penmachine podcast: free MP3 instrumental songs at podcast.penmachine.com

Back in late 2004 and early 2005, following the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, I wrote a series of blog posts that turned into an online article about tsunamis. This past few months, three talented students from Vancouver Film School (Jamie Peterson, Erica Edwards, and Shalinder Matharu), in consultation with me, adapted it into a two-minute instructional video graphic (25 MB MPEG video) using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects (no, those are not real paper cutouts—I asked). Very cool! I've posted the video in iPod-compatible format for iTunes or QuickTime.

At almost twelve and a half minutes, “Striking Silver” (MP3 file, 14 MB) is by far the longest instrumental track I've ever posted here. I originally created it as a background track for the Inside Home Recording podcast, made with (and as part of a review of) Guitar Rig 3 by Native Instruments. It's ambient, spacey, noodley, and recorded in one take with only a single guitar, my G&L Tribute S-500. “Striking Silver” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2007 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN), available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License. The picture is public domain, and is a copy of the first photograph ever taken, made by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 in France.

We put up and decorated our Christmas tree today. So I made a time-lapse movie of it. The music is my earlier recording of "We Three Kings."

What? Four months without a podcast episode, and more than eight months since my last new tune, and all I have for you is a drum track?! Yup, "Quick 'n' Dirty Drums" (3.5 MB, 2 min 35 sec MP3 file) is it. I played them at 120 beats per minute (bpm) if you want to use them in a song. Hey, I've had surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, more surgery, a month in hospital, and I'm in the middle of more chemo as I write this.(Read more at my blog.) So take what you can get! As a bonus, "Quick 'n' Dirty Drums" is completely public domain, which means you can take the track and do anything you want with it. Yes, anything. So have fun. I'm working on some more stuff I should have posted here soon. These drums were originally recorded for an episode of Inside Home Recording, a podcast I co-cost and which you should listen to.

This audio, from June 29, is my third appearance on the Vancouver afternoon radio show “On the Coast,” following others in January, and again in April. This time my wife joined me on air, and we talked about how I have continued blogging despite further bad news about my cancer diagnosis. We spoke with host Paul Grant for about 10 minutes (6 MB MP3 file) about mortality, the Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair, my upcoming birthday and surgery, and the fabulous people at the B.C. Cancer Agency. The photo (which was not taken at the CBC, by the way) is by Megan Cole.

This audio, from June 29, is my third appearance on the Vancouver afternoon radio show “On the Coast,” following others in January, and again in April. This time my wife joined me on air, and we talked about how I have continued blogging despite further bad news about my cancer diagnosis.nWe spoke with host Paul Grant for about 10 minutes (6 MB MP3 file) about mortality, the Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair, my upcoming birthday and surgery, and the fabulous people at the B.C. Cancer Agency.

Mark Blevis just emailed me this audio file (3 min 21 sec), a happy birthday message (I turn 38 tomorrow) from podcasters all over the place. Holy crap. Thanks everybody, I’m stunned. My wife had to get me some tissues after I started listening to it, so it did its job. The photo from Podcasters Across Borders 2007 is by Jim Milles. The backing track is my tune “Fakeout.” The message is © 2007 by Mark Blevis, Bill Deys, Sean McGaughey, and Bob Goyetche, as well as everyone else who contributed. It’s available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Mark Blevis just emailed me this audio file (3 min 21 sec), a happy birthday message (I turn 38 tomorrow) from podcasters all over the place. Holy crap. Thanks everybody, I’m stunned.nMy wife had to get me some tissues after I started listening to it, so it did its job. The photo from Podcasters Across Borders 2007 is by Jim Milles.nThe backing track is my tune “Fakeout.” The message is © 2007 by Mark Blevis, Bill Deys, Sean McGaughey, and Bob Goyetche, as well as everyone else who contributed.

I first appeared on “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, at the end of January, talking about how I use my blog to discuss my colorectal cancer. This week I was back again with host Priya Ramu for a followup chat. We spoke for about seven minutes (3 MB MP3 file) about how things are going and what has changed since January, which is fair bit. Priya and I also talked about peanut butter sandwiches.

I first appeared on “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, at the end of January, talking about how I use my blog to discuss my colorectal cancer. This week I was back again with host Priya Ramu for a followup chat.nWe spoke for about seven minutes (3 MB MP3 file) about how things are going and what has changed since January, which is fair bit.nPriya and I also talked about peanut butter sandwiches.

