Check into prices for most classes on music software, and you’ll find price tags running into the hundreds of dollars, even for 1-day seminars–or at least $50 for an instructional DVD. Not so at Remix Hotel! Here you can sit in Apple Logic Pro 8 classes for NOTHING, which is the magic word for many musicians out there.
Apple Logic Pro 8 is just one part of the massive Apple Logic Studio bundle (also including Mainstage, Soundtrack Pro, Compressor and more) that just hit the streets at the ridiculously low price of $499 (Logic Pro 7 alone cost $999). So whether you’re already a Logic user or just thinking about getting into the popular DAW, Remix Hotel LA’s free Logic classes are a stupid value and can show you all the ins and outs that to get you using the program like a pro. What’s more is that these classes are taught by actual employees of Apple–certified Logic experts–so you know that you can ask any question and get top-shelf advice.
Classes take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Start the day by signing up for classes between 2-3 pm (early arrival recommended). The classes range from an overview–”What’s New in Logic Pro 8″–to very in-depth Master Classes from celebrity teachers. You must register as a Remix Hotel VIP to attend Apple’s VIP Master Classes, which take place at 6:30 pm on Thursday (Josh Gabriel), Friday (DJ Rap) and Saturday (T-Pain). Other Logic classes include: “Mainstage–Performing Live with Logic Studio,” “Producing Beats with Logic Studio,” “Expanding into Audio Postproduction with Soundtrack Pro” and “Instruments and Effects in Logic Studio.”
GCI Technologies– Gemini, Cortex & iKEY Audio –has just announced that DJ Jacquie Jack & DJ Journey will perform in the GCI room–Room 137–Remix Hotel Los Angeles 2007.
A favorite in the Los Angeles area, Jacqueline Finnan, aka DJ Jacquie Jack, aka “Dirty Vinyl Pusher,” will be spinning on Gemini CDT-05 combo vinyl/CD turntables.
Also, DJ Journey will showcase his ability to blend diverse beats and mix musical genres from across the board on his “club tested and studio proven” Gemini TT-04 turntables.
Attendees will also have a chance to win free gear from Gemini, Cortex and iKEY Audio as part of a GCI Giveaway Raffle.
So there you are, sittin’ in your bedroom studio, makin’ music and stuff. Have you ever wished you could get feedback and tips from someone who has made it in the music biz already? I mean, your friends are cool and stuff, and their feedback is great, but half the time they’re high, right? Mmmhmm. They think even the McDonald’s jingle is the shiz. (No, we are not lovin’ it.) Anyway, the point is Remix feels your pain, and we’re here to make it go away with two interactive Shocklee Innertainment panels for Remix Hotel L.A. Now you can get the tips and tricks that you want, directly from the pros.
Breakbeat Science: Producers, Bring Your Beats!
Friday, Nov. 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
Calling all producers and beatmakers! Register your hottest beats today! Here’s your chance to get your tunes played and receive professional feedback and constructive criticism from our panel of producers.
Panelists
DJ Rhettmatic, turntablist, DJ, producer (Beat Junkies and Visionaries) and DMC and ITF champion; DJ Babu, turntablist, DJ, producer (Beat Junkies, Dilated Peoples, Expansion Team Soundsystem and Likwit Junkies) and DMC and ITF champion; Aloe Blacc, MC, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer (Emanon, Stones Throw)
Please Listen to My Demo, Part 2
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7-8:30 p.m.
This time we’re calling all artists! Register your demo today for the chance to have your song played before our panel of judges. Want some real feedback from industry veterans? Then this one’s for you. Are you ready for the truth?
Panelists
James Leach, senior director of writer/publisher relations, SESAC Inc.; George Sarah, electronic composer, multi-instrumentalist and performer (CSI, Oprah Winfrey Show, MTV, Discovery Channel, PBS)
Click here for track submission rules. Now get crack-a-lackin’ with your trackin’! (Yeah, that made no sense. But you know what we mean.) See you at the panels!–Lori
Traditionally, the annual (American) convention of the Audio Engineering Society (AES) has been the playground for the recording industry elite, who labor behind Lexus-length SSL and Neve boards in multi-million dollar studios, rather than tiny MIDI controllers tucked into cramped bedrooms. You could think of AES as a luxury box at the Kentucky Derby as opposed to a NASCAR parking lot (which would represent, say, clearance day at your local pawn shop).
