Author: JennyK

Audio nerd and Reaper fan. Producer, vocalist, podcaster, accessibility advocate and more. Vocalist, lyricist, and co-producer in the melodic metal band Icarus Machine. Member of the Produce like a Pro Academy with Warren Huart, as well as The Pro mix academy. Collaborator on kompoz.com. Member of Reaper Without Peepers and related Reaper communities. Voice artist mostly for fun and Reaper tutorial producer for blind Reaper users when I get a chance.
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One last visit. Not fun. The death of DMusic.com

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The death of a website

disjointed communications and shallow teasing in blinking little pictures.
Now, right there in the listing. Then, gone I don’t know where.

Rubbery threads, always pulling, drawing, joining.
Now immediate, strong, hovering.
Then, drawn, weary, snapping in the strain of distant almost but not quite strangers.

community of theme, of wish, of egos, of need.
Rarely fulfilled, frustrated inactive, bustling, telling, not doing. Hoping, not believeing.

tiptoeing through empty halls. around a corner. Wrong one. Try again. peek. hello?
Listening for the correct tone, the right timbre, a refreshing voice. hello?

Sudden laughter rings out through the surface of monotone.
Nervous vocalization of doubt, faking optimism, fearing activism.

unreliable homecomings of fading addicts.
Resent, accuse, point with a stick, thumbs up, shout a hug, a laugh, a flower.

this is we.
A core of wanters, of makers, of distant not quite friends.

Hello?

Written at the ongoing painful dying of DMusic.com, ——————————————————————————–May 7th, 2011 @ 9:39AM

Now?

Now it is truly dead, turned into a foreign bot network. Even the frantic desperate hope has been silenced.

R.I.P DMusic. Because this time I will not come back.

Chris, Spyed, dig a hole and drop DMusic into it. Then squat, crap, wipe your hands, and pretend to care. The difference to what you’ve done since taking over the site would be difficult to find.

JennyK March 6 2013
(DMember since Nov 2003).

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Audio production tidbit – Touching on Subtractive EQ

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Subtractive EQ — my 2012 revelation

Cutting frequencies you don’t like instead of boosting those you do. Seems perfectly obvious to me now, but not too long ago I didn’t have a clue.
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Once I figured it out, I totally overdid it. Probably still do. Actually, I most certainly still do. But years of not understanding why there was little clarity in my music created some sort of void that I’m trying to fill now. One other thing I’ve realized while changing the way I EQ, is that this method makes it all but useless to mix on headphones. At least that is my experience. I’m working with monitors now for the eqing, until I have a static mix. Then I go crazy on the three dimensions of the mix. At that point I use headphones as I feel I have control over panning and depth. And it’s what I’m comfortable with. I find it’s a good idea to not touch the equalizer as I do. So far it’s too risky for me as my ears are still not quite used to the new phones and gear.

JennyK

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Audio production tidbit – The compressor – Beginners, have no fear.

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Compression

Compression has always been the big mystery for me personally, and many others. It’s one of those magical things that can both make a horrid sound amazing, and any sound utterly useless if used badly.

There’s almost limitless resources these days to learn about it, and at times an article can make your head hurt. So I say it’s better to start with the basics. The controls. This I found today because I felt like I had no good understanding of the specific definition of compressor release. Read more about it on Humbucker music — Compression explained

Most compressors have pretty much the same controls:

1. Threshold sets the level where compression starts to take effect. Sounds below the threshold pass through unaltered and only sounds above the threshold
are compressed.

2. Ratio sets the degree of compression above the threshold level. A ratio of 2:1 represents mild compression and means that when the incoming level (that
is, the level above the threshold) rises by 10dB, the outgoing level will only rise by 5dB. Ratios of up to 5:1 are regularly used for vocals and other
instruments, and can pass by unnoticed by the listener if the other controls are set properly. Higher ratios are used for more serious limiting, where
the level needs more severe control. Ratios of 10:1 and higher are nearly always noticeable to the listener.

3. Attack is measured in milliseconds and determines the time taken for the compressor to start working once the signal has passed the threshold level. 
Why have Attack?  Because sometimes if you leave just a hint of attack (say, for instance, a snare drum hit, or a powerful downstroke on an acoustic guitar)
then it sounds a bit more realistic.  Removing too much attack can sound a touch fake.

4. Release sets the length of time it takes for the compressor to return to its normal state once the signal has gone back below the threshold.

5. Gain is provided because compression always reduces the peak level: the more compression, the lower the level of the outgoing signal. This control is
sometimes referred to as ‘make-up’ gain because it makes up the level that is inevitably lost during the compression process.

The best way to learn the compressor is to first understand the controls, find those places online where you can listen to examples. The effect is, and often should be subtle and is very difficult to hear when first starting out. Then experiment. One thing to remember is that a compressor is a compressor. There are hundreds, if not thousands of compressor plugins out there; free and far from free alike. In most cases, and as a beginner in particular, It’s not going to matter which one you use. You will never hear the difference between them. The controls are what they are and a top radio hit and a bedroom recording can use the same compressor and no one will ever know. It’s how it’s used that’s paramount, not the brand.

