TOMORROWSDJ

In the Studio with Thomas Gold

2011-03-25T14:43:00.000-04:00

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Mastering Tutorials Pt 1

2011-03-10T17:11:00.000-05:00

Ian Carey:

Robert Babicz:

Robert Babicz about mastering audio from David Star on Vimeo.

Compressors:

Side Chaining:

Watch SideChain Compressor Tutorial in Technology | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Limiter:

EQ:

This is just the start

In the Studio with Bonobo

2011-03-10T16:59:00.002-05:00

Part 1:

Bonobo Producer Masterclass Pt.1 from NJF on Vimeo.

Part 2:

Bonobo Producer Masterclass Pt.2 from NJF on Vimeo.

Azzo: Vixen With Belief

2011-03-09T22:45:00.001-05:00

Owen Pallett

2011-03-09T15:40:00.000-05:00

As of late this man has been taking the blogosphere by storm- both the the release of his his delicately strong song "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt", but also the equally as great and completely opposite remix by Dan Deacon.

Owen Pallett: "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt":

Owen Pallett: "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt"~Dan Deacon Remix:

“Everytime” by Oi Va Voi

2011-03-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

“Everytime” by Oi Va Voi. Created by Kijek/Adamski with a shredding machine.

Oi Va Voi "Everytime" from Kijek / Adamski on Vimeo.

Eskmo: “Cloudlight” Official video

2011-03-07T19:19:00.001-05:00

Brendan Angelides is a San Francisco based electronic music producer who records and performs live as Eskmo. His multi-genre compositions have been featured on influential labels like Warp Records and Planet Mu (most recently having been signed to the mighty Ninja Tune). While Angelides’ tracks encompass a wide range of electronic styles, he avoids classifications. Bleep.com described his tracks as “Masterfully produced… sophisticated, post-Dilla hip-hop funk“.

Bleep

DIY Midi touch Screen Controller

2011-03-06T12:38:00.000-05:00

"Usine is a unique piece of audio software designed for live and/or studio use. Usine was created out of the need for a flexible software solution for spontaneous electronic music creation, including live sampling, effect processing, and sound design. Usine provides the user with the ability to host VSTs, process and route audio and midi, and design personalized virtual control interfaces."

USINE

Slutty Fringe Mix Series # 14 Luke Abbott

2011-03-06T10:31:00.000-05:00

As of late I have been obsessed with Luke Abbott. So to much of my chagrin, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that the Slutty Fringe Series had featured him, and what a set at that- I wont delve into it too much:

"So anyway to the matter in hand, tell us a little about the mix you’ve done for us?

Well, I’m not really much of a DJ, but it was fun to do. I called the mix ‘Sound 23′ in honour of the magical number 23. I wanted to use some of my sound-effect records (which I have a small collection of) in the mix, so there are some engine noises and clocks and stuff in there. It’s all off vinyl, so there’s quite a lot of noise and crackle, sorry. I tried to choose tracks that represent what I’m listening to at home at the moment, so it’s a bit eclectic.

Finally we’ve passed comment a few times recently on the current state of Border Community boss James Holden’s barnet, as a friend isn’t it time to stage an intervention?

As long as he doesn’t go back to having dreadlocks I’m not going to intervene."

head over to the Slutty Fringe for the full interview

enjoy:

Slutty Fringe Mix Series # 14 Luke Abbott by Slutty Fringe on Mixcloud

Tracklist

(engine noise introduction)
(uncredited musical interlude)
(sound 23 introduction)
Tom Waits – Just another sucker on the vine
Holden – Flute
Flying Lotus – Dance Of The Pseudo Nymph
(clock ticking, with chime and 12 strike)
Tamion 12 Inch – International
Bell – Rhythm Machine
Peverelist – Clunk Click Every Trip
Mit – Rauch (Luke Abbott remix)
Hanne Hukkelberg – Ease, in C mix (Sutekh remix)
(steam train)
Lucky Dragons – Tune For Wind Dog

IAMAMIWHOAMI "Y"

2010-08-30T20:33:00.000-04:00

And the Chase continues, this time Iamamiwhoami posts another video just as provocative as any of their previous videos. Of course the chase refers to the buzz being generated by the videos. Who is this mysterious group? What studio is behind the videos? Of which could not have been produced by a small studio- rather a larger music studio must be behind their creation- as the apparent budget is considerable. Although rumors are everywhere, as most influential music blogs are following this continuing story, the truth I hope never comes to a logical end. Rather the designed viral attempt should end as mysteriously as it started; out of nothing. If there is a release of information and an album comes out then it will be disappointing, as the mystery is solved and the interest in the viral story will dwindle. Nevertheless the latest iteration is just as exciting and thought provoking.

