Mokhov

Just a heads up that I’ll be moving this site from a self-hosted WordPress.org installation to WordPress.com.

The URL will stay the same and all the existing post links should remain intact.

I’ll try and make the move as seamless as possible, and RSS/email/podcast subscribers won’t feel a difference since I’ll simply be redirecting Feedburner to the new feed. But please pardon my dust if a brief hiccup occurs.

Why the heck am I moving from WordPress.org to WordPress.com?

Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around? That you start off with WP.com, and then get yourself some hosting and install WP.org because you’re pro?

Well, you should know by now that I’m a pretty unconventional dude (not a self-conscious choice, it’s just the way I am).

Two reasons why I’m doing this:

1. Simplicity – for this site, I don’t need all the power and plugins WP.org offers. I just need a simple blog-like engine, nothing more. So going with WP.com is purposeful limiting.
   
   Plus, things like upgrading, backing up, and traffic-spike-proof hosting is automated and done for me, because my site is run and taken care of by Automattic rather than by me and my hosting.
2. Strength and Security – since WP.com is hosted and run by Automattic rather than me, they handle upgrades, security stuff, and industrial-grade hosting.
   
   This way, I can’t screw up a database or break my site, and I never miss importance security updates.

Since I’ll be using my existing .com URL and paying for the WP.com upgrades to be able to dig into the CSS, I’ll still have a customized and Mokhov-branded site.

Just now it’ll be simpler, stronger, and more secure for me

The simple way to improve your music is to include as little elements as possible.

When you minimize your tune to the bare essentials, you’ll improve your music in two ways:

1. It forces you to make each element stronger – when you don’t have layers and layers of instruments and effects covering each other up, the elements stands naked, so you’ll naturally want to make them sound as good as possible (the catchiest riff, the beefiest drum beat, the phattest synth sound).
2. Your mix will sound better – each element you add takes away from the existing ones, so having as few elements as possible will make each one stand out more, breathe, and have clarity… plus it’s easier to mix when you have fewer elements to juggle.

I’ve personally used this technique to greatly improve my music (in my humble opinion at least, and the opinions of others).

I used to pile on elements and effects, constantly wanting a “big” sound. But all it usually did was muddy up my mix, make it tough to juggle all those sounds, and forced me to waste time on little details rather than just make one super-strong riff.

After reading a few interviews from producers that had the same problem and solved it by simplifying, I decided to push myself to start doing the same.

And you know what? My music started to rapidly improve as well.

Having as few elements as possible forced me to make the beat, the riff, the synth sounds as strong as possible. And how the mix was sounding as I was creating was how the final mix would turn out, since there was so few elements to juggle. Each element could breathe and have clarity.

This simple method of improving your music can be applied to any creative work:

• Graphics/painting
• Films
• Business
• Design

Improve your music (or other creative work) the simple way by including as little elements as possible.

I’m continuing to ramp up my electronic music-making.

And that means more free music for you.

More MokhovMixes

You’ll get a new free MokhovMix–an energizing mix of the catchiest and most melodic electronic dance tunes–every other week now.

First, it was once a month – every 1st Monday.

Then, I briefly switched to every 1st & 3rd Monday.

But then I realized that would sometimes leave 2-week gaps between mixes. So I thought, screw it, I’ll just make it bi-weekly.

So expect a brand new free MokhovMix this Memorial Day Monday. Fresh out of the Mokhov electronic music oven.

(I’m not making it weekly so as not to burn myself out )

New MokhovMix Site Coming Soon

I’m planning on building a super-simple MokhovMix site soon, and moving existing mixes and all future ones over to there.

I’m a fan of simplicity and minimalism, and I try to simplify everything I do. So I’d much rather have a MokhovMix site to offer you, where you go there to get your latest mix, and nothing more.

No distractions. No extra features or bonus pages.

Just the music.

I’ll try and make it seamless, so that existing subscribers don’t have to resubscribe to a new Feedburner feed or anything. And I’ll of course make a clear announcement when it’s up.

Oh yeah, and I’ll finally get the MokhovMix podcast up on iTunes. Y’know, for those that are into that Apple sorta thing.

All About the Music

I hope you’ve enjoyed the free MokhovMixes so far (and the twice-weekly premium version), and I look forward to bringing you a lot more energizing electronic dance music.

Like I’ve been doing with the previous mixes, I’m constantly inserting my own original tunes alongside others’ truly remarkable music.

This upcoming Monday’s mix is called “Climb High.” A pumping mix of energizing dance tunes that’ll make you feel on top of the world. Like you can tackle and climb any peak out there.

I hope you enjoy it.

Nathan Hangen and I are now offering a free 7-day trial of Blogger Beats.

Try the premium twice-weekly motivation + music show risk free and see if it’s right for you. Each episode features new and exclusive energizing electronic dance music from yours truly.

Think of it as twice-weekly doses of premium MokhovMixes.

What I’ve quickly learned since the launch of Blogger Beats is just how important offering a free trial is. You want to mitigate as much risk as possible.

Even for someone that has heard my music, listens to my MokhovMixes, and reads and trusts me and Nathan, it’s still easier for that person to try out that product.

They’ll be much more likely to start paying and turn into a recurring customer that way.

Nathan and I actually wanted to offer a free trial from the get to but we weren’t able to with PayPal, which we used for the shopping cart/payment processor. We switched over to 1ShoppingCart specifically to be able to give you a free trial.

So if you were curious about Blogger Beats but weren’t sure if you’ll absolutely love the twice-weekly doses of energizing electronic music and kick ass motivation bits in the intro and outro, now’s your chance to give it a test drive.

Click here to try Blogger Beats risk free for 7 days

MokhovMix Reminder

A quick reminder that I super-charged the MokhovMix schedule. New mixes are now bi-weekly rather than monthly, so expect another energizing free electronic dance mix on Monday, May 31.

The less features your product or cool thingy has, the better.

Just make sure that those features rock harder than the competition.

Preferably, you only have one major feature. But it’s better than anything else out there. That you become the preferred alternative. The only choice.

Think about your favorite artists. Chances are the music isn’t complicated. And the few key elements that the tunes have are amazing. Lyrics, the melodies, the singing or rapping, the beats, whatever.

Much better music than the overly busy, hundred-layers-but-none-of-them-remarkable music that’s made.

Heck, punk music was 3 chords, a drum beat and “singing.” But the bands that did it right (Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks in particular – sorry Ramones, you were historically important but musically meh) were more exciting rock music than anything else out at the time. That’s why the youth ran, not walked, to it.

They underdelivered but outperformed.

It’s the principle I try to make all my electronic dance music with. To have as few elements as possible, but for those precious few elements to rock as hard as possible. Be as remarkable, fun, energetic, exciting, and emotionally hitting as possible.

It’s also the principle that game changer Nathan Hangen and I try to create the premium motivation + music show Blogger Beats with. We had all sorts of ideas on how to add this feature or expand that element, but we ultimately remembered 37signals’ teaching of avoiding feature creep.

To deliver only what’s needed and avoid what’s not.

And that was to deliver the best darned possible kick-ass motivation, empowering business discussion, and energizing dance music in a portable, digestible twice-weekly dose. Nothing more.

The Blogger Beats website is appropriately simple and sparse, since it only has 2 functions: to get you to sign up, and then to deliver the episodes to you.

The side-effect benefit of underdelivering but outperforming is it makes it easier to create. When you only have 1 or 2 things to focus on, you don’t get overwhelmed or distracted. You just keep your head down and do what you do. Create what you create. That’s it. You naturally get better, and faster.

The less features, the better.

Underdeliver, but outperform.