Digital Music Mag - Sound & Stuff

New URL: http://sonicposition.com/

2009-08-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hi,

please update your links:
Digital Music Mag is moving!

From now on you will find me at:
www.SonicPosition.com

Thx!
Hope to see you soon ... ;-)

Stupid move: NO firewire on Macbooks anymore

2008-10-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

You might have read this allready, but i think removing firewire from macbooks is one of the most stupid moves i have ever seen.

Feel free to contact Apple and tell them to bring it back ASAP:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbook.html

More infos here:

AppleInsider | Jobs responds to outrage over MacBook's missing FireWire

Apple - Support - Discussions - No Firewire ports! ...

Apple - Support - Discussions - No Firewire; many possible problems ...

;-(

Tangerine Dream - Improvisation (1976)

2008-09-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

This clip might have been posted elsewhere already, but i think it's worth watching over and over again. ;-) Gear porn at it's best: Tangerine Dream (Froese, Franke and Baumann) playing an improvised set on German TV in 1976. Embedding is disabled by request, so you need to click the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1PmlM57s_Q

New Fairchild 670 - analoguetube

2008-09-25T09:49:00.000-07:00

The new company Analoguetube.com just started building the classic Fairchild 670 again. It's called AT-101. The AT-101 is available for £11,500 ex VAT. There is a 6 week lead time. So hurry up ... ;-)

Here is what they say:

The AT-101 is the result of 4 years development based around the Fairchild 670 Stereo Limiter/Compressor it is a blend of modern technology and traditional construction, the original was developed during the late 50’s and has gained a somewhat mythical status, in both recording studios and value. Favored by many recording engineers for its natural uncoloured sound, original units typicaly command high prices.

The AT-101 shares exactly the same circuit and components used in this technology. The aim is to breathe life back into a product that has for many years been unavailable. The goal is to make this unique brand of audio compression equipment commercially available to everybody.

Many attempts have been made to recreate it, mostly by [now] established American manufactures using parts of the circuit and different tubes in a smaller box. The AT-101 brings together 50 years of established technology using state of the art low noise components and returns classical methods of audio compression back to the studio.

Analoguetube.com builds and manufactures the AT-101 using traditional electronic methods with parts that are sourced commercially and that are commonly available. These units have been built by hand as close to the original as possible using standard high quality components and are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for the life of the equipment from the original date of manufacture.

Each unit is shipped with a fully protective foamed-out Peli road case with wheels as standard.

Artist Aquasky busted for using Warez

2008-05-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

This could be bizarre: The latest issue of "Future Music 201" features an interview with Aquasky (www.aquasky.co.uk). This screenshot shows that Aquasky uses warezed software:

Go figure .... more info at KVR-Forum.

This reminds me of this German Magazin uses Warez.

UPDATE:
"Wire to the Ear" reports that Aquasky apologized and purchased both Predatohm and OhmBoyz ...

Free TR 909 for your Apple iPhone!

2008-05-17T05:48:00.001-07:00

This looks like future fun for musicians with an iPhone ...

From Roventskij.net:

IR-909 is a drum machine for the iPhone inspired by the Roland TR-909. IR-909 features a 16-step sequencer, 4 patterns, 8 different drum sounds and the ability to adjust tempo(BPM) and shuffle amount.

IR-909 1.0 Beta 2 will soon be ready for the public, but not just yet. In the meanwhile, check out theses screenshots:

More Info here!

D16's plug-ins vs. hardware

2008-05-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

D16.pl is a company that makes great software clones of Roland TB 303, TR 808 and TR 909. Now they make a brave attempt to prove the quality of their plug ins.

More videos here.

Scooter kicks Madonna - Behind the Scene of Jumpstyle

2008-05-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, what does it take to kick a superstar like Madonna
from the top of the UK charts? Right: Scooter!

Billboard Info

German techno band Scooter scored a big upset on the new U.K. album chart yesterday (May 11), unseating Madonna's "Hard Candy" (Warner Bros.) to debut at No. 1 with "Jumping All Over the World" (All Around the World/Universal Music TV). It's the band's first British album release for five years and first No. 1, 13 years after it first reached the U.K. singles chart. "Hard Candy" moved down to No. 2 after its chart-topping debut last week ....

Scooter - Behind The Scenes

Scooter - Studio Tour

Scooter - Studio Tour 1996

Mastering at Sterling Sound: Mission of Burma Videos

2008-03-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

This is a nice inside look of a mastering session at Sterling Sound.

Info from the Band:
On Novevember 27th, 2007 we visited Sterling Sound in New York City to document first-hand the all-analog mastering process. The process by which Mission of Burma's landmark recordings from the early 1980's were re-mastered. The process is old-fashioned. The gear is original. The vinyl is live cut.

All videos here.

Stanley the Robotman is Explaining a Synthesizer

2008-03-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

Stanley Povoda, the worldfamous Robot-Man is now creating very strange syntesizers. They are hosted in old tape-machines, solariums, telephones. soon the time will show, that this was a big mistake to give us these devices. in this video the master himselfe is explaining how one of this small magic boxes is working. check www.metamorphosis.at to see more of this magic devices. Video by christoph pajer.

;-)

Make Your Own DSP FX Pedals

2008-03-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

This sounds nice and could be very usefull not only for guitar players but for electronic musicians and dj's as well:

WOW: Melodyne Direct Note Access

2008-03-13T13:42:00.000-07:00

WTF! This is crazy!!

PR SonicState:

Once in a while a product comes along that really takes things to another dimension - take the Celemony Melodyne - that put audio into the world of grid editing, enabling incredibly powerful manipulation of recorded audio.

Well be prepared to have you mind blown once again. Today Melodyne previewed the their Direct Note Access. Essentially, they have made the impossible possible. Take a stereo (or mono) track of polyphonic audio - piano, string quartet or whatever and then through some kind of wizardry, explode this into the separate individual notes and edit to taste as you would with monophonic audio within Melodyne. Yes you heard right.

