S3RTX - A Frustrated Musician's Blog

Here I write about my experiences as maker of sorts, whether music, instruments, circuits or whatever (1) I think it can be useful to someone, or (2) it makes me feel a little more musician than I usually am.

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A song that probably influenced and marked many like me. My small homage to the late Pau Donés

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Music moments...

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Not really success, but I guess it’s progress. I already accumulated 4$. I think I’ll be quitting my job by the end of the year!

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7 months later... The assembly of the Music Studio started. What mess of wires!

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Before and after music leaves a place... Desolation.

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Moving in to my new place! A new neighbour found me in the elevator... I’m not sure I caused a good impression.

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This is some sort of cover of Cream’s Layla, based only on the beautiful piano outro, plus an intro to the outro. I think I recorded this on a weekend. The guitar solo was some weird inspiration moment I got... Let’s hope I can get more of those! Enjoy :) 

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Long time no see... That is my surrogate life. Still missing in the picture my cavaquinho, fretlight and acoustic guitar. I hope I can get back to you soon!

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Almost there!! Here you are the S3RTX Amp Emulation Pedalboard fully functioning. It has been a long way to get here... It contains:

- Asus EEEPc running Guitar Rig Player 5 - 7″ Touch screen + numpad for Guitar Rig control - AKAI LDP8 USB Midi interface that controls 8 Guitar Rig effects, including analog 8 knobs - 3 USB pedals for Reverb, Delay and Boost - Zoom G1Xon - 006 Mooer amp emulator - Mooer Groove Looper with 1) looper and 2) drum emulator

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After such a long time, I did it!! I finally finished my pickguard upgrade on my Fender Stratocaster made in Japan. A vintage guitar from the 80s. Replaced the original white one for this one with a custom laser engraved pattern, and fill painted white. Of course, I used the opportunity to clean the fretboard and wax the body.

I'm really happy with the result!

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I was happily making a nice label for my loop pedal to end up the year with another DIY project done when... I basically screwed it all by isolating the ground of the switches with my plastic label. Apparently, the builder of my pedal decided to spare wire by using the metal case instead! So, by the time I realized half of the pedal wires were disconnected. Anyways, the label is done, next year I’ll rewire it back properly!

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Today I got a cool surprise! I was given this compact electronic drum kit. It is a 7 velocity sensitive pads kit with 2 pedals. It has plenty of drum sounds/configurations and it is actually a USB MIDI device! Really looking forward to get to some minimum decent level and add some drums to my recordings.

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Something digital is going on here with my pedalboard! A looper, an Akai USB MIDI LPD 8 and 3 USB foot pedals... Any ideas?

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My most recent recording! S3RTX & piano, nothing else... #alejandro sanz #piano #ballad #cover song #y si fuera ella #cantautor

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My (very compact) custom made (for the last 2 years) music corner... with most of my arsenal. Custom Music Desk, custom Pedal Board... Custom Les Paul. Anyone recognizes anything else?

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3/4 of my electric muses: A BMG special (Brian May's’ Red Special replica), a Fretlight Telecaster (from Optec, with interactive integrated LEDs in the fretboard), and a Fender Stratocaster (Contemporary Made in Japan) from the 80s. Feels good just to look at them :) 

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Cover track of the song "Pongamos que hablo de Madrid" by the Spanish singer and composer Joaquin Sabina.

Recorded in Spain with: - Unidentifiable Spanish guitar - Qbase (on an old Windows Millenium machine) - Edited with Audacity, iZotope and MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab (noise removal and other enhancements)