Sound Producer

Final Cut Pro X - Apple Revolutionizes Video Editing

2011-06-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Apple® today announced Final Cut Pro® X, a revolutionary new version of the world’s most popular Pro video editing software which completely reinvents video editing with a Magnetic Timeline that lets you edit on a flexible, trackless canvas; Content Auto-Analysis that categorizes your content upon import by shot type, media and people; and background rendering that allows you to work without interruption. Built on a modern 64-bit architecture, Final Cut Pro X is available from the Mac® App Store™ for $299.99.

“Final Cut Pro X is the biggest advance in Pro video editing since the original Final Cut Pro,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We have shown it to many of the world’s best Pro editors, and their jaws have dropped.”

“I’m blown away by what Apple has done with Final Cut Pro,” said Angus Wall, Academy Award-winning film editor. “Final Cut Pro X is incredibly modern and fast, but most importantly it lets you focus on telling your story in the most creative way, while it actively manages all of the technical details.”

At the heart of Final Cut Pro X is the Magnetic Timeline, a trackless approach to editing your footage that lets you add and arrange clips wherever you want them, while other clips instantly slide out of the way. You can use Clip Connections to link primary story clips to other elements like titles and sound effects, so they stay in perfect sync when you move them. You can even combine related story elements into a Compound Clip that can be edited as a single clip. The groundbreaking new Auditions feature lets you swap between a collection of clips to instantly compare alternate takes.

Content Auto-Analysis scans your media on import and tags your content with useful information. Final Cut Pro X then uses that information to dynamically organize your clips into Smart Collections, so you can easily find the clips you want by close up, medium and wide shots as well as media type and the number of people in the shot. You can also tag parts of clips with Range-based keywords to add custom search criteria to your media.

Completely rebuilt from the ground up, Final Cut Pro X is a 64-bit app that takes full advantage of the latest Mac hardware and software so you never have to wait for the next edit, even if you’re working with 4K video. Final Cut Pro X uses multi-threaded processing and the GPU on your graphics card for blazing fast background rendering and superb real-time playback performance. Additionally, a ColorSync-managed color pipeline ensures color consistency from import to output.

Final Cut Pro X also includes powerful tools for audio editing and color correction, and is complemented by two companion apps, Motion 5 for professional motion graphics and Compressor 4 for advanced media encoding, available from the Mac App Store for $49.99 each.

Pricing & Availability

Final Cut Pro X is available today for $299.99 from the Mac App Store. Motion 5 and Compressor 4 are available today for $49.99 each from the Mac App Store. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Sound Absorbing Materials

2011-06-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

All materials have some sound absorbing properties. Incident sound energy which is not absorbed must be reflected, transmitted or dissipated. A material’s sound absorbing properties can be described as a sound absorption coefficient in a particular frequency range. The coefficient can be viewed as a percentage of sound being absorbed, where 1.00 is complete absorption (100%) and 0.01 is minimal (1%).

Incident sound striking a room surface yields sound energy comprising reflected sound, absorbed sound and transmitted sound. Most good sound reflectors prevent sound transmission by forming a solid, impervious barrier. Conversely, most good sound absorbers readily transmit sound. Sound reflectors tend to be impervious and massive, while sound absorbers are generally porous, lightweight material. It is for this reason that sound transmitted between rooms is little affected by adding sound absorption to the wall surface.

There are three basic categories of sound absorbers: porous materials commonly formed of matted or spun fibers; panel (membrane) absorbers having an impervious surface mounted over an airspace; and resonators created by holes or slots connected to an enclosed volume of trapped air. The absorptivity of each type of sound absorber is dramatically (in some cases) influenced by the mounting method employed.

1) Porous absorbers: Common porous absorbers include carpet, draperies, spray-applied cellulose, aerated plaster, fibrous mineral wool and glass fiber, open-cell foam, and felted or cast porous ceiling tile. Generally, all of these materials allow air to flow into a cellular structure where sound energy is converted to heat. Porous absorbers are the most commonly used sound absorbing materials. Thickness plays an important role in sound absorption by porous materials. Fabric applied directly to a hard, massive substrate such as plaster or gypsum board does not make an efficient sound absorber due to the very thin layer of fiber. Thicker materials generally provide more bass sound absorption or damping.

2) Panel Absorbers: Typically, panel absorbers are non-rigid, non-porous materials which are placed over an airspace that vibrates in a flexural mode in response to sound pressure exerted by adjacent air molecules. Common panel (membrane) absorbers include thin wood paneling over framing, lightweight impervious ceilings and floors, glazing and other large surfaces capable of resonating in response to sound. Panel absorbers are usually most efficient at absorbing low frequencies. This fact has been learned repeatedly on orchestra platforms where thin wood paneling traps most of the bass sound, robbing the room of “warmth.”

3) Resonators: Resonators typically act to absorb sound in a narrow frequency range. Resonators include some perforated materials and materials that have openings (holes and slots). The classic example of a resonator is the Helmholtz resonator, which has the shape of a bottle. The resonant frequency is governed by the size of the opening, the length of the neck and the volume of air trapped in the chamber. Typically, perforated materials only absorb the mid-frequency range unless special care is taken in designing the facing to be as acoustically transparent as possible. Slots usually have a similar acoustic response. Long narrow slots can be used to absorb low frequencies. For this reason, long narrow air distribution slots in rooms for acoustic music production should be viewed with suspicion since the slots may absorb valuable low-frequency energy.

(excerpted from Mix, August 1997, “Room Acoustics: Basic Principles of Reflection, Diffusion and Abroption,” by David R. Schwind)

New Sound Recording Course

2011-05-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

A new and unique summer course offered by Syracuse University will give SU students the opportunity to teach Syracuse high school students with disabilities about the art of music production and recording engineering in a professional recording studio.

“Studio Recording/The Inclusive Recording Studio: Summer @SUbCat” is a new undergraduate and graduate course being offered to SU students studying music education, music industry and other related disciplines. The course will culminate in a two-week experience in August in which the SU students will teach and mentor high school music technology students with disabilities at the new SubCat Studios, an accessible, state-of-the-art facility located in the newly completed 219 West multi-arts complex at 219 S. West St., Syracuse.

“SUmmer @SUbCat” is sponsored by Syracuse University’s Burton Blatt Institute (BBI); University College; and the Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) as part of the Music Technology Access Project (MTAP), a collaborative effort to bring music education technology and instruction to students with disabilities. It is based on the popular music industry course “Studio Recording” currently taught in the Setnor School of Music.

“This course is completely unique, and the amalgam of music, recording technology and disability studies is cutting edge,” says James Abbott, music technology administrator and instructor in the Setnor School. “The collaboration between VPA, BBI and SubCat is unprecedented and will highlight the interdisciplinary approach at SU."

“This is exactly the type of inclusive arts and educational program that importantly engages BBI, VPA and the University with the Syracuse community,” says Peter Blanck, University Professor and chairman of BBI. “We hope this one-of-a-kind program will inspire high school students with and without disabilities to pursue careers in music engineering and sound production.”

“SUmmer @SUbCat” will be co-taught by Abbott and John Coggiola, chair of the Setnor School’s music education program, with SubCat Studios staff also participating. The SU students will work on an extensive recording project in addition to mentoring and coaching the high school students on music performance and production in the recording studio. In anticipation of the two-week experience, the SU students will make modifications to the studio to assist in this process, such as the adaptation of audio workstation software for voice activation and modifying studio hardware for accessibility. All of the students will collaborate on a recording project as performers and production staff.

“Music engineering is a techno-creative art, and I believe all persons should be given the opportunity to express themselves in the medium,” says Abbott. “The class and experience for the kids is a huge step in this direction.”

“SUmmer @SUbCat” seeks Syracuse high school students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) who show an interest in music, currently participate in school music programs or who would benefit from participating in music immersion. The high school students will attend the two-week program on August 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 from 5:30-9 p.m. The final class day, August 12, will feature a gala concert produced by the students in the program at the Red House Arts Center, adjacent to SubCat Studios.

For more information on participating in the course, contact Abbott at susubcat@syr.edu. Further information about MTAP and “SUmmer @SUbCat” can be found at http://bbi.syr.edu/mtap.

219 West is a state-of-the-art facility complete with top-of-the-line recording studios, soundproof rehearsal rooms, a dance studio, cafe-bar and artist housing. Designed and redeveloped by Fiedler Marciano Architecture of New York City, 219 West will share its resources with the neighboring Red House Arts Center, as the Redhouse extends its programming to include arts workshops, music lessons, fitness classes and more. With local businesses SubCat Studios, Montage Cafe-Bar, Black Lagoon Studios and Ultimate Cut Productions housed within its walls and with the Redhouse providing first-rate arts programming, theater, gallery exhibitions and education, 219 West is poised to not only enrich the entire Syracuse community but to be an arts and business leader for the entire Central New York region.

219 West will hold an open house on Saturday, June 11, from noon-3 p.m. The public is invited to tour the facility and learn more about the businesses, partnerships and opportunities housed within the complex, including “SUmmer @SUbCat.” For more information about the open house, contact Anton Briones at (630) 788-7161 or anton@219sWest.com.

About the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University

BBI reaches around the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic and social participation of people with disabilities. Officially launched in 2005, BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, former dean of SU’s School of Education and a pioneering disability rights scholar, to better the lives of people with disabilities. BBI engages in projects on civil and human right, economic empowerment, inclusive entrepreneurship and employment. With a staff of more than 60, BBI has offices in Syracuse, Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; New York City; and Tel Aviv, Israel. For more information, visit http://bbi.syr.edu.

About VPA

VPA is committed to the education of cultural leaders who will engage and inspire audiences through performance, visual art, design, scholarship and commentary. The college provides the tools for self-discovery and risk-taking in an environment that thrives on critical thought and action. Learn more at http://vpa.syr.edu.

Source: Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University

Korg Monotribe - Analog Synth + Analog Rhythm + Step Sequencer

2011-05-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

Analog Synth + Analog Rhythm + Step Sequencer = Analog Electribe
The monotribe Analog Ribbon Station – bringing responsive realtime control to analog groove-making.

Monotribe highlights:

The powerful sound of true analog synthesis
3-part analog drums, using discrete analog circuitry
Popular Electribe-style sequencing.
Active Step and Flux features for realtime dynamic loop manipulation
Advanced multi-function ribbon keyboard; Chromatic, Continuous, & Wide modes
Auto-tuning provides stable pitch for accurate chromatic playability
Selectable oscillator waveform, noise generator, and versatile LFO
Uses the same VCF (filter) circuit as the classic MS-10/MS-20
Sync In & Out jacks allows synchronized integration with multiple units
Battery operation, built-in speaker and compact size deliver on-the-go groove-making

In a world seemingly ruled by digital, Korg created an analog sensation with the palm-sized monotron Analogue Ribbon Synthesizer. Korg has once again raised the analog banner with the amazing monotribe Analog Ribbon Station; a new form of synthesizer that packs an amazing array of features and technology into its compact body. Korg’s monotribe shares the monotron’s analog DNA, yet quickly delves deeper into the rich, organic, and often chaotic world of analog synthesis. In addition to analog synthesis, monotribe brings together intuitive ease of use and a three-part discrete analog rhythm section, plus the proven appeal of Electribe-style sequencing. Complete with a built-in speaker and battery power, monotribe is self-contained and highly portable.

True Analog Synthesis

The monotribe’s sound engine uses technology old and new, merging the powerful sound of analog synthesis with the dexterity and playability required in today’s groove making environments. Analog technology is essential for fast and responsive control, and delivers the full sonic spectrum from warm and easy-going to full-throttle rampage.

Three-Part Analog Drums

The monotribe provides a three-part rhythm section powered by discrete analog circuitry; bass drum, snare, and hi-hat. These three sounds were the key elements in a generation of analog beat making, and are still in demand today. Use these powerful drum sounds to generate distinctive beats attainable only from the monotribe.

Electribe-Style Groove Creation

For over a decade, Korg's Electribe Series has served as the standard tools for dance music and DJ work, and has earned outstanding popularity, even appearing recently as top-selling iPad app. The fantastic step key interface lives on in monotribe, with a dedicated button for each of the eight steps. This allows realtime, hands-on step editing of not only the drum parts, but also for any synth part sequence played on the ribbon keyboard.

