Along with the release of my album Sampled Library, I wanted to write up some thoughts about sampling I’ve had kicking around my head. The sampler is a relatively recent invention: showed up in the late 60s, affordable by plonkers in the 80s, and gutted by legal nonsense the 90s. In between the last two […]
Saying reverb is important to music production is like saying that Jesus is “kind of popular”: the level of passion can’t be stated plainly; it demands some sort of humorous understatement. So, as I’ve just finished a tune-up on my custom spring reverb, I figured I’d write about it! I previously covered Impulse Reverb (a.k.a. […]
Recently, I moved. Re-building my setup in a differently-shaped space has caused me to evaluate things much more consciously. I found myself coming back to an idea I’d had a year or two ago: Foot pedals for the computer. My wrists go carpal mashing the shift key while coding or playing games, while my feet […]
Manuals, by and large, deserve their terrible reputation… but, some are hidden gems. Don’t miss them.
The big manufacturers of music equipment (such as Roland, Korg, and Yamaha) have been increasingly dissapointing to synth-heads over the last few years. I outline why I think this is, and find a few rays of hope.
GAS — Gear Acquisition Syndrome — is a situation in which an electronic musician acquires way more equipment than (s)he needs. In this post, I attempt to break it down into phases. Plan your angle of attack so you can avoid GAS!
Computers are a potent symbol of unleashed creativity and unlimited potential… but it’s no good if you can’t get at that potential, and get at it quickly. The software you use determines your options and workflow. A DAW is not always the best option!
More and more these days, you hear about people turning to Circuit Bending for strange and unique sounds. Synth Do-It-Yourself (building your own music electronics) is the step after Circuit Bending. Are either worth the effort? What sort of ROI do you get? Where to start?
Sometimes, you do a jam, and it’s magic. Lightning in a bottle. There’s some inexplainable quality to it, kind of like what sets “Excalibur” apart from “a sword”. It becomes an artifact. If you’ve had it happen, you’ll know what I mean.
Analog, digital — you can suck just as hard with either. In fact, I know people that use both, and still suck hard.