However, in the last few years, the AES show has been gaining steam as the “other NAMM” for computer-based project and home studios, an epicenter of music technology as companies such as the aforementioned SSL and Neve have started to adapt their products for the smaller-studio, computer-centric world.
DJ gear may be all but absent at an AES congregation, but there was plenty for elctronic-based producers and performers to drool over at this year’s AES convention, held October 5-8 in the Javits Center of New York City. Here are the top 13 products that rolled up a towel and snapped Remix in the ass.
ABLETON LIVE 7
Ableton previewed Live 7 ($599), which includes improved audio and MIDI engines to minimize jitter. Other upgrades include a new compressor effect with three compression models and side-chaining. The Gate and Auto Filter effects also have side-chaining, while the EQ Eight plug-in has an enhanced user interface and a 64-bit mode for greater accuracy. A new spectrum analyzer provides visual feedback for any audio.
Most interesting may be the new Drum Rack, which streamlines beat-making with a drag-and-drop interface and REX file compatibility for slicing and dicing.
Ableton is also stepping up its virtual instrument offering with featured add-on instruments based on Applied Accoustic Systems’ technology called Analog, Tension and Electric, as well as a larger comprehensive instrument suite.
APPLE LOGIC STUDIO
Apple updated its flagship Logic music/audio production software as a bundle called Logic Studio ($499), including Logic Pro 8, which includes a redesigned interface that speeds production; Soundtrack Pro 2, Studio Instruments, Studio Effects, including 80 plug-ins; Studio Sound Library, with 18,000 Apple Loops and 1,300 sampled instruments; and the new program MainStage, a new live performance rig that simplifies using software instruments or guitar/keys/bass onstage.
ARTURIA ANALOG FACTORY EXPERIENCE
Analog Factory Experience ($349) combines a 32-key MIDI keyboard with Analog Factory 2.0, a software instrument offering 3,500 acclaimed synthesizer sounds. You just plug the keyboard via USB and launch the software to play and easily control the plug-in instrument from the keyboard.
The presets were selected from the Arturia Classic Synths: the Minimoog V, the Prophet V,
the ARP 2600V, the Moog Modular V, the CS-80V and the recent Jupiter-8V. The product is compatible with Mac OS X (PPC and Intel) and Windows XP or Vista and a stand-alone program or VST, AU or RTAS plug-in.
The Analog Factory Keyboard is made of ultra-thin aluminium and wood, with 32 semi-weighted, Velocity-sensitive keys. It lets you control every aspect of the software, including selecting
Okay these these are two completely different products, but he who makes the rules breaks the rules, or something like that (see Congress for an example). Blue‘s clever new Snowflake ($79) USB mic clips to the screen of any laptop or desktop PC or folds into a desk stand.
The Joe ($499) cardioid condenser microphone is aimed at project studios. Joe’s attractive anodized design is hand-built with Blue‘s large diaphragm capsule and a Class A discrete amplifier circuit for rich lows and detailed highs. It has a unique swivel mount for easy positioning and comes with a velvet storage bag.
CAKEWALK SONAR 7
Cakewalk’s Sonar 7 software for the PC is packed with new features, such as enhanced MIDI editing with functions for splitting/gluing/muting notes, advanced multiband linear-phase mastering effects and an external hardware effects insert with automatic plug-in delay compensation. Other extras include the Z3TA+ waveshaping synth, Dimension LE, Rapture LE, DropZone and Roland V-Vocal 1.5 and tools for presenting/publishing music online.
HEIL SOUND THE FIN
For starters, just look it. Cool, right? Heil Sound‘s The Fin puts a cardioid dynamic element into a stylish, Art Deco housing, with four LEDs inside the mic that glow when connected to phantom power. It’s particularly suited to miking amps, vocals and harmonica.
