Friday, 12 March 2010

Ferret Rock!

The humble ferret is a surprisingly unheralded influence on heavy rock music, but every time a lead guitarist steps up to strut his stuff the small woodland predator makes his presence felt....








Here are my top six ferret faced heroes and the category of ferret they represent. Feel free to suggest your favorites.

1) Carlos Santana aka "King Ferret" against whom all must be judged. Carlos is an innovator in both his famous sustained guitar technique and his astounding ability to look like a ferret.

2) Paul Kossoff aka "Ferret Cross Bred with Mountain Orc". It gets cold in the alps of Middle Earth and sometimes you just need to curl up with whatever you can find, the Alpine Ferret proving a companionable mate.

3) Michael Schenker aka "Ferret Orgasming". Hey even ferrets have sexual fantasies, like being a blond viking playing a flying V.

4) Eddie Van Halen aka "The Tapping Ferret", a rare breed that only survives in the billowing coke dunes surrounding LA and emits the sound of a thousand bees making lurrrve.

5) Mick Ronson aka "The Felated Ferret". Poor Mick's career never recovered from being blown by Bowie on stage on '72, the only way to hide his shame was to disguise himself as a ferret.

6) Jimmy Page aka "The Well Dressed Ferret", what woodland party could fail to be impressed by this silk ensemble? Add the heroin fried sneer to the look and you are truly rocking.














Chez chez la femme!

maningrey



"Ferret Rock!" > read the full post

Thursday, 11 March 2010

Pioneer DJM-2000



Pioneer has announced a new DJ mixer, the DJM-2000.

The DJM-2000 is Pioneer's most powerful performance mixer and is designed to be the perfect match for CDJ-2000 digital decks. It features a 5.8-inch LCD multi-touch panel display, a first on a DJ mixer.

Other features include Beat Effects, Instrument FX, serious connectivity, a live sampler, USB audio interface, 3-band EQ, digital audio in and 3 different mixing modes.

All that comes at a price, though. The DJM-2000 is expected to be available in June 2010 with a suggested retail price of $2,999 (or just under £2,000).

Read on to find out more...






FEATURES:
  • Mixer Layout - the DJM-2000 inherits a larger foot print than its predecessors to accommodate a sectioned layout of features as well as cosmetically match the latest Pioneer CDJ series of digital media players. On the top centre section of the mixer resides its EFX capabilities to give DJs a bounty of digital effects. Located on each side of the middle section is its audio mixing controls for connection of up to 4 digital or USB sources. Across the middle section, Pioneer added new Instant Instrument FX functions which allow DJs to further alter and create more sound effects. And, at the bottom centre of the mixer is a large LCD touch display that provides DJs a window for remixing beats and adding effects with the ease of a simple touch of the screen.
  • Industry First Multi-Touch Panel - A first in the industry for audio mixers, the DJM-2000 incorporates a full-colour 5.8-inch LCD multi-touch panel for adding audio effects. Users can simultaneously manipulate the displayed controls on the panel by touching different areas of the screen. Three different performance modes are available, including: frequency mix, sidechain remix, and MIDI mode.
  • Evolved Beat Effects - A section of the mixer resides an Evolved Beat Effects adopted from earlier versions of the DJM series of mixers to generate a multitude of sound effects. Numerous for additional performance capabilities. Further manipulation of the sound effects can be made using the Effect Frequency knobs that changes the low, mid and high frequency bands of the music. Turns of the knobs enhances the effects to each frequency band, i.e. an echo added specifically to the vocals of the music or a doubling of the hi-hat rhythm, providing incredible performance options.
  • Instant Instrument FX - the INST FX provides 6 additional audio effects that include: Noise, HPF, LPF, Jet, Zip, and Crush. Each of the effects can be induced into the channel with a turn of the Filter knob. Additionally, the Parameter knob allows the effects to be fine tuned.
  • Pro DJ Link - When used specifically with Pioneer's CDJ-2000 (or even CDJ-900) turntables via Pro DJ Link, the DJM-2000 becomes an even more powerful musical tool. The mixer incorporates 4 Ethernet ports in the back of the unit allowing up to 4 of the most recent CDJ turntables to be connected (via LAN cables) while sharing only one music-filled SD card or USB storage device. In addition, up to 2 laptop computers pre-installed with Pioneer's music management software rekordbox can be interfaced with the DJM-2000 via LAN cables, in cases that 2 DJs are transitioning for their individual performances.
  • Live Sampler - A cool feature of the mixer is its Live Sampler capability which allows the sound from a microphone or from the MASTER output to be recorded directly into the mixer. The "sampled" sound can instantly be transferred via LAN cable to a CDJ-2000/900 for scratching.
  • Link Monitor - When linked with the CDJ-2000 player, the mixer informs the DJ of its connected status. The JOG rings of the turntable changes in colour based on the current on-air status or channel number connection, providing quick visual indications to the DJ.
  • USB interface - the DJM-2000 features a USB audio interface that allows direct computer connection without the need for an external sound card. Up to 4 audio sources can be assigned to each channel providing even more flexibility. For additional convenience, the MASTER output can be connected directly to a computer for recording of performances.
  • Sound Quality - Continuing the prestigious reputation of Pioneer mixers, the DJM-2000 provides excellent sound quality. By utilising balanced hybrid op-amp and a perfectly balanced output circuit in the analog processing stage, Pioneer managed to significantly decrease induced noise resulting in a dynamic range of 107dB with 0.004% THD for an extremely clean and powerful sound.
Additional features include:
  • Switching 3-band EQ/isolator
  • Digital In
  • Fader Start Play
  • Talk Over
  • Peak Level Meter
  • Cross fader Assign function
  • Fader Curve Adjust function





"Pioneer DJM-2000" > read the full post

Voxengo SPAN 2.0 - Free FFT Spectrum Analyser




Voxengo SPAN 2.0 is now available for download (Mac & PC).