It's kind of hard to explain, watch the video - it's a real doodie. Outside of a keynote speech by Steve Jobs, you rarely hear the crowd cheer as software features are unveiled....

Available later this year as part of the Melodyne 2.0 update (in plug-in form first).

Universal Audio 6176

2008-03-10T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice education video about the Universal Audio 6176.

Look at all the nice tubes in that uad box!
Too bad they can't stand up to the sound of the old vintage 1176.
I like the purple audio mc77 best.
And i don't love the sound of the 6176 pre's either.
To my ears bae 1272 or api 312 have more personality.
But that's just me - and the 6176 still looks great!

:-)

SSL Duende PCIe $1,295.00 USD

2008-03-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

SSL Duende PCIe $1,295.00 USD - No Review or test ...

In 2005, SSL Engineers decided to embark on a technology project to figure out how we could take the processing power of a console and squeeze it into a 1U rack, and in the process serve up the SSL sound to home and project studio owners who don’t have the budget (or the floor space!) required to install a large-format console. Drawing on our unique understanding of audio processing and years of DSP know-how, our team of engineers set about creating the SSL processing solution for your DAW environment. We knew we needed serious DSP horsepower to accommodate our powerful algorithms, and we knew it had to come in a package that could integrate seamlessly with the most popular workstations… And so Duende was born.

Since that time, Duende with the help of you our valued reseller has sold over 3000 units. Originally in a 19″ rack format, now referred to as Duende Classic, Duende PCIe delivers the complete SSL mix experience without the need for an external Firewire connected unit. Duende PCIe offers complete integration into the most popular workstation environments with one simple PCI-e connection. The different processing blocks appear as VST/AU/RTAS plug-ins – and include an authentic SSL channel strip with filters, E and G series EQ and dynamics processing, as well as the legendary SSL Bus Compressor.

As with all Duende products, Duende PCIe is compatible with all VST, AU and RTAS hosts. The new PCIe design is ideal for customers who wish to implement several outboard Firewire devices and may not have the available bandwidth for Duende Firewire. Duende PCIe is also fully compatible as a companion to Duende Classic and Duende Mini offering a maximum of 64 channels in 48k and 32 channels in 96k. A maximum of 2 Duende PCIe can be also implemented on one DAW system. Duende PCIe completes the Duende family of products. Now you have a Duende product for every customer. Duende Classic in a 1u rack design, Duende Mini for the Budget conscious customer and Duende PCIe for the customer that demands high performance and flexibility for their comprehensive DAW system.

Main Features:
32 Channel Plug-in processing
Includes SSL XL9000k channel strip and Buss Compressor
MAC and PC compatible PCIe card
Fully compatible with all Duende plugins
Functions as a companion to Duende Firewire

Well, that must hurt if you just got the Duende Classic with firewire.

History Of The Moog Synthesizer

2008-01-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

Here is Robert Moog talking about Moog Synthesizer. He even upens up a new Mini Moog and shows the inside. Pretty cool!

Moog Micro Moog Demo

2008-01-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

This is another great video from "YESSONGS". Watch his Moog Micro Moog!

Great Mini Moog Demo

2008-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

Very nice Mini Moog show off video ... ;-)

In the Studio: Black Milk

2008-01-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

Brianna Pope invades the studio environment of Detroit's go-to hip-hop producer, Black Milk, as he takes the helm on the upcoming Sean Price and Guilty Simpson collaboration. Black talks technique, inspiration and tips while Sean Price rolls around on the floor and goofs on "rappity-rap." Both show mad respect for Beanie Sigel.

In the Studio: Asphodel and Recombinant Media

2008-01-23T16:58:00.000-08:00

This video is part one of a series: XLR8R Technology editor Ken Taylor takes you on a tour of one of electronic art's finest facilities, Asphodel and Recombinant Media Labs. Comprised of an unprecedented 16.8.2 -channel, 10-screen surround-cinema performance environment with an external control room, a suite full of new and old synthesizers (all in mint condition), a DVD- and CD-mastering studio and a recording studio with top-of-the-line equipment spanning nearly every era of electronic music, Asphodel and RML is a sound artist's dream come to life. While the technology is impressive, it's only one aspect of what makes these studios special. We'll explore the facility further in future episodes.

"Queens of the Stone Age" - Recording

2008-01-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

"Queens of the Stone Age" in studio recording. A few special guest like jack black to zztop.

The Smiths - In the studio

2008-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

A rare glimpse of The Smiths recording their album Meat Is Murder. Watch out for Mike Joyce giving a murderous look at the camera when drumming.

Abbey Road Studios & Chandler Videos

2007-10-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here are two nice videos from Abbey Road Studios.

--------

Mastering at Abbey Road Studios:
A brief guide to mastering and the TG Mastering console.

-------

Zener Limiter and Curvebender run through:
Wade Goeke give you a run throgh of the functionality of the two new Abbey Road units that he designed with Abbey Road.

-------

More videos of Abbey Road can be found here!

Mastering With Manley - Crazy Hutch

2007-10-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

You might already know this video from Sonicstate: Chief designer Hutch from Manley talks about his cool new Mastering toy. If you ask me, Hutch is CRAZY! Just watch how he explains his product and you will know what i mean. ;-) But maybe every great highend product needs a crazy guy behind it.

Amazing Drum Solo from Neil Peart

2007-08-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is a great solo from Neil Peart.

Peart is known for an extremely hard-hitting style that combines accuracy, precision, clarity, and complexity. His influences are eclectic, ranging from Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, Steve Gadd, The Who's Keith Moon, to fusion and jazz drummers Billy Cobham, Buddy Rich, Bill Bruford and Gene Krupa. Peart is distinguished historically for playing "butt-end out", i.e. reversing stick orientation for greater impact and increased rim-shot capacity (for that reason, his long-time drum technician, Larry Allen, would file the tip-end of his sticks for gripping purposes).
More info.

Funny wrestling fight video - Live!

