Category: Blog

Anyone who knows me is familiar with my hatred of leaf blowers. Not only do they create a tremendous amount of damaging noise, they contribute to air pollution, environmental harm, and climate change. This is especially problematic in densely populated suburban areas where I live today. Leaf blowers, especially gas-powered ...

Friends, family members, workshop attendees and coworkers often ask: “What are your recommendations for getting started with making music on the computer?” Often, I feel like they expect me to have a stock answer. But my initial response is always: “That depends… What are your goals?” “Recording music on the ...

In early August I attended the Musikfest Music Industry and Education Conference in Bethlehem, PA. This was the first time a professional conference component was added to the Musikfest event, which has been running for over 40 years. Musikfest has become a staple of the arts in Eastern PA, but this ...

Lately I’ve been noticing just how loud some places can be. Here’s a brief look at some recent experiences. Keep in mind that sounds above 70 dB are considered harmful. Extended exposure, as well as specific freuency ranges of noise can also add to the level of harm they do. ...

On March 16, 2024, I presented on the topic of Gen AI in the music industry at the Trenton Computer Festival. Thanks to everyone who attended! For those who want to dive deeper, I’ve posted my talk PDF as well as some supplemental info. Questions about anything related to this ...

(for non-musicians) I’ve begun to produce a new collection of videos that cover some topics related to music production. These videos are intended for non-musicians, or people that are very new to music production. I’m putting these together because I am going to be presenting at a computer festival ...

Over the years – as an acoustic Americana artist, bass player, and electronic artist – I’ve found that there is a lot of wasted energy expended talking about gear. Don’t get me wrong… I love new gear as much as the next person, but I’ve also learned to temper my ...

Sometimes clients contact me for an evaluation of their small to medium studio setups. In terms of size, these are studios that usually have less than 50k invested in gear. Thy are often run by part-time musicians, people with day jobs, or semi-retired from their other means of income. These ...

NEPADOC is a documentary about intersections of environment, industry, and identity in Northeastern Pennsylvania over the past 300 years. Inspired by non-verbal documentary film landmarks such as Koyaanisqatsi and Baraka, NEPADOC blends 4K cinematography, local historical footage, and a sweeping score into a dizzying and contemplative meditation on culture, place, and public memory. ...

Since my last mailing in February, things have actually been pretty busy. My SCI-FI-LOPHONE project appeared at two STEAM events at Fluxspace and also at the 2022 Philly Maker Faire. The Philly Maker Faire podcast has reached over 50 episodes! Fricknadorable is back on the live music scene, having performed in Norristown, Plymouth Meeting, Newtown ...

I’ve been thinking about something a lot lately… I don’t know if it’s a Philly area thing, or if it has anything to do with the pandemic… or maybe it’s something else entirely… I’ve noticed over the past couple of years, that people don’t seem very inclined to introduce themselves ...

Back in May 2022, while providing visual projections for an Event Horizons show at The Rotunda in Philadelphia, I met the multitalented Taji Ra’oof Nahl (aka TR7). Since then, we’ve stayed in touch and have been slowly working on some collaborative projects. TR7’s Microfilm Festival is an ongoing, constantly evolving ...