Read on to find out more...

Voxengo Span 2.0 is a freeware real-time FFT audio spectrum analyser plug-in for music and audio production applications. The following features were added in SPAN 2.0 since version 1:
  • Multi-channel analysis
  • Mid/side analysis
  • Correlation meter
  • Multi-platform support
  • Undo/redo functions
  • Preset manager
  • User interface coloration
  • User interface re-scaling
  • Plug-in instance naming
Voxengo SPAN and other professional audio plug-ins can be downloaded at www.voxengo.com.



"Voxengo SPAN 2.0 - Free FFT Spectrum Analyser" > read the full post

Monday, 8 March 2010

Clavilux 2000 - Interactive Instrument for Generative Music Visualisation




The Clavilux 2000 is an interactive instrument which is able to generate a live visualisation of any music played on a digital piano. The setting of the installation consists of three parts: a digital piano with 88 keys and midi output, a computer running a vvvv patch and a vertical projection above the keyboard.

Read on to find out more, and watch the video...


For every note played on the keyboard, a new visual element appears in the form of a stripe, which follows in its dimensions, position and speed the way the particular key was struck. Colours give the viewer/listener an impression of the harmonic relations: each key has its own colour scheme and "wrong" notes stand out in contrasting colours.

All stripes stay and overlap each other in an additive way, so at the end a kind of pattern remains - a summary of the music - which will be always unique since the notes of the composition as well as the interpretation of the piano player and influencing the outcome. Also, the piano player can switch between the standard 2D view and an additional 3D view of the visualisation while playing.

Click here for more info.


"Clavilux 2000 - Interactive Instrument for Generative Music Visualisation" > read the full post

Sunday, 7 March 2010

JazzMutant's "Mu" - for Ableton Live

JazzMutant has released an Ableton Live control application - "Mu" - for the Lemur multi-touch control surface. Mu brings a fantastical interface to Live, letting you trigger clips and scenes with glowing Chiclet keys, and mix with luminescent sliders.

Read on, and watch the video...





Mu runs as a Max for Live plugin - so you'll need Ableton Live 8 and Max for Live to be able to use it.

There is no official word on pricing or availability for Mu on the JazzMutant home page yet.

On a similar note - this also gets me excited about the potential of the Apple iPad; it can't be long before similar applications are developed for the iPad, bringing reasonably inexpensive multi-touch control to your sequencer, soft and hardware synths.

Excited about the potential of multi-touch controllers for music? Leave a comment with your thoughts!


"JazzMutant's "Mu" - for Ableton Live" > read the full post

Renoise 2.5 Out Now, and Free to Try



Renoise has announced Renoise 2.5 is now available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

Renoise is a complete expandable DAW based on mod trackers.

Read on to find out more...


Mod trackers are characterised by displaying and editing music in a grid known as a pattern. These patterns are akin to sheet music, but are displayed alphanumerically instead of with musical notation.

New features in Renoise 2.5 include:
  • Pattern Matrix: a bird's eye view and editor of the song;
  • Cross Track Routing for "Meta Devices" and new devices like the "Signal Follower", which allows you to sidechain other tracks' parameters;
  • Plugin Grabber: Render Plugin Instruments to Renoise Instruments, Samples;
  • Vastly Improved MIDI Mapping;
  • A bunch of new Internal Effects;
  • The user manual has been rewritten from scratch.
Renoise is not expensive to buy, and a free demo version is available now for Mac, Windows and Linux.

If you've used Renoise 2.5, leave a comment and tell us what you think!



"Renoise 2.5 Out Now, and Free to Try" > read the full post

Saturday, 6 March 2010

LEGO Sequencer




Yoshi Akai - an artist, musician and instrument designer from Tokyo, Japan - has been producing DIY musical instruments with very unique input systems as works of art, and using them in performances.

The work pictured above takes the idea of LEGO synths one step further - Yoshi has created a complete 8-step, 3 channel LEGO sequencer that actually works. The idea is that you take LEGO pieces, and place them on the sequencer grid corresponding to where you want the sound to be in the loop.

Read on, to see it in action...





Check out more of Yoshi's work here.



"LEGO Sequencer" > read the full post

Wireless spinning MPC controller

RJD2 tells us how he came up with the very first (?) wireless MPC controller. This is creative stuff!

Check out the video...







"Wireless spinning MPC controller" > read the full post

Classic Rock...The Last Frontier



Its OK! Maningrey is back to liven up this blog from all the boring technical stuff! This week I am reviewing some classic rock for you...Listen without prejudice.




You know when you go through one of those periodic times when you are just bored of music and are waiting for the next thing to come along? You've done Afrobeat, strange compilations of Cambodian flute music that smell of dust, Grindcore, bluegrass, IDM (idiot's dance music)....What next? Well I made the leap into some classic rock. I found the rule of thumb is that great rock records are in the genre of "hard rock" ( blues based, songs about "hot mamas", drummers who can play disco beats, not afraid to sell out and stick ballads and funk tracks in the mix when careers on the wane) rather than "heavy metal" (no blues base at all like music designed by Hitler, songs about "jailbait" or even worse "wizard's sleeves", drummer who play two kits joined together, occasionally folk track about a lonely dragon when career is on the slide (it in)). Also the great records are either by bands just on the turn like week old cumberland sausages and hated by the "true" fans or albums that sold only two copies at the time due to being too "punk" for plaid wearing American teens. It also struck me that there is no earthly reason why "lovehunter" by Whitesnake is less profound than "like a rolling stone", what's more fun, getting laid by a rock chick with a pink thong or listening to some thin guy with a horrible voice whine on about his Siamese cat?

