Francis Prève

Where's Francis?!?

2012-01-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

Oh god, where do I begin? My last entry was in August 2011, for fuck's sake!

Since then, I've decided to focus ALL of my energy on Academik Records. Not that I don't love making and giving away free sounds and tech tidbits, but between music, DJing, running a label, writing for Keyboard Magazine (and soon, a very cool EDM blog you may have heard of ;), and being a college professor, something had to go.

So it's this blog. Don't worry, I've actually been working on a few cool goodies for Live users. That's coming later this spring.

But for now, I'm all about Academik and making killer tracks with heroes, colleagues and protégées. When I take a break, I'll get back to blogging regularly. Promise.

Until then, friend me on Facebook, like Academik on FB, and follow me & the label on Twitter. I assure you, I'm making a LOT of noise in those channels.

Much love and thanks for the support last year.

Vibelung: Circuitflu - Now available at Beatport.com

2011-08-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

Changing things up a bit, Academik's second EP veers into techno territory with the contagious vibe of Circuitflu.

The original mix is a mutant hybrid of minimal techno fused with hints of clever IDM, courtesy of Dallas-based electro/techno DJ, Vibelung (aka Jimmy Freer). With Circuitflu, Freer's approach to minimal blends clever robot voices with pounding 808-style kicks and a synth riff that evokes the Knight Rider theme without reeking of irony or litigation.

Francis Prève's reinterpretation of Circuitflu turns up the boom with his infectious brand of techno, gene-spliced with a strand of DNA from the better strains of electro. Starting with a handclap-heavy dark groove reminiscent of classic Peace Division, Prève's remix builds to a massive peak that bounces and throbs its way into one of Preve's trademark rising leads. The result is a big room monster that's guaranteed to pack summer floors both at peak-time and after-hours.

Here's what some of the world's top DJs are saying about the Circuitflu EP:

"Simple and quirky.. Francis Prève remix for me."
- Blake Jarrell

"Francis' remix does it for me."
- MC Flipside

"Both tracks are great!! Will play both at different times. THANKS!"
- Jan van Lier

"I love this release! Will definitely be supporting both mixes."
- William A

"Cool Francis Mix!"
- Sean Tyas

"Like the energetic Francis Prève mix."
- DJ Ron (About.com)

"The Original takes the sounds on a minimal journey whereas the Preve Remix gets your innards rumbling from the kick and bass groove all the while keeping the funk. Solid!"
- Jason Jenkins (Hypersonic.com)

As with all Academik releases, the Circuitflu EP includes individual audio tracks as part of the full album download, so producers and DJs can remix and remake the track according to their own vision.

Check out the Circuitflu EP on Beatport.

Ableton Preset: Mattel Synsonics

2011-08-02T08:00:00.012-05:00

In the pantheon of vintage analog drum machines, there's an unsung classic that isn't from a big name manufacturer like Roland or Korg, but from a toy company. Released in 1981, the Mattel Synsonics was an affordable black box that housed a fully analog kit consisting of kick, two toms, snare, cymbal and hi-hat - all playable via velocity sensitive pads.

Of course, since it was a "toy", few artists took it very seriously - with one notable exception: Kraftwerk.

Unlike the more insectile sounds coming from the Roland and Korg boxes of the same era, the sound of the Synsonics was vaguely reminiscent of the Simmons SDS-V or Pollard Syndrum. The toms had an aggressive vibe that few products from that time could match - and the cymbals were glorious blasts of white noise.

About a month ago, I pulled my Synsonics of its shelf in my studio, fired it up and started sampling. The results are in this Live 7 compatible Drum Rack. Hope you dig it.

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example clips and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Mattel Synsonics Kit

Freeware: Togu Audio Line synths & effects

2011-07-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

When it comes to free - and I mean literally free - plug-ins, one of my favorite companies is Togu Audio Line.

Their filters, vocoder, reverb, and softsynths like Bassline (pictured above) and Elek7tro ooze presence and character. In fact, I'm using the TAL-Bassline on one of my newest tracks. Their Juno-60 emulation's pretty darn good too.

Available for both Mac and PC.

Here's the link. Check 'em out.

http://kunz.corrupt.ch/home

SoundBible.com

2011-07-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Just stumbled across this site yesterday.

Definitely worth checking out.

soundbible.com

Magic New Wave Time Machine #5

2011-07-15T08:00:00.024-05:00

Now before you accuse Spandau Ballet of ripping off early Duran Duran, you might want to check the date on this track (1980) since it came out a year before Duran's first album (1981).

Yeah, it's like THAT.

Before they got into producing pop that even my Aunt Suzi likes, Spandau Ballet were purveyors of edgy New Romantic brilliance like this barely-known gem: "To Cut A Long Story Short"

(And for synth trivia buffs, it's a Roland ProMars Compuphonic that Gary Kemp's playing.)

Free Bootleg: This Back & Forth Rhythm

2011-07-11T06:00:00.002-05:00

This month's bootleg is a bit of a departure - and very much a labor of love.

Last month, one of my favorite area DJs, Remington Steele, dropped this track at the Academik Records photoshoot at Austin über-club, Kingdom. I kinda dropped everything and ran to the DJ booth and asked "What is THIS!?!"

"You don't know this? It's called 'This Rhythm' and it's like two years old!", replied Remington.

Well, NO DJ keeps track of everything, right?

I was a huge fan of Filthy Dukes' track "Messages" in 2009 but this gem slipped past my radar, probably because it's the Fred Falke remix that makes the track work for me - and I was only familiar with the original.

I promptly tracked down the remix and started pairing it up with some favorites in my current crate.

After 15 minutes, I chanced upon "Back & Forth feat. Mr. V (Fedde's Future Funk Remix)" by Fedde le Grand and knew I had the makings of a VERY summery little mashup.

It all came together quite quickly and the result is so natural it's hard to figure out which track is which - always a goal for me when whipping up a bootleg.

Hope you dig it as much as I do. Cheers!

Download This Back & Forth Rhythm

Ableton Preset: Sine Of The Times

2011-07-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

Ah, the sine wave...

For years, I have referred to this wonderful little waveform as "the atom of sound". Without the sine wave, no other waveform could exist, since every complex or single-cycle wave is comprised entirely of sine waves - whether they are harmonically related or a cacophony of chaotic tones.

So, as an exercise, I created this month's preset - Sine Of The Times - out of two single sine waves an octave apart, just to see if I could make it do as many tricks as possible via clever macro assignments.

The result exceeded my expectations and hopefully yours too.

To prove this, the Sine Of The Times Live set is comprised of four sequences that all use the same patch as their starting point.

Track 1 is a hip-hop style jeep bass that consists of a single low sine wave. Classic. Timeless.

Track 2 is a soprano/choir patch that's reminiscent of the lead from Real Life's "Send Me An Angel" (or if you prefer, the original Star Trek theme).

Track 3 is a plucky sequence with a touch of pitch bend in each note's attack.

Track 4 is a fairly accurate recreation of the legendary Roland TR-808 tom/conga that can be further modified via the macros.

All from the same pair of sine waves, with a touch of chorus and reverb.

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example clips and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Sine Of The Times

William A: Alpha - Now available at Beatport.com

2011-06-14T19:30:00.001-05:00

In case you missed it last week, my label - Academik Records - just released its first EP: William A's new single, "Alpha", which is now available at Beatport.com

Here's what some of the world's top DJs are saying about "Alpha":

Gabriel & Dresden - "'Alpha'" has been rocking out sets for months!!"

MC Flipside - "Sentinels remix is slamming."

Blake Jarrell - "Very nice first release...JG remix for me."

Guy J - "Nice one, thnx good luck."

Dan Tait - "Just the right shade of prog. Nice."

Josh Dupont - "Love it. FULL Support from Nightshade Music!"

Tyler Michaud - "Josh Gabriel & Sentinels mixes are both great! 8/10"

SOUNDCLOUD PREVIEWS:
Exclusive Preview: Alpha - Original Mix - William A
Exclusive Preview: Alpha - Josh Gabriel Remix - William A
Exclusive Preview: Alpha - Sentinels Remix - William A

CLICK TO BUY AT BEATPORT

Ableton Preset: Wavescraper

2011-06-06T07:00:00.010-05:00

A few weeks back, I got a request to post a tutorial and/or tips piece on Saturator. Since there's already a lot of coverage for Ableton's nifty digital distortion device, I decided to go one better and create a preset that utilizes a more exotic attribute of Saturator: Waveshaping.

An interesting detail about waveshaping is that it works best on audio with very little harmonic content, like sine or triangle waves - or strongly lowpass filtered source material.

A few years back, I did an Instrument Rack for Live 6 that used this technique as a synthesis tool. Of course, that was ages ago and I've refined the technique a bit more, so I decided to revisit the production methods and whip up a new patch: Wavescraper.

Another thing you should know about waveshaping (and distortion in general) is that it 'likes' monophonic material. Chords of almost any kind wreak havoc with the effect, due to intermodulation, so I made Wavescraper a monosynth.

For maximum compatibility, I started with a triangle wave in Simpler. You could easily swap this out for an Operator if you're going to tinker - and if you do, please read the important note below.

From there, I added the Saturator. Since we're using material with few harmonics, the waveshaper tools now function as synthesis parameters. Accordingly, I created a few macros - drive, chaos and color - to manipulate the sound in relatively conventional ways.

As I tinkered with Wavescraper, I realized that it could easily be used for dubstep bass sounds. Since the volume of the input signal affects the behavior of the waveshaping effect, I added a tempo-synced amplitude LFO, which is controlled by the Wobble macros.

To sweeten the output, I included some chorusing and delay, since these are pretty light on CPU resources.

Here's a guide to the macros:

Drive: Governs the overall amount of waveshaping applied to the triangle wave source.

