Category Archives: Ways Of Working

Tutorial: Second Hand Studio – Shopping In Japan

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Why Buy Gear In Japan?

I live in regional Australia, about 2000km from the nearest capital city. Thanks to the internet, although shipping can be an issue, the prices for new equipment have pretty much equalised. Plus we have a great music shop in town who’ll order pretty much anything in for you.

As for second hand gear, there’s not a broad music technology user base turning over equipment in my area, so the only option left is to go online. Which brings up the shipping issue again, but also just purchasing can be a gamble – can you trust the seller? Is ‘very good condition’ really very good? I like to get ‘hands on’ with stuff before I pay good money for it.

Second hand gear in Japan is usually in very good condition which makes it a great source of kit when you’re on a budget. Continue Reading →

Brain Waves

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Usually I wake up around 5.30am. The night before it took forever to fall asleep, with the remnants of the day past and planning for the day coming rolling around my brain. I don’t feel rested or relaxed, and I can vaguely remember another stress dream: was it the one where I was grading potatos, sorting mushrooms or trying to put out spot-fires. That was a typical night before I started using a brain training app to help fall asleep. Continue Reading →

Tutorial: Using Multiple MIDI Controllers in Logic

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Here’s a tutorial I recorded explaining how I go about using the Environment in Logic Pro in order to get multiple MIDI controllers to independently control individual soft synths. It’s very useful if you want to run multiple instruments in Logic simultaneously, for example controlling a pad with one keyboard whilst another keyboard controls a piano sound.

Brain Blockages & Five Ways To Beat Writer’s Block

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When involved in any kind of creative pursuit, one will eventually take a trip to the well of inspiration and come back disappointed. Thankfully writer’s block is not terminal – there are a few ways to get around it. I’ve found a number of times, whether it’s in the arrangement process or even just getting started on a tune, it at least reduces the frustration by having a few options to turn to when the muse flees. These are some of the things I find help… Continue Reading →