Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with electronic

Ethereal yet poppy electronic music?

lunasol — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:52:01 -0800

Looking for more ethereal electronic (is that even what the kids call it these days?) music with a certain feeling to it - sort of happy, sort of sad, slightly otherworldly, all blending to create a dreamy, transcendant feeling. Sorry for the clunky description, but I'm not sure if there's a name for the kind of music/song I'm looking for. But I do have some examples!

I'm looking for more songs like this:

The Mother We Share by Chvrches
Anything Can Happen by Ellie Goulding
Oblivion by Grimes
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) by Arcade Fire

Things I can identify in these songs that I like are the female vocals (though that's not necessary), beats that don't overwhelm the production, a sort of bittersweet, wistful feel.

Fixing a DDR pad: irritating flex cable edition.

curious nu — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:30:23 -0800

It looks thusly. My issue is that, despite the fact that it was originally barely taped down at all, I am unable to successfully, reliably reattach it using the same method. ("it" in this case being the printed black strips on the left). I am reasonably sure that lack-of-contact is my problem, because if I physically hold the cable to the board, it will reliably work when I push a button. Best I can do is that sometimes, after putting it all back together for the Nth time, one button will work. Maybe other buttons on its side will work, maybe not. Maybe it'll work for a few presses and then quit. The cable looks fine, the board contacts look fine, no amount of scotch tape is helping me out here. How do I affix these suckers but good?

Tax Luddite

bad grammar — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:36:50 -0800

Should I e-file my taxes? Specific computer phobia (or phobia of the IRS) is involved. I'm not usually a technophobe, and I'm not usually flummoxed by computer programs and websites (my job is IT-related and I am relatively young). But I am afraid of filing my taxes electronically. (I am American, so if you are British, you can't help me much.)

I know people who either (a) messed up their e-file or (b) found that they owed much more than they had thought. I have a phobia that even though I've figured my taxes on paper, printing out reams of forms and instructions and reading them all carefully, and found my taxes to be relatively low, if I e-file I will find that I owe thousands of dollars or something equally insane. I also have self-employed income for which I don't have 1099-type documentation.

I lost a whole Saturday to doing my taxes on paper and I don't want to lose another day (or days) of free time to figuring out the e-filing. I don't have complex enough financials or make enough money to afford to hire a tax professional; even Turbotax would probably be a waste of money.

I have the impression the IRS and state tax bureaux no longer want you to file on paper anymore. They don't send out paper forms anymore. They'll still accept paper files, but they're definitely not encouraging it.

Getting my tax refund sooner is not an inducement, as it's very small this year due to SE income in addition to my regular job.

Great tunes to code to?

ebear — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:12:56 -0800

Hello, I'm trying to get a playlist for my hubbie for him to code to - ideally electronica, drum and bass, EDM or even modern classical like Arvo Part. Only caveat is that there must be no lyrics - I'd love to hear your favourite picks! I've got a bunch up already at blip for him - he listens to my radio station there - user name - emilybear - to give you an idea of what I've got there currently but I need more, so much more as there's a whole lot of coding to be done. Thanks!

What are the electronic music maestro guys using nowadays?

aqueousdan — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 23:29:51 -0800

Which programs do the current batch of electronic music wizz kids use? Any pointers for getting started, forums, etc would be awesome! I would love to give electronic music creation a go but am unsure where to start. I was wondering which program the likes of Skrillex, Pendulum, Disclosure, Calvin Harris, etc use to craft their music. I tried fruityloops but didn't get too far. Any advice from anyone that has had experience starting out with this kind of thing would also be awesome!

Getting good electronic dance music in Vancouver, BC

TangoCharlie — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 21:21:00 -0800

Where does a thirty-something resident of Vancouver go for electronic dance music? Similar to this older Ask Mefi thread, I'm looking for good electronic music in Vancouver, BC. My tastes are a little more mainstream than hers, but the spirit's close.