Glide: Adjusts glide/portamento time

Chaos: Modifies the linearity, curve and depth of the waveshaping algorithm.

Color: Modifies the 'base' setting of Saturator's color (EQ) parameters

Envelope: Varies envelope from percussive to full sustain (for leads)

Wobble Rate: Rate of tempo-synced amplitude/volume modulation

Wobble Depth: Amount of tempo-synced amplitude/volume modulation

FX: Adds chorusing and ping-pong delay

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you decide to tinker with the Macro mappings, turn your speakers' volume down. The Saturator drive amount is tied to its output in an inverse manner. If you unmap or alter this setting, you could blow your speakers - or worse, damage your hearing. With this statement, Francis Preve and this blog hereby indemnifies itself against any damage caused by altering the settings of this preset.

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example clips and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- There are three examples: A percussive plucky loop, a gliding lead, and a typical dubstep bass riff with automation. These show the range of the instrument.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Wavescraper

AbletonOp.com Launches

2011-06-02T11:30:00.001-05:00

A former student of mine - and genuine Ableton whiz - Kendall Clark, just launched his very own Ableton tips and tutorials site.

The first post is a nice little tutorial on using Auto Pan for gating effects - and if I know Kendall, things are going to get really deep in no time.

Bookmark AbletonOp.com and visit often. I promise it will be worth your while.

Academik - Exclusive Preview: William A - "Alpha"

2011-06-01T09:00:00.004-05:00

Academik Records posted an exclusive preview of our first release.

We're getting support from an amazing array of the world's top DJs.

Really proud of this package. So if you dig it too, please spread the word!

Magic New Wave Time Machine #4

2011-05-27T07:00:00.003-05:00

Instead of an awkward, craptastic traipse through down the dark alleys of vintage New Wave videos, this week we'll take a look at an obscure classic from Thomas Dolby's early years.

Prior to the "Blinded Me With Science" debacle, Dolby made some really great electropop - much of which was accompanied by (for their time) cutting edge video and images.

One of those vids was for a track called "Radio Silence".

Chock full of imagery that predates the Steampunk movement by about 20 years, "Radio Silence" also includes a cameo by Lene Lovich, who is a story unto herself.

Here's the vid.

Free Bootleg: Cowbell Matters

2011-05-24T08:30:00.003-05:00

One of my first tracks on Different Pieces/Armada was a deep techno groover called "Less Cowbell". Earlier this year, I fluffed it by mating it with the drums from Mark Knight's dub of Faithless' "Music Matters".

This month, I included the "Cowbell Matters" reboot in my May podcast - as well as posting the original Ableton Operator 808 Cowbell preset to my blog as a download.

Makes sense to post the bootleg to my Soundcloud page too, so here it is.

Enjoy!

Download "Cowbell Matters" - Francis Preve 2011 Reboot - Prève vs Faithless vs Knight

Less Cowbell Operator Patch

2011-05-19T07:45:00.002-05:00

Back in 2009, I released a track on Different Pieces/Armada called Less Cowbell

Earlier this month, I rebooted the track with updated drums and used it in my May podcast. [Update: I've since posted the full reboot as a free download.]

The core sound in Less Cowbell is based on an custom Ableton Live Operator patch that deconstructs the original TR-808 analog cowbell sound.

To commemorate the original release in 2009, Peter Kirn's Create Digital Music blog posted a piece on the making of the track - along with a downloadable version of the Operator patch - so producers could see how it was done and tinker with the sound itself.

I was going to post a link to the original article here, but I've since made a few revisions to the info and download, so I'm posting a new Live Set that includes the patch - and a sequence to get you started with the macros.

The set is compatible with Live 7.0.18 or higher - and requires Operator (but it will still work in demo mode, even if you don't own this little wündersynth).

The essence of the original 808 Cowbell consisted of four simultaneous sawtooth waves at the following frequencies: 1.94 kHz, 1.37 kHz, 835 Hz, 555 Hz. By using the all-carrier Operator algorithm, fixed tuning, and a lot of tinkering with the envelopes, I was able to pretty much nail the original sound. From there, it was just a matter of creating a a bunch of Macros to manipulate as the groove developed.

Here are the assignments for each Macro:

LFO Rate: This controls the rate for the tempo-synced sawtooth LFO, which is assigned to all four operators’ pitch. The range is 1/48th note to 4 measures.

LFO Amount: Overall amount of the LFO effect. Note that these parameters work best in conjunction with longer release times.

Spectral Volume: Controls the volume of the 1.94 kHz, 1.37 kHz, and 835 Hz sawtooth waves. A value of 0 reduces the sound to just the 555 Hz sawtooth, whereas 127 is the full-on 808 Cowbell.

Spectral Spread: Introduces positive detuning, spreading the frequencies from the root 555 Hz sawtooth all the way up to the 808 array. Great for rises and builds.

LPF: Lowpass cutoff frequency.

Falling Grain: This affects four different Grain Delay parameters simultaneously. The result is a dotted eighth-note delay that descends in pitch. Note that since the Grain Delay comes after the Reverb, some really unusual ambient effects can be created by adjusting both Macros simultaneously.

Release: Overall release for the four operators. Range is 174 ms to 60 seconds.

Reverb: Controls the decay time and amount of autopanning for a tempo-synced bouncing reverb effect. Used during the breakdowns for Less Cowbell.

Download the Less Cowbell patch and Live Set

Got MeeBlip?

2011-05-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

Just got my MeeBlip last week and I'm in loooooove.

Peter Kirn (from Create Digital Music) and James Grahame (of Retro Thing fame) have a winner on their hands with this affordable, hackable digital synth. It's a duuuurty little guy and you can expect to see some loops from this in the coming weeks.

It's got a very cool, unique, edgy sound... And at a price of less than $200, I'm certain that the MeeBlip is gonna be a massive hit.

The MeeBlip blog can be found here. Check it.

May 2011 Podcast

2011-05-17T07:00:00.008-05:00

My May 2011 Podcast is now online. Download it here.

Tracklist after the jump

Francis Prève (Academik Records) - May 2011 Podcast

TRACKLIST

Burned You Away - Original Mix - Michael Woods

Push Me - Popof Remix - Maetrik

Back & Forth feat. Mr. V - Fedde's Future Funk Remix - Fedde le Grand

Perspective - Luigi Rocca Remix - GILV

Move For First Aid - Kaskade Mash-Up - Kaskade & Deadmau5 vs. Michael Woods

Anthology - Madeon Mashup - Wolfgang Gartner

Get The Funk - Original Mix - DJ Tonio

Juno - Superskank Remix - ThreeSixty & Dirty Harris

Hot As Hades - Francis Preve Remix - Winter Kills

Minimums - Original Club Mix - Koen Groeneveld

Less Cowbell - 2011 Reboot - Francis Prève

Magic New Wave Time Machine #3

2011-05-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

A evidenced by the "Pop Musik" video last month, 1979 really was a seminal year for synthpop hitting the mainstream.

While this track - "Computer Games", by the horrifically named Mi-Sex - was barely a hit anywhere but Australia and New Zealand, that doesn't make it any less relevant. Listen closely and you'll hear some of the punchiest drums of its time.

Again, the video is a total relic, but it's amazing to consider that a mere 32 years ago, the power of an iPhone took up an entire room.

Ableton Preset: Tuvanism

2011-05-04T07:00:00.019-05:00

One of this season's trends in EDM tracks is a focus on voice-like synth sounds. Pleasurekraft's 2010 hit "Tarantula" is one of the main influences for this synthesis technique.

Whenever a new sound hits the clubland zeitgeist, I'll find myself spending spare time analyzing the timbres and textures and reverse-engineering the techniques for future reference. For this particular trend, I've found myself experimenting with vocoders and formant filters.

What's a formant filter?

In a nutshell, a formant is any resonant peak (or series thereof) found in an acoustic musical instrument. However, in most cases the term refers to the resonances of the human voice.

For example, different vowel sounds are created by chancing the shape of the oral cavity via your mouth opening and tongue placement.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on formants.

So... In one of my formant shifting experiments, I created a wavetable of constantly evolving vowel sounds using Propellerhead Reason's Thor.

Next, I rendered the sample and popped it into Live's Simpler with a really tight loop, so I could configure Simpler to scan through the wavetable in real-time.

From there, I added the following macros:

Vowel: Scans through the vowel wavetable
Formant: Adjusts the secondary formant
LoPass: Lowpass filter cutoff
HiPass: Highpass filter cutoff
Envelope: Varies envelope from percussive to full sustain (for leads)
Glide: Adjusts glide/portamento time
Chorus: Adds chorusing
Delay: Adds delay

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example clips and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- There are two examples: A gliding lead with clip envelope automation of the parameters and a percussive plucky loop. These show the range of the instrument. There's also a simple octave lead clip so you can experiment with the macros.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Tuvanism

Magic New Wave Time Machine #2

2011-04-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

I think I'd rather have my mom walk in while I'm masturbating than get caught watching this video.

It's ghastly. Just ghastly.

The dancers alone could turn Camille Paglia into a misogynist.

That said, "Dancing In Heaven" by Q-Feel is still fairly well known in new wave circles - especially considering it was a 1982 finalist in the ever-cheesy Eurovision awards.

Enjoy with the door locked.

Hot As Hades - Now available on Beatport

2011-04-26T07:00:00.015-05:00

While sound design is a major passion of mine, music is my first love and the core of everything I do.

One track I'm particularly proud of is my latest remix for Josh Gabriel's Winter Kills project with Meredith Call. Their newest single - "Hot As Hades" - was released this week on Beatport and there's a lot of tasty synth programming in my remix, along with a throbbing subsonic low-end, a la "Yin/Yang".

