Latte Chill Music

Category: Wiki

  • The Pocket Operator 33 Is A Great Tool for Musicians, DJs And More!

    Okay, first question is: what the hell is Pocket Operator 33? Scroll below, find my one and only PO-33 KO photo below. A bit lo-fi photo, but please deal with it. I created this article away from the PO-33 on a business trip.

    In short Pocket Operator 33 is a budget sampler offering 40 seconds of record time. Available both for sampling as melodic instrument and as a drum.

    Pocket Operator 33

    What are the features of the Pocket Operator 33?

    The pocket operators are all designed with three buttons on top. Each one for a function. You can use them as a sequencer, a mixer, or even a drum machine quite easily. It will take some days to crack how things are working, but luckily I will share some videos and links below.

    Why should I buy one?

    I’m not saying you should. Nor try to promote the brand. This is not a paid article, I am not associated with the company. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a new toy, the pocket operator is perfect for you.

    It’s small enough to fit into any bag or pocket, so you can take it anywhere. You can record your beats with your phone easily and if you add a notebook, you can write down the notes if you wish to work on the beat later. Furthermore you can record field noise to add some ambience to your songs.

    How do you use a Pocket Operator 33?

    There are tons of different uses for these pocket operators. You can:
    – Play along with songs by using the buttons to trigger notes
    – Make beats by triggering drums – perfect for lo-fi jamming
    – Create loops by triggering samples – mind the tempo, though
    – Record vocals – if you are in a quite environment

    And much more. Let me show a video below how I am recording my beats.

    If you got into the vibe, check my complete guide on how to use Pocket Operator 33.

    How much does it cost?

    Generally 99 USD on Amazon. Probably the safest place to grab your first one. Or check local instrument shops around you, they might have a few on stock.

    Where can I find more information about PO-33?

    If you liked this little article, do not miss my in-depth review and ultimate user guide here.

    I also created a playlist with my Pocket Operator 33 songs. All were recorded live, so check my performances here.

    Furthermore check my Discography, I have tons of releases already that were (partially or fully) produced on the legendary Pocket Operator 33.

    Stock Stories was my first ever PO-33 KO beat. A fully experimental release, while I was learning about the gadget.

    My first full album on Pocket Operator 33

    Wabi-Sabi, the best way to express and embrace imperfection. Set of easy to listen lo-fi beats with a hint of oriental chill.

    Taking the Pocket Operator 33 with me on a trip

    Aka Travellers album. An album with 3 years of production time, tons of B-side songs and much more.

    A coffee in Tokyo?

    Café Tokyo is a true lo-fi EP sampling lots of chill vibe samples to offer the listener a true Far East vibe.

    Pokémon and Pocket Operator 33

    If I am not travelling physically, I do travel in my bed. I play a lot with Pokémon and travel to those magnificent places such as Kanto or Alola. Sometimes I compose beats inspired by the game. And there were some cases when I used my PO-33 KO: Ruby, Sapphire, Ultra Moon and Ultra Sun.

    Misc. EPs with PO-33

    Lastly, I wish to mention some releases I worked on with PO-33. Urban Lo-fi, my first lo-fi house release. City Lo-fi, the second one. Finally, Cowboy Gospel. A space ambient but lo-fi chill EP inspired by Cowboy Bebop series first episode.

    Hint: more to come~

  • 6 Ways To Make Your Monday More Chill

    Monday Chill tips

    Do you struggle to find your ‘Monday chill’? Do you feel stressed already when you wake up on Monday mornings? Try listening to relaxing music instead of the usual alarm clock. It will help you unwind before starting your day.

    But I have more tips, let me show them all below.

    Start with a morning routine

    A morning routine helps set the tone for your entire week. If you start your day by getting ready for it, it will help you getting through easier. It means that you are more likely to make better decisions throughout the day and the week. Simply, because you prepared yourself beforehand. It helps a lot, especially if you have a stressing workplace.

    Meditate to boost your Monday chill

    Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Even though I am not doing it actively, my mate is meditating every morning. According to him it helps him getting started. It means in general starting the day, the work, taking the dog, everything. He is doing it actively. According to him it may be from several minutes to even an hour. I believe it is up to person and how stressed he or she is. Anyways, I guess worth trying out.

    As an alternative I did yoga for long. Though I would say, yoga helps you slowing down instead of pumping up. So personally I would say, do yoga at night, before sleep.

