Technologique

StudioLALA Pics

vlecomer — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:03:14 +0000

Digital Performer, Then and Now

vlecomer — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:31:16 +0000

Then

Now

corralling those wild infobits…

vlecomer — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:41:06 +0000

I have been asked to post a link to a utility that I’ve been caught using on a regular basis. Truth be told, after years of using the traditional “copy/paste into a text doc” method of grabbing info, there are actually two utils that I have been using that have given me more elegant ways to do my mundane data housekeeping. The first is called “Fresh“. It is a palette that sits at the edge of your screen, waiting for you to drag and drop files and images that it captures and holds for later recall. This palette is split into two parts; one, keeps a running list of docs and files which are new, changed or recently opened and, two, is a place where one can drag files from the aforementioned running list to an archive that keeps a more semi-permanent record of those files. I usually archive files stored there elsewhere for permanent storage. The second tool is called “Yojimbo” and it does functionally the same thing as “Fresh” does but is much more comprehensive and the deep features (like tags, flags, date stamping, etc.) are more obvious to the eye. It has a GUI that is similar to the browser software that we have grown accustomed to these days. Both of these tools are easy to figure out once you have hands on, so take a look at each and see if either (or both) can be a useful scrapbook for you in this new digital age.

Words from Jaron Lanier

vlecomer — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:15:00 +0000

“Technology and the Future of the Human Soul” or “What is a Person?”

Technology is getting powerful enough that it will soon change the meaning of the word “person”. How will we find meaning and direction when biotechnology  and artificial intelligence threaten to undo every assumption we have about our identities? One easy answer is to embrace some idea of progress for its own sake, even if it means demoting the human agenda. The other easy answer is to turn backwards, to a seemingly traditional, or fundamentalist, vision of human  identity, even if this vision is actually a recent invention. What is difficult is finding a new, but human-centered, path forward.
________________________________________________________________
“Advice to a Young Digital Artist”

Technology offers convenience, but people are searching for meaning. Most digital developments offer neither, for the simple reason that the creators are confused about what a computer is. A skeptical appraisal of computers and the psychology of relating to them can break through the  blandness barrier that confines most digital creations.

Essays by Jaron Lanier

Three Things You Need to Know About Software…

vlecomer — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:09:45 +0000

1) Most software is not sold, merely licensed. What that means for you is that you don’t actually own the software, you are just being allowed to use it, provided you adhere to the stipulations which are contained in what’s called a EULA (Yoo’-la).The End User License Agreement in practical terms, sets out guidelines that may or may not put restrictions on what you are allowed to do with the software. Normal usage for the most part is fine. What is a little more murky, for example, is whether or not you can sell or transfer the license to another party. And it usually limits the company’s liability related to usage of the product. There are also the usual copyright protections against creating new software derivative of the design of their product without express permision. Many users don’t notice that they have in essence, signed off on this contractual agreement during the install without having read it. Most people don’t actually need to have read it, though. For most, the boundaries set by the agreement are not in conflict with most common usage practices. The few rulebreakers that should have read it probably aren’t paying attention to that kind of stuff anyway. Those users that are sticklers for details, are already on the phone with their attorneys.

2) Software designers and developers are always designing forward. Though many companies attempt to keep new versions of their software compatible with the previous ones, they are always adapting what they create to the latest and greatest hardware developments. And for you this means, it is probable if not inevitable that the demands of evolving software will breach the ceiling capacity of the hardware you use. So, it will serve you well to develop a mindset that is aware of the dynamic dance of keeping the hardware you use current enough to handle the demands of the more mercurial software platform development cycle. You do dance, don’t you?

3) There is no way that anyone can anticipate every situation or problem that might occur in life. It is no different in a life crossed with software, either. Look at your last major software purchase. The manual that came with your software might be a thousand or so pages long, but it is sometimes not all that clear whether that is a good or a bad thing. Sometimes the information you need will not be there or the case could be that the specific info you need is just too hard to find in the midst of this massive word party. This means that sometimes you may find yourself having to navigate your own pathway through the little glitches and impasses that come up. (To Be Continued…)

