Sunday 25 December 2016

Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C. Clarke

This won both the Hugo & Nebula awards 
First published in 1973 the story takes place in the 2130s.
 
It's a first contact novel ? or is it ? there are no aliens .. just their extinct civilization.
Actually, it's mankinds first encounter with alien intelligence.
 
Earth has a space detection device called Spaceguard This is a system for detecting future asteroids
Instead they detect a huge cylindical object which they name Rama (after the Hindu God.)
 
A team of human explorers from the spacecraft "Endeavour" is dispatched to explore it before it drifts away and is lost forever. This exploration of an alien megastructure parallels James Cook's encounter with the Continent of Australia.

The explorers leave Rama with so many questions and mysteries. It is clear that there are some aspects of this civilization that no level of scientific research and observation can solve.

I really liked Clarke's empire building. The United Planets is made up of Earthlings, Martians, Lunas (people from the moon) and Hermians (Mercury's human colonists)
 
 
 
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
  ***
Publisher    Gollancz (UK)
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (US)
Publication date
    Jun 1973 (UK)

Aug 1973 (US)
 
 
Media type    Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages    256 (UK) 69,048 words
Awards    Hugo Award for Best Novel, Nebula Award for Best Novel, John W. Campbell Memorial Award, Locus Award for Best Novel, etc.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rendezvous With Rama also appeared in Galaxy magazine
  Sep1973,
Oct 1973; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973
 
 
 

Korg Volca Beats - Getting started - For beginners

Some very basic info to get you started with the Volca Beats right away.
 


When you first turn on your VB , the screen will say either LIVE or StEP.
You can jump between the two by pressing the STEP MODE button.

LIVE =  live performance
StEP = Step editing mode.

Playing a pre-recorded sequence.

Stay in the Live Mode for now.

The volca can store 8 memorized sequences.
(M1 to M8)
Press MEMORY and one of the 8 step buttons to load in a sequence.
Press play.


This is really good for live performances.
While the drum is playing you can jump from one sequence to another by pressing
MEMORY & one of the 8 step buttons.

For live performance, the other button you will find useful is MUTE.
While a sequence is running you can mute a sound by pressing
MUTE and  one of the 10 step buttons corresponding to the sound you wish to silence.

The Stutter Function is quite useful for live performances.
Stutter can be Global (effects all sounds) or Individual.
To turn on/off global stutter press FUNCTION & GLOBAL Stutter (key 13).
I usually turn both stutter dials to zero when starting, then turn them up for taste.


Making a new step sequence (Step Write)

(method 1)
1. Go to STEP Mode.
2. Clear what's in the memory.
     Press FUNCTION & ALL
3. Press play.
    (the sequencer will run without any sounds)
4. Press FUNCTION & one of the 10 step buttons corresponding to the sound you wish to add.
5. add the beats by pressing the step buttons (1-16)
6. to switch to a different sound, hold the FUNCTION down and press
    one of the 10 step buttons corresponding to the sound you wish to add.
7. Saving
    Hold down Function & Press Write (memory)
    The Display will show the words SAVE.
    One of 8 LED (steps) will light. The Volca is asking where you wish to save the sequence.
8. While still holding down the FUNCTION button, press one of the 8 steps.
     The sequence is now stored.
    
------------------------------------------

Making a new step sequence (Step Record)

(method 2)
You basically use the  (FUNC button + (REC) button)
This is the mode for inputting a pattern for each step. 

1. hold down the FUNC button & press the  (REC) button to enter step recording mode.
     The LED below the first step button will blink. 
2. Press the button for the part to be played.
     The step will record the part, then move to the next step. 
3. To play multiple parts with a single step, 
     simultaneously press the buttons for the parts to be played.


-----------------------

Factory Defaults


This will return all sequence data to the factory defaults 

1. While holding down the FUNC and MEMORY buttons, turn on the volca beats.
 “LdPr” will appear on the display, and the  (REC) and  (PLAY) buttons will blink. 

2. Press the  (REC) button to return the sequences to the factory defaults and start volca beats. 
    Press the  (PLAY) button to cancel the reset operation and simply start volca beats.
 
 

Wednesday 21 December 2016

Tales of Known Space - Part 1 & 2 - Larry Niven - Reading order

 Larry Niven has written over 50 books.
It's hard to work out what order in which to read them.
Maybe in the order they were written?
 
I think starting by reading stories set in his "Known Space" universe is a good way to go.
There are about 9 novels and 35 short stories set in this universe. 
They span about 1000 years in the future and cover a small portion of the Milky way.
They begin with the first human explorations of the solar system, to humanity's expansion into other near systems. 
 
You can probably divide this time span into 4 periods:
 
This post covers The Early  Exploration (Pre 2000 AD) period and the Slower-Than-Light (2000 to 2350AD) period. The years 2351 to 2650 are covered here

The Early Exploration stories cover the first human explorations and colonizations of the Solar System (Pre 2000AD).
Humanity explores The Moon (Luna), Mercury, Venus, Mars & the outer planets like Pluto.
 
The Slower-Than-Light stories cover later exploration and colonization of the solar system.
The time period is about 350 years (2000 to 2350AD). It's often called the Belter Period.
Belt refers to the asteroid belt of Earth's solar system, Sol system. Citizens are named Belters.
Earth is ruled by the UN (United Nations).
The  Belter period features slower-than-light travel with fusion-powered and Bussard ramjet ships.  
 
What struck me about Niven's world building was how close his vision is to that portrayed in the Sci Fi series, "The Expanse".
 
 This time is composed mainly of Niven's Belter stories, the Gil "The Arm" Hamilton mysteries, and the novels World Of Ptaavs, A Gift From Earth and Protector.
 
For the record, the later "Neutron Star/Ringworld  period is set around 2651 AD and later.
It features faster-than-light ships using "hyperdrive". 
It is composed of many stories featuring Beowulf Shaeffer and Louis Wu, among others.
 
 
Niven later joined the last two periods into a single universe in the short story "A Relic of the Empire" (If, December 1966). Then in the 1980's he started writing stories of the Man-Kzin Wars. The first volume was published in 1988. This filled in the 300 year gap (between 2350 to 2651). 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Early Exploration period


The first-published work in the Known Space series, was also Niven's first published piece.
 
 "The Coldest Place" first appeared in the 
December 1964 issue of If magazine.***
 
 It is set on the dark side of the planet Mercury approximately 1976 AD.
***










 

Becalmed In Hell***
first appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction in July 1965.
 
This story is also included in Niven's collections "All the Myriad Ways" 
 
Eric is the "Brain" of the first ship to explore Venus. Howie is his human crew member. When a fault develops, forcing the ship down onto the hostile Venusian surface, Howie must figure out the problem with Eric, be it mechanical or psychological.
* **
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[1989 AD]
 Wait It Out 
 
This story is included in Niven's collections "All the Myriad Ways"
 
 
This is the story of the first manned flight to Pluto
 
 
 
 
 
 

1996 C.E.]
 Eye Of An Octopus  

Galaxy, February 1966
Covers the Martian Explorations.
 
This covers the first human expedition to Mars 
The all male crew digs up a grave & finds evidence of local intelligent life. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Slower-Than-Light Period
 
 
 
 Larry Niven's "How the Heroes Die"
Set about 2040AD 
This is the story of the second manned mission to Mars
and how it all went wrong.
First published: Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1966. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
The Jigsaw Man (short story)
Set around 2099 AD
and is included in Niven's collections All the Myriad Ways and Tales of Known Space
 
In the future serious criminals are forced to donate their organs to repay society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

World of Ptavvs
Set around 2106 AD
This was Niven's first published novel.
Published 1966 (Ballantine Books‎)‎ ***
It's based on a 1965 magazine story of the same name.
"A much shorter version of "World of Ptavvs" first appeared in Worlds of Tomorrow, March 1965 by Galaxy Publishing Corp." 
 
 A major element of the story was the Cold War existing between Earth and the "Belters",
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This is the 1965 Magazine version
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

At  the Bottom of a Hole 
First published: Galaxy Science Fiction, December 1966.
Set 20-30 April, 2112 AD
Human explorers to Mars are killed by locals. 
This is a fast paced action story. 
It is the third in a series by Niven about the first Martian explorations.
This is not an independent story; it assumes you have read the previous ones - "How the Heroes Die" 
and "Eye of an Octopus" 
Lots of Belter references
 
 
 
 
 

 Intent to Deceive 
aka "The Deceivers",
About 2113 AD
First published: Galaxy Magazine, April 1968.

 ***
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Death By Ecstasy (The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton or Flatlander)
2123 AD
It is the first of five Gil Hamilton detective stories, and provides most of the backstory for the character.
It first appeared in the January 1969 edition of Galaxy under the title The Organleggers.
 
 *
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


The Defenseless Dead (The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton or Flatlander)
2124-2125  AD
It is the second of five Gil Hamilton detective stories.
It was published in 1973 in the Roger Elwood anthology Ten Tomorrows.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Phssthpok
2125 AD
Read  the Protector
Novel by Larry Niven
Originally published: 1973
Ballantine Books
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ARM & Other Short Stories  
2126 AD
Gil “The Arm” Hamilton was one of the top operatives of ARM, the elite UN police force. His intuition was unfailingly accurate; his detective skills second to none; and his psychic powers—esper sense and telekinesis—were awesome.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Patchwork Girl (Flatlander)
2126 AD
it is the fourth of five Gil Hamilton detective stories and the first to be published as a stand-alone novel in 1980. 
It was later included in the Gil Hamilton anthology Flatlander.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Woman in Del Rey Crater (Flatlander)
2127 AD
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cloak of Anarchy.
First published in Analog SF, March 1972. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Gift From Earth
2325 - 2343 AD
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Interlude, Vandervecken  &  Protector
2341 to 2361 AD
Protector was a 1973 science fiction novel  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Ethics of Madness
2326-2390 C.E. approx
Worlds of If, April1967
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Warriors - Worlds of If Feb 1966
2360 AD
 
 ***
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In alphabetical Order, The stories & novels set in the Known Universe are:
 
 
  • The Adults (short story)
  • ARM (short story)
  • At The Bottom Of A Hole (short story)
  • At The Core (short story)
  • Becalmed In Hell (short story)
  • The Borderland Of Sol (short story)
  • Choosing Names (short story)
  • Cloak Of Anarchy (short story)
  • The Coldest Place (short story)
  • The Deceivers (short story)
  • The Defenseless Dead (short story)
  • The Ethics Of Madness (short story)
  • Eye Of An Octopus (short story)
  • Flatlander (short story)
  • Fleet Of Worlds (novel, written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner)
    • Juggler Of Worlds (novel, written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner)
    • Destroyer Of Worlds (novel, written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner)
    • Betrayer Of Worlds (novel, written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner)
    • Fate Of Worlds (novel, written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner)
  • Fly-By-Night (short story)
  • Ghost (short story)
  • A Gift From Earth (novel)
  • Grendel (short story)
  • The Handicapped (short story)
  • How The Heroes Die (short story)
  • The Hunting Park (short story)
  • The Jigsaw Man (short story)
  • Madness Has Its Place (short story)
  • N-Space (anthology)
  • Neutron Star (short story)
  • The Organleggers (short story)
  • The Patchwork Girl (novel)
  • Procrustes (short story)
  • Protector (novel)
  • A Relic Of The Empire (short story)
  • Ring World (novel)
    • The Ringworld Engineers (novel)
    • The Ringworld Throne (novel)
    • Ringworld's Children (novel)
  • Safe At Any Speed (short story)
  • Slowboat Cargo (short story)
  • There Is A Tide (short story)
  • The Soft Weapon (short story, adapted into an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series)
  • Wait It Out (short story)
  • The Warriors (short story, introduced the Kzin)
  • The Woman In Del Rey Crater (short story)
  • World Of Ptavvs (novel)

Do let me know is there are any mistakes, errors or omissions.  

--------------------------------------------

sci Fi Index

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Sunday 18 December 2016

New Sound Waves Synth Meet

Sunday 18th Dec, 2016.
Always great fun to catch up with my Synth mates.
This was the last meeting of 2016.

I think I want this sequencer.
It's from Red Light District. Totally Australian made.
 I understand they will be sold in Kit form too.
Its Eurorack format.

..




Another one for the shopping list:
Ornament & Crime
Voltage Controlled Labs
Muffs site


See you all in 2017.
Happy Christmas.

Saturday 17 December 2016

Buchla 100 - A new Future

To mark the end of 2016 & the beginning of 2017.

Buchla 100 (mostly vintage modules).





Kyoto Station, Japan

Breathtaking. This is the second largest station in Japan (after Nagoya Station) and is one of the country's largest buildings.

I think it's a futuristic masterpiece and should be on your "to do" list when you visit Kyoto, even if you're not into modern architecture.
Opened in 1997 to commemorate Kyoto's 1,200th anniversary, it is 70 meters high and 470 meters from east to west.

The architect was Hiroshi Hara.
He was a professor at the University of Tokyo until 1997, and has held an emeritus position since that time.
Hara's other buildings include the Yamato International Building in Tokyo 
and the Umeda Sky in Osaka.
Back to the train station:
The interior is a cathedral of glass and steel. Which reminds me a bit of the Musee D'orsay in Paris.
Both are train stations ...beautiful, though separated by a century.




Take the escalator from the 7th floor on the east side of the building up to the 11th-floor glass corridor, Skyway (open 10am to 10pm).
The Skyway is open 10am to 10pm. It runs high above the main concourse of the station.
Panorama of the Kyoto Tower and surrounds from the train station. 

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