So, you’ve found my blog. Maybe I sent you here; maybe you searched my name and wound up here; maybe you used to know me or are vaguely familiar with me and are looking for good dirt; maybe you are profoundly bored and even reading this page seems exciting compared to whatever else you’re supposed… Continue reading So What’s This Blog For Anyway?
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FutureBASIC: My Weird First Experience With Programming
I’m currently creating a video game, and I’ve been struggling with the idea of how to write about it without spoiling the game itself. With this article, which I’m very non-committingly considering as part 1 of my devlog, I think I’ve found a happy compromise. I’m not sure if this format will work as a… Continue reading FutureBASIC: My Weird First Experience With Programming
Some Surprising Good Decisions I Made In College
In honesty and with the objectivity that hindsight brings, I can say that my college experience was mostly terrible, and that I had made plenty of bad decisions during college. The reasons for my terrible time are complex and I won’t go into them here. But in that long period of darkness were at least… Continue reading Some Surprising Good Decisions I Made In College
Thank You To My Listeners
THANK YOU to everyone who listens to my music on the various streaming platforms / stores. Even though my discography is tiny, and even though I’ve done absolutely no work to advertise it whatsoever, still, there are people all over the world who have found it and listen to it regularly. I notice you, and… Continue reading Thank You To My Listeners
Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 4: Correcting Some Issues With My Desk
In the previous part of this series, I showed my finished studio desk, and talked about some things I would have done differently in hindsight. After using the desk for some time, I’ve decided to rebuild the entire top half, which consists of the main surface and the rack bays. After thinking about it for… Continue reading Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 4: Correcting Some Issues With My Desk
Pro Tip: Get Reliable 911 Emergency Service With A Plain Old Landline Telephone
Even in this era of wireless mobile phones, the good old landline may still have one interesting advantage over them: Using a landline to call 911 means the emergency operator will instantly know exactly where you are located, and will dispatch emergency services immediately. By contrast, mobile phones may or may not provide an exact… Continue reading Pro Tip: Get Reliable 911 Emergency Service With A Plain Old Landline Telephone
Free Notification Sounds
I’ve created three original sound effects for use as notifications on your phone/device. I designed them to sound neutral, non-musical, and unobtrusive while still being recognizable as notifications. I created these because I didn’t like any of the included notification sounds on my new phone–they were all way too aggressive, up-front, and distracting. Download them… Continue reading Free Notification Sounds
Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 3: New Desk Finished
Continuing from Part 2 of this series, I finally have photos of the new desk. Actually it has been finished for awhile now, but I’ve been reluctant to show photos of it because my studio space is nowhere near final. So, don’t mind the clutter: There are a lot of things I like about this… Continue reading Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 3: New Desk Finished
Getting Rid of Those Annoying Blue LEDs
You know those bright blue LEDs that are all over consumer electronics now? Tacky, tasteless*, and bright as the blazing sun? I hate those. So I identified some of the most egregious ones in my devices, and replaced them with softer white LEDs that I had left over from an old project. And wow, what… Continue reading Getting Rid of Those Annoying Blue LEDs
New Single: “She’s Out of My Life”
Welcome to the official release page for my cover of “She’s Out of My Life”! Listen to it on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, or your other favorite music platform! This page contains the official liner notes. I dedicate this song to everyone who has had a terrible 2020. Maybe there’s someone out of your life.… Continue reading New Single: “She’s Out of My Life”
Opinion: Quick-Time Events in Video Games Are Almost Always Stupid
It’s been awhile since I’ve shared a rant about game design. This is a mistake that developers seem to keep on making, so I’ll talk about it and offer some suggestions for better alternatives. All of this is opinion, of course. Quick-Time Events, or QTEs, are a type of gameplay element in which the player… Continue reading Opinion: Quick-Time Events in Video Games Are Almost Always Stupid
Music Producers: Feeling Discouraged? Workflow Issues Could Be To Blame
