We’re very fortunate to have a wonderful long, flat stretch of beach, at the head of Wellington Harbour, just at the end of our street. I’ve spent the last 22 years of my life, with my wife and family, never more than a good 1 Wood drive from this harbour. We’ve walked on this beach together, alone, with the dogs, without, through summer and winter, good times and hard. The surroundings change, but twice each day all trace of the hours before is washed away from that special realm of transition between the tides. I love seeing my footprints behind me, untrodden sand ahead, and knowing it will just be swept away. I often think how this tidal band must have been where primal life first emerged, where earth, air, fire and water come together in the perfect alchemist’s crucible. The puddles and tidal pools, rich in salts and nutrients, freshly whipped by the wind on the waves, baking under the hot sun, concentrating, crystalising, becoming.
I get like that sometimes after a walk. Especially if I’ve taken the Procyon or the Proteus with just headphones. The sounds block out much of the noise of the main road that runs the full length of the beach and, having picked the session with intent, the tones help me keep returning to the thoughts I want to think.
Today was a Tranquility 60 on the Proteus kind of day. I love the synthesizers on these machines and the Proteus has a spectacular range with its wavetable synthesizer (4 user waveforms) providing a carrier that can be manipulated to provide binaural, dual binaural and/or isochronic pulses. It’s worth downloading the free editor (and its manual!) from the MindPlace support site just to get a sense of the all-singing, all-dancing capabilities of this great little machine.
I must confess, I haven’t really done much session programming with Proteus, tending to use the Procyon or NP2/MWS when I get the urge to create, but it’s the underlying programmability that gives the Proteus preset sessions their pizzazz.
Well, the dogs are happy, lying around in front of the heater. The wind’s coming up a bit, so it’s nice to have squeezed in a bit of fresh air and exercise before settling in for a family DVD night – I think it’s warewolves tonight.
Cheers,
Craig
CraigT AVS 