Hack Audio

In Episode 2, I tell the story about how I ended up discovering my interest in audio and computer programming. It was a long journey involving exploring several interests independently. It was not until recently when I could combine all my interests together.   I grew up around music. I took music lessons and bounced around from instrument to instrument. I enjoyed it to some extent. In hindsight, I was getting interested in audio without even knowing it. I spent more time thinking about “how I can get my guitar to sound good,” instead of learning “how to play the instrument.”   In my formative years, I got involved with the live sound at my church to learn about the equipment. Around the same time, my uncle showed me some things about electronics and building guitar amplifiers.   When I went off to college, I studied music technology, mathematics, and electrical engineering separately. Along the way, I learned some things about computer programming. At the time, I had never even heard of digital signal processing before. As soon as I discovered it, I really wanted to focus on learning DSP.   I had the opportunity to work on some interesting projects during my education. Whenever possible, I tried to apply DSP to audio applications.   After finishing school, I became a professor at Belmont University. Currently, I teach classes on music production, the human auditory system, computer programming and DSP. It is a wonderful way to combine all my interests.   I’m sure many of you have had similar experiences, or are wondering about the options you have for your own education. I am hoping my story gives you some ideas about pursuing your own interests.   Catch you next time!

In Episode 1, I will be introducing the Hack Audio Podcast and Blog. I discuss the current status and the future plans for both platforms.   On the blog, I will provide instructional content for learning computer programming and audio engineering together. There will also be a lot of information related to digital signal processing provided. Written blog posts and video tutorials will be used to demonstrate common audio effects.   On the podcast, I will share stories, philosophies, and encouragement for those working in this field or aspiring to work. In future episodes, there will be guest interviews with developers, programmers, and educators.   One of the reasons to learn computer programming is to better understand your gear. In my opinion, there 3 levels of understanding your gear. The first level is understanding how to use your gear. The second level is understanding the concept of how your gear works. The third level is understanding how to actually implement or create a piece of gear. In the analog world, implementing an audio effect means building circuits. In the digital world, implementing an audio effect means writing computer code. Learning how to implement or create a piece of gear can improve your overall understanding.   Stay tuned for more to come!