IK MULTIMEDIA ARC
Accurate monitoring is one of the most key elements to creating exceptional mixes, and room ambience created by varieties of reflection and absorption can be difficult to conquer. IK Multimedia ARC ($699, Advanced Room Correction) System is designed to improve the accuracy and clarity of your studio monitoring, whatever your setting, with just a few simple steps. The stand-alone measurement program and VST/AU/RTAS-compatible EQ plug-in work together with the included 1/4-inch Omni Condenser Mic to deliver everything needed to compensate for even the more bizarrely shaped room. Simply open the measurement software, use it with the microphone to measure the acoustics of your room, and ARC will calculate an EQ correction to apply to your DAW’s master bus using the plug-in. ARC makes what can be a daunting process into a much easier one; room correction is something that studios of all sizes need, whether with ARC or in some other way. This is just the easier route.
IZOTOP RX AUDIO RESTORATION SOFTWARE
A jaw-dropper at the show, iZotope RX ($349 or $1,199 for iZotope RX Advanced) cleans and repairs audio, removes hiss/buzz, eliminates clicks/crackles and repairs clipping or gaps in audio. New technology provides noise reduction with less artifacts and a more natural sound than traditional techniques. RX‘s stand-alone environment includes an advanced spectrogram display, selective processing tools and innovative workflow features.
AES attendees gawked at impressive demos where an iZotope employee removed a door creaking sound from an audio recording. While RX may be targeted mainly toward for audio restoration and post-production professionals, musicians, engineers and sound designers could all find great uses for it.
MOTU MACH FIVE 2
Software sampling nuts, take heed. MOTU has release Mach Five 2, and it is DEEP. The attraction to the program is a combination of great audio quality, fast operation and across-the-board compatibility with all platforms and all major sample libraries. It also includes four DVDs with 32 GB of samples, including an 8GB sampled grand piano, many surround instruments and loops and the VSL Orchestra MachFive Edition: an exclusive collection of expressive orchestra sounds from the most respected name in orchestra sound libraries.
Just some of Mach Five 2′ many features include disk streaming and modular design for maximum CPU efficiency; 24/192 kHz sample playback; unlimited multi-timbral operation; unlimited polyphony; unlimited sample keygroups and keygroup layers; full-screen keygroup/sample editor with unlimited undo/redo, batch processing, and 47 DSP effects; advanced time-stretching and pitch-shifting engine; LoopLab beat-slicing editing of multi-channel loops; surround (5.1 to 7.1) capability; built-in graphic mixer with faders, FX inserts, metering; and a combination of traditional synthesis with samples.
PRESONUS MONITOR STATION
Monitor switching is becoming more popular even in smaller studios, so PreSonus has responded with the Monitor Station ($399) a fairly compact tabletop box with three stereo inputs (two balanced TRS, one RCA Aux/Phono) and three stereo outpus (three sets of balanced TRS speaker outputs each with level adjustment). That all facilitates quick switching of several input sources (such as a main audio interface or a reference CD player) to several sets of monitor speakers. Monitor Station also has four headphone amplifiers with separate volume control and independent input source selection and a talkback section including a built-in talkback microphone with volume control to feed the headphone and Cue outputs or an XLR input for external dynamic talkback microphone.
ROGER NICHOLS DIGITAL SPL-IZER
Roger Nichols Digital SPL-izer ($129) is an adjustable 3-band 24 dB/octave FIR frequency splitter that allows three bands to be isolated/routed to aux or instrument tracks for separate processing. Applications include reverb auxes, for no reverb on the low end, the original reverb on the mids and the same reverb but with reduced decay on the high end, or an acoustic guitar with the low end muted, mids unaffected and a short echo/chorus only on the highs. SPL-izer is available in RTAS , VST an AU for Mac and RTAS and VST for Windows XP and Vista.
SSL X-EQ and X-Comp
Owners of Solid State Logic’s Duende FireWire DSP plug-in host will have a new toy to play with called X-EQ ($599). It’s a 10-band parametric EQ that SSL claims can do basically anything that’s possible to do with an EQ. Bands 1 and 10 are high-cut and low-cut filters with five selectable topographies each. Bands 2 and 9 are Shelving EQ‘s with proportional Q values. Bands 3 to 8 are bell filters with 20 Hz to 20 kHz range and nine individually selectable EQ types. In addition, bands three to eight also can be switched between standard series and parallel signal flow for classic graphic EQ style operation. The extremely flexible plug-in has MIDI control over all it parameters.
