HogtiedLogjam

I’ve been beating back the techno-interruptus, and I’m not yet ready to declare defeat, but I’ve gotten pretty hogtied in the recording/music-making department in the last couple weeks. Everything was going fine, then one by one, shit starts breaking down on me.

Two weeks ago, my MacMini’s video crapped out, so I now have a 1.25 Ghz Mac I can’t see. This was my ProTools machine. Since then, the friend who’d been loaning me the Digi 002 (the ProTools hardware accompaniment to the software running on the Mini) retrieved the box for another project. I told him I probly wouldn’t be needing it back, since I could never really get that setup to work, anyway.

So i’m left with my old 400Mhz G4, which won’t even launch Garageband it’s so slow. And the audio in (Apple ruled for making stereo input a standard feature from day 1) only lets in the left channel, so I’m effectively limited to recording on just the left side.

Not a good day for an aspiring musician. The irony of my admiration for musicians who preceded the technological age is not lost on me. Johnny, Ray et al didn’t have home recording. Of course, they had contracts with recording labels.

I’m still writing, the danger is in those passing moments of inspiration being lost for lack of recording capability, and the promise of selling homemade records is shelved for the timebeing.

I’m not *entirely* recording-free (yet). I can still record on the left channel, and I suppose that’ll have to do until some providence blesses me with funds to upgrade my setup. I need about 2 grand. ‘Nother argument for getting a fulltime job. ugh. The very thought…

Until then, I’m going to press on with what I’ve got. I have a mono-recorded home demo that will have to suffice for the purposes of booking gigs. I’m feeling a little like I’m getting an unrequested, huge portion of humble pie served to me. I’d much rather be “going out” trying to get gigs with a decent recording, but this is all I’ve got, and at this point, all I’m GOING to have for a while.

Definitely feels like I’ve taken several huge steps back. Guess this is what they call “payin’ my dues”. Lemme know when I win the microwave. I’ll sell it on ebay and put the proceeds into the New Computer Fund.