Creative dry spells have plagued musicians and artists for all of human history. But what if your creative process itself is actually causing the dry spell? I have a simple trick that I use to maximize productivity when I’m having a creative dry spell. The trick is that I use those times to focus on… Continue reading Music Producers: Feeling Discouraged? Workflow Issues Could Be To Blame
Game Boy Advance Screen + Shell Upgrade
While I was recently disappointed to narrowly miss the pre-order window for the Analogue Pocket, I ended up discovering an alternative (more affordable) way to improve the Game Boy console experience. After seeing this video, I decided to modify my own original GBA with a new screen and case. I bought the Funnyplaying IPS V2… Continue reading Game Boy Advance Screen + Shell Upgrade
Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 2: A Quick Desk Update
Continuing my previous post about this topic, I have designed a new music production desk, and I’ve started to build it. While I don’t have any drawings or graphics to show you (because my brain is weird and I tend to design things purely mentally), I’ll describe what I’ve decided to do and why. Hopefully,… Continue reading Rethinking My Studio Layout, Part 2: A Quick Desk Update
Shure KSM137 and KSM141: Fantastic Small-Diaphragm Condenser Microphones
Just wanted to pass along this tip about an amazing set of mics. If you need to record acoustic guitar, drums, piano, or entire acoustic bands/ensembles in stereo, you might be looking for the right pair of small-diaphragm condenser microphones. After trying them out on a friend’s acoustic guitar, I’m convinced that the Shure KSM137… Continue reading Shure KSM137 and KSM141: Fantastic Small-Diaphragm Condenser Microphones
The Unreleased E.T. Game for PlayStation 2 Has Fantastic Music
It’s no secret that the score to the movie E.T., composed by the legendary John Williams, is one of my favorite film scores of all time. So it made me happy to discover this unreleased PlayStation 2 E.T. game and its music on YouTube, in which the composer (Dean Evans, I believe?) incorporated a lot… Continue reading The Unreleased E.T. Game for PlayStation 2 Has Fantastic Music
The Analogue Pocket Sold Out Before I Could Get the Page to Load
Exactly what the title says. I had been looking forward to getting an Analogue Pocket, a fantastic-looking Game Boy clone with very interesting hardware and features, since the day it was announced. Pre-orders sold out in under seven minutes. So annoying, because I had my finger over the buy button at 8am PST on the… Continue reading The Analogue Pocket Sold Out Before I Could Get the Page to Load
Rethinking My Studio Layout: First Thoughts
My old studio desk just isn’t doing it for me anymore. I cobbled this desk together about 10 years ago from scrap wood with the intention that it would fit my gigantic heavy 88-key keyboard at the time, while still allowing room for the speaker stands, and also minimizing the amount of acoustically reflective surface… Continue reading Rethinking My Studio Layout: First Thoughts
Tube Microphone Saga Part 2
Continuing from my previous tube microphone post, I have finished the build! The sound quality is strongly colored and vibey, which is to say it definitely has the “tube mic” sound, and it will definitely add its own sound to your source material. I tried it on vocals, acoustic guitar, and a toy flute I… Continue reading Tube Microphone Saga Part 2
Album: Fantasy and Meditation
Welcome to the official page for the album Fantasy and Meditation, released on June 24th, 2020. Thank you for your interest in the album! Scroll past the embedded player for links to get it and to read the liner notes. Where to Get It Bandcamp Spotify Apple Music Amazon …and more! Try searching for my… Continue reading Album: Fantasy and Meditation
I’m Building a Tube Microphone, and I’m Going to Sell It
Believe it or not, this isn’t as hard as it sounds. I’ve built a microphone before. This week I will be challenging myself by building the V-251 vacuum tube microphone kit sold by the company known as Microphone Parts. I’m also going to build their VPS1 premium power supply, and am getting the premium Gotham… Continue reading I’m Building a Tube Microphone, and I’m Going to Sell It
“The Lunarians” by Nobuo Uematsu recreated on NES sound chip
I’ve always been intrigued by a piece of software called FamiTracker, which lets you create music for the NES console sound hardware. If you are used to using your DAW to create music, then FamiTracker presents a significant learning curve compared to that. But as with anything, if you are patient and committed to learning… Continue reading “The Lunarians” by Nobuo Uematsu recreated on NES sound chip
About This Blog
Welcome! I created this blog as a way to become less reliant on social media and take more ownership of my own internet presence and communications. Enjoy the content!