BPMTech Nov/Dec'13

LATEST IN DJ, MUSIC AND PRODUCTION GEAR

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ISSUE 70

TH YEAR E D I T I O N

Numark Mixtrack Quad & iDJ Pro We review...

Presonus Eris 5 High Definition Monitors DJ-Tech i-Mix Boss RC-505 Focusrite Scarlett Studio Plus: Up for grabs...

CASIO XW-G1 Synthesizer Competition

Gear News TUTORIALS...

Basic Steps to a better mix & master Tips on using Risers and Sweep effects The Responsible Artist pt.4

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BEATS

CONTENTS

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PEOPLE

• MUSIC

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NOV/DEC 2013 | EDITION 70 3 EDITORS NOTE & INFO 4 COVER FEATURE: NUMARK MIXTRACK QUAD & IDJ PRO 6 GEAR REVIEW: PRESONUS ERIS 5 STUDIO MONITORS 8 INSTRUMENT REVIEW: DJ-TECH I-MIX DJ CONTROLLER 9 CASIO TURN UP YOUR NOISE COMPETITION 12 GEAR NEWS 14 GEAR REVIEW: BOSS RC-505 16 STUDIO: FOCUSRITE SCARLETT STUDIO 18 TUTORIAL: TIPS ON RISERS 22 TUTORIAL: MIXING AND MASTERING 26 EDUCATION: THE RESPONSIBLE ARTIST PT.4

EDITOR’S NOTE ith festive season approaching and [hopefully] that bonus due in December, now’s a good time to delve into the wonderful world of DJing and/or producing. With this in mind we’ve looked at some really cost effective gear that won’t break the bank but will certainly give you hours and hours of creative joy.

On the cover we have two Numark controllers. The Mixtrack Quad is the big daddy to the number one selling Mixtrack Pro, except this has 4 decks and a bunch of extra features. What it has in common with the 2-track pro version though, is the excellent build quality and keen pricing. It’s a good upgrade option if you want to move from 2 to 4 deck control although if you’re a first time buyer, you’d do well to consider 4-deck from the outset as Dave Skinz points out on Pg. 4. iPad owners should seriously look at the iDJ Pro if you’d like to turn your iPad into a proper DJ device. It comes with a host of pro features and again, Numark comes up trumps with an excellent price point.

However if your budget is a little tighter you can also check out the I-Mix from DJ-Tech. Fairly new on the SA market, it gets a solid thumbs up from Dave too.

Presonus, better known for their mixing consoles and preamps have introduced a range of cost effective nearfield studio monitors to their product line. Available in both 5 and 8 inch derivatives, our other Dave [there’s a few of us around here], David Scott spent a week with the 5-inch model in his studio. You can read his opinion on Pg. 6.

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Sticking with the budget and/or keenly priced goodies, David also tested out the awesome Focusrite Scarlett Studio which packages a soundcard, a condenser mic and a set of studio headphones together for a very, very good price. This is definitely worth checking out for those wanting to kickstart their homeproducing career. He’ll give you the lowdown on Pg. 16.

Lastly we have also reviewed the new Boss RC-505 loopstation. Now looping devices are not new but what makes the RC-505 interesting is that it is aimed mainly at two markets; beatboxers/vocalists and/or the EDM market. Nic Roos gives it a thorough test on Pg. 14.

We also have the usual suspects imparting their invaluable knowledge in our tutorials section so be sure to read up on this too.

FREEBIES! We all love a good competition don’t we? Check out our Casio Competition on Pg. 9. We’re giving away, compliments of Casio South Africa, an XW-G1 Groove Synthesizer as reviewed in our last edition. This instrument is the ideal tool for DJs and producers to get their groove on so be sure to enter. “If you ‘ain’t in it you can’t win it!” [Where’ve I heard that before?]

Enjoy summer and be sure to make those beats fly!

Dave Mac Editor-in-Chief

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COVER FEATURE

By Dave Skinz

NUMARK MIXTRACK QUAD & iDJ PRO CONTROLLERS TWO OF THE TOP OFFERINGS FROM NUMARK

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WHAT IS IT? Mixtrack Pro Quad After the runaway success of the original 2channel Mixtrack Pro, Numark have kept their finger on the pulse of the scene and have not only released a rebooted version the Mixtrack Pro 2, but have now used that same new template to bring you the 4Channel Mixtrack Quad. And with that extra four-deck space Numark have given you a stack of extra backlit buttons to hot cue, sample and effect to your heart’s content.

Just like the Mixtrack Pro, the Quad handles both the MIDI and audio parts of your operation in one class compliant device that connects via USB with no transformer necessary. Your audio section

has a pair of RCA outs on the back for your master output while your headphones have a choice of either jack or mini-jack output ports and they share their space with a single jack in for your mic with a gain on the right side edge of the Mixtrack Quad.

The best parts of the controller for me include the excellent platters from the Mixtrack Pro 2 each with top and side control as well as colour changing rings that can be switched via the bundled four-deck Virtual DJ LE software and the 16 backlit multi-colour drum pads each with a palette of 16 colours to easier distinguish your function and status. A bank of four rotaries are level with the 8 pads per side which further enhances the effectiveness of the pad setup.

The pitch faders are positioned at the top corners of the Mixtrack Quad far away from the central four faders and 3 band EQ's for each channel. The crossfader felt quite tight and fits nicely in line with the Sync, Cue, Play/Pause and Stutter buttons at the bottom of the controller. The Navigation section is at the top of the Quad with a large infinity rotary and folder browsing buttons.

The entire housing is the same durable plastic as the Pro 2 with the face of the Quad looking quite striking in black, offset with silver EQ's, lines faders and platters, adding to the ambiance of the multi-colour pads.

