stephen! @makingarecord@friend.camp

Hi! I'm Stephen. I have over a decade of experience in criminal justice, civil legal aid, government service delivery, and the role of data/technology in all of that. I've done litigation, research, tech projects, and organizing. Always trying to get better at all of it.

I also sometimes make music, go on hikes, go birdwatching, and hang out with my cat. I think that's basically it! #introductions #intro

Got really lucky with the timing of this walk

I just think that's neat

One thing that's cool is I can go outside and look at the whisps of dusk clouds as the stars blink on

Thinking about how some offices have "summer Fridays" where everyone leaves early on Fridays, and not because there's less work in the summer (there's usually more), but because... it's nice! To not work!! For just a few hours!!!

Another one with only the Casio, multi-effects pedal, and looper. Still just getting into a groove again, but actually I kinda like how this little practice sketch turned out! One of my few that I'd describe as ""fun"".

#looptober number eight: "summer's over"

Casio toy keyboard, MS-70CDR, and Ditto x4. Made fast, and this setup is very good for "make fast." Mostly a warmup after a few days off.

#looptober number seven: "mystery team"

Again made only using the Casio toy keyboard, which I am very into right now. Some effects from the Zoom MS-70 CDR. Looping with the Ditto x4. I did three takes of the "lead" line before I gave up. It's not perfect, but one of my goals was for it to feel less like a lead and more like a building texture into the part where the horns come in? Anyway there it is.

#looptober number six: "it looks different at night"

I'm not a very food guitar player, but I am certainly happy with how that Circuit patch sounds (which I think it's a Cuckoo patch). I've been recording basically everything through the Perform VE and adding some delay and reverb from that, but it sure is optimized for vocals, so it isn't great at capturing guitar Anyway. Beautiful gif by Anna Salmi.

#looptober number five: "taking flight"

Oh yes didn't talk about composition at all. Tape loops are sort of a get-what-you-get medium. You hit record, and whatever isn't erased by the erase head when you hit stop, that's your loop, you can't really control it. I was lucky that what I ended up with was basically workable as one bar of 7/4. I tinkered around on top of that to find a loose two-chord feel, then I just happily layered more Casio sounds into the looper until it felt done.

All sounds are made with the Casio SA-76, which is certainly classified as a "toy" keyboard. Made a tape loop on the Tascam, then used the Ditto x4 looper to layer on top of it. Because I recorded it all with a microphone, you can hear the lovely sound of a tape player grinding and the clicky switches on the looper pedal. Texture, sure.

#looptober number four: "just build it, it's easy!"

Oops, I accidentally had a Facebook opinion, double sorry, I promise it's the last one.