F.A.Q.
Spotify FAQ
A premium account is helpful to hear the episode as intended (free accounts can play the playlists, but will play them on shuffle, insert ads, and otherwise detract from the experience of the themes).
Clicking play on the widget within posts will only open 30-second previews of each song. In order to hear the full songs, you need to use the Spotify “Login” function (which should populate as you press play on the widget).
When using a browser on a computer, logging in should open Spotify in a separate browser tab or window. Use this window to navigate the play-lists while continuing to browse/work in your original tab, window, or other programs.
When using a mobile device (phone or tablet), logging in should open your Spotify app, and continue playing the full songs.
Where can I get a Spotify Account?
You can register for your free account HERE. Register directly by linking to your Facebook account, or create a standalone account with an e-mail address
Once you have a free account, you can upgrade to a Premium or Family account. (fees are associated with this action)
Once you have an account you can use any combination of the web-based player, or downloadable player (Windows/Mac OS X/iOS/Android/Windows Phone/Linux/Windows Mobile/Chromebook)
Is It Secure?
Although you access the Spotify Player through my page, once the new tab or window opens where you enter your Spotify credentials, you are using their service. I do not receive any information about your account. Your account is just as secure as provided under the user agreement at Spotify. I am not affiliated with Spotify, and am not responsible for any issues that may occur as part of using their service.
Any additional tips?
For the best listening experience, consider adjusting these settings in Spotify.
Open the settings menu under your account name.
Set Music Quality > High-Quality Streaming (Premium Only) ON if desired. (Note: higher bandwidth may generate additional charges depending on your internet provider.)
Set Music Quality > Normalize Volume ON to keep song levels uniform between tracks.
Choose Music Quality > Volume Level if you would like Spotify to be louder or softer. I prefer “normal” with headphones, and “loud” on Bluetooth, such as my car stereo and linked smart devices.
Set Display Options > Show Unavailable Songs in Playlist to OFF if you do not wish to see items unavailable in your region on the playlist.
Set Advanced Settings > Playback > Crossfade Songs to ON and adjust the slider to 12 seconds, if you wish to have the songs overlap. This will most closely simulate the experience of DJ mixing, and the playlists are designed to be played in order (not shuffle) with the blending on.
YouTube Music F.A.Q.
There’s not much to know. Go to my YouTube Music profile, select a playlist. It’s as simple as that; no settings to adjust, and most of the older archived setlists could be recreated in full there. However, for the newer Spotify-curated playlists, I would still recommend listening on Spotify if possible, as you can adjust the settings to listen to them in the 12-second crossfade mix as intended.
Why are you no longer doing episodes as a Podcast?
In short, it is a licensing and creative rights issue.
TL;DR – Early podcasting was the wild frontier, and copyright legality hadn’t quite caught up. These days, public broadcasting of another person’s song technically involves paying a fee (for example, in a restaurant), obtaining a permit, and an annual fee that needs to be paid.
In terms of a radio broadcast and, yes, podcasting, then you ned to have what is known as a Master License. I didn’t have one of those, but I didn’t need one at the time. However, I do now.
Now, there is a slight caveat to this rule, which is that if you remix a song (i.e., a DJ) yourself, it then becomes a derivative work, making ownership a bit muddier. The podcast format, however, didn’t technically create new works of music, so much as it just crossfades tracks.
Simply put, I don’t advertise on this page, and I already pay enough to host the site, own the domain, and hold a WordPress subscription – I didn’t want to pay hundreds more dollars to the Performing Rights Organizations (PRO). Recognizing that the old podcast format was at best a weak argument and at worst illegal, and that it put me in danger of receiving takedown notices and legal action, I opted to stream music instead. That said, it significantly widened my pool of tracks to work with – so, in a way, it was for the best.
Do you have any of your own music?
Yes, I do, and it’s not very good. I experimented with electronica using Acid Pro in the early 2000s. Please feel free to laugh at my expense over at my Soundcloud.