Site Changeover – Back To Basics

Posted on October 20, 2012 — K-Bob

Reopening under the same, old management, this site has been renamed. (Nameserver updates to follow.)

(You should be able to navigate to the updated site using the new name, quixologies.com in a few days.)

Having recently capped off my involvement with the world of music, I decided to focus on the site’s other core areas of interest. This site will still be covering items related to design, philosophy, life, and marketing of your creative efforts. However I will leave the business of music and musical gear reviews to those who are much closer to the stage than I now am. I spent a lot of years in music, but I also have spent a lot of years in the world of ideas, business, philosophy, and of course, anything to do with computers.

This changeover is a full, back-to-square-one event. The design I am currently using is one I made in a hurry, just to alter the look, and to introduce the new site name, “quixologies“. The older articles will stay for now, but eventually I will roll them off of the site altogether.

I have removed a few items, below, that no longer apply to this website, and anything minor having dead links.

The time to announce upcoming projects has not arrived, but here are some ideas about what will happen over the next few months: First, I will complete the layout, which I will retain for several more months, perhaps until Spring. I’m waiting on more complete implementation of HTML5 and CSS3 before bothering with a redesign, primarily because the current one is quite flexible and looks decent at nearly all screen widths. The nav, header, and background will all be changing, and new pages will be added to support the projects I have in the works. So the site will look quite different, but the layout will be similar.

I will be adding site comments to certain articles, and working up a mobile version that isn’t so restrictive as most mobile versions seem to be these days.

Since the focus of coverage is actually narrowing a bit, it will be easier to update the site with new articles, and several are already planned.

Look for updates regarding hardware, since computers running here at the newly-christened Quixolarium are due for updates.

In anticipation of my biggest project to date (which I am well into), I have acquired a new keyboard, with the classic, IBM Model M layout and clicky feel. Article to follow!

2013 looks to be a volatile year, but one where we can all prosper if we stay focused and ready to handle rapid change.

K-Bob’s Quixolarium — No longer boogyin’, but still tilting at epistomological windmills

Great Moments In Sport – Men’s 10,000 Meter

Posted on August 4, 2012 — K-Bob

I don’t do sports here, as a ~~rule~~ guideline, but I just watched one of the greatest Olympic moments, ever.

AP Photo – From Slideshow At Yahoo SPorts

Britain’s Mohamed Farah and USA’s Galen Rupp, who trained together in Portland, Oregon, take Gold and Silver, respectively.

This is a great story, and it was a very emotional moment for both young men. Britain had never taken a Gold in this event, so the home crowd was uproarious in it’s support in the packed stadium. (As an audio guy, I love uproar!)

Congratulations to Mr. Farah and Team Great Britain, and to Mr. Rupp and Team USA, and to the man who coached both of them: Olympic great, Alberto Salazar. This was one to remember, for more reasons than I could possibly list.

To support Team USA, go to the donations page on the “official” Team USA website, TeamUSA.org (I just checked: it is the official website, according to Google’s coverage of the 2012 Olympics).

August Is Hot: How To Keep Beer Cold

Posted on August 2, 2012 — K-Bob

I found this on the web, while searching for something better than the cheapo foam insulators I had laying around.

Mmmmmm, edible!

The author provides better comparisons than the delicious, make-your-own variety shown here, and even tells you which one you can buy that does the best job. You should check it out, over at myscienceproject.

The good news is that even cheapo foam coolers with adverts on them do a decent job of keeping the can’s contents cool. However, Thermos sells a high-end version that does the best job, according to the research done at myscienceproject.

I’m going to order several today, and I will update this article later after I test them in a week or so.

I Just Care About Tonight: The Video

Posted on July 22, 2012 — K-Bob

Steve has released the video for his latest song, I Just Care About Tonight. You can see it at Steve’s blog pages or go to youtube.com/stevefentriss.

Bonus: more footage of the Hummer H1 from the “Banner” video!

Advertisement Loudness and the CALM Act

Posted on July 22, 2012 — K-Bob

A press release by ATSC describes upcoming seminars on loudness management and the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Management (CALM) Act. Setting aside the fact that I keep seeing it reported as the “Commercial Audio Loudness Management Act,” the Act will begin to be enforced in a few months, and it’s good to see broadcasters planning for implementation. The law is the law.

