Greetings folks. Because of the tremendous response from this community and what looks like a great product - I am now an official owner of Gig Performer, although its not even installed yet. I’d like to tell you about my use and the overall project.
KRTW - K - that’s me, just K. RTW - Round The World
I have a motorcycle parked in my dining room right now and tomorrow I start working on it. This bike and I are going RTW. But not just a motorcycle trip. I’ve designed a compact high quality recording studio for the bike based on the Mixpre10T. Along with that, I am turning the motorcycle itself into a musical instrument by having the controls, throttle, brakes, clutch etc. generate midi data as I ride - which will be sent to musical control software, most likely MAX/MSP to create music as I ride.
This music will be used as backing tracks for video and other uses. Currently I have 6 cameras for the bike, and that’s for standard video for release on youtube. I’m working on getting a quality 360 video camera for VR development. Along with VR comes ambisonic recording and post. I have a lot of what I need for this, but not yet everything.
GP will be used for performance. Along with the ability to record, I will play music, and hopefully interact with musicians from all over the world - AND record them as well. I’ll be bringing a guitar with me as my main instrument - I have yet to find an appropriate travel guitar for this. Another thing I have not found yet is a pair of speakers to use as PA, small and light enough to install in my panniers, battery operated.
So, motorcycle travel, music - recording, writing and performance, video, VR, ambisonics. My background: computer degree, 40 years playing and touring, 23 years as sound engineer/lighting/videographer/staging full time as an independent working for major festivals in my city.
Why on a bike? When you travel on a motorcycle, people see you more as an adventurer than a tourist. And I’ve been riding since I was 11 years old. There’s no other way to do this. It obviously makes things more difficult. Size, weight, security, robustness…lots of challenges…but I’m nailing them one at a time.
Crazy! Yup. When do I leave? I have one life commitment left before I can go. My moma just turned 90 years old and suffers from dementia. I have been her full time caregiver for the last 14 years - she is in a care facility - but if you know, you know the jobs not over. Shutting down everything else in my life and getting ready. Selling all my recording/video/PA/lighting gear and turning it into gear for this venture.
What a BLAST - and I can hardly wait.
Thanks for reading.
I like the idea!
Can’t wait to hear more.
