Most of you know I'm a musician... I've been doing electronic, computer-based music since the 1980's, and as computers have got more powerful, I've been able to move my gear from a room full of synthesizers to a single laptop with some very clever software - and my music keeps sounding better and better (production-wise - I could argue that some of my earlier songs have not been bettered - especially Chocolate Earl)
But even as computers got better, I've always been tethered to a "workspace" - and that's because until 1 year ago, there were no laptops that were QUITE powerful enough to do the music I like to do. So I've always had to have a big desktop computer that was my "music machine"...
When we flew to Tokyo in April 2005, Caesar was writing music back in coach class with his Powerbook, and I was watching movies. I just didn't have the portable thing WORKING for me.
Well, last summer, I upgraded to a Macbook, sold the desktop, and was finally ready to be the portable musician. The new Macs finally had the horsepower to do what I needed. But psychologically, I still needed to "plant" myself into my studio, hook up the laptop to the rest of the gear. I had just replaced the big server with a little white box, but the rest was the same. Then Isaac came, and no music was being made.
It wasn't until 2 weeks ago that I finally got an old mini-keyboard (regular keys, but only 2 octaves) back from someone who had borrowed it 2 years back. And I took the laptop and the mini keyboard, and a set of headphones, and wrote a song in the living room. Then another. Then one at the kitchen table. Then one in Bella's room as Papa and Pamela were painting.
And I think I'm finally living a portable dream - I really can write music anywhere. I think it's really cool to be using this technology this way. Viva! And the best part is that, like when I blog, I get to be creative WHILE being in the same room as my family - I don't have to feel like I'm sequestering myself away to pursue my arts...
That's the update.
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