# Composing on a deserted island - solar panel and powerbank



## PeterN (Nov 14, 2020)

Today I bought a powerbank that can load the Macbook Pro (laptop) 8 times, and a solar panel that can charge it. Total cost 900 EUR - the stuff will arrive next week. So just sharing the excitement, this basically means you can go to a deserted island and compose without a worry about having to plugin electricity. If it can charge laptop 8 times, that lasts for 2 days then - without solar. The powerbank is not particularly heavy, and the solar panel can be folded in a bag. So in conclusion, you can basically compose on a mountaintop, the technology is here. Walk up on a mountain top with this stuff and hang there 2 days composing - even a week - you fold the panel. Or go to a deserted island and make a great symphony. Did you guys try this yet?


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## PeterN (Nov 15, 2020)

So nobody built a studio in a van and drove around Alaska composing great ballads? While watching mooses, brewing a cup of wilderness coffee - meanwhile doing some EQ? One solar panel in front roof of van for speakers, one panel midde roof for keyboard, and one panel back roof for computer. heh! Or sailing to Caribbean with a solar powered studio in the sailing boat cabin. Composing on the stormy seas, yea, you maybe miss the target but the wrong key was the perfect hit.

Come on guys, the latest tech opens the doors now.


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## aaronventure (Nov 15, 2020)

Depending on how skilled you are, you can just take manuscript paper with 4 staves and head anywhere anytime. You're only limited by how much paper and graphite you can take with you. 

You can then explode the 4 parts you have into a full orchestration and do a full production once you get back to the studio. Or, you know, just take it to the stands right away because you're hot like that.

I kind of fantasize about doing a sabbatical like that at some point in the future.

If I were to go digital, something like StaffPad on an iPad or a Surface seems like a better idea, if we're talking about pure composition. You can sit anywhere, you don't need a table, you don't have to fiddle around with the MIDI keyboard, mouse etc. Focus all energy just on composing.

Personally, producing music on the road on a tiny screen with headphones and a tiny stiff MIDI keyboard makes me wanna gouge my eyes out


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## Markrs (Nov 15, 2020)

I have thought about campervan around Europe with a nice music setup. With staffpad or the new Apple devices with Arm CPUs I think remote in the box composition is very doable.

I believe Arn Andersson of Evenant travelled the world composing music with just a Mac pro and also started Evenant company.


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## PeterN (Nov 15, 2020)

Must be great if you can just bring a sheet and a pencil, and then compose. Over here still using the "most common way", first piano, then DAW.

Heres the plan now. Get the latest Macbook Air. Havent studied details, but I imagine a portable power bank can load the Macbook Air double the amount. So no need to worry about lack of sunshine for solar panel.

First compose on piano, then switch the chords in DAW to the Macbook Air. Then pack a bag, pack the hammock and gear in a backpack, portable power station, german sausages, a few cans beans, rice, throw it all on a boat, and go to some island for a week writing music - and fishing. Next summer, that will be. No corona there either. If sun shines then fold the panel on the beach.


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## GNP (Nov 15, 2020)

With pencil and paper, you have your ideas down, but that's about it. Nothing tangible.

If you're on a deadline, no moron would risk an array of solar panels in their studio, let alone just one on a fishing trip.


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## InLight-Tone (Nov 15, 2020)

PeterN said:


> So nobody built a studio in a van and drove around Alaska composing great ballads? While watching mooses, brewing a cup of wilderness coffee - meanwhile doing some EQ? One solar panel in front roof of van for speakers, one panel midde roof for keyboard, and one panel back roof for computer. heh! Or sailing to Caribbean with a solar powered studio in the sailing boat cabin. Composing on the stormy seas, yea, you maybe miss the target but the wrong key was the perfect hit.
> 
> Come on guys, the latest tech opens the doors now.


My wife and I live in a travel trailer with built in studio and compose as I roam. Yes you can operate ANYWHERE. with today's tech and working conditions. The days of sitting in a dark studio for 16 hours a day are over. Pursue a healthy Lifestyle while you work, you're on the right track. 

10 Years ago we did a year in a van, my suggestion is that it's temporary at best...


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## PeterN (Nov 20, 2020)

ricardotor said:


> The environment is more than just CO2. We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to trade carbon intensity for environmental consumption. The kind of consumption that isn’t just a higher temperature but actually environmental displacement in favor of solar panels?



Maybe. 

Theres many question. From palm oil to goldmines. 

The large powerbank was second last on market here, now theyre both gone. The initial plan was to buy this stuff next year, but the the thought came, who knows what all will happen in winter - maybe plague will come back - and maybe they will run out of this stuff fast. So the mind kept thinking and thinking, and finally I picked it up. Now website of retail seller says out of stock. You can order but waiting time at least 3 weeks. I checked news and apparently this is global, huge demand for larger power bank with solar this year. Picked up another 100W foldable panel set, as I started thinking, if it is the last one too. And it was, that was the last one in the country. Its out of stock now too. Maybe the factories can pick up, but one thing is sure, the stuff is selling.


