Jay Asher

I bought an iPad. Why???

Jay Asher — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:21:52 +0000

For years, my friends have been telling my, “Jay, you gotta get an iPad, the thing is freaking awesome” so finally yesterday, I bought used one from a friend who wanted the newest one at a great price.. But after playing around with his thing for a few hours, it was the wrong decision so I probably will be selling it if you hear of someone who wants one.

My main reason for buying this was as a MIDI controller for Logic Pro, as I sold my venerable Logic Control. I thought that nothing could be as uninspiring as moving faders on a computer screen with a trackball/mouse, but I was wrong. Moving faders on an iPad screen with a finger is equally uninspiring, maybe even more. I doubt I will choose to do so very often.

Bear in mind that I already have a smart phone, an iPod Touch, and a Nook. So the main reasons I am guessing people love iPads are:

Internet connection/email: I can already do this at home with my computer and remotely from the phone or the iPod Touch, but of course, I would need WIFI access for the latter. Oh wait, I will for the iPad as well. But it is a bigger screen than the other two. Yes, but it is also a bigger thing to have to lug around.

Watch a movie or a TV show: You mean like on my computer, which I rarely do? I have this device called, let me think…. oh, yeah a TV. But when I am out and I find myself needing to kill n hour or so I can use it. If I have an hour or so to kill, why am I out of the house again?

Games: I can play games, just like on my computer, phone, or iPod Touch. Except that I don’t because they bore the crap out of me.

Read a book: But I have a Nook, which is great for this and it smaller and less cumbersome to plug around. Did I mention that this thing is just too big to be lugging around?

Cool Apps: You mean like on my phone and iPod Touch? Which you cannot demo first? But it is a bigger screen than the other two. Yes, but it is also a bigger thing to have to lug around. Did I mention that this thing is just too big to be lugging around? But hey, that Omni TR is cool and if I ever decided to compose in Garageband I could do so:)

And if someone has a MacBook Pro as well, which does pretty much everything an iPad does and so much more, why you like the iPad so much really is a mystery to me.

One guy on the internet wrote: “For me, the iPad represents sheer convenience. It’s much more comfortable to kick back on the sofa, iPad in hand, and browse the web, play a game, listen to some music, or catch up on a TV show you missed via Sky Go or iPlayer. I’d rather use an iPad than sit in a chair, in front of a desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard, or with a full laptop computer.”

So I guess that is the answer. Sadly, I don’t think I am that guy.

A soundtrack from my scores for New World’s “Zorro” is finally released!

Jay Asher — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:44:14 +0000

It is downloadable from both Amazon and CD Baby, where a physical CD can also be purchased.

My new book on Logic Pro’s score editor is out

Jay Asher — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:37:41 +0000

It is available to purchase from Amazon.

My new Film Music Magazine column is up

Jay Asher — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:06:22 +0000

My new Film Music Magazine column is up. It is the successor to my last column about whether to add or not add a slave computer and the many options, which led to my building a PC slave.
http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=8725

Jay Asher — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:55:16 +0000

Jay recently completed scoring featurettes for Deluxe for the Conan The Barbarian DVD about Conan’s creator, Robert E. Howard and real life female bounty hunters and bail bondsman for the soon to be released film “One For The Money”.

My new Film Music Magazine column is online

Jay Asher — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:42:28 +0000

All about compressors, hardware and software.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=8164

My June column for Film Music Magazine is up

Jay Asher — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:56:48 +0000

It is an interview with composer/developer Nick Phoenix of EW.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=8007

This month’s column for Film Music Magazine has been posted.

Jay Asher — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:43:05 +0000

It is a discussion with Steve Porcaro about synthesizers and software synthesizers.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=7876

My latest column for Film Music Magazine is up

Jay Asher — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:28:17 +0000

It’s a discussion with noted EVI player Judd Miller.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=7718

Did you know btw, that you can find ALL my columns here?

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?author=21

And another FIlm Music Magazine column

Jay Asher — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:38:52 +0000

This one is an interview with drum/percussion programmer Ron Aston.

http://www.filmmusicmag.com/?p=7547