Roger Linn, MPC Legend, Creates with a Single Browser Tab
▼ Summary
– Roger Linn, a legendary music tech innovator, created iconic drum machines like the LM-1 and LinnDrum, used by artists such as Prince, Queen, and Tom Petty.
– His greatest contribution is the MPC, a sampler he co-created with Akai that became essential for hip-hop and house producers.
– He was an early adopter of MPE, featuring it in his LinnStrument controller released three years before the official MPE standard.
– His most indispensable tool is his MacBook Pro, while his Vision Pro is the most underappreciated product he rarely uses.
– He avoids social media except for his newsletter, and his happy place online is the VR app Walkabout Mini Golf on the Meta Quest.
Roger Linn’s name is etched into the DNA of modern music. He’s the mind behind the LM-1, the first drum machine to use real samples, and the legendary LinnDrum, which powered 1980s classics from Tom Petty, Queen, and Tears for Fears. Prince was such a fan that he built much of Purple Rain and 1999 around those beats. But even those achievements take a backseat to his most influential creation: the MPC. Partnering with Akai, Linn helped birth a sampler that became the heartbeat of hip-hop and house music. J Dilla’s MPC 3000 now sits in the Smithsonian.
Linn also pushed forward MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) years before it became an official standard. His LinnStrument, a 3D expressive controller released in 2014, let musicians shape sound with unprecedented nuance , three years before the industry formalized MPE. So how does he stay decades ahead? By keeping things simple and focused.
Here’s a glimpse into his digital life.
What is your most indispensable tool? My MacBook Pro.
Which is the most underappreciated? My Vision Pro. I call it the most amazing product I rarely use.
What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer? On a computer, Rhino3D.
What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone? Apple Mail’s bugs.
What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar? New York Times.
How many tabs do you have open right now? One. This document.
Which social media platform do you use the most? I don’t use social media except to announce my monthly “All Things LinnStrument” email newsletter.
What is your happy place online? A VR app for the Meta Quest called Walkabout Mini Golf. It offers artistically created open VR worlds with surprising beauty from the Quest 3’s limited power. I go there to play mini golf, fly around, or meet friends in a private world.
What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned? These days, it’s VR headsets , currently the Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro.
Which was the most disappointing? Products designed by engineers who assume their customers are engineers.
What game do you have the fondest memories of? Myst.
Which tech trend do you wish would go away? Spam.
What creation are you most proud of? LinnStrument.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Keep it simple.
What is your current obsession? VR.
What do you do when you need to focus? Breathe. Calm down.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck? I try to shift my perspective.
When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone? I never go anywhere without my phone. Maybe swimming.
What’s the last piece of physical media you bought? That would be a long time ago. I’ve only bought digital books, music, and films for years.
What do you think is worth splurging on? If someone made a VR headset with retina resolution, very high power, and lots of beautiful open worlds , even if expensive , I’d probably buy it.
What would the tagline for your biopic be? “He created tools that allowed musicians to make better music.”
What’s the last GIF or meme you used? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
(Source: The Verge)