2007-08-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a funny video clip from "Das Ohlsen Syndrom" playing live at the "Rock & Wrestling" event in Hamburg. Sound is directly from the digicam ...

Maroon 5's "Makes me Wonder"

2007-07-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

See how the #1 song "Makes Me Wonder" evolved over the course of recording the platinum record "It Won't Be Soon Before Long" from Maroon 5.

Evolution of "Makes Me Wonder" Pt. 1

Evolution of "Makes Me Wonder" Pt. 2

Makes Me Wonder OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Dicke vs. Documenta 12

2007-06-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

------------

The german Minimal-Electro-Pop Band "Das Ohlsen Syndrom" celebrates a special dance called "Kassel-Tanz" as a condribution to the documenta 12.

------------

Zitat aus ArtNoMu:

Am Rande der aktuellen Documenta 12 in Kassel zelebriert die Elektro-Minimal-Pop Band "Das Ohlsen Syndrom" ihre Version von der Geisterbahn im Märchenwald. Höhepunkt der ungewöhnlichen Show mit toller Live-Band: Sänger und Kunstfigur "Dicke" tanzt vor entrücktem Fachpublikum ausgelassen seine symbolträchtige Hommage an die wilden 70'er, den kürzlich verstorbenen Maler Jörg Immendorff, Andy Warhol und die Mainzelmännchen. Stilvoll, sinnvoll, amüsant! Wer kann der kommt - das gilt besonders für diese Band. Wahnsinn ist garantiert! Gegen den Frontmann von "Das Ohlsen Syndrom" wirkt selbst Schock-Popper Marilyn Manson altbacken und genormt ...

Die ganze Vielfalt der Band entdeckt man unter:
www.myspace.com/dasohlsensyndrom

Wer will kann sich dort auch ein handgemachtes T-Shirt bestellen, das exklusiv von Dag Nastee alias Dicke hergestellt und bedruckt wird. Einige nicht mehr erhältliche Designs sind bereits jetzt Sammlerstücke und werden von den Fans der ersten Stunde wie Trofähen bei Konzerten zur Schau gestellt.

Inside Virust TI

2007-05-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered what's inside an Access Virus TI?

More pics of mounting a Virus TI in a rack ...

Look Around You - Synthesizer Patel

2007-04-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed this:

korg prophecy in action!

2007-04-05T17:57:00.000-07:00

nice video from syntezatory.prv.pl:

What is Circuit Bending?

2007-04-05T07:49:00.001-07:00

Beatbox Fame Game

2007-04-01T05:45:00.000-07:00

Beatbox Fame Game

$1000 reward for hints: Cracking groups "Team AIR" and "H20"

2007-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

Markus from Tone2.com wants to take legal actions and offers a $1000 reward for hints regarding these cracking groups:

- Team AIR
- H20
- invision
- "niceguydave" for demonoid.com

Read the story here and post your comments ...

As much as i understand his problem with cracking groups, i really dont believe this is going to be successful. A $1000 reward is simply not enough money ... if he would have been "brave" enough to make it a $100000 reward - who knows?

Sunrise at Sphere Studios London (video)

2007-03-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

ASMO - Texas Electro [ circuit bent ]

2007-03-27T18:39:00.001-07:00

Jamming with Roger Manning jr.

2007-03-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

Now that is great:
Take a look in Roger's home studio keyboard heaven!

More funny movies can be found at iLoveJamming.com!

Ableton LIVE and Nintendo Wii

2007-03-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

Great use of a Nintendo Wii and Ableton LIVE!

Here is what WIRED Blogs says about it:

I've seen a few Wii hacks for the Mac, but this may be the coolest yet. Or at least: the most fun.

Musician Yann Seznec (also known as The Amazing Rolo) put on his dancing shoes on, grabbed his Wii and used it to make music on his Mac with a loop-based program he wrote.

His software, The Wii Loop Machine, communicates with a Mac running OS 10.3.9 via Bluetooth, and lets you drop in loops and warp effects by dancing around with a Wiimote.

The above video reminds me of why I have a soft spot in our heart for Franco-American software developer hacker musicians currently living in Scotland. But really, who doesn't?

*And if you want to be pedantic about it, he grabbed his Wiimote, not his Wii. But why pass up that verbal opportunity when you have the chance?

How To Program A Roland TB-303

2007-03-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

The author praevius says: "There are a lot of videos with TB-303's in 'em on YouTube, but none that shows how you actually program one. The manual is so hard to get through, it's best someone shows you."

A TB-303 operation manual can be found here.

Vista 64 vs. 32 ?

2007-03-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

I am about to change my DAW setup later this year. Right now i use a AMD X2 4400, Cubase SX 3. This seemed to be pretty fast in the past, but as time goes by, it now feels slow and old compared to the new Intel Chips. Since Cubase 4 is still "buggy" and Vista 64 is not supported to well, i am doing some research.

So i found this interesting performance test:

Results in short:
1. Vista outperforms XP without any trouble at all
2. There's no performance advantage to Vista 64

The Institute of Ape Culture Prototype Synthesizer

2007-03-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is a demonstration of The Institute of Ape Culture Prototype Synthesizer. The circuit is based on Ray Wilson's WSG.

Doepfer A100

2007-03-21T19:54:00.000-07:00

Tiesto Studio Interview

2007-03-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

DJ Tiesto tells his secrets in music production ;-)

Casio DG-20 Demo

2007-03-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

Since i just picked up a Casio DG-20 midi guitar myself from ebay (just like this guy!) i really love his video. Hope mine is fully working too when it arrives ... ;-)

An Atari MIDI Studio

2007-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Check out Tim's great Atari MIDI Studio ...

Circuit Bent Casio PT-87

2007-03-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Well, actually i am not into circuit bending - but this is realy nice.
Check out the bonus jam session in the end!

Very strange Dr. Synthesizer

2007-03-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, what happens when you spend way too much time with synthesizers? Watch Dr. Synthesizer and you will know what i mean ... ;-)

Dasein: 5.1 Analog Synthesis!

