jueves, 30 de junio de 2016

Analog Distortion on a Budget: Cassette Tape Saturation Technique


Dubspot’s Michael Walsh introduces a clever cassette tape saturation technique to add some analog grit and distortion to your mix using a tape deck and cassette adapter.

Tape Saturation

The Way of Analog

You may have noticed the increasing influence of analog sound that is happening in music production and recording. After decades of computer-based music, many producers are looking outside the box to find warmth and grit that a computer just can’t provide. Digital music has a tendency to sound very clinical and even small additions of outside sounds, especially analog sounds, can bring depth and life to your music. Some producers use outboard mixers, preamps, or reel to reel tape to fatten up a mix. The medium of tape, in particular, offers a uniquely warm sound and better dynamic range than most digital formats. However, most of us don’t have a nice reel-to-reel sitting around to fatten up a mix. So as a creative workaround, I want to share a great technique that I recently learned here by our friend Peter Kirn at Create Digital Music and Riku Annala, a producer/musician hailing from Helsinki, Finland.

“At the moment there seems to be a craving for that lo-fi retro sound. Everyone is trying to get rid of the clean digital output of VST’s and digital synths by adding another VST’s to their fx-chains that simulate analog gear.. or by purchasing analog gear that costs an arm and a leg. Here is a trick that costs about 10,- euros and looks way cooler than any VST!” - Riku Annala

Cassette Tape Saturation Technique

Click here to view the embedded video.

The tape saturation technique is a great trick because it takes a minimal amount of gear, costs close to nothing, and provides a gritty, compressed effect that can liven up your beats. To create this effect, you’ll need an old cassette deck and a cassette to 1/8 inch adapter (the one that plugs your iPod into your tape deck), and some cables of course.

Setting up this effect is fairly easy. First, run the output of your source sound (drum machine, computer, etc.) to the 1/8 inch end of the cassette adapter (I used 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter to make this happen) and then put the cassette adapter in the deck. Next, connect the output of the tape deck to your mixer or speakers. Now, press play on both your source and the tape deck, with plenty of volume coming from the source (the key here is to overdrive the signal a bit). Lastly, enjoy your new analog compression/overdrive effect.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now I must admit, I didn’t think this would work because I thought that the tape medium itself was the source of the sound and compression on tape recordings. But apparently this isn’t the case, the tape head itself will give character to your signal without the use of any tape at all. Recue.net’s Riku Annala explains this concept further here:

“The results are actually surprisingly nice (depends on what you’re after). Of course, the character of the sound completely depends on the components of the tape deck you use; the condition of the tape heads, connectors, mic pre’s, etc. The sound is far from hi-fi, so if you’re after that, just go purchase a real reel-to-reel unit. In the case of Hitachi D-230 I use, there are a couple of different options for obtaining a different sound. The audio can be just played back through the tape, but it can also be fed through the live-in’s, “recorded” to the tape capturing its output. Both of the methods give actually quite a different sound. With the former method, you can get a moderate crunch with a rather clean sound. With the latter, you get loads of more noise, but also A LOT more distortion and a nice pumping compression when pushed.” – Riku Annala

 

Mixing and Mastering Program

Transform rough ideas and basic compositions into dance floor bangers and sonically pleasing commercial quality masters. Learn the well-kept industry secrets of EQ, compression, panning, level balancing, reverb and special effects.

Mixing and MasteringAbout This Program

This program gives you everything you need to refine tracks into a clear commercial quality release, including special mixing and mastering techniques for dubstep, techno, house, trance, downtempo, hip-hop, and the gamut of electronically-produced music.

You will learn to mix and master your tracks using the same plugins that top industry engineers use every day, including plugins by Izotope, Soundtoys, Sonnox, Altiverb, and more.

What’s Included

  • Mixing & Mastering Level 1: Mix
  • Mixing & Mastering Level 2: Modify
  • Mixing & Mastering Level 3: Master

Additional Information

Visit the Mixing and Mastering course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post Analog Distortion on a Budget: Cassette Tape Saturation Technique appeared first on Dubspot Blog.

Pillan a Sven Väth viendo el fútbol mientras pincha

La leyenda alemana de las cabinas es "pillado" durante su sesión en el festival holandés Awakenings viendo el partido de Alemania contra Eslovaquia. Sí, usó lo último en tecnología, pero no precisamente para pinchar; parece que nadie se percató de la jugada del maestro hasta ayer.

http://bit.ly/2950nqj

miércoles, 29 de junio de 2016

NI MASCHINE Tutorial: How to Import and Slice Loops Using the ‘Amen Break’


Learn how to import and slice loops using Native Instruments’ MASCHINE and the legendary Amen Break to discover creative new ways to use sampled audio. 

Maschine

Slicing and resequencing loops and samples is a long-standing tradition in hip hop and electronic music. In the early days of sampling, producers used the EMU SP-1200 and other hardware samplers of the era that could only record and save small amounts of audio data that ultimately limited the options for processing the sounds. Today, we can use computers and advanced hardware samplers to manipulate sounds with incredible power and precision. In particular, we will look at Native Instruments’ MASCHINE, an industry-standard groovebox that lets you effortlessly produce beats, melodies, and harmonies with powerful drum synths, premium sounds, an integrated sampler, and more for ultra-smooth workflow.

