Music stuff

USB roll-up Piano/Keyboard

This year I fancied learning the piano. I started working out the notes for various tunes I like and playing them on an electric keyboard I have at my parents house, as well as reading some beginner’s books.

I’ve since moved out and don’t fancy lugging the keyboard to my flat, where it wouldn’t be used all that often.

I’d quite like a roll-up musical keyboard that can be plugged into a computer via USB.

I plan to use this in Linux but I can’t find any information on which might work in that situation: no matter, I’m willing to try and write a driver myself if necessary.

• usb.brando.com.uk , US$46
• gadget shop, £30 (a bit expensive?)
• usbgeek.com, US$40
• argos, £30

Synthesizers

I’m interested in synthesizers and how they work. There’s a few books and a DVD on my amazon wishlist (see below) relating to them.

Playing music

Most of my music is stored digitally on my walkman, and/or my computer. I’d like to figure out a neat way of getting the output to my hifi (in a different room to my computer).

• http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131852 – cheap?

Records

I’d like Amy Macdonald’s album and the vinyl version of Nine Inch Nails’ last release, “Year Zero Remixed” (aka “y34rz4r0r3mix3d”). For that, you may have to look at American sites (I hear insound is good) the european vinyl releases were all deleted.

Camera stuff

I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ3 digital camera. I would like

• a lens cloth / cleaner or cleaning stuff
• a mini tripod

to go with them.

Books

Collections

• John Wyndham – ‘No Place like Earth’ or here

Rare

• Kim Stanley Robinson – “The novels of Philip K Dick”
• Greg Egan – “An Unusual Angle”

And finally…

This is my amazon wishlist, which contains more of the stuff that you can typically get from amazon.