1) "Draw the Line" by Aerosmith
Lets make one thing clear, The 'Smith sucked from 1977 onwards, everything after this was filed straight into "hair metal" but for a short time they were the only band who seemed to herald punk rock and try to deal with it. This is their best album because it is the most fucked up, all the mythological themes of 70"s rock bundled together like one of those epic Norse sagas or Eldorado (the sobaditsgood 80"s drama not the place made of gold) and that great moment where technically proficient players have so many track marks in their arms they can only play like a punk rocker and there is no twiddling. The best thing about 70's rock is they were only one or two generations removed from the real blues guys, a lot of them jammed with them (ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons played with Lightning Hopkins) so there was a lot of swing and funk still left in the playing. Aerosmith's secret weapon was Joe Perry, whose playing mixed garage rock, jump blues, swing, country and funk. Although he is the epitome of the 70's metal player his intricate riffs sound a lot like Television or some of the odder punk that was going down at the same time, who were also influenced by similar sources. In the same light this is the album where Aerosmith found themselves caught between a massive drug habit and threatening new styles of music that were about to wipe them off the map, however they went out swinging even if the punch was like a blow from Mr Burns. Like old blues records they were so in the moment that the lyrics no longer seemed like posturing but were a direct view into the madness, you realised these guys were flying by the seats of their tasseled pants, the smack coursing round their veins made the playing looser as well so they started to groove, its so funky it makes "exile on mainstreet" sound like Joni Mitchell. You know when a band is on the way out when they no longer write middle 8's but just sort of all stop playing and you can hear guitar stands falling over and people swearing before the producer tells them they have only played for two minutes and they better get started again. Best tracks are "bright light fright" which is the only song to actually "get" punk thrash, about how Joe Perry is so wasted his bedroom is like, really messy dude and he just watching TV all day, "the two disco ones" which are clearly songs based around the same jam and then idiotically sequenced one after the other, they just said to the drummer "play something disco" and then after 8 minutes stopped and got the producer to chop the jam in two while they chopped out the lines, still fucking rocking though, the title track is great as well, it sounds like both the guitars are made of glass and has a really good shrieking bit at the end by Tyler, probably like when he found out he had a daughter he had not seen in 20 years. The only shit track is "kings and queens" which sounds like Genesis....

2) Storm Bringer by Deep Purple
This is generally deemed the worse album made by DP (double penetration?) and possible all of hard rock...The reason being it is not a heavy metal album but a soul album with really bad clothes. It shows how many drugs they must have been doing that after chucking out definitive metal screamer Ian Gillan, the rest of purple decided to get two soul singers in and let them completely take over the band. It is literally as if Metallica went from "master of puppets" to a next album that sounded like "future sex/love sounds". It sank Purple's career but its one of those great albums where you know you are the only person on earth who likes it and you can have your own club where only you and a pair of head phones are the member. If you skip the first track which is gothic metal toss then you have a string of funky jives that make your butt shake like something by the Average White Band but with added prog keyboard that goes "wowwwrrrrrrwowww" in that squidgy bit of the brain that processes da funk. The bass player has a fantastic treacly voice as if you are rubbing your face on a lovely velvet loon pant and later turned up to sing the hook on "america, what time is love" by KLF, now how fucking cult is that my friends? If KLF dig it then you should to....

3) Montrose by Montrose
Nothin' fancy nothin' pretentious just lots of words that miss out the "g" at the end in the lyrics, do that and call your album "montrose" by ermm "montrose" and get them jean dungarees out ya'll...It helps to all stand bare chested on the cover as well looking peeved that you just got laid off at the local Ford factory. If any music should have sounded tracked "blue collar", the 70's movie classic about autoworkers fighting evil unions it should have been this, but they chose Captain Beefheart instead...how boring. I like the fact that lots of music snobs will sneer at this music and force themselves to listen to the "authentic" "trout mask replica" instead, on their own, while dreaming of the girl they will never have the guts to ask out who works at the vegan stall in Camden Market, while the rest of us in the know (thats you now!) stick "montrose" by "montrose" on, slug Wild Turkey, have coke blow where the sun don't shine and fuck our girls in the ass on kitchen tables during parties cheered on by drunken masses (see picture above). The tricky bit is to ween your girlfriend off Judy Sill and play this instead....

4) Strangers in the Night by UFO
You were no one in 70's rock with out a double live album, in one fell swoop you told everybody you could really play, you showed you had enough great songs to fill two discs, you got to indulge your worst album cover fantasies (this one has eye burning join-the-dots pictures of people screaming on it) and you put out a sneaky greatest hits without admitting your career was over. Imagine an English AC/DC but with Paganini playing guitar and the really polite guy who in your local library singing in the shower. To be honest they would have been a bit bog standard if it wasn't for guitar whizz Michael Schenker, there is a bit in the "Anvil" documentary where the singer/guitarist goes up to Schenker at a festival and compares him to the "Beethoven of lead guitar" and that he plays his own axe with a vibrator to complete blank amusement by the blondy German. It sums it up though as Schenker can really spank his plank, the whole two records are just an excuse for him to blast away sounding like a cross between Tom Verlaine on heroin and Nigel Kennedy on crack. Rather than pretending to be all rebelious by recording a classical version of "purple haze", the freaky violinist should have covered "rock bottom"off this album, the best guitar wank by a white guy, period...What is it with Americans and saying "period"?

