Hacky Christmas OINK OINK!

In a couple of days I’ll be seeing my nephew, Roy. He’s only little. Everyone is very pleased to have him around as he nearly didn’t make it into this world.

So, I thought I’d get him something a bit different for Crimbo. Off I went yesterday in search of some sort of weird toy to bastardise. My plan was to make it really scary (LED eyes and stuff) but I think what I found is scary enough – a talking pig with a torch in his mouth!

BUT all the pig did was some silly grunting. Not anymore – see below!

[flv:/video/pig.flv 700 394]

AND I included the recorder inside so his parents can change the message as they wish. Such fun!

I can’t deny being rather tempted to record some filth on it and put it back on the shelf…bad Sam.

Tuba Hack

OK, so I have hardly mastered the tuba yet but whilst practicing this evening I just couldn’t supress the urge any longer to explore some tuba hacks. As this also presented a way of trying to master recording the damn thing (which I still failed at but improvements were made) I felt slightly less like I was just knobbing about. I really can’t help myself, it’s in my nature to use things in ways that weren’t intended.

Here are the methods and results:

1. Unscrew the top part of the third valve, remove the nut (so it doesn’t clank around too much) and then use this as a sort of “breathy momentary valve” whilst playing some notes. Slight reverb, delay and EQing.

[audio:tuba_hack1.mp3]

2. Same as above but sing into the mouthpiece. Slight reverb added.

[audio:tuba_hack2.mp3]

3. Same as above but bassssss. Layered original plus lightly distorted version.

[audio:tuba_hack3.mp3]

4. Using the bell as a drum with the mic deep in the bell. Untreated audio.

[audio:tuba_hack4.mp3]