Active Step and Flux Mode

Active Step editing lets you remove or re-insert individual steps, creating short loop-like effects or off-beat patterns that weave in and out of complex rhythms. The step buttons provide this Active Step control during playback, and also provide an instant return to the original 8-step sequence if needed. Flux Mode allows the creation of sequenced synth parts that are not rigidly tied to the step grid, providing more musical versatility. The creation and morphing of edgy beats and stuttering rhythms has never been easier.

Multi-Mode Ribbon Keyboard

The ribbon controller keyboard provides three selectable playing modes/ranges. The chromatic mode (KEY) is ideal for playing melodies and bass lines, and stepping smoothly from note to note. Switch to the continuous mode (NARROW) for glides and bends - just as on the monotron. Also available is the wide continuous mode (WIDE) with a six-fold pitch range for dramatic synth zaps and screams. In addition, pressing the Gate Time button will allow the gate time to be sequenced as the ribbon controller keyboard is played.

Auto-Tuning Analog

Analog synthesizers of yesteryear were prone to drift in pitch. But no more! The monotribe’s auto-tuning circuitry provides stable chromatic playability, and will not go out of tune. This auto-tuning technology also means no warm-up time, no servicing for pitch calibration, no sensitivity to temperature changes – just the great sound of analog VCO.

Classic Analog Components – VCO, LFO, VCA

The VCO offers a choice between sawtooth, triangle and square wave. White noise can mixed in to the oscillator signal in any amount. The Octave selector covers a broad range, from deep bass to piercing lead-lines. Three EG (Envelope Generator) presets provide the VCA with impressive versatility and dexterity. The LFO can be patched to the VCO and/or the VCF, creating impressive dynamic effects. The Range switch allows the LFO to deliver stirring cyclic changes over tens of seconds (SLOW) or superfast (FAST) audio-range FM ringing. Switching the LFO Mode to the 1-shot setting allows the LFO behave as a second envelope generator – a truly powerful addition!

Vintage MS-10/MS-20 Filter

The monotribe features the same VCF circuit found on Korg's classic MS-10 and MS-20 analog semi-patchable synthesizers. Distinctively analog, this sharp and powerful filter adds dramatic change to the sound, imparting the uniquely memorable character of Korg’s early analog synthesizers. Using the audio input, any audio source can be enhanced by passing through the filter section. Process an instrument, a voice, or a complete mix form CD or MP3 and create larger than life filter effects!

Sync Jacks: A Return to Modular

The monotribe provides both Sync In and Sync Out jacks, empowering multiple monotribe units to play and work together for a synchronized performance. Not just other monotribes, either. Audio line level pulses can trigger the Sync Input so the monotribe can be synchronized to a DAW system, for example. In addition, the polarity of the pulse waveform can be changed for both the input and output, so you can enjoy synchronized performance with a variety of equipment equipped with Sync connections.

On-The-Go Groove MakingLight, compact, and portable, monotribe is great on the go. Equipped with a built-in speaker and powered by six AA batteries, it is completely self-contained and ready to deliver hours of enjoyment wherever you take it.

DUO and QUAD Universal Audio Unveils UAD-2 Satellite

2011-05-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Universal Audio (UA), a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording products, today announced the impending release of UAD-2 Satellite DUO and QUAD Firewire DSP Accelerator Packages. As the newest members of UA’s award-winning UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform, the UAD-2 Satellite family combines DSP acceleration with the plug-and-play simplicity of Firewire 800/400 — perfect for modern, Intel-based iMacs and MacBook Pros.

The UAD-2 Satellite puts the entire UAD Powered Plug-Ins library within easy reach of Firewire 800 and 400-equipped computers; no PCIe card installation required. In developing these UAD plug-ins, UA’s DSP engineers work with leading hardware manufacturers — including Roland, Neve, Studer, dbx, Solid State Logic, Lexicon, Manley, Empirical Labs, Trident, SPL, EMT and more — using their exact schematics, golden units, and experienced ears. This gives computer-based musicians and engineers the warmth and harmonics of classic analog recordings, wherever they mix.

Available in DUO or QUAD processor format (with either two or four Analog Devices SHARC processors, respectively), UAD-2 Satellite packages provide a processing “boost” for digital audio workstations, and include a selection of classic analog emulation plug-ins, right out of the box.

“This is a really exciting announcement, both for UA as a company, and for legions of musicians and engineers wanting to tap into UAD-2 plug-ins via Firewire,” commented Universal Audio President Matt Ward. “The UAD-2 Satellite is a sleek, high-quality product that delivers even higher quality results.”

“UAD-2 Satellite is the result of UA listening to our customers, and giving them a processing solution that is both elegant and powerful,” added UA Senior Product Manager Lev Perrey. “Coupled with our roadmap of exciting new plug-ins, we anticipate this product expanding our 40,000-strong UAD user base significantly in the years to come.”

Notable UAD-2 Satellite features include:

Access the UAD Powered Plug-Ins library on select Firewire 800 and 400 equipped computers
Compatible with a wide range of modern Intel-based iMacs and MacBook Pros
Run larger mixes in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Performer and more — without taxing host computer CPU
5 models to choose from: DUO (Core); DUO Flexi (w/ $500 Plug-In Voucher); QUAD (Core), QUAD Flexi (w/ $500 Plug-In Voucher), and QUAD Omni v.5.7 (w/ 50 UAD plug-ins)

The complete line of UAD-2 Satellite DSP Accelerators is slated for a Q1 2011 release with prices starting at $899 MAPP USD.

For the latest release information on the UAD-2 Satellite, go here.

About Universal Audio Inc.

Founded in 1999 by Bill Putnam Jr. and based in Scotts Valley, California, Universal Audio is best known for its vintage analog reproductions and advanced Digital Signal Processing technology, including the award-winning UAD Powered Plug-Ins Platform. The company is focused on merging the best of classic analog and modern digital technology. UA is devoted to this endeavor, following its rich recording heritage and motto, “Analog Ears. Digital Minds.” http://www.uaudio.com

Sound Producer - Rogers Masson

2011-05-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Audio manufacturer Sennheiser launched its first side address, large diaphragm condenser microphone during the NAMM show last January. The microphone was widely praised for its versatility, workmanship and pricepoint, which is just $299 street.

Rogers Masson at the console inside his studio.

Audio manufacturer Sennheiser launched its first side address, large diaphragm condenser microphone during the NAMM show last January. The microphone, which is manufactured in Germany and suitable for a wide range of recording and broadcast applications, was widely praised for its versatility, workmanship and pricepoint, which is just $299 street.

Recently, Rogers Masson - a Nashville-based producer / mixer / engineer - used the Sennheiser MK4 while recording a publishing demo for Josh Brown, lead singer of Grammy nominated rock band Day of Fire. Masson, who does mixing and overdub work out of his home studio dubbed the Rog Mahal, works within a wide spectrum of musical genres and has worked with everyone from The Mavericks to Marilyn Manson. For his recordings, Masson relies on an agile, DAW-based system and uses his new MK4 to record everything from lead vocals to drums to screaming electric guitars.

What were your first impressions of the Sennheiser MK4?

When I held the mic for the first time, it had a very high quality feel and the workmanship was obvious. The build quality in many other manufacturer's microphones in this price range have a lot to be desired. In this world of control surfaces, computers and automation, I miss tactile things. When I pick up something that has been made very well, I notice it. I'm not afraid to move this microphone around and handle it, because I know it's not going to break.

Tell us about your recording project with Josh Brown and in what applications you used the MK4.

We were doing a publishing demo. Josh's voice can be very loud and he generates this raspy, third order harmonic stuff that is just not great for a lot of microphones. He gets in front of the mic and really belts it out. I've never been able to put a larger diaphragm microphone on this guy but this mic took everything he threw at it. It was fantastic. I went straight into an Apogee One converter with no compression or EQ. The mic gave a very uncolored response and it was very responsive. Josh said "Wow - this sounds just like me," before I even said anything. When the artist notices a sound that way, it carries a lot of weight with me. We have access to every kind of microphone here, and the MK4 stood up to all of them and we got exactly what we needed right back out of it.

What happened next?

At that point, I wanted to try it on guitars. First, I put it in front of a really loud electric guitar, because I knew it could handle the SPLs. I had it in front of an Orange amplifier and the guitarist really cranked it out -- the MK4 really captured all the overtones without exception. It was very honest, and captured every nuance of the electric guitar. Then I tried it on a 1960s' Gibson J 45 acoustic -- the thing that I found most fascinating here was that I could move the microphone in different positions without any changes in coloration. This made it very easy to set up and get a good sound very quickly. I ended up having it just off the 12th fret, a little off axis so I could capture some nice room sounds. All in all, it had great rejection on the back and captured the J 45 very faithfully.

How about percussion or drums? How did the MK4 perform there?

I took it into the studio and put it on a floor tom, and also cut some percussion just to check it out. I ended up using it on the floor tom and thought it was just amazing. The sound was big and full and once again, the MK4 was able to handle the SPLs very well. It was a very open kind of drum track and I didn't need to gate anything. Sonically, it stood up to every other major mic that I had used on that kit - drums were one of my favorite things to record with the MK4.

What is your overall impression of the MK4 and how long did you use it for?

I used it for two months, and I think this is a very real and honest sounding mic. Time will tell, but I think the MK4 will become a go to microphone for a number of applications, similar to how the MD 421 is. I think it is a diverse microphone that will share a similar legacy in the long run. The fact that Sennheiser waited so long to introduce a side-address large diaphragm mic says a lot to the care and consideration that Sennheiser places in their product line. Especially with the build quality, the price point is great. The price makes it accessible and not out of reach for the next Rick Rubin, Bill Putnam or Al Schmitt, and that's important.

http://prlog.org/1149512

All Things Bright And Beautiful - Owl City talks new album

2011-05-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

These are the toys that a number one single can get you. Adam Young - aka Owl City - in his home studio. © Owl City

Although he's now known to the world as Owl City, creator of the mesmerizing, number one smash single Fireflies and the shimmering, mega-selling album Ocean Eyes, it was only a few years ago that Adam Young was attending community college in Owatonna, Minnesota while loading Coca-Cola bottles onto trucks. Battling insomnia, he recorded music in his parents' basement and dreamed big dreams.

"I guess I am an example that unbelievable things can happen," Young says. "But it's only because I made the kind of music that I could feel good about. If you do that, chances are other people will respond. All you need is the right music and the right set of circumstances."

Success has afforded Young the opportunity to tour the globe ("an incredible experience, as you can imagine"), and it's also bought him his own house, with a brand-new, tricked-out studio. And it was in his just-purchased abode that Young got down to business, with the result being the bigger and bolder All Things Bright And Beautiful (due out 14 June), a glorious collection of 12 songs that are sure to transport listeners into states of utter bliss.

Young's breathy, innocent tenor remains the album's dominant instrument, but he's expanded his rhythmic and sonic palette. Forceful guitars are very much in evidence on the new set, as are dance grooves. The album's lead-off single, Alligator Sky, which features an appearance by the LA-based rapper Shawn Chrystopher, is already turning heads. "Even though I want the music to be very identifiable as Owl City, I had to stretch things a bit," says Young.

And that he has. MusicRadar sat down down Adam Young recently to discuss All Things Bright And Beautiful. In addition, we talked about the changes to his studio and live setups and how he's managed to remain grounded despite growing fame and fortune.

First off, let's talk about the title, All Things Bright And Beautiful. It certainly conjures up a myriad of images.

"The title is definitely pulled a little from the book of the same name by James Herriot, although to be honest, I never read that particular book in the series; I was more familiar with the original poem-slash-hymn that the book is associated with. The title definitely spoke to me.

"Kind of the way that it was with Ocean Eyes, I created these mile-long texts on my laptop with titles and ideas. Then I looked at them later with fresh eyes to see what jumped out at me. This time, All Things Bright And Beautiful did just that. It says a lot."

How are you feeling now after the success of Ocean Eyes and Fireflies? A little older, a little wiser?

"Yeah, definitely in both cases. It's kind of a funny thing to come to grips with what happened to me in the past couple of years, the whole whirlwind of zooming from 0 to 60 and then going back to create this new record. I feel like I've lived two different lives recently, and I'm just trying to find my way.