Anyway I have a party to go to and I have "montose" by "montrose" under my arm so until next time my only advice is "grow some balls and ask the vegan bitch out!".

Maningrey








"Classic Rock...The Last Frontier" > read the full post

Friday, 5 March 2010

Skinput


Skinput: a technology that appropriates the human body for acoustic transmission, allowing the skin to be used as a finger input surface.

Check out the video...





"Skinput" > read the full post

Weezer Remix competition

Head to indaba music to check out their Weezer remix competition. After registering you can download the stems of the track "love is the answer" from their latest album. You'll have to hurry though - competition ends on the 9th of March!

"Weezer Remix competition" > read the full post

Sunday, 28 February 2010

Muse in Mime Controversy!

Well, almost....
Muse were told they had to mime on an Italian TV show. They weren't too fond of the idea, so decided to swap instruments.....
I seem to remember the Mission doing a similar thing on Top of The Pops, but no luck finding it on YouTube....
Though on a similar note, Here's Iron Maiden:



And Nirvana up to a similar thing....



"Muse in Mime Controversy!" > read the full post

Thursday, 25 February 2010

Perfecting Sound Forever - Free Foyles Q&A

Perfecting Sound Forever a fascinating study of recorded sound will be given the Q&A treatment for free...read on



Foyle's bookshop on Charing Cross Road are hosting a Q&A with author Greg Milner about his book Perfecting Sound Forever next Wednesday 3rd at 6.30pm

Spanning the whole of the twentieth century, Perfecting Sound Forever tells the story of recorded music - from the first scratchy recording of Thomas Edison’s phonograph to the digital present - and introduces the innovators, musicians, and producers – from Les Paul to Phil Spector to Neil Young – who have shaped the way music is heard. At his event at Foyles, music journalist and author Greg Milner, will be demonstrating the changing nature of sound recording, and taking questions on Perfecting Sound Forever -

a book that was heaped with praise on publication, including the following:

Jarvis Cocker ... 'Very, very, very few books will change the way you listen to music. This is one such book. Read it'


Alex Ross, author of The Rest Is Noise ... ‘Greg Milner tells the story of recorded music with novelistic verve, ferocious attention to detail, and a soulful ambivalence about our quest for sonic perfection. He shows how great recordings come about not through advances in technology, but through a love of the art, and that same love is the motor of his prose’


Chris Sharp, The Wire ... ‘Ornamented by a seemingly inexhaustible array of insights from eyewitnesses and practitioners … Perfecting Sound Forever will send you back to your record collection with sharpened ears, and an enhanced appreciation of the sounds enshrined within it’

Tickets are free, but must be booked in advance here:
http://www.foyles.co.uk/events.asp.








"Perfecting Sound Forever - Free Foyles Q&A" > read the full post

Sunday, 21 February 2010

The future of soundproofing?


If this gets into commercial production, it'll make studio design and soundproofing your home studio much easier!
New Scientist have an article on latex panels only around 15mm thick to block a bandwidth of 70Hz to 550Hz. Check out the full article here.


"The future of soundproofing?" > read the full post

Thursday, 18 February 2010

Lilygun Live at the Scala

Blatant plug time again - I'm playing guitar with Lilygun at the Scala in Kings Cross tomorrow night. If you're interested, here's a vid of the last gig I played with them....



"Lilygun Live at the Scala" > read the full post

Monday, 15 February 2010

FlexiKnob


Despite the poor name choice, these look like a very cool way to control - well, anything....They're wireless pots, that can be assigned to any on-screen parameter. Click for the vid of these in action....


"FlexiKnob" > read the full post

Friday, 12 February 2010

Free March of the Raptors track


March of the Raptors (featuring members of *shels, Fireapple Red, Devil Sold His Soul and Adequate Seven) are offering a free track. Just head over to marchoftheraptors.com.

"Free March of the Raptors track" > read the full post

Train Station music in Japan

So, in Japan, each train station and train line has it's own theme tune. Quite cool, but some of them are a touch, well familiar.... compare this one from Shinjuku station:
>
to this track by the Eels:
I like the idea though. How about we do the same for the Tube in London? I'm thinking the Victoria line theme would finish early at any opportunity.....


"Train Station music in Japan" > read the full post

Thursday, 11 February 2010

They Deserve To Die!!!!

Inspired by the Cannibal Corpse classic "They Deserve To Die" I decided to ignore the obvious candidates such as Hitler and David Cameron (mainly because they are both already dead, even if its just behind the eyes) and focus on music related criminals as this is after all a music related blog and not just for me to sound off on....



In no particular order:

Who deserves to die?

Players of fretless basses or the Chapman Stick (the fucking awful guitar bass mutant that various cunts have started busking with, I thought there was a talent test for buskers now?).

Exceptions?

No! Hit the fucking road Jaco!

Who deserves to die?

Anyone in a band with hair that looks like its been styled.

Exceptions?

The lead guitar guy out of Slade.

Who deserves to die?

Anyone in a band with hair that is an unkempt mess.

Exceptions?

Me because I found out that if your mother's dad kept his hair you do to.

Who deserves to die?

People who say they like all music or when you ask them to name a favorite band say "oh man thats like a really difficult questions", no it isn't you cunt. Off the top of my head in real time I love:

Aerosmith: Rocks
Dinosaur Jr: You're Living All Over me
Funkadelic: Free Your Mind and Your As Will Follow
Morbid Angel: Altar of Madness
Public Enemy: Fear of A Black Plant

See easy, now fuck off...

Exceptions?