The Legendary Amen Break

This tutorial demonstrates how to use Native Instruments’ MASCHINE to slice and dice the legendary 4 bar Amen Break, a drum solo performed by Gregory Cylvester ‘G.C.’ Coleman in the song ‘Amen, Brother’ by the 1960s funk and soul outfit The Winstons. This famous drum loop was heavily used in early hip hop, sample-based music, and later becoming the foundation for drum-and-bass and jungle music. Arguably the most sampled drum beat of all time, the Amen Break can be heard in countless examples of breakbeat, hip hop, reggae, and electronic music around the world.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Importing Samples

Native Instruments’ MASCHINE is one of the most easiest and intuitive pieces of gear to use for working with sampled material. Its many features give users unlimited ability to chop, shape, and manipulate samples from any source. Let’s dive in deeper and check out a common technique for importing a sample and chopping it up into usable parts that can be played across MASCHINE’s Pads.

To kick the process off, download and import the Amen Break sample file into MASCHINE by first clicking the Disk Button to bring up your file directory and navigating to where the sample is located on your hard drive. Next, click the Import Button at the bottom of the directory window to begin importing the audio. The Tag Editor will open giving you the option to tag the sample before importing it into your library. You can organize the sample by Bank, Type, and Subtype to make it easier to locate samples from the Browser. After you’re finished tagging, click the OK Button to import the sample into your library and apply the selected tags.

The original Amen Break can be downloaded from Freesound here.

Now that the sample is imported let’s load it from MASCHINE’s Browser and drag it to an empty Sound Slot. Next, either press the Sampling Button on the MASCHINE controller or click the Sampling Button using the included software which is the third button on the strip directly to the left of your sounds.

Setting Loop Points

Let’s edit the sample down to an even loop length so it is easier to work with and more likely to sync up to your project’s tempo. First, click the Edit Tab so we can adjust the Start and End points of the sample to create a loop. Next, adjust the Start and End points by dragging the small gray icons labeled ‘S’ for Start and ‘E’ for End using the mouse. If you want to have a bigger view of what’s happening, use the Magnifier Icon in the lower left of the screen by dragging it to the right to zoom in on the waveform and left to zoom out. Now that the Start and End points are set let’s highlight the section of the loop we will be working with by clicking on the Enable Button to enable the Loop Area.

Slicing a Sample

Slicing a sample is useful if you want to rearrange loops or make them play correctly at another tempo. With the Loop Area highlighted, either click the Audio Button on the MASCHINE controller or click the small drop-down arrow on the right side of the Edit Tab screen in the software to reveal a menu of audio editing functions. Choose ‘Truncate’ from the menu to delete the unused part of the sample that is outside of the selected region.

We should now be left with only the audio we want to slice into smaller parts. Next, click on the Slice Tab to begin the process of slicing up the sample. The loop should now have 16 equally spread vertical lines in the waveform where the slices are going to be applied. By default, Split Mode is set which will automatically slice audio into equally spread regions. You can also try Detect Mode to slice the audio according to its transients or Grid Mode to slice according to note values.

Now click on the Apply Button to slice the currently selected sample. Alternatively, you can also click the Slice Dragger and drag the sliced sample onto another Sound or Group Slot. After clicking Apply, the Piano Roll/Keyboard Editor will open automatically displaying all 16 slices as notes that can now be played using the Pads. Alternatively, you can choose a different Sound or Group Slot to put the slices on by using the ‘Apply To’ function. This is achieved by clicking and holding down the mouse button on the 4-way arrow looking button directly to the right of the Apply Button and then dragging your mouse over an empty Group Slot and releasing the mouse button to spread the 16 slices across the empty Pads.

One great thing about using the ‘Apply To’ function like this is that you can easily go back and edit your clips by entering the Sampling Mode again.

Creative Freedom

Now that we have are Amen Break sliced up and spread across the Pads its time to jam around and discover creative new ways to use the slices in context with your current project. Try using the Note Repeat to make the slices stutter or various other audio effects to manipulate the slices further. Using the Amen Break creatively has become a rite of passage for many producers, each finding a way to use it in their own unique way. Sampling and editing the break yourself is a great way to practice some new sampling techniques using MASCHINE while working with a classic sound that has spawned several subcultures in music history.

 

Maschine Program

The future of production is here. Native Instruments’ Maschine redefines the intersection of hardware and software, performance and production. With Dubspot’s Maschine program for producers and performers, you’ll go from shaking hands with this cutting-edge music platform to making full tracks and performing your music live.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

At Dubspot, you’ll learn to produce and perform music with Maschine by becoming familiar with its hardware and software simultaneously. Maschine’s tactile controls map seamlessly to their software counterparts, unlocking an advanced production environment. The first level takes you step-by-step through producing an entire track, covering the essentials of sequencing, synthesis, and mixing along the way. We start making music from the beginning–even if you’re completely new to Maschine, you’ll be making your own beats and grooves within days.

You’ll learn sampling and recording techniques to add original material into your productions, use advanced automation features and cutting-edge effects for sound design, and explore Massive, a powerful synthesizer that’s included with Maschine. You’ll also discover how plug-in instruments and effects can expand your creative workflow, and how additional hardware instruments and controllers can be integrated into your setup. Finally, you will also learn how to integrate Maschine into a DAW as a plug-in effect or MIDI controller, with examples shown in Ableton Live and Logic Pro.