It’s Only a Dream…(another one)

vlecomer — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:20:01 +0000

Ok, it wasn’t a dream. For twenty years now, there has been this one road case that has travelled with me every time I’ve moved for work. For some unfathomable reason, I had never opened it to check to see what was in it. Of course, it was only one case out of the thirty that I used to travel with, back in the day. The point that I’m having trouble getting to is… Well, I opened it today. Snakes! Snakes! Ahem! Ok, not all snakes… there are loose wires, cables, wraps, string and a lot of other kinds of studio and road kack that was left over from I don’t know how many completed projects, long since forgotten. My first impulse was to just toss the whole mess because the time it would take to sort and untangle that thicket is time that might be better spent elsewhere. If I hadn’t missed what was in the case after that length of time, I must not have really needed any of that stuff that badly. Still, someone else might have a use for some of this madness…So, I set aside an afternoon to right this oversight from my dark and distant past. I told myself that I might find something cool for me, like my old E-bow or an old Fender Blender distortion pedal that I haven’t seen in ages. I got started.

To be continued…

“Pop” Quiz

vlecomer — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:21:19 +0000

Here are five questions to see whether you’ve been paying attention…

1) How much usable space do you have on your primary hard drive (You know, the one with your OS on it)?

2) What is one of the worst places (acoustically) to listen to music, that is also one of the most popular places to listen to music? (OK, I mean “one” mentioned on this site; someone with too, too much time on their hands emailed me a list way too long to print…)

3) Identify at least one of the authors of the four quotes featured on this site’s home page.

4) Name one of the movies that is used as an example in one of the mini-classes here.

5) True or False – A unidirectional microphone is one which picks up sound basically from all surrounding directions.

Extra credit essay: If your hard drive died, and you could only install 3 things after you reinstalled the OS, which 3 would they be? And why?

Extra, extra credit if you didn’t have to look around again for answers.

Breadcrumbs – Words of Wisdom from Sally Potter

vlecomer — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:43:36 +0000

Leading a life centered primarily in music does not necessarily mean that one must close one’s mind to learning from people working in other fields. I have found wisdom in these words from filmmaker Sally Potter whose work I admire greatly. Her reflections give insight into her working process. Much of what she ruminates about here, can be applied in the world of music and technology which is the focus of this site. Sally wrote:

Just before I started work on RAGE I wrote myself a private manifesto. I called it “Barefoot Filmmaking” and it was a way of reminding myself what I believed in and how to approach work on this new project. It is something I have often done over the years, partly as a way of tracking my own principles and as a way of energising myself when I have felt like an outsider, working against the grain. A manifesto, even when kept private, dignifies an approach which may otherwise remain obscure. A recent lovely post on the forum made me decide to look up this last document again. I have subsequently revised both how I think about some of these things and what to call this way of thinking. “Poor Cinema” is my favourite, but in the past, when I started out, I called it “Kitchen table filmmaking” as that was so often where I ended up working. Anyway, here it is:

The best time to start is now (don’t wait)

Take responsibility for everything (it saves time)

Don’t blame anyone or anything (including yourself)

Give up being a moviemaker victim (of circumstance, weather, lack of money, mean financiers, vicious critics, greedy distributors, indifferent public, etc.)

You can’t always choose what happens while you are making a film, but you can choose your point of view about what happens
(creative perspective)

Mistakes are your best teacher (so welcome them)

Turn disaster to advantage (there will be many)

Only work on something you believe in (life is too short to practice insincerity)

Choose your team carefully and honour them (never speak negatively about your colleagues)

Ban the word “compromise” (or the phrase “it will do”)
(the disappointment in yourself will haunt you later)

Be prepared to work harder than anyone you are employing

Be ruthless – be ready to throw away your favourite bits (you may well be attached to what is familiar rather than what is good).

Aim beyond your limits (and help others to go beyond theirs)
(the thrill of the learning curve)

When in doubt, project yourself ten years into the future and look back – what will you be proud of having done?
(indecision is a lack of the longer view or wider perspective)

Practice no waste – psychic ecology – prevent brain pollution
(don’t add to the proliferation of junk)

Be an anorak – keep your sense of wonder and enthusiasm
(cynicism will kill your joy and motivation)

Get some sleep when you can (you wont get much later)

( Embedded with permission of the author )

