Traktor Kontrol F1

A very colorful light will shine upon Native Instruments' DJ ecosystem on May 30th, and it's called Traktor Kontrol F1. The rainbow-flavored box aims squarely at the growing number of beat junkies who fall somewhere between DJ and producer. New Remix Decks in the accompanying Traktor 2.5 software cater to a more granular perspective on mixing, and the F1 is the tool that brings the new layers to your fingertips. We had an exclusive sit-down with a beta version of the adorable blinky-buttony-slidery controller/instrument-thing that we're itching to spill the beans on, so join us after the break, won't you?

Putting it simply, the F1 is a 4.7-by-11.5-inch box with a standard 16-pad interface that should be familiar to anyone who's encountered an MPC-style interface. Surrounding the grid are a host of operational effects that modify playback of sounds in the corresponding rows, or in other cases, of all the sounds currently playing back in a column: sync, quant, capture, stop, type and size. These also serve secondary functions in shift-mode (pitch, speed and color) to further shape the sound. Above each column sits a slider generally used for column volume control and a filter knob. A single Traktor-standard rotary encoder is used to adjust parameters. Those candy-colored lights -- each hue customizable via an embedded LED -- communicate which type of sample is loaded in the corresponding slot in software. The grid also serves as a 16-pixel animation display, so you're constantly treated to a deeper look at how the interface is triggering or navigating through each individual sound.


Kick ass!!!

Cytomic presents "The Drop" resonance filter plug in

Cytomic have announced another VST called: "The Drop", an analog-modelled resonant filter plug-in. It's still in development with release expected before the end of the year. Several audio demos are available.
This should be handy for use in live. I'm looking for a better filter to hook up to the Uc-33e for live use.

The Features:

• Dual filter section with a Lowpass followed by a Highpass.
• Circuits include State Variable (e.g. SEM-1A), Sallen Key (e.g. MS-20), and more to be announced.
• Loads of drive and character and analog style noise.
• Full frequency range and perfect resonance tracking without oversampling so there is no delay for live use.
• Huge amounts of resonance if you want and also a resonance limit button for DJ use to make sure you blast people's ears off at a gig.
• Envelope follower, diode modelled, from input or sidechain.
• FM from input or sidechain.
• Two LFOs: one complex, and one basic.
• Stereo and Mono processing.

You can grab yourself a demo from here...

Cytomic - The drop

Theres some demo sounds on the link too, its looking promising.
Whats your guys favorite filter VST?

Previous post

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Aphex Twin live at Forbidden Fruit (Dublin 2011)

A master at work.

Previous Post
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Life festival and dancing like no-ones watching

So here's my mate Tom turning up on youtube and grooving his face off in the process.

Life festival... Dance like no-ones watching.

A true believer in the ethos! How do you guys feel about your dancing nowadays?
I'm more used to being the other side of the stage these days.
I miss not giving a fuck and going for it!

Here are some other epic festival dancers.

That ones great because he's ginger.

That ones at the sasquatch fest. Looks pretty awesome.

And to finish up. Heres Buckethead kicking up a robot chicken groove WITH nunchucks.

Newer post

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Creator Noir L.P [Mech001]

Well ive been writing about music production and how to do it for ages, So I suppose I should post

some of my own stuff.

Here's my Noir album.

Its breakcore, jungle, jazz, classical & techno bass.

Inspired by french noir movies and detective films as well as film soundtracks with a twisty Phillip Glass influence.

Enjoy and share! Opinions always appreciated too.

Creator Noir L.P [Mech001]

http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/310598169/?tab=summary

and heres a direct link.

Direct linkage. http://vvhhs.pp.fi/tsb/Creator_Noir%20L.P%20%5bMech001%5d.rar

I, IV, V Progression & Song Writing

Songwriting is an important part of music production...obviously but before you learn how to form certain chords you must first learn about scales. 

A scale is a series of notes that go in an ascending and descending manner. For every scale that is minor or major there are 7 notes, for example in the key of C the notes are C - D - E - F - G - A - B. and the 8th note (in this example will be C) goes back to the root note but an octave higher. (the 12th fret on a guitar).

