The man behind the legendary MPC, Roger Linn, stays focused with a single browser tab

# The man behind the legendary MPC, Roger Linn, stays focused with a single browser tab Source: [https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/936426/mpc-linndrum-roger-linn-questionnaire-music-tech](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/936426/mpc-linndrum-roger-linn-questionnaire-music-tech) Roger Linn is a legend in the world of musical instruments\. He’s been at the cutting edge of music technology for decades\. He created the LM\-1, the first drum machine to use samples, and its successor, the[LinnDrum](https://youtu.be/OltD7omY0ew), is one of the most iconic drum machines of all time\. They were used on countless records in the 1980s, including hits by[Tom Petty](https://youtu.be/h0JvF9vpqx8),[Queen](https://youtu.be/azdwsXLmrHE), and[Tears for Fears](https://youtu.be/Ye7FKc1JQe4)\. But the most notable fan was probably Prince, who used them extensively on[*Purple Rain*](https://youtu.be/UG3VcCAlUgE)and[*1999*](https://youtu.be/rblt2EtFfC4)\. Somehow, those are not his greatest contributions to the music world\. That would, undoubtedly, be the[MPC](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/899233/akai-mpc-sample-review)\. Linn partnered with Akai to create one of the most popular and important samplers ever\. The MPC60 and its successors became the[tool](https://youtu.be/R4VSQLLImNc)of[choice](https://youtu.be/6sRBGplcBQ4)for[countless](https://youtu.be/yvO9-SCxqfk)[hip\-hop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SENzTt3ftiU)and[house](https://youtu.be/XMF79kH9HH4)[producers](https://youtu.be/QJv9nnnQHRs)\.[J Dilla’s MPC 3000](https://www.theverge.com/2014/7/21/5923017/j-dillas-beat-making-gear-will-be-shown-at-the-smithsonian)even sits in the Smithsonian\. Roger Linn was also an early adopter of MPE, or MIDI polyphonic expression\. It’s a key feature of his[LinnStrument](https://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument), an expressive 3D controller released in 2014 — three years before the Association of Musical Electronics Industry \(AMEI\)[officially released](https://web.archive.org/web/20171102162057/https://www.midi.org/articles/midi-polyphonic-expression-mpe)the MPE standard\. Turns out the man stays so innovative by keeping things simple and focused\. **What is your most indispensable tool?** My MacBook Pro\. **Which is the most underappreciated?** My Vision Pro\. I called it the most amazing product I rarely use\. **What is the first app you install on a new phone or computer?** On a computer, Rhino3D\. **What is one thing you wish you could change about your phone?** Apple Mail’s bugs\. **What sites do you have pinned to your tab bar?** New York Times\. **How many tabs do you have open right now?** One\. This document\. **Which social media platform do you use the most \(if any\)?** I don’t use social media except to announce my monthly “All Things LinnStrument” email newsletter\. **What is your happy place online?** A VR app for the Meta Quest called Walkabout Mini Golf\. It was a large number of artistically created open VR worlds that offer a surprising level of beauty from the Quest 3’s limited power\. I go there to play a game of mini golf, fly around, or meet friends in a private instance of a particular world\. **What is your favorite gadget you’ve ever owned?** I don’t know about “ever”, but these days it’s VR headsets, currently the Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro\. **Which was the most disappointing?** In general, I’m disappointed by products that are designed by engineers who assume their customers are engineers\. **What game do you have the fondest memories of?** Myst\. **Which tech trend do you wish would go away?** Spam\. **What creation are you most proud of?** LinnStrument\. **What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?** Keep it simple\. **What is your current obsession?** VR\. **What do you do when you need to focus?** Breathe\. Calm down\. **What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?** I try to shift my perspective\. **When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone?** I never go anywhere without my phone\. Maybe swimming\. **What’s the last piece of physical media you bought?** That would be a long time ago\. I’ve only bought books, music, films, etc\. in digital form for a long time\. **What do you think is worth splurging on?** If someone made a VR headset with retina resolution, very high power, lots of beautiful open worlds, but it was expensive, I’d probably buy it\. **What would the tagline for your biopic be?** “He created tools that allowed musicians to make better music\.” **What’s the last GIF or meme you used?** This isn’t a GIF, but maybe it’s a meme: \( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°\) **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Terrence O'Brien