iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 25/09/2026

I've been experimenting with the Chandler Type L mic & it's really great. I think it's one of the best mics I've heard on guitar cab (I just tracked w/ it today, & no EQ necessary) & I've used it on voice and acoustic guitar with great results. It has a very handy a/b switch for 2 diff voicings

A Chandler LImited Type L condensor microphone in a mic clip in front of a Boogie. 22 combo amplifier

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 30/07/2026

A flashback to the 1st Vox Pterous vocal session in Jan 24, w/ Sophia James at The Compound in Long Beach #musicsky #indiemusic #recordingstudio #recording

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 30/07/2026

I guess you can pre-add on AppleMusic now too - link music.apple.com/au/album/a/6... #musicsky #indiemusic #atmos #spatialaudio

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 07/07/2026

Here's a video clip of "Resting Of Light" the next single that releases this Friday. This one features Carla Kihlstedt (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Tom Waits, Tracy Chapman) on lead vocals & Amelie Anna on bckgrnd vox. There is a reference to another song here which is key to who this song is about

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 09/06/2026

WTF Google? This is definitely not a thumbnail from my video! Maybe it would get more views though if it were?

A photo of 2 male country singers are shown in a video thumbnail for a video by Dren McDonald which definitely does not feature these 2 male country singers, nor is it an image that exists anywhere in the actual video.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 30/05/2026

it's a day of running midi from logic into hardware synths & lots of tweaking of the knobs! #funk #fun #synth

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 28/05/2026

A clip from "Fading" my single with Sophia James, comes out on June 5th! The full length "Vox Pterous" is out on July 31st #musicsky #indiemusic #group7

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 02/05/2026

New single, "Fading", coming out on 6/8 featuring Sophia James on vocals It's the first single for the new album, Vox Pterous, coming at the end of July on Appearing Records. This is the motion art for the single (4 applemusic) Atmos/Stereo-art by Christine MacTernan #musicsky #indiemusic #noai

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 29/04/2026

Last night I did a final listening pass on the mastered Atmos mixes at SFCM from my upcoming record (coming in July). There was a student performance going on in the live room, but the walls are so thick I didn't hear them. It's an impressive Meyer sound 7.1.4 system

Recording studio, from the viewpoint of looking at the desk. There are 3 video monitors with the Dolby Atmos Renderer on screen, and an S6 desk to the left with those mini monitors glowing. In the background there is the glass of the control room looking out into the performance space with people's silouettes.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 31/03/2026

Cover art for my upcoming Vox Pterous record - probably dropping in July/August. I think I'll leave out any text overlay after trying a lot of options. Seems good on it's own. Art by Christine MacTernan (based on the Pterous art she did) #indiemusic #musicsky

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 05/03/2026

WOW That's a nice thing to say about the soundtrack! Thx RockThePigeon! #indiegame #indiedev #indiemusic #musicsky #gamedev rockthepigeon.com/2026/03/04/i...

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 01/03/2026

weekend project: I got this Realistic reel to reel for $28 from goodwill. It looked like it was in pretty good shape but when it arrived the play wheel wouldn't spin. A little rubber renewal & machine oil has it working again! 3 speeds! mic inputs, 3 heads. pretty, pretty, pretty good

a reel to reel tape recorder from the 70s with the cover taken off and getting cleaned by a cotton swab

the same reel to reel player (realistic 999b) with the cover on and in working order

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 15/02/2026

from their homepage...side by side with john adams/dudamel. I'll take it!

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 16/01/2026

There's a joke about the best way to record a banjo...throw it in the ocean and record something else (paraphrased) but this week I used the Samar AL95 ribbon mic to record tenor banjo & it was terrific (thru a GreatRiver pre + 1176)

A close up of the Samar AL95 ribbon microphone on a stand with a cable plugged in. The light is purple/pink and in the background is a tenor banjo with a clear drum head leaning against a keyboard behind the banjo.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 08/01/2026

This screenshot is from the WarmAudio site re: the WA-2MPX I just replaced the tubes in mine as there was a nosy tube somewhere & noticed the TungSol 12ax7 is in there, but it's where the 12Au7 should be & the other chinese tubes are ECC83 (essentially 12ax7) so stock, it's really 3 12ax7s per ch?

