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GPS Broken - Use Brain

May 06, 2025

TLDR: Sometimes it's just faster, easier, and better to do it by hand, rather than fussing with the computer.

A couple years ago I was hiking in the Peak District in England, and the trail meandered around and ended on a road that dead ended into a field. If you were using a GPS, it told you that the road connected across the field to the road on the far side, but this was not the case. Right where the correct trail turned off to the right, there was the sign nailed to a tree, 'GPS Broken, use brain'.

I admit, it's a bit snarky, but I think about it all the time in the studio.

Not having learned this lesson quite thoroughly enough, I was working on a new song and wanted a tambourine on it. Just a single hit every other bar. I thought to myself, I have a variety of mics setup, I have a tambourine right here, I could easily play this and it will take three minutes.

Of course I didn't do that, because it will be easier if I use a sample.

Half an hour later, I finally had my tambourine in place. What would've taken three minutes took at least half an hour, and a fair amount of aggravation dealing with the drum sample program that I use.

Technology is amazing. It does all sorts of wonderful things, but it bears keeping in mind that sometimes it's better to just play it. Or just play it again, instead of spending twice or ten times the amount of time tweaking it in the DAW.

Has this happened to you? Leave a comment on the blog about it by clicking below!