In the Studio With Nathan Fake

2010-07-12T10:01:00.000-04:00

Here is another good "In the Studio" From ComputerMusic.co.uk, this time with Nathan Fake showing us how he created The Turtle from His most recent Album "Hard Islands"

Enjoy

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Computer Music
Nathan Fake

Rip! A Remix Manifesto

2010-04-16T00:45:00.000-04:00

RiP!: A Remix Manifesto is a 2008 open source documentary film about the "the changing concept of copyright" directed by Brett Gaylor.
Created over a period of six years, the documentary film features the collaborative remix work of hundreds of people who have contributed to the Open Source Cinema website, helping to create the "world's first open source documentary" as Gaylor put it. The project's working title was Basement Tapes, (probably referring to the album of the same name) but it was renamed RiP!: A Remix Manifesto prior to theatrical release. Gaylor encourages more people to create their own remixes from this movie, using media available from the Open Source Cinema website, or other websites like YouTube, Flickr, Hulu or MySpace.

IAMAMIWHOAMI

2010-04-12T16:46:00.004-04:00

Health

2010-04-12T16:36:00.000-04:00

HEALTH "We are Water" from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.

HEALTH – “We are Water”

Some Remix's

2010-04-11T01:31:00.003-04:00

First is that infectious song by La Roux, that of course is "In For the Kill"::Lifelike style- which is amazing as always, thanks Lifelike.

some peter bjorn and john: rather miike snow bjorn and john

Next a little one I stumbled upon: Little Boots - New In Town (Fred Falke Remix)

Last one of my new fav's this year- Coeur De Pirate's Comme Des Enfants (Le Matos Andy Carmichael Remix)

azzo

ITOUCHMIDI- IPOD WITH ATTITUDE

2010-02-09T07:48:00.000-05:00

I have been away for while now due to my move to Rome. This of course was life changing and has also led me to interesting ways to get around the issue of a lack of equipment. With my itouch in hand i was determined to use its touch screen for something a little more than a fake lighter- here is where ITOUCHMIDI comes into play. ITOUCHMIDI is a touch screen application which uses a dedicated wifi signal to sync up the device and a computer- combined with good programming from the people over at ITOUCHMIDI, this allows anyone now to have access to a plethora of new ways to control your software. For instance, there are several apps, one being a standard 2 channel DJ mixer, which can sync up to Tracktor scratch, or maybe you need a keyboard to play a synth on Ableton- well this is all available to you, with the compact versatility of the ipod... perfect for any traveller who is conserving space.

azzo
ITOUCHMIDI

Touch Screen Midi Controllers Revisited

2009-07-22T15:22:00.008-04:00

In my quest assemble the ultimate midi controller setup, without a doubt the question of touch screen controllers comes up. And why wouldn't it? The perks of touch screen lye in the flexibility, versatility etc. You simply cant beat a device which is completely customizable from the ground up- no more toying with having to upgrade a midi controller because it lacks what you need. Rather it requires a knowledge of programming and then you can rework your device to suit your needs. This is definitely the future of music production, although i still wouldn't trade everything in just yet.

These devices come with a few flaws that put me off a little, well enough to want to wait a bit. The first issue i have is cost, these devices are so bloody expensive ( see jazz mutant lemur) some running as high as (albeit the price has come down) $2000. Now of course there are other alternatives to this problem of cost, which is where monotouch live comes in. I had previously mentioned in an earlier post about monotouch live, mostly because it is really the only alternative to the lemur. and wow what a cost....free all you need is a monitor with touch screen capabilities and you are ready to go. well sort of. You still would need a copy of Cycling 74's Max Msp. And then theres more,

you need windows,
your computer must be able to support multiple monitors,
what if i want more than one...
then i would need a more powerful graphics card/cards......

