *
Speaking of BTV, social dinner later this evening for LH and I chez Lapham. Should be fun. John's adorable daughter, Meagan, has requested that I bring my guitar. Planning on it...
Hmmmm -- I may have to cram and learn some Barney, or worse, Brittney this afternoon. < just kidding. The Cars, U2, and the Police are probably sufficient... >
* * *
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