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 04/01/2026

Xmas gift to me, the new Soyuz dynamic mic. Auditioned it last night with gtr amp & voice. Very detailed for a dynamic w/a 441 vibe to it. Looking forward to pairing it up with other mics on gtr cabs and horns. Bari gtr thru a 15" should sound great w/ this too! #micnerd #microphones

Photo of the new Soyuz V1 microphone sitting on top of its storage pouch. This is a black V1 in it's mic clip and the pouch is a light beige canvas bag.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 31/12/2025

Hiya and Happy End of 2025, let's all make some musicsoundstuff in 2026! #musicsky #redrum

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 16/12/2025

The pedal setup up being used today with fretless bass for Vol. 2 of the Stay: Forever Home soundtrack. Some tunes need a little glue/extending/low end etc to be enjoyed in a soundtrack context...I used to have an og CE-1 and this Warm version is a GREAT repro. #indiemusic #indiegame #indiegamedev

Close up photo of 3 effects pedals. On the left a WARM Audio chorus pedal (modeled after the Boss CE-1), in the middle the Pigtronix Gloamer pedalg and on the right the Soma Cosmos pedals. There's a blue guitar pick on the desk between them all, and perhaps a candy wrapper as well.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 07/11/2025

My cover of Supercollider's "Pedestrian" from the early 90s is out today on streaming (in Atmos on Apple and Tidal), a whole lot of guitar and vocal layers...video should be out later today, will update. #musicsky #indiemusic #musicproducer #90s Supercollider were pals & one of my favorite bands!

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 24/10/2025

there appears to be a lot of magic in this box...the Ebow helps invoke said magic...will be putting several sources thru this today! #dreammachine #guitarpedals #pedals #knobs #audioexperiments

photo of a Chase Bliss Lost and Found effects pedal with an Ebow in the foreground. The pedal has 6 knobs, 2 red LED lights, 2 footswitches and 4 3 position switches.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 05/10/2025

BUSY w/ a lot of projects but the next thing coming is a single/music video (that my son directed/edited) I'm doing a series of singles this year that are more 'songlike' (lyrics, vox, verses etc) & this will be the 1st. This song originally recorded by Supercollider, friends from 90s LA scene

a black and white photo of a WW2 era aircraft carrier in the background with a red figure carved from wood in the foreground. The figure is a sculpture, about 3 feet high, with large eyes looking in the direction of the aircraft carrier. On the short wall behind the red figure is the word "Pedestrian" painted on the wall.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 28/08/2025

A form vs. function issue I guess? These @chasebliss.bsky.social devices are great but complex & I can't read the tiny fonts w/low contrast & i'm not willing to use bright white lights in the studio. I love my label makers (yes, I have 2) & use them on everything!

close up of the Chase Bliss Mood 2 pedal with custom labels stuck on the pedal that are easier to read than the typeface printed on the pedal.

close up of the Chase Bliss Mood 2 pedal with custom labels stuck on the pedal that are easier to read than the typeface printed on the pedal. this shot is from a left angle showing the labels added to the bottom and side of the pedal as well as the top.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 24/08/2025

Mic maintanence day today - the Lauten Audio Oceanus needed it's tubes (yes, plural) replaced and it's shock mount needed new bands - really needed the new bands, look at how stretched out the old ones are! I use this mic a lot (as well as the Lauten Clarion) love them both!

a Lauten Audio Oceanus microphone opened up to see the 2 vacuum tubes thate were replaced

a shock mount for the lauten audio oceanus with fresh new bands on the mount, and the old stretched out bands lying beside it

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 08/08/2025

I had Marica Petrey (Girl Swallows Nightingale) in the studio this week doing some vocals for my upcoming record. I don't even need to write harmonies for her...we record a line and she says "i have two other harmonies for that", & she just comes up with the greatest improvised parts. #musicsky

Marica Petrey is at the microphone in a studio, expressive, one hand up in the foreground as she sings. Camera angle is up from the music stand.

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 28/07/2025

The new soundtrack - available in Atmos here (and stereo) #indiegame #indiegamedev #gamedev #indiemusic #musicsky features Sophia James & Amelie Anna music.apple.com/us/album/sta...

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 03/07/2025

Who knew, but yes, these $35 picks actually do feel and sound really great. I even got a special box for them so I don't lose them in the studio. Who am I kidding? I'm still gonna totally lose them...

2 black guitar picks on a table with a sticker that says "Toneslabs"

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 09/05/2025

Making some modular sounds for Stay: Forever Home today...here's the first patch I'm playing with #modular #eurorack #indiegamedev #modularsynthesis

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 03/05/2025

Using a homemade 'psaltery' type instrument that I made from a metal drawer many years ago to try to get some new sounds using a pencil and bow. Looking for magic 'blooming/flowering' sounds for @windupminds.com Stay game & this was one idea this week #indiegamedev #indiegame #sounddesign

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 22/04/2025

Today is the 2 year anniversary of the release of my 'guitar orchestra' record, Pterous. I'm in the midst of recording vocal versions of these songs, each song w/ a different vocalist. To be released later this year. music.apple.com/us/album/pte... #indiemusic #guitar #guitarmusic #guitarist