I've always loved electronic music across most genres but never had friends who were into it, so I've been shy about getting out to shows/nights. In the 90s I was too young for raves. I feel like I missed out. In the early '00s I knew I could at least get good Deep House from DJ Leanne on Sundays at Shine. I know no such thing these days, but it's time to get out there – alone, if I have to. It's time for dance music!

My tastes, FWIW: Right now I'm mostly listening to the UKF podcast (loved Submotion Orchestra, Document One... it's D&B/"dubstep" ;) ) and the Above & Beyond Group Therapy podcast (trance-y stuff). Big, fun, sweet electronic music. I've not had a lot of success with Resident Advisor - too sober for me, generally speaking. But maybe I'd like that sound more in a live setting. Like I said, all genres are good. My only hard-line turn-off is MCs.

I'd prefer to avoid line-ups and bar stars. I'd like to meet people who are genuinely there for the music, or I'd at least like to find an amiable crowd.

Maybe that'll lead to figuring out where to go/who to talk to about underground parties, but baby steps, right?

Any recommendations, pro-tips, and/or leads I can follow are all greatly appreciated. (Including cheap flights to the UK/Europe.)

Inspiring Popular Electronics Books?

Joe Chip — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:03:10 -0800

When I was learning to program I enjoyed reading popular computer science books like Godel Escher Bach in my downtime for motivation and inspiration. Can anyone suggest good popular electrical/electronics books that are similarly inspiring and are suitable to be followed along while on a train or before bed? I am simultaneously studying from a good electrical engineering textbook, so what I'm after are interesting narratives, intuitive explanations of phenomena, biographies, histories, maybe even fiction. Ideally this will be the book that inspired you to become an electrical engineer.

Is SoundCloud a good gift for a new electronic musician?

Shepherd — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:27:06 -0800

Is there a better gift in the $40 range for a budding dubstep/electro musician (in his 60s) seeking to get the word out than SoundCloud Premium? This may or may not be relevant: it's a gift for my uncle, who has been working in music for literally 40+ years and has recently developed a passion for dubstep. He's done a bit of dance music in the past, but has never really worked to make a name for himself online.

He's not Internet-ignorant -- he knows YouTube and YouTube channels, and can upload things there, for instance -- but I don't think has a lot of savvy about music self-promotion online beyond that.

I was thinking about SoundCloud Premium Lite as a gift for Christmas, so he can start uploading tracks, tagging them, and see how that goes. But I'm not much hipper than he is in terms of how musicians self-promote online these days, and was wondering if there was something that would deliver even more bang for that buck.

Canadian, so no access to a lot of services like Spotify and Last.fm, if that makes a difference.

Searching for beautiful emotional minimal music

PercussivePaul — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:50:59 -0800

Searching for beautiful emotional minimal music in the vein of Max Cooper, Marek Hemmann. Two specific things I am in love with are Marek Hemmann's Infinity EP, and Max Cooper's Loop Topologies set, especially the unreleased track at about 40 minutes in the latter, which has brought me to tears many times. Gold Panda has been a recent love as well which is sort of similar.

I'm not even quite sure what to call this. Maybe minimal electronic dance music? I like that it has a beat, and I like the relative simplicity of it (hence 'minimal') but what really pulls me is the emotional power behind it. That's kind of a subjective thing, I guess. This stuff feels really beautiful to me and that's what I'm craving. This is maybe similar to my last question but I'm being a bit more precise. Also, I prefer newer stuff, because I'd like to find artists I can see in person.

What else might I like? How does one find this stuff, anyway?

Where can I get good electronic mixes?

azarbayejani — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 07:59:01 -0800

mnml ssgs closed shop this summer and now I have no mixes to listen to. What are some good mixes/websites in the vein of mmml ssgs?

My brain is resistant to learning circuit analysis. Get it? Resistant? Like a resistor? Ahhh hahaha! Help.