No, in fact lets just say everyone who says they "love music" should be given the bullet...Actually maybe my friend Str8 who does genuinely seem to like ALL music. I've heard him go from James Chance to Patrice Rushen and he describes Abba as "gangsta"...

Who deserves to die?

White people who list Public Enemy as a favorite album and people who think they like reggae because they own an eight track of "Legend". Any musical "best album of all time blah blah" list that has token Rap, Reggae or Funk releases, if I see Exodus, It Takes a Nation Of Millions or Songs in The Key Of Life in another otherwise completely white stadium rock list I will become a murderer.

Exceptions?

No! Infact any list that has Revolver, Pet Sounds, Dark Side, Any Dylan and is then inevitably topped by OK "I wont be buying your recordings after this one" Computer. You should only read lists compiled with care and attention by Maningrey TM because they are tasty but miraculously also good for you like the delicious mulches my girlfriend eats.


Who deserves to die?

Any act that The Guardian might review.

Exceptions?

Ornette Coleman because he has a girls name.

Who deserves to die?

Any indie band who tell you their new album is influenced by - insert incredibly obvious record you have listened to for years - and that this feat makes them incredibly dangerous and daring and if it wasn't for them discovering this album beer would turn to blood in your glass and locusts would descend on the village bowling green and strip it bare. Any mention of Beefheart, Miles Davis, general Techno, Kraftwerk, My Life in The Bush Of Ghosts, Krautrock etc bores me to suicide, yours not mine.

Exceptions?

To be fair Radiohead droning on about Art Ensemble of Chicago made me buy a copy...it was toss...

Who deserves to die?

Music genres that either force woman to dress as prostitutes (R&B, "kiddy" pop) or make them dress like crack addicted bag ladies (metal/goth). Every time some pop star who should know better, thanks Maddona, goes on about how appearing with your arse hanging out is "empowering" for women you can hear the rumble of hooves of the horse that rode down Emily Davison now stampeding over woman's struggle for equality. All this getting your jugs out certainly helped empower Britney Spears I must say...empowered her all the way to the barbers...As for goth I hate seeing a lovely fresh faced child who should be out having fun with big mascara stains on her face, a home made tattoo still weeping pus and Burger King bag filled with the churning vomit of her inevitably lanky spotty black clad boyf, you can do so much better dear...

Exceptions?

Some goth girls look fit in their corsets...

Who deserves to die?

Anyone who goes on about a gig like it was a life changing event, it wasn't it was just four cunts playing a shit song you could have written. Also people who come up to me at gigs and start talking to me, like just because we both happen to enjoy such and such band, by some amazing coincidence, we have loads in common...We don't! Fuck off...

Exceptions?

Maybe someone who saw Can, Hendrix or Take That in their prime, that may have been life changing...

Who deserves to die?

Any bands who have a song called "Jailbait".

Exceptions?

Well I still like Motorhead despite the offense, at least its just a bonus track on No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith and I can turn off the album before it offends.

Who deserves to die?

People who can't distinguish between a good early period of a band and a shit later period but judge all the bands work on the later disasters. Acts in question include Aerosmith (Rocks and Draw the Line are pure punk, Love in A Elevator is like having coke blown up your urethra and not in a good way), ZZ Top (Tush, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Cheap Sunglasses, Rapemen covered Just Got paid for gods sake! All the other records people actually bought...shit), Yes (Close to The Edge, more genuinely bananas than anything Four Tet has done...all the rest should be buried alive), Bowie (everything up to Lodger is amazing, everything after Lodger has a fake tan and scary white fang caps).

Exceptions?

Some acts are totally shit whatever era: Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd etc...

Who deserves to die?

People who think they have musical talent, you don't, now just leave...

Exceptions?

Me again, I was young and misguided like a celebrity who did nudey shots that come back to haunt them.

Now die like a dog...

maningrey














"They Deserve To Die!!!!" > read the full post

Monday, 1 February 2010

Arthur Russell Reinterpreted

Enigmatic avant disco cellist Arthur Russell has long been a favorite of mine so it was cool to be pointed towards this....


One of our students works in a group called Killer Whale who reinterpret Arthur Russell's music, really finding the dance floor sensibility in his sometimes obscure structures. He was famously given a chance to record for Rough Trade, who were looking for a dance floor smash and instead handed them the polyrhythmic Let's Go Swimming which was so complex you could not dance to it...



maningrey




"Arthur Russell Reinterpreted" > read the full post

Thursday, 28 January 2010

Pat Metheny's Orchestrion: one-man-orchestra!


An amazing album, where a guitarist controls a number of mechanical instruments from his guitar and a number of pedals on the floor. No overdubs, no software in sight, the whole piece played live.
It's kind of like an alternative future where technology has kept moving but personal computers have not been invented.

Personally, I'd be happy to play only one string of a guitar as well as Metheny does, and I guess that I will stick to my Logics and Abletons for another while, but it's a majestic effort (if slightly megalomaniac, and I will throw in 'mental' for good measure).

Watch the video below to see some Orchestrion action...



To hear more you can catch him in London on the 10th of February at the Barbican, and buy the CD from amazon.


"Pat Metheny's Orchestrion: one-man-orchestra!" > read the full post

Thursday, 21 January 2010

Find who ripped off who, and got away with it


Radiohead stealing from the Hollies*, Tears for Fears from Cat Stevens, and of course Coldplay from everyone.

And most of them getting away with it! (*Radiohead actually give credit and royalties to the Hollies for Creep, so there you go, some justice and everyone lives happily thereafter)

Or maybe coincidences. Decide for yourself...


Waste a few minutes watching episodes of Musicology, the youtube postings of Kim and her robot, as they highlight some interesting similarities.



