_ _ (_) ( ) _ __ _ _ __ __ _ _ __ |/ ___ | |/ _` | '_ \ / _` | '_ \ / __| | | (_| | |_) | (_| | | | | \__ \ | |\__,_| .__/ \__,_|_| |_| |___/ _ _ _ _/ | | | (_) | | (_) (_) | |__/ _ _ _|_| ___ _ ___ _ __ | |_ ___ _ _ __ ___ _ _ _| |_ ___ / _` | '_ \ / __| |/ _ \ '_ \| __| / __| | '__/ __| | | | | __/ __| | (_| | | | | (__| | __/ | | | |_ | (__| | | | (__| |_| | | |_\__ \ \__,_|_| |_|\___|_|\___|_| |_|\__| \___|_|_| \___|\__,_|_|\__|___/ .... . . . . .. * . * . * . * . . ____ __ _ / V \ _____________/_\ / \_ | |\ / ______ \ | o o _____ .. | \ __ /\| .... |/\/\/\ | O . ________ | \/..\ |=[__]=| \ | | |o__o| |[][][]| \ /| _[][][][][][].| ||__|| |[][]..| _ _ \_ / |_______________| \__/ |______| ( )( ) \ __/_____________________/________________I__I_____\_____ ///____ . . >>>> /// . \\__ <<<< . . . . |||. .__/ .\\ . . /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ . By Sir Wallace Burdock The energy that powers Japan comes from its volcanoes and seismic activity, though it is not direct or obvious. From the Earth's core it radiates through the land and influences people's brains in a very subtle way - when a physical stimulus is converted into electrical impulses, the primeval seismic energy resonates with these impulses, magnifying brain's responses. It doesn't expand perception, but it makes it more intense, adding new layers of meanings. It is not unlike a drug. It's the reason why the Japanese celebrate simple forms so much - they're the perfect vessel to be charged with the ancient truths hidden in the tensions and shifting polarities of forces that shape the whole planet. We won't be discussing all the effects this has on the society, but please note Japan's industry, with its endless stream of cars and electronic appliances. Designed by Japanese engineers, all these artifacts, from the configuration of mechanical parts to intricate patterns on circuit boards, bear at least fragments of the inner Earth's harmony. And here we come to the main topic: the Japanese music gear. Ever wondered why so many great music-making machines come from over there? Yes, it's because of volcanoes and Japanese mind-enhancing power field. The audio waves produced by even simple pieces of gear are in direct correlation to the waves broadcasted by the planet's core. Even when taken overseas, it doesn't change - it's embedded in their design. It's also evident when roaming Japan's music stores - and there's so many of them! Both used and new gear is treated with the same reverence, as everyone feels that what they hold in their hands is, in a way, holy. When you buy a second-hand item, it will be carefully secured with a bubble wrap and handed to you with a respectful bow. Sometimes you can even get a couple of months of warranty. The prices are low. Not dirt-cheap low, as they're still valuable items, but maybe 2-3 times lower than in Europe. There is one small issue, though, and it's again connected with volcanoes: the voltage in Japan is lower than in both Europe and America, to utilize the resonance of the seismic radiation and stabilize the current. It means that you need to carefully read the voltage description on the power supplies - if it says 100-240V or something similar, you'll be fine with just a cheap plug adapter, but if it's 100V only, then be prepared to buy a compatible PSU wherever you live. As many of you may be visiting Japan on tight schedules, here are some tips for looking for treasures. First, some general remarks: * random places - sometimes you can go to a regular department store, and between fashion outlets and bookstores there will be a small music store with a couple of latest synths and vocaloid gadgets, but then, right in the middle, you'll find, let's say, a mighty Dr. Rhythm 660 drum machine for 5000 yen, which is roughly 35 euro. In perfect condition, with the original power supply. * friends - get a lot of them when you're in Japan. Who knows, maybe they have a 4-track cassette recorder lying around that they've never used, and you, a foreign musician, could do something interesting with it? For free, I may add? * Hard OFF - it's a part of a big chain of stores like Book OFF, Mode OFF, Hobby OFF and so on, dealing with second-hand goods, spanning the whole country. In the music section you'll usually find tons of guitar pedals, family keyboards for 700 yen, heaps of DJ controllers, amplifiers, and among this mess there may be an occassional synth, drum machine or groovebox. You can also see a vacuum cleaner and a snake-skin shamisen standing next to each other looking like this: / ... ... || HARD.OFF ____/|| _ _ _ 2160 || | |_ || \|/ \____ || ||| 3240 ________||_______|||________ . . ./ \ . . .||| . . . . . .| ||.| . ._|||_ . . . . . |_||_|. ./^|||^\ . . |-||-| |^^|||^^| _\__/_ |^^___^^| _____/______\__\_____/______ On top of that, in Tokyo there's a couple of places where you probably want to go: * Ochanomizu - it's a district known for its guitar shops, and yes, guitars are most common, but apart from that there's tons of other instruments, too, and there are some places which sell synths only. Ochanomizu is also great for used gear - most shops have second-hand corners; there should be at least a shiny Electribe hanging somewhere behind the shopkeeper. The majority of the shops are located on one street that goes south from the west exit of the Ochanomizu train station. * Akihabara - in a walking distance from Ochanomizu, Akihabara is a mecca for otaku, but also a thriving trade hub of electronic appliances. Most shops will sell you stuff tax-free as long as you have a valid passport. Location of music gear in the stores changes, so I won't give you exact locations, but it's not uncommon to uncover heaps of vintage gear at, for example, a top floor of a 5-store Apple products shop. To make looking for treasures easier, here are some useful words: CHUUKO (second-hand) GAKKI (instruments) _/_ ___ ___ | | \ |___| / | | | | ____|____ _____|_____ / |___| \ |___| |___| | | | | __/________ |___|___| ___|___ _____|_____ /__ ___\ | | | _/|\_ /| | | |\ | |_____| _/ | \_ |___| |___| * Flea markets - ok, I actually didn't make it to one of those yet as there was always some free food to be had when I tried to go, BUT - I imagine there could be some nice finds. The biggest flea market seems to be at the Oi (sometimes spelled Ohi) racetrack. Be sure to look up the schedule online before you go! * FiveG - this store is a bit of a legend. There are so many magnificent machines there that it feels like some kind of a dreamy museum, until you start looking at the price tags, when it starts feeling like a luxury car salon. Fortunately there are some cool items on sale apart from those vintage monsters, as they seem to take in a lot of abused gear, clean, fix and refurbish it, but yeah, the main focus is still on the expensive stuff. Worth going anyway as it's quite a unique place. It's close to Harajuku's popular Takeshita street, where you can hear Japanese spoken with an Afro-American accent. If you find a nice piece of gear in one of those places, remember: it's not a standalone item - it's a terminal that gives you access to the vast underground network of energy, the extension of the ancient circuitry that powers the movement of continents, that is Earth itself. Open your ears and listen. Decays, especially. Sir Wallace Burdock