Ableton & Musiclink Australia are throwing some launch events in selected cities over the next couple of weeks. They'll be attended by Ableton endorsees, product specialists and certified trainers to demonstrate all the new features of Live 8 by way of clinics as well as live sets for some real-world application.
If you're thinking about getting into Live or upgrading from a previous version, I highly recommend you make your way to one of them if you're luck enough to be in either Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane on the dates below.
If you're in Sydney, we'll be heading along this weekend so we'll see you down there.
More information can be found here on Facebook
Event Dates
23rd May, 2009. Chinese Laundry, Sydney
3pm start
Clinic presentations by:
Anthony Garvin: Manager Studios 301
Damien Goundrie: SAE Liveschool
Neon Stereo: Ableton Alpha Tester
DIZZ1: Ableton Endorsee
Jono Fernandez: Ableton Endorsee
After Party Chinese Laundry 12th Birthday Celebrations featuring Ableton Endorsee Kid Kenobi, as well as Paolo Mojo, Don Rimini, Jaytech, MDX, and more.
28th May, 2009. Miss Libertine, Melbourne
7.30pm start
Clinic presentations by:
Tom Cosm: Ableton Endorsee
Beatnick: Musiclink Product specialist
Danny Bonnici: Ableton Endorsee
DIZZ1: Ableton Endorsee
Jono Fernandez: Ableton Endorsee
After Party featuring exclusive Live sets from Jono Fernandez, Danny Bonnici, Tom Cosm and Dizz1
6th June, 2009. Step Inn, Brisbane
6 pm start
Clinic presentations by:
Craig McCullough: Ableton Certified Trainer, Brisbane Ableton Collective, Ableton Alpha Tester
Tom Hall: Brisbane: Ableton Collective
Paddy Free: Pitch Black, Ableton Alpha tester
After Party featuring Pitch Black (NZ).
I was just doing the rounds of all my tech-feeds and came across this bit of software called Game Booster:
Essentially it's designed to optimise your gaming experience (on a PC only, no OS X version) by shutting down various background processes, cleaning up your RAM and other bits of technical wizardry. The idea is that you run it before you start up a processor-intensive game so that you get the best possible experience.
Wait a minute - shutting down background processes, optimising, cleaning up the RAM - isn't that exactly what we recommended for digital DJs before they start up their software?
The software used by digital DJs is pretty demanding. There's a lot of work going on under the hood - processing audio, computing effects, keeping things in time. The more resources your computer has available to do all this work the better, and that's where optimising comes in.
We always let our customers know that a bit of optimisation goes a long way. Shutting down your wireless network adapter, turning off anti-virus programs, screensavers - you may not realise it, but all of these things are quietly working away in the background. And that means they're using up your precious computing power and memory (RAM). If you're mixing away in your bedroom then this can avoid some annoying glitches. If you're actually playing out in public, then it's pretty much a non-negotiable. The last thing you want to happen is have your software crash on you in the middle of a set, and the more you can do to help prevent this crushingly embarrassing situation the better.
So while the abovementioned software's intended use is for gamers, there's no real reason I can see not to try this out if you mix on a PC. It's a much easier way to do a whole lot of manual tinkering - one click of a button in fact - and a quick Google shows that a lot of people have been using it with favourable results.
A word of warning - try the software at home a few times BEFORE you try it out in the club. You'll want to be sure it does the job for you before you risk a meltdown in front of a packed room.
The software is completely FREE and you can nab it from here:
http://www.iobit.com/gamebooster.html
Let us know if you use it and if it does the trick or not.
Thanks,
Chris
So hopefully by this stage you’re becoming aware that we’re running the mother of all remix competitions. $6k prize, I mean SERIOUSLY guys. Win this thing. I’m not allowed to enter (sigh), so it’s all up to you young Skywalker.
But Matt, I’ve never done a Remix before! What do I need to Remix you cry? Creativity. End of the day that’s it really. It’s important to remember that the idea of a “Remix” began with the re-dubbing of analog tape masters. That’s some tedious time consuming genius right there. Your average iPhone has more advanced audio editing functions than a guy, two reels of tape and a pair of scissors. Pawn shops will probably pay you to take a cassette recording four- track off their shelves. There really is NO EXCUSE for not giving it a go. Use anything that is on hand. Pots and Pans. Whatever.