The advance promo is getting support from rockstar DJs like tyDi, Dave Dresden and Kristina Sky, which has made me quite proud indeed.

Here's hoping you like it too - and if you do, please buy it instead of searching the blogs. We artists really do depend on your support. 'Nuff said :)

Preview "Hot As Hades" at Beatport.com

Production Tips From The Pros

2011-04-25T07:00:00.013-05:00

In the past year, I've done a series of Producers' Roundtables for Keyboard Magazine - much like my Production Master Classes for Beatportal back in the day.

For Keyboard, I queried some household names like Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode) and Wolfgang Gartner, a bunch of Beatport gods like Josh Gabriel, Jaytech, Boom Jinx, Richard Dinsdale, Patch Park and former students of mine, Tritonal. Dan Kurtz from Dragonette and veteran sound designer/remixer, Josh Harris also make appearances.

Only a few of the pieces have made it online so far, but I thought I'd share them anyway. If you want to stay on top of the series, you'll simply have to subscribe to Keyboard, I guess.

Links after the jump...

Here are the roundtables currently online:

Coming Soon:

Software Secret Weapons

As more articles appear, I'll add to this collection of links.

Cheers!

Slim Phatty Loop Six-pack

2011-04-20T07:00:00.028-05:00

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Moog's new Slim Phatty has become one of the cornerstones of my sound for 2011. Oh sure, I'm still madly in love with my Oberheim SEM for its raw aggression, Vermona Mono Lancet for its versatility, and Doepfer Dark Energy for its micro modulararity, but for rafter-shaking bass and in-your-face leads, the Phatty is my go-to synth.

I just reviewed it for Keyboard and the details are in the current issue, but if you want to know why I'm head over heels for this beastie, check out this six-pack.

Six loops. All yours. Royalty free. Have fun.

Links after the jump...

Tech notes:
- Everything's in the key of C.
- All loops are at 128 BPM.
- All loops are eight bars long.
- Since I played some of the parts by hand, there's a bit of warping to tighten the grooves.

Download Moog Slim Phatty Sixpack (raw loops)

Download Moog Slim Phatty Sixpack in Ableton Live 7.0.18 format

Billy's Discount Robot Emporium

2011-04-19T07:00:00.005-05:00

Fellow Sentinel and kick-ass DJ in his own right, Billy Jay, just released his Spring 2011 Podcast - the aptly named "Billy's Discount Robot Emporium". It's a treasure trove of tasty techno. Promise.

While we're on the topic of Sentinels, it's worth mentioning that our debut remix - for William A's "Alpha" on Academik Records - will be hitting Beatport in mid-May.

2011 is turning into a big year, so get a taste now.

Here's the Soundcloud link to Billy's Discount Robot Emporium.

Free Bootleg: SpaceBalls (Gartner vs WhoDaFunk)

2011-04-18T07:00:00.050-05:00

Holiday parties are always a source of strange inspiration when it comes to bootlegs.

Last Christmas, I was hanging out with William A in the studio, listening to Wolfgang Gartner's "Space Junk". When the first breakdown hit, William said "You know what acapella would sound amazing over this? 'Shiny Disco Balls' by Who Da Funk"

Fortunately, I had the acapella catalogued and handy. (Oh, the joys of OCD.)

I needed more cool bootlegs for my 2010 New Years Eve set with Gabriel & Dresden at Hollywood Palladium, so I threw "Space Junk" and "Shiny Disco Balls" into Ableton Live and KABOOM! It worked flawlessly.

The next night, I spent an hour or so getting the vocals arranged and mixed. Probably the fastest bootleg I've ever done, actually.

For a while I called it "Shiny Disco Junk", until another dear friend - Austin videographer, Seabrook Jones (who incidentally shot the Winter Kills "My Friend" video, but I digress...) - blurted out, "That's DUMB. Call it 'SpaceBalls'!"

Ah, teamwork. (Download link after the jump.)

Download SpaceBalls

Magic New Wave Time Machine #1

2011-04-15T07:00:00.002-05:00

New York, London, Paris, Munich... Everybody talk about...

"Pop Musik" - M

While this little gem from 1979 was a massive worldwide hit, you rarely hear it anymore on radio or the Interwebs, so here's a little reminder that Electronic Dance Music is over 30 years old.

Everything about the track is cheesy as fuck, but you can still hear echoes of those analog synths on Beatport today.

(And the one chick looks kinda like my mom, back in the day...)

Winter Kills "Hot As Hades" (Francis Prève Remix)

2011-04-14T08:45:00.002-05:00

My remix for the new Winter Kills single, "Hot As Hades", will be released next week.

Here's a preview...

Ableton Preset: Gillette

2011-04-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

This month's preset is an homage to my favorite new softsynth, NI's RAZOR.

Yeah, yeah, I've been going on about RAZOR incessantly since it came out, but savvy readers know that I just don't gush unless a synth is incredible - and RAZOR is truly incredible.

So I got to thinking... How do I capture some of that magic in an Ableton preset that's compatible with Live, without using Operator as its core?

The result is a simple additive instrument called "Gillette".

For starters, I created four single-cycle waves: fundamental (1st harmonic), odd harmonics, even harmonics, and prime-numbered harmonics. Then I placed each in its own Simpler and placed those Simplers inside an Instrument Rack.

From there, I added the following macros:

1st Harmonic: Adjusts the volume of the fundamental.
Odd: Adjusts the volume of the odd harmonics.
Even: Adjusts the volume of the even harmonics.
Prime: Adjusts the volume of the prime harmonics.
Envelope: Continuously morphs the envelope from sharp & plucked to slow & pad-like.
Oddverb: Adds reverb to only the odd harmonics. If their volume is low or off, then this knob does nothing.
Animate Rate: Adjusts the rate of the harmonic animation. Synced to tempo.
Animate Depth: Adjusts the depth of the animation.

Animation notes: The animation is designed to morph smoothly between the harmonic types, provided all knobs are set to equal volumes. At slow rates, this creates an evolving, Wavestation-like effect. At fast rates, the result is more of a wobble.

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example chords and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- There are two examples: A slow morphing pad with chorus and a stabby part with a touch of harmonic wobble. This shows a bit of the range of the instrument.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Gillette

April 2011 Podcast

2011-04-11T19:00:00.002-05:00

A few days late, I know, but here's an hour's worth of tracks that have been rocking my floors for the past month.

Download away!

Musikmesse Gear That Grabbed My Ass

2011-04-11T07:00:00.015-05:00

When it comes to synth exotica, this year's Musikmesse was one of the best I've seen in years. No, no, no... I was too busy with Academik to make the trek, but considering I've already had my grubby mitts on a couple of these delights, I can safely say that the world of synthesis has been going through a bit of a renaissance lately.

Here's a rundown of my favorite products of this show. It is by no means comprehensive, it's just the stuff that I plan to either buy, review, or recommend.

[Update: Some browsers are having problems displaying this piece's layout, notably Safari. Not sure what's going on, since I've posted numerous YouTube videos in the past without incident. Looks great in Firefox, for what that's worth... Apologies...]

ROLAND JUPITER-80

With three months of teasing and rumors, Roland's Jupiter-80 made one of the biggest splashes in tradeshow history - and I'm not just saying that because I designed a fuckton of its presets.

This performance-centric synth sports a three-oscillator analog-modeled synth, Roland's new SuperNATURAL modeling/sampling technology, massive array of world-class effects, and a whopping 256 voices, making it worthy of its $3999 price tag.

How does it sound? Well, having had one in my studio for nearly four months, I can tell you first-hand that it's a true beast of a synth with a VERY Roland vibe. Kind of like a menage a trois between a Jupiter-8, D-50, and Fantom X8 - but targeted directly at live performance.

Howard Jones also designed a bunch of the Jupiter sounds and gives his take on the beastie in the YouTube video above.

Hella cool.

More gear porn after the jump...

KORG MONOTRIBE & WAVEDRUM MINI

While Roland was dazzling attendees with the Jupiter, Korg was unveiling lightweight gadgets with a cool factor that's absolutely off the charts.

Their new Monotribe fuses a hot-rodded Monotron - now including octave and waveform selection for its VCO, a noise generator, three selectable VCA envelopes, and a multiple waveform LFO - with an integrated sequencer. That would be cool in itself but the inclusion of a simple all-analog drum machine positions the Monotribe as a true successor to the TB-303.

Peep the droolworthy YouTube video above and see for yourself.

In addition to the Monotribe, Korg also unveiled the Wavedrum Mini - a portable percussion synth with 100 preset sounds, 100 preset rhythms, 10 built-in effects, and a super-cool clip-on sensor that can be attached to a table, cup, or even a sneaker so you can play two sounds at once.

Korg has carved out an extremely cool niche in the under $200, portable, battery-powered instrument market that is quickly making them the hipster version of what Casio was in the 80s - and I mean that as a sincere compliment. With just the Monotribe, Wavedrum Mini, Monotron and Kaossilator, you can have an entire EDM studio on your coffeetable for about $500.

That's pretty damn cool if you ask me.

SCHMIDT ANALOG SYNTHESIZER

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Schmidt Analog Synthesizer. Coming out of seemingly nowhere, this 100+ pound beast is arguably the most powerful non-modular analog synth ever. Period.

With four oscillators, seven filters, tons of modulation, zillions of LEDs that change color (Hey, to me that's a big deal. K?), and a price tag that could reach five figures (yes, FIVE figures), Stefan Schmidt's über-synth is poised to become the Fairlight of the 21st century, now that the original Fairlight is an iPad app.

JOHN BOWEN SOLARIS

Vying for the über-synth-of-all-time title is John Bowen's Solaris, which has been in buzztastic development for the better part of the last decade and is finally in production. I played a prototype a few years back at NAMM and was utterly blown away by its depth and richness.

