Stunning amount of detail on this display.
From the “recent projects” screen – the thumbnail of the default demo project:
Remember: these aren’t enlarged. This is the actual image from the screen at full resolution. Imagine if you could cram this much detail into a desktop display.
CultofMac has a great review of the headphones I started using in my lab last year. Sonically I prefer the semi-open AKG-style, but for holding up in class these are the absolute best you can buy.
At the beginning of the year, we went through three different models in actual classroom use: The Sennheiser HD201, the AKG K240, and the Shure SRH440. The Sennheisers are super cheap, which is good if you’re on a tight budget I suppose, but they will only last about a year or two before the hinges snap.
The AKG’s *should* have worked well. They’re very flexible, but not in a hinge-snappy kind of way. The problem I had with these is that after a short use period, the electrical contacts in the ear cups would start to fail. Back when they made these in Austria I never encountered this problem, but the newest batches are Chinese-made and must not have a reliable production method yet.
The Shure SRH440, on the other hand, is built like a truck. These are the most solid headphones I’ve ever used – all metal, and still pretty comfortable. The backs are closed, which make them a bit worse for mixing than the AKG’s, but for general class use they can’t be beat.
I read this article about once a year. It describes his technique in expert detail, as well as detailing the things other engineers do that he doesn’t.
I have always done things with the analogue method, and I still think it’s the best method. So I have no reason to change. I’ve had a long time to accumulate equipment and microphones and techniques, and I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve had to say ‘No, I can’t do that, because we’re working on tape.’ If there were problems that I could not solve on tape, I might be compelled to use computers, but I’ve never encountered such a problem.”
There are a lot of articles on how to mix rock recordings, but Albini’s interviews are the only I’ve found that show you how to avoid having to “fix it in the mix” totally.
Palm Sounds has some great thoughts on mobile music making, and his theory of two separate markets existing (mobile and desktop/pro) for the foreseeable future:
So, going back to my question. Why is mobile music application development going in such a similar direction to desktop? Because it’s easy? Because it makes sense? Because it’s what users want? Maybe all of them. My issue with this is that I don’t think we’re seeing apps take real advantage of the fact that the device is mobile and I think that there are a lot of missed opportunities as a result. I’m not saying that there aren’t apps that make good use of the full facilities of a mobile device but they’re aren’t many.
Great questions, and some great writing in general on the topic. This sort of sums up why I am tepid towards GarageBand, but I love Figure. One is a stripped down quasi-DAW that doesn’t really do the job, and the other is a legitimately new thing, that could only really exist on a mobile device.
David Lowery of Cracker fame (I used to sing along with “Low” back in the 90’s) writes about the current sea change of artists making a living sans labels and the recording industry:
Yes in many ways we have more freedom. Artistically this is certainly true. But the music business never transformed into the vibrant marketplace where small stakeholders could compete with multinational conglomerates on an even playing field.
An absolute must read from an author who has been on both the Big Label and Indie side of the equation. If I remember correctly, Cracker started as a major label act and went indie intentionally after their first album.