Found a great video about the new Sonic State Logic Analog/Digital Console at recordbetteraudio.com. Click here to view it.
The AWS 900 is a full-fledged audio workstation that also is fully compatible with your DAW. It can control any DAW that uses HUI protocol (Pro Tools, Logic, Nuendo, etc). It has motorized faders, transport controls and literally everything else you need to operate your DAW without a mouse or keyboard. This is definitely on my wish list.
To your right is the world’s first handheld DJ system. You may think this is a little off-topic for RM but this was too cool of a gadget to NOT write about.
You also may think this is just a novelty, a glorified iPod perhaps. You are most definitely wrong. The features in this little piece of genius packs some professional DJ punch.
It is built quite durably for its size, so it is made to last. It has a a 120GB hard drive, the ability to preview tracks, adjust beats per minute, split and cut loops, crossfade, alter levels, add effects and more.
This is so cool it hurts. Click here for more.
-J
On Pro Tooler, there’s a great article on how Pro Tools could be improved. Of course, these are the opinions of the editor, but I tend to agree with most, if not all, of the article. He does mention Pro Tools should be Linux-compatible. Sure, that’d be cool, but I really don’t care either way.
Click here to view the article. You could consider this more wood for my Logic vs. Pro Tools flame, but is still a great article in and of itself.
Enjoy
In a recent post, I explained my view of the debate between which DAW is better…Pro Tools or Logic.
On Record-Producer.com, there is an article that best explains my opinion in the debate. Click here to check it out and let me know your opinion!
-J
I found an AWESOME article in Future Music magazine on 10 power tips for using the newest release of Logic Pro. After reading, check out their website in my blogroll to show ‘em you love ‘em!
Before I share these tips, I wanted to go off on a little tangent. I hear the debate going back and forth all the time regarding whether to use Logic or Pro Tools. For most of my readers, this decision is a no-brainer. I’m sure there are those of you that use other software as your DAW – Ableton, Sonar, Cubase, Nuendo, Acid (I don’t know many Acid users but it IS a great little program). But, those of you who ARE Logic or Pro Tools users, you are more than likely die-hard to your software. I know of a top producer who uses both.
I believe Logic is a fantastic all-around DAW. It is best used, though, in certain genres. Logic comes pack-full of virtual instruments, synths, sampler, drum rack…basically everything you need to make music out of the box (of course you need a controller for all those instruments but you get the point). Therefore Logic is best suited for electronic music (trip hop, techno, electro rock even). Pro Tools doesn’t have as many instruments bundled with the software but it is THE best recording and editing software you can buy. This is why Pro Tools is industry standard.
Anyways, if you have been weighing this decision in your mind about which DAW to center your musical production prowess on, first consider what you’ll be making the music WITH. Live instruments? Virtual instruments? It’s your choice….
Without further ado, here are the 10 power tips for using Logic Pro created by Jono Buchanan:
It’s easy to think of vocoders as one-trick ponies. While it’s certainly true that vocoders are the tools producers turn to when they need robot voices or sci-fi choirs, there are certainly other musical uses for these clever little pieces of technology. And Logic’s EVOC20 polysynth can work either as a pure synthesizer or as a vocoder.
I imported an Apple Loop on to a spare audio channel and then, once I’ve opened the EVOC20 on a new audio instrument track, I fed the loop to it via the sidechain routing. Once this is done, I’ve selected a pad sound from the long list of sidechain input sources, created a musical part for the EVOC20 and pressed play.
You’ll see and hear the loop triggering the pad. I’ve had to adjust the volume to set the correct balance between the layers but if you decide you want the loop to act as a trigger only, simply turn off its output routing in its mixer strip.
This leaves just the vocoded signal. If you want to use another audio instrument as a trigger, just send its output to a spare bus and then select that bus as the sidechain source.
Most producers I know use Logic and most of those in turn have no idea what the ES2’s vector does and what it’s capable of. They might go as far as loading one of the Vector patches from the preset list but that’s as far as it goes. Programming it? No thanks.
But there’s no need to be scare – the ES2’s vector is capable of some phenomenal results, despite a slightly fiddly interface. Vector points can be assigned a range of parameters from either or both of the oscillator triangle and the X-Y axis.