The list goes on of problems that i find with this solution of using a touchscreen monitor as a midi controller, rather than a dedicated device. Which is where this comes in. This is called the Nanovision MiMo USB Monitor, thats right folks USB. The monitor is quite small too, boasting 7" and 10" models- a little smaller to the size of a lemur (which is at 12"). And runs at the price of about $220. Now of course this is just the start of the touch screen phenomena which seemed to burst when Daft Punk used a set of lemurs for their Grammy Awards Performance with Mr.West, but i can already see where this is going...and it will change how people produce and Dj again.

Cheers,

Azzo

OTTO- The Electronic Musical Instrument

2009-07-22T14:47:00.004-04:00

OTTO is an electronic musical instrument which brings samples into your hands- literally. As the developer Luca De Rosso describes:
OTTO provides a tangible user interface designed with the aim of giving the user the feel of having the sample in his hands. The musician can manipulate an audio sample in real time through the use of a restricted number of simple physical buttons and switches.

Luca De Rosso .

To me this is definitely a giant leap forward for sample based music. This is an entirely new way of looking at the relationship between the physicality of digital music- where this goes not sure, but there is a huge potential for this device.

OTTO ~ Getting Started from Luca De Rosso on Vimeo.

OTTO ~ demo.01 from Luca De Rosso on Vimeo.

Enjoy

Azzo

Noir & Sivesgaard

2009-07-21T10:15:00.007-04:00

A series of collaborations has produced what i see as something with alot of potential. Now keep in mind these tracks might sound a little conventional, possibly even a little overdone. As dance tracks they are killer, the do everything that a dance track should do, build, remove, rebuild. Vitek as an example, might be seen as just another techno inspired track, of which there are a million coming out everyday since the rise of personal computers, but i just love it. I have a soft spot for good techno. About 2 minutes in is where the song really hits home, with removing most information and then setting it back in- such an important step missing from most songs, it is like surgery, carefully removing and rebuilding. That low subtle kick which doesn't drive but guides, as a throbbing drone side chains the melody to follow. Quite impressive. On the other hand i find there other track Fomalhaut b as the secondary track, not as strong of a composition, lacking the mystique and clarity of Vitek, but nonetheless a good comparison between a fantastic track and a mediocre one.

Vitek:

noir and sivesgaard - vitek by noir

fomalhaut b:

noir & sivesgaard - fomalhaut b by noir

Noir's Myspace

Sivesgaard's Myspace

Cheers,

Azzo

Bas Bron or Bastian Again

2009-07-15T16:43:00.004-04:00

So Continuing with my investigation into the multi-persona Bas Bron (Bastain, Seymour Bits, Comtron etc) i came across another track which has a lot of interesting points within it. That song is Flight of the Starglider

To be honest when i first heard the track i turned it off. i was put off from the aggressively sharp cuts within the bass riff. But going back was i ever wrong. When that melody and the beat drops, wow....i was floored, and even a little nostalgic- reminded me of those days when the "exaggerated futuristic circa 1980's" sound was in. Those days have long since dissolved ending in my mind in the culmination of Kavinsky (who took the futurist sound a little too literally) but it is still nice to go back and observe.

Enjoy

AZZO

Bastain "You've Got My Love"

2009-07-09T17:19:00.001-04:00

So this little number is something i ran into the other day and was wowed, i had never heard this song before...i fell in love instantly- only to discover i was too late in the race to find whats hot. The Track is what propelled Bas Bron aka Bastian into the spotlight in the Netherlands in 2001.

Azzo

La Roux vs. The Twelves

2009-07-09T13:54:00.004-04:00

So For a while now I have been following the remix's that the Twelves have been putting out- All started with the Black Kids 'Boyfriend' Remix. But with this latest edition to the remixing duo's portfolio [In for the kill-La Roux (Twelves Remix)] is...well not to the same caliber. I had such high expectations, which is quite normal when you put out a series of stellar tracks, that i was left unsatisfied. The vocal treatment feels like an after thought, almost as if they forgot there were vocals and in a hurry made them fit. So much of 'In for the kill' is about Elly Jackson's sexy and catchy vocals, without them we are left with a roland 80's synth and a simple drum machine- not to say that there is anything wrong with that but they are complimentary, its a chicken and egg scenario.Don't get me wrong i think the Twelves remix is still good but as a standalone reference-less to the original.