One might wonder why no technology-based solution was put forth to end the problem. It can’t be that hard to monitor an average loudness and lower the volume on material that is vastly-different from the average. I know early attempts were not satisfactory, but with the ability to perform a delay-based analysis of the audio/video stream, the problem ought to have vanished by now. Instead, it has become the broadcasters problem. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure they can deal with it. But it never should have required a law.

Line Arrays: Not Just For High-End Tours?

Posted on July 21, 2012 — K-Bob

I recently noticed a press release in the ProSoundNetwork twitter feed for these Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers. You’ll notice that in this picture, at least three setup types involving the Renkus-Heinz speakers seem to indicate you could truck them in for a gig in almost any situation, and gain the benefits of line array systems for your average, working-stiff band.

CF101LA & CFX101LA MODULAR POINT SOURCE ARRAY
Photo: Renkus-Heinz

So I called the US marketing office for Renkus-Heinz and asked the burning question: “Is anyone using these speakers in mobile setups for working bands?” The short answer I got is, “yes, and they are also being installed in ‘small’ venues” (where “small” is marketing speak for “your typical dive that sells beer and puts hand-stamps on the kids who come to listen to poorly-paid bands”).

All of which brings up a favorite topic of discussion of mine, namely line arrays. Over the next few weeks, I plan to write about the line array, and its usefulness in certain situations, and hopefully some pointers on relative costs for the cash-strapped band. I’m sure that, going into it, your typical PA speakers from the usual sources will be a lot cheaper and easier to bang around, en route to the pool party gig or the local VFW Hall event. But I’m hoping bands with plans to move up in the world can benefit from gear made for sound professionals, without first scoring the requisite “Sponsored Tour.”

Digital technology has brought costs down so that working bands can deliver better quality sound. But a gap still exists between what bands can usually afford and the gear used by audio pros to support tours, perform installations, and reinforce sound at festivals. I plan to explore the nature of that gap, and how your band can take advantage of the latest gear without going broke.

Well, without becoming even more broke than usual. Stay tuned!

Couldn’t Stand The Weather – Sorry for the absence

Posted on July 8, 2012 — K-Bob

The storms last week took us offline. Power has been restored, so things are way mo’ bettah.

Steve’s new song is out!

Posted on June 29, 2012 — K-Bob

As of today, you can get a fresh copy of I Just Care About Tonight by going to Steve’s site.

I Just Care About Tonight

Also, if you check the calendar on the Steve Fentriss homepage, you’ll see that Steve will be playing several hits in Cleveland, so if you live in the Cleveland area, stop by and give a listen to this great band!

Obligatory, “Apple to Make Changes to iTunes,” Article

Posted on June 29, 2012 — K-Bob

The hoped-for changes would speed up the application, reduce bloat, and reduce the extent to which iTunes takes over your device.

The expected changes will be a lot of bug fixes, a lot of new bugs, and probably at least one feature that people love will be eliminated. Oh, and the reason they are changing it is because of pressure from services like Spotify.

The good news is that Apple is better at these things than most vendors.

It’s easy to find articles on the web pointing out how bad Spotify is for musicians. “Sharing” is a big topic in the music world, but as I noted recently, the music industry is making money again. iTunes is a large part of the reason why. I’m guessing Apple has looked at the industry and decided to encourage the sharing aspect as a means of “discovery” (which is something else iTunes, Rhapsody, and other services have made much easier for buyers).

We’ll have to see how this plays out, of course. My guess is that Apple will end up selling even more music as a result.

Steve’s Contest Deadline is Almost Here

Posted on June 28, 2012 — K-Bob

In case you missed it, Steve Fentriss’ latest song will be released tomorrow. Steve is running a contest you can enter to receive a free copy of the high-quality version of the song. BONUS: All winners are eligible for a drawing to win $100. Go to Steve’s contest page for details.

Recording Session - Solid Sound - Ann Arbor

At The Studio – Down In A Hole

The new song is part of a set of three that were recorded at Solid Sound in Ann Arbor. Steve and his new band worked with engineer Ayrik Wojahn to lay down three new songs they will be playing in upcoming performances in Cleveland.

If you like high-energy rock similar to bands like Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon, give Steve’s music a listen.