Effectively this means that snapshots from both areas can be captured at each vector point and the sound will morph from one vector point to the next in one of three user-defined ways. The X and axes can both be assigned one parameter each and an amount for how extreme that parameter’s response will be can also then be set.
Once you’ve set up the points you want, you can then select how the vector points will morph and set the speed for this ovement, either sync’d to tempo or left free via an LFO-style ‘rate’, or across specified times in milliseconds. Create morphing pads or Dance-y, rhythmic sequences. Just don’t panic.
Sidechains again, but this time relating to Logic’s ES1 synthesizer. This mean, green machine allows you to use an incoming sidechained signal in two specific ways.
For starters, once you’ve specified where the sidechain is coming from in the usual way, you can set the second oscillator to ‘External’. This routes the sidechain source through as a rogue oscillator, meaning that you can send vocals, guitars, drums, or anyother audio material into the synth at the oscillator stage.
The slider to the right of the oscillator selector then allows you to select a blend between the ‘pure’ synthesized oscillator and your incoming sidechain source.
Of course, if you just want the sidechain, set this slider all the way to the bottom. You can then filter it, set up envelopes…whatever you like. The second way in which this signal can be used is as an LFO waveform. Again, an ‘Ext’ option is available at the LFO stage, and selecting this, picking an LFO target and setting an amount, allows you to use the incoming waveform as a trigger for, as an example, vibrato. If you’re making dance music and are looking for new ways to combine rhythmic material and beats, this could be for you.
Plenty of mix engineers reach for reverb when they’re treating the individual drum parts in a mix. Such treatment helps tie the sounds together and provides a little decay to sounds which are frequently very short.
If you create Electronic music and fancy something a little different, I’d highly recommend Logic’s Enverb to you. This plug-in allows you to fashion an envelope for the sound over which it’s placed, but rather than getting into the nitty-gritty of sound synthesis, instead you’re setting a reverb shape with traditional envelope controls. To lengthen the sound, the most important of these controls is ‘Hold’ which sets a time for the sustain portion of the envelope. In other words, when the reverbs sustains, this determines how long the sustain will stick around. The result, at high sustain level, presents something like gated reverb.
In modest amounts, this can provide ambience, but used more aggressively, the result is positively industrial. There are a range of tools available for shaping the sound of the reverb itself too – in particular, lower the density for some bespoke grit.
Most DAW-based musicians inevitably find themselves creating many of their automation rides with a mouse. If you want a filter to open in a linear way, it’s much easier to create a ramp with two points than it is to draw a smooth curve in real time.
Logic’s automation menu, built-in to each individual track, allows you to choose a parameter from any objects assigned to that track by default. So, if you have an ESM, feeding into a delay for example, once you’ve activated Track Automation mode, you’ll find all automate-able parameters for the ESM and the delay listed at the top.
Both these plug-ins have relatively few parameters, so finding what you’re after is easy. For more complex modules, you’re better off selecting ‘Latch’ mode from the automation options and drawing a small amount of data for the parameter of your choice. You don’t need to worry if your changes aren’t ‘right’ at this stage. Once you’ve introduced that parameter, it’s listed in ‘bold’ at the bottom of the automation parameters list. You can then draw over your written data and create the accurate points you need.
Continuing the automation theme, what if you want to automate or modify parameters relating to an effect assigned to a bus? As with audio and instrument objects, you’ll find that the bus strips have an automation mode toggle selector just above the fader and again, it’s best to select ‘Latch’ here. As before, simply write a little data for the parameter you wish to automate, or perform the ride you need in its entirety.
As soon as you press ‘Stop’, Logic will automatically create a track in the arrange page for the bus you’ve been working on. You’ll find this underneath all the other tracks in the arrange page. Open up ‘Track Automation’ mode from the ‘View’ menu and sure enough, there’s your ride. In order to move this around or copy it, you’ll need to tie it to a region.
Grab the Pencil tool from the Toolbox, and create an object around the automation data you’ve written. Then, you can easily copy it or move it, just like any other arrange page region. If you’re likely to automate lots of parameters from separate bus effects, it’s good to rename these regions and move them up next to the instrument to which they relate.
Ultabeat is another seemingly complicated Logic instrument plug-in, It allows you to create a number of sampled or synthesized drum sounds and combine those into a single instrument, with each drum mapped to a single key. In terms of flexibility, this is phenomenal, as you effectively have 31 separate synths waiting in line to modify each sound in turn.