2007-03-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is a documentary by Christopher Lefor and Bryce Janssens. Watch there unconventional experiment in 5.1 analog synthesis recording.

Moog Little Phatty Toccata and Fugue in Dm

2007-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Orgon Modular Synthesizer/VCS-3/TR-606

2007-03-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

Ramon working with the Orgon Modular Synthesizer, EMS VCS3 and a Roland TR-606.

VCS3 Specs:

The VCS3 (nicknamed the Putney) is an analog monosynth housed in a distinctive angled wooden case, a truly classic synth. EMS (Electronic Music Studios) was created in England back in 1969. The VCS3 was one of their first synths and it is still a great, unique, funky little unit! Pictured above is the Mark I model. Pictured is another unit with the small wood-cased DK2 voltage-control keyboard required to play the VCS3.

It has three oscillators, and a unique matrix-based patch system. Instead of patch wires, the VCS3 uses a patchbay grid in which the synth components are laid out, and signal routing is accomplished by placing small pins into the appropriate slots. The VCS3 was, in actuality, a modular type synthesizer reduced down to an extremely portable size. It generates familiar sci-fi sounds (Dr. Who) and other truly analog sounds. Unfortunately, the oscillators tend to drift out of tune. There's a Noise Generator, 2 Input Amplifiers, 1 Ring Modulator, 1 Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter (VCF), 1 Trapezoid Envelope Generator, Joy-Stick Controller, Voltage Controlled Spring Reverb unit and 2 Stereo Output Amplifiers.

Additonally, the VCS3 was also sold in a plastic breif-case and called the Synthi A. The major Synthi 100 system was based on three VCS3's strung together. Some ultra-rare commercially unavailable synths EMS made include the VCS4 in 1969 which was basically 2 VCS3's plus a keyboard. And the Synthi Keyboard 1 of 1970 was just a VCS3 with a mini 29-note keyboard. Many of these EMS synth's have been used by Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Stereolab, Yes, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Jean-Michel Jarre, Astral Projection, Klaus Schulze, Depeche Mode, Vince Clarke, Add N to (X), The Who, Todd Rundgren, Recoil, Freddy Fresh, and many more.

Ohlsensyndrom im Studio 2007

2007-03-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Jo! Endlich wagt sich Dicke vom Ohlesnsyndrom mal wieder ins Studio und nimmt seine neue Scheibe auf! Wann alles fertig ist und wann es die neue Platte zu kaufen gibt, wurde allerdings noch nicht verraten ...

Testament - The Gathering Mix

2007-03-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

In the studio with Testament ...

Gear Porn Pool at Flickr

2007-03-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Many nice gear pics can be found at Flickr's "Gear Porn Pool"

Other sweet pools are:
- Create Digital Music
- Music objects
- CIRCUIT BENDING bMc
- Unusual Instruments
- SYNTHESIZER + SEQUENCER.de
- Synthesizers
- Audio Recording Studio
- Music Production
- DIY electronica
- Your Musical Instruments
- Musical Instruments [NO PEOPLE]
- Homemade Music
- Technical Wax Rotation

Roland is scared by a d16 100% clone

2007-03-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

That is funny: Roland vs. Poland

Roland seems to be scared by the great sound and the nice gui of the perfect 909 (808 comming soon) clones from d16.pl ...
Till now Roland could only force d16.pl to change the gui - the great sound of this clones is still untouched. So did Roland win anything by this censorship? I guess not!

Imho Roland sucked in the first place when they decided not to make a virtual release of there legendary 909 / 808 drum machines. But maybe they just could not do such a great job as d16.pl .. who knows?

George Lynch - Studio Guitar Solos

2007-03-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

TEN YEARS AFTER - 1969 in studio

2007-03-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Weird Al - Behind the Scenes Recording

2007-03-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Faith No More - In the Studio 1992

2007-03-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

Video interview: Eric Benet & Philip Bailey

2006-08-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Eric Benet & Philip Bailey - I Wanna Be Loved

DAG talks about his new G7

2006-07-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is DAG from the german electro band "Das Ohlsensyndrom" talking about his sensational live gear setup the "G7". Basicly it's an old Tascam multitracker with some stickers. You can see him live this saturday (1.8.06) rocking the "Cobra Bar" in Hamburg, St. Pauli, Reeperbahn. I am told that he will be supported by Smyke, the guitar legend from "Over the Jordan Higheels".

Blindtest: Waves SSL, Duende, Liquid Mix, URS 1980, Digidesign Impact

2006-07-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

Over at the Gearslutz forum some nice guy posted a great blindtest about Duende, Waves ( Native RTAS and TDM ), Liquid Mix, URS 1980 ( Native RTAS and TDM ) and Digidesign Impact TDM. Check it out.

Another early review of SSL Duende

2006-07-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

At the Sonikmatter forum is another (early) review of SSL Duende you might want to check. Can't wait for the PC version to come later this year ...

SSL Mix Buss

2006-06-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a great new place to hang out: www.mixbuss.com!

We created Mix Buss as a way to share knowledge about the art of music production; a place where you'll be able to get essential info from engineers and producers, check out valuable tips and tutorials, interact with each other and help us buld a thriving online community of music production enthusiasts.

With more and more of us making music in home and project studios we wanted to provide a place where established producers and engineers can trade info with aspiring ones.

E3 2006: Wii Drums

2006-06-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

Some professional drummers were hired to play some drums the whole day using the Wii Drums game and a Wii controller in each hand. It seems to kind of work, but there might be some very slight delay or some other way of synchronizing the sounds that made it sometimes sound a bit unnatural. Watch the video and judge for yourself. I would else think that this kind of game would be simply awesome. Imagine mixing this with Wii Orchestra, Wii keyboard, Wii guitar and more instruments, and imagine if you could create extremely original music this way. Link to movie.