Granted, this isn't that big of a surprise considering Bowen's resume, which includes design credits for classic Moogs, Sequential Circuits, the Korg Wavestation and legendary OASYS, as well as Creamware's ahead-of-its-time Scope platform.

With a price of $4000, the Solaris is planted firmly in the rockstar section of Toys R Us, but at a fraction of the price of the Schmidt, it's going to be a must-have for the high-end synth crowd.

ATOMOSYNTH KRAKKEN

It's common knowledge that I'm a huge fan of boutique analog synths like the Oberheim SEM, Vermona Mono Lancet and Doepfer Dark Energy, so the new AtomoSynth Krakken has my antennae twitching wildly, especially considering its $449 US price tag.

Aside from looking like a radioactive cross between an EDP Wasp and a Gleeman Pentaphonic Clear, the Krakken sounds duuuuurty and very analog. I plan to petition my editors for the review, so you'll get the hands-on scoop in the next few months (and maybe a few loops too, if you're really nice ;)

NI KOMPLETE AUDIO 6

In addition to revolutionary synths, Musikmesse also hosted the debut of some very cool audio gear, notably Native Instruments' new Komplete Audio 6 interface, which is basically a DAW-centric cousin to their Traktor Audio 6 DJ interface.

While my studio interfaces consist of the MOTU Ultralite MK3 and M-Audio Profire 610 (both of which I love dearly, thank you), my touring rig has included either the Audio 4 DJ or Audio 2 DJ for over two years now and I've been really happy with the rock solid performance of both.

So if you're in the market for an audio interface, the Komplete Audio 6 should be on your list of devices to definitely check out.

Tyrell Nexus 6 - Free Softsynth from Amazona.de

2011-04-07T11:07:00.000-05:00

As you're probably aware by now, I love free stuff. Especially free synth stuff designed by Urs Heckmann (creator of Zebra).

I haven't had a chance to play with it personally, but it looks rather badass and I'm gonna give it a whirl this weekend.

More info (in German) and download links here.

(I'd post the Google Translation, but it's a bit more nonsensical than usual...)

Have fun!

Building A Desktop Modular System

2011-03-28T09:00:00.004-05:00

2010 was the year I turned my entire studio into a modular synth.

No shit. Pretty much anyone can do it for about the cost of a MacBook Pro. Seriously.

So, Keyboard Magazine asked me to write an article/tutorial about it.

Here it is.

Happy Monday!

(Photo credit: Seabrook Jones for JuicyThis.com)

This & That #7

2011-03-27T07:00:00.012-05:00

One of my all-time favorite periodicals - New Scientist - has posted a very cool video on building your own Sonic Crystal.

What's a Sonic Crystal? Go here.

These are about as cool as it gets. And my birthday's only a week away!!!

Earlier this month, I was asking the guys over at Switched On if anyone had made a decent Roland VP-330 softsynth. Well apparently, someone did - and if it's Windows-only, I'm gonna key their Chevy.

Free shit and more info after the jump...

No one likes Flash, but hey, it's good for some stuff. Like this free online synth that's very good for sound effects and other insanity.

Unlike Flash, almost everyone likes the TAL freeware softsynths - and they've just been updated with new versions for both Mac and Windows, so let's all raise a toast to guys who give away free cool stuff.

Speaking of cool stuff, here's Matrixsynth's Venom review and interview with Taiho Yamada, designer of this remarkable new synth. (I'm mentioned about 3/4 down the page... depending on your font size... alas I digress...)

Finally, with all the completely justified hubbub over Native Instruments' surprise monster hit, RAZOR, here's a YouTube tutorial on making a basic additive synth with Reaktor.

Download: NI RAZOR Loop Six-pack

2011-03-24T17:33:00.002-05:00

Just snagged the Native Instruments' RAZOR Reaktor synth that I blogged about yesterday.

Developed in conjunction with Berlin electronica artist, Errorsmith, this ensemble is targeted at the Dubstep community, but there's a helluva lot more to it than that.

With its über-pretty FFT display of harmonic motion, tons of really unique filters and a couple of beat-synced LFOs, RAZOR makes a deep cut into additive synthesis territory (sorry, couldn't resist the pun).

So, I decided to beat everyone to the punch and drop a RAZOR-edged free loop six-pack on ya, so you can get a taste for yourself.

Tech notes and linkage after the jump...

Tech notes:
- Everything's in the key of C minor-ish.
- All loops are 128 BPM.
- All loops are eight bars long.

Download Native Instruments' RAZOR Six-pack (raw loops)

Download Native Instruments' RAZOR Six-pack in Ableton Live 7.0.18 format

Download: Opening Set for Gabriel & Dresden at SXSW 2011

2011-03-24T07:00:00.007-05:00

A lot of people have asked if I recorded my opening set for Gabriel & Dresden at last week's reunion show at SXSW.

Why, yes. Yes, I did.

So here it is. Perfect for workouts, road trips, or long walks on the beach...

Download Opening Set for Gabriel & Dresden at SXSW 2011

Super Secret Roland Project

2011-03-23T12:59:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have been asking about the top secret programming gig I recently did for Roland.

Here's a hint ;)

Native Instruments Announces Dubstep Softsynth

2011-03-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

It's not April 1 yet, so this must be real. Gadzooks.

Virtual Monotron

2011-03-22T09:00:00.007-05:00

In honor of Korg's incredible wündertoy, the Monotron, here's a virtual version to test drive.

Beware. It's addictive.

Java-heavy applet after the jump.

Tip of the hat to Synthgear for the heads up :)

Academik SXSW Launch Event Update

2011-03-14T13:55:00.000-05:00

Man, this week is just cuh-razy. Planning a label launch is hard work...

That said, the Ableton t-shirts are in. The Korg Monotrons are here, as are the Bleeplabs Thingamagoop 2s. The Avid/M-Audio Venom is looking pretty in its box - and we've got a ton of Propellerhead beanies to go along with the copies of Reason Record Duo we're giving away. It looks like a friggin' Guitar Center at Academik HQ.

But that's how we like it :)

Just as cool - maybe moreso - the Secret Panda Society played me some of their newest tracks and well, I'm more than a little blown away by what I'm hearing. Today and tomorrow, we're working on a couple of tech house collabs in The Danger Room. Seriously good stuff. Brace yourself for an amazing show this Friday.

Buzz is growing. Tweets are flowing.

More event info here.

New Ableton Preset: Arkade

2011-03-10T12:40:00.000-06:00

Taking the occasional break from launch activities, I've been fiddling around with this preset for a couple of weeks and I think it's ready to release into the wild.

Arkade is designed to emulate 8-bit video game sounds, with a few effects like bitcrushing and highpass filtering thrown in for good measure.

MACRO PARAMETERS

Rate: Adjusts tempo-synced arpeggiation rate
Length: Adjusts duration of arpeggiated notes
Range: Determines maximum upward range of arpeggiation
Step Size: Varies the step size from 0 steps (only held notes are apeggiated) to one octave (classic octave jumping arpeggiation)
Octave 1: Introduces an additional square wave, one octave higher.
Octave 2: Introduces an additional square wave, two octaves higher.
Bitcrush: Bitcrushing amount
HiPass: Highpass cutoff frequency

Notes and download link after the jump...

TECH NOTES

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example chords and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- There's a demo clip for Arkade. So when you first launch the Live set, just hit play and start turning the knobs.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Arkade

Polymoog Surrealism

2011-03-09T07:00:00.003-06:00

Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Michael Boddicker, and MIMES!

Oh yeah, and the Polymoog.

This promo video redefines the word "surreal"...

Part 2 after the jump...

How To Launch Your Own Record Label :)

2011-03-07T07:00:00.020-06:00

Introducing Academik Records...

This & That #6

2011-03-06T07:00:00.008-06:00

I've been too busy working on this to worry about that.

Back in the saddle after SXSW. Promise.

Pow!

2011-03-01T23:20:00.000-06:00

Sometimes it's the little things in life that make you smile the most...

This & That #5

2011-02-27T18:00:00.022-06:00

MeeBlip Reference Guide

A few weeks back, we investigated the MeeBlip - a hackable desktop digital synth that's more than a little innovative.

This week, CreateDigitalMusic.com posted a link to the MeeBlip's reference guide, which is not only robo-in-depth, but actually teaches the reader the essentials of subtractive synthesis.

If you're wondering why I'm so jazzed about an inexpensive digital synth, check out the MeeBlip SoundCloud page. The little beast oozes character in ways that most digital synths don't, simply because it's not trying to be an analog emulation. The MeeBlip just uses the same architecture.

Bottom line? I want one.

Expect a six-pack in the coming weeks :)

More tidbits and free stuff after the jump...

Audi has a "sound". WTF or FTW?

Check this video and comment below.

New utility that breaks music down into its components...

There's been a lot of noise in the blog-o-twitter-o-sphere regarding a new app - Hit'n'Mix - that seemingly does the impossible: Allows you to separate mixed audio into individual tracks.

If they've actually accomplished the impossible, this will change the landscape of music production forever.

Here's the BBC news feature.

Here's the link to the Hit'n'Mix company website.

We'll be watching this closely...

Free Soundhack Plug-ins (via Synthtopia)

The ever-legendary SoundHack suite of audio plug-ins and tools has been updated.

Synthtopia has the specifics.

Free Magnetic Drums Samplepack (via Synthtopia)

Synthtopia also got the scoop on a new drum samplepack from Sound Design Addicted.

Here's the link to that.

Becoming an indie entrepreneur...

Finally, Sneakmove reposted this on Twitter earlier this week and as I'm in the process of launching my own imprint - Academik Records - it really hit home. Check it out.