Each note of a scale has a corresponding number from 1 to 7. So for the key of C it will be as follows:

C = 1
D = 2
E = 3
F = 4
G = 5
A = 6
B = 7

In order to make a major triad you will play the 1st + 3rd + 5th notes of a major scale.

In our example it is C - E - G, that's the C major chord.

Let's have another example this time using the C minor scale:

C = 1
D = 2
Eb = 3
F = 4
G = 5
Ab = 6
Bb = 7

In order to make a minor triad you will play the 1st + 3rd + 5th notes of a minor scale.
In our example it is C - Eb - G, that's the C minor chord.

Roman Numerals

Sometimes instead of numbers Roman Numerals are used. We go back to our example and use a Roman Numeral for each note in the key of C:

C = I
D = ii
E = iii
F = IV
G = V
A = vi

Roman numeral I refers to the chord built on the first note of the C major scale. Roman numeral II refers to the chord built on the second note of the C major scale, and so on. If you notice, some of the Roman numerals are capitalized while others are not. Uppercase Roman numerals pertain to a major chord, while lowercase Roman numerals pertain to a minor chord. Uppercase Roman numerals with a (+) symbol refer to an augmented chord. Lowercase Roman numerals with a (o) symbol refer to a diminished chord.

The I, IV and V Chord Pattern

For each key there are 3 chords that are played more than others known as "primary chords." The I - IV - V chords are built from the 1st, 4th and 5th note of a scale.

Let's take the key of C again as an example, looking at the illustration above, you will notice that note I on the key of C is C, note IV is F and note V is G.

Therefor the I - IV - V chord pattern for the key of C is:
C (note I) = C - E- G (1st + 3rd + 5th note of the C scale)
F (note IV) = F - A - C (1st + 3rd + 5th note of the F scale)
G (note V) = G - B - D (1st + 3rd + 5th note of the G scale)

There are many songs that have been written using the I - IV - V chord pattern, just about every Beatles song, Elvis tune, greenday & most blues tunes.

Practice playing the I - IV - V chord pattern for every major key and listen to how it sounds as this might inspire you to come up with a great melody for your song.

Here's a handy table to guide you. Now get writing. I haven't heard anything awesome in about an hour.

I - IV - V Chord Pattern

Major Key - Chord Pattern
Key of C	C - F - G
Key of D	D - G - A
Key of E	E - A - B
Key of F	F - Bb - C
Key of G	G - C - D
Key of A	A - D - E
Key of B	B - E - F#
Key of Db	Db - Gb - Ab
Key of Eb	Eb - Ab - Bb
Key of Gb	Gb - Cb - Db
Key of Ab	Ab - Db - Eb
Key of Bb	Bb - Eb - F	....

Music mash ups and craziness

I have recently got in to the habit of listening to semi commercial mash ups of popular "artists".

Though some of them are complete shit and just hacked at certain spots there are a few decent ones out there.

Some of the Depeche Mode ones are alright, but why does David Guetta have to get in on EVERY mashup?

The  producer is awful. His music is the lowest common denominator.

Do your home work folks. Or you may just end up like him.

I wouldn't mid his cash though to be honest.

Though you would have to work with Fergie and the god awful Black eyed peas.

I hear she is quite prone to pissing herself on stage too.

Keep a wide birth folks.

Anyways, here is a great website with over 3000 mashups to listen to and download if you wish.

If you find any decent ones stick em in the comments box!

Good Blimey

Enjoy!

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Festival Surival Kit: Recommended Equipment for the wreck head

Festival season is now starting up.
Is it your first festival this year? Maybe it will be your last.
Heres some info for the first time festival go-er.
If you want to party your face off and not end up with shit in your pants and a lost wallet.
Heres some items to bring.

A tent (easy dome tent advisable, not an expensive one).
Some kind of flag or bright paint to fuck up the side of it so you can find your tent when fucked.
A torch or headlamp (well handy)
Sleeping bag or a big blanket
TOILET PAPER (important)
Spare ciggeretes or rolling tobacco. It can be a pain in the arse when you run out day 2.
Your own "funky stuff" of choice (best bought at home and well stashed).
Spare cash.
Swiss army knife (handy for everything)
A pillow if you have a girl with you or you are a girl.
Wellies (especially if you are going to Glastonbury).
Black bag (acts as a rain jacket and you can throw your crap in it).
Spare lighter (important).
Loads of socks
Any form of stupid hat (your head can get baked.. even in Ireland & England)
Vodka & lots of it.
Speakers to jack into your mp3 player.
Spare batteries or them cool wind up chargers (you can find em in Vodafone shops for a tenner).
Your sanity.
Box of condoms (In case you decide to explore your "other" sexuality.

