Blog
The Hardware-to-Software Ratio
If you're making a hardware instrument, then you should be thinking about the ratio of hardware to software, because it plays a key factor in the musician's success in using the instrument. I'm...
What Makes a Product Fun?
The Attributes of Musical Fun It isn't a single thing, it's an alignment of particular stars that create the magic of fun. While this is not meant to be a definitive definition of fun as it relates...
Don’t Forget You’re Building a Paintbrush
In the world of music technology, what we do is so darn fun that it's easy to forget that we're in the business of creating tools that help creatives create! I'll always be the first to defend the...
PRO TIP: One-Button-Per-Function
TL;DR If the information architecture (IA) allows it (and arguably, it should), then design the primary functions of the product to be a set of grouped controls accessible at the top-most level of...
PRO TIP: Headphone Jack Location
This is a simple one: place the headphone port on the same side of the device where the user will be. That way, the headphone cable won't be getting in the way by crossing over the top (or under)...
Wireless Audio Latency (and Why Your Device Should Have Bluetooth)
Okay, hear me out. I know Bluetooth latency sucks and won't work for recording in live performances of note input. But after years of being a user of grooveboxes and an early adopter of Bluetooth...
Starting Form & Fader
Background: Acoustic to Digital I wanted to spend some time reflecting on building this thing. Because over the last decade or so, I've been slowly processing the question of what it means to spend...
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