Album artwork from Dren McDonald's record, Pterous, along with the words "Album Anniversary"

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 03/04/2025

This Soyuz mic pre came with a beautifully printed chipboard envelope, which has a nice card & sticker inside, but ALSO another tiny envelope which contains little cards w/photos of the folks who assembled & tested the unit. Nicely done Soyuz! Can't wait to see how this sounds later today

little envelope with cards inside that show photos of the tester and assembler of the preamp

card for the Lakeside preamp, nicely printed, which came inside of the normal sized envelope

normal sized Soyuz envelope that came with the Soyuz mic preamp

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 11/03/2025

The VR Games Showcase is kinda like a Nintendo Direct but it's all about upcoming VR titles, including our upcoming title, Stay: Forever Home - Hope you can check it out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wN0... #indiegames #indiegamedev #indiegamedevelopment #gamedev #vr #quest

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 04/03/2025

The tune J. from my Pterous (guitar orchestra) record...(atmos version on AppleMusic music.apple.com/us/album/pte... or Tidal, stereo on bandcamp) I've been re-working this record with a different vocalist on each track (orig is instrumental) and this week have been mixing the vocal version of J

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 03/03/2025

Weekend experiments that my studio buddy, Bobbie, wanted to help with. Logic (vocals)>Cosmos>BossBB500. Gonna try it again tonight with a MoodII box instead of the Boss....Bobbie said she might wanna help again. #indiemusic #musicproducer #cats #studiocats #delay #recordingstudio

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 28/02/2025

Laying down some fretless last night for Stay: Forever Home's trailer music. I can't ever record bass or e-guitar while sitting. I dunno why, it doesn't feel right. #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #gamedevelopment #indiemusic

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 21/02/2025

Yesterday we were recording some vocal and drum parts with the super talented Amelie Anna for the Stay: Forever Home game launch trailer. Recording days are always the most fun days! She's improvising here #gamedev #indiegame #vr #indiemusic

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 19/01/2025

In deciding to leave the FB/IG platform due to Zuckdecisions I was concerned about ad performance (I had run ads on IG to help folks discover my music). The lines represent FB/IG ads up until the drastic upwards curve when I switched to Google ads (for 1/2 the cost) So I'm no longer concerned

graph showing performance of music ads - flat line is FB/IG ads, at the end of the graph are the huge peaks showing the same web page music ad performance after switching to google ads

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 11/12/2024

9 months ago I tried to post some video or this but BS wasn't there yet, but now it is! this from the DVD/CD/2LP release of The Residents Secret Show live in SF that released this year. This is the tune w/ Josh Freese (FooFighters), me & the SFCM ensemble www.cherryred.co.uk/the-resident...

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 10/12/2024

For the last month I've been reorganizing the limited space in my studio. Maybe bad timing as we go into beta with our game but if I was gonna have to work more hours I wanted to enjoy the space more! For this side of the studio i went with racks/drawers on wheels w/ 3 patchbays to keep it organized

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 19/10/2024

Join our discord server at Windup MInds to get in on the closed community pre-alpha build action! You'll need a Quest 2 or 3 to be able to play. Or Quest pro...if anyone has that one. Meet our virtual magic pet and hang out together at home. discord.gg/GjRYG6grN5?r... #indiegamedev #gamedev

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 12/08/2024

A NEW CounterStrike 2 Music Kit is upon us. Masterminds II! Besides my Balkan Brass party kit, "Coffee! Kofe! Kahveh!" (yes, coffee 3x!) w/ music from Tree Adams, Austin Wintory, Matt Levine, Ben Bromfield, Tim Huling, Daniel Sadowski & Sam Marshall

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 22/02/2024

I was gonna post some video of this, but I guess we're not there yet w/BS. So here's a still from the DVD/CD/2LP release of The Residents Secret Show live in SF that just released last week. This is the tune w/ Josh Freese, me & the SFCM ensemble www.cherryred.co.uk/product/the-...

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 10/02/2024

Well, one of these faces doesn't really belong with the rest, does it? I guess they couldn't find a frowny Dren-pic online? Anyhow, this is from a story about the Residents cover song we put together - limited vinyl presale has begun! 103gbfrocks.com/star-stunted...

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 05/08/2023

Thanks for the review and spins CJSF up in Canada way! (image from the other site...) Much appreciated!

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Dren McDonald @drenmcdonald.com · 20/05/2023

Shoutout to Pittsburgh Modular/Cr8Audio - i shipped them my WestPest that had a faulty output jack and they fixed that jack, plus 2 others they were concerned about AND threw in some patch cables when they sent it back. Total cost $25 #modular #eurorack

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