See more episodes here

http://www.youtube.com/user/thektb


For even more soundalikes visit http://www.thatsongsoundslike.com/


"Find who ripped off who, and got away with it" > read the full post

Free SMPTE reader app - no hardware required


Brilliant!

Until now if you wanted to synchronize a tape machine with Logic, ProTools, Cubase, Performer, etc. you needed a hardware unit that could accept audio time code (SMPTE or AES/EBU) and generate Midi Time Code.

Typically these were Motu interfaces, Emagic Unitors (now discontinued), or the super expensive Digidesign Synchdio (which does also a lot of other things).

Now all you need is this little software for mac. And it is FREE.

You can download it from...

http://nobusiness-soft.com/smptereader.html

Simply feed SMPTE Audio Signal into an Audio Input of your Mac, and SMPTE Reader will create MIDI Timecode (MTC) of it. It can send it to any MIDI Destination Port of your computer.
No Hardware required.



"Free SMPTE reader app - no hardware required" > read the full post

Interview With Brian Eno

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jan/17/brian-eno-interview-paul-morley


Learn from this guy. He spreads vibes and does nothing. Can barely play an instrument, doesn't actually engineer or record anything, and gets to be the producer for U2 and Coldplay at the same time!

And the last comment he makes, about the future of making records, well I kind of agree. I think people will keep recording music, but the idea that someone can live from making and selling records will be something no one will believe in a few years.

That doesn't mean that you can make music and make money, but forget selling records.


"Interview With Brian Eno" > read the full post

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Post F**K



















We have had Post Rock now the much more fun genre of Post F**K, post coital classixxxs as selected by the avuncular Maningrey......Read on




In the nuclear winter we are having what else is there to do on a freezing Sunday lie in than a pleasurable fumble with your boy, girl, fourlegged furry friend? For those non smokers amongst us we have to reach for the musical nicotine of the post coital play list.

Ismistik: Absence
Icelandic prog techno, the sound of an albatross gliding over the glaciers before being harpooned by the currently impoverished Icelanders for food. If I got my geography, natural history, economics wrong here please email the London School of Sound and I will ignore it.

Grant Green: Deep River
Classic Blue Note jazz, as soft as one of those really long strong toilet roles that give you a free puppy toy when you send the tokens, hand crafted by Thai 6 year olds for 1 pence a day.

Pharoah Sanders: Astral Traveling
Of all the beardy bead fez wearing jazz gurus Sanders is indeed the Pharoah of them all, specialises in massive glittering dirges awash with bells, whistles and dejembe topped off by his own shrieking harmolidic sax and generally some guy stoned on chick peas talking about ancient Egypt....but like in a totally mellow way...

As One: Epic
Epic indeed, this was for a long time my Sunday morning anthem after a night of illicite substances, more a come down song but now I partake of nothing stronger than Guava juice its become a humping song....Oh its jazzy techno by the way, made by people who love beats and jazz fusion but can't dance or play an instrument leading to IDM, generally horrible but the glittering synths and Headhunters bass does the trick in this case.

Fripp and Eno: Wind on Water
You got to have a bit of Eno if your talking "chillax" his best work is with demented King Crimson/Bowie guitar hero Robert Fripp who always lends a bit of edge to otherwise drippy "soundscapes". In this case the churning phalanx of trilling guitars lurk beneath the shiny synths like a giant friendly Koi Carp wanting bread. See also the excellent Eno solo track "Julie With", all charming ocean going vibe and sun baked glockenspiel....the lyrics possibly about a murder.

Dave Holland: Conference of Birds
More jazz, I realise its a jazz, techno, prog mix I'm making here but bear with me there is some Slayer further down the list...Dave Holland is a jazz hero for his excellent bass work on "In A Silent Way" with Miles Davis but mainly for wearing a bandana and over bite infront of half a million people at the Isle of Wight festival in 1969 again with Miles. Talk about white men can't jump...but white men can play some righteous bass and compose charming flutey melodies.

Donald Byrd: Places and Spaces
Got into this through a Pete Rock hip hop track that sampled the introduction, I love it when you have a favorite track and then find that the original is even better. Huge string laden philly funk master work...For more sample information check here

Judi Sill: The Donor
Majestic prog folk, I randomly bought this after reading some raves in the great book Hotel California, a hilarious read about the monsterous behavious of the 70"s "mellow mafia" of The Eagles, CSN, Joni Mitchell etc. Sill was the best of the bunch but due to an unhealthy mix of smack, prostitution and pissing off David Geffen she disappeared.

Reagenz: A
When I bought this for £25 on the excellent Discogs, the best place for rare impossible to find stuff, I was horrified, it just sounded like two oafs randomly fiddling with the oscillators, and to be fair a couple of years down the line that is exactly what this album is apart from the electronic hundreds and thousands of this track. A two chord christmas tree of electronic tingles or one of those pink and blue circular biscuits with icing everyone remembers from kids parties before they got into heroin.

Global Communications: 9.25
The Sistine Chapel of ambient techno, imagine seeing a city crushed not by the feet of a terrifying Japanese killer lizard but by one of Jeff Koons' silver bunnys (ahh the picture is finally explained!) and rather than crushing the citizens it showers them with bunny love.

Gil Scott Heron: Lady Day and John Coltrane
Groovy soul jazz from the pre crack proto rapper, it just makes ya feel goood.


Until next time

Maningrey





"Post F**K" > read the full post

Beastie Boys Samples


Wanted to see where the Beastie Boys got all their samples from?.....
Have a look here, where you can check out the track listing, and download them all.


