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Midnight Synth Sessions | First Jam on Roland Gaia SH-01

Posted on October 23, 2026 by BandOfOne

I finally pulled the trigger on a secondhand Roland Gaia SH-01 from FB Marketplace. It wasn’t originally on my radar, but as soon as I saw it, I realized it was exactly the tactile experience I was looking for.

In this video, I’m diving straight in—no manuals, no menus, just exploring the sliders and seeing what I can get done.

What I’ve learned so far:

  • Tactile Workflow: Zero menu-diving makes sound design feel like play rather than programming.
  • The Presets: Not great. But building patches from scratch is where the magic happens.
  • Potential: There is a lot under the hood here to explore.

This is a raw, first-take jam while I find my feet. If you’re a Gaia owner or a synth beginner, let’s swap tips in the comments!

Like this? Check out my solo album here: https://bof1.bandcamp.com/album/tone-quest

On The Drawing Desk

Posted on October 15, 2026 by BandOfOne

Comics are back on the drawing desk for the first time in maybe three years. I knew I needed a break from the medium, but I definitely didn’t expect it to last quite that long.

I’ve got a few unfinished projects that have been sitting dormant, but this Gallivant story was already written, pencilled, and had maybe the first page of the five-page story inked. It felt like the ideal candidate for a low-barrier-to-entry jump back into the comic-making groove.

I’ll be sharing the story here soon. And who knows, perhaps finishing it will spark a few more.

Plus, I recently read all the existing Gallivant comics on the site to my son, and he absolutely loved them—nearly wet himself laughing. He told me I have to make loads more, so that kind of domestic pressure is a pretty great motivator! 😅

Hello World

Posted on September 16, 2026 by BandOfOne

Hey there, time for a long-overdue re-introduction.

I’ll be honest—I do a pretty terrible job of sharing the personal side of things on this account. Behind the @bandofone screen, my name is Doug. I’m a freelance animator, storyboarder, illustrator, comic artist, musician, husband, dad… and probably a few other things depending on the day.

I’ve spent the last chunk of time working as an animator on projects like the Zog TV series for BBC (go give it a watch on BBC iPlayer if you haven’t yet!). Now that I’ve wrapped up on that production, I’ve got a couple of months of downtime before my next major studio project kicks off. I’ll be using this space to dust off some personal creative projects that have been sitting on the back burner.

Outside of the studio, I’ve been busy playing guitar and creating artwork for my band, Triptych Wych. We’ve had a blast playing a heap of live gigs over the summer, and we’re heading into the studio in the coming weeks to start recording our second EP.

📸 Massive thanks to Adam Bullock for this photo. 

Whether you’re here for the art, the music, or the behind-the-scenes chaos, thanks for sticking around.

🤝 Looking to collaborate? If you’re after short-form 2D/3D animation, storyboarding, illustration, or custom music scoring for your next project, I’d love to connect.