Music

Handsome Cabin Boy – Mothers at the Fillmore

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A splendid selection of 1966 – 1968 [wikipop search=”The Fillmore”]Fillmore[/wikipop] recordings from Wolfgang’s Vault today.

On the 24th June 1966 [wikipop search=”The Mothers of Invention”]The Mothers[/wikipop] were supporting [wikipop]Lenny Bruce[/wikipop]. Bruce was not on his best form and would be dead by August. In 1969 [wikipop search=”Frank Zappa”]Zappa[/wikipop] would release an unedited recording of Bruce at the December 1965 Berkeley Concert (This has subsequently been reissued several times and can be found on [wikipop]Spotify[/wikipop]). Zappa was a fan of [wikipop]Sea Shanties[/wikipop] and had owned [wikipop]A.L. Lloyd[/wikipop] and [wikipop]Ewan MacColl[/wikipop]’s Blow Boys Blow (another Spotify link). He had given the record to [wikipop]Captain Beefheart[/wikipop] which led to a long running dispute between the two as to whether it was a gift or a loan. The record included the song The Handsome Cabin Boy

which Zappa often used in concerts as the theme for an improvisation:

Wireless MIDI controlling GarageBand

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NOTE: This post is from 2011 An updated 2023 version is available here.

MIDI controllers control MIDI devices. They do not make sound no matter how high the volume is set.

One of the main requirements for having an app distributed through the App Store is that the app should work as described. So one star reviews claiming “it does not work” should be ignored.

If you have a Mac you have everything you need:

  1. Launch your MIDI app (in this case Pad MIDI on an iPod Touch)
  2. Launch the Audio MIDI Setup utility (found in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder)
  3. If you are seeing the Audio window select Show MIDI Window from the Window menu
  4. Double click the Network button to show the MIDI Network Setup Window
  5. Join a Session by connecting your device
  6. Launch GarageBand which will find all MIDI connections
  7. Play the app to play Garageband

 

The sound of a slow Bank holiday Monday

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Traditionally a [wikipop]Bank holiday[/wikipop] is a time to slow down and unwind. So I took a short snippet of piano music (by [wikipop search=”John Adams (composer)”]John Adams[/wikipop] if I am not mistaken)

Twinkle Twinkle Magic Trackpad

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The Trackpad Magic app lets you play various instruments with the Magic Trackpad or MacBook’s Trackpad. It also features a variety of graphical effects and several [wikipop]musical scales[/wikipop]. Pressing the T key shows a grid to aid note finding. Pressing the I key cycles through the scales. The Doe Ray Me scale puts the G in the middle of the trackpad. With the C on the left edge you can pick your way through [wikipop]Twinkle Twinkle Little Star[/wikipop]. Turning off the grid and doing it blindfolded in the dark earns extra points 😉