SSL will follow X-EQ later on with X-Comp, a mastering grade stereo compressor also for the Duende platform. Another very versatile plug-in with full MIDI control of all parameters, X-Comp has an A/B switch to compare two compression settings and an amplitude histogram display that gives advanced real-time pre/post signal analysis.
SONY PCM-D50
The $599 handheld PCM-D50 field recorder from Sony Pro Audio features 96kHz/24-bit recording with two adjustable mics (XY or wide stereo) and PC/Mac file transfer via USB. Its 4GB of onboard memory stores six hours at 44.1kHz/16-bits or more via a Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo slot.
So it seems that Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip–those fine, funky gents from the UK who brought us the hilarious “Thou Shalt Always Kill”–are up to more rap-poetry hijinks. (Seriously…is there a better word than “hijinks”? Methinks not.) The duo‘s latest single, “The Beat That My Heart Skipped,” is out now on iTunes and Lex Records, and I guarantee it‘ll get all stuck in your head like peanut butter on the brain (thanks, Layne). Check out the video here:
Digital Music Doctor, which produces DVD turtorials on different music software apps and techniques, released an interesting study today rating DAWs. While the analysis was performed completely in-house by the company and therefore due at least a minimum of skepticism, it still is a very interesting chart to look over.
Go to this Digital Music Doctor page to read the full details on how the analysis was performed. The publishing of this chart does not constitute any endorsements on the part of Remix.
Although Summer NAMM is not known for being a big draw for DJ gear announcements, I did come across a few interesting new products, mostly from American Audio. Numark also showed their impressive new line of products, which were announced earlier but are now starting to become available.
American Audio
American Audio’s new flagship DJ mixer is the MX-1400 DSP, a 4-channel mixer with the following built-in digital effects: Echo, Auto Pan, Flanger, Manual Filter, Auto Filter, Reverb, Trans & Pitch Shifter. Any effect can be assigned to any of the inputs, which include: 3 phono, 4 lines, 4 aux and 3 mic inputs. In addition, there are balanced XLR outputs and S/PDIF digital outputs.
At a list price of $599, the 15 lb. mixer also includes a Master & Cue BPM analyzer, crossfader assign on each channel, adjustable rossfader curve, Q-Start and a recessed back panel for better access.
The MX-1400 mixer is basically the same as the MX-1400 DSP, but without the built-in digital effects. It has a list price of $419.
American Audio’s other notable recent product was the CK-1000 MP3, an all-inclusive tabletop unit that includes two CD/MP3 players with digital scratching and a mixer for $699 retail.
Numark
Numark revealed that its D2 Director rackmount dual digital music file player is now shipping. and theat the iDJ2 and hightly anticipated Total Control will be shipping withing a month.
In another piece of news, Numark is now distributing the MixMeister DJ software programs MixMeister Fusion (pictured) and MixMeister Studio. Both programs seems to bridge the difference between traditional deck-oriented DJ software and DAW programs. The MixMeister apps are made for DJs and DJing live, but using a DAW-style timeline interface to expand a person’s potential to create remixes and more creative performances. Fusion is the more full-featured of the two programs.
At a show full of “now shipping” announcements (typically products that were announced at Winter NAMM and are now available), Roland really stepped up with a few exciting new product revelations.
SP-555 Creative Sampler
Up first, Roland’s, SP-555 Creative Sampler with performance effects showed promise as the latest advancement in the company’s line of phrase sampling/pattern sequencing workstations. It promises all the features of the Roland SP-404, including tap tempo, lo-fi sampling mode, built-in mic and analog audio I/O (see photo below), plus a truck load of new editions. For instance, the SP-555 comes with Cakewalk Sonar LE software, and it’s USB connection sends both MIDI and audio to a computer, so you can record it’s output easily into the Cakewalk DAW.
