# Nomad vanlife Composer YouTube channel



## vancomposer (Apr 7, 2022)

Hi everyone,

Thanks for providing an area here to share! 🙋‍♂️

So I re-started my Youtube channel mid January this year and I do split my content into vlogs about my vanlife and travels in my self converted campervan as composer and original music videos using footage I filmed myself with a drone over the past years. In the vlogs rather then just showing "ME ME ME" all the time I also like to feature some fellow artists that I meet along the way and let them talk about their story and learn from them and get inspired. As you can see I don't have many followers or lots of clicks and I am ok with that. My main goal was really to document my travels for myself as a video diary that I can watch when I am an old man or can't have this lifestyle anymore. If beside that just ONE person is also enjoying watching this then I am happy. 😊

My plan for this year is to move to LA and capture some of my challenges down there as a hopelessly over dreaming composer who is still trying to make it and do occasional travel trips still.

Here are two playlists and clicking on the top right corner menu should open a pull down list. If you like to see a tour of my van and the music studio that is running on solar power and with batteries check out the tour video at the very end of the vanlife vlogs playlist.
I hope you like it, thanks! 

*VANLIFE VLOGS:*



*MUSIC VIDEOS:*


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## Markrs (Apr 7, 2022)

Subscribed


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## el-bo (Apr 7, 2022)

Haha! I remember that setup. You posted in a thread, a year-or-so ago right? Another guy was talking about a portable setup for making music on camping trips, if I remember correctly.

Really love the setup. Gets the cogs in my mind a-whirring. It's not entirely out of the question that van life will be part of my future. Perhaps I should start actually paying a bit more attention


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## dcoscina (Apr 7, 2022)

Very cool! I love van life videos. It’s great to see people living the nomad life.


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## vancomposer (Apr 7, 2022)

Markrs said:


> Subscribed


Thank you! 🤗



el-bo said:


> Haha! I remember that setup. You posted in a thread, a year-or-so ago right? Another guy was talking about a portable setup for making music on camping trips, if I remember correctly.
> 
> Really love the setup. Gets the cogs in my mind a-whirring. It's not entirely out of the question that van life will be part of my future. Perhaps I should start actually paying a bit more attention


Yeah just checked and it was Dec 2020. Glad you like it! I have been around for a while 20+ years in the biz and doing this only 4+ years now. Have to tell you it has been one of the BEST decisions in my entire life. I have never felt so liberated, chilled and inspired then since doing vanlife. It is incredible what it can do for your well being if your are the right type of person.



dcoscina said:


> Very cool! I love van life videos. It’s great to see people living the nomad life.


Glad to hear, you will certainly meet interesting people. Some that stand out to me beside fellow artists are those who had pretty planned out careers and life from all different professions but then realized they want to get out of the grind. Us creatives we are used to the uncertainty, ups and downs because we have no other choice. But for others it takes quite a bit to break loose.


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## el-bo (Apr 8, 2022)

vancomposer said:


> Yeah just checked and it was Dec 2020. Glad you like it! I have been around for a while 20+ years in the biz and doing this only 4+ years now. Have to tell you it has been one of the BEST decisions in my entire life. I have never felt so liberated, chilled and inspired then since doing vanlife. It is incredible what it can do for your well being if your are the right type of person.


Blimey, how time flies 

Definitely thought about it before, but then went off the boil. I think I got so caught-up in looking at at really elaborate solutions, which would be way over my budget, and forgot about it. But actually, i wouldn't need anything elaborate. 

For the music-making aspect I'd be able to get away with basing the studio around a laptop. And Ive been sleeping on the floor for about 7 years, anyway...So no worries there, either


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## vancomposer (Apr 8, 2022)

el-bo said:


> Blimey, how time flies
> 
> Definitely thought about it before, but then went off the boil. I think I got so caught-up in looking at at really elaborate solutions, which would be way over my budget, and forgot about it. But actually, i wouldn't need anything elaborate.
> 
> For the music-making aspect I'd be able to get away with basing the studio around a laptop. And Ive been sleeping on the floor for about 7 years, anyway...So no worries there, either


Certainly possible to use a laptop. If you haven't seen the video yet, but that is what my nomad buddy Gabe is using in his trailer as a basis. I am way more the headphones guy anyways but running speakers isn't a problem at all. The acoustics will be a compromise of course but I haven't bothered much to treat the room, I get it done anyways. One thing that is important is having a proper chair. My back would kill me eventually just sitting on like a dinette table bench or something. Everything else is fairly cheap and easy to solve and if you are a minimalist anyways you are golden. It is the van that will cost upfront, especially a newer and nicer model. But you safe so much quick, it will pay itself off.


