The Slate Raven Experience

He whispered in my ear, “It’s just a gimmick. Let’s use it to play Angry Birds or something.” I get where he’s coming from—it’s hard for some of us in this industry to see beyond the tactile. New tech always comes with a learning curve, and the Raven is no different. To some, it’s misunderstood, even feels like an alien spaceship console at first. But to me? It’s a game-changer. It does exactly what it promises: connects me to my DAW in a way that feels both functional and intuitive.

When I first started out, I had people constantly telling me, "Learn your Pro Tools shortcuts; your value depends on it." But I was young, stubborn, and a little bit of an anarchist. I refused to conform. I knew that R and T zoomed in and out, but beyond that, I couldn’t be bothered. Fast forward nearly two decades, and I’ve worked with everyone—from homegrown indie artists to international musicians and TV/film people. I bounce between DAWs so much that sometimes I feel like a deer caught in headlights, fumbling through different layouts and shortcuts.

Then there’s the Raven. It’s saved me more times than I can count with its Batch Commander and touch controls. While it might look like a screen to the untrained eye, it’s much more than that. With its automation, bindable shortcuts, and fader banks, it’s like it was made for someone like me who’s constantly jumping between systems. I don’t have to worry anymore about which DAW is playing back my music files because my layout stays the same, my muscle memory locked into the Raven.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this comfortable in my own workflow. No more stressing over remembering shortcuts or wondering if the client behind me is silently judging every little slip-up.

And yes you can play Angry Birds if you Really really wanted to. but mixing is just a lot more fun