"Beastie Boys Samples" > read the full post

Alternative Rock n Roll Stamps








The Royal Mail have launched a selection of stamps paying tribute to classic album covers...we came up with our own...



The Royal Mail have made a seemingly random selection of rock covers for a selection of stamps.

A few covers were considered but rejected, The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street, for example, was considered for the set but was rejected because its album cover image, shrunk down to stamp size, would be undecipherable. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here was rejected because its image of a man shaking hands with a man on flames was considered possibly disturbing for the public. Dark Side of the Moon failed to make the cut as it was "too black,” If the stamp was too dark the machines would fail to print it.

Not having to worry about practicalities we decided to pick a few between us which we liked...

King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King aka Pubes Caught in Zipper
Jimi Hendrix: Axis Bold as Love aka Too Many Drugs
Peter Gabriel: Melt aka Disasters in Plastic Surgery
Parliament: Mothership Connection aka I Want One
New Model Army: Thunder and Consolation aka The Cover That Launched a Thousand Tats
Rage Against the Machine: Rage Against The Machine aka That's Got To Hurt
Santana: Abraxas aka One Lucky Dove
Slayer: Reign in Blood aka When Office Christmas Parties Goes Wrong
Frank Zappa: Hot Rats aka New Years Eve











































>


"Alternative Rock n Roll Stamps" > read the full post

Shamless Student Promotion

We have a student requiring some altruistic support for his DJing...read on




Music Production student Charlie's latest podcast mix has been entered into the LetsMix.com Next Generation DJ competition. The winner will get a launch gig at the Miami Winter Music Conference plus a load of other promotion.

To get through to the next stage of the competition, he needs 200 votes on the mix. If anyone likes what they hear vote for him. To vote, just go to www.letsmix.com/mix/24320 and click on the stars at the top of the page.






"Shamless Student Promotion" > read the full post

Logic 9.1 update direct download

Logic 9.1 and Mainstage 2.1 are out.
You can use software update or download directly from Apple.

Apple is starting to get a bit more strict about who gets to download what.
The idea is that you need to login with your Apple ID and then enter your Logic 9 serial number to link it with your ID. Only then you are allowed to download.

For those that never seem to remember their ID or need to download from another computer, we have a link which at the moment appear to bypass all that and allow you to download directly. This is probably a mistake on Apple's part and it's very likely that someone will patch it soon. The link is at the end of this post.

But what about 9.1 – big deal? or minor bug fixes? Read on....



Apple says:

"This update improves overall stability, provides numerous fixes and enhancements, and is recommended for all users of Logic Pro 9. Running Logic Pro 9.1 in 64-bit mode requires Mac OS X v10.6.2 Snow Leopard, or later. For information about running Logic Pro in 64-bit mode, see this article."

Regarding 64-bit mode, the bottom line is that the implementation is still incomplete, but it is now possible to use 32bit plugins in 64bit mode. Hooray! If you are wondering, do we care about 64bit mode? No, not yet. Just make some bloody music and stop asking questions.

Aside from 64-bit compatibility, the list (incomplete) of bug fixes and changes is huge, and you can read it in full here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2565

One of the things they fixed is that now the Logic browser doesn't display anymore hidden Unix system folders. Basically these contain files that have no use in your every-day music making, and Logic wouldn't let you see them anyway, since they ar enot files that Logic can use, but it was a reminder that the Matrix operates underneath your neat and cheerful Mac osX. If you curious, see the picture in this post or see it for yourself before you upgrade.



Ableton Live displays the same folders but then crashes when you try to see what's inside. Coincidence? Or EVIDENCE OF A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY??? Just ask anyone that knows anything about Unix and prepare to be laughed at.
Are we being stupid? OR IS IT FURTHER PROOF THAT THE CONSPIRACY IS EVEN MORE WIDESPREAD THAT YOU INITIALLY THOUGHT????
No, we are being stupid. BUT REALLY??????

...but I am digressing...

Here is the link for direct download of Logic 9.1


Now if only they stopped forcing you to create a stupid track every single time you launch this software, I'd be almost happy.




"Logic 9.1 update direct download" > read the full post

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

Halls of Fame Reverb


Been a bit quiet round here over the holidays, but to start the new year off, Sounds On Demand are giving away a free impulse response reverb unit, the Halls of Fame Origami Edition...
It's from Yellowtools, who gave us the Independence Free synth, and it's based on IR presets from the AKG BX20, EMT 240 /250, LEX 224XL / 480L / 300 / 960L /, PCM 96, Reverb 6000, Bric M7, RO R-880, QRS 2496 and the Even T 2016,

Pop to the Sounds On Demand website, and add it to your shopping basket. It'll ask for a root folder - (look for it in your Macintosh HD, called HOF Free Origami Edition), and on my Mac it failed AU validation in Logic the first time, but there was no problem trying again from the Audio Units Manager (under the Preferences menu).


"Halls of Fame Reverb" > read the full post

Apple - no, sorry, Gibson Dusk Tiger


Gibson's website is looking very Apple at the moment - all white with tigers on it. But what's caught my attention is the new Dusk Tiger guitar....
It's got the new Chameleon tone circuitry - (all analog, digitally controlled EQ), robot tuners (jump to amy tuning preset in seconds), editing software and low Z o/p, as well as looking rather pretty.
Check out the Dusk Tiger homepage, or jump straight to the videos to see it in action... but be quick, there's only 1000 being made!


"Apple - no, sorry, Gibson Dusk Tiger" > read the full post

Sunday, 10 January 2010

How to enable GodMode in Windows 7

At LSS we still use and recommend Windows XP for audio applications, but it is inevitable that soon enough new software will force the upgrade to the latest Windows 7 (without going through the horrible Vista).

