Archive for 2009
Review: M-Audio Xponent
Midi in DJing isn't new to me. I've been playing with an Akai MPD24 for a while now, enjoying the added functionality it brings not only to Ableton Live, but Torq. However, the idea of getting an all-in-one controller like the Xponent was a stretch. While I'll I've been devoted to my timecode vinyl, I'll admit the Xponent changed my viewpoint.
Originally, I picked up this Xponent to use only for live gigs. I've been quite tired of showing up to venues to only find a broken pair of turntables or no turntables at all. Not to mention having to play around Serato Scratch and Traktor Scratch users who sometimes aren't too keen on allowing Torq users to play. It's funny that in a short time from playing on the Xponent I ended up packing away my turntables and now use the controller exclusively.
The Long Journey Home
Back on December 16, 2008, Chicago was hit with a record snowstorm for the year. It was also the first big snow Chicago had seen of this recent winter. If you've ever lived in a major city where it snows, you'll know a snowstorm means you're in for a long commute home.
Despite that I had the week off from my normal job, I was down in Hyde Park doing a freelance photo shoot of a dental office. I left my client in the early afternoon when I started to see the snow come down, but alas I was trapped in what turned into a four hour commute back to my home. Normally, this trip would take 40-60 minutes depending on traffic.
Stereotyping the Downtrodden
Well, if anyone has been hiding in a cave for the last few years, the United States is yet in another recession. Like the many before it, it means prices drop on almost everything, but people have no money to really take advantage of said deals. We see many lose their jobs, struggle, and eventually find new work...often times making less money than they did before. Many will try more education in grad school or trade school in order to get back into the workforce, but overall it won't be a happy or pleasant time for the many who come down on their luck.