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IDJ Pro This 2-channel iPad controller has walked away with numerous international awards for its innovative way of connecting your iPad with your controller. It’s not just Wi-fi or Bluetooth, your iPad actually fits into the iDJ Pro and together with Algoriddim's djay or vjay app (which is available on the SA App iStore and sold separately) uses the iPad’s screen interact with your levels, wave display, library and effects while you still have physical buttons, faders, knobs and platters for mixing, browsing, effects, and looping.

Another unique thing about the iDJ Pro is the die-cast aluminum volume knobs.

Rotaries might feel a little clumsy if you've never mixed with that style line fader before, but you quickly learn how much more subtle a rotary fader can be from a pure mixing standpoint because it avoids many things, one of which is line fader flicking.

Any level referencing worry is quickly put to rest with a ring of green lights around the knob and the great iPad retina display for a 10-segment level meter per side. You have a large set of Cueing and Looping buttons and it’s nice to see the Sync button as one of the smaller buttons on the unit.

The iDJ Pro has a pro grade audio interface built into it with a choice of either balanced (XLR) or unbalanced outputs (RCA), jack or mini-jack headphone outputs and with a single set of RCA inputs and 1/4” jack input for a microphone with gain and tone knobs.

What's cool about having an on-board audio card is that both the master and

headphone outs are stereo signals. The entire device is housed in a solid brushed aluminum case. But bear in mind with all these outputs and buttons the iDJ Live runs off a 12V DC transformer that is supplied in the box.

Another of the great innovations the iDJ Live brings to the table is by actually using the iPad as much as the iPad is using the iDJ Live, so you can access the cloud for music on the fly, and make use of Airplay or Bluetooth devices to stream your output wirelessly!

WHO SHOULD OWN ONE? The Mixtrack Quad is an excellent piece of gear that would be my pick for guys who want get into a four deck headspace at a bargain price point, and perhaps even for those first time buyers who want a piece of gear they can grow into as they improve their skills.

The iDJ Pro I consider as a pro accessory for those guys that have an iPad and want to take themselves seriously if they want to start DJing more professionally.

It would very interesting to somehow gauge people’s responses to a DJ performing with just an iPad or one that is playing with the iDJ Pro. My gut tells me people in general and perhaps even the DJ themself would feel way more connected to the actual entertainment experience with an iDJ Pro.

THE VERDICT The Mixtrack Quad is the best budget fourdeck controller I’ve had the pleasure of

playing on. Even pitching it in the budget category is a bit of a harsh hand in my opinion as it punches way above its class. It really is a fantastic controller, the layout is great for the space and the only real critique I have is that the EQ's and faders can feel a little close to each other.

Other than that slight speed bump, the platters and buttons are excellent and the navigation and mixing sections are comprehensive.

The audio outputs are solid and being a class compliant-device means you really can Plug-andPlay with the Virtual DJ LE bundled software. Numark have even supplied Traktor Pro users with a ready-to-go map. iDJ Pro is an innovative piece of kit that already has changed what other manufacturers offer on their gear but what this controller really offers is a chance for the guys who have an iPad to try their hand at DJing with more than the touch screen interface to learn and play on. The concept of using a physical platter to control your music is as deeply ingrained on the psyche of DJ consciousness as the very Technics SL turntables that still inspires the trend today. And one wonders if maybe that perceived line between genuine and wannabe exists around this very thing; that decks brought to everyone who played on them offered a sense that you were touching the very music you were performing. Like playing an instrument.

Both controllers are excellent choices for very different reasons. If you’re in the market for a 4-channel device, the Mixtrack Quad is a no-brainer to try out. If it’s iPad DJing you’re after, but with the tactile feel or doing it properly with platters and hands on EQ’s, tempo sliders etc, then the IDJ Pro is a very good option.

Price: Mixtrack Quad: R 4,227.00 iDJ Pro: R 5,091.00 Supplier: Viva Afrika Tel: (011) 250-3280 Web: www.vivaafrika.co.za www.numark.com

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GEAR REVIEW

By David Scott

PRESONUS ERIS E5 ACTIVE STUDIO MONITOR

Prices: Eris E5 - R 4,600.00 / pair Eris E8 - R 7,398.00 / pair Supplier: Tuerk Music Tel: (011) 792-8402 Web: www.tuerkmusic.co.za

PRESONUS ENTER THE LOUD SPEAKER MARKET WITH A BANG hen I hear Presonus I think of awesome preamps and digital mixers, so I was surprised to hear that they're now entering the realm of studio monitors. This is quite a brave move from their part, as this is a market which is already flooded with entry level monitors, but time will tell how they fare against the competitors.

The Eris E5's which I'm reviewing are the smallest of the range, but if you need something with a little more 'oomf', there's also

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ANATOMY the 8 inch E8.

I really like it when I look at the back panel of a monitor and I can understand what each knob and switch does without having to read the manual. So often the settings are so encrypted that you need to take out the manual and decipher the settings with fear of blowing the thing up. But PreSonus have taken a very pragmatic approach to the various switches and knobs, which is great.

Most monitors have an output gain knob, but this one has 'input gain' which allows you to control the level of the source coming in, rather than the level of the sound going out. This helps to attenuate any noise that may be coming from the signal source.

I really like the 'Acoustic Space' switch which compensates for different room environments. If you have your speakers setup against the wall at an angle towards you, you use setting A. If you have them pointing straight on, and close to the backwall, you use setting B. And lastly, if you have them straight on but away from the backwall, you use setting C. This is a clever feature, as it takes into account that not everyone buying these monitors will have the best studio acoustics.

The 'Acoustic Tuning' controls allow you to tweak the mid and high frequency response to your taste. The High control shelves all frequencies above 4.5 kHz with a 6dB cut/boost, while the Mid control is a parametric EQ that boosts or cuts frequencies centred on 1 kHz.