Oh and tickets or a ladder / shovel.

Enjoy your weekend!

Forbidden Fruit Festival. 4th & 5th June 2011. Dublin

Possibly the best priced festival I have seen in a very longtime. The line up is perfect and the price matches the pocket of a recession.

I'll be there dropping acid up the front. 

See you at Aphex!

Day Tickets: E49.50 / Weekend Tickets: EU90

Heres the line up:

DAY 1
SAT 4TH JUNE

The Flaming Lips
Yo La Tengo
Wild Beasts
Bombay Bicycle Club

The Phoenix Foundation
Erol Alkan
Beardyman
The Subs
Rory Phillips

Jape

Aeroplane

Ham Sandwich

Colourmusic

Bitches With Wolves

Kid Karate
Bipolar Empire
Land lovers
Spies

DAY 2
SUN 5TH JUNE

Aphex Twin
Battles
Caribou

Jamie XX
Carte Blanche

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

Spank Rock
Logo

Kormac's Big Band

Solar Bears
Favourite Sons

Trinity Orchestra

Cast Of Cheers
Not Squares
Bats
Enemies
Squarehead
Tera Melos

Native Instruments Razor Synth Review

Native Instruments have done it again with the creation of a kick ass simple to use FM synth.
This beast can really wail and its very simple to construct your own synths. I find it even more simple than NI's Massive and it has started taking over as my main choice of synth.
As some NI synths can be it can be a bit RAM heavy, so make sure you are well juiced up if you want to run more than 1 at a time in your chosen DAW.
For $80 its not a bad price either. Unless you use "other" avenues for it.
A free Reaktor player is needed to run the synth, so you will have to be running that also.
Here's a video review.

Native Instruments Razor Bass Tutorial

Found this online looks pretty decent.
If you try sticking the Ohmforce Predatohm over the top of it with a low shelf compression & EQ you can get some real nasty bass.

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

Gateway Festival launch party Dublin

25 acts. 4 venues.
Sweeney's Bar, Shebeen Chic, The Globe, RíRá.
More festival fun than you can shake a big festival stick at!

Admission Free!

/// The Globe

Wyvern Lingo
The 9 Bars Blues Band
History of Harry
Daithi



/// Ri Ra

DJ OB
Lunar Disco
Sindig DJs
Plug Artists



/// Shebeen Chic

Bob Glynn + Brain
Jack in the Band
Mute Fish
The Whiparound



/// Shebeen Chic Basement

Noise Machine
Hassle Merchants
100 Flower Campaign
More Tiny Giants
Mescalito


/// Sweeneys Bar Upstairs

Preston Reed
The Lonely Schizophrenic
Creamy Goodness
Odd Socks Revival
Sleep Thives
Attention Bébé

/// Sweeneys Basement

Surge DJs
Lunar Disco DJs

/// Sweeny's Ground Floor

DJ OB
DJ Chanty Lace
Gramophone Disco

Gamepak presents: Herv

The electronic break & blipmeister known as Herv comes for his debut Gamepak gig to launch his new E.P Portable Music Vol. 1.

Gamepak brings you music from & inspired by video games in a friendly and interactive atmosphere.
Dust of your plunger & comb your moustache!

Entry also gives you Hervs E.P on cassete for your walkman. :)

All for only €8!

1/4/11 @ 9:30pm

O'Byrne's Beverage Bar, Capel Street, Dublin.

Heres some info on Herv who you should check out:

Portable Music Vol. 1: a record that was composed on buses, train  
platforms, and in friends' houses; concocted while commuting and on the  
go; a record that beats the clock and dodges your workplace's CCTV. This  
is Portable Music, released on April 1st by Boy Scout Audio, on limited  
edition CASSETTE tape for your personal stereo walkman.
 
