The Next Track

By Doug Adams and Kirk McElhearnTechnology Music

The Next Track episodes

January 27, 2017♫ Episode #37 – Ripping DVDs and Blu-Rays, with Rob Griffiths
Mac writer Rob Griffiths tells us how to efficiently rip DVDs and Blu-Rays.
This week’s guest:
Rob Griffiths
Show notes:
The Committed podcast
The Complete West Wing on iTunes (in HD)
Revisiting ripping Blu-Ray discs
Detailed instructions for installing the transcode-video tools
Pioneer Slim External Blu Ray Writer BDR-XD05B
MacGo Blu-Ray Player
MakeMKV
HandBrake 1.0
VLC Media Player
transcode-video
Installing transcode-video
Difference Between Mp4 and M4v
Change Videos from Home Movies to Movies, TV Shows or Music Videos in iTunes
iFlicks 2
Hamlet, by the Royal Shakespeare Company
A deep dive into HandBrake and Video Transcoding
WD My Passport 4 TB portable hard drive
Our next tracks:
Kirk: King Crimson
Doug: Public Image Ltd. – Album
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Rob Griffiths.
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31 min
January 20, 2017♫ Episode #36 – Music Consumption in an Era of Media Fragmentation
Andy Doe returns to discuss how music consumption has changed in this era of fragmented media.
“We are the acquisitors.”
This week’s guest:
Andy Doe
Proper Discord
Show notes:
Chris Anderson: The Long Tail, Free
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Pink Floyd: Animals
Doug: Corey Harris: Greens From the Garden
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Andy Doe.
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33 min
January 13, 2017♫ Episode #35 – Musician and Developer Peter Chilvers on Brian Eno’s Album and App Reflection
Musician and developer Peter Chilvers discusses making apps with Brian Eno, including the new generative music composition Reflection.
“Imagine lots and lots of theremins looping back at you…”
Show notes:
Peter Chilvers’ website
Ten years working with Brian Eno
Generative Music website with Peter’s apps Scape, Bloom, Trope, and Air
Kirk’s review of the Reflection CD and app
Kirk’s 2013 review of Four apps for making ambient music on your iOS device
Note: Peter Chilvers’ explanation of the Reflection app’s pricing, which comes in around the 23-minute mark, is a brief recording he made after the show because he was unsatisfied with the way he replied to the question during the recording.
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Brad Mehldau: Blues and Ballads
Doug: Homer & Jethro: Country Their Way – 36 All-Time Greatest Hits
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Peter Chilvers.
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33 min
January 06, 2017♫ Episode #34 – The Cloud vs Syncing: Pros & Cons
We take a look at the pros and cons of syncing music to your portable device versus using the cloud to store your music.
Sponsor: Waltr 2: transfer virtually any media files to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, without using iTunes. Safe 15% on Waltr 2 with the discount code THENEXTTRACK. Check out Waltr 2.
Show notes:
Episode #22 – In Praise of the iPod Classic
How Many Matches Does iTunes Match Match, When iTunes Match Does Match Matches?
Apple improves iCloud Music Library matching, ditches copy-protected matched files for Apple Music users
Here’s How Messed Up Apple Music Metadata Is
Macworld: Ask the iTunes Guy
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Brian Eno: Reflection
Doug: David Bowie: Stage
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
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30 min
December 30, 2016♫ Episode #33 – This Was the Year that Was, 2016
In this special, one-hour, year-end episode, we feature clips from some of our more popular episodes. If you’re just discovering The Next Track, this highlight reel will give you an idea of the topics we cover in the show.
Alex Ross on classical music
Sunny Nam on mastering records
Elijah Wald on the blues
Timo Andres on composing classical music
David Browne on the Grateful Dead
Will Hermes on discovering new music
Sponsor: Waltr 2: transfer virtually any media files to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, without using iTunes. Safe 15% on Waltr 2 with the discount code THENEXTTRACK. Check out Waltr 2.
Show notes:
Below are links to for each of the original episodes featuring our guests, other episodes mentioned in the show, and links to their websites, books, and more.
Episode 18: Alex Ross on classical music
Episode 7: Music and genres
Alex Ross’s website, The Rest is Noise
Alex Ross’s writings on The New Yorker
Alex Ross’s books: The Rest is Noise, Listen to This
Episode 15: Sunny Nam or mastering and remastering
Sunny Nam’s company Jacob’s Well Mastering
Sunny Nam’s recordings on Discogs
Episode 20: Elijah Wald on the blues
Elijah Wald’s website
Elijah Wald’s Songobiography
Elijah Wald’s book: Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues
Episode 24: Timo Andres on contemporary classical music
Timo Andres’s website
Timo Andres on Nonesuch Records
Episode 23: David Browne on the history of the Grateful Dead
David Browne’s website
So Many Roads: The Life and Times of the Grateful Dead
Episode 9: Will Hermes on discovering new music
Will Hermes’ website
Will Hermes’ writing on Rolling Stone; his reviews on WNYC; All Things Considered
Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York that Changed Music Forever
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
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1 hr
December 23, 2016♫ Episode #32 – Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about DACs (Digital-Analog Converters)
Chris Connaker of the Computer Audiophile website explains what a DAC is, how it works, and a whether you need one. (And how you already have lots of them.)
Sponsor: Waltr 2: transfer virtually any media files to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, without using iTunes. Safe 15% on Waltr 2 with the discount code THENEXTTRACK. Check out Waltr 2.
Show notes:
The Computer Audiophile website
DACs – digital-analog converters:
Digital-to-Analog Convertor, Wikipedia
Schiit Audio
Explanation of 44.1 kHz CD sampling rate
Kirk’s Macworld review of the Cambridge Audio DacMagic (it wasn’t ten years ago, as I thought, but just six years ago)
dCS Vivaldi
Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface
The Next Track, Episode 6: What is High-Resolution Music?
AudioQuest Dragonfly Red, AudioQuest Dragonfly Black
Kirk’s review of the Yamaha R-N 301 receiver
Meridian Explorer USB DAC
iFi Micro iDSD USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Schiit Modi 2 USB Digital/Analog Converter
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Bob Dylan: Time out of Mind
Doug: Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Streetcore
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Chris Connaker.
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35 min
December 16, 2016♫ Episode #31 – Jim Dalrymple on Apple Music
We welcome Jim Dalrymple of The Loop to discuss his experiences with Apple Music.
Sponsor: Waltr 2: transfer virtually any media files to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, without using iTunes. Save 15% on Waltr 2 with a discount code from The Next Track. Check out Waltr 2.
This week’s guest:
Jim Dalyrmple of The Loop.
Show notes:
Jim Dalrymple’s article on The Loop: Apple Music hits 20 million subscribers by focusing on Hip-Hop
Here’s How Messed Up Apple Music Metadata Is
From 2013: New in iTunes: Genius Shuffle
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Born to Run (audiobook), written and narrated by Bruce Springsteen