There's also a 'Low Cutoff' three-way switch, which offers a roll off at 80Hz and 100Hz - useful if you want to add a sub to the system.

There are also three input options: RCA, jack or XLR which is very useful if you're going to be using different input sources.

HOW DO THEY SOUND? Overall, I found that the Mids and Highs were very prominent, bordering on harsh, and I would've enjoyed a bit more presence in the low end [they are 5 inch woofers! Ed].They have plenty of volume on tap and when I cranked them loud the lows became easier to mix, and I was impressed with how tight the bass was even under high volumes. But I had to endure some pretty hectic mids and highs while mixing the lows and found that my ears took a bit of a hammering.

I wasn't expecting much bass response in entry level 5 inch monitors at low volume, but paired with my sub it was actually really nice to mix with, because I could turn the gain down a bit and still hear the low end.

I'm not used to mixing with such prominent mids and highs, but there were elements that I could pin-point easily in the higher frequencies that I normally wouldn't

have noticed on my current monitors, but my ears got fatigued a lot quicker than usual.

WHO SHOULD GET THEM? Someone who doesn't have the luxury of a treated studio environment, but wants to produce quality music in the room that they have. If you save up one day to get professional monitors you could always keep the E5s as a reference.

VERDICT The E5's are the perfect monitors for the not so perfect environment. Yes, they might not sound as great as my R14k monitors in my treated studio, but if you were using them in an untreated bedroom, I think they would fare a lot better than most fancy monitors with the help of the handy adaptable settings on the back panel. Do they stand out against the other competitors out there? I think with the control you get using the 'Acoustic Tuning' and 'Acoustic Space' settings, there's a lot of appeal and could sway my decision if I needed lots of tweakabillity within my mixing environment.

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DJ GEAR

By Dave Skinz

DJ TECH I-MIX COMPACT CONTROLLER THAT IS RUGGED ENOUGH TO GO WHEREVER YOU CAN.

Price: R 1,999.00 Supplier: Kolok Pty Ltd Tel: (011) 248-0371 Web: www.djtechpro.com www.koloksa.co.za easy to see what’s going on in the dark.

The Cue and Play/Pause buttons are the biggest buttons on the i-Mix and are found to the bottom left of each jog wheel and each side also has 3 buttons for looping (IN/OUT/ RELOOP) and 4 for Effect control (SELECT, 1,2,3).

The i-Mix comes with a choice of two software packages to run with; Native Instruments Traktor LE and MixVibes 3DEX LE - both are very solid and reliable entry level DJ applications.

WHO SHOULD OWN ONE? The i-Mix is an entry level device so its best suited to those just getting into the DJ thing.

It's compact enough to be stashed into a school or laptop bag, and adding a sound card at a later stage will really bump this controller’s functionality up a couple of notches.

THE VERDICT

WHAT IS IT? DJ Tech is a relatively new player to the DJ market and they produce a wide range of computer DJ products as well as mixers and loudspeakers.

This review focuses on the i-Mix, a 2channel MIDI-only DJ Controller. The basic layout and interface is focused on the mixing aspects of DJing, so it’s a really good starting point for guys looking to learn the craft.

Each channel has a gain pot and threeband EQ including kill switches. The line faders are nice and long for intricate mixing and the feel of all the faders is very smooth just like the pots on the i-Mix. There is rotary gradient adjust for the crossfader which can be found on the back on the unit along with the USB connection. The i-Mix can run solely off USB BUS power or you can purchase a transformer if you feel the need.

Each CDJ side of the i-Mix is mirrored so both of the pitch faders are positioned to the right of the jog wheels which often leaves Channel 1's pitch fader quite close to Channel 1's Line fader, so you have to be conscious of that when pitching and mixing. The jog wheels are quite large for the size of the controller and come with scratch buttons if you wish to engage scratch mode on the platter which I know lots of people prefer rather than the “auto-top and side” setting some platters have.

DJ-Tech have taken an interesting approach to music browsing with the i-Mix so each side of the controller has its own browsing system with an infinite push-in rotary controlling your file surfing and selecting, with a back button right below the pot that doubles as the reverse button for the platter. Each side also has dedicated track select and search buttons, as well as monitor, auto-mix, auto-BPM and pitch bend buttons to make it a little to easier to track and remember which side you are playing on. All of the 48 buttons on the unit are backlit so it’s

It would be easy to dismiss the i-Mix as just another compact DJ controller, but when you get to grips with it, this controller is a sturdily assembled device that’s sure to be able to take the knocks of being carried around in backpacks and the like. The jog wheels are solid and have a good high-resolution feel to their response, and all of the 5 faders, 10 knobs and 48 backlit buttons feel durable.

The layout is very easy to follow and there are just enough functions like Looping and Effects to keep the mixing fun and interactive for guys getting into the swing of it.

I really liked the dedicated install guides for both Traktor LE and MixVibes 3DEX LE, as this is often the biggest stumbling block when it comes to getting things going and MixVibes in particular can present quite a detailed install process.

For the more advanced guys there is a full MIDI chart in the manual if you would like to reconfigure some of the assigned buttons like track skip and scrub. The black finish with silver pots and faders with backlit buttons is really fetching and I would consider this unit one of the more attractive compact controllers out there.

The i-Mix should provide hours of reliable home entertainment but a good sound card is going to be needed if you want to take this controller out of the bedroom and into venues and clubs.

COMPETITION

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CASIO TURN UP YOUR NOISE COMPETITION IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR GROOVE ON WITH THE CASIO XW-G1 SYNTHESIZER Win the brand new Casio XW-G1 Synthesizer valued @ R 9,499.00

Designed for the DJ and club performer the XW-G1 features a step sequencer and sample looper for capturing performance patterns and instruments.

The six oscillator monophonic solo synth engine offers an endless tapestry of sounds and was designed with the performer in mind.

