💾
Akai is the home of many stand alone music production centers. My favorite is the mpc one. This decision holds sentimental value to me but I also love this machine because it doesn't need to be attached to a computer though It has to be plugged into an energy source. I don't mind because it's similar to when the internet was locked away in the family room. It encourages intentional time even if it leads to nowhere. If making beats is not your thing, I do hope everyone has their own version of what the mpc means to me. Don't leave your inner child behind as you grow
Sep 19, 2024
Related Recs
🙅
I’ve grown so fucking sick of DAWs and computers— yes I know what’s great about them. After 20 years of sitting in front of a computer to record music, I’ve decided to go back to my roots. Making music without the rancid glow of a massive screen, without Safari lurking in the dock, without the gnarly centerpiece energy of a huge Apple product, has been liberating. I’m done with Tetrissing ideas, done frame fucking waveforms, done dragging 1s and 0s with a mouse. So now I’m focused on making sequences on the MPC one, building my own kits, and sampling audio from an array of synths or records or life— and it all goes stereo-out into the Tascam 446 that Beardo gave me. The vulnerability & humanity I’m interested in experiencing through music gets watered down by the digital horseshit we readily accept as software convenience.
May 30, 2023
🙅
I’ve grown so fucking sick of DAWs and computers— yes I know what’s great about them. After 20 years of sitting in front of a computer to record music, I’ve decided to go back to my roots. Making music without the rancid glow of a massive screen, without Safari lurking in the dock, without the gnarly centerpiece energy of a huge Apple product, has been liberating. I’m done with Tetrissing ideas, done frame fucking waveforms, done dragging 1s and 0s with a mouse. So now I’m focused on making sequences on the MPC one, building my own kits, and sampling audio from an array of synths or records or life— and it all goes stereo-out into the Tascam 446 that Beardo gave me. The vulnerability & humanity I’m interested in experiencing through music gets watered down by the digital horseshit we readily accept as software convenience.
May 30, 2023
i just got the teenage engineering ep 133 ko ii (whew, what a mouthful.) i don’t yet know all the functions but ive had a blast making a few beats with my limited knowledge. i love the fact that there seems to be no eq—your samples are as they come, with the exception of pitch and amplitude. in the world of DAWs i feel like i am sometimes overwhelmed by options (this sound would be better if i Eq’d it. or maybe the transient has too much attack. or i think it needs to be sidechained to blah blah blah etc). of course these capabilities are incredibly useful, but when making music i feel like you can make a banger with really simple stuff. with the ko ii i just play the audio directly into the machine, sample it where i want it, and play the chops. then i play the drums in by hand. and that’s it and it sounds fucking great
Jan 31, 2024
Top Recs from @orion-sun
What's one favorite quote/passage/poem you hold close to you?
Sep 19, 2024
This place feels frozen in time in a charming way with a tinge of liminal space aesthetic. The nostalgic candies and toys make it feel familiar to me but only because I remember the stories from my mom and grandma's childhoods. This place carries a ton of specialty drinks and even offers an option of crafting your own soda with tons of syrup flavors to choose from. I'm still working on my perfect soda flavor combination. I'm recommending Galco’s not just for the vibe but for their sandwiches! Being from the east coast (new jersey, philly, new york) ive become a lowkey (hoagie) sandwich snob. The bread is my first priority and the bread here is the perfect texture. I really enjoy the Turkey Blockbuster without mustard and a bag of salt and vinegar chips.
Sep 19, 2024
I like to think Audre Lorde is one of my guardian angels. She has left so many road maps that help me navigate through this life. One of my favorite quotes by her from her essay Poetry is not a luxury - “ The white fathers told us, I think therefore I am; and the black mothers in each of us -the poet- whispers in our dreams, I feel therefore I can be free.”
Sep 19, 2024