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## el-bo (Apr 9, 2022)

vancomposer said:


> Certainly possible to use a laptop. If you haven't seen the video yet, but that is what my nomad buddy Gabe is using in his trailer as a basis. I am way more the headphones guy anyways but running speakers isn't a problem at all. The acoustics will be a compromise of course but I haven't bothered much to treat the room, I get it done anyways. One thing that is important is having a proper chair. My back would kill me eventually just sitting on like a dinette table bench or something. Everything else is fairly cheap and easy to solve and if you are a minimalist anyways you are golden. It is the van that will cost upfront, especially a newer and nicer model. But you safe so much quick, it will pay itself off.


Actually, I did see the video with Gabe. He has the laptop hooked-up to an external monitor.

I'm also more of a headphones guy, though seeing as the whole rig would also double-up as a home-entertainment rig (For movies, gaming etc. Speakers would probably need to be a part of that solution. Also, dependant on where the van was parked, I'd prefer more situational awareness. Being inside headphones would shut me off to all of that.

As for getting a proper chair? I've had a floor studio setup for over 4 years now. My chair is a meditation cushion. I switch between that and a standing-desk workspace. In a situation where I'd want to save space, I'd probably have my floor studio as it is now, with the main larger monitor, larger MIDI keyboards and speakers. Then have a standing-desk space mounted above it. That would be where I'd put the laptop (The laptop would be powering the studio underneath). And I could use a small 2-octave MIDI keyboard and headphones when standing. Essentially it'd all take the same space. I just sit and stand as needed.

But this is all pipe-dreaming, at the moment. It's not a soon thing, but something that might be essential in a couple of decades time 

Thanks, again!


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## vancomposer (Apr 9, 2022)

el-bo said:


> Actually, I did see the video with Gabe. He has the laptop hooked-up to an external monitor.
> 
> I'm also more of a headphones guy, though seeing as the whole rig would also double-up as a home-entertainment rig (For movies, gaming etc. Speakers would probably need to be a part of that solution. Also, dependant on where the van was parked, I'd prefer more situational awareness. Being inside headphones would shut me off to all of that.


Thanks for watching. 👍

I agree with you. I do use my speakers often, especially when parked somewhere very remote and all my doors are open and I am getting a very good overall sound like that and also check my mixes. It is really the rear doors CLOSED that create a bass trap. Also when I watch movies from my bed I prefer speakers like you. Headphones I prefer my DT-770 for routine work since for example in the summer I have my vents on or many times vanlife is not as photogenic as it often looks on Instagram and its very boring parking lots where is nice to shut you off. And a DT-880 for mixing. For security I do have surveillance cameras around and the control monitor at my desk. I would freak out otherwise since I have no extra windows. Came in handy a couple of times when I got knocks from some shady people.



el-bo said:


> As for getting a proper chair? I've had a floor studio setup for over 4 years now. My chair is a meditation cushion. I switch between that and a standing-desk workspace. In a situation where I'd want to save space, I'd probably have my floor studio as it is now, with the main larger monitor, larger MIDI keyboards and speakers. Then have a standing-desk space mounted above it. That would be where I'd put the laptop (The laptop would be powering the studio underneath). And I could use a small 2-octave MIDI keyboard and headphones when standing. Essentially it'd all take the same space. I just sit and stand as needed.


Now that is a very interesting concept and would save you some space! I just tried it a minute to see how I would feel to be that close to the ceiling for an extended time also being 6'0 tall and with the headphones on I can still stand upright and put my finger on top the headband standing in the center and then would touch the ceiling panels. The van curves a little towards the sides. But also you would most of the time angle the head a bit towards the screen. Since I have this samuraish hairstyle it is my ponytail that gently rubs against the ceiling now when I walk to my desk and look down. 😁

If this ever would be an issue there is obviously models like the Transit or even the new Promaster super high roof on the 2023 model that would give more head clearance. But that's also what I love about this lifestyle trying to solve those little problems that you otherwise wouldn't think of.


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## el-bo (Apr 20, 2022)

vancomposer said:


> Thanks for watching. 👍
> 
> I agree with you. I do use my speakers often, especially when parked somewhere very remote and all my doors are open and I am getting a very good overall sound like that and also check my mixes. It is really the rear doors CLOSED that create a bass trap. Also when I watch movies from my bed I prefer speakers like you. Headphones I prefer my DT-770 for routine work since for example in the summer I have my vents on or many times vanlife is not as photogenic as it often looks on Instagram and its very boring parking lots where is nice to shut you off. And a DT-880 for mixing. For security I do have surveillance cameras around and the control monitor at my desk. I would freak out otherwise since I have no extra windows. Came in handy a couple of times when I got knocks from some shady people.
> 
> ...