What do I do when I get diagnosed with colon cancer? Blog the heck out of it, and record a fiery little instrumental number like “Fakeout” (MP3 file, 3 min 12 sec). The track emerged out of trying to perfect a meaty, Vox AC30-style guitar tone, and while it might sound like a power trio in the studio, I actually recorded it entirely on my MacBook laptop with my Strat and a series of bass, drum, and other sound loops, processed with IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube 2 Live amp emulator. Most it came together in our living room or while I was lying in bed. Les Thorn managed to refine and punch up the mix amazingly well during his mastering job. “Fakeout” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2007 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN). Mastered by the always awesome Les Thorn in New York City, and available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

What do I do when I get diagnosed with colon cancer? Blog the heck out of it, and record a fiery little instrumental number like “Fakeout” (MP3 file, 3 min 12 sec). The track emerged out of trying to perfect a meaty, Vox AC30-style guitar tone, and while it might sound like a power trio in the studio, I actually recorded it entirely on my MacBook laptop with my Strat and a series of bass, drum, and other sound loops, processed with IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube 2 Live amp emulator. Most it came toge

One day after I appeared on CBC Radio’s “On the Coast” with Priya Ramu, the station patched in Barry D. Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, from Montreal, for his reaction to the blog posts I’ve been writing about my own cancer diagnosis. His response was resoundingly positive, as you can hear in his eight-minute talk with Priya (5 MB MP3 file, and a bit noisier than yesterday’s because we taped it from the radio instead of getting it directly from CBC). That makes me happy. The image for this podcast is of the Anzie Lifesaver Bracelet, which benefits Canadian CR cancer research.

One day after I appeared on CBC Radio’s “On the Coast” with Priya Ramu, the station patched in Barry D. Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, from Montreal, for his reaction to the blog posts I’ve been writing about my own cancer diagnosis.nHis response was resoundingly positive, as you can hear in his eight-minute talk with Priya (5 MB MP3 file, and a bit noisier than yesterday’s because we taped it from the radio instead of getting it directly from CBC). That makes

Yesterday, host Priya Ramu of “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, was skeptical about why I’d want to blog about something as personal as my diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer. We talked for nearly nine minutes (5 MB MP3 file) about why I chose to be so public about it. I think I made a decent case for myself. You can read more about my impressions of the interview and my subsequent treatment plan over on my blog at penmachine.com. Also check out the next day’s followup interview.

Yesterday, host Priya Ramu of “On the Coast,” the popular afternoon drivetime show on Vancouver’s CBC Radio One, was skeptical about why I’d want to blog about something as personal as my diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer.nWe talked for nearly nine minutes (5 MB MP3 file) about why I chose to be so public about it. I think I made a decent case for myself. You can read more about my impressions of the interview and my subsequent treatment plan over on my blog at penmachine.com.

Just in time to be my last new track of 2006! This tune comprises two bass tracks, laid down over a waltz-time drum loop by Doug Elliott between sets when our band was playing in late December, and three guitar tracks layered on by me a little over a week later, on the morning on December 31, 2006. “Funkly Dougietude” (1 MB MP3 file) is only 47 seconds long, and I hope you like it. “Funkly Dougietude” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2006 by Derek K. Miller and Doug Elliott(SOCAN). Mastered by the fab Les Thorn in New York City, and available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Just in time to be my last new track of 2006! This tune comprises two bass tracks, laid down over a waltz-time drum loop by Doug Elliott between sets when our band was playing in late December, and three guitar tracks layered on by me a little over a week later, on the morning on December 31, 2006. “Funkly Dougietude” (1 MB MP3 file) is only 47 seconds long, and I hope you like it.n“Funkly Dougietude” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2006 by Derek K. Miller and Doug El

Starting in the early 1990s, Thomas Dolby spent more than a decade out of the music business, building his company Beatnik from a MIDI synthesizer and web audio firm into the world’s leading provider of polyphonic mobile phone ringtones. Now he’s back recording and touring, and says he’s like the Austin Powers of the music industry, unfrozen and amazed at the new opportunities. On Saturday, November 11, 2006, he gave a wide-ranging talk at the Music Tech Summit I attended in Seattle. The event was organized by the Pacific Northwest chapter of the Recording Academy (grammy.com), the organization best known for putting on the Grammy awards each year. This is the 42-minute audio (download the MP3 file directly if you like) of his presentation. An eight-minute edited version appears in episode #28 of Inside Home Recording, the podcast I co-host.