What’s Included

  • Maschine Level 1: Production Essentials
  • Maschine Level 2: Sampling, Recording, and Effects
  • Maschine Level 3: Advanced Techniques and DAW Integration

Additional Information

Visit the Maschine course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post NI MASCHINE Tutorial: How to Import and Slice Loops Using the ‘Amen Break’ appeared first on Dubspot Blog.

Allen & Heath Xone:PX5, adivina de qué se trata

Allen & Heath anuncia la presentación pública el 12 de julio de un nuevo producto llamado Xone:PX5 en el popular club Berghain de Berlín, pero no explica de qué se trata. ¿Te animas a jugar con nosotros a adivinar qué puede ser? Las apuestas están abiertas.

http://bit.ly/292EaoZ

martes, 28 de junio de 2016

Apple patenta un sistema para impedir que hagas fotos y vídeos en los conciertos

¿Cansado de la abundancia de smartphones en los conciertos o adicto a grabarlos? Apple ha registrado una patente que permite bloquear el sistema de grabación de vídeo y captura de fotografías en dispositivos dentro de un determinado recinto, incluyendo espacios de conciertos y teatros.

http://bit.ly/292wrIx

DANTE, el protocolo de audio en red

DANTE está siendo incorporado por casi todos los fabricantes en sus mesas de mezclas digitales. Fue desarrollado en el año 2006 por la empresa australiana Audinate, que ya había implementado protocolos de transmisión de audio sobre ethernet como CobraNet y EtherSound.

http://bit.ly/290SFgR

lunes, 27 de junio de 2016

Dubspot Student Success: Ben Phipps Interview


Dubspot alumni Ben Phipps joins Dubspot Instructor Adam Partridge for an exclusive interview to discuss his experiences and journey to becoming a successful DJ/Producer.

Ben Phipps

We are proud to see former Dubspot students making some serious waves out there in the music world. In this recent success story, rising talent Ben Phipps sits down with Dubspot Music Production Instructor Adam Partridge aka Atropolis to share his inspiring story about how he launched into the music industry pursuing a career as an established DJ/Producer and his learning experience while studying at Dubspot. Ben also breaks down his workflow and offers up some music production advice for artists who are trying to make big moves with their music.

I know you come from a musical family, can you briefly tell us about your upbringing in a musical family and how it has influenced you as an artist today?

Being surrounded by music all the time can’t have been a bad thing but I think the most important thing was that they always encouraged and believed in whatever endeavor I was taking on. For a while, it was running my own business with music on the side and later on music full time. Going full time into music wasn’t something they were concerned about, it was something that was encouraged. They also taught me the hard work and persistence that is required for a career in the arts.

I was your instructor when you came to Dubspot about three years ago, what decisions led you to come study at Dubspot?

I’d kept an eye on Dubspot for a while, watching your videos on YouTube and reading about it. I really liked how all the instructors were artists or producers doing their own thing and that the classes focused on making music from day one instead of studying for several years before actually doing anything real. So when I sold my business to pursue music full time it was the obvious first stop for me.

Do you find that your education at Dubspot helped give you some of the tools you needed in order to take the next steps towards your musical endeavors?

Dubspot has been essential to my music career. After my first three months of production classes at Dubspot, I left feeling confident with a really strong foundation in music production. The key was that I knew enough about everything to continue developing my skills on my own after leaving, without getting too stuck and frustrated. It wasn’t long before I returned to take the Mixing and Mastering Program which was also very valuable.

You’ve recently received a million plays on Spotify, can you tell about this single behind all of these plays? I understand it was a collaboration if you can share the process behind this track?

The way to get millions of plays on Spotify is to send blank checks to the head office, they always respond well to that. No, but really it was a bit of a snowball effect. My manager started reaching out to the curation team at Spotify and sent my latest single ‘Alive’ their way. We only got one response at first, but that curator added it to a big playlist, people started sharing it, and then from there other curators noticed it doing well, and it was added to more playlists, and later picked up by Spotify’s “Discover Weekly” and on and on. The curators at Spotify have access to a lot of analytics regarding playlists, so if you get on one playlist and do well (people adding it to their favorites or simply not skipping it), they will keep you on there and likely add it to more playlists.

Alive happened quite fast because contractual issues with another collaborator had left me with a hole in my release schedule. So I called Ashe (with whom I’d worked on several previous songs) and said “do you have time to drop everything and write a song with me this week? It’s urgent.” So we started with the piano for the verses and then worked out lyrics and the vocal hook before making the chorus section. It all came together rather quickly.

You’ve also charted #1 on SiriusXM Chill, can you please share some information about the track? The collaborative effort and some of the tools you used to create this track?

This time Ashe and I were working on a different song, and while taking a break, I started playing around with a Rhodes MK1 electric piano. What I played got stuck in my head, so I ended up scrapping the old track quickly and then put down the main parts for ‘Don’t Look Back.’

The chords and melody are played on a Rhodes MK1 from NI Komplete 10. The baseline is a single layer NI Monark, which is by far my favorite synth for baselines. It’s a Minimoog emulation, and really, you can’t get this thing to sound bad. I use a kick synthesizer called KICK from Sonic Academy to make my kicks. A lot of the percussion is from the stock Latin Percussion pack for Ableton, which is a gold mine. If there’s a suite of plugins, I couldn’t live without it’s the SoundToys bundle and NI Komplete.