"But it's been great, though. I'm so excited looking forward to this new release. I feel as though I have a bit more resolve, a bit more of an idea what to expect. If the record bombs, if no one likes it, I still feel good about this next chapter."

When you started out in your parents' basement, the stakes were low. Nobody knew you. Now you're a hit, and people and banking on you to deliver again. Despite what you just said, were you feeling a bit of pressure recording the new album?

"That scenario is very new to me, for sure, especially during the past few months. To paraphrase the saying, I had my whole life to write Ocean Eyes and only several months or whatever to write the new one.

"When Ocean Eyes did way better than I or anybody else involved could have imagined, the label and business people said, 'That was amazing, that was incredible. No pressure, but we want more of that.' [laughs] I think it came down to a positive pressure, though. I had a bigger sense of purpose than I ever did. Rather than try to write a radio hit, I wanted to stay true to myself and the direction I felt I had to go in. I need to feel proud of what I do, and I'm incredibly proud of this new album."

You've said that when you started writing songs, you wrote about all the places you dreamed about seeing. Well, now you've seen them, at least some of them. Has that changed your perspective as a songwriter?

"It's really helped me to put a face to a name in terms of the world. Plus, it's really helped me to get my head around what's out there. It was so interesting now to look back lyrically and see how literal – sometimes, I guess - the idea of singing of these different places could be. Because I've been to the Great Wall Of China, I've been to Sydney, Australia and Hawaii and whatnot – all of these places I thought I'd never see. Now they have a place in my consciousness, and they worked their way into these new songs. The entire experience grounded me in reality."

You achieved real success on MySpace and the internet, which led to a record deal. What kind of advice do you have for other musicians? Let's face it, not everybody can repeat what you did.

"For me, I think I might have been in the right place at the right time, the whole convergence of circumstances that happened for me. With MySpace, I might have been at the forefront of the way people could discover new music. Now, there's so many ways to get your music out there because of the internet.

"As far as offering advice to other musicians, I think if you're really creating the kind of music you want to hear, that's the best thing you can possibly do. You have to have a healthy amount of pride in doing what you do vs just creating something for labels or the business. You have to satisfy yourself first and foremost."

How did you change or expand your instrumentation? Have you been working with different recording gear, changing your setup in any way?

"Yeah, on this new record, I really tried to polish up what I knew about engineering and producing. I certainly got a lot of new gear in the studio. Being that I'm into the techy side of things, I poured over all the manuals. But I also paid a lot of attention to songs, how to create them from the ground floor up. I definitely wanted things to sound bigger and better – maybe that's the 'older and wiser' thing."

There's a greater variety of sounds on the new album, different rhythms – Honey And The Bee has acoustic guitar

"Yeah, that's me playing a Taylor acoustic on that track. I got a deal with Taylor. It's so cool – I'm like a little kid on Christmas. I was like, 'Wow, this thing's incredible!' when I took the wrapping off of it. It's a great-sounding guitar."

Deer In The Headlights is a pretty rocking yet danceable tune. Musically, what inspired you this time?

"Almost the fact that I tried not to look back at the last record. I don't want these gold and platinum discs on the wall staring me down. Instead of getting lost in that 'Can I do it again?' attitude, I took my success and used it as fuel for the fire. Deer In The Headlights was me taking a bit of a Blink-182 rock sound – a lot of electric guitar, kind of a live drum sound. I wanted to have a bit of a different flavor but still keep the essence of what people might expect from Owl City.

"The song Angel has a lot of electric guitar – I do play electric guitar on stage, along with another guitarist. If there's going to be electric guitar on a track, I want to hit it really hard and then pull out so there's lots of dynamics. I like the guitar to jump out at you."

What kind of guitar and amp setup do you like to use?

"I really like using a Fender Telecaster. For amps, I used this Orange combo 2x12 – that's what I'm going to be taking out with me on tour. It'll be good, because in the past we've used those Line 6 POD modules, so this will be new territory to explore."

Dreams Don't Turn To Dust, like a lot of songs on the album, is very upbeat lyrically. Are you a pretty positive person?

"Yeah, I like optimism when it's conveyed in songs in a very sincere and honest way – as long as it's not too cheesy! [laughs] I think there's something inspiring about optimistic lyrics when you combine them with melancholy music. Dreams Don't Turn To Dust is an example of where I wanted to pull the overall sound of the album. In fact, it was kind of inspired by that '90s hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. There's a bit of a walking-speed loop that drives it."

Speaking of hip-hop, what led you to have Shawn Chrystopher do a guest rap on Alligator Sky? Although there are two versions of the track, one with the rap and one without...

"Yeah. That was a bit of a stressful situation because we didn't know who we were ultimately going to get. I felt that it had to be the right guy with the right inflection. The voice had to feel a certain way. I didn't want the track to sound too gangster or too street-thug, and Shawn just killed it. He was a great guy to work with. We didn't get a chance to record in the same room – we just sent files back and forth. But I'm really happy with what he did."

The album's release has been pushed back a month. Why the change?

"That was a last-minute thing just to make sure the new single was set up properly and the music video was ready to go. I know it's always a bummer when these things happen, and people always want to know the back story, but that was purely a chance to take one more breath before the plunge. A month is a long time, but everybody's super fired-up. Fingers crossed!"

http://www.musicradar.com/

Mobile Recording Studio by Glenn Morrissette

2011-03-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

Glenn Morrissette helped orchestrate the score after a leisurely soak last October in the natural hot springs in the tiny northwestern Wyoming town of Thermopolis.

Morrissette did his work from his recording studio on wheels - a recreational vehicle he calls home as he meanders around the United States.

Using a laptop computer and a WiFi connection, he composes, performs and records music and beams it back to Hollywood sound stages and theaters.

Working from home is not uncommon for professional musicians, who have replaced the room-size recorders and sound mixing systems of the 1980s with laptops and specialized software. Going a step further and working from the road eliminates many of the interruptions that come with working in the city. But Morrissette’s journey is about more than escaping distractions.

Nearly two years ago, the 41-year-old composer, who works mainly in TV and film production, looked around his Burbank apartment and realized his belongings had taken over. “Careless consumerism” is how he describes it.

“I was looking at all the stuff I owned that I never used. It was costing me money to have an apartment big enough to hold it all,” he said.

He made a list of the things he needed to be happy. “It was a pretty short list,” he was surprised to discover: his woodwind instruments, his laptop, a week’s worth of clothing, a good book and an electric razor.

The rest he sold or gave away. He donated his books to the Burbank Library. His recliner, stacks of music CDs, bedroom furnishings and seldom-used kitchen appliances were either sold or given to thrift stores.

On his way to a rehearsal one day, Morrissette stopped at a traffic signal in his Miata sports car and glanced up at a modest-size motor home in the next lane. “I could probably live in that now,” he thought.

He made another list, this one of every reason he could think of why he shouldn’t ditch his apartment and move into an RV. “I went through figuring out how I would deal with each issue. And pretty soon there was no list left,” he said.

He bought a used, 19-foot high-top camper van for $14,000 in June 2009. “I wanted to start small because I wasn’t sure I was going to like it,” he acknowledged.

Nomadic composer and saxophonist Glenn Morrissette, 41, writes and performs on the road, emailing his scores to shows such as “Family Guy,” from his RV. (Los Angeles Times/MCT)

A month later, he turned in the keys to the apartment he rented month to month, sold his Miata and moved into the 16-year-old camper with his cat Emily ? who was about the same age as the van.

By then, Morrissette was writing a daily online diary of his scale-back. He called his blog “ToSimplify.”

For a time, he continued to use Burbank as his base. He searched out quiet places to park for the night. During the day, he practiced playing his woodwinds at the back of parking lots and in noisy industrial and airport areas.

He quickly found that a mobile lifestyle was perfect for music jobs that took him all over Southern California. He could email music arrangements and orchestrations from his laptop to studio music directors and travel to recording gigs in local studios.

It took about four months for him to break free of “the gravity that was pulling me into the comfort zone of Burbank” and its environs, he said. After a few shakedown jaunts to the Santa Monica Mountains and places like Lake Hughes, the Corrizo Plain and Ojai, he was ready to hit the road.

At first, some of his friends feared he had become homeless. “Oh, what happened?” they would ask politely.

“I thought he was absolutely crazy,” said Patrick Kirst, a film composer and University of Southern California lecturer in music composition. “Everybody asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ But he’s a free spirit who wanted to do something with his life.”

Last May, Morrissette headed east, spending about two months winding his way across the country for a family reunion in Massachusetts. He traveled on back roads and sought out hamlets.

He found small-town America to be especially friendly. “Walking into a bar, striking up a conversation with the locals and getting out having just one drink is no easy task,” he wrote. “They’ll buy you rounds (plural) ... your liver will be tested.”

He intends to draw on his travels for inspiration for future compositions. But most of the time, he expects to be busy cranking out music for his Hollywood clients. During last year’s six-month van trip, Morrissette supplied orchestration for about a dozen “Family Guy” episodes.

For “Family Guy,” he converts sketches by Ron Jones, the show’s composer, into full-fledged scores for Jones’ 60-piece orchestra. Morrissette also uses his computer and woodwinds to synthesize the sound of the orchestra playing the finished score to give the show’s producers an idea of what the final music will sound like.

Morrissette orchestrated this season’s fourth episode in mid-September while camped “far from any signs of human life” in South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest, near Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial.

He worked on the show’s Christmas special while parked next to Lake Mead in Nevada.

While on the road, he also completed a big-band arrangement of “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and jazz-themed saxophone music for the stage play “Night of January 16,” which had a six-week run last year.

Settled into his new lifestyle, Morrissette swapped his camper van for a plusher, slightly roomier RV in November. The Chinook Concourse has air conditioning, heating, a kitchen and a bathroom with a shower.

These days his friends have stopped wondering if he is “homeless.” Many have extended invitations to park at their homes any time he’s in the neighborhood. All he needs, he tells them, is 21 feet of space, preferably level.

He spent part of January in Los Angeles recording a CD with the Clare Fischer Big Band. After that, he tucked his saxophones and his laptop away in his motor home, and he and his cat hit the road.

He was headed for the interior of Arizona in February when an appendicitis attack forced him to stop in Parker, Arizona, for out-patient treatment.

But he’ll soon be heading off the beaten track again, he said.

For a nomadic musician, the desert’s peaceful pace creates its own harmony.

By Bob Pool
Los Angeles Times

Studio S - the cheapest studio in Melbourne

2011-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

SUNBURY is to become Hume's music hub with the opening of a recording studio at the suburb's youth centre.

For a fee, Studio S is available to anyone for recording and an audio engineer is on site to help out. At $20 an hour during the day and $35 at night, it's Melbourne's cheapest studio to hire.

Scott Blackman, the studio audio engineer and manager, came up with the idea about six months ago and has overseen its establishment.

"I've been in the Sunbury music scene for about six years," he says.

"Some people said there was a recording studio at the youth centre and some said there wasn't. I happened to be dropping off a flyer and a worker took me through to see the studio.

"It was just two bare rooms and some cardboard boxes.

"I explained about my sound-engineering background and

put together a proposal for council."

Mr Blackman provides the whole recording package for local artists. All they need to do is take in their instruments and he'll do the rest.

There are two rehearsal spaces - one large and one small - as well as an array of professional recording gear.

The studio uses the latest in digital recording technology. It cost $20,000 to establish, with half the money from the council and the rest from the state government.

"The response has been huge. We've run a few projects to help local artists and to help us learn and understand the equipment," Mr Blackman said.

"We're hoping to have someone use the facility at least once a day. The demand has been pretty high, so that's not unrealistic."

He also hopes to teach sound engineering to young people.

"The whole idea was to teach people about recording.

"Every bit of equipment was chosen so it would be easy to teach on; it's user-friendly and there's a plan to use it for educational purposes."

Studio S will be officially opened on April 7.

Details: 92052200.

BY CHARLOTTE CULLUM JENKINS

http://www.macedonrangesweekly.com.au/

Scarlett 8i6 and Scarlett 18i6 - New USB Audio Interfaces by Focusrite

2011-03-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Focusrite has announced the Scarlett 8i6 and Scarlett 18i6 USB 2.0 audio interfaces.

