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Cheap

Hey, it’s the first Pickabar tune of 2011! Just when I had started to worry that maybe the well was running dry, I finally got something done.    I’ve wanted to write a song called “Cheap”� since I finished Ellen Ruppel Shell’s great book, “Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture.” If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy. It really opened my eyes to the true cost of our obsession with low prices.…

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Solved: Cakewalk Sonar export volume is low

Sometime I post things here just so they are web search accessible. This is one of those times! I’ve run into situations where the WAV files I export from Sonar have very low volume on several occasions. I’ve finished my new track, I’ve got everything EQed and compressed to just the right level and my track is peaking at exactly the volume I want. I’m excited to share the new song with the world (i.…

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Configuring EZDrummer note names in Ableton Live

I do my “serious” recording using Cakewalk Sonar, but I write most of my songs in Ableton Live. I find it really easy to work out parts and figure out arrangements in Live, even if it’s a tool more associated with loop based dance music and DJing than songwriting. Live includes a nice set of rhythm instruments, but I tend to use Toontrack EZDrummer for my actual drums sounds. The two work well together, except for the fact that there’s no automatic way AFAICT to have the Live piano roll show names like “Kick” or “Snare Left” instead of “C1” and “A0”.…

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Some RegEx for stripping titles out of wpl files

[I’m posting this mainly so google will remember it for me] I don’t have a program to automatically rip the titles out of WPL playlists for making covers and that type of things. So, when the need arises, I use Notepad++ and a little bit of Regular Expression magic. Unfortunately, I always forget to save the syntax. Here goes:  Replace: <.+.+-(.+).mp3.+> With: \1  It doesn’t work for WAV or WMA files at the moment, but I’ll fix that at some point.…

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My Cerwin-Vega speakers are back!

I have a hard time with animate objects, so I shower my love on things that give me pleasure without asking for anything in return. Quite often those things have to do with producing or re-producing sound. My grandmother Nancy always spoiled me, even when some of those expenditures weren’t the most financially prudent. I don’t remember when or where we bought these speakers, but I do know that from the day I got them they have been a pair of loyal friends.…

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Why is Bert Williams a nobody?

I’ve loved Johnny Cash’ recording of the song “Nobody” for years, but only recently did I check for the composer’s name. It turns out it that the song was written by Egbert Williams, better known as Bert Williams. He’s the gentleman on the left. It’s always a shock to confront the casual racism that was once so prevalent in this country. Imagine a talented black songwriter, singer and clown being forced to war blackface to make a living!…

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