But after creating bespoke kits, most producers long to get back to the arrange page and understandably end up playing in the notes they want, or creating them with the Pencil tool.
Ultrabeat’s sequencer, however, also lets you create a pattern in the classic 808 drum machine style, with notes assignable to a a sequencer grid with a running light. The height of each note you input represents its velocity and its width relates to its length, assuming the sound in questions has a sustain portion.
You can assign an accent to each note, or dial in a swing value. Once the pattern is ready, simply drag and drop it from the dedicated ‘Pattern To Track’ button into the arrange page. If further tweaks are required, these can be made in the Matrix editor, where each event appears in MIDI.
There’s nothing worse than those days when you’re excited to make new noises of your own, but all of your ideas end up lacking. If only you could wave a magic wand and have fate make a sound for you…
Good news: ES2’s Randomizer (directly below the filter section) allows you to choose the area of the sound you want to randomize – simply pick a synthesizer section from the drop-down menu. Using the slider to the left, you can then select a percentage change of randomization, so each parameter within that section will either shift a little (small percentages) or wildly (larger ones).
If you want to cut loose altogether, you can choose to randomize ‘All’, which means that, with a high random percentage, you’ll get a completely unpredictable, often barmy noise. This feature is certainly fantastic at showcasing how powerful and flexible a synth the ES2 is, but it’s also nice to let the technology freak out on your behalf from time to time.
With the more powerful synths in Logic often seeming to blow all in their path to one side, it’s often great to return to the more basic instruments for tips and tricks. When it comes to white noise effects, my weapon of choice is Logic’s ESP.
The white noise generator is the last oscillator type and it’s good to use it in isolation. The ESP’s built-in cheesy Chorus effect is great as a kind of auto-Flanger. Once you’ve created any note to your chosen duration, it’s time to get automating.
Start with some filter cutoff changes. Add in some resonance. Increase the Chorus amount, or for more choppy results, dial in some wah and slowly increase the speed over the duration of the note. How it evolves is up to you, but it’s nice to be faced with a few common or garden choices and not every possibility under the sun. If you want to complicate the sound, try throwing your white noise at an effect or two.
One aspect of real drumming that’s usually worth trying to replicate when working with programmed patterns is that of timbral variation. It’s pretty hard to hit a drum with a stick in exactly the same way – even the most consistent players producer very subtle timbral differences. If you’re working with samples, it’s not always easy to build in similar kinds variation but Ultrabeat makes this surprisingly possible, if you’re prepared to sacrifice the odd sound or two.
With the bass drum and snare I’ve created three variants from each core sound. I’ve copied the default bass drum from C1 to C31, D1 and D31 and I’ve done the same with the snare an octave higher, replacing the default sounds for those locations.
As these sounds are initially identical, it’s possible for you to create subtle, or radical variations of them on each key, so you can create longer, shorter, brighter, duller or any other versions you fancy. Then, either using the Ultrabeat sequencer, or the Matrix editor, you can create a bespoke pattern with the timbral variations of of your choice. I’ve used a core sound and three variations but there’s nothing to stop you creating 31 slightly different sounds and saving these as a group, for the ultimate construction kit.
Indeed, there is drum machine software that you can add to your iPhone.
Go here for the full story.
Have a home studio and wondered you need a patchbay? Do you know what a patchbay is used for? If you got one, would you know how to use it? My answers used to be as follows: Yes, No, and ABSOLUTELY NOT! And I’m sure most of my readers’ answers would be the same (or maybe not and I’m just ignorant).
Patchbays are great tools for increasing creativity in the studio. Ever wanted to route your guitar through your reverb, EQ, compressor, back through reverb and finish it off with a phaser? In theory, you could do that and wouldn’t have to reroute a single cable on your console. A patchbay keeps all your crazy routing ideas manageable in one small space.
Record-Producer.com has a great explanation of patchbays:
“Every professional studio has a patchbay. So there’s at least one good reason to have one in your home studio. If it’s good for the professionals, it must be good for you too. But there is still a ‘why?’ hanging here…
Recording studio equipment comes in all shapes and sizes, with connectors usually around the back with a variety of different connector types. If all of this equipment was connected together using point-to-point cables, then there would simply be a mass of cables all round the studio. Also, to re-configure the equipment for creative purposes would require the use of adaptor cables, and then it would be tricky getting round the back of the equipment and keeping track of what was connected to what.