Of course i will let you guys decide on the final verdict, as it is definitely possible that i am biased based on my expectations on the Twelves. You can catch them here:

La Roux - In for the Kill

La Roux - In for the Kill (Twelves Remix)
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Digital Jock Tip #1

2009-07-07T15:01:00.006-04:00

To start i really love Native Instruments "Traktor", and i know alot of people will contest this, stating Ableton Live is far superior in regards to DJing, but i dont care. I also love Ableton- personally the program is superior, the ability to properly splice, looping and whatnot. Anyways back to Traktor. I am continuously drawn to the software because of the traditional DJing approach to the program- there is a mystique to the traditional DJ using vinyl to throb a crowd, and because of that the draw to Trackor, as a digital dj, is of the same. 4 decks, effects and the ability to throw in a loop, thats all folks- of course you can get creative how you use these combinations, which is what I am interested in.

Tip #1- Controllers

Get a UC-33e, trust me you will use it, the whole thing- And chances are you will use it will use it will ableton and whatever DAW you are using currently. You can replace this device with much as it is a sea of knobs and sliders, if you need buttons it has a few, but you best picking up something cheap like the new korg nanopads which are cheap and will expand you control surface without adding anything to big that will take up alot of space.

Combined this is an interesting setup, and cheaper too compared to those larger mixer setups, while they are definitely very powerful and open the game to a scratch setup (see Korg Zero series). If you can master and find your own sound and way of mixing with the simplest of tools, nothing can stop you- remember everything compounds.

Cheers,

Azzo

Deconstruction:: the art of circuit bending

2009-06-30T17:21:00.010-04:00

I accidentally stumbled upon the idea of circuit bending a while ago when i saw a trailer for a documentary some time ago- which has since then been released. It definitely caught my attention as i had never seen anything like it before. At first i didn't understand what the fuss was about, old children's toys rewired and mangled to push out sound which the toy did not want to produce, it was like forcing out a square egg out of a chicken- something was not natural about it. And to be honest was i about to trade in my gear for a bunch of discount bin rejects? I obviously was a little thrown off-my ego was too high to remember that its not the tools you use that define your sound but rather how you use them. Needless to say i became obsessed with finding out more: i present "Bent" that very documentary:

BENT 2004 from Derek Sajbel on Vimeo.

Enjoy,

Azzo

Buzz word:: Harald Bjork

2009-06-18T11:14:00.004-04:00

I recently talked about Harald Bjork in a previous post- one of his music videos which caught my attention, and since i have been looking up his previous work as well as new productions. Which brings me to todays post. Harald has released a new Ep- Sunsets Ep. Let get into it::

Sunsets Ep 2009

Tracklisting

Sunsets- Original Mix
Harald Björk - Sunsets (Live session)

Glimt- Original Mix

Sunsets- Live Session

After having a listen to the Ep, i have to admit i am throughly impressed. The Ep starts with Sunsets, a melodic subversive beat driven evolving composition- fully tantalizing yet at moments a pure expression of the nature of bliss. Glimt takes on Sunsets as its contrast while being a standalone and independent track. In fact each of the three tracks are unique yet the same- all three seem to invoke and contain the same elements, but treated differently. All seem to have childlike, playful, generative melodies, yet they dont become annoying or too repetitive. In fact the way the progression is treated never bores me; which all too many times, i find myself drifting away with certain songs- not here. The Last track, Sunsets live session, is the most beatiful track on the Ep and fully independent of the original Sunsets that began the Ep. The track has to end the Ep- if it didnt i would be both unsatisfied in terms of a totality and I would probably prefer if each track was an single release. The track just has that vibe, that spontaneity, that full feeling which is touched upon in the begining on the album but is held back to make the end that much more powerful.

Thats my 2 cents and i highly recommend going and grabbing a copy either digitally or on vinyl. Currently you can grab it on Beatport

Beatport: Sunsets Ep

Cheers,

Azzo