Video: Jean-Jacques Perrey

2006-06-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some great videos about Jean-Jacques Perrey. You can listen to some famous tracks from Perrey at myspace.

Get that sound ...

2006-06-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

GetThatSound.com is a nice online resource for fellow musicians who'd like to know what particular gear was used on their favorite songs.

Can you Produce a Hit Song?

2006-06-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting story from Scott Romig. He posted his point of view as one of many replies in a thread titled "Can you Produce a Hit Song?" at gearslutz. Very salutary ...

I think that a "hit" also requires timing in the market place.

I have experienced this from many artist angles. In 1999 my band, Dexter Freebish, was an unsigned band in Austin Texas. We won the Grand Prize of the John Lennon songwriting contest for our song "Leaving Town." The song was recorded during a demo deal with MCA records and produced by a local producer named Dave Mcnair. The demo recording was done with 3 other songs over a 4 day period here in Austin. After winning song of the year we were signed by capitol records and went on to record our Debut Album "A Life of Saturdays." Most of the the album was co-produced with John Travis. But "Leaving Town" was co-produced by John Shanks.

For the Album version we did drums and vocals at Sunset Sounds with overdubs at Shanks' home studio. Tom Lord Algae mixed "Leaving Town" and a couple of other tracks with Chris Lord Algae and Jack Joseph Puig mixing the others on the album.

We spent around $500,000 on the album with another $300,000 on the video. Capitol spared no expense on the radio promotion or marketing. In the end "Leaving Town" was a moderate succes.

We made it to #10 @ AAA, #24 @ modern rock, and #33 at top 40. Moderate VH1 airplay and sold somewhere around 100,000 albums after touring our butts off for 15 months.

In 2000 you will recall that the airwaves were filled with the likes of Britney Spears, Nsync on the pop side and KORN, Limp Biscuit, etc on the rock side. There was not a whole lot of airplay being devoted to alternative/pop/rock.

We had a heck of a time getting any momentum at radio and in the end was shelved when a new label head came to capitol.

Now......maybe "Leaving Town" was a mediocre song OR maybe it had "hit potential." All I know is that the marketing $$$ were flying and yet in the marketplace we were unable to gain a strong foothold.

In the interest of furthering the dialogue I have created a myspace account and posted the demo version and Album version of "Leaving Town" for your listening enjoyment at http://www.myspace.com/motherofdestiny. please download as the streaming quality sucks.

Where are they now?

Capitol payed for us to record another album in 2003. We used Matthew Wilder as producer and worked with Mike Shipley as mixer.

After recording "Tripped into Divine" capitol dropped us because we still did not fit into the radio marketplace and they had no idea how to "market" us.

We ended up putting out the album independently and won another john lennon songwriting contest for the song "prozak" yet were unable to generate enough airplay to "pop"

Since then....the band has folded. I am currently writing/producing/playing alot of guitar, leading worship and waiting for the next "Big Break."

Regards,
scott romig

Tom Green LIVE worldwide show

2006-06-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

News from Tom Green: We are heading towards a launch of June 15th, at 11:00 EST, (New York City) for the new show TOM GREEN LIVE. This will be the first LIVE Worldwide SHOW to be broadcast using the internet. Call IN and talk ON THE AIR to Tom and his freinds. Here's the number 1-866-626-4254 Rock on.

The Who online tour

2006-06-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

This could be fun: In The Attic and The Who have joined forces to offer the worlds first major global tour - Live and On-line. As they move around Europe, USA and then the rest of the world, you can watch it all happen in comfort of your home. Feel the atmosphere; join the team and their guests on this amazing global event. More info www.thewholive.tv

Apple MacBook R.I.P

2006-06-08T15:35:00.000-07:00

Only 2 days ago i got my new (13-inch, 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo, white) Apple MacBook and it just died! Gee, that was short fun ...

This is what happened:
I closed the notebook while running, left it alone for about 45 minutes, opened it again and the MacBook made same very strange noise! Just like it was eating a cd (but no cd in drive!). After that the screen stayed black. I think the screen/display is broken ... for what reason ever ...

Anyway, beside of the fact that it took only 48 hours to break - it's a great notebook. It's fast and very slick! It got hot sometimes, but it was ok for me. I touched the back of the Apple Macbook many times to check the heat - nothing to worry about. "DuoTemp" reported 50-60 C idle and about 80 c while rendering a short movie. When reaching 80 c the fans kicked in and cooled it down to about 65 c. I really had fun while playing arround ...

I will return the MacBook tomorrow.
But I am not sure if i should get my money back or try another one?

Udpate:
I just took the MacBook back and the guys in the store tried for 30 minutes to reanimate the notebook but had no luck. So they gave me my money back. Since all macbooks are out of stock i have to wait for new ones to arrive. Maybe i just wait for rev. 2 ....

The Banned History of Rock 'n' Roll

2006-06-04T17:50:00.000-07:00

While listening to the Mellotron documentary from Radio 4 (via Musicthing) i found another interesting show called

"The Banned History of Rock 'n' Roll" (click to listen).

This great BBC radio show reveals the true stories behind taboo tunes: From Elvis's pelvis through Max Romeo's Wet Dream to Frankie's Relax, how can musicians express life between the sheets without facing the wrath of the censor?

Hans Zimmer studio movie - german

2006-06-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Picture shows young Hans Zimmer and an early synthesizer.
Not sure what it is.

This post from Harpya pointed me to a german movie clip about Hans Zimmer. We can see some of his new studio, and hear a few seconds of the Pirates soundtrack, he is currently working on. Here is a quick translation posted at cubase.net:

The first soundbyte says, that even though people have been claiming for ten years that he works on several films at once, he really does them one after the other. He also says how he finished Da Vinci Code at four thirty in the morning and started Pirates the next day at ten. In the long soundbyte in the middle he speaks about his father's death when he was six and how he used the music as refuge. Even today, when he has an argument with his wife, he starts to hum some tunes. In the one shot where he is sitting at his keyboard, he says, that he sits there all day and that it sometimes takes six weeks till he has a little something that means something. During the scoring session he says that this is the best moment, when there are 100 people going in the same direction. That there is something in the air that you otherwise only have with soccer...