SampleSize — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:11:20 -0800

I'm struggling in Electric Circuits 1 - particularly with analyzing series-parallel circuits, thevenizing and superposition. Before I look for a tutor, can anyone suggest some resources to learn it myself? When I'm trying to analyze a circuit, I don't know where to start. I have a myriad of formulas and rules, but I don't know which I should apply to what, and in what order. There must be a step-by-step process for breaking it down and sorting through it, right? Or maybe it's just a question of bashing my head into it from different angles until I hit on the right one? My (universally disliked) professor puts an example on the board and then quickly solves it without explaining any kind of a process. I asked him for some help during our last lab and he just took my pencil and wrote down the answer. I said, "Give me a chance to do it on my own or I won't learn," and he just kind of chuckled.

Any suggestions?

Gear geekin

aesacus — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:32:05 -0800

Starting package of gear for live electronic music? I'm a keyboard player and know some classical music theory and want to try my hand at electronic music.

I want to approach this a bit differently than most others. I want to make the music with the desire to play it live from the start, meaning I want to be able to generate all the sounds on the fly without anything prerecorded. So far I have been thinking this means lots of looping and layering (ala Andrew Bird or Zoe Keating) and probably spending $500-1000 initially on hardware.

So far, what has enamored me (and is in my price range) is the Microkorg, the Kaoss pad, the Kaossilator, and the Maschine. I would be able to buy two of these things (with cables and such), three at the most. My minimum requirements are a keyboard, since that is my skill, with synth/effects, a loop station, and sampler pads or some kind of percussive input. The Kaoss Pad seems to have pretty good looping capabilities, and I'm thinking that the Microkorg + KP3 could be a really good minimal starting route. Paying 200+ for a separate small looping pedal seems kind of ridiculous. I'm really attracted to the Maschine for playing out beats and samples, so maybe that'd be good with the KP3/Microkorg. I'm not sure how dependent on software the maschine is though. Also, Daedelus' Monome is pretty awesome (or the Novation Launchpad, for my budget), but probably not necessary for me now.

I would like to avoid using a laptop, although I do have both Ableton and Reason. I'm thinking this would take away from my whole live playing goal, and it just seems less genuine. This could just be my own irrational hangup though. I'm a programmer by trade and can pick up the software pretty quick. If I were to go the software route, I could probably just get a Maschine and use the midi keyboard I already have and save quite a lot of money. That way I could loop on the computer, get synth and effects on the computer (eg. audiomulch), and not need the hardware. Maybe I could get a touchscreen monitor or something to make it better to use live. This route does not interest me as much as the KP3/Microkorg route though.

I really appreciate any suggestions.

Help me find some dubstep.

archagon — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 02:19:27 -0800

I don't know much about electronic music. I know I like the deep, twisting, inertial sounds and rhythms of stereotypical dubstep. But whenever I go through "best album"-type lists of dubstep albums, almost all of them are more subdued. That's not to say I don't like them -- the oft-recommended London Zoo and Untrue now have a permanent spot in my music rotation -- but they just don't have that intense WUB WUB WUB feel. Here's a good example of what I'm looking for. What are some great albums with music in this style?

Name that Instrument

3FLryan — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 10:47:33 -0800

What is the breathy instrument playing the melody heard at 2:36 of this song? I love it! Want more. I'm sure this iteration of the instrument is tweaked, as this is electronic music, but the basic sound must be the same. Thanks!

Music to accompany sunrise, after being out all night

PercussivePaul — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 22:06:06 -0800

Searching for "sunrise" sets, albums, and songs: powerful and restorative music to cap an adventure or an epic night. The main purpose is to make a roadtrip soundtrack for the journey home after Burning Man. I suppose I'm imagining some kind of powerful/beautiful midtempo trance as the stereotype, but there's no reason to restrict it to this. Could be bluegrass or reggae or Bjork or anything else at all. In general there needs to be some kind of soulful, restorative quality to the music, and this is about the only way I'm able to describe what I'm after. Open to any recommendations. Full-length albums or DJ sets would be ideal.

Tell me what electronic cigarette to buy.

