Category: music

08/09/09 03:26 - ID#49491

APC40

So this is my first attempt at assembling a song using the APC40 with Ableton Live. I sampled the sounds in the song, or used existing small loops and applied filters, so the actual instrumental/melody/beats are definitely not mine.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

The bits laid out look like this:

Permalink: APC40.html
Words: 52

Category: music

07/11/09 10:51 - ID#49262

Auto-Tune The Jim

I just spent about an hour messing around with auto-tune, and let me tell you, even that can't save my singing voice.

I might try again later, but it was so bad I'm not going to post any snippets of my singing like I'd planned to.

So much for technology!

Permalink: Auto_Tune_The_Jim.html
Words: 50

Category: music

07/07/09 09:36 - ID#49223

Physical Thing Is Physical

Akai APC40 is back ordered!

That is the problem with physical contraptions, as opposed to code/mental things.

Toys take weeks to arrive. It is the really frustrating thing about working with electronics, too, realizing 90% of the way into construction that I needed a 50 cent chip that would take a week to get here and cost $5 shipping. At least this is ONE thing one time, just back ordered until the end of July.

My wrist hurts from using the mouse, I can't wait to use this instead.

P.S. Paul zip up those sound files and email them to me :)

P.P.S. This is what the APC40 is for:

drew writes at 09:48:49 07/08/09 - Comment #49802: very cool toy. I want to play, too!

jason writes at 08:31:25 07/08/09 - Comment #49800: My God. I had no clue you were interested in music. That is one awesome, beautiful toy.

tinypliny writes at 10:09:09 07/07/09 - Comment #49784: Cool - I will be dropping it off @ the 24 tomorrow. Check it out for a week.

jim writes at 10:04:38 07/07/09 - Comment #49783: Both I think :)

tinypliny writes at 10:01:53 07/07/09 - Comment #49782: Ah, that is wise. I can't do that at all. I end up with ultra-cramped wrists. Give the tablet a shot? Or the controller a shot?

jim writes at 09:57:56 07/07/09 - Comment #49781: Tinypliny: moving from the elbow/shoulder instead of twisting at the wrist. I pretend my wrist bones are fused together... If I move the mouse with my wrist I get pain within about 30 minutes so I know when I do that :)

jim writes at 09:56:26 07/07/09 - Comment #49780: I'd like to give it a shot if you don't mind, despite my concerns.

tinypliny writes at 09:56:07 07/07/09 - Comment #49779: Keep us posted on how this works out! I would be really interested in hearing about it. :)

I don't know how you can operate a regular
mouse without lateral motion??!! Do you have some kind a rollerball mouse?

tinypliny writes at 09:52:47 07/07/09 - Comment #49778: But that's just it. You don't write. Writing requires precision control, constricted grasping and pressure for making the mark on paper/surface. With the stylus, you will just be waving it like a stick in air. There is no constrictive motion. If you like, I can loan my tablet to you for a few days, so you can check it out. Drop me an email - I can leave it at Paul's.

jim writes at 09:51:56 07/07/09 - Comment #49777: And I don't move my wrist laterally - the problem is that I can't seem to maintain good posture when using a mouse for extended periods of time. I have managed to get excellent posture and really good ergonomics, but something about using a mouse makes me slump.

I am about 99% keyboard only in general computing tasks, and with this MIDI controller I can be about 90% non-mouse in making music, so I think it'll work out fine.

paul writes at 09:51:30 07/07/09 - Comment #49776: You have mail

jim writes at 09:49:14 07/07/09 - Comment #49775: The only thing that causes me pain aside from using a mouse is writing / pens unfortunately, so I'm not sure if that'd work.

tinypliny writes at 09:46:43 07/07/09 - Comment #49774: Jim, if you wrists hurt from using mice, you NEED THIS --> amazon.com/review/R104JOWJNFTKTS/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

It is, hands down, the best thing ever for wrist pain. It is exactly like using a pen (and waving it in the air - so no strain). It completely relieves lateral movement at the wrist joint (which is primarily the cause of most strain).

Permalink: Physical_Thing_Is_Physical.html
Words: 127

Category: music

08/08/08 02:50 - ID#45279

SO MUCH FUN

Girl Talk's latest album Feed the Animals is super awesome. I'm having so much fun listening to it today. (Remix/mashup/dj stuff)

It is available online, set-your-own-fee-or-free (like Radiohead's last):

Seriously best new thing I've listened to all year.

Track 12 from the album:

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

Linked file is CC licensed NC w/attribution (see album list for details).

Permalink: SO_MUCH_FUN.html
Words: 66

Category: music

08/22/07 11:47 - ID#40689

Tapes

I used to have 30 or 40 really great tapes from DJ sets. 1995-2000-ish.

I can't even remember the names of most of them, where I got them, or what was on the tapes, but I miss them so much. It's hard to mentally reconstruct the day to day and soundtrack of my life back then, it's so far out of reach and far from the ken of my current life. If I actually ever heard certain tracks again I think my head would explode from nostalgia.

And then I see this:

WTF sea of white baseball caps??! Drinking beer and bobbing your head? Weak. Don't kids dance anymore?

Permalink: Tapes.html
Words: 118

Category: music

08/16/07 11:57 - ID#40587

Electric Six

Oh man oh man I can't wait to go see these guys live some day.

Make sure to at least watch until the special effects start.

Too bad their tour doesn't come close to here: