Comments on: Opinion: Life Beyond the Magazine How-To http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/ The latest gear, software, and techniques for electronic music production and performance Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:31:08 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: KenFused http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-274674 KenFused Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:32:23 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-274674 Thanks Jim, for acknowledging the elephant in the room. There will always be those who wanna geek out on gear and read detailed technical articles and product reviews, but I'm with you - much more satisfying to the soul to sit down at the DAW or what have you and actually commit some creative output to hard drive space than it is to tinker and evaluate and try things out and pretend I'm making music,or to spend time "preparing" to make music. Thanks Jim, for acknowledging the elephant in the room. There will always be those who wanna geek out on gear and read detailed technical articles and product reviews, but I’m with you – much more satisfying to the soul to sit down at the DAW or what have you and actually commit some creative output to hard drive space than it is to tinker and evaluate and try things out and pretend I’m making music,or to spend time “preparing” to make music.

]]> By: velocipede http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273979 velocipede Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:46:54 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273979 Jim and Peter are two of my favorite music tech writers (both first encountered in the pages of KB). Regarding the recycling of material, I think you should do it when you can ad it makes sense! No need to reinvent the wheel every time, but it would be nice to indicate where the article originally came from. Either keep up the good educational work that helps others get started in making music. Jim and Peter are two of my favorite music tech writers (both first encountered in the pages of KB). Regarding the recycling of material, I think you should do it when you can ad it makes sense! No need to reinvent the wheel every time, but it would be nice to indicate where the article originally came from. Either keep up the good educational work that helps others get started in making music.

]]> By: pete http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273709 pete Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:52:41 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273709 Jim, This is one of the best articles I have read in many moons. I'm all for keeping my focus on the music and not on my tools, and I have been turning down a lot of busy-work stuff so I can focus on making music, ... but I have one point of contention: The Ableton Live manual is horrid! Forget the "how-to book": I wish the Abes would pay you handsomely to re-write that abomination. Thanks for making my day... now get back to the cello ;) Jim, This is one of the best articles I have read in many moons. I’m all for keeping my focus on the music and not on my tools, and I have been turning down a lot of busy-work stuff so I can focus on making music, … but I have one point of contention: The Ableton Live manual is horrid! Forget the “how-to book”: I wish the Abes would pay you handsomely to re-write that abomination.

Thanks for making my day… now get back to the cello ;)

]]> By: Joel Abbott http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273701 Joel Abbott Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:44:42 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273701 Jim, it's nice to hear your voice coming through so strongly in this writing. I wonder if what the magazines need is a bit more personality and attitude like this. When I became serious about learning about synthesizers and electronic music, I looked for resources and discovered that the best places to find what I sought were the magazines, and your articles. I read Keyboard, EM, EQ, Recording, and Remix. Over the years, those magazines became my textbook, my university. By reading so many music magazines, the articles and the reviews, the how-tos and the artist profiles, I learned many concepts that I would not have learned otherwise. Seeing the types of items experienced reviewers chose to highlight in their reviews made me more able to judge which gear would be useful to me, and how to coax new sounds and new techniques out of equipment that I already owned. Back when I was first trying to learn how to play jazz, I realized that I couldn't just start playing jazz, but instead, to be authentic in my playing, I'd have to learn the history of jazz, from Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, through be-bop, and all the way through contemporary jazz. I feel the same way about electronic music--that to be truly proficient you must have a deep understanding of its history from first unfiltered oscillators, to PCM, through vintage analogue synths and modulars, up to the most current digital gear, software, and techniques. So, I am very happy that the monthly magazines turn a loving eye to the past. I feel very lucky to have been reading publications that hire writers and reviewers who have a long history in the field, instead of focusing only on the "latest stuff" or who are constantly looking into the future, rather than respecting the past. As for gear-lust and constantly acquiring and testing out the latest magic soundboxes and software applications, I do agree with Jim that it's all about the playing. I get disappointed with people who rely on technological shortcuts in place of skill and legitimate practice. A similar problem arises from young musicians who substitute lots of notes (shredding) for more prosaic talents like listening, creating melody, and developing theme. Jim, it’s nice to hear your voice coming through so strongly in this writing. I wonder if what the magazines need is a bit more personality and attitude like this.
When I became serious about learning about synthesizers and electronic music, I looked for resources and discovered that the best places to find what I sought were the magazines, and your articles. I read Keyboard, EM, EQ, Recording, and Remix. Over the years, those magazines became my textbook, my university.
By reading so many music magazines, the articles and the reviews, the how-tos and the artist profiles, I learned many concepts that I would not have learned otherwise. Seeing the types of items experienced reviewers chose to highlight in their reviews made me more able to judge which gear would be useful to me, and how to coax new sounds and new techniques out of equipment that I already owned.
Back when I was first trying to learn how to play jazz, I realized that I couldn’t just start playing jazz, but instead, to be authentic in my playing, I’d have to learn the history of jazz, from Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, through be-bop, and all the way through contemporary jazz. I feel the same way about electronic music–that to be truly proficient you must have a deep understanding of its history from first unfiltered oscillators, to PCM, through vintage analogue synths and modulars, up to the most current digital gear, software, and techniques.
So, I am very happy that the monthly magazines turn a loving eye to the past. I feel very lucky to have been reading publications that hire writers and reviewers who have a long history in the field, instead of focusing only on the “latest stuff” or who are constantly looking into the future, rather than respecting the past.
As for gear-lust and constantly acquiring and testing out the latest magic soundboxes and software applications, I do agree with Jim that it’s all about the playing. I get disappointed with people who rely on technological shortcuts in place of skill and legitimate practice. A similar problem arises from young musicians who substitute lots of notes (shredding) for more prosaic talents like listening, creating melody, and developing theme.