    Go to the gym or do sports

    This is my menu. Instead of morning meditation, I hit the gym. Not only Monday chill is better but in general every day when I go to the gym. After that I feel less stressed, regardless what day I have.

    Have a healthy breakfast, the key of Monday chill

    Indeed. After sport, or yoga or anything: before you start the day, you need to breakfast. If it is possible, do not start with coffee. Let that be your day-starter after breakfast, or ideally later around 8-9 AM.

    With regards to what to eat, that is not my table. I am not a dietetic guy. But what works for me is rice. Pretty simple. Half asleep I start the rice cooker and if I’m lazy I’m eating it alone. If I have more time, I add some mushrooms, or vegetables that makes it better. I tend to drink green tea with it.

    Take a walk, if you have time

    Try not to go by car to your place if you can. That is already a stress factor seeing the many cars pushing in the lines, driving mad to get to their places. What for?

    Take a walk, bring a coffee with you and enjoy fresh air. Again, it helps you preparing yourself for the day. Try it for a couple of weeks, you will see how relaxed you can be with this trick. I work 20 mins from my home. I could easily take the tram or other solutions to accelerate my journey. Yet, I walk 20 mins (est. 2 kms) to the office and back every day.

    That helps me preparing my mind onwards and forgetting (leaving behind) my stress after work. On top of that it creates a chance to talk to my parents and mates on the journey. Occasionally, I take photos in the streets or play Pokémon Go.

    Lastly, listen to music to enjoy Monday chill

    Preferably with chill music. I mean, morning is a perfect opportunity to focus on yourself, therefore to listen to instrumental beats. No disruptive vocals, no lyrics. Easy, plain melodies will help you plan your Monday and prepare your mind for a stressful (or now less stressful?) week.

  • Top 10 lofi playlists that may inspire you

    In this article, I have compiled a list of 10 examples of lofi music playlists to inspire you. Get inspired by these amazing playlists! Scroll for lofi chill beats.

    Before we start.

    Lofi is an abbreviation for lo-fi, which means low fidelity. Lofi music is often characterised by its use of simple instruments and “plain” sounds, such as (acoustic) guitar, drums, and piano, maybe pads. It’s also known for its minimalist sound design and unique production techniques.

    On top of that I always love to add a hint of imperfection. I have written more about it in my Wabi-Sabi article. As a result of the vinyl origins and the wish to make this genre more human, artists are tending to leave some mistakes among the tracks. It can be one misaligned drum piece or a cracking noise.

    Top 10 lofi playlists

    1) Top 10 Coffee Break Beats by Latte Chill
    Because we all drink a coffee or tee right? The best to do it with some lofi instrumental beats.

    2) Nature Chill on the First Floor
    One of my fave genre. This playlist is an actual set during the lock-down. That means, I recorded it on our balcony.

    3) Top 10 Home Office Chill Beats
    After the lock-down, we all got more chances for working from home. My set of home office chill beats are to boost focus time of the listeners.

    4) Lofi Night
    One of my fave among the lofi playlists I work on. Fully inspired by the chill of the nights and lo-fi instrumental beats.

    5) Sakura Beat
    Oriental beats coming up. I love spinning these playlists between March and June. Obviously when we have sakura season. Sakura means cherry blossom, it marks the reborn of nature.

    5 more playlist ideas for you

    6) Year of the Tiger Mix ’22 (Chill edition)
    Coming with a new lo-fi playlist every year. All are based on the characteristics of the annual Chinese zodiac. Fun to mix them.

    7) Chill Mixtery #5
    It is a piece of history from Latte Chill. I usually release one playlist after 5 albums or 10 EPs. I mix these live on my YouTube channel and later share them here as well. This way I am maximising my reach and hope that fans will listen to my releases based on the songs.

    8) Exotica Mix
    Summer kind of instrumental beats. Mainly happy vibe to boost mood. Also good for walking in the city.

    9) Autumn Set 2020
    A bit sad lofi. This playlist is focusing on ending the summer. As a result it offers a bittersweet vibe. I cannot say it is fully sad chill as I have a different playlist for that. I would say this mix fits a rainy day.

    10) Sad Moments
    Last but not least: sad chill. Important and great type of lofi playlists. But be careful not to bring the listeners to down.

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