What shall I do with $100 from the Google Ads?

After 150,000 page impressions and 394 clicks, I'm just $3.25 away from earning my first $100 from the Google Ads on this site. So, what should I spend it on?
One obvious contender would be a Sound Lab Mini Synth plus parts, but I'm not sure I've really got the soldering skills for that. What would you recommend? What's the very best Music Thing for under $100?

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

Well you could build a commodore64 sid chip synth for $45 from http://www.ucapps.de/
(i hope to get working on one of these soon, also the sound lab mini synth)

I also have to say the worst music thing you could get is an ipod shuffle hahaha.

# posted by

Anonymous : 10:49 pm

The question comes down to what kind of music stuff you want to do? Are you working mostly with synths? With computers? Drum machines? Guitars and a garage band (the physical type, not the software) that need to be recorded?
While we could all suggest what we would do with $100, maybe if we knew more about what you wanted to do with it, we could better suggest?
Just an idea.

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:02 pm

You could probably do a lot worse than this USB glove controller:

http://www.essentialreality.com/p5_glove.asp

I just found a reference to it on the user forum for Cycling 74's MAX/MSP software. If you couple it with the P5midi program -- http://www.nicolasfournel.com/P5midi.htm -- it transforms into (I can only assume) a kick-ass midi controller. Pretty good for $80!

Listen, I'm not saying that we ALL should just suddenly don cybernetic gloves and start manipulating music along six axes simultaneously, I'm just saying the world MIGHT be the better for it in the long run...

Also check out the P5 community page with 3D pictures of glove-controlled virtual swords and stuff...
http://www.zzz.com.ru/index.php?area=pages&action=view_page&page_id=11

# posted by

Rozling : 2:58 am

Aw man, my SIDstation is suddenly feeling very jealous of that cheap SID synth an anonymous poster posted about.

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:04 am

>"if we knew more about what you wanted to do with it, we could better suggest?"

Ben has it absolutely right: I want "a cherishable *thing*" - you can do anything with plug-ins, so I want something I can hold in my hand and 'cherish'!

# posted by

Tom Whitwell : 9:59 am

Those SID Midiboxes are interesting... does anyone know if you can do something similar with Atari ST hardware? I have an Atari (with no floppy drive) laying around gathering dust that I'd like to put to some kind of good use.

# posted by

Wiley : 9:07 pm

…uhh, how much is a ticket to NAMM ?

# posted by

Mikey : 10:31 am

I'd go with the Creative Prodikeys...

Sure, it doesn't have the geek chic of actually soldering everything together, but how cool is it to be able to Jam and blog at the same time, plus is would be compatible with your Mac Mini which you can buy after another 750,000 page views and 2000 clicks!

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:04 pm

Off-topic - I'm seeing public service ads on your blog, which means you don't have an alternate ad setup at Google. If you configure alternate ads, you'll make a little extra money, even when Google has indexed a page.

One thing to do is make a static ad of Amazon links....

PS: Nice site!

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:32 pm

According to the prodikeys site, it would *not* be compatible with the Mac Mini. Does someone know differently?

# posted by

Charles : 7:40 pm

MY understanding is that the QWERTY bit hooks up via USB (via PS2 adapter), and that the Keyboard part was supported under general MIDI interface. May be wrong.... Don't have mine yet. :) (Mac Mini that is) YMMV.

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:23 pm

I just bought the MicroSonic VST beatbox
and I really really like it...

http://www.soniccharge.com/

And you'd get enough change from your $100
to go buy a quarter ounce.... roll it up
& get some head nodding RSI happening!

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:42 am