So a patchbay is used, which consists of row upon row of identical connector sockets, of the kind known as ‘GPO jack’ or ‘Type B jack’ (which are the same). Usually there are 24 jacks to a row, and a studio may have anything up to twenty or more rows. (Broadcasting studios may have over a hundred!). Sometimes ‘bantam’ jacks are used, which are smaller. There can be up to 48 bantam jacks in each row.
Now, all that is needed is to connect the equipment to the patchbay through cabling that can be permanently installed in trunking or conduit. One piece of equipment can be connected to another using standard patchcords very easily.
The most-used configuration is set using ‘normaling’ where certain jacks are connected behind the panel. So even without a single patchcord inserted, the studio can function fully. And when you want to alter the configuration for a creative effect, you just plug in a patchcord and this overrides the normaling for those particular two connectors.
So if pro studios find it effective to connect all the equipment through a patchbay, then you will too. You will be amazed at how much time is saved (or released for further creativity to take place).
The other good reason is that if you become familiar with patchbays now, you are one step closer to professional practice. Which will be important if you want to work in a studio in the future.
(In the UK, a patchbay is also known as a ‘jackfield’)”
Any engineer will tell you “Don’t mix with headphones!”. But I’ll tell you, if you have to, use these. If you wanna fork out $499.95 to get ‘em, I’d almost encourage you. The portability aspect and impeccable sound quality are worth the high sticker price. Travel a lot? You can mix a record on an airplane and it can sound like it came out of a control room in LA. Awesome.
Electronic Musician says it best – “The IE-40 professional earphones feature armature drivers that deliver extended high frequencies, clear mid-tones and natural bass. According to the manufacturer, they are significantly smaller and more accurate than comparable dynamic drivers. The IE-40 reference earphones’ audio crossover network routes each frequency to the appropriate high, mid, or low driver. The IE-40s also incorporate Ultimate Ears’ proprietary dual-bore design to deliver a wider soundstage through separate acoustic canals for high and low channels—thus allowing the sound to mix naturally in the ear itself. In addition, the IE-40 earphones provide 26 dB of sound isolation.”
Below is a great video of Kanye West working with Timbaland on Kanye’s new hit single, “Stronger”.
http://www.futuremusic.co.uk/page/futuremusic?entry=work_is_never_over
This is from the UK’s Future Music magazine. It’s a fantastic mag. It’s for the home studio-ites and pros alike. If you can, buy it sometime. Every issue comes with a DVD packed with tutorials, gear reviews and sounds for your sample palette. It’s a bit on the pricey side to buy one issue, but you can get a subscription for cheap. It’s worth it because it’s one of the best recording resources you’ll come across.
Both Kanye West and Timbaland are underrated. People don’t realize how dedicated they are to their art form. The attention to detail they incorporate with the music they create fails to get recognized. This video basically shows how anal Kanye got about the kick sound on the track. Great stuff.
I’ve always believed Nuendo was for music and film elitists. With Nuendo 4, Steinberg’s latest release, my belief is now set in stone. The software is for specialized post-audio, film, and live recording professionals. Am I saying Cubase can’t provide for these professionals, too? No. But I am saying Nuendo carves a niche in the market and CATERS SPECIFICALLY to the audio production “elitists” who have the most impeccable ear for quality and the need for complete control over the sound of their music. Nuendo’s features save time thereby improving productivity and increasing creativity. It also provides scaleable, cross-platform systems that integrate easily with the most popular plug-ins and hardware, for the ultimate in compatibility.
Nuendo 4 offers a state-of-the-art automation system, which combines with new recording functionality and Track Preset management features to speed up audio production workflows. A next-generation VST3 effect plug-in suite, the innovative MediaBay database, new editing commands and the Track Quick Controls raise production efficiency and quality to new heights.
With brand-new and completely redesigned features, Intel/Mac compatibility, and the always-moving-forward mentality of Nuendo software, this powerful DAW can’t be beat. And yes, you might think I am too late to write about Nuendo. “Nuendo 4 was released WEEKS ago!”, you might say. But hey, this is a new website. I can’t post about everything in one day.
And check out a new technique about recording your snare here.