ENTER TODAY! GO TO WWW.BPMMAG.CO.ZA OR scan this TAG to enter from your Smartphone

Crystal Method at the XW-G1 launch

CASIO SA YEARS

CASIOSA

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BPM Reports

GEAR & INDUSTRY NEWS

GEAR & INDUSTRY NEWS ROLLING THUNDER OPENS NEW CONCEPT STORE Rolling Thunder Distributors recently expanded their business into retail stores.

Working closely with South African distributors and international suppliers their primary goal they say “is to showcase and promote world leading audio, lighting and DJ Brands.”

Their first concept store has opened in Cape Town where they plan on also doing workshops, promo days and demonstrations of their brands. Using these marketing tools they say “we aim to educate not only consumers but retail stores that purchase our brands.”

Rolling Thunder has partnered up with Scratch Lab and the SAE Institute by supplying them with DJ hardware from Vestax and Ortofon. Leading DJ software Serato has also been included in their curriculum to help Scratch Lab educate those who would like to learn how to DJ. Their first store is located at: Shop 2 Hirsch’s Centre, 454 Koeberg Road, Milnerton, Cape Town.

TV AUDIO SECURES BEAMZ AGENCY TV Audio, one of South Africa’s leading broad-line electronics distributors announced recently the securing of the Beamz lighting agency for this territory. The distributor has one of the largest catalogues of affordable products in South Africa along with a range of premium products too.

The company was established in 1982 and has continued to expand its product catalogue and has seen remarkable growth in this area over the past several years.

Beamz is a brand that offers a massive range of lighting at incredibly competitive prices.

Products include: Triple Flex centre Pro LED DMX - A high energy DMX Triple Flex Centre LED lighting effect with three scanning heads, hence each corner of an area will be illuminated.

With stepper motors for smooth and quick movements and 24 long life LEDs each scanning head (RGB). Includes built-in programs, three operational modes, strobe function etc.

Carpo Laser Moving Head Fat Beam Red - The moving head features a single bright fat beam laser diode. This 6channel DMX red laser can reflect the high lightness of laser effect and due to the high-grade optical technology it emits wider, more visible and more powerful beams with high lightness. For use in disco, pubs and all kinds of parties etc...

Jupiter Blue Laser 450mW DMX - The Jupiter is a new blue laser effect with a 450mW laser. Advanced algorithmic routine design with more than 63 beam effects and graphics. After 5 seconds without sound the laser effect will be shut down automatically. Ideal for bars, discos, casinos, clubs, family parties etc.

Supplied by: TV Audio| (011) 805-9910 www.tvaudio.co.za

BELDEN BRILLIANCE 2221 COMPACT DIGITAL MICROPHONE CABLE For applications where full-size microphone cables are just too big, the Belden 2221 Compact Microphone Cable is an ideal solution. Oftentimes, hand-held solid-state recording devices (SSD) use miniature microphone connectors from Lemo, Neutrik or Switchcraft (such as the Switchcraft TA3F/TA3M). The Belden 2221 Compact Microphone Cable is an excellent choice for those connectors as well as for the hand-held SSD recorders that use Bantam or TT jacks as the balanced line input. With an impedance of 110 ohms, the cable can carry digital audio and its ultralow capacitance (13 pF/ft.) makes it the finest performing digital cable available today.

Supplied by: Jaycor International (011) 444-1039 | (021) 447 4247 www.jaycor.co.za

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THREE IS KEY: M-AUDIO RELEASES M3-8, NEW 3-WAY STUDIO REFERENCE MONITOR Adding to their industry-leading studio M3-8’s high- and mid-frequency

SA Distributor: Midi Music (011) 403-0199 | www.midimusic.co.za

monitor line, M-Audio announced in September the new 3-way M3-8 studio reference monitor, which should be available in South Africa shortly.

Featuring an innovative inline design and superior imaging, M3-8 is compact yet delivers an immersive audio experience with dedicated low-, mid-, and highfrequency drivers, each with its own dedicated amplifier.

“They’re meant to stand out both visually and acoustically,” says JC Sutherland, Product Manager, M-Audio.

“One of the biggest upsides to having a three-way design is accuracy in the lower midrange frequencies - M3-8 has a dedicated driver for that often-muddy range, which can be too high for a woofer and too low for a tweeter to handle. M3-8’s three-way coaxial design successfully addresses that challenge, and does so at an unprecedented price point.”

drivers are coaxial, with the mid surrounding the high, allowing for a compact standard-size monitor that offers incredibly rich audio detail and a wide ‘sweet spot’ for accurate mixing.

The inline design provides truly spectacular three-way sound in the same space as a standard two-way monitor. With the high- and midfrequency drivers delivering sound along the same focal plane, M3-8 delivers improved time-alignment for fatigue-free listening.

“Because of the coaxial design, we're offering a three-way speaker in the same footprint as a two-way with all of the benefits of having time aligned mid and high drivers,” said Sutherland.

“Having a dedicated driver for midrange makes a huge difference when mixing.”

NEW 2-WAY ACTIVE STUDIO REFERENCE MONITORS FROM SAMSON Samson continue striving to provide the market with keenly priced, functional music gear, a good example of this being the new RESOLV SE studio monitors. The new SE series is a redesign of the Resolv A-Series offering more accurate sound reproduction and a stylish new look, in three distinct models. The Resolv SE5, SE6 and SE8 all utilise the latest innovations in speaker engineering, which can be used with multiple monitors to provide superb stereo imaging for recording, post-production and other multimedia applications.

