Jan 28, 2014

Karuizawa Japan with Sunny

A bit of old news but over the New Year holidays I was able to spend a day up in Karuizawa, Japan.

An area fairly close to Tokyo that is a summer retreat area and in the winter also has some skiing.

Got some nice photos so I felt like sharing them.

ちょっと前の話だけど、年末に軽井沢に行った。最近レスキューした犬のサニーも連れてって、雪の中たくさん一緒に走って楽しかった。いい写真も撮れたので、少し掲載してみた。
















5 (Bass/Vocals of Lo-Fi)

Jan 21, 2014

My effects board for bass ベース用のエフェクター紹介

(English mixed into the Japanese...!)

久しぶりにエフェクターを並び替えて見た。最近は完全に何もしない人になってしまっていたが、年もあけて、また動こうとしている。機材もまた整備し、まとめて見た。

前に機材を紹介したのは、多分一年以上も前になるかもしれない。

Haven't updated my blog in ages... and now I suddenly have a urge to update you all with some gear... that maybe most of you could care less about.

Am I wasting my time? ... most certainly not. Those of you who are into the "process" of creation, or the the gear... this article is aimed at you.





1) ボードは昔に比べて、サイズはかなり小さくした。踏みにくいのも事実だが、持ち運びの利便性を優先した。

Overall my effects board has gotten much smaller compared to the early Lo-Fi era, when we doing all kinds stuff like live painting and extended jams...




2) Inner Bamboo "Dual Bass Pre-Amp"
http://innerbambooelectron.com/dbpre.html


プリアンプは音作りに不可欠。どんなアンプが現場にあるか不明だからこそ、自由に音を作れるInner Bamboo のDual Bass Preampを使っている。

This pre-amp is awesome.
I'm not a fan of parametric eq, but I always use this because it's tuned in a way where the fails work perfectly for bass. Most preamps and effects usually have a range of settings that is just impractical. But this pedal as compact as it is covered the different ranges in a very artistically usable way. If you want brilliance and clarity you just dial up the hi-s and it's there. Same with the other frequencies.




3) Boss "Giga Delay" DD-20

http://youtu.be/sVuERF9T474

ディレイはエフェクターボードには不可欠なツールの一つ。タップテンポは別になっているから使いやすい。

Simple, tough, good enough sound, outboard tap-tempo(sold separately), backlit led, presets.

yes, that about sums it up!



3) Electro-Harmonix "Memory Man"

http://youtu.be/GSTojgJ1KVg

ディレイにも種類があり、これは完全に飛び道具として使う逆再生音を出したり、言葉ではどうも表現し難い音が出る機械

This is another one of those effect pedals that are "so cool!!!" but some people can't figure out how to use it. I am one of those people!!! LOL

But when I'm searching for inspiration, sometimes a wild setting turns my creativity switch on and that could lead into a new song. I love what this pedal can do.

Most of the time however it's my looper. I use the DD-20 for delay effect and the Memory Man for ambient effects + looping.



4) "Robotalk2" by Xotic

http://youtu.be/KoHW_98plJw


人間の声見たいに鳴りが楽器の強弱に合わせて変化するエフェクターのフィルターも使っている。

Having a hi-pass filter in your effects board is nothing new. This pedal has two wah-like circuits and that's cool. I do struggle with overdriving the board or my preamp with the output of this baby.





5) これは大好きなエフェクターの一つ。ふぁず。バリバリした音を出す機械。


FUZZ FACTORY.
The FAT version.

More bity and gritty on the low frequency settings. I can't describe it in words but there is a plethora of effects sound clips on the web.





楽器選びをしている皆様には物足りな過ぎる簡単な紹介ですが、、、、こんな組み合わせで音を作ってます。

勿論、楽器は手で作る音が何よりも大切でこれら機材を超越して聴こえてくる部分だけど。道具選びも大切な自己表現で、音楽の一部だともおもう。

So this was a super short intro to some of my pedals. Sorry if it was too short for you gear heads out there... but I'll go into more depth next week perhaps!