Has your recent success led to new opportunities such as touring or getting aligned with a booking/management agency?

Yes, it has! I started getting messages from sleazy managers sometime last year and signed with the least sleazy one. Not long after that, I signed with CAA for worldwide bookings, and they are making some big moves for me. I’ll start playing shows in the US later this year which I’m really excited about.

What’s next for Ben Phipps? Any forthcoming gigs or releases?

There will be a couple more releases over the summer while I build my live show for later this year. It’s quite the task as I want the show to be as live as possible; with me playing as many instruments as I can, and when possible, having collaborators and other musicians join me.

You came to Dubspot as a student about three years ago and have accomplished quite a lot since then. Any words of wisdom for current students who are trying to make serious moves with their music?

I think the most important thing is persistence. The development curve will feel like it’s plateauing after a while once you’ve mastered the basics. That’s the hardest point; you’re working just as hard without seeing as much of a difference in the results. So keep working every day, a little every day is better than a marathon session once in a while… and finish songs! You’ve gotta be ok with not being completely happy with the end result. Trying to making your first real productions masterpieces is a waste of time. Finish and move on to the next one. You don’t have to release it, think of it as just good practice. For every song, you’ll learn new tricks, face new challenges, and solve them. I believe that’s the fastest way to develop as an artist.

Here’s a short clip to keep you motivated:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Below is some great advice on developing as an artist:

Click here to view the embedded video.

On the business side of things, I’d say don’t wait for a label and don’t sign to a shit label for the sake of being signed. Start by putting out the music yourself; you don’t need a label to get your music on Spotify or iTunes. Most labels today won’t give a shit unless you have some kind of traction or audience already. I started getting my first traction by having my song on some big YouTube and SoundCloud channels. So make a list of channels that fit you, big and small, and send them all a personal e-mail offering them to post your song. Google Budi Voogt, he’s the master of this kind of promotion!

Also, doing something different to get attention can be worth a try! When I released my first single Fireproof, instead of sending emails I spent days baking letters and envelopes in coffee and burning them with a candle. I made about 100 and sent them to every radio station I could find an address for. It only took a few days before Sweden’s biggest radio station premiered it, and I was freaking out.

Ben Phipps

What’s your DAW of choice?

I produce in Ableton Live 9, and when I’m done, I’ll bounce the stems and mix in Logic X. But really I don’t think DAW’s matter at all; it’s just a personal preference. So if I may give some advice, it would be to try different ones, find your favorite and stick with it. The DAW is a tool; it won’t make the music for you.

How do you begin a track (drums, groove, bass line, melody, sample?)

I almost always begin with chords and melody on the piano. I feel once I have the musical foundation down the rest comes along pretty quickly. So after that, I’ll decide on a tempo, drop in a kick and write the baseline, drums, and so on.

What’s the trick to finishing tracks?

Post-its and Pomodoros! Let me explain… Once I get a production to 90% finished I play through the track from start to end and write down a note for everything I want to change while it’s playing. So it might be bar 39 fix bass cutoff, bar 57 add hats, and so on. Everything I hear that’s missing or has to be fixed gets a note. I then pick out a few of them and set a timer for 25 minutes and burn through them at a rapid pace (Google Pomodoro technique). I’ll take a five-minute break and then move on to the next ones until there are none left. Then I play the track again, repeat the process. This way I stay focused and don’t fiddle around for ages not getting anywhere.

Ben Phipps

What do you do when you are creatively stuck and how do you break out of being stuck?

There’s no easy cure for that, but it won’t solve itself. I usually snap out of it by just improvising piano for fun in my misery. I’ll stumble on something cool and then the 12h later there’s a new track. Listening to a lot of music also helps and sometimes. I’ll also browse through samples to find something that inspires me, or that just gets me started. The sample might never make it to the final song, but it’s a starting block that gets the creative juices flowing.

You also run your own label, which you’ve released your music under. Can you please share with us how that is going and why you chose this path?

In the beginning, no decent label would have me, and I wasn’t gonna wait around for their approval. So I set up 14 & 9 Records to release my own music (see where I got the name from?) I’ve got a small but amazing team working the label end of things. Right now we’re not taking on any other artists, but that will change in the future. Also, I’m a bit of a control freak, so being captain of the ship suits me well.

 

About Ben Phipps

Coming off the back of the highly successful release ‘Sleep Alone feat. Ashe’ reaching 200,000 plays in the first week as well charting on HypeMachine, SoundCloud, iTunes, and Spotify; Swedish-born Ben Phipps returns with another viral release featuring Ashe. Boosting a million plays in the first month, ‘Sleep Alone feat. Ashe’ has been in heavy rotation on US/CA SiriusXM radio and reached the #2 spot on the HypeMachine charts.

Surrounded by positivity and his ever-faithful pooch Fiona – Ben’s relentless work ethic and positive attitude have a tremendous impact on others around him. For Ben, the goal has always been about making great music. Now that he’s found his own successful path from finding his inspiration, talent, and confidence along the way – he is now able to pass on the inspiration to thousands upon thousands of others through sharing his innovative production tutorials and sample packages available online.

