Steve Jobs’ Legacy

As a film composer, I look around my studio and see how so much of my business is based on products that Steve Jobs touched. He was a true visionary not only in the tech industry, but in the world.

SCO Session: 2011 NAMM Wrap-Up

Deane and Brian reflect on the 2011 NAMM Show in this special podcast episode.

Mixing—Technical Guidelines, Part 3

Since, as a mixer, I’m not involved in the mysteries of a spotting session, this month’s column is going to be another in my series of “tech tips”, covering some engineering issues that have recently been in the air.

SCO at NAMM: Apple’s Logic Studio Gets 64-bit Overhaul

Today, Apple released an update that finally moves Logic Studio 9 over to the “64-bit column” along with other flagship DAW platforms like Cubase/Nuendo and Sonor. Available via Software Update, the Logic Studio 9.1 update supports 64-bit native mode, facilitates compatibility with both 32-bit and 64-bit Audio Unit plug-ins, and offers many other fixes. Running a DAW natively at 64-bit in conjunction with plug-ins that take advantage of 64-bit processing enables the end user to bypass a critical issue inherent in 32-bit technology that has been known as the “RAM ceiling” among audio enthusiasts for quite some time. Apple also updated their live performance software MainStage to support 64-bit mode and compatibility with both 32-bit…

Should Composers Care About 64-bit?

In my last Tame Technology column I briefly mentioned that I would talk about how we can use our soft samplers to get around the limitation of the 32-bit memory space. What is 32-bit memory space? What is 64-bit? Why do I care? Well, the short answer is that for most of your work you shouldn’t care, but if you are using large sample libraries, stick around. Editorial note: I won’t get into all the things needed to make your computer 64-bit ready. There are many great computer articles and discussions based on your type of computer. Suffice it to say, to completely take advantage of 64-bit architecture your machine needs to have 64-bit processors…

Tame the Template

Every month I will be talking about the technology that we work with on a day to day basis as well as some tips on how to make your experience writing and composing music as easy as possible without letting the technology get in the way. These techno toys we deal with can be very intimidating at times. Some of us are just not that technical and we don’t want to be, while others love combing through the manual and look forward to the challenges of taking on a new piece of gear. (In a future issue we will talk about GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). So what exactly do we have to deal with in…

James Olszewski: Choosing Your First System- Mac or PC?

The focus of THE DIY STUDIO column is to look at and talk about aspects of building a beginning music studio from scratch. We’ll assume that if you’re building a beginning studio from scratch, you may not have too much money to put toward it at first. For that reason we’ll focus on low-cost solutions, suggestions, and tricks that work well, while also keeping an eye on the future to eventually extend your studio’s capabilities as your career progresses. In this first edition of THE DIY STUDIO, it seems appropriate to start with the ultimate basics of building a studio yourself, beginning with your studio’s nerve center: your computer. The question of Mac vs. PC…