Doug: The Flamin’ Groovies: Teenage Head
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Jim Dalrymple.
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37 min
December 09, 2016♫ Episode #30 – Christmas Gift Guide
Why not spread a bit of holiday cheer? Doug and Kirk pick their selections for great Christmas gifts.
Sponsor: Drobo, simple to use storage arrays designed to protect your important data forever. Listen to the podcast for a discount code to save 20% on a new Drobo. Visit Drobo.com.
Show notes:
IsoAcoustics speaker stands
Auralex Acoustics MoPAD Monitor Acoustic Isolation Pads
The Rolling Stones in Mono
In Praise of Mono Recordings
NRBQ: High Noon: A 50-Year Retrospective
András Schiff: Beethoven, The Piano Sonatas
Behringer UCA202 Audio Interface
Mozart 225
Mozart 225: The Complete Operas
Soundgarden: Badmotorfinger (Super Deluxe Edition)
Philip Glass and Robert Wilson: Einstein on the Beach Blu-Ray
Under-table cable carrier
Headphone angle plugs
Velcro cable ties
Velcro rolls
The Last Waltz, 40th Anniversary Edition
Drobo on YouTube
Our next tracks:
This week, we have no next tracks, since much of the show is our next tracks.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
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31 min
December 02, 2016♫ Episode #29 – Tagging Audio Files
Doug and Kirk explain everything you need to know about tagging your digital audio files.
Sponsor: Drobo, simple to use storage arrays designed to protect your important data forever. Listen to the podcast for a discount code to save 20% on a new Drobo. Visit Drobo.com.
Show notes:
The ID3 version 2.3.0 specifications
Take Control of iTunes 12: The FAQ
How to better organize your classical music in iTunes 12.5 (using Work and Movement tags)
Smarts, Doug’s app for managing smart playlists
Re-Embed Artwork AppleScript
Save Artwork as folder.jpg AppleScript
Scripts Recommended by Task
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Johann Sebastian Bach, Complete Cantatas, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Doug: Lyle Lovett: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
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32 min
November 25, 2016♫ Episode #28 – Music and Mystery: Author Peter Robinson on Music in His Novels
Author Peter Robinson joins us to discuss how he uses music in his DCI Banks series of mystery novels.
This week’s guest:
Peter Robinson
Show notes:
DCI Banks
Girl from the North Country
Playlists for Peter Robinson’s novels
Martin Carthy
Our next tracks:
Kirk: Bill Evans: Turn Out the Stars
Doug: Leon Russell: Leon Russell And The Shelter People

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast.
Special Guest: Peter Robinson.
Support The Next Track
27 min

About The Next Track

From the publisher's feed

Doug Adams and Kirk McElhearn discuss music and musicians, and how we listen to music, whether it be analog or digital, downloaded or streamed, audio, or video.