Born into a family of musicians, Ben Phipps grew up quickly as a young man with an immense love of life and an incredible passion for music. In 2012, he chose to pursue further education overseas in the United States and attended Dubspot, a reputable school for music production in New York City. Opening doors and opportunities of all kinds through new skills, connections, and exciting combinations of sound; Ben Phipps continued strongly through his next two years splitting his time between NYC, Toronto, and Montreal refining his craft, songs, and style.

Now possessing all the skills necessary and fresh from harnessing the energy of his well-earned education – Ben returned to Sweden in early 2015 more ready to pursue a lifelong career, and truly more capable than ever before. Inspired by the growing support and confirmations of his talent from peers; this electrifying sound-artist blends exciting combinations of electronic sounds and classical instruments in vibrantly dynamic, emotional, and exotic new ways.

Connect with Ben on Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud | Website

 

Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program

At Dubspot our world-class instructors provide the most complete and cutting-edge Ableton Live learning experience. The Ableton Live Producer Certificate Program is the flagship of our music training. After completing this program, you will leave with a portfolio of original tracks, a remix entered in an active contest, a scored commercial to widen your scope, and the Dubspot Producer’s Certificate in Ableton Live.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

This program is about learning Ableton Live by going through the entire process of being an artist, by developing your own sound through a series of sketches and experimentation. You will also learn the ins and outs of this powerful software through a series of exercises designed to help you master the steps involved in producing your own music. After a level of getting familiar with the tools that Ableton has to offer, you will then develop your sonic ideas into full-length tracks. You will be exposed to a variety of approaches to arrangement and composition, storytelling techniques, ways of creating tension and drama in your music. At the end of the day, it is the sum total of your choices as an artist that define your sound, and levels 2 – 6 will give you the experience of actually completing tracks to add to your portfolio.

What’s Included

  • Ableton Live Level 1: Beats, Sketches, and Ideas
  • Ableton Live Level 2: Analyze, Deconstruct, Recompose, and Assemble
  • Ableton Live Level 3: Synthesis and Original Sound Creation
  • Ableton Live Level 4: Advanced Sound Creation
  • Ableton Live Level 5: Advanced Effect Processing
  • Ableton Live Level 6: Going Global with your Music

Additional Information

Visit the Ableton Live course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post Dubspot Student Success: Ben Phipps Interview appeared first on Dubspot Blog.

sábado, 25 de junio de 2016

Arturia Synclavier V: aditivo y adictivo

Un sintetizador elitista vuelto producto de masas gracias al software. Fiel al original pero creciendo para darle un renovadísimo interés y vigencia, esta edición 'V' ocupa un territorio poco explorado en sintetizadores comerciales.

http://bit.ly/298WFJh

viernes, 24 de junio de 2016

Dubspot Radio Rewind: Pursuit Grooves + Exclusive Interview


This episode of Dubspot Radio revisits a live performance mix selection executed by Pursuit Grooves, a music producer, vocalist, and visual artist known for delivering eclectic electronic travels through experimental, soul, bass, techno, house, and hip-hop.

Pursuit Grooves

Dubspot Radio Podcast welcomes producer, DJ, and vocalist Vanese Smith, aka Pursuit Grooves with a dynamic live performance delivered on her Boss SP-505, which she has been producing and performing with for nearly a decade. Her set includes exclusive beats, live improvised pieces, and a couple of tracks from her 7-track EP titled “Fox Trot Mannerisms” out on the UK dubstep imprint Tectonic. Following her performance, Vanese talks with Dutty Artz head Matt Shadetek about her creative process, developing an almost second-nature familiarity with her tools to express ideas, and the expanded Japanese version of “Fox Trot Mannerisms.”

 

 

About Pursuit Grooves

When speaking of electronic or hip hop producers who have made innovative contributions to their genre, females are rarely mentioned. Whether hard to find or never exposed, Pursuit Grooves is making it her business to deliver an important message to the world…WE DO EXIST!

Pursuit Grooves stands out from the rest not only as a female producer but as a music producer in general. Refusing to be defined or labeled she graciously accepts all of her influences to create something that is distinctly her own while owing much to the past. Inspiration includes soul/funk artists (Cameo, Sade, Loose Ends), trip hop gurus (Bjork, Massive Attack, Portishead) and hip hop producers (DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Jay Dee).

Armed with a modest studio, Pursuit Grooves manages to make a mountain out of a molehill. She is not only poised to make a place for herself in the world of music but is guaranteed to grow and prosper with the changing times. Much like her name, Pursuit Grooves plans to SEEK HUNT and CAPTURE… Your Ears.

Originally from the Washington, DC area, Pursuit Grooves (born Vanese Smith) started producing music as a teenager to accompany the lyrics/rhymes she was writing. She’s been obsessed with sound ever since.

Pursuit Grooves started turning heads and pulsating ears when she was featured on Rush Hour’s Beat Dimensions (Netherlands) compilation in 2007. The following year she earned a spot at the prestigious Red Bull Music Academy in Barcelona. Soon after she released the “Fox Trot Mannerisms” EP and “Frantically Hopeful” full length on the UK label Tectonic Recordings, all highlighting her knack for delivering varying tempos, warm melodies, and equally great abilities to sing, rap, and produce. She has also been featured on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Bubblers (UK) compilation, Cosmopolyphonic (Japan) compilation, and albums for Swede:art and Portformat on Tokyo Dawn Records (Germany). She has also produced remixes for international acts Altocamet, Planningtorock, and The Knife.