.. the last sentence...
There's this story wherby a child says to it's mother "when I grow up I want to be a musician" and it's mother answered with "you can't do both"

Thx Harpya for translating ...

Check the "The Hans Zimmer Worship Page" for more infos.

Proper acoustic treatment

2006-05-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ethan from www.realtraps.com presents his new video about how to set up and treat a listing room even at home. Or lets say: how to turn a "nice" living room into a hall of traps.

This video is a greatly expanded version of our text article How to Set Up a Room, and explains the basics of room layout and acoustic treatment. The focus is on home theaters with 5.1 surround systems, but most of the information applies equally to professional recording studios and mastering rooms. You also get to meet my wife and have a guided tour of my living room.

Movie: Problems in the studio ...

2006-05-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

Funny movie: This guy "freaks" out because the drummer can't play in timing. ;-)

Maybe he should work with this wonder boy next time.

Focusrite Liquidmix preview - [video]

2006-05-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

Dancetech made a nice exclusive preview video of the liquidmix from Focusrite. You can/must download the avi movie file on the Dancetech side. Wouldn't it be more easy to upload it to i.e. youtube? Anyway, it's still very interesting to watch and worth the download.

32 channels of classic vintage & modern compressors & eq's emulated with impulse response sampling, all in a dedicated DSP firewire unit with the option to load more emulations as they are released. Could this be the next buzz product for home studio tech?.... You can see & hear the Liquidmix unit explained while in action in this video preview exclusive... This is going to fly off the shelves at such a low price point!... It's a full-on video rendered in high quality Divx with stereo 64k soundtrack, so it's 180mb to download, but you get a full 1/2 hour preview video 'diary' in high quality web video so all details of the unit's LCD screen etc are fully visible while in use. Check it out!... This units is going to be a monster product for budget studio's worldwide!

Hollywood veteran John Ross shows his 5-MC Film System

2006-05-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be fun to have one of these babys? ;-)

Euphonix System 5-MC + 1 super DAW

Euphonix System 5-MC Integrated DAW Controller as used by John Ross for Film Audio Mixing. The two-operator System 5-MC is controlling Pro Tools and Nuendo DAWs. The Studio is located in Hollywood Californina. Click the PLAY button to watch the video.

This really is a hyper powerfull super DAW!!

AES SHOW: UAD-1e PCI Express DSP Card from Universal Audio

2006-05-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

Great news from the AES Show 2006 in Paris:
UAD-1e PCI Express DSP Card from Universal Audio.

Some official words:

"The UAD-1e Express PAK and Expert PAK offer DAW users with new PCIe-based Mac/PC computers access to UA's DSP-powered and sonically superior mixing and mastering plug-ins." said Mike Barnes, VP of Marketing for Universal Audio. "This is the first big milestone in our UAD strategy to offer a wider range of UAD solutions, help our customers cross-grade to new systems and give them total flexibility to choose precisely which plugs they actually want at the UA online store - my.uaudio.com."

"The PCI Express (PCIe) bus offers exceptional performance, lower system overhead, and higher reliability for low-latency audio signal processing while allowing us to maintain software compatibility with legacy PCI and PCI-X systems." stated Joe Bryan, VP of Technology. "This approach allows users to mix and match UAD-1 and UAD-1e cards in any combination for maximum flexibility. The PCIe bus and ExpressCard system interfaces are vastly superior to other high-speed interconnects, and allow us to run many more channels (up to 254 channels per card), operate reliably at higher sample rates, and offer much more powerful DSP expansion than alternatives using FireWire or EtherNet. Put simply, PCIe is the professional solution."

The Project Studio Network Weekly Podcast

2006-05-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

The PSN Podcast is dedicated to both the amateur and professional recording musician. It features news, talk and reviews on all topics related to the performing and recording of audio and video.

I very much liked the great interviews with Charles Dye.

Stuff i missed: Tube Motherboard

2006-05-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

This thread pointed me to a product i totally missed since 2002: The AOpen AX4B-533 Tube Motherboard!

The AX4B-533 is intended primarily for audiophiles, music lovers, and "serious gamers" who want the best possible sound, according to AOpen product manager Al Peng, a self-described "audiophile for more than ten years." Some company engineers derided the concept, but Peng said that their "laughter turned into raves a few months later when we did our first lab demo . . . The reproduced sound was absolutely amazing. It left everyone stunned. What we realized at that moment was how the limitations of typical audio output from a PC as we knew it had come to an end—and what we were pioneering was a way to literally combine the best of two audio worlds, old and new."

Here is the original Aopen press release, a nice articel about the AOpen AX4B-533 Tube Motherboard and a review from neoseeker.

Since this product is not available anymore, i wonder what happened?

FAKE 1954: Take a look into the year 2004!

2006-05-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Back in 1954: Scientists from the RAND Corporation (think tank first formed to offer research and analysis to the United States armed forces) have created the above model (pic) to illustrate how a "home computer" could look like in the year 2004. ;-) I'am just happy they where sooo wrong - just think about how your studio would look like today!

EDIT:
Uups ... just learned that this story is a fake "Urban Legend"!
The picture is actually an entry submitted to a Fark.com image modification competition, taken from an original photo of a submarine maneuvering room console found on U.S. Navy web site, converted to grayscale, and modified to replace a modern display panel and TV screen with pictures of a decades-old teletype/printer and television (as well as to add the gray-suited man to the left-hand side of the photo). My fault ... ;-(

Index of beatmaking videos

2006-05-16T06:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice and big collection of beatmaking videos. some of them load slow, but it's still worth checking them out ... much hip-hop and mpc stuff, but also some great tricks about FLstudio (Fruity Loops), Propellerheads Reason, NI Battery, Cubase and Logic. Artists & producers: Jesper Jenson, Jay-Z, DR Period, J-Traxx, Just Blaze, DJ Premier, Jai Freedom, Kev Brown, Pete Rock, Scott Storch and Jason Walton... (via Peter)

NI Kore: NO Kore without Kore

2006-05-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

This is really bad: i just learned that you will have to connect NI Kore allways to your DAW in order to playback a song that used Kore. That means: NI Kore hardware is somekind of a dongle. so, if you travel with your laptop you have to take your Kore Dongle with you. No Kore, no playback of songs. Gee ... that sucks.

