Cookie's Corner - #172 - Dreaming of a White Christmas and new adventures in audio for 2024
From Cookie Marenco - Founder and Producer Blue Coast Records and Music
We are especially grateful to our music lovers. Enjoy the coupon below and use it as many times as you like until early January.
Thankyou30
Add the above coupon code at check out to enjoy a 30% discount to our store…
Writer’s block is an interesting thing. My apologies for leaving so much time between now and my last newsletter. Life got in the way of focusing on writing. I’m looking forward to 2024 and getting back to a more ‘normal’ life - whatever that means.
Above is a picture of my backyard’s current state. Any of you who have been here know that the agave plants had taken over the backyards of my house and the neighbors. One neighbor found an excellent gardener who chopped and removed three houses worth of agave plants while climbing up a huge hill to dispose of them. It’s kind of a miracle. I never thought I’d see the ground again so this is pretty amazing. My brain is filled with ideas for music parties!
A big THANKYOU to Acoustic Sciences who sent me 8 Tube Traps to create a demo of how diffusion changes the sound of a room - both for recording and listening. We’ve got a few great ideas to try for next year.
We’re planning to go to NAMM and visit old friends, talk about new directions and catch up with everyone’s life. It’ll be the first time back since Covid struck in 2020. NAMM was our last convention before Covid so this kind of completes the circle. Let us know if you’re going and we’ll try to connect.
We’ve been reviving and digitizing a lot of 2” multi-track tapes recently. It’s been thrilling to relive moments in the studio that happened more than 30 years ago.
Ted Gioia is an amazing writer about the music industry. Here is a iink to an article he wrote about Bing Crosby’s influence on technology and the Silicon Valley. If you’re interested in the music industry, I highly recommend subscribing to Ted’s newsletter.
TED GIOIA - The Honest Broker
How Bing Crosby Made Silicon Valley Possible
The singer who popularized "White Christmas" was also a visionary tech innovator
I highly recommend reading Ted’s detailed article on how Bing affected audio technology. From supporting early microphone technology to being the first investor in Ampex (who brought to life early tape recorder development) this is a wonderful article. Click on the link above to read.
The Bay Area has been a hotspot for new audio technology. I hope Ted one day writes an article on the Grateful Dead’s influence which was also huge. I’m am truly lucky to have my studio here, on the Peninsula. My “White Christmas” might be more about the white foamy crashing waves than snow, though.
Have a wonderful Christmas!
With love and heartfelt thanks,
Enjoy your Holidays!
Cookie Marenco
Thirty Degrees - CD, free with annual paid subscription!
The album is not available on any streaming services, but we plan on releasing a reissue in early 2024 and sooner at our Blue Coast Music Store. You can read about the restoration process from tape here….
If you’re eager to hear the album, view the 8 page booklet wth the list of credits, we’re going to offer all our annual paid subcribers a FREE copy of the CD, including shipping until the supply runs out. Don’t forget to send us your address!
The offer is only good for subscribers to Cookie’s Corner.
You can also subscribe (separately) to Blue Coast Records and receive a monthly unreleased track free to stream or download. Click below.
Cookie Marenco
Producer and Founder