i just think that folks not having much background in electronic music jumping in head first can make the music seem like a novelty item…. not much substance. this may be why folks scoff at electronic music on the whole sometimes, all of the little tricks and formulas are pretty apparent with the one hit wonder acts…. since “justice” just threw some distortion on a synth and took a soulful sample with the track D.A.N.C.E. every up and comer copied and cashed in. while at this year’s winter music conference in miami i could not believe how much of that sound i heard in many dj’s sets….

it seems like you’re doing it for the love of sound don. keep being as thoughtful as you are. if you’re half as creative as you are a well-spoken individual, you’ll go far.

i’d also like to hear what you’ve been up to (production wise)
could you drop me a line at xxxashlon@yahoo.com

thanks for your time
-adam

As for the font debate: I hear you James. I’ve been taught that sans are easier to read, but we’ve chosen Georgia on our site for pure aesthetical reasons. Those should always be taken into consideration. But where the font is merely a tool used to communicate something else – the text – the sounds in music is the message, so I can’t really see a point in discussing it in terms of what’s practical.

And Adam, big thanks for the tips. As long as my studio is fitted in my one room apartment I think I’ll have to stick to my midi controllers, but when the cash from my dj world tours starts flowing, who knows what’ll come…

i have to say i enjoy reading your posts gentlemen
who thought analogue v. digital would spark such discussion?
thanks
-adam

p.s.
Don, most objects analog operate with midi, din-sync, or cv-gate control.
so almost any object you can access with the computer through a usb audio/midi interface.
there are also plug-ins that can translate your signal to communicate with din-sync objects or gate controlled modular gear.
just get something that sounds interesting, dive in, and have some fun.
explore the possibilities.
-thanks again fellas

thanks again

But legibility (or fidelity) remains fiercely debated. This reminds me of the designer Zuzana Licko’s maxim that “what we read most, we read best…” There aren’t any inherent qualities in a font that make it better, it’s simply the ubiquity of Times or Helvetica that make it comfortable for the eye. This could apply to music as well: “that which we hear most, we hear best…”

But some people will argue that scientifically, a serif typeface is inherently more legible. Similarly, I think there is a very good scientific argument for the ‘richer’ sound of analogue signals versus the binary recreation of a waveform, which is fundamentally limited — but we’re so accustomed to mp3s nowadays that it’s become the new standard for day-to-day listening and . . . well, now I’m rambling and losing the thread, so I’m going to stop. But this question of shifting perceptions is really interesting to me (particularly in an age when analogue productions are output to a digital format) — so thanks for these comments…

Secondly (and much more importantly): As I see it the idea of analogue being ‘pure’ is the exact same debate as if vinyl is. Technically, you can do it all on computers as far as I know. My hardware experience is truly limited, but even if it is an imitation I believe the computer can recreate the sounds of an 808 or whatever pretty exact. They are after all electronic devices too. It’s not like imitating a sitar, it’s samples and sine waves.

But as with vinyl, the process becomes another than that of the laptop, both due to it requiring more work and due to it inducing certain limitations. And don’t get me wrong, I am fan of vinyl, it’s a sign of quality, but all attempts to argue that it has a ‘richer’ sound or whatever are pretty ridiculous. It’s all about the feeling.

So yeah, I guess perception is a part of it. But nothing wrong with that. And I do get quite fired up when seing setups like yours Adam, makes my fingers itch. I just can’t afford it, and wouldn’t know where to start.

When it comes to digital v. analogue, the either/or mentality in electronic music fascinates me. The image of a techno producer shaking his fist at new technology never feels right to me (after all, it’s techno music). But I don’t think analogue equipment is a phase, either. Both forms have their advantages, although sometimes I’ll put on an old record with Rolands and Korgs and the sound feels much richer and bigger to me. This could be a matter of perception, though…

Perhaps a parallel can be drawn alongside the decades-old debate among designers between serif and san-serif typefaces: each camp may feel their approach is more legible, but fortunately, the rest of us don’t have to choose.

The Dogma movies brought back focus to the narrative and other core values in film making, as can the use of hardware synthesizers probably emphasize melodies or whatever it is your after in your electronic productions – but it’s just a phase, I can’t see advancing technology as being bad in the bigger picture.