The Resolv SE5 (70 watts, 50Hz–27 kHz), SE6 (100 watts, 45Hz–27 kHz) and SE8 (100 watts, 40Hz–27 kHz) include dedicated

power amps and electronic crossovers that provide accurate tonal balance and are specifically designed for each model. Their new woven carbon fibre woofers (5, 6 and 8 inches) provide tight and controlled low frequency response, while their 1.25-inch soft dome tweeters give the high frequencies a true, natural sound without unwanted resonance.

Resolv SEs each include a 4position high frequency lift control that allow you to optimize your setup for different mixing environments, and are AV shielded for operation near computers.

SA Distributor: Audiosure (011) 790-4600 | www.audiosure.co.za

RELOOP ANNOUNCES KEYPAD AND KEYFADR CONTROLLERS FOR ABLETON LIVE Reloop's new Keypad and Keyfadr are compact MIDI controllers that are designed specifically for users of Ableton Live.

Both offer 25 velocity-sensitive mini keys, eight faders, 16 rotary knobs and eight endless encoders, with the Keypad also adding 16 velocity-sensitive backlit drum pads. Transport controls are included on both devices, too.

The Keypad is one of the deepest mini keyboards yet to be seen - in fact, it's almost square - but it appears to pack in plenty of control. Both products have an onboard arpeggiator and ship with a copy of Ableton Live Lite 9

(they're said to be plug 'n' play with Ableton's software).

The keyboard section on the Keypad also has two unique modes: ! Chord feature: easily play the most common chords in this versatile mode ! Scale mode: choose from four different scales and always hit the right key.

SA Distributor: Tradelius Music Group (031) 502-3080 | www.tradelius.co.za

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GEAR REVIEW

By Nic Roos

BOSS RC 505 HANDS-ON LOOPER FOR MODERN PERFORMERS Supplier: Musical Distributors www.musicaldistributors.co.za

nown more for their guitar based effects units, Boss take a step closer to the EDM market with the release of the RC 505 Loop Station.

Unlike most floor-based foot pedal loopers which are aimed at instrumentalists, this is the first tabletop loop station and is aimed more towards beat boxers, vocalists and EDM producers but also still accommodates instrumentalists.

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FEATURES The RC 505 has 5 independent tracks for recording, overdubbing and playback. It features 25 effects ranging from filters, flangers, granular delays and beat shifting, 21 of which can be routed to the input while all 25 can be applied to each track. A master compressor and reverb are also present to balance the overall sound of the unit. It has mono or stereo instrument inputs, a mini-jack aux in and unlike many loopers a balanced XLR microphone input.

There are stereo ¼ inch outputs, a headphone out, midi in and out, an input for and optional footswitch and a USB connection for loading and unloading wave files from a computer or syncing to a DAW. Aside from the 5 recordable tracks there is a Rhythm track that comes preloaded with many, many different beats in a wide variety of styles and feels.

There are master controls such as a play/stop all button, and intelligent undo/redo button, a tap tempo that lights up and a Rhythm stop/play button that activates a rhythm track.

Each channel has a volume fader, stop and edit buttons and a large playback/record

button that flashes in time with the set tempo.

Each record button is surrounded by a semicircular measure indicator that tracks the progress of the loop to help you keep track of your measures.

Loops and various parameters can be stored in 99 slots of presets or 'phrases'. These phrases can be set up to play each of the 5 tracks simultaneously as normal or can be set up in a sort of playlist type mode where, for example, one track can fade in over a measure when hitting playback, or playing one track stops another - useful for setting up verse and chorus loops.

While the RC 505 is mainly aimed at beat boxers and vocalists who would usually have at least one hand free to control the unit, it is possible to send some parameters to an optional footswitch when recording other instruments.

IN USE Using the RC 505 couldn't be easier. Hook up a mic to the mic input, or a drum machine or guitar to the instrument input, set the input and output levels and tap tempo, press record on a track and lay down a beat. While that plays hit record on the next track and lay down a bass line. Select the Guitar to Bass effect from the input effects selection and sing a bass line into the mic. This effect drops the pitch by two octaves and fattens the sound perfectly for that purpose.

Carrying on in this fashion makes it immediately apparent how good the effects sound and how effective it is to apply them to the input: it really helps differentiate the sound

of each loop. From here you can balance volume, bring loops in and out, overdub on top of existing loops, create and automate playlist styled loop sets. You can also add FXs to the tracks after they’re recorded. For example you can simulate record scratching with the Vinyl Flick effect or glitch up your drum loops with the Beat Scatter effect. I particularly like the glitchy dirt of the Granular Delay which imparts a wide variety of tasty degradation to the mix.

A very nifty feature is the ability to send the Rhythm track output to headphones only so that you can use it as a metronome and keep time while creating loops live.

CONCLUSION I can really see how the RC 505 could come in handy for solo EDM performers and MCs as well as being incredibly useful for song writing.

It is fantastically intuitive and flexible, allowing precious little to get in the way of you getting your ideas down. This is a fantastic musical tool.

Sean Ou Tim [Mr. Sakitumi, Lark and several other projects] - winner of the Boss Loopstation Finals W. Cape had this to say, “It’s almost designed for someone like me, who digs looping a mixture of instruments in a more electronic music style environment.

I could probably do an obscure improv gig making up stuff all night on one of these. [It] was a lot of fun; was making up loops and jamming for a while, evolving ideas, morphing into different tempos which allowed me to morph into different genre styles (more electronic genres).”

16

DJ/STUDIO GEAR

By David Scott

FOCUSRITE SCARLETT STUDIO

Price: R 3,395.00 Supplier: Rockit Distribution Tel: 021-511 1800 Web: www.rockitdistribution.co.za

THE PERFECT STARTER PACK FOR BUDDING PRODUCERS

tarting out as a music producer can be a daunting experience. I know this first-hand. I used to record audio with my computer mic because that was the only way I knew how to record stuff. I did all my mixes using my dad’s old listening headphones (which sounded cool on the headphones), but I didn't know why my mixes sounded so bad when I played my stuff to my friend’s through speakers.