 
With 'Portable Music Vol. 1', Herv returns to the world of hand-held  
gaming devices and to a new generation of gear uniquely suited to the  
adept knob-twiddling he has demonstrated on previous releases, and sees  
him train his hyper-active musical mind to focus on minute subtleties  
within square-shaped vignettes. With the user restricted to a mere 16  
notes per pattern and 16 patterns per track, he squeezes the last drops of  
musical juice from a Nintendo DS, battering the synthesised daylights out  
of the bare-bones Korg DS-10 software that is the sole sound source of the  
record.
 
Herv had another reason for switching to portable methods: giving away  
music for free is all well and good, but a man's gotta eat. Returning to  
full-time day-job hours away from his studio, he soon realised that  
increased restrictions on his time would mean drastic changes were needed  
if his musical output was to endure. Adapting his methodologies to this  
end, he traded studio gear for portable devices.
 
Stalwart Dublin-based producer Herv has always had a thing about free  
music. His anarchist aesthetic becomes clear when you notice the number of  
free releases available on respected net-labels such as Acroplane,  
Net-Lab, Cock Rock Disco and The Centrifuge. By no means simple promos,  
these records are a match for his swarm of physical format releases on  
Irish and international independents, including labels Risc and Go Away  
Recordings, while remaining true to the net-label scene's DIY and chiptune  
roots. Herv is one of Ireland's premier and pioneering exponents of the  
chiptune genre, with tracks such as 'Party Gaff' (from the album  
'Customer', Go Away/Reconfiguration Records, 2006) standing out as one of  
the scene's most loved floor-filling choons.
 
Also in high demand as an old-skool-rave referencing DJ (with a  
free-download mix on Brighton label Wrong Lab), his production advances  
stylistically prog-influenced wildly modulating chord progressions, which  
jostle and balance jauntily against razor-sharp beat programming to  
melodically eccentric effect. Herv's music grabs hold of your  
channel-hopping attention span, bashing it against the speakers to the  
battle-beat of its perversely contrarian itinerary.
 
We've watched his music evolve from the experimental folktronics and  
concrète of his 2002 debut 'Snap Hands' into the full-frontal punk assault  
of breakcore excess. With later releases such as 'Gang Molded' (The  
Centrifuge, 2010) re-integrating his rave roots, his noise urges are now  
simultaneously and comprehensively satiated, not only in the layered  
subtleties of his Herv production aesthetic, but in the company of his  
alter-ego Muttermal and as part of duo Gland & Conduit.
 
 
And so, on April 1st, Gamepak Dublin and Boy Scout Audio are proud to  
celebrate the release [BSA003] 'Portable Music Vol. 1' by Herv. The  
release is available on strictly limited edition Cassette for your  
Personal Stereo Walkman, and on digital from April 14th through  
boyscoutaudio.com.
 
Support on the night comes from Bluefood (Ghettoquietly, !Kaboogie),  
Glotchbot (Gamepak), PR! and SU7A7S of Siam Collective, with WuffaH laying  
down some deep and dubby 8-bit tinged vibes in the Bar area.

Oxegen line up released

Irelands biggest festival line up has been announced.
Sounds pretty cool.




Decent acts on the list so far worth watching:

Paulo Nutini
Sven Vath
Foo Fighters
Primal Scream

Full line up:

Foo Fighters, Coldplay, the Strokes Arctic Monkeys, Blink 182, Paolo Nutini, Swedish House Mafia, Two Door Cinema Club, Black Eyed Peas, Tinnie Tempah, The Script, The Vaccines, Beady Eye, Plan B, The Minutes, deadmau5, the National, Beady Eye, My Chemical Romance, Weezer, Pendulum, Primal Scream, Bright Eyes, Imelda May, Eels, Bruno Mars, Jessie J, Calvin Harris, Jimmy Eat World, Friendly Fires, Crystal Castles, House of Pain, Chase and Status, All Time Low, Noah and the Whale, Fight Like Apes, Sven Vath, Hurts, Bloody Beetroots, Jenny and Johnny, Steve Aoki, Crookers, Mona, The Naked and Famous, Ryan Sheridan, Bipolar Empire, Madisun.

