Topic: Ableton Live

The podcast suffered a major technical failure mid-recording due to a Macintosh "kernel panic" that crashed the system and Ableton Live software. A listener named "Nerdy Dude" recorded the live stream, allowing the hosts to recover the first 40 minutes of the show. The hosts discuss the reliability of "The Cloud," which they define as individuals backing up the stream in real-time.

Adam Curry describes his new minimalist recording setup featuring a wireless lavalier microphone and a custom-built stand made from a Radio Shack alligator clip and a telescopic antenna. He compares the sound quality of the wireless unit favorably against expensive studio microphones. The hosts discuss the "character" added to voices by different hardware and reference old Bay Area radio DJ Dr. Don Rose.

A new portable recording setup using Lectrosonics wireless gear and Ableton Live is yielding better audio quality than traditional studio equipment. The discussion also covers MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) and "Countryman" ear-set microphones, which use nanotechnology to provide high-end condenser sound in a nearly invisible form factor.

Curry describes using an iPod Touch as a handheld browser and a wireless MIDI controller for his Ableton Live studio setup. He details using AKA Remote software to trigger jingles and control faders remotely, while planning a future screencast to document his technical workflow for listeners.

A host describes a three-week technical process to configure a "mix-minus" signal on a Mac for podcast production. The setup utilizes Mac's aggregate devices feature to stack multiple input and output devices into a single interface for Ableton Live. A specific routing error involving Skype's mono signal caused a feedback loop until it was identified that the software was being treated as a stereo source.