tomgromak.com — Writing and music from Tom Gromak — on technology, creativity, and figuring things out as I go.

Recent events have made me slightly more optimistic about how things might end up with this whole AI thing. Investors are souring on pouring endless funds into the doubtful outcomes that the big corporations are selling, and voters are showing their displeasure with data center rollouts that put them on the bottom of the energy and water priority list. That might mean we’re finally heading in a better direction.

When I release a piece of music, I consider making the video for it to be just as interesting and worthwhile as the audio. We’ve come a long way from my original experiments with analog video synthesizers, and lately I’ve been busy constructing a new music video “studio” inside my computer. It’s unlocked something unexpected in me: pure joy. It’s like an infinite Lego set, and it’s become one of the most creatively fulfilling things I’ve ever done.

Back in 2023 I was trying to learn how to use my amazing new sequencer, the OXI One (there’s a newer Mk II out now). There’s so much you can do with it, and it’s tons of fun to play with, so I set up a track that included sequenced drums, bass, synths, and some sample triggers. I was inspired by old Cabaret Voltaire and Berlin School electronic vibes, and for the first time ever, I wanted to control everything live. It was exhilarating, but also terrifying, and this cut is my favorite take.

I’ve started making music regularly again, for the first time in years. Before I would sit down and noodle, creating snippets and lots of eight-bar loops, but none of it resulted in a start-to-finish track. I simply could not figure out how to get past a mental block that kept me from finishing, and then I’d get angry with myself and give up in disgust or move on to the next shiny object.

I have a wonderful new group of eighth graders in my Tech Projects class, and they’ve been hard at work brainstorming ideas, narrowing them down, doing research, and finally picking their best one. At that point, I have them create a project proposal that asks them to step back and think about various aspects of their idea, even though they want to dive in immediately. This isn’t easy, and it doesn’t come naturally.