Bit expensive though eh?
I might just stick to private fests and the un-commercial.
Considering you will easily spend 400 quid over the weekend too.

http://www.oxegen.ie/

And you can grab tickets from here  http://www.oxegen.ie/tickets   after selling a kidney or 2.

Dolby Anol presents Red Leather / Yellow Leather

Tigerbass presents: Red Leather / Yellow Leather EP, Dolby Anol’s first
release of 2011. After their last three EP’s became a staple of many
big name DJ’s sets in 2010, the duo show no signs of slowing down.
Following the hard-edged techno of Sandy Bitches, the smacked-up
disco of Cameroon and Far East rave-inspired Visa / Mastercard, this
EP is a dark lesson in strutting contemporary acid, as suited to the
bedroom as it is to the dancefloor. Red Leather’s percolating acid
synths keep rising and building, while reverb-heavy breakdowns and
what sounds like a deranged woman’s pleas for a better world keep
the track grounded.
Mirroring the title track is the more accessible and direct club
version Yellow Leather, touching on tech-funk influences and minimal
house. Yellow Leather is Red Leather’s older more voluptuous sister
you just can’t keep your hands off of.
First on remix duties for Red Leather, Kid606 & the Acid Trap bring
you a funky dueling 303 meltdown, recorded live and then edited into
dancefloor oblivion. Finland’s Obi Blanche (New Judas, What what!)
comes next after a string of charting remixes for Boy 8-Bit, Les
Gilettes and Zombie Nation. He chops and meads the original into
something unpredictable and exciting.
Last but not least is San Francisco’s C.L.A.W.S., pulling the track
back to the champagne room to make a percussion-heavy space
disco trip – a great warm-up or come down (we’ll try both and let
you know).

Another notch in Dolby Anol’s increasing number of mini-genre
exercises, Red Leather / Yellow Leather will have their increasing
fanbase thirsty for what they have in store next – a ten track mini-album
release with the intriguing title Whet Whet Whet!

Grab yourself the claws mix here!

http://kickkicksnare.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Red-Leather-C.L.A.W.S.-Remix.mp3

Bruce Stallion presents: Donuts E.P

Killer new heavy bass and off-kilter funky grime bizness from the man Bruce Stallion!

spread the word and let us know what you think!

  meow164 Bruce Stallion-Donuts EP by Tigerbeat6

Gateway Festival - Ireland

In the spirit of giving this gorgeous Summer 2010 the loud and proud send-off that it deserves,

We wish to invite you to a very special, private, two day festival

The brand new Gateway Festival will be taking place on the 24th & 25th September in the heart of the Wicklow mountains, just 40 minutes from Dublin.

What’s Happening?

You can look forward to

Over 40 Live Bands & DJs
Art installations
Dance Performances
Chill Out Area
Healing Area
Hot Tub Forest Retreat
Great Food Stalls
Bright colours
Bring Your Own Beer
Off Licence
& much much more

________________________________________ 

To attend you must register your details online
http://www.eventelephant.com/buy-tickets-gatewaysfestival

After successful registration you will receive an confirmation email & attachment

>>> NOTE... No Ticket No Entry <<<
You will need to print out the PDF attachment in the email to be presented at the gate

To help cover some of our costs, we are asking for a €30 donation with free camping & parking.

This can be paid Online or at the Gate.

Any Questions you may have please email

GatewaysMovement@gmail.com

N.B you will be receiving further information / photos about venue location, gate times, transport, ect...

Line up...

Kíla
God is an Astronaut
Fusion Family
The Hot Sprockets
Scarecrow Disco
Skuzzi Port
Mute Fish
Laren Gillery
Wyvern Lingo
Howl
Ali and the Dt's
The Envelope
KaTet
The Whipround
Lights Over Phoenix
Patrick Kelleher
The Lovecats Burlesque Show
Mutant Liberation
Eutechnik
Vertical 67
Automatic Tasty
Miles Iwes
Elektrodouche
Solex
D3X
Psy Am
Flex and Ananu
Nataraj
Auto Psy
Psybaba
Anunitu
Qpop
Mixile
Bandia
Zyme
Marke
Creator
Burrman
C60 Force
James M
Dj Discrete
Handsome Paddy
Kelly-Anne Byrne
Russ Parker
Dazboy
Michael Black
Eoin Callanan
Fraher
Keith Dalton
Keep Schtum
Martin Roche
Daz Dalton
Kormac
TR1
Craig Smith
Jason Williams

Hope you can make it to the only private festival this summer!