It took me a couple years before I realised I needed a soundcard, a decent mic and some decent reference monitors and/or headphones, if I was going to produce music that was any good. The next part was trying to figure out which equipment I should get with my limited budget. It was all very time consuming and scary.

It's as if Focusrite have heard the cries of confusion from many desperate beginner producers. They've tailor-made a starter pack called 'The Scarlett Studio' designed to get you on your feet if you're starting out.

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WHAT IS IT? The 'Scarlett Studio' is a studio bundle containing 3 pieces of Focusrite studio gear: The 2i2 soundcard, a pair of HP60 headphones, and a large diaphragm CM25 microphone. It also includes a USB cable to connect the soundcard to your computer, as well as a 3m XLR cable and microphone stand attachment for the microphone.

Although the box says it's a 'complete professional recording package', to be honest you’ll still need a microphone stand and a

pop filter for the microphone to complete a basic studio setup.

ANATOMY I'll start with the Soundcard. Focusrite are well known for their soundcards. I'm a proud owner of the Focusrite PRO 24 DSP, which has stood me in good stead over the years.

The Scarlett 2i2 has 24bit recording, and I couldn't hear the difference in sound quality when comparing it to my fancier soundcard. It has 2 dual XLR/jack inputs so you can switch between mic and instrument inputs. I like that there's a manual switch for switching between line/inst, because on my fancier soundcard you have to make the switch on the digital software which is sometimes a mission. I must say, it could have done with more than two line outputs, but I guess that's all you need when starting out.

I'm a fan of the sleek and simple design.

My first impression of the headphones was that they look and feel a lot like my AKG MkII headphones, which are pretty high-end.

They don’t sound amazing, which is actually a good thing - because it seems Focusrite have made a mission to not colour the sound too much, so you get a true representation of the sound response. The headphones translate in mixes pretty well as far as headphones go, but you obviously won't be able to produce a polished masterpiece with only using these headphones (you'll need some monitors for that). But if you'll be using them to make demo material, they're perfect.

I was surprised at how good the microphone sounds, given the price of the entire package. Normally cheap condenser

mics are noticeably horrible, but the recording was surprisingly clear. I AB'd it against my Rode NT1-A, but it lacked the sparkle that the Rode had. Even so, this would be a useful mic to have along with anyone's studio collection. Without the popfilter, beginners are going to have a hard time recording quality vocal takes so perhaps this is something they can include in their next studio package, or they could at least suggest a pop filter on the box.

The bundle comes with a lite version of Cubase. For the purposes of a beginner it does enough to create a simple song. There's also the Focusrite plug-in suite with compressors, gates, FX etc, so there's enough software to make decent recordings with.

WHO SHOULD GET IT? Without a doubt this is the perfect set for any budding producer. For the amount of money you'd normally have to cough up for each piece of equipment separately, it really is a no-brainer. Even if you quickly outgrow the equipment in the bundle and want better gear, it's never a bad thing having extra tech.

VERDICT The Scarlett studio is a well rounded selection of studio gear which is great for beginners. You'll be saving yourself a lot of time and money if you're looking for an entry level soundcard, headphones and mic.

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20

TUTORIAL

By James Copeland

TIPS ON USING RISERS AND SWEEP EFFECTS JAMES COPELAND AKA BROKEN TOY, SUPER EVIL AND SAD PARADISE IS ONE OF SA'S LEADING INTERNATIONAL PSYTRANCE PRODUCERS. KNOWN FOR HIS WICKED BASSLINES AND TWISTED LEADS, COPELAND TAKES US THROUGH THE STEPS OF CREATING A 'HOOVER' TYPE LEAD CERTAIN TO GET YOUR PRODUCTIONS ROCKING... ance music would hardly have any of the drama, anticipation and impact that it has without the use of risers and sweep effects.

Whether used to create subtle lifts in tracks or manic searing intensity, each genre incorporates these essential elements in different ways to help create a journey and also, ahem, to cheerlead the dance floor to synchronised and unified beat-drop heaven.

You can slice, dice and time-stretch the excellent selection of ready-made effects available on sample packs or tailor make your own. Here are some basic tips on using them.

D

Picture 1: Synth rise

BUILD YOUR OWN USING A SYNTH The main advantage to this method is the end point of the rise can be in key to the track. You can also make more complex rises or even dips where you choose, as well as gating the effect by putting in different note sequences. Choose any kind of synth with any kind of lead or pad sound you like for this, but just make sure the pitch bend up and down values are set to at least 1 or 2 octaves.

In Picture 1 you can see an 8 bar segment with a 4 bar note rising, changing to a simple sequence for 3 bars and finally holding the note for half a bar before diving into what would be the drop of the track. Under the pitch bend automation you can see a cc1 Modulation wheel automation which could be mapped to something like LFO rate for pitch or cutoff filter modulation to make the sound more dynamic. LFOs that increase to extremely fast rates toward the end like in the example can create a really intense riser.

USING WHITE NOISE AS A RISER White noise is like a blank canvas on which you can smear effects and get results. Take a chunk as an audio file or generate it from a synth, use fades if necessary and get it to “rise” using a resonant filter sweep or also

Picture 2: Noise sweep using time delay effects like automated feedback and rate on a Chorus effect or Phaser. The more stereo processing the better. See Picture 2 for a basic example.

PITCH PROCESSING AUDIO Taking pieces of your track - like beats , vocals, synths or even a bounce of your main mix - and applying post pitch processing on it can create quite a dramatic effect too. If you do a vinyl style pitch shift where timing isn’t preserved you can also get rhythmic effects or sequences to appear to speed up like the famous dub delay effect heard in a lot of tracks these days.