On Compact Flash cards up to 2GB (12 hours of sample time), the SP-555 can sample external sources, as well as sample/record its internal live audio, meaning you can record your own pad playing, resample with effects or record loops with the Loop Capture feature. There is also enough internal memory for about six minutes of stereo sampling.
There are 16 Velocity-sensitive pads to which you can assign samples, as well as 37 digital effects taken from Roland’s Fantom line of workstations. Effects include Voice Transformer, delay, isolator, Super Filter, amp aimulator, step ring modulator and DJ FX Looper; the SP-555 can also save cusom effects settings.
Unfortunately, Roland does not like to give out prices or availability dates in advance, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
HD-1 V-Drums Lite
Many hip-hop and other producers have been known to flex their own drumming skills for sampling and recording, rather than relying on just programming. With Roland’s new HD-1 V-Drums Lite, you can have the best of both worlds, for less money than V-Drums have ever costed before. With this compact, all-in-one electronic kit, you can record drum parts via MIDI into a DAW and then assign your own samples to the parts and edit the arrangement of the parts from there.
In addition to 4 drum pads, 3 cymbal pads and 2 pedals for hi-hat and kick, the HD-1 comes with a small “brain” that holds 10 V-Drums kits, including the classic TR-808 kit. They are now available for pre-order at a list price of $999.
Boss RE-20 Space Echo
Although available as a plug-in emulation, lovers of the classic vintage Roland RE-201 Space Echo tape delay box never had a great hardware emulation to tinker with until now. The Boss RE-20 Space Echo effect pedal rebirths the tape delay has a faithful imitation in stompbox form. It includes the original 12 Space Echo modes, emulation of the tape flutter and magnetic head saturation and a longer delay time than the original. While the RE-20 doesn’t have quite as many emulation settings as the Universal Audio plug-in model, it does sound great and authentic.
Boss ME-20 and ME-20B guitar/bass multi-effects processors
Boss also came out with two new multi-effects floor pedals intended for guitar and bass. A distinguishing feature to each box is a mini-jack Aux In, for playing along with tracks from an iPod or other source. There are also 30 user memory locations on each box for storing combinations of the onboard overdrive, delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, rotary speaker and EQ effects.
Sonic Cell
Finally, Roland showed the Sonic Cell, which appears to be a boring black box at first, but is actually a fairly intriguing and versatile device. The Sonic Cell is a USB audio interface, and it has a built-in bank of high-quality synth sounds. In addition, it has two expansion card slots for any of Roland’s reknowned SRX synth cards. Sonic Cells also includes audio playpack capability for WAV, AIFF and MP3 files (plus Standard MIDI files). These diverse features add up to a useful portable device for recording and performance. The built-in audio playback is convenient for playing backing tracks on stage or rehearsing along with recorded tracks.
Austin in the summer time, where the NAMM Summer Session has been held the last two years, is always hot. That’s no surprise. But one hot surprise at the show was Open Labs’ instroduction of the new Timbaland Special Edition MiKo LX keyboard workstation. Superproducer and hip-hop icon Timbaland has been traditionally tight lipped about the gear he frequently used in his productions, but for the release of his MiKo edition, he spills the beans and coughs up the sounds.