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]]> By: (noou) http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273411 (noou) Tue, 25 Sep 2007 08:19:33 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273411 Hi Jim, I totally agree with you. I'm a long time fan of you and reader of Keyboard magazine, and I'm facing the very same issue, even if I'm "just" 29. Playing and composing music is what makes my personal life worth it, however I often get flooded by a "techy mood" that distracts me, even for months. You know, I try hundreds of freebies, I fix my Windows, I check cables, I learn how to "do everything" with Live. Then I find that I missed what I really love: making music. Thanks for your thoughts: it's always heartening when other people, especially if you respect them, experience and deal with the same things you live. That's the magic of life. Stefano Hi Jim,

I totally agree with you. I’m a long time fan of you and reader of Keyboard magazine, and I’m facing the very same issue, even if I’m “just” 29.
Playing and composing music is what makes my personal life worth it, however I often get flooded by a “techy mood” that distracts me, even for months. You know, I try hundreds of freebies, I fix my Windows, I check cables, I learn how to “do everything” with Live. Then I find that I missed what I really love: making music.
Thanks for your thoughts: it’s always heartening when other people, especially if you respect them, experience and deal with the same things you live. That’s the magic of life.

Stefano

]]> By: Machines http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273376 Machines Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:49:00 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273376 Nice read and I agree with Bliss. Less talk, more rock as they used to say back in the day ;) I was on the Logic Pro Help forum a few days ago getting the lowdown on BFD's multi issue with Logic 8 and was surprised at how much talk there was about nothing that seemed important. The thread that caught my eye was a 3-pager at the time about whether or not Logic 8 sounded better than Logic 7. Great debate ensued inside as to whether or not "revamping" the audio engine was = to "rebuilding" the engine and people suggesting phase tests with songs from Logic 7 and all sorts of other nonsense. I couldn't help but thinking while reading it, 'don't these people want to MAKE music with their new software?' I think while the Internet is a great tool and resource, a lot of times people just get sucked into a whole lot of nonsense and allow themselves to just forget about the whole point in the first place. I say this because I've been guilty of it in the past. I'll sit down to work on some drum parts and get side-tracked reading a Battery 3 forum or some stupid shit and never actually get to working on the drum part. And it seems like everyone wants to be an expert at these programs yet no one wants to make any actual music with them that is worth listening to because it isn't original, isn't thought out and is more worried about being technically sound than writing something that you can just tap your foot to and have a good time. Everyone's looking for the magic tip, the magic tool, the end-all-be-all synth or controller that is going to produce their #1 record. The forum posting by Rick Rubin that will present you with the keys to unlock the gates of musical badassness and all will be completed for you. Sit down, turn off your Airport Card and write some music. Me? I'm going to bed. :) Nice read and I agree with Bliss. Less talk, more rock as they used to say back in the day ;) I was on the Logic Pro Help forum a few days ago getting the lowdown on BFD’s multi issue with Logic 8 and was surprised at how much talk there was about nothing that seemed important. The thread that caught my eye was a 3-pager at the time about whether or not Logic 8 sounded better than Logic 7. Great debate ensued inside as to whether or not “revamping” the audio engine was = to “rebuilding” the engine and people suggesting phase tests with songs from Logic 7 and all sorts of other nonsense. I couldn’t help but thinking while reading it, ‘don’t these people want to MAKE music with their new software?’

I think while the Internet is a great tool and resource, a lot of times people just get sucked into a whole lot of nonsense and allow themselves to just forget about the whole point in the first place. I say this because I’ve been guilty of it in the past. I’ll sit down to work on some drum parts and get side-tracked reading a Battery 3 forum or some stupid shit and never actually get to working on the drum part.

And it seems like everyone wants to be an expert at these programs yet no one wants to make any actual music with them that is worth listening to because it isn’t original, isn’t thought out and is more worried about being technically sound than writing something that you can just tap your foot to and have a good time.

Everyone’s looking for the magic tip, the magic tool, the end-all-be-all synth or controller that is going to produce their #1 record. The forum posting by Rick Rubin that will present you with the keys to unlock the gates of musical badassness and all will be completed for you. Sit down, turn off your Airport Card and write some music.

Me? I’m going to bed.

:)

]]> By: Jim Aikin http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273182 Jim Aikin Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:11:11 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273182 Thanks for the support, guys. I'm never entirely sure whether I'm on the right track or just wandering around in the woods. --JA Thanks for the support, guys. I’m never entirely sure whether I’m on the right track or just wandering around in the woods.

–JA

]]> By: Keith Handy http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273179 Keith Handy Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:07:36 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273179 <blockquote cite="Peter Kirn">There are times to put down the magazine, just as there are times when us writers really need to get away from the QWERTY keyboard and back to the music keyboard (or cello, in Jim’s case).</blockquote> This is why the internet is better than old school mass media -- on the internet, you're allowed to say "get off the internet for a while", whereas on TV (for example) you're not allowed to say "stop watching TV". Sorry for the semi-off-topic tangent, but once it popped into my head, I couldn't <i>not</i> say it. :)

There are times to put down the magazine, just as there are times when us writers really need to get away from the QWERTY keyboard and back to the music keyboard (or cello, in Jim’s case).

This is why the internet is better than old school mass media — on the internet, you’re allowed to say “get off the internet for a while”, whereas on TV (for example) you’re not allowed to say “stop watching TV”.

Sorry for the semi-off-topic tangent, but once it popped into my head, I couldn’t not say it. :)

]]> By: Peter Kirn http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/comment-page-1/#comment-273145 Peter Kirn Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:38:38 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2007/09/24/opinion-life-beyond-the-magazine-how-to/#comment-273145 @Tony: I don't think ASIO4ALL will help in this situation. @Tony: I don’t think ASIO4ALL will help in this situation.

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