AppleScript: quit apps before launching Logic Pro
Hey nerds, this one’s for you. If you’re like me, you have a million things running in the background on your computer. When it comes time to do some serious audio lifting, however, you want to quit them all so your computer can focus on the task at hand, like a freight train of creativity...
Star Spangled Banner
I am thrilled that the APU Men’s Chorale will be performing my arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner at the National Day of Prayer in Washington DC. This group of men holds a special significance for me; they are men of character and generosity, willing to take musical risks with me, and selfless in their...
Tracking at The Band House studios
I’m loving LA’s newest A room, The Band House studios. Big SSL 9000 board, great sounding live room, and some very fun keyboard toys. They just opened for business, don’t even have a website up yet, but it’s being run by Chris Steffen, Victor Indrizzo, and Sean Hurley. I’ll be there a few times this...
Jump Jump Jump!
Just flew back from a great weekend with Jana Alayra up in the bay area. If you’re not familiar with Jana, she writes infectious kids music. The experience of a room full of kids all singing along at full volume, jumping along with the motions, is a pretty great thing to see. I think my...
Identity Video for TAD Audio
TAD is introducing their brand to the world, and I’m very proud to have been a part of that process. They make, quite simply, the best speakers in the world.
Orchestra Hit for Logic EXS24
Get your 80s on! So simple, such a basic sound, but so hard to find. I’m playing for an artist this week, and for one of the songs I need that cliche, broken down, worn out old Orchestra Hit sample that was everywhere back in the General MIDI days. It turned out to be very,...
How To Grow A Network
I just finished working on a promo video for Extended Stay America, and had two thoughts about it. First, never underestimate the power of just stacking a crapload of guitars on top of each other. The old truism is only mostly true: less is more, but sometimes a whole lot more is also more. It...
UREI Click for Logic EXS24
I don’t mind Logic’s built-in Klopfgeist click, but sometimes I need to print a click that’s more universally appreciated. The UREI click is an established standard for film and television work, and works well as a default click to print with stems. Download UREI Click for Logic EXS24 The link above will download a zip...
So Long, Hollywood Sound Recorder
I was on a session yesterday at Hollywood Sound Recorder, and it was more than a little bittersweet. If you aren’t familiar with it, Hollywood Sound Recorder is one of the great old A rooms in Los Angeles, right off of Sunset Blvd. Everyone from The Doors to Jackson Browne made records there. I was...
Steve Connell – So Much Silence All This Noise Is
We put this piece together with LA-based poet Steve Connell. I’ve loved his work for years, and it was great to get a chance to collaborate creatively with him, and with Zack Mathers over at Frequent Flyer Productions. I built the sound-design piece for the first half, and the music on the back end was...
Pioneer Electronics Ad: MixTrax Global
Got called in last week to do remix audio on a commercial for the new Pioneer Electronics software MixTrax, and found out from the producer this morning that the commercial was picked up for international markets on 3 continents. Check out the commercial. So much fun to work on this one, and excited to see...
Ignorance Breeds Contempt (or, How I Came To Appreciate Dance Music)
Like all good musicians of the world, I hold dance music in special contempt. I mean, it’s just looping somebody else’s work with filters and drum samples, right? Right. Well, the thing is, it’s easy to dismiss something you don’t know anything about. I should know better – how many times have people assumed that...
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