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2023 TAXI Road Rally Inspiration
At this year's 2023 TAXI Road Rally, Michael Laskow articulated how at 211° F water is very hot, yet elevating it just 1° to 212° causes water to boil, changing it into steam and generating energy. There are so many talented people who may write, perform or otherwise create beautiful music that's at that 211° mark and all it takes is that 1° more to make it sensationally desirable by more people. TAXI helps musicians to reach that 212° threshold, so more people want your music, whether it's for artists, TV shows, movies, video games, advertising or any other intended target. TAXI helps you hone your craft, in whatever genre or application, then helps your music get to where it belongs, to those who want and need it.
Newer Musical Gear and My Musical Influences
In the time just before and more after joining TAXI, I've accumulated more professional home studio equipment, selling some items along the way to clear the way for new items. I primarily use three electronic keyboard controllers (all 88-key), including Roland A-80, Roland FP-7F SuperNATURAL piano with RPU-3 pedals (most piano input and practice), and M-Audio Keystation 88es (lighter non-weighted action) for synth input or with my Roland VK-8M organ module. The A-80 provides great MIDI control with 4 pedal inputs, 4 sliders, plus pitch bends and modulation can be done on either the 2 wheels (Moog style) or lever (Roland style), and all this works particularly well for articulation of voices off my Roland Integra-7 SuperNATURAL sound module.
I have some U-110 PCM cards for additional layering, and can utilize the processing power of any of the other computers for sound sources that may require more resources, such as Green Oak's Crystal Synth, for which the computer's capabilities are the only limiting element, and they also have an app for iPad and iPhone. I've upgraded my Akai professional MPD16 USB/MIDI drum pad surface for greater sensitivity, which pairs well with Sonoma Wire Works DrumCore DC4 Ultra SSD (with numerous add-on drummer packs). For vocals I have sE electronics' reflexion filter for sound isolation with multiple dynamic, large diaphragm and cardioid mics, as well as open and closed headphones and a Behringer AMP800 headphone amp.
In my rack along with the Integra-7 are a vintage E-Mu e5000 Ultra and Roland U-220, and TC-Helicon Voiceworks Plus for voice harmony, modeling and effects (and separate VoiceLive Touch2 for live performance). All of this compliments work surfaces and sources, where I can interface my Roland VS-2480 24-track hard disk recorder, the Aardvark Direct Pro 2496 installed in a Sony VAIO, an E-Mu 1212m PCIe inside a Z400 running Cakewalk Sonar X3 producer's edition with all the bells and whistles, plus a more portable Behringer firepower FCA610 computer audio interface I can plug into my separate HP Z420, my laptop or wherever I'm going.
Because I had to have at least one guitar, I've got the Behringer V-tone guitar on hand for messing around with, plus a Lanikai acoustic electric ukulele. I also have a Behringer BCF2000 B-control with motorized faders to interface with any of the computers. For sound I've got two pair of M-Audio active speakers with AV40, in addition to BX5a matched with the BX10s subwoofer, running through a Douk Audio MC103-Pro mini 3-way XLR switcher box. There's so much more in the way of hardware and software, although this covers most of the major components, although there's more rackmount equipment, portable mixers, pedals, lots of VSTs, other gear and stuff. The overall theme for my home studio includes peacock patterned covers I created for my keyboards and other gear.