First Contact

vlecomer — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:45:36 +0000

I don’t know if I’m late to this party, but… through the graces of Nick Batzdorf and his lifeline of a magazine, “Virtual Instruments”, I received a gift of a software plug-in “lite” that I had been curious to check out. I haven’t delved too deeply into the plug yet, but I did encounter the first alien tech support system that I have come in contact with. Because there was a problem with the initial download, I searched the manufacturer’s website for the usual support phone/email information and found none that I could see. Eventually, I found a reference to customer support, so I pushed the button. I suddenly found myself spun through the maelstrom of the net to a destination called “Obedia”. I proceeded to register to use this new alliance, more out of curiousity than certainty of purpose. Gradually, it became clear that I had entered a different world than the one I started in. Obedia , the company, has as its mission statement to provide tech support and training for people who are attempting to use computers and other technologies to do music production work. The idea is that a user will be able to contact the company (phone call, e-message or via remote desktop access) to receive training to help them understand how to best use the combination of equipment they might have access to. This would cover the times that you are trying to figure out how to use equipment you just brought home from the store and can’t figure out the best way to assemble the pieces, or, situations where something in your setup suddenly starts to do something unexpected or just stops working at all. We all have those times when something happens that interrupts the work flow and unless you have a full time tech, there is always a moment of pause before you shift into troubleshooting mode, if you are able to do this on your own. If you are not inclined to do this yourself, being able to call someone and get help that is specific to your setup would be a godsend. Their website proports to be able to assist with a wide variety of equipment brands and products. This is key because it is very likely that not everyone will have gear from only from one manufacturer. My experience with Obedia with regards to my install problem was too narrow an event to really get any feel for how well the service is working. In my case, I sent an e-message filing what they called a case report. I gave them info on my hardware and software setup along with a description of what problem I had. I was sent an automated response acknowledging receipt of my message. While I was waiting for a specific response to my problem I exchanged emails with Nick (of VI mag) and he was able to deliver a workaround pretty quickly to allow for downloading the plug-in. Shortly, thereafter I received the same solution via the Obedia portal. As I said before, this experience was not enough of a basis to make conclusive judgements about the quality of service which Obedia delivers but it did get the juices stirring about what might make this endeavor (or others like this) a stellar one, in my eyes. I have worked extensively as a studio and stage tech both alone and with others like Andy Topeka (Stones, Cars) and Matt Larson (Prince, Hammer) so my point of reference may be different than most first time users of this new form of remote tech support. That said, if this kind of service is supposed to give each caller/emailer the same or similar kinds of results as a full time on call tech person would/should deliver, then some parameters are going to have to be set to a high standard. Under ideal circumstances, working with an experienced tech gives a user access to a mind used to quickly evaluating situations and identifying the causes of any system related problems that might crop up. Familiarity with their clients’ own personal gear is a plus which comes along with working closely and over a long period of time. Often, the tech is responsible for helping design systems that better cater to the tastes of the client. This kind of symbiosis is one of the things that I believe it would be hard for a company to replicate and maintain. That being said there are two paths a business could take that might make offering this kind of service a general benefit to someone working with music technology. Before we go there, though, the first thing I would want to see is immediate access available. The best help in the world does you no good if it does not arrive when you need it. While it might be ok for one client to take the rest of the night off until someone calls her back in the morning with a fix, that other client who has 88 musicians stoically staring at him as he sits, cell phone glued to his ear, can only see his cost meter racing towards the summit of wealth. I won’t suggest here, how a company might accomplish this because there are many ways that it could be done. I will say that if this is not the basis of the client/business relationship, then eventually, if not sooner, that relationship will sour. An efficient information portal that is also intelligently designed can ease the user’s level of anxiety over having to get help at all. Those phone systems which require you to push an inordinate amount of buttons before you actually get someone human who then proceeds to ask you to give them that same info you just punched in again, is the opposite of the way I would want the system to work. I would want it to remember some things about me but forget others, you know, that secure stuff. Now, back to the two paths you could take if you wanted this kind of business to work; One, would be to attach yourself to a large music/studio gear retail conglomerate where the service techs would have access to a great variety of equipment and the expertise to replicate each users setup and troubleshoot it hands on. Two, would be having a way to remote access a client’s own setup or system via video chat or some form of telecommunication networking client. After choosing one of these paths, next I would look for the best techs with the most well balanced personalities I could find because all of this framework means very little without the expertise to work through clients’ problems in a sometimes tense environment. Any company that delivers all of this with a cheery demeanor is well on its way to getting my business since I think I’ve seen way too much of this stuff already. With Obedia, I think I’ll just watch a bit more and see who sticks around.