.... 

Native Instruments updates Maschine

 

Native Instruments has announced the release of version 1.5 of Maschine, a major free update that significantly increases the functionality and creative potential of the computer-based music production system. With more classic drum machine features, improved host integration, new sampling functions, an extended sound library, and even more efficient workflow, the 1.5 software expands on the concept of Maschine as an integrated and intuitive groove production studio for producers, live musicians and DJs. NI has also updated the Kontakt 4 Factory Library to v1.0.2.

To bring even more of the legacy of classic drum machines into the modern music production environment, Maschine 1.5 introduces two new "vintage sampler" modes that authentically emulate the gritty sonic signatures of the popular MPC-60 and SP-1200 models through component modeling. The 1.5 version also loads the programs of nearly all MPC models ever built, opening up a vast resource of existing sound and sample material within Maschine.
Maschine 1.5 also enables a new and efficient level of DAW integration, with convenient host automation through new macro controls, MIDI pattern Drag&Drop export, direct DAW recording of Maschine events, MIDI pitch bend and CC support, and more. The powerful real-time sampling features of Maschine benefit from extended slicing and mapping options that make it even easier to work with sampled grooves and other rhythmic loops. The 1.5 version also introduces a full arsenal of destructive audio editing functions for in-depth sample manipulation.
The Maschine 1.5 update includes a versatile assortment of additional instrument and drum sounds, based on a gigabyte of sample material. The library has been expanded with special versions of Abbey Road 60s & 70s Drums, authentic electric pianos and bass guitars from Scarbee, contemporary acoustic strings taken from the upcoming Session Strings instrument, sampled vintage analog synths, and carefully resampled MPC-60 hip hop kits from sample expert Goldbaby.
Further enhancements in Maschine 1.5 include a new "Grain Stretch" effect algorithm, a "16 Velocity Levels" pad mode, MIDI file export, extended polyphony options, improved event editing and navigation on the controller, project default templates, sample consolidation for improved song portability, and a wide range of minor optimizations.
Summary of new and improved features in Maschine v1.5:

• Performance page with eight assignable "Macro Controls" per Group.
• Host Automation support.
• Support for MIDI Continuous Controller and Pitchbend.
• MPC program import (500/1000/2000(XL)/2500/3000/4000 models).
• "Save Project with samples" function for easily portable songs.
• Enhanced slicing with editable markers and new "split" mode.
• Destructive audio editing with trim, normalize, copy/paste, fade etc.
• New "Project default" preferences including project template.
• New "vintage sound" MPC 60 and SP1200 emulation modes.
• 16 Velocity Levels mode for controller.
• New effect algorithm: Grain Stretch.
• New "Add to Sample Map" function in browser.
• New "Copy Sound without Note Events" option.
• Adjustable polyphony limit per Sound.
• "Direct Monitor" option in sampling mode.
• MIDI export for patterns, including Drag and Drop to host.
• Improved event editing via controller.
• Improved waveform navigation via controller.
• Various other enhancements.
• Plus various fixes and stability improvements.

Ohm force presents: Ohm Studio

Creators of the legendary FX Vsts Ohmboyz, ohmicide & mellotohm have come up with a unique aproach to
music making in the form of an online collaborative DAW... All in real time!

I have personally used Ohm software for the last 5 years, the Ohmboys delay fx are still a huge main stay
in my musical set up.

Its funny that this was possible with the impulse tracker back in the day, I wonder how long it will be until
the bigger DAW companies jump on to this great idea.

Live real time internet collaborations in Logic? Awsome.

Here's a vid of what Ohmstudio promises to do, Including info on the Ohm server which enables you to take snap shots of recorded mixes in case your found online collaborators mess things up.

Ableton Live - The bridge | Ant's Computer Music

http://www.abletonsupport.com/?p=19399