2or3whiskeysodas — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:07:13 -0800

Tell me what electronic cigarette to buy. Looking for: ease of use. Not looking for: muss, fuss. I understand e-cigs' gadgety appeal, but I am so not that guy, hence my reluctance to wade into the various, intensely geeky forums around the net. I don't really want to have to put too much thought into this purchase. I want an electronic cigarette that:

is easy to use,

performs its function well,

needs to be recharged as infrequently as can be expected, and

needs to be refilled as infrequently as can be expected.

Also, I don't anticipate buying 30 different flavors of juice for this thing. And I don't know if this is realistic, but it'd be swell to keep the purchase price somewhere around the $40-$50 range.

Any other recommendations for associated products, like quality liquids, are welcome as well!

Those video games will rot your brain!

youandiandaflame — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:14:43 -0800

My 7 year old son has misplaced his imagination. Please help me help him find it again... I am the mother of a 7 year old boy. He is an only child and I am a single mother. 2 years ago this kid had the imagination of Dr Seuss, I swear, but after a couple years of video games, he's turned into a 30 year old dude in his mother's basement with headphones on and the latest copy of WoW (no offense WoW lovers!).

I know I've played a part in this. I work 8 hours a day and then come home to a computer at which I sit and work another couple hours and by that time at night, it's just easier to sit next to him on the couch and do personal stuff on my laptop while he engages his video games. I've slacked and didn't see this creeping up but recently have realized this is a serious issue, the time that both of us spend on electronic devices, and I've been working to quell how much we both use these things. Thing is, it's very obvious that he's forgotten how to play alone.

How do I go about getting him back to that place? We've talked about it and he realizes too that this is unhealthy -- we've decided that we're going to ween ourselves off our electronics. I get an hour a day on my computer and he gets an hour on his DS (his preferred electronic device). But when it comes down to filling the rest of his day at home with other activities, the poor kid really is at a loss. He used to build Lego structures in his room for hours, now he is bothered by more than 10 minutes of that and gets frustrated. He used to draw, write stories, read books, and now he's just totally over that. He'd rather hear a story through his Monster Truck game. As for me, I'm no help. I try to be encouraging but watching him flail about whilst unsuccessfully trying to use his brain is something I can't comprehend. In the absence of my computer, I'll read. I'll doodle and craft. I've tried to engage him in these things with me but it's just not flying. He's not being a brat, really, he just needs to relearn how to entertain himself and I want to help him.

Do I keep pushing these things and eventually he'll find that nice spot in his head where he can sit alone for hours? Do I buy a damn book full of activities to keep his brain active? What's a reasonable amount of time to allow for electronic based activities for a 7 year old daily anyway?

This kid is extremely creative and draws some serious self-esteem from that fact and I see it dying in front of me and feel helpless. I've always pushed creativity in the house and now I've contributed to it not having enough air to breathe and I'd like to fix that. Any suggestions?

(Also of note: We live in the Midwest and just shoving him out the door and letting him find a butterfly to investigate is no longer an option like it was this spring. It's so damn hot his brain would literally melt so outdoors suggestions, if you had one, might not work.)

The check's in the mail

dave99 — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:04:34 -0800

Electronic transfers have not replaced checks in the United States to the same degree as in most other Western countries. What are the technical and cultural reasons underlying this?

Help me find machine music that isn't abrasive, but also isn't predictable.

yaymukund — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:22:52 -0800

Help me find electronic music that sounds like machines. Some examples are Diamond Catalog, SPK, and Nate Young. Boards of Canada also comes very close. Unsettling but not aggressive (e.g. not Big Black). Chaotic but not out of control (e.g. not Merzbow's Merzbeat or Pulse Demon). Thanks!

C'mon, let's move it!

Admiral Haddock — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:09:56 -0800

I'd love your recommendations for some upbeat, happy, dance/electronic music (probably from Europe), based on a couple of tracks inside. I like "happy" music--uptempo, kinda fun, maybe a little tongue in cheek, etc.--I like Euro dancey electonic-y stuff. Can you recommend any other tracks and / or artists like those below? Does NOT have to be in English. I don't tend to go for saccharine K-Pop or J-Pop music.