Hard Drives and Intimacy

vlecomer — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:45:56 +0000

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at how they treat their hard drives. It is deceptively easy to take for granted that every morning when you turn on the power strip your monitor will show you that your computer is ready for work. The hard drive that is home to the operating system that tells your collection of silicon and circuit boards what they are here to do, is usually ignored when it works, but feared and cursed at when it doesn’t. When drives are internal, they are hidden away doing things that most users don’t really care to have spelled out in great detail. Not every car driver needs or wants to be able to strip down their engine, either, as long as they can just turn the key and go. The cases that external drives are mounted in mostly follow the theme of mysterious metal objects built to withstand the perils of deep space travel (even if they are made of plastic, you know it is plastic from the planet Krypton). If it is fanless, it is silent except for occasional sounds that sometimes get used in sci-fi movies to replicate animated conversations in clicks and clatter between aliens or cyborgs. If it needs the fans it has, you just accept the reality that you will probably have to build a soundproof machine room either with or without the liquid nitrogen cooled climate control system, somewhere out of earshot. Words haven’t always worked when I’ve tried to explain to others just why my own personal relationship with hard drives has changed over the years, but I still try. Let’s start with the name. “Hard” drive. Hard drive. One more time —HARD drive. I will grant you that it is easy to understand why it is called that. It is all relative. Floppy disks actually were floppy if you stripped them of their protective shells and shutters. And the actual platters in a hard drive are firmer than a floppy, hence the name. I’m ok with that. Problems arise when the name is taken literally to heart, though. In this case, hard does not imply indestructible, impervious, infallible or any other descriptive modifier that might lead one to believe that drives, like diamonds, are forever. They are truly an enigma. Drives currently available max out at the multi-terabyte size. Some are mounted in shock resistant cases and are backed by reasonable replacement warranties. This is good for the drive but that only covers the drive itself. Your work, however, is exempt from these protections. It is your responsibility to preserve your data or be ready to start again from scratch. Drives work well enough to imbue a comfortable level of trust that should be tempered with a pinch of caution. When I teach others about digital audio systems, I try to instill realistic views of what the available technology can and can’t do along with celebrating the awe that accompanies the quickening speed of developments in the field. I say enigmatic, because digital systems can be misread as being incapable of error until there is one. What I usually say is that a hard drive is an incredible piece of design and engineering which allows computer users immeasurable benefits. What it does, at the speed of operation and the capacities available today is remarkable but the method used to accomplish this is not magic. The inner workings of a drive depend upon precise physical movements and controls that have little tolerance for mistakes. It should be a clue that these devices are assembled in a “clean room” where the fear of a single dust particle is palpable. In my classes, purely verbal explanations don’t hit home for some, so I set out silver surfing the web to see if I could find a visual aid to support my point ——- I found this: As you can tell from this video, hard drives depend on precise integration of mechanical and electronic systems for them to work properly. Think of it this way, the silver platter is spinning at around 100 times per second. Each side of platters like these can contain tens of billions of bits of information stored in a way that only the brains of this system knows how to decode (Can you say “random access?”). The actuator (the moving part that resembles a turntable’s tonearm) has the responsiblity of placing and retrieving these tiny bits at incredible speeds. The heads on the actuator arm are suspended just above the platter at a height that is a lot less than the width of a single hair. Just starting a program can require millions of accesses to the platter. Under these exacting conditions, one occurance of the heads touching the spinning surface can cause major damage to all the parts involved. There is much more to this process than I have space for, so if you want more details about the process, go here. Suffice it to say though, this knowledge should be used to inform your now (if not before) proactive relationship with your hard drive. Most of the ways to protect and preserve both the drive and the data within, are obvious, like working on stable surfaces and not moving the computer when the drive is spinning. There are also utilities which can monitor the physical health of your drive, even allowing you to block out bad areas (sectors) when they are found. With your data, the best way to preserve it is keeping multiple up to date copies of that data. It really is about mindset. My suggestion would be to prepare for the day that you see a big flashing question mark on your screen when you power up for the day. The work it will take to rebuild is as of now, still in your hands. [Special thanks for use of the above video which is published by Joshua Marius, www.letheonline.net]