Here's all the details that they have released...

Focusrite Scarlett 8i6

The Scarlett 8i6 is an 8 in / 6 out audio interface with outstanding sonic performance and flexibility at a truly affordable price. Part of Focusrite's new range of USB audio interfaces, the Scarlett 8i6 is designed to make home studio recording and mixing easy without sacrificing audio quality.

Twenty-five years of mic pre excellence form the foundation of this new interface, with two award-winning Focusrite preamps. Combined with a host of additional I/O options, the Scarlett 8i6 helps you get the tracks you want without having to constantly re-patch your studio.

Alongside the two high-quality mic preamps, two additional analogue inputs, four analogue outputs, S/PDIF and MIDI open the door to true multi-track recording. Two Hi-Z instrument inputs let you plug straight in without the need to buy additional DI boxes, and two virtual Loopback inputs are also available for routing digital audio between software applications - ideal for capturing online audio.

Included with the Scarlett 8i6 is Scarlett MixControl, an 18 x 6 DSP mixer. Offering a level of flexibility that is remarkable at this price point, the MixControl software enables you to create six separate mixes with ultra-low-latency. Route any combination of input signals and sequencer outputs to any of the Scarlett 8i6 outputs. Intuitive one-click configurations help you track, monitor and mix as quickly as possible.

Scarlett 8i6 comes with all of the additional tools needed to start making music straight away. Scarlett VST/AU/RTAS Plug-in Suite comes in the box, adding Focusrite compression, reverb, gating and EQ to your recording system.

Focusrite's established Xcite+ bundle is also included. The bundle features Ableton Live Lite (for all your production, performance and compositional needs), Novation's Bass Station soft synth and over 1 gig of royalty-free samples from Loopmasters.

Two Focusrite preamps ensure low noise and distortion, whilst cutting-edge digital conversion captures your audio with pristine quality. Combined with the very latest in USB interfacing technology, excellent routing flexibility and rock-solid driver stability, the Scarlett 8i6 is the heart of the modern home studio.

Scarlett 8i6 Setup Diagram

Focusrite Scarlett 18i6

The Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 is an 18 in / 6 out USB 2.0 audio interface designed to make home multitrack recording a breeze. Alongside two award-winning Focusrite preamps, six high-quality analogue inputs allow you to simultaneously record guitar, bass, vocals and keys. You don’t need to stop there either – pop in the ADAT optical cable from an outboard eight-channel mic pre unit such as the Focusrite OctoPre MkII and you can track the drums at the same time.

Included with the Scarlett 18i6 is Scarlett MixControl, an 18 x 6 DSP mixer. Offering a superb level of flexibility, the MixControl software enables you to create six separate mixes with ultra-low-latency. Route any combination of input signals and sequencer outputs to any of the Scarlett 18i6 outputs. Intuitive one-click configurations help you track, monitor and mix as quickly as possible.

Scarlett 18i6 comes with all of the additional tools needed to start making music straight away. Scarlett VST/AU/RTAS Plug-in Suite comes in the box, adding Focusrite compression, reverb, gating and EQ to your recording system.

Focusrite’s established Xcite+ bundle is also included. The bundle features Ableton Live Lite (for all your production, performance and compositional needs), Novation’s Bass Station soft synth and over 1 gig of royalty-free samples from Loopmasters.

Scarlett 18i6’s two award-winning Focusrite preamps ensure low noise and distortion, whilst cutting-edge digital conversion captures your audio with pristine quality. 16 additional inputs allow you to capture inspired takes, without having to constantly re-patch your studio. Combined with the very latest in USB interfacing technology, excellent routing flexibility and rock-solid driver stability, the Scarlett 18i6 is the heart of the modern recording studio.

Scarlett 18i6 Setup Diagram

NYC-based Pro Sound Effects by the Soundrangers

2011-03-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

NYC-based sound effects/licensing provider Pro Sound Effects has announced the release of the Soundrangers Sound Effects Hard Drive, created by the Soundrangers game interactive audio studio.

The library contains 21,117 sound effects, and is delivered on a portable Glyph hard drive that features search software and includes one year of free sound effects updates. The Soundrangers library has been used by companies including Google, Nickelodeon, Microsoft, Cartoon Network, Adobe and HBO.

The Soundrangers library has been created for maximum ease of use in interactive environments. In developing, formatting and organizing the library, the Soundrangers team applied their own workflow and creative expertise in sound design for console and social games, iPhone and iPad apps, interactive software and websites.

The hard drive is meticulously organized into intuitive hierarchical categories such as gameplay and user interface elements, foley, nature, animals, vehicles, weapons, looping ambiences, whooshes, cinematic transitions and more. One shots are provided with multiple variations and precisely edited for easy plug and play and ambiences are pre-edited to loop.

The introductory price is $2900 USD, single user license (retail $3900 USD).

Soundrangers Sound Effects Hard Drive Features:

•    21,117 sound effects (137 GB) on external hard drive
•    Compressed formats: mp3 and Ogg Vorbis
•    Optimized for interactive, video game, and web design
•    Embedded Metadata, Intuitive Category and File names
•    Sound Effects Search Software (NetMix Lite): Search, Audition, Drag & Drop
•    1 Year of Free Sound Effects Updates (digitally delivered 4 times per year)
•    Mac and PC compatible
•    3 -year Data Replacement Policy

Review: Tritton AX Pro Headset - Elite Gaming Headset

2011-03-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

The Tritton AX Pro is an elite gaming headset from global accessories giant MadCatz. The technology behind the product is simple, smack four speakers into each of your ears for a total of eight and hope the gamer doesn’t go deaf. The speakers make for an authentic surround experience as each represents a section, front, left, right and back speaker for a complete surrounding experience. Does the experience live up to the hype or does it leave a faint whisper in your ear?

Mic Check
The Tritton AX Pro headset is a big mother. It comes in a neatly packaged box that when you take it all out really requires you to go through it to make sure you don’t end up throwing anything away. Below the review is a list of what is included out of the box. The great thing about Tritton is that they know that stuff just happens sometimes or maybe a piece is missing. You can either call or just simply go online to their official website and order replacement parts from there. It is rather hassle free and easy compared to other headsets that you buy and break easily for the PS3 or the Xbox 360. I myself have gone through two different headsets on the PS3 alone. They break, they wear or simply you have bad luck and maybe your daughter chews on it and gnaws a hunk off or the piece that hooks around your ear breaks off and you create a makeshift one out of a metal hanger, yep I did that. The headset comes with a detachable microphone piece for easy storage and multiple attachments to hook up to your 360, PS3, PC, directly to your TV or even, your iPod. I was simply amazed when I hooked it into my iTouch and listened to the smoothest music I have ever heard. The AX Pro is not your ordinary ‘headset’ it also doubles as what I would call a hub for audio nuts or connoisseurs. The included decoder box allows you to customize your sound in a few ways for the technical out there, it allows you to compensate for audio lag, manage Dynamic Range Control and choose between Pro Logic or Dolby 5.1 surround. What makes the AX Pro amazing is that in the speakers there are four sets of speakers, two for Front, Rear, Subwoofers and Center speakers which creates a full surround experience for the user unlike anything I have seen in any headset.

Gaming HardcoreThe primary use that a lot of people will purchase this headset for is for gaming. The microphone is a bendable plastic material and on several forums there is mention of it dying six months to a year into its life out of box. I have only had the headset for roughly two weeks so I cannot account for what may or may not happen. Maybe that is why they decided to make the microphone detachable and replaceable online. Once everything is hooked up to your PS3 or Xbox 360 (requires newer models for game audio due to lack of an optical port in the back) or PC and you have changed your settings to account for the new sound system you are ready to play. I tried this title out on a few games Marvel VS Capcom 3 was the first. It had great sound on the low setting for the headset and the microphone was great, but there will always be connection issues in a game like MVC3. For ambiance the second title I tested it out on was MLB 11: The Show. The sound in the ballparks echoed and while up at bat you could hear every subtle sound of the stadium from the crows to faint conversations and as I stood there in awe as a pitch blew by me, I could hear the whoosh of the pitch into the catcher’s mitt. The game itself is very detailed but the headset just made everything ‘pop’. The final title I tested the headset on was none other than Call of Duty: Black Ops. I couldn’t think of a better way to test out the game audio and the microphone audio at the same time. The microphones were clear as expected but the thing that caught me was the subtleties of sounds you would hear. If you played on the map ‘Dust’ or stood still long enough you could hear the wind blowing, something that is just relaxing to hear in game sometimes. One major thing that really blew my mind was on ‘Nuketown’ next to one of the houses is a sprinkler an inaccessible side of the fence. If you stand by the fence you will hear the sprinkler in front of you and as you rotate your character the sprinkler will rotate around you as well and combined with the surround sound headset it truly shows the capabilities of the true 5.1 surround sound in the headphones. You can hear the sprinkler behind you. The headset is equipped with independent game and voice volume controls, what this mean is when you are in game you can turn up either one or the other or completely drown one out. There are also buttons on the In-Line Controller that allow you to raise each of the four speaker sets separately on five different levels and around four to five sub levels in between each main level ranging from minimum, low, medium, high or max.

Entertainment Headphones
Earlier I mentioned that I loved the ability to hook up my iPod Touch to the headset and it was a great experience. I also experimented with various other mediums like Netflix streaming which came out quite well with the sound at MAX I could easily sit the headset on the coffee table and watch Netflix with everyone in the room being able to hear. The quality of sound is impeccable, especially when it comes to Blu-Rays. I watched Resident Evil: Apocalypse and scenes from Beauty & The Beast on Blu-Ray and the sound was quite good, the only problem I had was that I had to into the options and set the audio to PCM, but it is only a minor annoyance as the headsets pick up the most minuet sound such as characters walking or even bullet shells hitting the ground. These are headsets so if you live alone or live with anyone who doesn’t want to watch TV or play games or listen to them this is perfect for that situation, it is also good if you simply just want to listen to music. There is a slight amount of leaking of sound from the headphones especially if you use the default ears that are included, I recommend switching them off with the leather ones that are also packed in to reduce the sound leak as well as trap in the sound for your own pleasure.

Can You Hear Me Now?
Yes, with this headset you can hear just about anyone. It is the most versatile headset I have ever had the pleasure of using. The ability to hook it into many devices and deliver the most amazing sound that I have simply ever heard is great. If you love sound, love gaming, love hearing the best audio in games or even if you just want to hear that guy coming at you in Call of Duty from a mile away (you can hear someone planting a claymore from quite a significant distance) than this is for you. Just as long as you don’t mind a little clutter around your gaming/entertainment area as it has a lot of cords connected to it sadly. However it is understandable as wireless doesn’t always give the best quality and the plug is to power not only the headset but the decoder box as well. Everything that is offered is worth significantly more than what the price of the headset is going for considering other headsets by other companies are more than twice the price of the AX Pro. The proof is in the sound, simply pure, amazing sound. If you buy one headset for your gaming needs the AX Pro is the one to get.

thegamershub.net
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Pro Day is a Show - Comment by Joan Niesen

2011-03-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

COLUMBIA — The success was in the sounds. A sharp smack. A quick clap. The faint thud, thud, thud. In the silence, it all echoed.

With the exaggerated importance of each throw came the magnified effects of each sound, each break in that silence.

When Blaine Gabbert took the field at Thursday’s Pro Day, the already subdued crowd became even more hushed. Those who could see did not cheer. Those who could not see — stuck behind cameras and scouts and NFL personnel — relied only on what they could hear.

Football leaves hands that will soon be worth millions of dollars. Receiver catches football. Smack. One smack was a good thing.

A smack and a clap meant something different. Between the two is a barely audible thud. Ball hits turf. The clap is a clap of disgust, of two hands that should have caught, but didn’t.

And the silence was the worst of all. Those were the times when it may have actually been Gabbert’s fault. Those were the botched passes.

Gabbert’s throwing session was like a well-choreographed dance. Quarterback coach Terry Shea took the field with Gabbert, motioning and directing him through the pre-planned routine. Throughout the crowd, assistants distributed yellow sheets that listed nearly every one of the quarterback’s steps, taking the surprise out of the show.