When this happens we'll be glad that someone invented GOD MODE. This doesn't, as the name would suggest, give you eternal life, allow you to eat what you like without getting fat, and surround you with angels. No, technology hasn't got there yet.

What you get is much less, but it's still exciting to anyone that has to use a PC.
GodMode is the ultimate control panel: a single place from where every simple or advanced customisation can be made to your computer, without having to mess with registry settings, or battling stupid little control panels that try to prevent you from changing default settings.

The feature is so good that some suspect it might have been the hidden creation of someone working for Microsoft, who needed a personal shortcut. It certainly isn't advertised as a feature and when CNET tried to contact Microsoft to ask them about this hidden feature all they got was a "no comment".

So, how do you enable GodMode? It couldn't be easier...


Create a new folder and then change it's name to:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

It is important that the string is typed exactly as above (copy and paste to be sure, and don't have any spaces before or after).

The folder will change its appearance and it will now display GodMode as its name. Open it and you are your computer's God.



"How to enable GodMode in Windows 7" > read the full post

Tuesday, 29 December 2009

You Rock Guitar


An all-in one game controller/MIDI guitar/Digital guitar thing for $179? Sounds - well, quite cool...
From their site:
"100 Guitar & Synth Presets – blends, mix sounds, levels, tunings, capos, tap mode, open mode.
25 Sampled Real Guitars – Strats, Les Pauls, Acoustics, Nylons, 12-strings, Telly’s all 16 bit long samples.

25 You Rock Mode™ Tracks – just the rocking start to learning all the progressions that changes the world

50 Alternate Tunings – From Hendrix and Hutchins, Mitchell and Hedges plus the classics.

Digital Capo – No need to tune a single string.

Tap Mode – When you’re felling like Eddie, we ready to deliver
Whammy Bar – pitch bend up or down.

Vibrato Joystick – for that mushroom sustained amp feedback effect.
1/4” and stereo mini output – Yeah we got that.

On-board recorder – take the You Rock Guitar anywhere and still save your creations

MIDI & USB – the fastest and easiest, all 16 channels plus Mono modes on Channels 1-6 or 11-16"

The You Rock guitar isn't quite out yet, but check out the vid....

And then pop to their home site for more...


"You Rock Guitar" > read the full post

Monday, 28 December 2009

ES1 Skin anyone?


Been at bit bored over the holidays, have been designing a new skin for Logic's ES1 synth. Anyone interested? Let us know, and we'll make it available for download.....

"ES1 Skin anyone?" > read the full post

Friday, 18 December 2009

Smack my bitch up - Ableton style


Thanks to Rhys for sending me this link - how to make The Prodigy's Smack my bitch up in Live, complete with the sample resources.....



"Smack my bitch up - Ableton style" > read the full post

Free melhoman performer edition


Ohmforce are giving away their Melhoman performer edition for free! Very nice of them too.
It's a bit of a weird one, this, but very cool. Been playing around with it this morning, and it's worth a read through the manual just to see what it can do - it looks deceptively simple!
It comes in Mac and PC RTAS and VST, as well as AU, and even as a stand-alone, so just
head here to pick up your copy.


"Free melhoman performer edition" > read the full post

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

CBGB's virtual tour


Bit of an oddity this...
Found a virtual tour of the classic NY venue CBGB's. If you never had the chance to go there, why not put on a Bad Brains CD too loud, open a can of beer, tip the contents of an ash tray over your clothes and turn up the heating until you're sweating like a pig, and experience what it was really like


"CBGB's virtual tour" > read the full post

Pro Tools on the Mackie Onyx - now official!

Good news everybody!


AVID (owners of Digidesign, who make Pro Tools) have come to an agreement with LOUD (parent company of Mackie) about running Pro Tools on Mackie hardware.
This means you can now run Pro Tools LE on the Onyx 820i, 1220i, 1620i and 1640i mixers - with official support.
We'd looked at this ages ago, but this was before the official licensing agreement.
Check out the Mackie news site to read the announcement


"Pro Tools on the Mackie Onyx - now official!" > read the full post

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No 1?


Not sure if you've seen this already, but there's a campaign underway to stop the X Factor single reaching number 1 at Christmas, by buying Rage Against the Machine's Killing In The Name Of.
Looking at the iTunes chart this morning, Rage are at number 2 at the moment, so it'll have to gather a little momentum to defeat Joe McElderry's Miley Cyrus cover.
Check out the Facebook campaign homepage, or head straight to iTunes to join in..... but.....
Rage Against the Machine were released and published by Sony - who Simon Cowell works for.
Still, at the very least, you'll own a copy of a very cool song...


"Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No 1?" > read the full post

Sunday, 13 December 2009

Get yer free plugins, they're luverly!


Something a bit different for you all - a 4-band distortion plugin from TCK Plugins, called the Dirty Bastard. Good for anything from adding a little valve warmth, to distorting signals beyond recognition.
It's made using SonicBirth, so you'll need to have that installed for the Dirty Bastard to run (Mac only I'm afraid, but in AU and VST versions).
Don't worry though - SonicBirth is free, and you can use it to design your own plugins too.
(Need a little help getting started making your own plugins? Try out this tutorial).
Head to the London School of Sound website to download the Dirty Bastard.


"Get yer free plugins, they're luverly!" > read the full post

Thursday, 10 December 2009

Minispillage


AudioSpillage are offering a free version of their upcoming DrumSpillage drum synth.....
It's a cut down version of the full version, but still pretty cool.
Just head here to download!


"Minispillage" > read the full post

Tuesday, 8 December 2009