Music Tech Guru Says Web Is Not The Enemy
This is a very interesting post from Greg Sandoval over at Cnet News.
The Internet is a killer of art–at least that’s how a couple of former rock ‘n’ roll gods see it.
John Mellencamp, known for such ’80s hits as “Jack and Diane” and “Hurts So Good,” last week said the Web is the most dangerous creation since the atomic bomb. Stevie Nicks, the Fleetwood Mac songstress, concluded in an interview this week that the “Internet has destroyed rock.”
Jac Holzman, the man who discovered The Doors, founded Elektra Records, and nudged the big recording companies into adopting the compact disc, considers the Web and says: “I think the music industry has a bright future.”We have to be free enough with our music to permit people to adapt it for their own purposes. - Jack Holzman (Credit: Warner Music Group)
Wow, that’s quite a contrast in views. The difference is Holzman has witnessed most of the industry-shaking technologies during his six decades in the music business–and he’s not panicking.
This year, the 79-year-old celebrates Elektra’s 60th anniversary, and at a life stage when Holzman’s biggest trouble might be choosing the right 9-iron, he’s helping to search for answers to the music industry’s burning digital questions. He has said in the past that there were those in the record business who didn’t think he was relevant any longer, but Holzman is back in the thick of it. Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. sought him out, hired him as a senior adviser, and sees value in the context Holzman can provide.
“I love the way Jac approaches the intersection of music and technology–through the lens of opportunity,” Bronfman said.
At spotting opportunities, Holzman has a notable record. As a 19-year-old, Holzman started Elektra with $300 he received at his bar mitzvah. The label would later go to sign such acts as Queen, Judy Collins, The Stooges, and Jim Morrison. After Holzman sold Electra to Warner Communication (a forerunner of Warner Music Group and Warner Bros. Pictures), he became WCI’s chief technology officer. In that role, he helped oversee some of the company’s film and TV ventures.
When Jack Valenti, the chief of the Motion Picture Association of America, was trying to kill video recorders and comparing them to the Boston Strangler, Holzman was pushing WCI leaders to embrace the home-video market. With cable TV he recognized its potential early and contributed to the development of pay-per-view programming.
In music, Holzman saw the rise of the LP, 8-track tape, DAT, compact disc, MP3, and BitTorrent. After all that, new technologies don’t spook him. On the contrary, he says many of these technologies helped make a lot of artists and industry people rich. When it comes to the Internet and digital distribution, Holzman is confident music labels can capitalize on them too. He says they really don’t have a choice.
Pro Tools Grabber Tool Shortcuts
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Grabber tool in Pro Tools (and more!) from Brent Heber of ProtoolsProfessional.com.
Could This Be The Ultimate Band Equipment Van?
I’ve ridden in a lot of different vehicles on the way to the gig and on tour, some more normal than others. 
However, while not entirely legal in all states, this could possibly be the ultimate equipment van for your next gig!
What’s your best equipment-moving vehicle story? Tell me in the comments!
Figuring Out Speaker Polarity
Q: “What is the best way to make sure that the polarity on multiple speaker pairs are in phase when the wiring is all in-wall and the cable is not marked?”
A: First, shame on whomever put the wiring in without marking it. There are a variety of small (and not so small) commercially available devices that do a great job of testing speaker polarity among other things.
Many use a very fast “click” input to the signal path and then measure the results from the speakers. There is, however, a very workable “poor-man’s” solution. Disconnect the speaker cables from the amplifier(s) and connect a small battery to the end of the cables. The DC voltage from the battery will cause the woofers to jump forward or backwards depending upon the polarity of the battery with respect to the cables and speakers.
The DC voltage is handy because once the speaker moves it will stay in that fixed position until the voltage is removed. This is usually best done with the help of an assistant who can apply and remove the battery voltage while you watch the direction of cone movement. Basically you just have to get everything wired so that all the drivers move in the same direction, then decide which is positive and connect them that way to the power amp(s).
A 9-volt battery usually works best for this (it causes the most cone movement), but don’t leave it connected to small drivers for a long time. A little 9-volt battery can produce a surprising amount of current into a near dead short (which is how it sees the speaker).
The battery trick, as handy as it is, is not effective for horns and other high frequency drivers because it’s almost impossible to see the driver movement (we don’t recommend 9 volts of DC be applied to them either). In situations where the high frequency driver is part of a cabinet with other drivers this is not a problem.
If the woofers are in polarity then you can assume the horn is too. If you have a system where the high frequency driver is a completely separate component you now have to fall back on plan B.
Plan B is to disconnect the speaker wire on both ends. Tie an additional length of labeled wire to one end so that it can reach to the other end, sort of forming a loop. Do not tie them together. Now you can use any standard volt/ohm meter to see which lead is which and get them labeled.
Band Performs Eye of the Tiger Entirely on iPad Instruments
Yep, a complete production all with only iPad apps. All instruments were played using iPad applications downloaded from iTunes. Check it out:
Using a screen reader? Click here for the video.
For more on this and for a list of the apps used, click here.