MORE TIPS ! Using a sidechain effect on risers creates a nice pumping effect and also helps create space in the mix during otherwise congested build ups. ! If you want more impact on your drops , edit and cut the risers to fall silent and create some “hang time” just before. Also avoid reverb to make this more effective. ! All these build ideas can also be used in reverse to create “downlifters” - useful when transitioning into a break. ! Use combinations of all these tips and layer them as you please to create something unique.

22

TUTORIAL

By Donovan Leon from Oaksfield College

SIMPLE BASIC STEPS TO A BETTER MIX AND MASTER PART 1

I

have a lot of people asking me what is mixing and mastering and how does one apply this to his/her song? Well in this 3 part tutorial I’ve put together simple steps to a better mix and master.

also deals with: Panning, equalization, reverberation, effects and sometimes even editing audio. Imagine a track without any of the abovementioned elements, it would probably sound bland, boring and 9 times of out of 10 you wouldn’t want to listen to it.

PANNING THE STEREO FIELD

WHAT IS A MIX / MIXDOWN? Firstly, let us understand the difference between the two topics: Mixing and Mastering. What is mixing or a complete mixdown?

Well simply put, a mixdown is the process whereby the final audio of our track gets an overall balance while finding the correct space in the stereo field and is ready for mastering. Think of it as a moulding process where we get our track to really sound great! This way a good final mixdown improves the quality of a finished master.

If we have a badly mixed track there is only so much the mastering engineer can do to fix it, so it is very important that we understand how to mix a song for the music you are producing before attempting to even master it. Different types of genres require different types of mixing processes.

What is in the mixing process you say? Well, mixing doesn’t only mean we adjust the faders to a desired volume, it

A quick and useful way of panning our tracks is to imagine yourself in front of a sound stage where all of the musicians are placed on different parts of the stage.

The drummer will tend to be in the centre and the guitarists to the left and mostly right, with the bass player somewhere between them.

Now imagine the lead vocalist is just off-centre, with the backing singers to one side. This is a hypothetical situation of course, but you can see how a setup like this would be preferable to having everything play dead centre. Same thing applies to your mix. Having certain instruments panned not only creates space for them in the stereo field but also allows some interest in the mix!

REVERBERATION AND DEPTH IN OUR MIX The aim of reverberation in our tracks is to create a sense of depth and distance while pushing certain instrument tracks a bit into the background which will give

our overall mix better separation.

Whether you are using a single room verb for a drum snare or percussion as well as using a vocal plate verb on a vocal, immediately we can hear an improvement to the depth and distance of our mix. Be careful not to overdo it though, as too much depth can make the song sound very far away which will lose energy and drown itself if not controlled properly. But then again this depends on the music you are producing and how the producer wants it to sound.

THE CUBE MIXING RULE With the use of panning together with reverb used in our track, it can help tremendously to picture our mix down as a 3D cube. Where the panning is considered to be the width of the mix, the depth therefore is how far we use our reverb in the mix and finally the elevation would be any EQ, amplitude or delay etc used in our mix.

Having a good understanding of this diagram helps us intuitively to correctly place each and every instrument in its own space. With experience, lots of people find that this method eventually becomes instinctive no matter what type of music you are mixing, and it also helps you to make critical decisions about certain settings quick and easy.

For parts 2 & 3 of this tutorial I deal with in the mix and mastering.

Check it out at bpmmag.co.za by selecting the TUTORIALS tab.

Hope you enjoyed this technique. Happy Producing!!

Da Don

This tutorial was brought to you by Donovan Leon from Oaksfield College - JHB DONOVAN LEON is a Producer/ Engineer for DCL Studios and Sound/ Music Lecturer at Oaksfield College JHB. He has had the opportunity to worked and collab with many artists/producers such as: Loyiso Bala, Crighton Goodwill (Good Noise Studios), Robin C Khol (Jazzworx), L’loyd Cele (2010 Idol Runner up), Jamali (Popstars), CH2, Denim, Thembi Seete (Boom Shaka), Kwesta, Zubz, Sasha P (Nigeria), Ziyon (Liquid Deep), 37MPH, L-Tido, Maggs, Mandoza and many, many more.

Oakfields College: Tel: 010 591-7314 | Cell: 082 42 66 400 | Email: dclstudioz@gmail.com / jhb@oaksfieldcollege.co.za BBM Pin: 28ED7476 | FACEBOOK: DCL. STUDIOS OR DONOVAN DA DON LEON | TWITTER: DCLSTUDIOS

23

HOW TO: Labeling, grouping and preparing for the mix down I’ve prepared a song I’ve mixed for a client recently which has a full arrangement of instruments and vocals. In this tutorial I’ll strip down as much as I can and explain the process of what I did to make the track better than it originally was.

1) First thing I do when I get the separate tracks (Wav. / Aiff. format) from a client is I sit down and listen to the mix a few times and get a feel of the actual song making notes along the way already of what I can do to make it sound better as well as what type of music it is and what BPM the song is in. I then identify the main audio tracks that hold the track together as well as the lead vocals of the track. Also you’ll notice I’ve edited all the spaces out.

2) Then I set my playback settings to a high latency buffer (2048) so that I avoid glitches from my audio interface and in this case we won’t be tracking any audio so latency for recording won’t be an issue.

1

2

3) Next most importantly I sit down and label each individual track and colour and group them at the same time, this makes my work flow much easier so when I’m mixing I don’t need to still find things.

Drums and bass - Yellow, Instruments Red, Vocals - Purple, FX - Blue.

4) Finally I load by aux buss tracks and print track. Not knowing how many buss tracks I’ll actually be using, I normally have my own set template for this. I then route and name all my busses, from drum buss, parallel comp, reverb, delay, instruments, etc. My print track allows me to record my bounced down audio and compare it when I’m attempting a second mix. So all I do is mute the track and when I want to hear it from time to time I just solo it and compare it to the current version of that mix. Always remember to take a break when mixing and go outside and come back as mixing for long periods of time can really be straining on your ears.

