How many of you work solo?

[tjporter]

& more importantly, why?

[Aciphecs]

I do, but also have a partner for most sets. I find more inspiration and usually have more fun when jammin with someone else. Maybe it's my band background

BTW, I just bought a Casio VL-1 on ebay, can't wait to run it into my monotron! Thanks for the tip.

[Blue Monster 65]

The project I'm working on is a solo project. I wouldn't mind having someone with me, but it's not working out that way. If I find the right collaborator, then I'll work with them, but as it is ...

In the past I've played both solo and with others on a variety of instruments (synth, guitar, percussion, etc.). One of the more interesting ensembles I played in was a synthesizer ensemble, but instead of composing or arranging the works ourselves, we played scored pieces (written mostly by others, but some by members of the group, including myself). There really wasn't room for improvisation in that, but it was fun nonetheless. I've also performed in small groups where we were given a set of instructions and then let loose to see what the results would be. That can be rather cacophonous!

[TrondC]

solo, for several reasons:

1: I never found anyone into electronic music the first couple of years, so I stopped looking
2: I got too used to my own way of working, so I am not sure a second person would be such a good idea, unless we could MIDI-link our brains or something I also think I'd be a nightmare to work with, because I have a very clear idea of what I want to achieve..

however, two more hands, some more gear, contacts etc would come in handy, I just need to find someone who does not take over "my" sound... blah I must have a huge ego!

[StellarJay[aka Ruso]]

ya Trond, i'm in a similar boat. I'm at a point where I feel like only I can understand what I'm doing and anyone who I've attempted to let near to try has drifted off in a weird direction lol.

On that note, I think I'm destined to be solo

[tjporter]

Why...

1. I'm tired of dealing with the problems of others - three bands over the past 15 years, and there is always someone raining on the parade. It is mentally easier to deal with yourself (unless you have your own problems, but I'm not going to ask...)

2. Finding like-minded people - the only person into Kraftwerk as much as me is my 9-year-old daughter (wonder how that happened?). While I have showed her how to play Trans Europe Express, she is still too young to be dragging to clubs for gigs.

3. I'm a fairly crap keyboard player - not surprising, as I spent 30 years + beating the hell out of guitars and basses. I only came over to the dark side / started getting serious about synths just over a year ago.

4. There is no real culture of hobbyist musicians here (I'm a Canadian in Istanbul), so if you are my age (48), you are either a professional musician, a music teacher, or you have stop playing.

5. Because I can - isn't technology wonderful?

What I miss...
- the energy that comes from playing with others
- volume (headphones just aren't the same)
- an extra pair of hands

[Aciphecs]

What I miss...
- the energy that comes from playing with others
- an extra pair of hands

This is why I love playing with a partner. Mind you, I work with a very liked-minded artists who I've known for years and just started playing music together. We have different styles and it shows in our music, but it works really well together. People think we've been playin together for years. There are no egos getting in the way *yet* and we're getting a pretty good following.

We share the same goals when we play though- have fun and make 'em dance!

[Blue Monster 65]

... the only person into Kraftwerk as much as me is my 9-year-old daughter (wonder how that happened?). While I have showed her how to play Trans Europe Express, she is still too young to be dragging to clubs for gigs.

If Eugene Chadbourne can haul his daughter along to his gigs, then I'd suggest you could do the same with yours!

Aci - I sure hope I get to see you play one of these days!

[tjporter]

Excuse me as I briefly hijack the thread:

BTW, I just bought a Casio VL-1 on ebay, can't wait to run it into my monotron! Thanks for the tip.

We're over here now, so it seems a good place to mention the following: I don't know if you have tried running anything into the Monotron's AUX before, but if anything is plugged in (even a jack with no cable), it is dead easy to get it to self-oscillate. Turn it on to Cutoff & crank the Peak wide open. The Pitch knob is useless this way, but you won't care.

Don't know why I have never seen this fact mentioned elsewhere... or am I being Capt. Obvious?

[Aciphecs]

No, I haven't run anything into the monotron yet, so this is not obvious to me. Just got my VL-1 yesterday, so I'll be testing her out tomorrow...I have a final tonight