But Matt, I want to use my computer! Of course you do. It’s so easy. And all those clean parallel OS lines are so soothing. With the exception of browsing for TV plot synopsis on Wikipedia, editing Audio and making music is one of the most enjoyable, creative and understandable functionalities of a modern PC. So what are you going to need and where can you get it?
There are two basic types of Audio editing software commonly used when remixing. The first is a WAV editor and the second is a DAW.
The WAV editor is your sampling tool. This is your go-to program for extracting your favorite bars or phrases out of desired material to begin that masterful Disco Re-Edit. WAV editors cut down longer audio into your favorite loops, samples, blips, glitches, drones or other preferred noises. When you’re cutting a loop, you want zoom in nice and close on the waveform so you can get as close to the start of a sound as possible, use logical loop lengths (your typical 4/4 song use 1,2,4,8,16 or 32 bar loops or ¼,1/8,1/16 or 1/32 time divisions in bars) and be aware of long transient sounds (long cymbal splashes, backing vocals, long reverb or delay tails) as they will make your loops sound choppy if you cut them out to suddenly.
The nice thing about WAV editors is that the best ones are largely free. A great understandable WAV editor to start with is Audacity.
DAW programs are your arranger, effecter and mixer program. Some of the most popular DAWS include ProTools, Cubase, Ableton Live, Logic Studio and Fruity Loops Studio. Generally speaking a DAW’s job is to pull all of your external devices, effects, samples and midi units together into one interface so you can combine them quickly and efficiently. If you want to record your own live instruments or synthesizers into your remix you can do this directly into most DAWs using a sound card I/O interface. You will also be able to apply a plethora of effects, from the essentials like compression, reverb and delay to the enjoyable like phaser , flanger, chorus, distortion and filter. Most DAWS come with a built-in selection of MIDI and audio devices but you can also apply you 3rd party software using VST plug-in or Rewire devices. Most DAW’s offer some kind of light version or demo trial from their websites so you can get familiar with the interface and components. For Mac OS users, your platform actually comes with a (albeit simple) DAW in garage band, so don’t be ashamed to get used to general recording & arrangement techniques on a simple program like this first. This is a great opportunity just to drag the master tracks that Damn Arms have given you into all of these programs and see what new sounds you can make up by simply applying effects and re-arranging parts. Get a taste for it, I promise it’ll be your new favorite hobby!
For the more advanced remixer’s who are looking for new sounds to add to their mix, there is truly no end to specialty programs out there that might have just that synth sound or FX parameter you’re looking for. If you’re after drums, the new Native Instruments Maschine and Battery offer a great range of sampled drum sounds and controls. There are different soft-synths a-plenty - Arturia do an excellent line in modeling classic synths like the Mini-Moog and Moog Modular, while Kore, Komplete, Massive and Reaktor from NI set the standard in modern synth sounds. If you want something that does it all and you’re not afraid of the classic rack arrangement Propellerhead’s Reason is a force to be reckoned with.
Once you’ve finished mixing and mastering your sound, you will need to submit your entry to us as an MP3. Be aware when you make these compressions that the smaller you make your file, the more tinny and hollow your sound will be. Try and find that balance between keeping the size small and manageable and retaining the integrity of your sound. 320kbs is the standard high quality format for mp3’s. The LAME codec tends to be the highest quality conversion out there in free-ware land.
Remember guys, no-one knows how you made your track, all that matters is how good it sounds in the end. Get inventive and do whatever works for you. Just as long as it ends up as an mp3 and in our submissions you’re up for consideration!
Happy Remixing
Matt,
Spank! Records.
Native Instruments new killer groove production studio has hit the floor in EXTREMELY limited supply, and by limited I mean we only received 3, 1 of which has already gone.
Be quick!
One day Native Instruments are going to make an all-in-one music interface where you just have to WILL music to be so and it will do it for you. That's how good they're getting at making matched hardware/software products. The Kore 2 is an incredibly intelligent way of organizing/finding and modifying normally tricky soft-synth parameters that takes a hell of a lot of the pain out of the art in creating music from your home studio. With the MASCHINE interface NI has taken every thing they've learnt about work flow from making the Kore 2 and applied it to a groovebox that uses your laptops memory and screen for easy (and LARGE) storage and navigation. The resulting product looks like it could be a truly devastating piece of equipment, both live and in the studio. I mean this in the most positive of senses.