Never one for staying in a box, she creates her own path and describes her sound as “Electronic Travels through Soul, Bass, House, and Hip Hop.” Over the last few years, she has performed Live PAs (with her trusty hardware sampler) internationally including performances at Sonar Festival in Spain, Elevate Festival in Austria, and Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit to name a few. Smith also creates abstract video art as WifiHifiScifi, which sometimes accompanies her performance. She also creates under the “cinematic dub “alias 91 Fellows on the California-based Deepblak Recordings label.

Connect with Pursuit Grooves on Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud | Website

 

DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing: from the fundamentals of beatmatching and mixing to using effects and programming extended club sets. Whether you’re a beginner wanting to learn fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing with both Serato Scratch Live and Traktor Scratch Pro.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

At Dubspot you’ll be working at personal student workstations equipped with industry standard and cutting-edge technology: Technics SL-1200 / 1210 series turntables, Pioneer CDJs, Pioneer DJM or Rane TTM mixers, Apple iMacs and MacBook Pros, Native Instruments’ Traktor Scratch Pro, Serato Scratch Live, vinyl, CDs, timecode, and MIDI controllers.

Our instructors teach you the necessary techniques and draw on their vast collective experience to give you insight into the mindset, workflow, and art of DJing. Graduates of the DJ Extensive Program will have an opportunity to perform at an event in a New York City venue, organized and promoted by Dubspot together with you and your fellow students. At Dubspot, we want you to do more than just learn. We want you to be great at doing what you love. Let us help you get there!

What’s Included

  • DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
  • DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
  • DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
  • DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
  • DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
  • DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II

Additional Information

Visit the DJ course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post Dubspot Radio Rewind: Pursuit Grooves + Exclusive Interview appeared first on Dubspot Blog.

jueves, 23 de junio de 2016

Crónicas del Sónar 2016 (parte II)

Acabamos con las crónicas del festival Sónar 2016, arrancando donde nos quedamos, la primera noche del festival y la llegada de uno de sus platos fuertes: Jean-Michel Jarre. Pero hubo mucho, muchísimo más, y te lo seguimos contando.

http://bit.ly/28RZouW

Dubspot Sounds V4: Free Sample Pack by Mike Kiraly


Dubspot and New York-based producer, sound designer, and audio engineer Mike Kiraly present Dubspot Sounds V4, a FREE collection of handcrafted Chord Collages, Hybrid Kick Drums, and Breakbeats suited for any genre.

Dubspot Sounds

Dubspot Sounds V4 by Mike Kiraly

For this edition of Dubspot Sounds, Mike Kiraly melded music technology and uniquely captured sounds with clever sound design approaches to craft a brilliant selection of sonically enhanced samples suited for any genre.

Get inspired with carefully designed chord phrases that are distinctive, unusual, and melodic. Mike also employed multiple instruments, processors, and techniques to design a collection of layered, hybrid kick drums with a goal to capture the grit and mid-range heft of electronic kick drums found on older recordings combined with the depth and precision of modern drum sounds. Also included is a selection of breakbeats mixed to perfection, and sculpted with the finest analog gear for the fullest and fattest sound possible.

Sample Pack Details

  • All loops are tempo-labeled
  • Royalty-Free
  • 163 MB Download
  • 65 24-bit / 44.1 kHz Wav files
  • 20 Chord Collages
  • 30 Hybrid Kick Drums
  • 15 Breakbeats

 

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The Story Behind the Creation Process by Mike Kiraly

Dubspot Sounds

Cut The Chord

This group of samples began life as a collection of basic chord progressions recorded from a variety of analog and digital synths. These original samples were intentionally boring. No effort was made to created complicated patches or modulation routings. I wanted simple samples to be used as raw material for more complex collages of sound. To develop musically coherent riffs, I organized the raw samples based on the underlying scale of the raw chords. Once grouped together, I began cutting, pasting, and processing to create looping chord phrases that were distinctive, unusual, and yet still melodic.

Gear Used: Modal Electronics 001, Modor NF-1, DSI Prophet 12, Akai AX60, Roland V-Synth, Native Instruments Reaktor, Sherman Filterbank 2, Eventide Eclipse, Yamaha SPX2000, Shadow Hills Dual Vandergraph

Modor NF-1

Old School? New School? Both?

There can be something magical about the drum sounds heard on early house and techno records. I couldn’t say for certain, but I suspect that the raw power originates from multiple factors. The character was surely influenced by not only the machines they were created on but also the methods used to record them. Classic drum machines, early samplers, cheap mixing desks, multi-track cassette recorders, and vinyl pressings would be just some of the contributing factors involved in why these drum sounds had such impact.

Dubspot Sounds

However, no matter how amazing those samples sounded back then, they can come up lacking when compared to current tracks. Here I employed multiple instruments, processors, and techniques to design a collection of layered, hybrid kick drums. The goal was to capture the grit and mid-range heft of electronic kick drums found on older recordings and then combine them with the depth and precision of modern drum sounds. Vintage analog machines sampled with an MPC are partnered with digital kicks recorded through pristine preamps. Chopped up vinyl samples married to modern synthesized sounds. I tried whatever I could to unite both the old and the new.