Become an indie entrepreneur without spending a lot of cash or quitting your day job.

Free Loops: Korg Monotron Sixpack #1

2011-02-25T08:08:00.000-06:00

Last week, fellow Sentinel Billy Jay and I were tinkering with our Korg Monotrons and I decided to record the experiments. Since Billy's a bit of a Monotron virtuoso, the results were worthy of posting as a Sixpack.

We really dig the Monotron, not 'cause it's cute like a little raccoon, but because it's duuuurty. So don't expect pristine little riffs. That's not what it's about.

Loop links and tech notes after the jump...

Tech notes:

- Rhythmic loops are at 128 BPM.

- All loops are eight bars long.

Have fun!

Download Monotron Sixpack #1 (AIFF loops)

Yamaha CS-60 Synthesizer Demo

2011-02-24T18:00:00.001-06:00

My bf(f) in highschool used to have this synth.

God, what I'd give to snag one now...

(via Matrixsynth)

New Bootleg: The Reward Is Our Night

2011-02-23T10:15:00.003-06:00

For my New Year's Eve gig with Gabriel & Dresden at the Hollywood Palladium, I re-booted a bunch of my older remixes to get the crowd going.

One of the big hits of the night was "The Reward Is Our Night" which mashes my remix of "This Is Our Night" by Sander Kleinenberg with the grooves from "The Reward Is Cheese" and "Community Funk" by Deadmau5.

The combo is apparently quite explosive, so I'm sharing it with the world via my SoundCloud account.

Download The Reward Is Our Night

Five Tips For Perfecting Your Arrangements

2011-02-22T12:00:00.001-06:00

Making an eight-bar groove with cool riffs and funky drums is actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I mean, think about it... How many "brilliant ideas" do you have on your hard drive that would be huge Beatport hits if you just took the time to finish them? Yeah, like I said, it's the groove that's easy. The work is all in the arrangement of the track. Great music with a crap arrangement just isn't compelling.

It's the story, stupid.

Let's face it, crafting an arrangement is a massive, time-consuming chore. Some producers really get into it and focus, but others - like me, actually - find this part of the process a gigantic pain in the ass. I just wanna make neat sounds and wiggly grooves.

Well, short grooves are great if you want to carve out a future making loop libraries. The world needs those too. But if you want to be an "ah-tist" you'll have to buckle down and get to work. So here are a few things to think about as you create your masterpieces.

1. Make sure you have at least 16 measures of just drums on your intro and outro. This makes a track very easy to mix - and allows DJs to loop the outro and layer it with the next track. I've heard some producers say that with digital DJing, this isn't as important anymore. Ignore them, because there are tons of guys out there who still love CDs. Making your tracks DJ-friendly is the key to maximum support.

2. When crafting your breakdowns, consider whether the track is a big-room monster or funky sweatbox groover. If it's a big room track, go for the massive 32 measure breakdown. If it's a funky club track, give serious thought to keeping the breakdowns tight and concise. For extra credit, consider leaving a rhythmic element in a smaller breakdown, it really helps keep the floor.

3. If you're having trouble figuring out the storyline and flow of your arrangement, find one or two tracks that are in the same vein as what you're attempting, then use those arrangements as guidelines. I wrote a tutorial on this topic last year for Keyboard Magazine. Here's the link.

4. Ear candy is the secret sauce of success. Try sprinkling your arrangements with clever fills every 16 measures. Morph the most important parts in unusual ways over the course of the main body of the track ("Yin" and "Yang" are stellar examples of this technique). Add touches of reverb or delay to emphasize specific areas of your main riffs, rather than just slathering it on and moving to a different part. Try having two or more synths play the same riff, then switch or crossfade between them at key moments. Like a great movie plot with clever twists and turns, it pays to keep your listeners on their toes.

5. Once you've finished your arrangement and mix, let it cool for a minimum of one week. Don't render it. Don't put it on your iPod. Don't listen to it in your car. Don't play it for your friends. Let it go. When you re-listen to your work endlessly, you suck all of your perspective out of it. (Hand lotion and Kleenex are a far more effective coping mechanism at this point.) After a week or two passes, go back and listen to it. You'll be amazed at the little details that need fixing. Usually it's tiny stuff. Take a day to address those issues and then you'll finally be finished and on to the next track!

Related posts:
- Five Tips For Smoother Workflows
- Ten Essential Production Tips
- Index of Beatportal Tutorials

This & That #4

2011-02-19T18:00:00.015-06:00

Musicradar.com posted a wonderful history of Roland synths, with tons of sexy pictures. Naturally, someone took all that gear porn and made a seizure-inducing animated GIF.

Create Digital Music has a brilliant tutorial on turning that old cassette deck in your closet into a nifty little analog saturation effect.

One of the artists I'm working with these days is an extraordinary guitarist, DJ, producer, teacher, and Zen badass named Shreddward. He has some top-notch tech house tracks in the pipeline and recently added some moody guitar parts to a track I'm working on. Now, he's got his own blog too.

It's been a fun week for free stuff too... More info after the jump.

SonicState pointed out a couple of cool freebies for producers:

Lithium Sound posted a new Windows VST synth devoted exclusively to making ray gun sound effects.
Tape Death posted a free soundware pack of Roland MC-202 loops and samples.

I posted this link earlier in the week, but in case you missed William A's free bootleg of "Push The Umbrella", here it is again.

A few weeks back, I posted a piece on shopping for studio gear. The article got so many hits that I updated it to include NI's new audio interfaces and made it a permalink at the side of the page. For your convenience: Five Essential Tech Tools for Starting Your Studio

Finally, the Academik Records project is moving forward at an alarming pace.

It's going to be a great year...

My Thoughts On The Monotron

2011-02-16T07:00:00.003-06:00

Korg's Monotron is absolutely one of the coolest little synths that has come my way.

It's real analog.

It fits in your pocket.

It's under a hundred bucks.

And you can actually run audio through its synth engine.

I've done two reviews for it, so if you want a deeper look into my opinions on this affordable wündertoy, check them out.

Review links after the jump...

Keyboard Magazine Monotron Review

Resident Advisor Monotron Review

William A - Push The Umbrella (free MP3)

2011-02-15T09:00:00.001-06:00

One of my star pupils and Armada artist, William A, had a bunch of great releases last year: "Tall Glass", "Shot Glass", "Umbrella", along with quite a few well-received remixes.

Maybe I'm a tad biased, 'cause we've spent so much time hanging out in the studio - but it's obvious that I'm not the only one who's into his sound, since he's received support from superstars like Pete Tong and Dave Seaman.

For my February minimix, I played his latest bootleg, "Push The Umbrella", which mashes up William's "Umbrella" with Nightcrawlers' "Push The Feeling On" - a totally unexpected combo that works really, really well.

I asked William if he'd post it to his SoundCloud account, so I could share it with ya and he was 100% down, so here it is.

Download William A - Push The Umbrella

Here's Some Really Freaky Shit

2011-02-14T07:00:00.004-06:00

Okay, now that I've got your attention, let's look into this thing called Cymatics.

In really simple terms, Cymatics is a study of how sound interacts with matter. It does so in extremely complex ways, some of which are truly mind-boggling.

At the beginning of each semester, I show a few of these videos to the students in my Synthesis 1 classes. As you will see, this material is both spellbinding and slightly humbling - especially if you have an iota of mysticism in your soul.

I don't claim to know what the fuck is going on here. Fortunately, neither do the researchers, though there appears to be something deeply important about this relatively new field.

Maybe god really is a DJ.

More videos after the jump...

Finally, here's the astonishingly short Wikipedia entry on Cymatics.

This & That #3

2011-02-13T00:09:00.056-06:00

CreateDigitalMusic takes a good, hard look at the Korg Kronos. And by good and hard, well, you know what I mean...

Back in black, I hit the sack, I've been too long I'm glad to be back. Well, Waldorf's Blofeld is at least. (via SonicState).

Native Instruments have updated and rebranded their Audio 4 DJ and Audio 8 DJ interfaces with additional channels, now they're called the Traktor Audio 6 and Traktor Audio 10.

Whooooooooaaaa. I totally slept on Propellerhead's YouTube channel, which is packed with cool Reason tutorial videos. Peep it.

Steinberg has announced version 3.5 of their VST plug-in spec. Depending on how many developers adopt these new features, this is either massive news or a non-event. Either way, there's some interesting stuff in there. (via Synthtopia)

Memory Lane department: Somehow, a Spanish blog has gotten their hands on a copy of Sons & Lovers' independently released 1985 EP. Considering there are probably less than 500 copies in circulation, this is nothing short of astonishing. The fact that I was literally in the process of having someone convert it to MP3 next week is even stranger. Oh yeah, Sons & Lovers was my first band...

Want another Ableton preset?

2011-02-09T07:00:00.030-06:00

So, instead of watching the Super Bowl on Sunday, I spent some time in the studio with Academik artist, badass DJ, and all-around Zen good guy, Shreddward.

We were reminiscing about those silky electronic strings from countless 70s and 80s tracks. Like the lead in Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" or (when accompanied by a phaser) those riffs and pads in all of Duran Duran's early hits.

Interestingly, one of the synths that excelled at this particular sound was the ARP Quadra I blogged about yesterday.

So, while I was showing Shredd how the sound was done, I realized I'd whipped up another patch for this blog.

For usability, I added a few macros (including a phaser for that authentic Nick Rhodes goodness) and uploaded it to my server.

Notes and download link after the jump...

Tech notes:

- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example chords and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.

- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.

- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download The String Machine

ARP Quadra Lust...

2011-02-08T13:20:00.001-06:00

One synth I have always wanted is basically impossible to find in proper working order.

The ARP Quadra.

It's not particularly glamourous or powerful, but it's unique beyond words and I've always felt compelled to have one.