Because that’s what it was: a show. It wasn’t a game or a practice, not even a workout. There was no need to cheer, no need to clap, no need to sport a jersey bearing Gabbert’s former No. 11. Other players’ parents wore matching shirts, bearing the names of Carl (Gettis) and Jasper (Simmons), as if proclaiming their pride. Not Chuck Gabbert. All he needed was a pressed white shirt. He didn't have to promote his son.

Chuck Gabbert said that, for him and his son, Pro Day was just another step. Although he thought Blaine Gabbert might have felt a bit of pressure, he said it could be no worse than playing Oklahoma or Iowa.

“We’ve always said that if you can step out on a field in front of 80,000 people — most of those people at an away game don’t like you — and perform and win, I think this day's probably going to go well for you,” Chuck Gabbert said.

Of course it would. It was a show, a way to spotlight his son’s and other players’ talents. It was like a study in the science and art of how the human body can perform in a controlled environment. And it all came down to the details. Whose face was redder after his 40-yard dash? Whose momentum carried him farthest afterward? All of that mattered, each grunt and gasp isolated in the near-silence.

And there were no cheers. Not even when Tim Barnes’ 300-pound frame seemed tilted at a 45-degree angle as he darted through cones. Watching someone that large do something that can be accurately described as darting would seem to warrant applause.

Because feats like that are what's expected of these men. They’ve trained for weeks with this as a clear goal, for years with this as a vague notion. They’re expected to run faster, jump higher, throw farther. And, for the

most part, they do. ESPN analyst Todd McShay said very little that would happen at this pro day would change Gabbert’s prospects. Because everyone already knows what he can do, what he will do. There’s no surprise.

Smack. Clap. Thud. In the end, it was nothing more than a sequence of these sounds that resulted in 44 completed passes. And then, in stark contrast to the quiet that had lurked for minute after minute, rose a restrained applause. It wasn’t a cheer. It wasn’t congratulations. It was an acknowledgment. The crowd got what it came to see.

Joan Niesen is a sports writer for the Columbia Missourian.

www.columbiamissourian.com/

The AKG Scholarship of Sound is Proud to Announce...

2011-03-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Scholarship of Sound marks its second year with a heavyweight expert lineup led by some of electronic music’s leading artists and professionals.

The AKG Scholarship of Sound is proud to announce a heavyweight lineup of expert support for the initiative in its second year. The stellar lineup includes:

    * Carl Craig - DJ, producer, electronic music icon, creative visionary and Detroit legend
    * Ewan Pearson - leading British electronic music producer, remixer, academic and lecturer
    * Stefan Betke, aka Pole – mastering engineer, music producer and founder of ‘scape’ record label
    * Adam Marshall - DJ, electronic music producer and label manager
    * Scott Monteith aka Deadbeat - dub, minimal and tech artist
    * Philip Sherburn - acclaimed music journalist, DJ, producer and writer
    * Rene Rennefeld - Sony BMG’s former A&R man, producer, entrepreneur, songwriter
    * Dominik Biba - AKG sound engineer and acoustic expert
    * Schneiders Buro - the most renowned store internationally for synthesizers

Watch the video on the experts:

AKG headphone makers have announced today that Carl Craig and Ewan Pearson are the industry experts leading this year’s AKG Scholarship of Sound Programme. Both Carl and Ewan are industry professionals with many years worth of expertise in the electronic music industry.

AKG’s Scholarship of Sound offers 10 highly sought after places on a week of intense music production workshops in Berlin. The Scholarship is open to young people who are either budding electronic music producers or students studying sound at University.

Carl Craig has come over from Detroit especially to mentor the lucky students. He will be using his mentoring expertise from when he first launched The Carl Craig Foundation (non-profit organisation) over 20 years ago, to help underprivileged children in music scholarships.

Moog Slim Phatty Analog Synth by Sonic LAB

2011-03-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Moog Slim Phatty Analog Synth Review

I think I should make a confession - I have never owned a Moog anything, nor spent quality time with much Moog gear in the past - apart from some original Moog modules - which did sound pretty amazing I might add.

The Slim Phatty is at the other end of the scale price wise - it being the most affordable Moog Synthesizer in the current range. With more than a passing resemblance to the Little Phatty Stage II (different buttons), it features the same voice and editing system. With a single voice, its a 100% analog (if you dont count the LCD) synthesizer, its forged from the classic Moog voice structure. 2 OSC, 1LFO, 1 Low Pass Filter (1-4 poles selectable) and 2 Envelopes. Its a simple enough synthesizer to use.

Right out of the box, it feels well built, with sturdy metal case (can be rack mounted, or fitted with wooden end cheeks - both optional extras). Plenty of status lights and four distinct synthesizer sections, each with various selector buttons and a single knob to edit the currently selected parameter - a simple and elegant solution to cutting the cost of real knobs. These are not rotary encoders as they have end stops - their behaviour can be modified to suit (snap, pass-through, track modes), they feel plenty sturdy enough to take a vigorous tweaking.

Additionally, there’s a two row LCD for patch name display (100 programs plus four performance chains of 8 programs) and various extra parameter access handled by a cursor key and rotary-push encoder. Master tune, glide and octave switch also live in this section. At the other end main output and master out mute - does not effect headphone out.

Connections are on the rear panel - Three prong standard mains - 110-240v, MIDI in, out , through, Control voltage inputs - you can run this synth from other analog gear: Gate In, CV in, Filter CV in and Vol CV in. Audio In jack, output jack and headphone out. Plus a USB connector for accessing the built-in MIDI CV interface complete the connections.

Power Up
Each of the two oscilators have variable waveforms from Triangle through Sawtooth, Square and Pulse Width. They sound pretty fulsome, this is the real deal - plenty of bottom end and buzz to filter down for harmonically rich sounds. Feed them through the filter and now you have the classic Moog paring with a very smooth and rich sounding sweep - resonance brings out some lovely broken harmonics and can really scream. Add the O.L. (Over Load) - this hardwires the old Mini Moog effect of routing the headphone out back into the external input to drive the filter into distortion. It sounds lovely and warm and fuzzy - a real treat. In short it sounds like classic Mini Moog.

Modulation

With such a solid foundation to build on the modulation section gives you several routings:
Mod Sources: LFO TRI, SAW, rev SAW, SQ, ENV 2, OSC 2, plus S&H and noise - accessed via Advanced parameters in the Master section.
Mod Destinations: Filter, Pitch, OSC 1+2 Wave, OSC 2 pitch. A second mod destination can be setup in Advanced parameters.

You may have pricked some interest at the mention of Noise, but alas you cannot use it as an OSC wave source, just for modulation.

Easter Eggs

Did I mention the arpeggiator? Yep, theres a simple clockable arp with UP/DOWN/ORDER modes with octave range, clock divide and Loop,single mode playback. A couple of other nice features - press and hold the mod amount button - it flashes - you can now dial in the mod amount rather than use the Mod wheel. Press and hold the LFO rate button - tap tempo for the LFO and the arpeggiator. Its also possible to map the front panel pots to external MIDI controllers for use with external gear.

Bottom Line

Its a very different method of sound creation with an analog synth, its like a living instrument, more so than VA or computer based one. With such compelling building blocks to work with you’ll find yourself enjoying this synth, it behaves like an instrument and invites real-time control. It also has a massive propensity for bass and screaming dirty sounds when using the filter O.L. param. Sure you can get the classic Moog tones, but this is so much more than the Lucky Man Solo.

It aint cheap, but its a Moog, and the most affordable one in the range. If you feel there’s something missing in your life, it might just be this.

Prices: £699, $845, €849 RRP - cheaper if you shop around.

Zoom H1 High-Resolution Audio Recording

2011-03-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Zoom H1 Handy Portable Digital Recorder is exactly what the name claims. Measuring just 8x2x5 inches it's very portable, and this little thing records high-quality WAV files at 44.1- to 96-KHz sampling rates with 16-bit or 24-bit resolution.

If you're more interested in maximum recording time, it can also do MP3 files at 48Kbps to 320Kbps. The H1 records on microSD cards and comes with a 2GB card. Step up to a 32 GB microSD card and you'll get over 50 hours of recording time at 16-bit/44.1KHz

I first wrote about Zoom products in late 2007, and came away really impressed with the company's H2 recorder's sound quality. The H1 doesn't replace the H2, but it's a more evolved design, and goes for just $99!

Connectivity is pretty basic; there's a 3.5mm mic input, a 3.5mm headphone output, and a USB 2.0 port. You can monitor the H1's sound over headphones, or in a pinch with the recorder's tiny built-in speaker. Zoom claims the single AA battery should last 10 hours, but I only got 5 or 6 hours.

All record functions are at your fingertips, such as track marker, autorecord, low-cut filter, record level, and volume controls.

Build quality isn't robust, so I doubt the H1's lightweight plastic body will survive too many drops onto hard floors. The plastic case picks up handling noises when you hold the H1 while recording; I'd recommend getting Zoom's $24 accessory kit, which comes with a windscreen, power adapter, USB cable, semihard carrying case, tripod, and mic clip. The little tripod eliminates handling noises while recording, and the windscreen is essential for outdoor recording (any air movement results in loud buffeting noises).

I recorded some musicians in the New York City subway, but the subway stations were too noisy to seriously evaluate the H1's sound quality. So I headed over to see my musician friends Gene and Beth with the H1, and they played a bunch of tunes for me. Gene is an audiophile, so we played the recordings back over his MartinLogan electrostatic speakers. Gene knows the sound of his 1930s-era Gibson Mastertone banjo and 1958 Gibson Southern Jumbo and 1931 Martin Herringbone 0028 guitars, and he felt the H1 did a great job of capturing their sounds. But Gene and Beth's vocals were too thin and distant-sounding, so I changed the mic position and we recorded a few more things. The new mic position helped flesh out the vocals a bit. Overall, Gene felt that for a $100 recorder the H1 was a great buy.

He thought it would be ideal for young players who want to document a rehearsal or club date. We compared the H1 recordings with some recordings Gene had done in his apartment with a $1,000 digital recorder and a $300 Audio-Technica microphone. The sound was much better, mostly because it was more naturally balanced overall, but the recording gear was 13 times more expensive! We all thought the H1's microphones were the weak link, but you can hook up a better mic to the H1. By the time we finished recording Beth was considering buying a H1 for herself. If you're in the New York area and dig bluegrass music, check out their band, Minetta Creek.

The Music of Sound - The Sound of the Future

2011-02-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

Interior design is now a lucrative and far-reaching – some might argue, bloated – industry. The import and export of styles is big business, top designers such as Kelly Hoppen and India Hicks have achieved filmstar status (one or two others the dubious fame of fraudsters) and then there’s the lucrative spin-off culture of books, magazines and reality television shows. Its emphasis, however, has so far rested almost exclusively on the visual.

Once clients have agonised over colour palettes, fabrics and fittings, it’s rare that any thought is given to the sound of a space, aside, perhaps, from blocking unwanted noise or integrating the latest Bose speaker system. Partly this is because our understanding of sound has always been vague, and partly because sound designers – a blurry spectrum of DJs, artists and sound engineers – have pursued a range of careers. But there is a sense that this once mysterious subculture is finally gaining mainstream credence. A growing number of individuals are promoting the importance of sound design in public and domestic settings. Among them is Lawrence English, an Australian composer, curator and sound artist.

“We’re so conditioned to experience the world through our eyes that the other senses really suffer,” English says. “It’s always interesting to go into a space you know very well and then close your eyes. It’s not something people do very often but it can be very powerful.”

As well as devising sound festivals and installation works around the world, English has designed his own house near Brisbane, Australia with sound as a primary concern. Trees and plants have been planted for the sound effects of their leaves, or to encourage birds – lorikeets and blue-faced honeyeaters – in specific locations so that their song can be enjoyed from inside the house. As with his other projects, English’s approach to domestic sound design is about “reinforcing the positive rather than counteracting the negative”. Like many of his contemporaries, his interest does not lie in noise reduction techniques, and nor is it simply about music playlists; it’s about exploring a level of sound that leaves the softest imprint on the consciousness.

“Until the early 20th century we didn’t fully understand how sound functioned,” English says. “Recording technology has really influenced how we think about sound and I think now there is, at least, a passing awareness of how it works.”

