1) New video: Using the Akai MPC as a Looper

I enjoy the growing trend of looping performances, where someone uses a looping pedal to record successive voice, guitar or other instrument parts onto a loop. I like this because it shows the gradual creation of a musical idea as a performance, which I often find more interesting than performing the finished composition.

However, these looping pedals only record audio and only one loop, even with higher-end multi-track loopers, and I find that repeating one loop in performance can be limiting.

I thought it would be ideal to have a multi-track looper that has multiple multi-track sequences, permitting the live creation of multiple musical sections, then arranging these sections in real time, and to do all of this in real time without ever stopping play.

Last year, Akai kindly gave me an MPC Live II, the current evolution of the MPC series that I created with the original Japanese Akai company back in 1988. I wanted to see if it could do what I wanted. I found that it does and does it very well, as I demonstrate in the above video using both the MPC and a LinnStrument.

2) New LinnStrument Owner Video

Here's a video from YouTuber "InffihMusic" that demonstrates very nice solo guitar technique in a performance based on the guitar solo from John Mayer's song "Belief".

3) A few LinnStrument Tips & Tricks

Tips & Tricks

Here are a few tips & tricks that recent LinnStrument owners may not be aware of:

Sleep Mode

To turn off all lights and put LinnStrument into sleep mode, press Per-Split Settings and Global Settings at the same time. To wake it back up, press any pad. To learn more about Sleep Mode, open the Panel Settings page, Global Settings tab, and search for "sleep".

Independent Row Tunings

You can tune LinnStrument's rows however you wish, for example open guitar tunings or Chapman Stick tuning. To learn how, open the Panel Settings page, Global Settings tab, and search for "Independent row tunings".

Light Animations

You can set LinnStrument to display a variety of light animations surrounding a pad when it is played. To learn how, open the Panel Settings page, Per-Split Settings tab, and search for "light animations".

Guitar style Hammer-ons and Pull-offs in Strum mode

You may know that LinnStrument's Strum mode permits the right split to be used as a strumming surface for notes fingered in the left split. However, you may not know that this Strum mode permits you to perform guitar-style hammer-ons and pull-offs. To learn how, open the Panel Settings page, Per-Split Settings tab, and search for "hammer".

Have a Problem?

If you think your LinnStrument may have a problem, visit the "FAQs" page and click the "Problems" tab. You'll find solutions for just about any problem anyone has had, either an operation problem or solutions for possible hardware problems.

LinnStrument's Hidden Settings

LinnStrument has a variety of hidden settngs, lesser-used settings that are usually accessed by holding a settings pad. To find them, search any tab of the Panel Settings page for "hidden". Or watch this video entitled "LinnStrument's Hidden Settings".

For more tips & tricks, visit the LinnStrument Support page and click "Tips & Tricks".

4) I made a white LinnStrument

In my last newsletter, I mentioned that I had posted engineering files for some LinnStrument parts on my site, so that DYIers with some engineering skill could make custom versions of their LinnStrument or even sell aftermarket parts. And I gave a few examples of what people could do, including a rendering of a white LinnStrument.

This captured my interest, so I made a white LinnStrument, replacing the top panel with a white one and the wood sides with 3D-printed white ones. I'm thinking of making a conversion kit available for sale. Once I know the cost, I'll post it in a future newsletter to learn how much interest exists.

5) Next LinnStrument Zoom call is tomorrow, Tuesday August 5

The next First-Tuesday-Of-The-Month-LinnStrument-Zoom-Call is Tuesday August 5 at 10 am California time. All are welcome-- LinnStrument owners or those interested in LinnStrument. I'm happy to answer questions from potential buyers or newbies, and interesting discussions often ensue between owners about tips, techniques, specific synths, or editing the source code.

To get the Zoom meeting link, click here or click "Monthly Zoom call with Roger" from the LinnStrument Support page. I hope you can join the meeting, if not this one then on any future first Tuesday of the month at 10 am California time.

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