So, relax, have another beer. Learn how to do it, then do it. Use the compressor. It won’t bite.

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Trust – an interactive fiction game in the making – To code or not to code. Appears I have abandoned this.

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Trust – and interactive thriller

Update December 2018:

Oh I am so full of it. It is true that Ivan lives on in my head but he is way way way back in the darkest possible corner where nothing and no one checks for inspiration anymore. Will I give up on him?
Nah, he’s fine in his universe where I placed him so long ago, doesn’t even think about me anymore. I’ll get to it when I get to it.

***
I have started. Soon we will be able to meet Ivan. Bits and pieces of Ivan, snippets and thoughts about Ivan an how he comes to be. Right now, the game is very slowly coming together in my mind so it’s not going to be a quick process. Six months to write the main code, another six to beta test and then unknown hours to correct, rewrite, revise, and hunt errors in code.

It’s funny but I am looking forward to every bit of that, and I hope I can live up to any expectations after the last game; Crystal and stone, beetle and bone.
Peter, think I can? lol

Recent

Refreshing my brain in inform 6 code.
Added needed extensions and created basic files.
Learned that my main character is a bit unstable.
Is reinforcing my main characters instability while brainstorming about secondary characters and location classes.

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There’s not much more I can say at the moment but it is all coming together. here’s a bit of Ivan himself:

Ivan stares blankly into space for a long moment. Insanity has never been a huge concern for this down to earth metal head but he is starting to wonder what’s going on with him. A shiver runs up his spine and he glances nervously at corners, shadows, and unknown phantoms of fancy. “Too fucking creapy in here.”

***

Ivans eyes widen and for some odd reason, guided by instinct rather than logic, he ducks and turns around. Tense and ready for anything, he glares at the gloom surrounding him. Nothing. Slowly, he relaxes and stands up. “I’ll be fucking madder than my crazy-ass mother soon.”

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Crystal and stone, beetle and bone — An interactive fiction game. Playable here.

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Crystal and stone, beetle and bone

An interactive not quite fantasy.

Updated! Play this game in your browser! (Opens in new window.)

Note: If you use a screenreader, allow a couple of seconds after pushing enter on your command. It seems as if being too fast on the cursor keys moves focus away from where you ultimately want it; starting at the beginning of the new text. It’s not a biggie, but can be a bit annoying.

Of course you can always download the game, and check out the Crystal and Stone Game map

The editing

I believe I am done. It will have to be done as I can’t dedicate the rest of my life to this game. I did some rewrites and lot’s of error checking. Spelling, yes, spelling errors a plenty. I’m always in a hurry it seems and i always pay for it in the end. But this should be the last and final version of this game. Considering I started writing it in 2006 or thereabouts, it has taken far too long. But here it is. Crystal and stone, beetle and bone Version 4.

Enjoy!

From the game


The beetle airs out its wings in an attempt to look bigger and the spider stands up to its maximum height. After a moment of this comparison of strength, the spider backs off, scrambles away from the beetle and up on Lornedei where it curls up and acts as if nothing at all has taken place.

…

Deini sniffs around. After a while she comes back, carrying an old torch. She drops it at Lornedei’s feet.


…


In the southeast corner of the big desolate field the ground slopes down and turns into a ragged hole in the ground. Heat ripples the air around it. A large fire burns within a ring of stones.



She circles the fire. She is in a hurry, searching for the thing that should be but is no longer. She returns to the ruin. There is a high wall east of the castle and she stops to rest on top of it.




The world wavers its way back to reality and Lornedei looks pale and a bit unsteady on her feet. “Too high! Master? If I die and must come back, please do not make me a bird!”


…


Lornedei watches the amulet for a short while. Then she tries to stab herself in the face with it. Fortunately it’s not sharp enough to draw blood.


…

The beetle clings to Lornedei’s finger while shaking its antennae. After a moment of fruitless coaxing Lornedei gives up with a sigh. “Never mind then.”




. Her legs betray her. They are all over her now, reaching for her, grabbing, ripping. Their hatred and need has given them substance, temporary bodies, and the strength to take what they need. Lornedei does not stop screaming until her throat is ripped open. The black bird watches in silence and the forbidden forest shudders in delight.


…


Lornedei glares at the bird. The bird stares at Lornedei. Lornedei crosses her arms. The bird shuffles uneasily. Lornedei shuts her eyes. The bird croaks. Lornedei opens her eyes, pulling up her upper lip in a grimace. The silent exchange is over. “This bird would be of better use to me in a stew. It’s thinking of bugs. It’s probably hungry.”

Check this game on the Interactive fiction database (IFDB).