Of course, an interest in sonic atmospheres is nothing new. In the 18th-century there was a trend for Tafelmusik (literally, “table music”), with Georg Philipp Telemann a prominent advocate, which was designed to offer a background soundscape to feasting and merriment. And in 1917 Erik Satie put his own spin on the concept with Musique d’Ameublement (“furniture music”). So-called ambient music is, however, generally traced to Roxy Music alumnus Brian Eno, and specifically his 1978 album Ambient 1: Music for Airports. This collection of soft-focus sketches came with a slip asserting that ambient music “must be as ignorable as it is interesting”.

As a mantra, it inspired a whole generation of so-called ambient bands, and the sudden explosion of ambient music in restaurants and lifts and other public spaces. As English explains, this genre (known and loathed by many as “muzak”) was developed as a sort of tranquilliser for modern, city life, “but at some point the effect was reduced by its sheer volume and now when you go shopping the sounds are overwhelming”. A growing understanding of how sound can influence behaviour is now being actively exploited as cynical marketing tricks: hard techno is often played in clothes shops to encourage frenetic purchases, for example, and bars tend to play loud music to stifle conversation and encourage people to drink instead.

Others in the industry, including English DJ and sound artist Scanner (aka Robin Rimbaud), have put sound design to more creative ends. Scanner established his reputation in the English club culture of the 1980s, performing in chill-out rooms – spaces where those too smashed for the main sets could slump in front of calming, psychedelic light shows and DJs playing down-tempo music by the likes of Massive Attack and The KLF. Since then, he has broadened his work with a number of notable commissions, including telephone sound design and an installation for Tate Modern, as well as high-profile collaborations with Bryan Ferry, Radiohead and the Royal Ballet.

In 2003 Scanner was asked by the Hôpital Raymond-Poincaré in Garches, near Paris, to create a sonic backdrop for their salle des départs, or morgue. Already the Italian architect Ettore Spalletti had designed a striking cobalt blue interior – luminous, elegant and minimalist – but he felt the space needed another dimension and invited Scanner on board. “It was almost impossible at first,” the sound artist explains. “This was a soundtrack for, perversely, a place where nobody wants to be, and a place where people are not expecting to be visiting. It’s dealing with sudden death, basically, so what does one do?”

What Scanner did was collage together a number of environmental recordings – insects, birdsong and the sound of rain outside a window – and then overlay this with the lightest piano touch. The result is Channel of Flight, a composition that carries a vague suggestion of rhythm and a sense of human presence, and yet is without a spiritual or religious agenda. “I wanted to make the piece as anonymous as possible and the volume at which it is set is key,” Scanner explains. “I wanted to play the soundtrack at such a volume that you’d realise its absence should it not be there but at a level that you are not fully conscious of.” It’s an approach that relates directly to the original principles of ambient music.

Since then, Scanner has moved his work into the domestic environment. Edith Garcia, an American sculptor and installation artist, had heard about Scanner’s previous projects and recently invited him to create a sound environment for her loft apartment and studio space in Minneapolis. “She wanted something that would inspire her, but that wouldn’t interfere too much,” he explains. “So I made a series of very tonal pieces, a mixture of strings and voices, all kinds of things. They’re very long and there is no sense of beginning or end, they just happen and they become part of the space, in a way. I was trying to create an ambience that would offer a creative environment but also help to mask other noises that were going on outside.”

Once complete, the compositions were loaded on to several iPod shuffles and posted to Garcia, who simply connected them up to her own speaker system. As Scanner explains, the entire project was dependent on MP3 technology: “An old cassette tape or CD gives you a finite amount of time, around 70 minutes, but the great thing with digital media is that you can now play pieces of extraordinary lengths: days or even months,” he says.

“And what’s clever about the iPod is that you can write a number of pieces then hit shuffle and they will constantly reconfigure themselves within the space, which means that the same patterns don’t follow each day.”

The cost of these commissions can range from about £5,000 to £20,000, depending on the location and the demands and expectations of clients, and excludes any additional hardware expenses.

Like other sound designers around the world Scanner has seen his repertoire expand in recent years from one-off, niche and broadly experimental projects to large-scale installation schemes and the more practical design of domestic appliances. “It still seems to be a new concept for lots of people. Even architects very rarely talk about the acoustics or sound of a place,” he says. That may be so, but it seems likely that sound design, and sound designers, will wield greater influence over the buildings of the future.

Download and listen to this: The music of sound

Sound has always been integral to the design of household appliances, but it wasn’t until the start-up jingle for the Microsoft 95 computer operating system that people realised its significance. Microsoft approached Brian Eno with a brief that reportedly stretched to 150 adjectives (futuristic, universal, sentimental etc) for a piece that was to last just three-and-a-quarter seconds. In response, Eno composed a little swirl of arpeggios that has now become synonymous with the brand.

Since then, the aesthetics surrounding product design – how they are packaged, how they look, feel and sound – have become increasingly important with the advance of technology. As smart phones and tablets are integrated into our lives, more and more thought is given to the sounds of ring-tones, message alerts and alarms. There is even a White Noise iPhone app that offers a choice of sound effects, including a heartbeat, the rumble of thunder and the sound of a Tibetan singing bowl that are supposed to aid sleep or relaxation. English DJ and sound artist Scanner was commissioned to design a series of alarm sounds for the Philips Wake-Up Light. “I came up with a simple philosophy, which was that no one wants to be woken up where they are, they want to wake up near the beach or somewhere beautiful,” he says. “So I made these different environments, one a collage of European bird song, one a little African village with insects and warm sounds and another a very elegant, soft beep.”

Laura Battle is deputy editor of House & Home

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/060d9184-3f9c-11e0-a1ba-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1F0wUpqV0

Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter Plugin

2011-02-25T04:58:00.000-08:00

When it was originally introduced in the mid-1970s, the Aphex Aural Exciter® brought its distinctive sound to select sessions by leading recording artists, traveling from studio to studio as an exclusive (and expensive) rental unit.

A true groundbreaker, the original Aural Exciter was highly regarded for its ability to increase and enhance presence, brightness, and vibrancy on vocal and instrumental tracks alike. It was even credited as a "session player" on best-selling albums by the likes of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, engineered by Val Garay, who worked closely with us on the development of the plugin.

Modeled on one of only a few tube-powered units ever made, the new Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter plugin delivers all the unique character of the rare original hardware unit, with all the advantages of software.

Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter Features:

Faithful model of the rare tube-powered original
Adds brightness, vibrancy and depth
Increases presence without raising levels
Perfect for vocal and instrumental tracks alike
Mix and AX modes for insert or send configurations
Mono and stereo components
Up to 24bit/192kHz resolution
Supports TDM, RTAS, Audio Suite, VST, AU
PC and Mac compatible

Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter Controls:

MODE selects the processing mode: MIX1, MIX2, AX.
METER selects VU meter view options.
INPUT controls input gain.
AX MIX controls the amount of AX (aural excitement)
added to the original signal.
OUTPUT controls output gain.
MAINS controls analog characteristics caused by hum,
based on the power supplies of the original units.
NOISE controls the level of the modeled analog noise.

http://www.waves.com/

The Strokes Making of Angle - Studio Recording Video

2011-02-25T04:29:00.000-08:00

New York rockers The Strokes have posted the first part in their 'making of' series, which chronicles the recording of upcoming studio album, 'Angles'.

The quintet have spent the previous months holed up in guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.'s home studio recording a follow-up to 2006's 'First Impressions of Earth'.

Subsequently, the band posted a new video on their website entitled, 'Making of Angles: EP1', which oversees the various stages of recording.

Bass player Nikolai Fraiture told Clashmusic.com last month that the new album would be a return to an earlier sound.

"Sonically, I feel it's the album which should have been made between 'Room on Fire' and 'First Impressions of Earth'," he said.

Killyourstereo reported earlier in the month, the release of new single 'Under Cover of Darkness'.

'Angles' is due out March 22nd via RCA/Rough trade.

http://www.killyourstereo.com/

The Masters Free Online Teleseminar Series Focusing on Personal Transformation Launching March 8, 2011

2011-02-25T04:08:00.000-08:00

Hosted by Healing With The Masters founder Jennifer McLean, each session of the free, live, bi-weekly series will provide registered community participants unparalleled intimate access to 24 of the most acclaimed "masters" from the transformational thought and wellness movements, including New York Times best-selling authors and "Oprah Winfrey Show" contributors.

Highlights of speakers confirmed for Season Seven of Healing With The Masters include:

Michael Bernard Beckwith, Spiritual Liberation-offering inspiration on the power of YOU
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Power of Intention-sharing his new insights from recent health issues
Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior-launching new book The Four Purposes of Life
James Redfield, The Celestine Prophecy-launching long awaited new book The Twelfth Insight
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Midnights With the Mystic-discussing freedom and bliss
Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations With God-sharing his new book The Mother of Invention

Additional confirmed speakers include: Alison Armstrong, Richard Bartlett, Sonia Choquette, Jo Dunning, Hale Dwoskin, Mary A. Hall, Elizabeth Jones, Jacqueline Joy, Cynthia Kersey, Dr. Judith Orloff, Cheryl Richardson, Bo Rinaldi and Patricia Cota-Robles. Each of these guests are revealing their newest books, content and projects, sharing how to expand one's life beyond current parameters of being.

McLean will guide registered participants through a unique and enlightening one hour live conversation with a new prominent "master" teacher each session as the speakers share soul-changing insights and techniques to help listeners reach new horizons of personal growth, break free from destructive patterns & habits holding them back from advancement and reprogram reactive behaviors to reduce stress and anxiety.

Participants will learn how to:

Release tension imposed by stress by resetting reactive behaviors and habits
Become better aligned with desired dreams and goals through empowering daily practices
Reach new levels of transformative personal growth through deep self-examination and reflection

Registered community participants will have the unique opportunity to interact with the speakers and host Jennifer McLean in real time via live webcast and teleconference Q&A sessions.

"I am so pleased to help connect my growing community with the many 'masters' of healing and wellness in order to assist people in discovering new ways of living and growing into the next best version of themselves through my Healing With The Masters series," said Healing With The Masters creator and host Jennifer McLean. "I've personally witnessed the life-changing impact these leaders have had on the lives of thousands of participants and my own life, and look forward to sharing their valuable insight with returning and new community participants."

Season Seven of Healing With The Masters is scheduled to run March 8-May 26, 2011 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. PST/7 p.m.-8 p.m. EST.

Participants can subscribe to the series for free by visiting: www.healingwiththemasters.com. Subscribers will also have the opportunity to listen to each session of the series for 48 hours after each live call and can also purchase the complete program series in a variety of packages, along with special bonus material available exclusively through the website.

About Healing With The Masters

Healing With The Masters is a free, bi-weekly, live, interactive online teleseminar series created by acclaimed author, speaker and healer Jennifer McLean. Created in 2008, and now in its seventh season, the series currently reaches an international subscriber base across 117 countries and has featured internationally recognized transformational thought and wellness leaders including Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, James Redfield and Marianne Williamson.

For more information please visit: www.healingwiththemasters.com.

About Jennifer McLean

Jennifer McLean is an author, speaker and healer. McLean is the founder and host of the popular online teleseminar series Healing With The Masters, a life-changing, free teleseminar program, and CEO of McLean Masterworks, the corporate entity that manages Healing With The Masters and also offers MasterWorks Healing Membership Site, a space for prominent healers to offer one-on-one sessions to members in a group-coaching environment utilizing their individual techniques. McLean has more than 18 years of experience within the healing and wellness fields and has studied in multiple disciplines of energy healing including sound healing therapies and her own Body Dialoging technique. McLean is the author of two critically acclaimed books including The Big Book of You and The Credibility Factor. She has also been featured in Joe Vitale's best-selling book The Key, Keith Leon's Who Do You Think You Are and Joyce Schwarz's The Vision Board Book. McLean will be releasing her new book Body Dialoging-7 Steps to Coping and Thriving in Extreme Times in May, 2011.

For more information please visit: www.mcleanmasterworks.com.

