Issue #2: Machines that Move Us

The A/B Test is a weekly newsletter where we talk about one piece of audio [A]rt and bit of audio [B]usiness. That's it!

Dec 19, 2024

I got to take Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner between LA and San Diego last weekend. They have a gorgeous viewing car with a domed ceiling and outward-facing seats. If you leave around sunset, you get to see things like this (synthwave warning):

As a lifelong Northeasterner, this is pretty wild scenery for December.

This issue we’ll focusing a couple of machines that move us (in many senses of the word): the automobile and the train.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, we sure would appreciate it.

And now, onto the issue:

A is for [A]rt

To Love a Car

The premise of The A/B Test is about celebrating both sides of the creative career. The utopian flowstate of paying the bills while still making things that satisfy your artistic needs.

Emily Shaw is a walking embodiment of this ethos. She once described her work to me as “fingerpainting with audio”. But I also have seen her teach fledgling producers how to scope and invoice their audio projects. She is a Jedi Master of A/B balance.

This week I’m sharing Emily’s stunning “Red Car”. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that she manages to unlock Pixarian levels of anthropomorphic feels in a very short piece.

B is for [B]usiness

So yeah, I love trains. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’d gladly spend twice as much time on a train then driving. They are hermetic spaces of great creative potential. They’re good for the individual, good for society, and good for the planet.

I want to understand more about the sector, but Transit development and policy is a swirl of interrelated and complex issues. I’ve been loving Transit Unplugged News Minute with Julie Gates to orient me.

It’s just a 60-second rundown of the week’s global transit news.

I’m also really astounded by the work that Paul Comfort and his team are doing in the larger Transit Unplugged universe, including their fantastic longer-form podcast and video series.

Conversation prompt: If you had 6 uninterrupted hours of train time to work on a passion project, what would you make?

Special Thanks to…

KaSa Media Productions for supporting this newsletter. They do a lot of things — podcast production, dialog editing, Atmos mixing, and more. MOST importantly they are good humans and I suggest you find an excuse to connect with them.

Check out their good works here or reach out to tiphany@kasamediapro.com for more info!

About the A/B Test

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

                                                      Chris O’Keeffe — Editor

Chris has developed and produced dozens of award-winning and chart-topping podcasts across genre and industry, including client work for MIT, Amazon, Cirque du Soleil and many more. In 2018 he was on the development and writing team for *Disgraceland*, which became the #1 music podcast in the world. He is the writer and co-creator of *Jupiter Saloon*, a beloved audio drama about a dive bar in space. He has given talks at Podcast Movement, The Outlier Podcast Festival, and the Sound Education Conference. He is also co-founder / Head of Narrative at Podcation, which designs global immersive hackathon audio events and OK Creative: The Language Agency, which provides writing and narrative services to businesses. **chris@ok-creative.com**