Sidechaining in Cubase SX

2006-05-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice tutorial video about how to do sidechaining in Cubase SX. As you will see it's a pain to set it up, but after doing it a couple of times it's ok. Well, except you use something like the old TC Electronic Native Bundle or dB-D dynamics processor (watch latency of compression when using these!). I wish Cubase SX had a better sidechain concept.

3D Walhalla Modular

2006-05-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

Alian Projects presents a very nice Quicktime 3D Panorama shot of a big "Walhalla" Modular.

The Project Studio Handbook

2006-05-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

This link takes you to the The Project Studio Handbook - the web's largest directory of recording-related articles and links... Very nice site to check out.

WTF €199: F*ck U Korg

2006-05-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

This is what pisses me of when buying software: INSANE PRICE DROPS for no reason!

Here is the story: i bought the Korg Legacy Collection (the one with the funny USB MS-20 controler) about 6 month ago for exactly € 599. Just some 4 weeks later the price went down to € 199!! i called my dealer and told them that i am pretty pissed - € 400 down the drain! Of course my dealer told me to relax: first this offer would be just for a very very short time - only to clear the stocks. And second i would get a very nice discount of the new Digital Collection. Fine i thought! But now: the original Legacy Collection is AGAIN on sale for only € 199 all over europe. So this would be the first lie! And: the discount i would get is only € 20!! Well, F*CK U KORG!!!

Don't get me wrong: i do like the Legacy Collection. And if you don't have it by now, you should get it for € 199 fast.

But for all the people who spend (at least) € 599 ... this is very close to a rip off!!

I can not think of another piece of gear i ever bought that lost value so fast!!
(By the way: the Korg EULA says that you are NOT allowed to sell your software, just think about it!!)

One thing is clear:
I just can not trust Korg on there price policy anymore. I will never ever buy anything in the first month again. I hate beeing a early bird that get's f*cked!!

Anyone else had the luck to spend 599 instead of 199??

Ebay: Three Dog Night signed guitar

2006-05-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Strange auction text:

This guitar was brought in by a consignor, He really does not what to sell it, but his father is sick and he needs to help him out.

The guitar is a white Squier Strat by Fender. It is signed by Three dog Night. There are five signatures on the guitar. They are Pat Bautz, Cory Wells, Michael Allsup, Danny Hutton, Jimmy Greenspoon, and Paul Kingery. The guy told us that there are very few of these signed by the group.

He is also sending with the guitar a case, Signed t-shirt. The t-shirt was not signed by every member just some of them.

There is a news paper artical about the band just a couple of days before the concert.

There is even a card that goes in the middle of a reserved table with some of there signatures on the inside of it.

Our confirmation of authenticity is a picture of the young man holding the signed guitar with all the members of Three Dog Night standing around him.

Somehow i don't believe it ... this pic is not really a "confirmation of authenticity" to me in any way ;-)

Radias delayed ?!?

2006-04-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is funny! Check this info from moogulator ...

Waves SSL EQ's compared to hardware (german)

2006-04-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

German magazin "Keys" compared the EQ's of Waves SSL software and the SSL XLogic E Signature Channel. The results are interesting (MP3 file download). The soundfile is in german ... but basicly the sounds are sorted like: clean, hardware, software and mixed. The last part is about the G Series Compressor. Since they did not have hardware to compare it with, it's only the software compressor you can hear. (Thx Dan!)

Introducing Usine...

2006-04-28T05:36:00.000-07:00

Usine is a universal audio software especially designed for live or studio utilisation. Usine is made by musicians and audio engineers to respond to their specific problems in a lot of domains like live sampling, effect processing or sound design. Usine is a real musical instrument, flexible and powerful if you like to transform, resample the sound on stage (not only push the play button of your sequencer!), improvise and create unusual effect. Usine is an patch oriented sound software where you can add plug-ins and connect them without restriction. The main purpose of this program is to provide a real time analysis of an input signal and then react with, and modify plug-in parameters to produce the sound.

Read more about Usine ...

Tarantino To Direct Hendrix Movie?

2006-04-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

Quentin Tarantino will direct a forthcoming biopic about Jimi Hendrix, according to reports.

Not in Our Names !

2006-04-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Canadian Music Creators Coalition (CMCC) starts a new voice:

We are a growing coalition of Canadian music creators who share the common goal of having our voices heard about the laws and policies that affect our livelihoods. We are the people who actually create Canadian music. Without us, there would be no music for copyright laws to protect.

Until now, a group of multinational record labels has done most of the talking about what Canadian artists need out of copyright. Record companies and music publishers are not our enemies, but let’s be clear: lobbyists for major labels are looking out for their shareholders, and seldom speak for Canadian artists. Legislative proposals that would facilitate lawsuits against our fans or increase the labels’ control over the enjoyment of music are made not in our names, but on behalf of the labels’ foreign parent companies.

1. Suing Our Fans is Destructive and Hypocritical
Artists do not want to sue music fans. The labels have been suing our fans against our will, and laws enabling these suits cannot be justified in our names. We oppose any copyright reforms that would make it easier for record companies to do this. The government should repeal provisions of the Copyright Act that allow labels to unfairly punish fans who share music for non-commercial purposes with statutory damages of $500 to $20,000 per song.