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26

EDUCATION

By David Maclean

THE RESPONSIBLE ARTIST

| PART 4

The Unpredictable Drama of the Creative Mind HOW DO WE CELEBRATE OUR CREATIVITY, EARN A DECENT LIVING, AND GET TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY SOCIETY AT THE SAME TIME?

C

E Gordon, author, boundary challenger, and the brain behind www.theartofsound.co.za posed the question below:

‘Re: "The Responsible Artist", good read as always. However, how do you account for erratic behaviour, addictive personality type, crises of self, narcissism and chicanery (inherent in the creative industries), and the unpredictable drama of the creative mind? These do not keep office hours or hold etiquette in high esteem. I'm interested in your perspective.’

This is so true. However, creative people are still members of society who need the support and recognition of others to encourage their effort and help them to

forge a path that takes them out of obscurity and into a career. Often the folks that facilitate other peoples’ ‘lucky break’ are established professionals, who not only want to see a return on their financial investment, but who also are not willing to take a risk on recommending us to others if we are going to comprise their hard-earned reputation and credibility.

Therefore, responsible artists have to be aware that the very same creativity they have been blessed with can also be the cause of their difficulty in making a success of their work. We have to find a balance between doing our creative thing while still fitting into the rest of the world and its acceptable norms. These norms are always far more conservative than we usually believe they are.

As with many perceptions (versus reality), it is often assumed that a ‘creative

person’ will behave in ways that do not confirm to society’s norms of ‘good behaviour’. Consequently it is assumed by many that creative people will be late, inebriated, and unpredictable in their performance. It is this very assumption that has most of the population believe that there is no such thing as a career in the music industry, as ‘it is not a proper job’. We can be another generation that suffers for its art, or we can grow up, show up, and earn a decent living from our productions, because the world takes us, and what we do, seriously.

Maverick and Renaissance man, David Byrne has this to say ‘some folks believe that hardship breeds artistic creativity. I don’t buy it. One can put up with poverty for a while when one is young, but it will inevitably wear a person down.’

27 We’ll know that we’re doing our bit and being taken seriously when music production coexists effortlessly in society’s minds alongside medicine, law, and finance as career options for intelligent, discerning, self-respecting, and ambitious people. The reality is that tens of thousands of people are doing this across the world every day within the music industry. But, we creative and musically inclined types all need to be doing it to achieve the level of trust and recognition within society to make the positive perception sustainable. Let us not forget that listening to music is relaxing entertainment to most people; they have no idea of the level of skill and time that goes into the creation and production of the music they listen to.

The arrogance and swagger we see in many music videos does our reputation as music industry professionals no favours, because anyone who actually works in this industry knows that this portrayal couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes thousands of hours of deliberate work, to achieve the level of skill necessary to create productions that can compete on the open market.

Really professional creators are in the studio or on stages working, not spending their days in coffee shops wearing very little clothing or down at the luxury car showroom.

In the same vein that many of us believe that ‘maths is hard’, we have inherited the belief that, in the creative arts, we are victims of the capitalist machine that doesn’t understand or respect our contribution, and that we’ll never earn enough to live comfortably and provide for those that we care about. Tell that to Black Coffee, Ready D, Goldfish, and countless other South Africans whose work has achieved significant success through their years of commitment and quality control.

They’ll agree that there may be easier career pathways, but their success is evidence that if you mean it, you’ll do it, and reap the rewards through your stellar contribution.

To provide more specific responses to CE G’s questions, let’s unpack them below: A crisis of self is not unique to the music industry! If anyone can say they haven’t experienced this in their lives, then they are probably just visiting this planet. Self-doubt, fear, and all the other self-depreciating commentaries in our minds are completely normal. The good news is if they are managed appropriately, they can be the fuel

for our creative fires. If however one’s crises of self are not in check, then they may well manifest as the blame, inertia, and drama that are all antitheses of productivity and peace of mind.

Narcissists are exhausting. If your obsessive vanity makes your self-importance more important than the record you’re producing, song you are engineering, band you are signing, gig you are playing, or disc you are spinning, then your attractiveness to others will be short-lived, if at all. You may have heard the term I-specialist? That’s another word for narcissist. Don’t be a narcissist. It is disconnecting and unattractive, even if you think you’re awesome!

Narcissism and self-belief are completely different commodities; let us not confuse the two.

Chicanery: what a great word. There are times when a little chicanery is necessary to get the gig. However, incessant chicanery is a fast track to achieving a reputation for being deceitful. No one likes a liar, so don’t be one. If in doubt, tell the truth.

Punctuality and etiquette: without these, you will not achieve your goals through interaction with others - even in the music industry! Busy people don’t have time to waste if you are late for a meeting, or to endure a monologue about how fantastic you are. If you’re late, inadequately prepared, and inappropriately presented (even in the music industry!) a discerning professional will not call you again. We all want to work with discerning professionals even in the music industry!

If owning a sports car and being surrounded by a scantily clad harem is your dream, that’s fine, but when you arrive for work, leave that at the door because those that have come to work and not show off will leave you behind.

Be creative, be unique, be talented, be on time, and be realistic!

For feedback, suggestions, and interaction, join me on https://twitter.com/TheMacleanBrain

David Maclean | A Brief Biography David Maclean is a mastering engineer, educator, writer, and business executive with two decades of experience in the music industry and tertiary education sector. David is the Director of SAE Institute in South Africa, within the SAE Group who currently has 57 campuses across the globe. David understands the attitudes and opinions of the professionals within the creative media sector, and the educators and authorities within Higher Education based upon his unusual portfolio of skills in business, education, and production.