Studio Update: A few weeks ago I was soliciting opinions about whether or not to get a Mac Mini to replace my ailing, nearly decade-old PC.
Opinions differed, leaning toward "yes but get more RAM than base model" and I had just about decided not to do it when I stumbled on a good video from a music tech vlogger I really like (video here: https://youtu.be/obkCMxaIIFM) who did exactly what I was thinking and had great results.
That process went really smoothly (in large part because the #MPC has an "Export to Ableton Live set" option) apart from the bumps that come along with relearning a new version of a complex software package you haven't used in 3+ years. It took about two days to get all the tracks moved over and setup to a basic level. And in my more real-world scenarios I'm still finding the the Mini can handle the task admirably.
I had intended to raise the cost of Metaphysical Shitposting to my normal full-album cost of $7 when I released the 8th track, but then ... I forgot. LOL. I also intended to let people know before I did it, so they could still sneak in for the $5 price. So, anyway, next time I add a track, it'll go to $7, but for now it's still $5! So go grab it!
Or just give it a listen. Honestly, that's just as nice for me. Or nearly so 😉
there's a new remix out for my track Hawa by Norwegian producer Tater Andersson.
He took my track more into the club corner and if you like some growling basslines
and lo-fi beats it's maybe something for you. He produced the remix entirely on his MPC:
My usual instinct coming from a #tracker / #MPC background is to sequence everything, but the SP is all about adding effects and re-sampling. In the end I'm using my other gear a lot more to make samples on the fly (and sampling youtube/tiktok straight from the phone of course)
The SP is great because it's very focused – it doesn't try to do everything. I sold my MPC Live because it felt like using a computer and I already have one of those.
If you've followed my work for a long time, you've watched me transition from a "#linkblogger" who posts 5-15 short hits every day to an "essay-#blogger" who posts 5-7 long articles/week. I'm loving the new mode of working, but returning to linkblogging is also intensely, unexpectedly gratifying:
Rather than barking "stay in your lane" at the likes of Kutcher, Green has produced an outstanding, easily grasped explanation of FHE and the closely related concept of #MultiPartyCommunication (#MPC).
This is important work, and it exemplifies the difference between simplifying and being simplistic. Good science communicators do the former. Bad science communicators do the latter.