Contact Name: Jessica Boyer/Sallie Olmsted
Rogers & Cowan
Office: 310-854-8141/8124
E-mail: jboyer@rogersandcowan.com / solmsted@rogersandcowan.com LOS ANGELES, Feb. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Author, speaker and healer Jennifer McLean today announced the launch of Season Seven of her life-changing interactive online teleseminar series Healing With The Masters , scheduled to premiere Tuesday, March 8 at 4 p.m. PST/7 p.m. EST.

Long way from Abbey Road

2011-02-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

The studio where Noah and the Whale recorded their new album isn't your typical recording space. A converted Methodist chapel in Bethnal Green, its warm atmosphere and favourable acoustics have also led to its hosting Guillemots, Mystery Jets and Arctic Monkeys.

Image via Wikipedia

Bands are increasingly ditching the soulless environment of the professional studio in favour of unique, atmospheric venues that best suit the sound and mood they hope to create in their albums. Noah and the Whale's new single "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." is the first released track that's part-recorded at the Bethnal Green chapel, The Empire. But we'll be hearing a lot more in the coming months, as it's where Arctic Monkeys recorded their upcoming album, while Klaxons have just moved in for a month. Since the chapel opened as a recording studio, it has been booked solid and you can see why. The live room's size and 1.7 second reverb puts it on a par with Abbey Road's Studio 2, but the acoustics are not the only draw. Bands get the keys, have 24 hour access, and private use of the dining room, lounge and in-house record collection, creating a homely atmosphere more akin to a countryside residential studio than a commercial London studio.

Noah and the Whale chose the chapel to record Last Night on Earth for its sonics and conduciveness to creativity, combining recording there with a commercial studio to harness the sound. "The high ceilings give the room an amazing natural reverb and that can often be quite forgiving and flattering to a performance, which is really useful while you're figuring out arrangements. It also makes the drums sound huge," enthuses singer Charlie Fink. "Brian Eno often insists that his bands record vocals in churches because of the natural reverb. It's impossible to replicate that sound in a small room – you can always tell. Also, working in a studio with big windows and natural light is a real joy compared to the usual dark caves. It stops the band getting lethargic as the session goes on."

My Morning Jacket recently moved all their equipment into a 1900s chapel never before used by a band, to record their upcoming album. Other albums recorded in a church include Arcade Fire's Neon Bible, Beach House's Teen Dream, Coldplay's Viva la Vida, and Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden back in 1988.

Cover of Oh My God Charlie Darwin

Aside from churches, bands are choosing other unusual locations such as factories, barns and the outdoors to add atmosphere while saving the expense of a costlier commercial studio. Rising indie-folk trio Flashguns chose a derelict barn in Somerset to record their debut. Reviews of The Low Anthem's new album Smart Flesh all seem to agree that the choice of recording space was an excellent tool in shaping the album's eerie and otherworldly sound. The band, who made their name in 2008 with the folk-rock album Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, eschewed both the 10 by 12 foot basement of the house where they recorded that album and commercial studios, moving their skeletal equipment into a disused factory in Rhode Island. They had plenty of empty buildings to choose between, and settled for a former pasta sauce factory, where friends had been squatting, disguised as guerrilla guards. "We wanted to get away from the limitations of home recording," says singer Ben Knox Miller. "We did our previous record in a small room and all the reverb was created artificially. We were trying to get away from that and make our sound happen in real space. The sound forms naturally when it's resonating in a giant chamber. It's less plastic."

You can certainly hear the natural reverb throughout the album, thanks to the spacing of microphones across the floor, capturing the sound around the room. Some songs did not survive the acoustics afforded by the building though. "The busier the songs were, the less they translated," says Miller, "so it created a cohesion within the album. It's very lethargic. It's a pretty lonely sound. It sounds like you're out in a desert, a weird expanse that's not quite human. It's moody." Temperatures in the factory frequently falling to freezing as the band recorded into the night also contributed to the "lethargic" sound.

Sometimes the recording venue becomes a part of the album's mythology. Bon Iver took himself to a secluded cabin in Wisconsin for three months and the location sparked For Emma, Forever Ago. It became the perfect framework for an album by a broken-hearted lover, shut away from the world, recorded with nothing more than a few microphones and old equipment. A peaceful rural location was also essential to Seattle duo Thousands, whose hushed guitar-picking was brought to Bella Union's attention by Fleet Foxes' guitarist Skye Skjelset. Unable to create the fragile sound they had in mind at home, Kristian Garrard and Luke Bergman travelled around in search of inspiring places to record. The Sound of Everything was recorded in a cabin on the Oregon coast, the banks of the Columbia River, abandoned barns and old farmhouses. "We want people to listen to this with headphones on and feel like they're immersed in these locations," Bergman explains. That you can hear the breeze and occasional birdsong complements the album's nature imagery, giving it a magical sense of place.

Image via Wikipedia

Some of rock's most cherished rock albums were recorded in obscure places. The Rolling Stones recorded Exile on Main St. on the Côte d'Azur in 1971. Nellcôte was the first place the band had recorded outside of a commercial studio. Sometimes a fresh venue provides essential inspiration. Before it was designated the UK's number one wedding venue, Clearwell Castle, in the picturesque village of Clearwell on the Welsh border, was used by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Mott the Hoople as a rehearsal and recording studio. It was where Deep Purple recorded Burn in 1973. It was also the last port of call for Black Sabbath who had tried and failed to write their album in Californian studios. In an underground cavern in the castle, the band found their inspiration to write and record the acclaimed Sabbath Bloody Sabbath in 1973.

But recording in a church, factory or barn is made positively ordinary by Erland & the Carnival. In an attempt to "create a soundtrack to an imaginary horror film about the supernatural", they took their equipment to the bottom of a ship moored at Embankment, where they soaked up the atmosphere provided by perpetual damp and the constant sound of water. "You could hear sounds in the hull when we were mixing the record," says drummer David Nock. "We set up contact mics all around the ship to capture its unique sounds."

Image by wallyg via Flickr

So what does this mean for the commercial studio? Marlon Brown who runs The Empire, and is seeing a huge increase in business, believes the capital's commercial studios' time is running short. "A couple of people own most of the commercial studios in London and it's a stitch-up between them and the labels. Bands have now seen through the labels and are beginning to question the commercial studio set-up. Most will go out of business in the next couple of years," he asserts. "I'm dealing with the bands directly, explaining that The Empire is a creative space and not a commercial studio. They seem immediately relieved and creatively empowered."

Source:http://www.independent.co.uk/

Winter NAMM 2011 - New Product Hits (Part 2)

2011-02-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

Read first part here - Winter NAMM 2011 - New Product Hits (Part 1)

KORG KRONOS KEYBOARD

Offered in 88, 73 and 61-key versions, Kronos was one of the most talked-about products at the show. It features nine synth engines of various types and can switch sounds seamlessly (or instantaneously) while being played, thanks to its Virtual Memory Technology and a fast Solid State Disk, even from huge 4GB acoustic piano samples. From ethereal textures to complex layered tones, Kronos covers a huge range of sonic territory, as well as classic keyboards, pianos, tonewheel organs and electric pianos, and orchestral, percussion and pop sounds.

LECTROSONICS QUADRA DIGITAL WIRELESS IEM

The Quadra digital wireless in-ear monitor system from Lectrosonics comprises the M4R ($1,765) beltpack diversity receiver and the M4T ($2,875 MSRP) half-rack transmitter, and features digital RF modulation, two or four channels of 24-bit/48kHz digital audio, and analog or digital inputs. A 4-channel mixer enables the performer to tailor the mix in real time based on what is sent to the transmitter from the monitor console.

MACKIE MRMK2 STUDIO MONITORS

The MRmk2 Series marks a complete redesign of Mackie’s (mackie.com) best-selling line of affordable powered studio monitors. Both the 5.25-inch woofer MR5mk2 ($199 pair, MSRP) and 8-inch MR8mk2 ($329 pair) are powered two-way designs with a 1-inch soft-dome neodymium tweeter on a wide-dispersion waveguide. Inside the rear-ported cabinet is a Class-A/B amplifier section with XLR, TRS and RCA inputs, and controls for acoustical correction.

MIDAS VENICEF MIXER

The new VeniceF analog console offers FireWire multichannel digital audio I/O with the full functionality and sound quality of the much-loved Midas XL3 EQ and filter section, as well as the company’s mic preamps, a dual 7x2 matrix and a reorganized master section layout. The VeniceF 320’s 32x32 FireWire capability adds 32 channels of multitrack recording/playback to any FireWire-equipped computer for virtual soundchecking or running third-party plug-ins on channel inserts or routed via aux sends and returns.

PRESONUS STUDIOLIVE REMOTE IPAD APP

The PreSonus StudioLive Remote software offers wireless control of any StudioLive Series digital mixer’s channels, auxes, effects, subs, Fat Channel processors and more. We’ve seen a number of iPad mixing apps, but this takes it up a notch with slick features such as rotating the iPad from landscape to portrait view to instantly bring up a detailed view of DSP parameters (gate, compressor, EQ, etc.) with a flick of the wrist. The app is free and ships with PreSonus’ 24- and 16-channel digital mixers.

QSC KLA SERIES LINE ARRAY

Built on the same power platform as the K Series and KW Series powered loudspeakers, the KLA active line array system from QSC combines the KLA12 12-inch, two-way line array element and the KLA181 18-inch subwoofer enclosure. Both models feature a 1,000W Class-D power module with QSC’s Intrinsic Correction for optimal acoustical performance. The KLA System’s self-contained SOLO (Single-Operator Logistics) rigging system lets users quickly assemble a line array in a fraction of the time of comparable systems.

SENNHEISER MK 4

Sennheiser’s first large-diaphragm side-address mic, the MK 4 is a cardioid, true condenser design. It features a nickel-colored finish and has a large gold-sputtered 1-inch diaphragm, while its elastically mounted capsule suppresses stand or handling noise. Specs include a max SPL of 140 dB and a low 10dBA self-noise.

SHURE AXIENT

The Axient wireless microphone system is designed to avoid interference by automatically changing frequencies, detecting RF interference and enabling the system to move to a clear and compatible frequency in milliseconds. A Frequency Diversity feature transmits full-bandwidth audio on two separate frequencies for seamless, uninterrupted audio for mission-critical channels, even in the face of direct RF interference. ShowLink remote control lets users make real-time remote adjustments of transmitter settings from the receiver or a laptop while the mic is live. Axient Spectrum Manager constantly scans the RF environment and performs frequency-compatibility calculations to assign clear frequencies to each transmitter.

SONODYNE STUDIO MONITORS

Sonodyne monitors are now available in the U.S. The smallest monitor in the range, the SM 50Ak active design ($1,050 pair), delivers 45W to the 5.25-inch woofer and 45W to the tweeter for a 70-22k Hz response. Also bi-amplified, the SM 100Ak ($1,400 pair) supplies 80W to a 6.5-inch woofer and the same 45W powered tweeter for more low-end response and greater SPL.

STEINBERG CUBASE 6

Cubase 6 and Cubase Artist 6 from Steinberg offer a bevy of new features, including enhanced workflow options within the Project window and Track Edit Groups, which allows users to group and edit related events on multiple tracks at once. Other features include Lane Track for conveniently comping multiple takes; redesigned transient and automatic tempo detection; phase-accurate audio quantization; and drum-replacement functions to smooth out any glitches in live recorded drum tracks.

UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD-2 SATELLITE

Universal Audio’s UAD-2 Duo and Quad Satellite family of DSP accelerator packages (with two or four SHARC processors) put the entire UAD Powered Plug-Ins library within easy reach of any FireWire 800- or 400-equipped computer, with no PCIe card installation required. Compatible with a wide range of modern Intel-based iMacs and MacBook Pros, these let users run larger mixes in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Digital Performer and more—without taxing the host computer’s CPU.

WAVES AURAL EXCITER PLUG-IN

Waves has collaborated with Aphex to create the Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter, a plug-in based on one of two prototype tube-powered Aural Exciter units developed during the mid-’70s. The software-modeled version is designed to deliver all of the unique character of the rare original hardware unit, with all the advantages of software control.

Winter NAMM 2011 - New Product Hits (Part 1)

2011-02-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

This 2011 Winter NAMM show (held January 13-16, Anaheim, Calif.) was a record-setting event, with 90,114 registered attendees checking out 1,417 exhibitors in the Anaheim Convention Center. There was plenty of new gear and choosing the Mix Certified Hits (our choices for the show’s Top 20 products) proved particularly difficult. Listed here, alphabetically, are our selections.

ALESIS STUDIODOCK

Apple’s iPad has proven itself ideal in all sorts of pro audio/music applications, with a nearly endless supply of useful apps available. Its main drawback had been a lack of pro connectivity, but the Alesis StudioDock, an audio interface for the iPad, features two XLR/¼-inch jacks (each with its own gain control and switchable phantom power) and MIDI In/Out ports. StudioDock can also connect to a Mac or PC using its USB port to send MIDI back and forth for creative, new applications of the iPad and computer used in tandem.

DANGEROUS MUSIC DANGEROUS LIAISON

Dangerous Music’s Liaison is a point-to-point, hand-wired box for ultra-fidelity switching/patching/routing of analog gear in mixing or mastering applications. Easy, switchable control—with six insert points and parallel effects loops—adds ease of operation for instantly trying various combinations or ordering of gear, such as EQ-before-compressor or parallel effects chains.

DAVE HILL DESIGNS RA PLUG-IN

New from Crane Song founder Dave Hill is RA, a nonlinear plug-in that emulates amplifier overload, providing control over even-order harmonics, compression of low-level audio and peak level. It’s available for Mac TDM systems only, with a version for PC TDM in the works.

DPA 2000 SERIES

The new 2000 Series mics are DPA Microphone’s first models to be available for less than $1,000. The heads and bodies are separate, and the bodies are compatible with DPA’s higher-end capsules for easy upgrades.

ELECTRO-VOICE RE320

Derived from E-V’s classic RE20, the new RE320 culls key features of the company’s venerable RE20 and RE27N/D mics into a versatile studio and live performance tool. The RE320’s “dual personality” essentially creates two mics in a single body: One setting engages a response curve that’s ideal for voice and most instrument miking; the other position activates a response designed for kick drums.

FAIRLIGHT CMI-30A COMPUTER MUSIC INSTRUMENT

The classic Fairlight CMI sound is back as the CMI-30a 30th-anniversary model, which updates the sounds and power of the original CMI system in a retro-styled package (complete with light-pen control) but using a Fairlight CC-1 Crystal Core FPGA engine under the hood. The project is driven by Fairlight co-founder Peter Vogel, and sound quality is continuously variable using the unique Goodness control, which spans from Series I, II or III quality to the “best possible” 36-bit floating point.

Read more here - Winter NAMM 2011 - New Product Hits (Part 2)

Blue Microphones Reactor Multipattern Mic - Countdown to NAMM 2011

2011-01-12T13:35:00.000-08:00

As the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim approaches, we’re offering Mix readers exclusive sneak peaks of some of the new products debuting at the show.

Blue Microphones announces Reactor ($499 MSRP), a large-diaphragm condenser microphone that combines large-format capsule technology with an innovative pattern selection method with a swiveling capsule head for precise positioning. Featuring Blue’s premium condenser capsule and proprietary preamp circuit, Reactor allows for noiseless live switching between the three distinct patterns (cardioid, omni or bi-directional).

“Reactor takes microphone technology and design to the next level, combining Blue’s high-quality sound capture with intuitive pattern switching and physical microphone design,” says John Maier, CEO of Blue Microphones. “With Reactor, we are excited to offer multiple patterns and high-end audio capture to a wider audience, along with making multiple mic setups more accessible.”

Drawing from the design of Blue’s renowned B6 capsule, Reactor’s capsule technology delivers a full sonic signature with a detailed top end, a textured midrange and a full bottom end. With noiseless, live pattern switching, Reactor’s sound can be tuned to specific uses such as full and present vocals, warm guitar acoustics, even capturing the room frequencies of drums. Like all of Blue’s studio mics, Reactor employs fully discrete, Class-A solid-state components for high-quality, professional recording performance.

Featuring an innovative swiveling design, Reactor’s capsule head rotates fluidly across a 90-degree range, with resistance to hold the head in a precise position. Facilitating ease-of-use in multiple mic setups such as Mid/Side or X-Y recording, Reactor’s swivel head allows for accuracy and fine-tuning of setup geometry and microphone tone.

Available this spring, Reactor comes with a coordinated carrying case for protection and storage, along with a shock-mount and custom pop filter.

Visit Blue Microphones during NAMM at booth #6428.

Find out more about Blue Microphones' Reactor.

Source

Learn Drums, Learn Mix - Telephone, Lady Gaga

2011-01-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

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Continuing with Lady GaGa hits, this online preview covers DarkChild’s “Telephone”. The full Hit Report (download only) comes packed with audio tutorials, WAV loops/samples, MIDI files, Reason synth patches, and step-by-step Production Maps plus Illustrations using Cubase, Reason, & Ableton Live! Learn Telephone’s production via step-by-step audio tutorials provided in the full Hit Report: Play Telephone Audio Recreation - Final Step MP3 Example.

Few songs thrill the dance floor like “Telephone”. Originally written by DarkChild and Lady Gaga for Britney Spears, Telephone was rejected by Spears, and Gaga happily reclaimed it for herself. Telephone showcases the immense talent of DarkChild, with credits including Michael Jackson, Destiny’s child, and Jennifer Lopez. When combining both Hit Talk’s Bad Romance and Telephone Hit Reports, you gain a sharp, comprehensive knowledge on how to produce hit music for an unstoppable Diva.

Telephone - Mix and Frequency Separation

The frequency map at left identifies elements of the mix. The red bar identifies the fundamental notes played by each instrument (unless no identifiable fundamental exists) and the yellow curves show the location of the most prominent frequencies per instrument. This provides a graphical representation of how the song ought to be mixed and what frequencies are emphasized or attenuated for each instrument.

We’ll start by explaining the synths. The bass synthesizer stretches all the way into the treble range. This is the same kind of gritty saw bassline you hear in dozens of other pop songs including Bad Romance. The Saw synthesizer playing on the off beats or “&” counts (offbeat saw syn) is the mid-high synth that can be heard most clearly in the verses. This synth is important in establishing the feel of the song. Dance songs derive a lot of power from the off beat, we’ll explain that plus more about the frequency separation and mixing of this song in the full downloadable hit report below.

Telephone – SID Synthesizer Sound Design

In the full report we explain how to construct the edgy synthesizer timbre used by DarkChild in Telephone: Telephone - Saw Synthesizer Audio Example

Like in the Bad Romance report, we’ve again used a combination of Thor Synthesizers. Here we’ll focus on one of the synth patches used for this sound, and the sound design techniques associated with it. Below is the illustration of the “SID saw” patch we used in our recreation. It’s a SID saw because of the use of pulse wave modulation (PWM), a standard modulation effect on the commodore 64 SID sound chip. This produces an unmistakable retro-saw synth sound first pioneered by those video game sound designers and game composers who used the old SID chip as their canvas.

Using an arrangement of analog oscillators in Reason’s Thor Synth, we’ve created a synth that uses random PWM. You can hear the distinct fluctuations in the timbre that are the signature of PWM synthesis. Above we’ve programmed LFO one and LFO 2 at slightly different rates, and they modulate the Pulse width of oscillators 2 and 3 (see modulation matrix at the bottom of the patch). If you decide to use this patch (provided in the extras section of the report) and you’re not happy with the timbral fluctuations, you can use the sync buttons on the side of the GUI. Alternately, if you’d like the timbral fluctuations to follow the song’s tempo, it’s simply a matter of picking a regular modulation pattern and clicking the tempo sync button.

This is a partial explanation. In the full downloadable Hit Report, we’ll explain how we brought three different patches together to create the full sound.

Telephone – Momentary Echo

1 - Ping Pong Delay

This is a simple trick, but we emphasize it because it’s an effective production accent, and you hear it all the time in pop and hip hop. As our example, we’re taking Lady Gaga’s line from the introduction: “I have got no service in the club you see, see.” The effect we’re speaking of occurs on the second “see;” you hear two echoes, one in the left, one in the right. At left we’ve used Ableton Live’s Ping-Pong Delay to re-create the effect. After you’ve set the ping pong delay, the next step is programming the Delay to turn on momentarily by using Live’s automation (see image at left).

2 - Cut & Paste Delay

A second technique, and one which will produce a delay effect more faithful to the sound achieved by DarkChild, is to slice the sample and copy it onto another track.

At right, we’ve sliced the decay out of the original recording (the “ee” of “see”), and copied it onto a second vocal track, repeating it as 8th notes.

3 - Automated Panning

Finally, we’ve automated the pan of the second track to pan hard left and hard right. Using the Ping Pong delay offers a bit more flexibility by allowing you to increase feedback, change delay time and filter on the wet signal at will, but the copy/paste method offers a drier, more controlled result. It depends on your style.

In the full Hit Report below, we look even closer at DarkChild’s innovative vocal sound design. Specifically, we’ll explain the technique he uses to make Gaga’s voice to sound like a Telephone. We’ll also explain how those techniques can be used for sound design in general.

Telephone - Conclusions

Darkchild shows out an impressive game, defining himself as one of Pop Music’s great producers. While the respective styles of Darkchild and Red One are similar, we’ve explained some of the finer differences in their production choices in both full Hit Reports covering Lady Gaga’s music. While Bad Romance is an international number one hit, Telephone, a conventional club-banger, was a massive success by any standard. In the full downloadable Hit Report below, we offer a step-by-step lesson on how to produce several of Telephone’s most exciting production elements, all of which you can hear in our second preview audio example: Telephone - Full Music Production Audio Example

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200,000 Vintage Master Recordings to the Library of Congress.

2011-01-12T12:56:00.000-08:00

At least someone in the music industry is trying to keep up with the Internet age--Universal Music Group is donating over 200,000 vintage master recordings to the Library of Congress.

The Library plans to catalog and digitize the collection and make it available for public online streaming this upcoming spring. The collection features historic recordings from Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, and Louis Armstrong among others, including "Frim Fram Sauce" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, and "Ain't Misbehavin'" by Louis Armstrong.

"It is certainly within the national interest to acquire this recorded collection, and all its accompanying materials, for custodial care," Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said in a press release Monday, "A surprisingly high percentage of America's recording heritage since the early part of the 20th century has been lost due to neglect and deterioration."

The collection will be digitized at the Library's Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Virginia. The Library's Recorded Sound Section currently has around three million items, most of which are noncommercial.

Engadget points out that it does not appear that the intellectual property rights will pass with the recordings, "as the press release states this agreement continues the Library's 'unprecedented autority to stream commercially owned sound recordings online.'"

Sound Recording and Reproduction

2010-12-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects.

Image via WikipediaThe two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording. Acoustic analog recording is achieved by a small microphone diaphragm that can detect changes in atmospheric pressure (acoustic sound waves) and record them as a graphic representation of the sound waves on a medium such as a phonograph (in which a stylus senses grooves on a record). In magnetic tape recording, the sound waves vibrate the microphone diaphragm and are converted into a varying electric current, which is then converted to a varying magnetic field by an electromagnet, which makes a representation of the sound as magnetized areas on a plastic tape with a magnetic coating on it. Analog sound reproduction is the reverse process, with a bigger loudspeaker diaphragm causing changes to atmospheric pressure to form acoustic sound waves. Electronically generated sound waves may also be recorded directly from devices such as an electric guitar pickup or a synthesizer, without the use of acoustics in the recording process other than the need for musicians to hear how well they are playing during recording sessions.

Image via WikipediaDigital recording and reproduction converts the analog sound signal picked up by the microphone to a digital form by a process of digitization, allowing it to be stored and transmitted by a wider variety of media. Digital recording stores audio as a series of binary numbers representing samples of the amplitude of the audio signal at equal time intervals, at a sample rate so fast that the human ear perceives the result as continuous sound. Digital recordings are considered higher quality than analog recordings not necessarily because they have higher fidelity (wider frequency response or dynamic range), but because the digital format can prevent much loss of quality found in analog recording due to noise and electromagnetic interference in playback, and mechanical deterioration or damage to the storage medium. A digital audio signal must be reconverted to analog form during playback before it is applied to a loudspeaker or earphones.

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