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## PeterN (Nov 20, 2020)

The guy in the vid built an office and a home in his WW Caddy. Coincidentally he went to watch mooses. Things start to look clearer and clearer now.


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## chimuelo (Nov 20, 2020)

My Live MPC is a poolside/National Park mobile rig.
Adding the Maschine + w/ battery pack allows Orchestration.

I found a way to use nki’ s on my Maschine + which supposedly wasn’t possible, but these little buggars and some JHAudio mastering IEMs make my escape from the home possible.


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## PeterN (Nov 21, 2020)

chimuelo said:


> My Live MPC is a poolside/National Park mobile rig.
> Adding the Maschine + w/ battery pack allows Orchestration.
> 
> I found a way to use nki’ s on my Maschine + which supposedly wasn’t possible, but these little buggars and some JHAudio mastering IEMs make my escape from the home possible.



Been checking all those van vids now, with solar panels on roof. Your stuff looks like it would easily fit in a solar van. But you need to check with Watts and power and such. Maybe not the nicest environment inside - but theres mobility for sure. And you can fill the gas tank for same price as a budget room.

Im already looking forward to driving the (future) van studio around the greek archipelago. They got ferries for cars allover. Maybe park among olive trees and do some compression on low strings. Then drive to the beach for a coffee and do some automation on high woods. Plan is to compose around Sierra Nevada too, the Spanish one.


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## PeterN (Nov 21, 2020)

chimuelo said:


> My Live MPC is a poolside/National Park mobile rig.
> Adding the Maschine + w/ battery pack allows Orchestration.
> 
> I found a way to use nki’ s on my Maschine + which supposedly wasn’t possible, but these little buggars and some JHAudio mastering IEMs make my escape from the home possible.



Is that only using the battery pack?


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## chimuelo (Nov 21, 2020)

Yes.
Akai gets 7 hours from its internal wireless power, and Maschine + around 4.
But using my car to recharge works as well as our Solar Trailer hitch for camping.

A whole different kind of creative from being outdoors.
Check out Holly Bowling and her wireless outdoor shows at Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, etc. Drones overhead during her Tahoe show were really fun.


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## el-bo (Nov 21, 2020)

PeterN said:


> The guy in the vid built an office and a home in his WW Caddy. Coincidentally he went to watch mooses. Things start to look clearer and clearer now.




I like the general van-life idea. It might even play some part in my future. However, as ingenious as that Caddy build is, I wouldn't be able to handle such a claustrophobic space.

This is more my vibe:


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## PeterN (Nov 22, 2020)

Heres a bet now.

Two years and theres a solar panel behind Ipad Pro and Logic Pro 11 on it too. Waterproof also. You can compose in Borneo rainforest - during monsoon. Only problem is they cut all rainforest down - and its a pitiful sight - but hey, composing among oil palms then. During monsoon. You can rercord the raindrops smacking on the leaves like drumming on leather.


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## el-bo (Nov 22, 2020)

PeterN said:


> Heres a bet now.
> 
> Two years and theres a solar panel behind Ipad Pro and Logic Pro 11 on it too. Waterproof also.



I'll take that bet


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## PeterN (Nov 28, 2020)

Shes a musician with her van-home. Its brilliant, isnt it.

Its almost like one would like to keep this secret, bcs if people start doing this, our modern politicians will implement some tax, regulations, and law on this. I can already see them finding out some fu+kin law on how this cannot be done. Spain already has sun tax (_impuesto al sol_) - and other countries considering same. When the van-home law and tax comes, Im driving it to Mexico, where a man can still be free.


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## vancomposer (Dec 6, 2020)

Doing fulltime vanlife around the USA for 2,5+ years now with 800 watts solar and 350Ahs usable battery power. I can run my studio for a good 10 hours at night on a full charge and during spring to fall and good weather the solar will cover completely or support my power needs. Also connected the system to my car alternator for charging while driving. During winter things get more tricky. It is either staying at a winter camp with hook ups, conserving a lot of power or I am thinking to install a tilt system for the panels in the future since I had the chance to compare for a while now with a camping buddy who can tilt his solar panels and it would make a big difference. I am asked constantly about acoustics in the van and I am not having real issues, especially if all the doors are open. I am considering getting some custom acoustic treatment installed once the pandemic is finally over to control some of the bass in here better. Also using headphones a lot, just because I like it. But have yet a client to tell me they can hear I am working inside my car.


