{"id":790,"date":"2026-05-23T15:27:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T15:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=790"},"modified":"2026-05-23T15:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T15:27:11","slug":"mpc-linndrum-roger-linn-questionnaire-music-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=790","title":{"rendered":"MPC creator, Roger Linn, stays focused with a single browser tab"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Roger Linn is a legend in the world of musical instruments. He\u2019s been at the cutting edge of music technology for decades. He created the LM-1, the first drum machine to use samples, and its successor, the LinnDrum<\/a>, is one of the most iconic drum machines of all time. They were used on countless records in the 1980s, including hits by Tom Petty<\/a>, Queen<\/a>, and Tears for Fears<\/a>. But the most notable fan was probably Prince, who used them extensively on Purple Rain<\/em><\/a> and 1999<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Somehow, those are not his greatest contributions to the music world. That would, undoubtedly, be the MPC<\/a>. Linn partnered with Akai to create one of the most popular and important samplers ever. The MPC60 and its successors became the tool<\/a> of choice<\/a> for countless<\/a> hip-hop<\/a> and house<\/a> producers<\/a>. J Dilla\u2019s MPC 3000<\/a> even sits in the Smithsonian.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Roger Linn was also an early adopter of MPE, or MIDI polyphonic expression. It\u2019s a key feature of his LinnStrument<\/a>, an expressive 3D controller released in 2014 \u2014 three years before the Association of Musical Electronics Industry (AMEI) officially released<\/a> the MPE standard. Turns out the man stays so innovative by keeping things simple and focused.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is your most indispensable tool?<\/strong>
My MacBook Pro.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Which is the most underappreciated?<\/strong>
My Vision Pro. I called it the most amazing product I rarely use.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?<\/strong>
On a computer, Rhino3D.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?<\/strong>
Apple Mail\u2019s bugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?<\/strong>
New York Times.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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How many tabs do you have open right now?<\/strong>
One. This document.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Which social media platform do you use the most (if any)?<\/strong>
I don\u2019t use social media except to announce my monthly \u201cAll Things LinnStrument\u201d email newsletter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is your happy place online?<\/strong>
A VR app for the Meta Quest called Walkabout Mini Golf. It was a large number of artistically created open VR worlds that offer a surprising level of beauty from the Quest 3\u2019s limited power. I go there to play a game of mini golf, fly around, or meet friends in a private instance of a particular world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is your favorite gadget you\u2019ve ever owned?<\/strong>
I don\u2019t know about \u201cever\u201d, but these days it\u2019s VR headsets, currently the Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Which was the most disappointing?<\/strong>
In general, I\u2019m disappointed by products that are designed by engineers who assume their customers are engineers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What game do you have the fondest memories of?<\/strong>
Myst.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Which tech trend do you wish would go away?<\/strong>
Spam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What creation are you most proud of?<\/strong>
LinnStrument.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What\u2019s the best piece of advice you\u2019ve ever received?<\/strong>
Keep it simple.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What is your current obsession?<\/strong>
VR.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What do you do when you need to focus?<\/strong>
Breathe. Calm down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What do you do when you\u2019re feeling stuck?<\/strong>
I try to shift my perspective.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?<\/strong>
I never go anywhere without my phone. Maybe swimming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What\u2019s the last piece of physical media you bought?<\/strong>
That would be a long time ago. I\u2019ve only bought books, music, films, etc. in digital form for a long time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What do you think is worth splurging on?<\/strong>
If someone made a VR headset with retina resolution, very high power, lots of beautiful open worlds, but it was expensive, I\u2019d probably buy it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What would the tagline for your biopic be?<\/strong>
\u201cHe created tools that allowed musicians to make better music.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What\u2019s the last GIF or meme you used?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This isn\u2019t a GIF, but maybe it\u2019s a meme:
( \u0361\u00b0 \u035c\u0296 \u0361\u00b0)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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