2024 Software and Services Used by Mark Rushton
Not a complete list, but I do provide some commentary, and my advice might be helpful to others
If you’re on Spotify, you can “pre-save” my ambient single Public Static Void, scheduled to be released on March 1, 2024, by clicking this hyperfollow link.
And if you’re feeling extra generous, think about pre-saving my beats & rhythms single Omniscience Yes, released under the name of “Rushton”, and is also scheduled to be released on March 1, 2024, by clicking this hyperfollow link.
Every so often, I’ll mention some of the software and web services I use that are essential or related to my output as a recording artist and a visual artist.
This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list, but just a general list of what I’m using at the start of 2024, and my opinion about it.
Airtable
Airtable is a cloud-based relational database I’ve been using since December 2021.
Airtable helped get my music catalog organized. I’ve released over 3000 titles in the past 20 years, and it’s more than just titles and album names. So much more! There are UPC codes, ISRC codes, release dates, distributor name, track length, genre, and I’m now saving all my curated playlist pitches. I compile other data.
I used to keep a lot of this data in Excel sheets. Excel is fine for certain things, like royalty statements, but it’s terrible for catalog management for many reasons. Excel doesn’t provide the immediate flexibility of a cloud-based relational database like Airtable. Well, it might, but you need to be an Excel guru to know all that.
The free tier of Airtable is quite generous. I’m on the PRO plan, so I pay about $200 a year. Well worth it for me. I have “bases” for my music catalog, my paintings, and other projects.
If I had one criticism of Airtable, it would be concerning some of the emails they send out, particularly regarding usage and billing. These emails are confusing. They must be written by a robot, or somebody who identifies as a robot, so I tend to ignore them now. Airtable’s emails about “updates” are also a bit much. I just want to use their software - I don’t want to live/eat/sleep/breathe Airtable.
Substack
That’s an obvious one, or two, if you count my Playlisting Substack.
I’ve been thinking about starting a third Substack for images, mainly as an Instagram replacement.
I started using Substack around September 2022 and, about a year later, switched over my mailing list from the awful Mailchimp.
Streamyard
Streamyard is a video live streaming and video scheduling service, but it does other things like audio extraction for podcasts, rendering video orientation for mobile devices, etc. I really only use it for video live streaming.
I’ve been a paying customer for over two years. I’m on the Basic plan, which is $16.67 a month if paid annually, and allows me to live stream to three services, typically YouTube, Twitch, and I alternate between Facebook and X (Twitter).
I like the ease of live streaming. I don’t care about “making videos”, “editing videos”, or “scheduling videos”. After the live stream concludes, the recorded video exists out there. I think I’m more happy in the “asynchronous world”. I’m just not the type that “goes live at 8pm every night”, or whatever.
Recently, I bought a device to help me do audio live streaming. In the past week or so, I’ve been testing it out with various things, including my Buddha Machine, a lap steel guitar, a kalimba, and a shortwave radio - all run through my effects boxes.
OK, that’s enough for now. More next week!