Sonicstate just delivered the heads up on a wonderfully acceptable substitute.

Here's the YouTube vid:

Academik Records? Really?

2011-02-08T08:15:00.000-06:00

Coming soon...

Five Essential Tech Tools for Starting Your Studio

2011-02-07T10:00:00.004-06:00

Every time I play a gig, someone inevitably asks for advice on getting started with a home studio or DJ rig. Since talking tech is my favorite pastime (next to actually making tracks) I usually end up staying up way past my bedtime answering these questions – with a grin on my face.

In the interest of getting more sleep on the road, I've assembled a list of the five major considerations in putting together a rig of your own. This info is current as of February 2011 and I'll be updating it periodically as new products supercede older ones.

1. Choose your DAW

The first thing you'll need to do is decide which software best suits your production needs. While the legendary Pro Tools dominates the high-end studio world, the EDM community pivots on the following three products: Ableton Live, Apple Logic Studio, and Propellerhead Reason. The differentiating factors between these three products are as follows.

Propellerhead Reason offers a slew of killer synthesis and beat-making options, but in order to record or combine your synths with audio tracks (like vocals or other real-world instruments) you'll also need to purchase Propellerhead's Record.

Apple's Logic Studio suite of tools includes everything under the sun for creating original tracks via a traditional timeline-based work environment. Synths, loops, even mastering and performance software are all represented - and the package is offered at a killer price point of five hundred bucks. Make no mistake, Logic is incredibly popular with many of the world's top producers (with a bit of a tilt toward progressive and trance), so don't be fooled by its price. It's a great option if you're a Mac-based producer.

Ableton Live occupies an entirely different territory than the previous two options. For starters, it's the only product that you can use for both DJing and producing, which is a remarkable achievement. What's more, its unique session and arrangement modes allow you to improvise and compose on the fly without ever having to hit the 'stop' button - which must be experienced to be truly appreciated. Finally, with the full Live Suite package, it can go toe to toe with any top of the line DAW, thanks to Suite's dazzling array of easy-to-use synths and extensive collection of sampled instruments and loops. Unsurprisingly, Live has found a home with some of the world's top producers, like Deadmau5, Josh Gabriel, Wolfgang Gartner, Sebastien Leger and Jaytech.

Yes, there are other excellent DAWs out there, like Cakewalk Sonar and MOTU's Digital Performer, but those listed above are the ones that I've personally used extensively and feel comfortable endorsing.

2. Sound In - Sound Out

Once you've chosen a DAW, it's time to pick an audio interface. While there are tons of options, here are my top three favorites for under $300.

With XLR jacks on the front, The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra is ideal for producers who will also be recording vocals or other traditional instruments. What's more, it also includes MIDI in and out jacks for attaching a synth or keyboard controller. Throw in S/PDIF digital I/O and two dedicated insert jacks for adding external processors (like compression or EQ) and you have a full-service product in an extremely small package.

On the DJ side of things, Native Instruments' Audio 4 DJ is a great little dual stereo in/out interface that's perfect for gigging and built like a friggin' tank. If you can forego the audio inputs for recording and just need two sets of stereo outs for DJing and monitoring at home, then go for its little brother, the Audio 2 DJ. For about a hundred bucks, it's a killer little box - and incidentally, it's what I use for all my own DJ sets.

If you really want to go for it - and have room to grow as you add vintage and/or modular synths - MOTU's UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid is a fantastic choice. What's more, it's fully compatible with their extraordinary Volta plug-in, which allows it to control and automate any voltage controlled synth.

3. Monitors

If you plan to focus on remixes and/or original tracks, you should never skimp on monitors. After all, these are the final components that translate your productions to your ears. Imagine trying to do graphic design on a crappy display. Think about it. Yeah, it's like that.

For less than $400 a pair, the M-Audio BX5a powered monitors are an excellent choice for an entry-level studio. Balanced sound, great price and good looking to boot, these monitors are a great place to start.

If you've got a bit more cash and a need for extended bass, the Mackie HRmk2 series are a long-time industry fave because they deliver balanced sound and authentic bass. I know quite a few producers who swear by these monitors and own a pair myself.

At the exotic end of the spectrum, M-Audio's Studiophile DSM3 monitors are a killer choice for studios with a bit of extra room. Standing a full sixteen inches tall, these monitors are stately in their physical appearance, but that's not why we love them. The bottom line is the sound and the DSM3s provide incredible sonic detail - even in the subs - which is a remarkable feat in itself. I currently use their predecessor, the EX66, and am delighted with those.

4. Keyboard Controllers

Like audio interfaces, there are oodles of options for USB keyboard controllers. For pure selection, head over to M-Audio's controllers page, where there's something for literally everyone. If you just want a good all-around basic controller, check out their Oxygen 49.

Novation is another popular brand of MIDI controller and their range of products extends beyond keyboards into knob and slider controllers, as well as Ableton-specific goodies like their new Launchpad.

For producers on the go - or DJs who want to add a bit of real-time fun to their sets - Korg's Nano Series of tiny controllers is a killer way to add knobs, pads or keys to your rig. James Zabiela is a fan of their NanoPad drum pad controller for his live sets and personally, I'm a longtime user of the NanoKontrol knob/fader controller for both gigging and studio applications.

The new M-Audio Venom is another worthwhile consideration for producers looking for a hardware synth for live gigs. It's an analog-style synth that uses actual samples of vintage gear, a MIDI interface (if you plan to purchase more hardware synths, you'll need one) and an audio interface, as well. I've been going on about this synth since its arrival and for $500 (US) its an amazing value.

5. Microphones

Whether you're sampling audio in the field or recording vocals in your home studio, you'll need a solid microphone. In the pro world, there are literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of options for mics ranging in price from a hundred bucks to over ten thousand dollars. Just google "microphone" and see for yourself. After you’ve done that, here are a few mics that definitely hit the price/performance ratio quite nicely.

If your audio interface includes XLR inputs with phantom power, head over to Blue Microphones' website. They deliver outstanding bang-for-buck when it comes to quality condenser mics. On the other end of the scale, Blue also offers a nifty array of USB-based microphones with an audio interface built right into the mic.

Again, here's an area where M-Audio's vast and deep product line shines. If you're looking for a solid large diaphragm condenser mic that's well suited for vocals, under $500, check out their Luna II and Solaris microphones. At the lower end of the spectrum, the Nova condenser is a downright steal at $129 list.

Other manufacturers delivering microphones with time-tested quality and value include Audio-Technica, Shure, and (if you’ve got some extra cash and a jones for legendary gear) Neumann.

So there you have it. Happy shopping!

This & That #2

2011-02-06T18:00:00.006-06:00

Now that the Super Bowl is over, time to go back to being a geek...

Analog Badassery Alert

Tom Oberheim is at it again. This time he's recreating the original Oberheim four-voice as the "Son Of 4 Voice" - a modern-day take on the legendary semi-programmable behemoth.

Here are a few tidbits about it to whet your appetite:
- Son Of 4 Voice image
- Son Of 4 Voice audio examples
- TomOberheim.com main page

Beatportal Tutorials Permalink

Just posted a permanent page to my blog, so you can easily find the Beatportal tutorials and RA glossary.

William A February 2011 Minimix

Armada recording artist and good buddy of mine, William A, has posted his latest DJ set here.

More linkee goodness after the jump...

The Gospel Of Mike Monday

Legendary tech-funk DJ/producer, Mike Monday, has a fantastic blog about creativity, the music industry and building a career independently. (Here's Mike's Twitter feed too.)

Moogery

CreateDigitalMusic.com has a nice little piece on the mating habits of the Moog Little Phatty and the Moog Guitar.

Chief R&D Engineer Taiki Imaizumi with the new Korg Kronos (via matrixsynth).

And now... Your Moment Of Zen

Angie Dickinson Performs Steve Reich’s Clapping Music While Beating Up Lee Marvin

Hip Hop Girl in a Techno Club

2011-02-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

A buddy of mine made this last year and it still cracks me up... Priceless.

Dubspot Online

2011-02-05T10:00:00.017-06:00

Hardcore Ableton fans already know this, but if you're looking to get schooled on Live then you need to check out Dubspot Online.

I've done a few seminars for them and can attest that they are 100% legit and have some of the most knowledgeable instructors I've encountered in my career.

Doesn't hurt that they're really nice guys too.

Really doesn't hurt that they've got Jon Margulies on the team too.

So if you want to go deeper into Ableton Live and can't make it to Austin to take my classes, this is your best bet for real education on electronic music production.

Really. Check 'em out. Namaste.

Amazing EMS Documentary (YouTube)

2011-02-04T10:40:00.000-06:00

Just stumbled across this documentary on legendary 60's British synth manufacturer, EMS.

Check it.

Parts 2 & 3 after the jump.

Exclusive: Choppers #1 Loop Sixpack

2011-02-03T09:00:00.001-06:00

Last night, I apent a couple of hours screwing around with gated effects in Live. Some cool stuff happened… Y'know, somewhere between that Afrojack thing and trance, but neither - or both. Your call.

Either way, I ended up with a new sixpack of loops for you to fool around with in your spare time.

Tech notes:
- All loops are 128 BPM.
- All loops are eight bars long.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Download Choppers #1 Sixpack (AIFF format)

Synthesizer & Effect Glossary

2011-02-02T09:00:00.000-06:00

One of my toughest writing assignments last year was creating a comprehensive glossary of synthesizer and studio technology terms for Resident Advisor.

Man oh MAN was that gig intense. Writing, re-writing, cross-referencing, and going over everything with a fine-toothed comb to ensure it was clear, concise and accurate.

Massive. Simply massive.