Anyone can see that on the outside, this MiKo rocks a new arctic white chassis and chromey silver end caps, but the real treasure is on the inside. The Timbaland Special Edition MiKo comes pre-loaded with E-MU’s new Proteus X2 Streaming Sound Module 2.5 with more than 7,000 instruments, including the new Ensoniq Urban Legends Sound Library that contains the sounds from Ensoniq‘s
ASR/EPS/MR/ASR-X/ZR instruments. These sounds were specifically requested by Timbaland, and are only available in the Timbaland MiKo, an Open Labs exclusive. Check out this list of Tim-endorsed goodies:
- E-MU Proteus 2000
- E-MU Mo‘Phatt
- E-MU Modular System
- Ensoniq EPS /EPS 16+
- Ensoniq ASR 10
- Ensoniq ASR-X
- Ensoniq ZR76
- Ensoniq MR61
- ARP 2600
- ARP Axxe
- Roland JD800
- Roland Jupiter 8
- Roland JX-8P
- Roland TB-303 Bass Lin™
- Roland Juno 60
- Moog Memorymoog
- Mini Moog
- Moog Taurus Pedals
- Sequential Circuits Prophet 10
- Sequential Circuits Prophet 600
- Elka Rhapsody
- Mellotron Mark II
- Korg MS20
- Solina
- Oberheim OB & X
- Hammond B3
- Rhodes Electric Piano
- Hohner Clavinet
- Yamaha CP-70
- Wurlitzer Electric Piano
The Timbaland Special Edition MiKo is scheduled to ship on August 15 at an estimated street price $3,899. Check out Open Labs sick new Web sit loaded with new videos and music from Timbaland and other artists: www.openlabs.com
Remix correspondent James O‘Connor represented at last weekend‘s Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (Saturday, June 23) and Beast of the Beats (Sunday, June 24), and here‘s what he had to say:
The weather was perfect for the third-annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, organized by Brooklyn Bodega (www.brooklynbodega.com). Wedged right between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the event is held at the Empire Fulton State Park, right on the water of the East River and with an amazing view of Lower Manhattan.
Essentially the ground zero for hip-hop, the lineup at this year‘s festival included Large Professor, Consequence, Sean Price, Kidz in the Hall, Tanya Morgan, Ghostface and many more, not to mention the special guests such as Fat Joe, Smif-N-Wessun, Jeru the Damaja and more. Each performer was backed in typical hip-hop fashion by two turntables and a mixer, although it would appear that Serato has become the industry standard for today‘s DJs. One after the other, hip-hop legends interspersed with up-and-comers graced the stage making thousands of heads bob to the beats booming out the speakers.
The next day, the Beast of the Beats was held indoors at Manhattan‘s Club T-NY on 52nd Street, humorously enough, directly next to the Neil Simon Theater where the show Hairspray is running. Planned by the partners of iStandard (iStandardproducers.com), J Hatch hosted the producer battle. The judges rated the beats of 40 different producers, who turned out from as far away as North Carolina to claim the title of “The Beast.” The judges included producer heavyweights Just Blaze (Jay-Z, Saigon, Dipset, many more), Buckshot (Boot Camp Clik), Lenny S (A&R Exec at Def Jam Records) and Riggs Morales (A&R Exec at Shady Records).
Unfortunately, there seemed to be a few too many producers with the exact same mindset to create the same larger than life, club-banger sound–not that there is anything wrong with that, but with forty producers playing three beats each at one minute per beat…you can do the math. Alhough there were some standouts, which is ultimately the point of an event such as this.
Roland was also in the house, demoing its first- and second-prize giveaways. First place was the new MV-8800 studio monster, which was awarded to the AppleJuiceKid (www.applejuicekid.com), and appropriately so because when his beats came on, it was music that perked everyone‘s ears and got the crowd most hyped.
Winner AppleJuiceKid gave Remix a little insight into why he thinks he scored the Beast of the Beats title. “I am a professional drummer and work with a lot of musicians on my tracks to give it something different, which I think helped me win the showcase,” he says. “I also try to make my music as unique as possible, incorporating all my influences from Mark Ronson to Nirvana to Pharrell to ?uestlove to 4 hero to Daft Punk. Everything I hear, I try to mash up and make something different out of the combination.”
But a couple other competitors at Beast of the Beats came close to bringing the same unique flavor. The second-place prize went to producer GI Joe, who was awarded with the Juno-G keyboard–essentially the baby brother to the Fantom-X keyboard.
And coming in third place was P.Riot, a female producer originally from Japan. P.Riot was awarded Roland‘s SH-201, which is conceived to give analog sounds coupled with today‘s technology.
Other highlights included featured performances by Big Lou of New Jersey‘s Streetsweepers. Also, Atlantic Records‘ MC Saigon came through and paid us a visit at the Remix booth before jumping onstage and finishing out the night. Be sure to come visit us at the Remix Hotel event coming up September 20-22 in Atlanta for the next round of stories and events!
[Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival photos by Robert Adam Mayer. Beast of the Beats photos courtesy klubspots.com.]