The MASCHINE ships with a 5gb sound library of samples the majority of which come pre-packaged into drum kit set-ups. Navigation, audition and arrangement of all these samples are made easy by the Native Instruments 'tag' system which organise all the pre-packed sounds within into reducible categories. You can easily import your own sound banks of samples, either from your computers hard disk or an external drive and apply the same tagging system so you can search through both your own and the MASCHINE samples simultaneously.
The pad bank can be used either as a live surface which can be recorded into loops and saved into the software or as a step-sequencer depending on what kind of looping/sound you're after. Flexible quantization options allow you to edit features timing in your loops without making this sound too mechanical.
The release date for this product is set for March, from which point it will be available in-store or online. If you're interesting in reserving a unit shoot as an e-mail at shop@spankrecords.com.au. You can also check out a number of informational videos at the Native Instruments website here.
Thanks,
Matt.
Spank! Records.
There's a great offer from the gang at Ableton HQ at the moment, but you'll have to be quick as it expires at the end of this month (i.e. October 31st).
If you buy a full version of either Ableton Live 7 or Ableton Live 7 LE, you can grab yourself a FREE Operator synth directly from Ableton's website simply by registering your new software.
The offer is also valid for anyone upgrading from Live 7 LE or Live 7 Lite.
Operator is an FM synthesizer that fully integrates into the Live environment. It's capable of producing a wide variety of sounds, from bass to lead sounds, and even percussion. Those of you who attended our Live clinic a couple of years ago with Ableton's Robert Henke (aka Monolake) will remember his amazing demonstration of Operator, including how to produce the sound of rainfall!
Operator usually sells via the Ableton website for $159USD (about $240AUD on the current dismal exchange rate), so it's a really great offer.
You can buy any of the abovementioned software from us here.
Native Instruments has a super special on at the moment for their 'all-you-can-eat' software bundle, Komplete 5. Normally a RRP of $1599, you can now buy it at 30% off as long as you own of the qualifying DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) products, such as Logic, Ableton Live, Cubase etc.
Komplete 5 incorporates the entire collection of Native Instruments' highly regarded software instruments, like Battery 3 for all your drums & percussion, the amazing Kontakt 3 sampling monster, the Massive synth (which is indeed Massive, both in sound and how much CPU it'll eat up!) and so on, 11 instruments in all. Note that these are the FULL versions, not cut-down in any way.
Imagine having all these babies at your beck & call:
If you have any questions at all about Komplete 5, give us a call or send us an email.
We have a great special available for the great range of software synths from Arturia.
For the next couple of months until the end of August, you can purchase 1 of their synths and receive a voucher for a 2nd synth that you can download directly from their website.
Arturia is well-known for their software reproductions of vintage synths like the Jupiter 8V, CS-80V, and the Minimoog V (one of my personal faves). They all come with a ton of presets made by professional sound designers, all of which can be completely tweaked and re-saved as your own preset. They'll work in all software that supports VST, RTAS or AU plugins (i.e. Apple Logic, Ableton Live, Cubase, Pro Tools etc).
This is a great opportunity to pick up an extra one for free. We expect to have the vouchers available in the next couple of weeks, but you can buy 1 now and we'll send you the voucher as soon as they're ready.
If you have any questions at all, just drop us a line or give us a call.
Click here to see the range of Arturia synths on our website
You've probably read about Novation's killer new controller, the Nocturn - it's won more awards and taken up more "cool new toys" space than its competitors*.
It looks a little something like this...
You like? We do too!
At $179.00, it can be said that Novation has taken its amazing Automap Universal (2.0, of course) technology to the people. It is the most economically priced, intelligent controller around. It instantly maps most automatable plug-ins, VSTs and major software platform mixers - even Pro-tools.
It's a fine looking little thing too. Super slim (don't we wish) and back-lit for those dark-room environments. It has a lovely 45mm cross-fader and can easily MIDI Map external devices. Learning and clearing control messages is done in a flash and the Speed Dial function is a real "oh my god" discovery - simply hover the mouse over what you want to control and the Speed Dial function will take over.
You can check it out further here.
*there is no competition.
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