Resident Advisor's Tech Glossary

(As an aside, I've also created a dedicated page for my Beatportal tutorials, so you can easily find them.)

Exclusive: February 2011 - Francis Prève Minimix

2011-02-01T09:30:00.003-06:00

Last week, I did a guest mix and interview for Hypersonic Radio.

This week, I'm posting that mix as a free download on SoundCloud for your listening pleasure

Here's the SoundCloud link.

Enjoy.

Full tracklisting after the jump...

February 2011 - Francis Prève Minimix Tracklisting

1. La Porte - Original Mix - Reset Robot
2. The Reward Is Our Night - Francis Prève 2011 Reboot - Sander Kleinenberg vs. Francis Prève vs Deadmau5
3. Get Your Conga On - Original Mix - Joyce Muniz
4. I'll Be OK - Superskank Remix - Bass Kleph
5. Push The Umbrella - William A 2011 Bootleg - William A vs. Nightcrawlers
6. Black Mamba - Original Mix - John Acquaviva, Olivier Giacomotto

January 2011 Blog Poll Results

2011-02-01T07:00:00.042-06:00

Last month, I did a survey on this blog design:

Should I actually do a real design for this blog or just say "Fuck It" and let the content speak for itself?

Results:
A glitzy design would really help improve your brand. (11%)
Who cares? I just wanna know what's on your mind. (44%)
When you get a chance, cool. Until then, this is robo-fine. (33%)
Polls? WTF? (10%)

So I'm just gonna keep chillin' and doing what I'm doing... Which is trying to make this blog the best it can be.

If you get a sec, vote on this month's survey.

My Five Desert Island Plug-ins (February 2011)

2011-01-31T08:00:00.003-06:00

Mike Cobb asked me to post an entry about my five must-have plug-ins, which is a very difficult task for a few reasons.

For one thing, there are literally thousands of great plug-ins out there. Synths, effects, EQs... Everyone knows this drill, so filing it down to five means leaving out some really great software.

On the other hand, I'm extremely finicky about what software ends up living on my machine. More plug-ins means more maintenance, upgrades, compatibility - and if you decide to collaborate or share tracks, then you need to render what the other party doesn't have.

In the end, I just went with the facts: These truly are the plug-ins that I use regularly and know intimately.

So here goes...

Ableton Operator

Operator has made an appearance in every track I've ever made. Whether it's the deconstructed 808 cowbell from "Less Cowbell" or the distorted bass and pulsing chords from my remix of Winter Kills' "Deep Down", this is the softsynth I use more than any other.

iZotope Ozone

I've used Ozone to pre-master every one of my releases (so that I can road test them in clubs). The adaptive limiter alone is worth the price of admission - and the stereo mid-side functions are stunning.

Trivia: I was so happy with Ozone's mastering on "Deep Down" that I opted to skip label mastering and sent them the finished product to release.

FXpansion DCAM

There are a ton of great softsynths that come really close to what true analog sounds like, but DCAM - specifically Strobe - is the only one that actually nails the sound. It's so close that when I'm on the road, I miss my real analog gear just a teeny bit less.

If you're already a DCAM user, here's a link to the artist bank I did for them last year.

Celemony Melodyne

When it comes to real paradigm-shifting innovation, Celemony is right up there with Ableton. Melodyne's ability to transform audio into editable, piano-roll sequences is nothing short of astonishing. I've used it on vocals on several occasions in the past with transparent results.

Think of it as Auto-Tune for adults.

The fact that it can now process polyphonic material proves that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Native Instruments Reaktor

Make no mistake, NI's Reaktor is ab-so-lute-ly the modular synth of the digital world. It's so friggin' deep that even I don't have time to tap its resources - unless I come up with useless glitchy artifacts and say, "Oh, I meant to do that". Maybe after I retire. Naaaaaah.

Fortunately, there are ensembles like The Finger and The Mouth and Prism that make it possible to do extraordinary things - provided you have the brains to understand it and the time to implement it.

I have neither, so I rely on a former student of mine (and synth genius in his own right), Meason Wiley, to program ensembles that push the boundaries of what's possible with audio. I'm still trying to talk him into letting me post links to them, so y'all can see how gifted he is. Maybe this post will help. Wish me luck. Seriously. The guy's a maniac.

PS: If you aren't already familiar with Meason's credentials, go here.

So, Mike, there's your answer ;)

This & That #1

2011-01-30T13:00:00.004-06:00

Moog badassery

42 Dual MiniMoogs or The Meaning of Life

M-Audio is giving away a Venom
Something wicked this way comes…

Be very afraid... The 2011 IDMA Ballot

Some thoughts on choosing a laptop DJ platform
Battle of the 1s and 0s. Traktor Vs Ableton Vs Serato

Create Digital Music has a cool giveaway. Act fast. Seriously.
Survey Giveaway: Win $2500 in DubSpot Online Training, Reason+Record, or AdrenaLinn Sync

Vintage Synth Timeline Madness

2011-01-30T07:00:00.012-06:00

Maybe I was sleeping - or ~~binging~~ touring - or designing sounds - or too busy working on this blog, but I somehow totally missed the amazing site update for Vintage Synth Explorer.

VSE is absolutely the go-to site for in-depth information on legendary synths, so this site refresh adds even more value to one of my all time favorite resources for gear.

By far, the coolest thing about the new site is the Vintage Synth Timeline, which puts every synth on the site into a scrolling timeline that's a blast to poke around.

Got a few hours? Watch them fly by.

What's In My Gig Bag?

2011-01-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm often asked what I use for gigging live.

Here are the contents of my M-Audio backpack:

- Apple MacBook Pro (2010)
- Native Instruments' Audio2DJ
- Korg NanoKontrol
- M-Audio IE30 in-ear monitors
- Two sets of all connector cables
- Ultra-bright LED flashlight
- Bag of Haribo Gold Bears
- Extra superhero t-shirt
- Hand towel
- Old boarding passes that I forgot to toss

Analog Synth Buyer's Guides

2011-01-28T09:30:00.001-06:00

Last year, I did a couple of analog synth shopping guides for Resident Advisor.

The info is still quite relevant overall, so I'm reposting the links here.

Best in gear: Analog synths under €1000
Best in gear: Analog synths over €1000

Free Loops: M-Audio Venom Sixpack (Ableton and raw audio formats)

2011-01-27T07:00:00.005-06:00

Did someone say free loops from a synth that's only been out for two weeks?

Yessiree.

Last weekend, I was noodling around with the presets on M-Audio's new Venom synth. Some are my babies (like Sleepwalk and Mysterio), some are from other developers.

I figured I'd hit record, in case inspiration struck, which it did.

The results are in this sixpack. Six loops. All yours. Royalty free. Have fun.

Tech notes:
- Everything's in the key of C.
- All loops are at 128 BPM.
- All loops are eight bars long.
- Since I played it by hand, there's a bit of warping to tighten the grooves.

Download M-Audio Venom Sixpack (raw loops)

Download M-Audio Venom Sixpack in Ableton Live 7.0.18 format

Update: In addition, today M-Audio just kicked off a contest to win a Venom. Nice coincidence.

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Gets A Little More Interesting

2011-01-26T13:00:00.003-06:00

In all honesty, I've been a tad skeptical of the Teenage Engineering OP-1.

Yes, it's beautiful.

Yes, it's in the SHM video for "One".

Yes, it's got more buzz than almost any new synth - ever.

But until this video, I'd basically dismissed it as a 21st century VL-Tone.

Now, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe the OP-1 is worth getting worked up over.

You tell me.

More YouTube demos after the jump...

OP-1 Endless Sequencer

OP-1 Rhythm & Track

OP-1 Multitrack Beat session

OP-1 Tape Demo

WTF is a MeeBlip?

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Finally got to catch up with Peter Kirn from Create Digital Music - one of my favorite blogs.

We kicked it about Dave Smith & Roger Linn's new Tempest for a bit, talked about his plans for SXSW and as we were winding down he blurted out something about a MeeBlip.

I was like, "WTF is a MeeBlip?" then googled it and found myself rather intrigued by the prospect of an open-source hardware synth module.

Pete's gonna fill me in a lot more in the next week or two, but until then you should check this thing out.

It's more than a little nifty.

Index Of Beatportal Tutorials

2011-01-25T09:00:00.017-06:00

From 2007-2009, I was technology editor for Beatport's EDM blog, Beatportal.

During that time, I wrote a comprehensive set of tutorials on subtractive synthesis - the underlying technology behind 99.9% of analog synths - as well as sampling, effects, tips for getting the most out of Reason's Thor, and a smattering of production master classes with techniques from some of the top EDM producers.

Since starting this blog, I've been asked to create an index of the Beatportal tutorials, so here ya go.

Subtractive and analog synthesis

- Introduction to Synthesizer Programming, Part 1
- Introduction to Synthesizer Programming, Part 2
- Some call it analog: How subtractive synthesizers work
- Oscillators: Essential Waveforms
- Oscillators: Mixing and Blending
- Filters: The Wow Factor
- Filters: Going Deeper
- Understanding Envelopes, Part 1
- Understanding Envelopes, Part 2
- Essential LFO facts
- Grasping MIDI Controllers

Introduction to sampling

- Sampling Essentials – Part 1
- Sampling Essentials – Part 2

Tutorials on Reason’s Thor synthesizer

- Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 1: Oscillators
- Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 2: Filters
- Stealing Thor’s Thunder – Part 3: Modulation

Introduction to effects

- Tutorial: How to use compression
- Tutorial: How to use a delay
- Tutorial: How to use reverb
- Tutorial: How to use a noise gate
- Tutorial: How to use modulation effects

Production Master Classes

- Production Master Class: Intros and Outros
- Production Master Class: Kick and bass
- Production Master Class: Hi-hats and top-loops
- Production Master Class: Automation
- Production Master Class: The Whoosh

You Want Ableton Presets? Ya Got 'Em...