Fatal Bazooka (Feat. Yelle): Parle a la main.
Studio Killers: Ode to a Bouncer
Martin Solveig (feat. Dragonette) Hello (love the Tenenbaums!)
Robyn: Stars
Yelle: Safari Disco Club
Royksopp: Happy up Here
Mint Royale: Something New
Saint Etienne: Stars Above Us
Junior Senior: Shake Your Coconuts!

That's just a grab bag, some newer/dancier/happier/peppier than others. Shake them coconuts! WheeeEEeeEE!

tv program predicted rise of electronic books in 1980s

cmp4Meta — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:55:38 -0800

Trying to remember the name of a TV series program that I watched in the late 1980s that in one episode on digital information predicted the rise of the electronic book. There was a male host who led the show, which was an examination of new technologies. In the particular episode I am looking for, he recounted an idea that books in the future would be distributed from something like an ATM machine where you would insert a card onto which the book would be downloaded. If it helps, I remember he stood at some kind of podium during the broadcasts that had like an acrylic/lucite egg-shaped glowing top--random detail, but these are often what jog people's memory.

Is it legal to withdraw online payments without notifying the consumer?

Anonymous — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:19:24 -0800

Is it legal for a company to withdraw online payments from my account without notifying me first? I live in Massachusetts and have monthly online payments set up for my gas bill, which is generally between $10-$20. I usually receive an email notifying me that my invoice is ready to be viewed, and then a later notification informing me that the payment has been processed. Recently I checked my bank account and found that I had been charged close to $300. I received no notification or invoice for this payment, and when I called the company I was informed that my monthly payments were "estimated" and that the large payment was based on the actual meter reading -- which, as far as I can tell from my communication with the company, I was not informed of. Do I have any legal recourse here?

Looking for examples of a keyboard style.

circular — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:34:04 -0800

There's a keyboard solo technique used in funky, upbeat tunes that is based on simple, high-pitch synthesizer chords, played really fast. I don't remember any specific tunes with this technique, but I'm thinking of 80s bands like the Commodores, for some reason. Can anybody help me find examples and maybe some theory so I can emulate it? Probably involves some pitch bend, too.

How do you keep track of DJs and dance music

PercussivePaul — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:25:48 -0800

How do you keep track of and find new DJs and electronic music - the kind you would dance to at clubs and festivals? The rules seem to be different compared to album-based rock/pop music I'm more familiar with. So, I'm branching out musically, and I really like dancing to really loud thumping music, and I'm beginning to develop an understanding of different styles like trance, house, techno, etc, and beginning to form tastes and preferences. My current problem is that I want to see and hear more of this stuff but there is too much and I don't know how to filter it. I especially want to go to a big club every now and then, and living in London UK there are amazing opportunities for this, but of the hundreds of options every weekend I won't have heard of the vast majority. But maybe some of these might be amazing things I would love. On those rare times when I feel like a big night, I want to make an informed choice. But I work full time and I can't spend forever going to people's websites and listening to things. There's just too much out there.

I can stream music while I work. Lately I've been listening to BBC radio one's weekly essential mixes. This seems like a really good way to hear about emerging acts (emerging into like mega-fame, that is) and to get a sense of what kind of sounds are current right now. I'm looking for more stuff like this, either crowdsourced or curated so that I am spared the hours of digging.

Electronic cardiovascular doohickey -- yea or nay?

greatgefilte — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:43:29 -0800

Has anyone used one of those combination ECG/pulse oximeter/electronic stethoscopes that seem to be flooding eBay from various Chinese distributors? Examples:

Contec Visual Electronic Stethoscope

CMS-M Multi-function Stethoscope

I've been looking for a good way to digitally record heart/lung sounds without plunking down a few hundred dollars for an electronic stethoscope, and these devices seem potentially useful. I wonder about the quality and accuracy, though. Any thoughts?