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## PeterN (Dec 7, 2020)

vancomposer said:


> Doing fulltime vanlife around the USA for 2,5+ years now with 800 watts solar and 350Ahs usable battery power. I can run my studio for a good 10 hours at night on a full charge and during spring to fall and good weather the solar will cover completely or support my power needs. Also connected the system to my car alternator for charging while driving. During winter things get more tricky. It is either staying at a winter camp with hook ups, conserving a lot of power or I am thinking to install a tilt system for the panels in the future since I had the chance to compare for a while now with a camping buddy who can tilt his solar panels and it would make a big difference. I am asked constantly about acoustics in the van and I am not having real issues, especially if all the doors are open. I am considering getting some custom acoustic treatment installed once the pandemic is finally over to control some of the bass in here better. Also using headphones a lot, just because I like it. But have yet a client to tell me they can hear I am working inside my car.



Simply amazing. Congratulations - for one of the coolest studios on earth.

800 watts sounds like a lot to me, but still a novice here. 

That cant be from the van roof, can it? You have to stop and fold the panels, right?


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## vancomposer (Dec 7, 2020)

PeterN said:


> Simply amazing. Congratulations - for one of the coolest studios on earth.
> 
> 800 watts sounds like a lot to me, but still a novice here.
> 
> That cant be from the van roof, can it? You have to stop and fold the panels, right?



Glad you like it and YES believe me, I still have so many "WTF am I doing here??" moments!  

800 watts is what the sticker says but you get way less out of the panels... 50% or even way less at best. They are just not that efficient yet. When talking about power consumption usually we talk in Amps in vanland and since my system is 12 Volt formula is (sticker numbers, never that much) 800W/12V= 66,6~ Amps. Best I had was around 34 Amps solar intake on a top conditions weather day. My studio with ALL ON, such as PC, all speakers and monitors, USB hubs, keyboard etc will draw about 22 Amps on average. Now have to also include my frig is kicking in every now and then, ventilation, lights, charging my phone etc pp. After a while you get a feel for it, then also you do some driving to the next destination and the alternator those some bulk charging. In the future I will get better batteries (lithium) with more power storage and MAYBE a tilt solution.


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## el-bo (Dec 7, 2020)

PeterN said:


> 800 watts sounds like a lot to me, but still a novice here.



But you'd probably not need the same amount of screen real-estate. Macbook Air M1, Apogee 'ONE' mic, headphones, controller keyboard and small speakers for infrequent use. You'd need far less power draw, especially considering you'd be able to charge the laptop from a power-bank


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## el-bo (Dec 7, 2020)

vancomposer said:


> Doing fulltime vanlife around the USA for 2,5+ years now with 800 watts solar and 350Ahs usable battery power. I can run my studio for a good 10 hours at night on a full charge and during spring to fall and good weather the solar will cover completely or support my power needs. Also connected the system to my car alternator for charging while driving. During winter things get more tricky. It is either staying at a winter camp with hook ups, conserving a lot of power or I am thinking to install a tilt system for the panels in the future since I had the chance to compare for a while now with a camping buddy who can tilt his solar panels and it would make a big difference. I am asked constantly about acoustics in the van and I am not having real issues, especially if all the doors are open. I am considering getting some custom acoustic treatment installed once the pandemic is finally over to control some of the bass in here better. Also using headphones a lot, just because I like it. But have yet a client to tell me they can hear I am working inside my car.



Fantastic! I love the hanging screen array, and the pitch/nod-wheel setup made me giggle


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## vancomposer (Dec 7, 2020)

el-bo said:


> But you'd probably not need the same amount of screen real-estate. Macbook Air M1, Apogee 'ONE' mic, headphones, controller keyboard and small speakers for infrequent use. You'd need far less power draw, especially considering you'd be able to charge the laptop from a power-bank



You can certainly go much smaller if that works for you. Since I am living full time in it I wanted the feeling of a somewhat full size workstation for film scoring that I dont have to setup, always ready to go and one VERY important detail in here is that I have a good ergonomic office chair (Herman Miller MIRRA) too.


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## el-bo (Dec 7, 2020)

vancomposer said:


> You can certainly go much smaller if that works for you. Since I am living full time in it I wanted the feeling of a somewhat full size workstation for film scoring that I dont have to setup, always ready to go and one VERY important detail in here is that I have a good ergonomic office chair (Herman Miller MIRRA) too.



I get it. Certainly, for someone doing 'proper' work it would seem normal to kit out a studio in much the same way. But I was more referring to the original intent (And that might have changed) of the op, and how he perhaps wouldn't need to worry about such heavy consumption:

*



Heres the plan now. Get the latest Macbook Air. Havent studied details, but I imagine a portable power bank can load the Macbook Air double the amount. So no need to worry about lack of sunshine for solar panel.

Click to expand...

*


> *First compose on piano, then switch the chords in DAW to the Macbook Air. Then pack a bag, pack the hammock and gear in a backpack, portable power station, german sausages, a few cans beans, rice, throw it all on a boat, and go to some island for a week writing music - and fishing. Next summer, that will be. No corona there either. If sun shines then fold the panel on the beach.*


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