Anyway the Sshg! band is going to play at the Star Lounge on the 6th of Feb. so please drop by and say hi at least if your in town!

Lo-Fi is also definitely coming out of hibernation so look forward to that too!



5 (Bass/Vocals of Lo-Fi)

Jan 10, 2014

Show on February 6th 2014. 自分のライブをまた久しぶりに

最後にライブをしたのは9月頃かな。
それ以降は何だかボヤッとしていて、体調が悪かったせいか、、、なんか大変だった気持ちと焦る思いが強かった。

でも、大変な時は助けてくれる人がいて、その人達のおかげで今はまたそれなりに元気になって、自発的に動ける気がする。

何かしなきゃ、このまま内向的になる一方だと思うし、無理にでも何か楽しい事と思ってライブをブッキング。

2月6日に渋谷の Star Loungeで Lo-Fiでお世話になっているサポートメンバーを中心としたバンド Sshg! (シーっ!) でライブをします。

ツインギター、(Ogawa) Sho + (Fujiyama) Shu
ドラム、(Murakami) Hiroki
ベース・ボーカル、(Hirose) Goh
メンバー名の頭文字を使ってバンド名を、、、ありがちなパターンでごめんなさい。


--------------- English -------------------

My last show with Lo-Fi was in September 2013. Since then... to be honest things have been really down-hill. Everything was a blur and all I remember was the sick feeling I had of being nervous like crazy most of the time.

Anyway, when I was having a tough time, many people helped me out and that's why I feel so much better now after a busy year end. (Feeling busy doing nothing but panicking rather....!)

First it was out of the blue that I decided to book my own show. But now I feel it's appropriate that I play my own music again... after this long silence.

Well... long for me at least.

So on February 6th 2014, I'll be doing a show with the usual support members for Lo-Fi at the Star Lounge in Shibuya.

We called the band "Sshg!" pronounced "Shh!" ... yes very generically named with the first letters of our names.

Hope to share more about the event soon.

Jan 5, 2014

2014

To be really honest. 2013 was a really tough year for me and my music.


The Lo-Fi basically slowed down after my motorcycle accident and after some bad choices for part time work while I recovered…. I kept pushing myself until I was tired beyond a quick recovery.

I did help out with some of my friend’s shows and am grateful for their support.

Toward the end of the year, new project offers came in and was grateful that people still kept me in their thoughts… even though I’ve been away for a while now.

Teaching and performing is really the things that have kept me on the road to a full recovery.

I didn’t realize that the damage to my body is also so taxing on my mental state too.
I promised my family and friend’s that I’d take it easy… but haven’t followed through.
This year I promise to change all that. 

Today I had another show, supporting my friend’s band Antwarp.
I’ve got more shows planned for Jan and Feb. I hope that I’ll be in good enough condition to
help promote these shows too. BTW the photo is of the new dog I’ve recently rescued.

Thanks to everyone that helped me pull through 2013. Also for setting me up for a good 2014.

Like every year… this year will be better than the one before!

While I’m at it, please check out our most recent video on youtube…..:

IMG 4962 

正直2013年は厳しかった! 色々とありながら、事故以来本当にキツイ生活になってしまって
色々とバランスを崩して、肉体的にも精神的にもなんだか大不調が続いて、数ヶ月ぶりにブログも更新。

実は新しい家族も増えた。Jazzとは色んな事情で一緒に生活してないから、、、また犬をまたレスキューしました。 

2013年は本当にたくさんの人に迷惑をかける一年だったけど、皆様のおかげで2014年に新しいスタートができたとおもう。

これから本当にもっと体を大切にして生活をしていきたいね。
1月、2月とまたライブを組んでいるから、調子が良くなってきてるからまたそれも今後告知しようかと。

なんだか暗い、明けましておめでとうだけど、、、!

今年も皆様宜しくお願いします。いつもサポートを本当に感謝してます。

せっかくなので、ちょっと前にやったビデオも良かったら見てください: