If you didn't have the time to do all the things that you wanted to do in a day, or week, or in life generally speaking then would you buy time if it were a commodity? It would be like walking into your favourite corner shop and buying a lottery ticket only it would be a designation or a period of time. We all at some point in our needlessly busy lives wished that we possessed the ability or power to halt or slow down time even if for a second, and then ruminate over what we may have done differently in that relived moment. Alas though, we do not possess any such power or ability, it only exists in our minds and in there we can do whatever we please when we please. Time after all is a matter of perception! I can remember when I was a child…the school summer holidays passed by in slow motion and I didn't have a care in the world, they seemed to just go on and on for an eternity, but as I grew older and more responsibility was thrust upon me I began to notice time more, or should I say…lack of time!

A day for me just goes by now, all 24 hours of them and I hardly notice what I have achieved, all I notice is what I have failed to do when I have set out with the best intentions at the start of the day to accomplish something. Time goes faster when you are enjoying yourself (we all know that one) and when you get older it doesn't necessarily follow that because you are getting slower and taking your time over things that time is getting slower….waiting for you! In fact, time is passing by more quickly, or your perception of it is anyway.

So…the point of this self confessed admittance is to clarify why I have not posted an entry in this blog for a while, it is a question of time my friends and nothing more. I have so many interests all vying for attention at the same time and I find myself either too distracted or too tired to do any of them. Time management is complicated at best and I'm certainly not going to start it now, I tend to go with what I know I can accomplish and to hell with everything else! 

I like to create music, art, graphic art etc…and just lately it has been like a loud voice in my head progressively getting louder shouting……"DO SOMETHING DAMMIT!!" so after a while I tend to take notice of it and drop everything else until the creative spirit has been exorcised and laid to rest. Blogging I like, but I am no slave to it, I just need to take a step back from it once in a while so I can concentrate on other things of importance too me…..I'm sure we all can associate with that one.   

Having been in the fore front of home studio recording for many years, I am always on the look out for new or interesting bits of equipment that will enhance my operations or performances within the studio environment. A friend popped round the other day and showed me his new mini portable digital recorder by 'BOSS'. It boasted 8 track recording, on board stereo condenser microphone, direct in guitar jacks, headphone socket, built in multi-effects including drum patterns and much more, and I think I am right in saying that it is the smallest digital recorder of its kind on the planet. The only draw back if it should be called so is…being it is portable it must use batteries to provide mobile power and they don't last long, a couple of hours maximum. If a mains adapter is available I will certainly get one, or if not, then rechargable batteries will be a definate cheaper alternative to constantly buying new ones…..so other than that I can not see any other down falls.

After a while of mucking about with this little gismo I realised what a boon it could be for my acoustic guitar compositions! With this device I could rehearse, compose, record such compositions and hear them back instantly, no more would I have to power up my whole studio just to practice my guitar pieces and commit them to tape just to hear what they sound like.

So after a little research I discovered that 'BOSS' do a 4 track version (pictured above) with all the same built in functions. 8 track is fine, but a little over the top for my own needs when 4 does the same job! Apparently all the data is stored on a flash card, the same type of card you find inside modern digital cameras, so for instance a 1GB card would probably give me up to 8 hours of hi-definition digital sound…..way more than I need but the extra space would be handy sometimes.

Now….when the inspiration takes me and I feel in a composing mood, I can just reach for this little gismo, turn it on, set up the track and record away, play it back, add to it, or do whatever I want until I'm happy with it….and when I have written the composition to my satisfaction I can then crank up the studio and record it in a more controlled environment for superior sound etc….

The device (BOSS Micro BR 4) retails for about £135 but I have seen it advertised for £125 on certain web sites…..so I think I am going to buy one soon…..ya hay for me!