So this is the end of 2024.

What happened? I learned that much of my life is like a Seinfeld episode. My problems are mostly first world problems. I'd rather listen to a Joe Jackson song, and persevere. Let's move on, and forget about the incredible isolation that I feel. If you are reading this, I'd be surprised.

Today, on Fun with Synths. We go back to the before time and employ a Korg MS-10 Synthesizer to create a nice mono lead instrument with the help of 2 stomp boxes.

This is my most vintage piece of equipment, next to my Peavey guitar amp. It's been around the block a few times, but still hanging in there as a sort of haunting lead instrument, thanks to two stomp boxes. The MXR phase 99 dual shifter feeds a Boss DD-8 delay pedal. I used to also put first a Boss chorus pedal, but I found that it really just muddied the waters. I think the chorus goes well as an input to my Boss hm-2 Heavy Metal pedal for guitar. I play a Peavey Rockmaster which has one humbucker pickup and it really get's heavier than any instrument that I play. James Alton said so, and I tend to agree with him on that. Now, my heavy keyboard is split between Moog Model D in overdrive, and GForce Oddity3 in similar settings.

There's a lot to be said for simplicity in this setup. I've got other effects that could have come into play, but these two stand apart from the built-in effects on my mixer, and I wouldn't say this is overkill for what would have been an unemployed single oscillator synth, the ubiquitous Korg MS-10.

Here's my guitar in case you forgot.

This guitar fits just where I need it. I can play most chords long enough to get a sample. I don't need to be a virtuoso. My college synthesizer pal, Fred Delveccio, once said that, "Thomas Dolby knows how to use a guitar." And that sort of comes back when I think about all the times I stayed up later than anyone else, and played their guitars when they left them in supposed safety. I once broke one of Jim's strings. He said, "YOU BROKE A STRING?!!" And I gave him a set of new strings naturally when he'd probably been playing the one I broke for at least 10 years.