Starting in the early 1990s, Thomas Dolby spent more than a decade out of the music business, building his company Beatnik from a MIDI synthesizer and web audio firm into the world’s leading provider of polyphonic mobile phone ringtones. Now he’s back recording and touring, and says he’s like the Austin Powers of the music industry, unfrozen and amazed at the new opportunities.nOn Saturday, November 11, 2006, he gave a wide-ranging talk at the Music Tech Summit I attended in Seattle. The event w

I’ve maintained the BC Branch website for the Editors’ Association of Canada for a few years now, and occasionally speak to the group’s monthly meetings about technical topics. In October 2006, they called me at the last minute when other options for a speaker fell through, so I riffed for awhile on what it’s like to write and edit for websites, email, podcasts, and other new-technology media, which is what I do for a living and as a hobby. I also talked a bit about how search engines work, what “Web 2.0” is, and so on. The audio (download the MP3 file directly if you like) is a little over an hour long, and is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

I’ve maintained the BC Branch website for the Editors’ Association of Canada for a few years now, and occasionally speak to the group’s monthly meetings about technical topics. In October 2006, they called me at the last minute when other options for a speaker fell through, so I riffed for awhile on what it’s like to write and edit for websites, email, podcasts, and other new-technology media, which is what I do for a living and as a hobby.nI also talked a bit about how search engines work, what

An instant message from Tris Hussey, asking if I had something funky for his new podcast, inspired me to take a few hours over the 2006 Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend to construct “Mighty Mullane” (MP3 file) in this long version (3 minutes) and a short version (44 seconds). It’s a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat. The name popped into my head today, and probably derives from The Mullanes, one of the original proposed names for Crowded House, a favourite band of mine. “Might Mullane (Long Version)” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2006 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN). Mastered by the always awesome Les Thorn in New York City, and available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

An instant message from Tris Hussey, asking if I had something funky for his new podcast, inspired me to take a few hours over the 2006 Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend to construct “Mighty Mullane” (MP3 file) in this short version (44 seconds) and a long version (3 minutes). It’s a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat. The name popped into my head today, and probably derives from The Mullanes, one of the original proposed names for Crowded House, a favourite band of mine. “Might Mullane (Short Version)” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2006 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN). Mastered by the always awesome Les Thorn in New York City, and available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

An instant message from Tris Hussey, asking if I had something funky for his new podcast, inspired me to take a few hours over the 2006 Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend to construct “Mighty Mullane” (MP3 file) in this long version (3 minutes) and a short version (44 seconds). It’s a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat. The name popped into my head today, and probably derives from The Mullanes, one of the original proposed names for Crowded House, a favourite band of mine.n“Might

An instant message from Tris Hussey, asking if I had something funky for his new podcast, inspired me to take a few hours over the 2006 Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend to construct “Mighty Mullane” (MP3 file) in this short version (44 seconds) and a long version (3 minutes). It’s a synth-funk number with a hint of Aerosmith in the beat. The name popped into my head today, and probably derives from The Mullanes, one of the original proposed names for Crowded House, a favourite band of mine.n“Might

“Pocketbook” was the first thing I ever did after I got GarageBand and an M-Audio MIDI keyboard in 2004. See the original shownotes for details. (I’ve been so busy with other podcasts and stuff that I haven’t recorded a new tune in all of September. Shame. So I’m dumping out a whole bunch of old tunes instead.) “Pocketbook” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2004 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN), Mastered by Les Thorn in New York City.

My friend Simon sends me parts of compositions fairly often, yet I’m a bad guy and only rarely do anything with them. “The Burning Moon” is one: Simon did the bass and drums, I did the rest. See the original shownotes too. (I’ve been so busy with other podcasts and stuff that I haven’t recorded a new tune in all of September. Shame. So I’m dumping out a whole bunch of old tunes instead.) “The Burning Moon” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2005 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN

This is “Fresh Snow in the Valley,” a techno-ish number I recorded almost two years ago, and which locked-out CBC workers used in their picket line podcast in summer 2005. See the original shownotes too. (I’ve been so busy with other podcasts and stuff that I haven’t recorded a new tune in all of September. Shame. So I’m dumping out a whole bunch of old tunes instead.) “Fresh Snow in the Valley” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2004 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN), Mastered

This is “Meltdown Man,” perhaps my favourite composition of all the ones I’ve put up on this site. I put it together in summer 2005 after thinking, “hey, I should do some rockabilly.” And it worked! See the original shownotes too. (I’ve been so busy with other podcasts and stuff that I haven’t recorded a new tune in all of September. Shame. So I’m dumping out a whole bunch of old tunes instead.) “Meltdown Man” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2005 by Derek K. Miller (S