2011-01-24T09:30:00.010-06:00

Having polled Twitter and ~~Facebook~~ that other site, it appears that there are a bunch of people out there who want me to post some Ableton Live presets now and then.

So, who am I to refuse, right?

The first patch is a very simple little Instrument Rack that does the trick for those 21st century progressive house saw pads - and you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Tech notes:
- I'm posting the patch within a Live Set, as opposed to a Live Pack or single preset, so you can hear the patch with example chords and twist the macro knobs to see what's what. If you like it, then hit the preset save button on the macro and add it to your Library.
- The patch will run on Ableton Live 7.0.18 or higher.
- What you see/hear is what you get. I tested it on a couple of systems and the Zip file works as expected.

Here's the link. Have fun!

Download Francis Preve's 21st Century Sawtooth Pad

Want another Ableton preset?

Daft Punk? The Third Twin? Justice? WTF?

2011-01-23T15:45:00.003-06:00

If you've been following today's tweets and FB postings - and you should - you'll notice that there is a growing bit of controversy regarding Daft Punk and another French group, The Third Twin.

electronicmusicfrench.blogspot.com posted some info last month.

Quote: "The most curious about all this is that Guy-Manuel Homen-Christo is an uncle of two twins, as the French press know."

Apparently, The Third Twin - Yvan and Virgile Homem-Christo - are said nephews.

And here's a YouTube video that deepens the mystery.

I also find it absolutely fascinating that the track is called "Justice".

My spider-sense continues to tingle...

Update: Here's Daft Punk's denial of a connection on Billboard.com.

Another Live Guru You Should Know About

2011-01-23T11:00:00.002-06:00

When it comes to Ableton Live, Jon Margulies knows his shit. Period.

In addition to writing several books on making the most of Live, he's been blogging Live tips since last year.

There's a fuckton of material on his site - for both newcomers and experts alike.

He's also a wicked producer who's created his very own genre: Hobotech ;)

Bookmark this link. Visit often. Namaste.

Housekeeeeping! (5 Tips For Smoother Workflows)

2011-01-22T10:00:00.062-06:00

Five housekeeping tips to improve your workflow and protect your projects:

- Label and color code your tracks as you work. Nothing slows down the production process more than trying to remember if the bass is on channel 6 or channel 17. I organize my channels as follows: kick, snare, hats/shakers/top loops, percussion, whooshes/fx, bass, synths/instruments, and vocals.

- Make use of your DAW's locator markers. As you make progress on your arrangement, it's incredibly handy to be able to immediately jump to the verses, choruses, breakdowns, intro, and outro sections of your track. When you're in a state of "flow", every second counts.

- Learn key commands for as many common operations as you can. If you find yourself going to your DAW's pull-down menus all the time, something's amiss.

- Every time you make a noteworthy change to your project, resave the file with a new number. For example: MySong v1, MySong v2, MySong v3, etc. This way, if your arrangement or mix veers off course you can always go back to the last solid version.

- Every time you add new audio to your track, be sure to Collect All and Save. No exceptions. It may eat up more drive space, but keeping everything in the same folder makes archiving much easier.

- Speaking of archiving, be sure to backup to an external drive at the end of each session.

Oops. That's six.

Ten Essential Production Tips

2011-01-21T15:00:00.023-06:00

As this blog evolves, I'll be plundering my writing archives looking for older pieces that are essential - or at least robo-handy - for making club tracks and remixes.

Last September, to celebrate my 10th anniversary at Keyboard Magazine, I was asked to whip up a column on ten techniques every EDM producer should know.

Yeah, yeah... The original title is a tad over the top, but hey, I named my last book after the friggin' Bible.

Here's the linkee-link:
http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/ten-things-you/September-2010/119099

Francispreve.com Arrives :D

2011-01-21T10:00:00.015-06:00

www.francispreve.com

Rather than whipping up a fancydancy ultra-redundant site that duplicates all the other social media stuff I'm doing, here's an easy way to get to my Blog, Twitter, SoundCloud, Facebook, Beatport artist page, iTunes artist page, Beatportal tech tutorials, Amazon books, and news.

Simple, direct, and iOS compatible. One page to rule them all.

Old-school Automation Shortcut

2011-01-20T18:24:00.006-06:00

This trick is really old school, but in many cases it's way more efficient than screwing around endlessly with automation and fx sends.

If you want to echo or verb only certain words of a lead vocal, just duplicate the track, add the desired effects (making the echo or verb 100% wet) and chop out everything you don't want to process. This is - for me - the quickest way to process only specific words and syllables.

Here's how I'm doing it on my remix for the upcoming Winter Kills single "Hot As Hades":

Speaking of... I gotta get back to work.

Rob Papen Introduces Explorer Bundle

2011-01-20T15:10:00.001-06:00

In my NAMM roundup earlier this week, I mentioned that Rob Papen's new drum plug-in - Punch - looked and sounded like a hit.

This week, Keyboard Magazine goes a bit deeper with a blog entry on Papen's new bundle of synth and effect plug-ins.

Here's the skinny: Rob Papen Introduces Explorer Bundle

A Brief History of Ableton Live

2011-01-20T10:00:00.024-06:00

Last week, MusicRadar, featured an article on the history of Ableton Live and I'm ~~not mentioned once~~ really impressed with their research. So, if you've ever wondered how an industry-changing product springs into existence, give this piece a read.

http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/a-brief-history-of-ableton-live-357837

(And has it really been ten years? Christ, I feel old...)

SampleMagic + Toolroom = Whoa!

2011-01-19T14:09:00.002-06:00

Speaking of Toolroom... What happens when my favorite soundware developer collaborates with one of my all-time favorite labels?

http://www.soundstosample.com/info/Sample_Magic/Toolroom_Records_Samples_01/812

Yep. SampleMagic just released a library of Toolroom loops and samples, and frankly, I'm robo-psyched.

Definitely gonna add this one to the studio collection. Werd.

Let Me ConscinGo

2011-01-19T10:00:00.018-06:00

This bootleg was a mainstay in my crate for the second half of 2010.

It's a quick little mashup of Wolfgang Gartner & Mark Knight's "Conscindo" and Heaven17's classic 80s hit "Let Me Go".

It rocked many a floor for me, so have at it!

http://soundcloud.com/francispreve/let-me-conscingo-francis-preve-bootleg-v6-mark-knight-wolfgang-gartner-vs-heaven-17

NAMM Stuff That Grabbed My Ass

2011-01-18T13:00:00.003-06:00

Working on this Winter Kills remix, so not much time to blahblahblah...

Here's what I dug at NAMM. It's all stuff that's definitely worth checking out. Promise.

M-Audio Venom

Okay, maybe I'm a teeny bit biased because I programmed a fuckton of the presets that ship with this synth, but in all honesty, it's one of the most unique digital synths I've seen in a long time. The fact that the waveforms are actually sampled from classic analog gear (as opposed to being generated via modeling) gives the Venom a more aggressive, slightly quirky vibe - and quirky aggression is something that I'm a little too into or so I've been told.

Throw in an audio interface, MIDI interface, and a street price of about $500 and you have the makings of a synth that's going to be in a lot of rigs.

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=b5802db3183b67097540183d9bc6d88e

Korg Kronos

Once upon a time, Korg made a synth that really DID do it all, called the OASYS. Unfortunately, the OASYS cost around $10000. (Yeah, ten GRAND), so it was strictly a luxury item for actual rockstars.

Six years later, they refined the OASYS immeasurably and brought the price into the range of mere mortals. Kronos is very good stuff - and Jack Hotop's always astonishing, frankly gorgeous demos really drove the point home to NAMMites.

Shameless plug: Kronos also features several of the synths from their Legacy collection and a damn powerful FM synth called MOD-7. I did a bunch of patches for both and Korg has confirmed that these sounds will be included with Kronos when it ships.

Psyched about that.

http://www.korg.com/kronos

Dave Smith Instruments Tempest

Dave Smith and Roger Linn make a drum machine with both samples and real analog synthesis.

Do I really have to go on?!?

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/news/tempest.php

Video demo here: http://player.vimeo.com/video/18862098 (Added 01.18.11 1:50pm)

Fairlight CMI iPad App

As a kid, I always wanted a Fairlight CMI, but I just didn't have $25k lying around for some reason.

Fast forward thirty years. The processing power of the iPhone eclipses that of the original Fairlight Series IIx. Soooo.... Now that Fairlight is back in business, they've decided to re-release the Fairlight Series IIx as apps for both the iPhone ($5.00) and iPad ($50.00) - iPad vid here.

I wet myself.

Reactable iPad App

As a kid, I always wanted a Reactable, but I just wasn't Bjork.

Fast forward four years. Now that Apple makes a pocket-sized platform that does the trick, there's an app for that.

Lots of puddles in Hall E.

Other random moments of excitement...

Rob Papen makes great softsynths. Punch is his latest. MusicRadar has more info.

I've been slavishly devoted to iZotope's Ozone, Alloy and Trash plugs since each arrived. I'm guessing the same will happen with Nectar.

The fact that Korg's Legacy MS20 controller is compatible with the iMS20 means I am robo-excited that I've got one collecting dust in my garage - for now. Here's the YouTube vid to prove it.

Back to that remix...

Obligatory "Lookee here I'm starting a blog" Post

2011-01-18T12:00:00.001-06:00

FACT: I fucking hate Facebook.

So... Since Google appears to be the lesser of two evils, I'm starting a blog for my technology, music and social commentary.

I'll link back from FB and Twitter as I add posts.

Brace yourselves.

PS: This theme is a placeholder until I figure out how I want everything to appear...