I think the security aspect is the biggest worry for me, regarding vanlife. I guess much of that is down to location, though. But I hadn't thought about the idea of security cameras.

As for height concerns> At 5'7", I don't tend to suffer from those kinds of issues. Certainly, during periods of caravan living, I've not had any problems. The biggest comfort thing for me, like you've also acknowledged, is venting, air-flow. I'd also probably find it unbearable without AC, during Summer. ALl this adds significantly to cost, of course


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## vancomposer (Apr 20, 2022)

el-bo said:


> I think the security aspect is the biggest worry for me, regarding vanlife. I guess much of that is down to location, though. But I hadn't thought about the idea of security cameras.
> 
> As for height concerns> At 5'7", I don't tend to suffer from those kinds of issues. Certainly, during periods of caravan living, I've not had any problems. The biggest comfort thing for me, like you've also acknowledged, is venting, air-flow. I'd also probably find it unbearable without AC, during Summer. ALl this adds significantly to cost, of course


The greatest security concern for me is DRIVING. Now I became a very passive driver since I am so depending on my van you simply want to bring down risk a much as you can and stay out of trouble. But obviously nothing you can do about the stupid on the road. The good is most get out of your way, no one likes their view blocked, you can oversee most of the traffic from the higher seating position and you can't do fast acceleration maneuvers so you are forced to a more relaxed driving style.

For general security I think I am close to what is possible, I have webcams I can monitor while not in here like in the gym for example with motion detection, I just installed a regular house alarm with operator surveillance and they will call the police if I don't respond. That only really works though if I am stationary for a while at an address which I will soon staying in LA. I have all doors secured with chains that make it much harder to break in like while I am sleeping. I have all options accessible for legal self defense in the US.

I am glad to say that after years doing this, at least this country is very safe and the worst encounters so far where some close call driving situations and I got my passenger window smashed and my backpack stolen and that was my fault, shouldn't have left it there. Nothing that I consider vanlife specific however rather then this can happen to anyone commuting in city traffic.


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## Ian Dorsch (Apr 20, 2022)

Man, this kicks ass, definitely looking forward to seeing more!


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## vancomposer (Apr 20, 2022)

Ian Dorsch said:


> Man, this kicks ass, definitely looking forward to seeing more!


Thanks a lot, glad you will follow along! 🙋‍♂️


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## el-bo (May 19, 2022)

vancomposer said:


> The greatest security concern for me is DRIVING. Now I became a very passive driver since I am so depending on my van you simply want to bring down risk a much as you can and stay out of trouble. But obviously nothing you can do about the stupid on the road. The good is most get out of your way, no one likes their view blocked, you can oversee most of the traffic from the higher seating position and you can't do fast acceleration maneuvers so you are forced to a more relaxed driving style.
> 
> For general security I think I am close to what is possible, I have webcams I can monitor while not in here like in the gym for example with motion detection, I just installed a regular house alarm with operator surveillance and they will call the police if I don't respond. That only really works though if I am stationary for a while at an address which I will soon staying in LA. I have all doors secured with chains that make it much harder to break in like while I am sleeping. I have all options accessible for legal self defense in the US.
> 
> I am glad to say that after years doing this, at least this country is very safe and the worst encounters so far where some close call driving situations and I got my passenger window smashed and my backpack stolen and that was my fault, shouldn't have left it there. Nothing that I consider vanlife specific however rather then this can happen to anyone commuting in city traffic.


Got quite a bit of experience driving Transits, Sprinters, 7.5 tonners and even the odd mini-bus, so I think I've got that part covered. Very chilled driver, also 

I guess security and safety would be my biggest concern. but of course that's very much going to be location-dependent.

We'll see. Like I said, it's a sometime thing. not even remotely a possibility for me, currently.


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## vancomposer (Jun 9, 2022)

Little Vlog about the SPITFIRE Audio Composer Walk. Thanks for watching if you do. 🙋‍♂️


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## vancomposer (Jun 19, 2022)

Not that much there BUT it is ICONIC (to me)! 😎
Thanks for watching. 🙋‍♂️


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## vancomposer (Oct 27, 2022)

Some footage from BASIL POLEDOURIS Walt Disney Concert Hall concert which was AMAZING!

Thanks for watching. 🙋‍♂️


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## vancomposer (Nov 11, 2022)

Thanks for watching! 🙏


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## vancomposer (Dec 2, 2022)

New vantour! 🙋‍♂️


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