Gear Used: Technics 1200, Akai MPC 2000XL, Elektron RYTM, Elektron Machinedrum, Vermona DRM mkIII, Nord Drum 2, Neve 1073LB, Rupert Neve Designs 542, API 535-LA, API 2500, Drawmer 1978, Empirical Labs Distressor, Bettermaker 502P

Give Me a Break

I like breakbeats. That’s all I have to say about that.

Gear Used: Elektron RYTM, Elektron Machinedrum, Vermona DRM mkIII, Nord Drum 2, Olympia Noise Co. Patterning, Roland Octapad & TR-8, Native Instruments Maschine, UA 2-610, API 550b, API 2500, Eventide H9, Roland Scooper, Mutable Instruments Clouds, TipTop Audio Z-DSP

Dubspot Sounds

 

About Mike Kiraly

Mike Kiraly

Mike Kiraly has spent the past ten years absorbing everything he could about the tools and techniques of his trade as a producer, sound designer, and engineer based in New York City. Currently dividing his time between personal productions and freelance engineering for other artists, Mike has amassed over 50 credits on a wide variety of releases since 2007. His unique production ethic has always gravitated towards an intricate approach, relying heavily on imaginative sound design. The last four years have seen his portfolio broaden in scope, including on-site work as an audio and video cable technician for NBC Universal during the Olympics in Beijing, Vancouver, and London. In 2012, Mike undertook a new challenge with the launch of the video tutorial series Sound // Concept. Hosted and promoted in cooperation with popular electronic music portal Pulse Radio, this passion project was an outlet for Mike to pass along creative techniques to eager producers looking to expand their skill set.

Connect with Mike on Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud | Website

 

Kontour Tutorial

Sound Design Komplete Program

Finding the right sound can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Learn the fundamentals of synthesis and sampling and gain the depth of knowledge to shape sounds the way you want them or make your own sounds from scratch.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

Become fluent in the language of sound design and synthesis with this comprehensive program. This six-level Sound Design program uses Native Instruments’ Komplete as a platform for learning synthesis and sampling techniques. Starting with an introduction to the properties of sound, this comprehensive series of courses covers the major techniques used for contemporary sound design.

You will learn to create your own sounds with a variety of techniques and add a personal sonic signature to your tracks. We introduce you to the latest synthesis and sampling technologies and show you how to use the world’s largest and most diverse sound library. In the advanced levels, you will acquire total control over all aspects of the Komplete instruments while practicing genre-based sound design.

What’s Included

  • Sound Design Level 1: Introduction to Komplete
  • Sound Design Level 2: Synthesis with Massive, FM8 and Absynth
  • Sound Design Level 3: Sampling with Kontakt and Battery
  • Sound Design Level 4: Advanced Sound Design
  • Sound Design Level 5: Reaktor Ensembles and Production Techniques
  • Sound Design Level 6: Reaktor Programming and Instrument Building

Additional Information

Visit the Music Foundations course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post Dubspot Sounds V4: Free Sample Pack by Mike Kiraly appeared first on .

miércoles, 22 de junio de 2016

Dubspot LA EDU Sessions: Music for Film, TV, and Video Games


Join sound designer, composer, and video editor Elan Polushko for this FREE workshop on writing music for film, tv, and video games at Dubspot LA Friday, July 8th from 4:00pm – 6:00pm.

Dubspot

Dubspot LA EDU Sessions:
Music for Film, TV, and Video Games

Featuring
Elan Polushko

Friday, July 8th, 2016
4:00pm – 6:00pm PST

Dubspot LA
6605 Hollywood Blvd #110
Los Angeles, CA

Join sound designer, composer, and video editor Elan Polushko for this FREE workshop on writing music to picture and video games. Elan will discuss the creative direction, outline the different process, and explore creating music for film, tv, and video games. Develop a basic overall understanding of music placement, workflow procedures, parameters that determine the musical possibilities, and technical requirements.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Space is limited, please arrive early to sign in.

 

About Elan Polushko

Elan has over a decade of experience and schooling in music, performance, and audio production.

“Knowledge is a journey partly inward and reflective, and then through the looking glass into the world. Through transference and sharing, gathering of information and preparation. Being imparted too as well as imparting, mentored, and mentoring. Sound and music is an aural tradition, to learn to listen and to know one’s turn to speak. The call and response!”

 

EDU Summer Sessions

Music Foundations Program

Unravel electronic music’s origins, build your chops, learn musical language and theory, and make and play music the way you want. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the roots and lineage of a variety of electronic and dance music genres, strengthen their keyboard skills, and learn valuable music theory, deepening their creative practice and facilitating effective collaborations with musical partners.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

The best producers, DJs, and musicians in the world strive to be well-rounded. So should you. In Dubspot’s Music Foundations Program, you’ll explore three major aspects of music: rhythmic theory, melodic theory, and critical listening.

Most pioneering early electronic musicians had years of conservatory training in theory and performance but had access to very limited technologies. In today’s musical world, it’s the opposite: we have a powerful and versatile array of electronic music making tools at our fingertips, but often fall short in our theoretical understanding of how electronic music works.