2. Digital Locks are Risky and Counterproductive
Artists do not support using digital locks to increase the labels’ control over the distribution, use and enjoyment of music or laws that prohibit circumvention of such technological measures. The government should not blindly implement decade-old treaties designed to give control to major labels and take choices away from artists and consumers. Laws should protect artists and consumers, not restrictive technologies. Consumers should be able to transfer the music they buy to other formats under a right of fair use, without having to pay twice.

3. Cultural Policy Should Support Actual Canadian Artists
The vast majority of new Canadian music is not promoted by major labels, which focus mostly on foreign artists. The government should use other policy tools to support actual Canadian artists and a thriving musical and cultural scene. The government should make a long-term commitment to grow support mechanisms like the Canada Music Fund and FACTOR, invest in music training and education, create limited tax shelters for copyright royalties, protect artists from inequalities in bargaining power and make collecting societies more transparent.

A New Voice: Policy Paper (PDF) - CMCC Website

World's smallest tube amp in action

2006-04-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice video from Z.VEX EFFECTS showing the world's smallest tube amp in action. (I did not see it in action before.) This handmade amp (about €499) is voiced to deliver classic rock tone, with a very high level of crunch available if it's wanted. Just crank the volume knob around to the level of distortion you desire, from a very quiet (one tenth watt) clean mode to a micro-Marshall blast when cranked up. It does a great job of emulating big amps at very reasonable volumes, which makes it exceptionally nice for recording.

Sound that makes you go WTF

2006-04-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

Well, i really like strange gear. But after all it should sound somehow good. Don't get me wrong: i do believe that the "The Ultimate Tube Synthesizer" S-1000 Wretch Machine from Metasonix is doing something very unique. But watching this video presentation from Eric Barber made me laugh a bit! ;-) Shouldn't he know how to make his stuff sound better?

Battle of the Selftuning-Guitares

2006-04-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

i just saw this 2 movies (Movie 1 and Movie 2) about Tronical. Tronical is a new selftuning kit for electric guitares that will not "harm" your guitare like the stuff from Transperformance (here is an article and some pics about transperformance). Beside that Tronical will be way cheaper too! I allready wrote them a mail and asked if the kit will work on my old Heritage h-170 model ... ;-)

Info about Tronical:

Tronical’s PowerTune TM is a modular system that can be retro-fitted to virtually any available guitar make or model, without the need for destructive rebuilding or re-working. The guitar can also be returned to its original state at any time, if needed.

Tronical´s PowerTune System consists of three modular main components.

* PowerHead-Locking Tuners - Contained in standard-size housing, these Servo pegs consist of a servo motor and high-performance gears, along with intelligent servo electronics. Tuning stability is further guaranteed by the quality, high-grade lock mechanics.

* Tune Control Bridge and TuneCore-Controller - The link between the Piezo-equipped bridge and the tuning analysis represents the core (or Commando Centre) of the complete PowerTune™ System. From here, the current tuning of the guitar is monitored and the actions of the Servo-tuners are controlled. Through the use of highly integrated electronics, the TuneCore Controller can be accommodated within a space that would otherwise prove limiting.

* TuneControl-MultiKnob - Multi-functional pot, with unique control button. Available in various finishes and styles to complement the design of different guitar models. The Volume knob in the “pull” position becomes a raster potentiometer that offers tunings for the different strings. Built into the pot are active electronic multi-coloured LEDs which, in conjunction with the optical lens, offer superb control over all settings and tunings – even on the darkest stage! The “Enter” button lets action to be confirmed quickly by simply hitting OK.

The guitar’s condition remains untouched. No drilling, cutting or other “constructional” changes needed. No changes to the sound, weight, performance or appearance of the guitar.

Tronical’s PowerTune System is available in stores worldwide from June 2006. Pricing is to be announced.

Disco D CNN video

2006-04-25T04:29:00.000-07:00

Producer David Shayman aka "Disco D" on CNN. Some nice shots of his studio insite. Watch the video here.

New audiophile USB cable ??

2006-04-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

Can this be true? Can a USB cable really improve the audio quality of a daw? Here is what the Kimber website says:

Kimber have developed and launched two cables, designed to improve the performance of devices linked to your computer like our RAVE 1 USB amp and Pro-Hifi link.

The new cables, B-Bus™ and Mini-Bus™, use large copper conductors – the largest possible under USB specifications, and the signal conductors are plated with an unusually thick (6.1%) silver plating to enhance conductivity and signal support. The ferrite noise reduction beads help the cable to preserve the delicate data stream, even at longer lengths.

When a USB cable is used to link a device such as an external soundcard to your computer, it becomes a digital audio interconnect. Lossless or uncompressed music files can sound even better if you upgrade this critical link – and Kimber’s USB cables should be the first choice.

Mr. Methane farts the Blue Donau

2006-04-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well, i am very happy that i did NOT do this stinking recording ... ;-) Poor guy mixing this session with Mr. Methane.

Secret Aphex Twin FM Competition

2006-04-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

That's cool: Aphex Twin enters (and wins!) Future Music's remix competition. Click picture to read full article (Thx Dan).

Great Gear Porn at APE Studios

2006-04-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

This studio got some real gear pron to offer:

Dan from APE Studios says: "The white console is a 1969 custom made Neumann console, commission-built for Teldec classical recording company in Germany. Its a beautifull open console with yards of headroom and great EQ! The blue console is a Helios, wicked british made console and as there were only two blue consoles made we're pretty positive it belonged to the Who but was also used by Jimmy Page to record parts of Stairway to Heaven. It sounds pure rock and roll! The two consoles are summed together so we can pick and choose when tracking and mixing. We have a really unique sound going on!"

Check out www.apestudios.com for more pics.

The Listening Sessions

2006-04-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

If you want to know how great gear sounds - check out "The Listening Sessions". Info: Started in 2002, TLS has become the largest independent project for testing, comparisons and reviews in the audio-recording industry (Forum). Now in 2006, TLS has recorded and evaluated in the range approaching 200 microphones and 100 microphone preamplifiers. TLS is contacted regularly by major pro audio manufacturers for input on product development.