Our Music Foundations program is designed to fill this gap and provide training in fundamental skills and concepts with the electronic musician, DJ, and producer in mind. In this course, you’ll build your chops and learn the basics of musical language and theory so that you can make and play the music you want. You will also develop a deeper understanding of the roots and lineage of a variety of electronic and dance music genres, and explore compositional techniques and song structure. The weekly homework lessons for all three courses have been designed using Ableton Live, and along the way you’ll also learn the basics of Ableton and how to use it as a powerful tool to improve your musicianship in a variety of ways.

What’s Included

  • Music Foundations Level 1: Pads & Rhythmic Theory
  • Music Foundations Level 2: Keys & Melodic Theory
  • Music Foundations Level 3: Critical Listening

Additional Information

Visit the Music Foundations course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

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The post Dubspot LA EDU Sessions: Music for Film, TV, and Video Games appeared first on .

Crónicas del Sónar 2016 (parte I)

Otro año más, tres días de DJs y actuaciones musicales variopintas que van desde la electrónica al jazz pasando por el pop, así como exposiciones artísticas, performances y un pequeño congreso sobre las tecnologías del entretenimiento y la creatividad digital. Estuvimos en Sónar 2016 y te lo contamos.

http://bit.ly/28ObzoG

Dubspot Alumni Spotlight: Fafa Experience Interview


Dubspot alumni Fafa returned to our school in New York for a brief video interview to discuss his experience and journey to becoming a successful DJ.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We are proud to see former Dubspot students making some serious waves out there in the music world. In this recent success story, rising talent Fafa gives us his insight into how he launched into the music industry pursuing a career as an established DJ/Producer and shares his learning experience while studying Dubspot.

“For me, Dubspot is the best place in the world to learn about electrónic music. I came all the way from Uruguay because I know it’s worth it. I made many good friends that are great producers and artists that I’m living with.” – Fafa

 

About Fafa

Outside the box is the only way to describe Fafa. He was born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay. At the age of 19, he moved to Florida to pursue his college career.

Fafa

After graduating in 2012, Fafa moved to New York where he kept learning and developing his sounds. In 2014 he graduated from the Dj/Producer Program at Dubspot New York and kicked off his DJ career playing at several private parties in Florida, The Hamptons, New York City, and at “The Plank” in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Traveling to Uruguay, he performed at some of the best clubs and festivals around the country. He also played several times at Ovo, a famous night club in Punta del Este. The most notable booking was at Space Ibiza in January 2015. That same year he also performed for the anniversary of “La Terraza,” the biggest electronic festival in Uruguay.

 

Fafa has since returned to Dubspot New York to study Mixing and Mastering, music production with Native Instruments Maschine, and music theory through their Music Foundations Program. Following these achievements, he will also enroll in Dubspot’s Komplete Sound Design Program and graduate from the Audio Physics career.

The combination of living in the US and being born and raised in Uruguay has given Fafa the chance to experience and learn from the intercultural exchange inside the electronic music world. He plays everything in between House, Techno, and Minimal. His seamless mixes and sounds are known to trap the audience in a deep sensorial experience at every turn. His unique manipulation of mids and highs swell with exotic flavor, while his lows look for a danceable beat aimed at producing a non-commercial sound that is very easy to fall in love with during any listening experience.

Connect with Fafa on Facebook | SoundCloud

 

DJ Extensive Program

Immerse yourself in the complete art of DJing: from the fundamentals of beatmatching and mixing to using effects and programming extended club sets. Whether you’re a beginner wanting to learn fundamentals or a seasoned pro looking to take your talent to the next level, our curriculum is designed to accommodate all skill levels and styles of music. This comprehensive DJ program covers everything from basic mixing to advanced digital DJing with both Serato Scratch Live and Traktor Scratch Pro.

Click here to view the embedded video.

About This Program

At Dubspot you’ll be working at personal student workstations equipped with industry standard and cutting-edge technology: Technics SL-1200 / 1210 series turntables, Pioneer CDJs, Pioneer DJM or Rane TTM mixers, Apple iMacs and MacBook Pros, Native Instruments’ Traktor Scratch Pro, Serato Scratch Live, vinyl, CDs, timecode, and MIDI controllers.

Our instructors teach you the necessary techniques and draw on their vast collective experience to give you insight into the mindset, workflow, and art of DJing. Graduates of the DJ Extensive Program will have an opportunity to perform at an event in a New York City venue, organized and promoted by Dubspot together with you and your fellow students. At Dubspot, we want you to do more than just learn. We want you to be great at doing what you love. Let us help you get there!

What’s Included

  • DJ Level 1: Rookie Sessions | Essentials I
  • DJ Level 2: Phrase Mixing | Essentials II
  • DJ Level 3: Beyond The Blend | Intermediate Skills
  • DJ Level 4: Preparation | DJ Psychology
  • DJ Level 5: Classroom to the Club | Advanced Techniques I
  • DJ Level 6: Club to the World | Advanced Techniques II

Additional Information

Visit the DJ course page for detailed information on this program here.

If you have questions, please call 877.DUBSPOT or send us a message.

/files/2016/06/Fafa-Thumb.jpg

The post Dubspot Alumni Spotlight: Fafa Experience Interview appeared first on .

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