COVER STORY 36 LCD Soundsystem
By Justin Klein(eld
If you claimto put on a greatlive show, but in reality, you're just goingto stand therein front of your laptop likeyou'rechecking e-mail,JamesMurphyof LCD Soundsystem and DFAwill beatyour lily assbehind the club's dumpster. Judging by his own showsand new album, Soundof Silver, you would benefitfrom heeding his forthcoming advice.
FEATURES 28 RJD2
By Bill Murphy
Beforerecording The Third Hand, sampling guru RJD2 soaked up all the information he couldfind about engineering so he couldstepup his own game. Thenhedid the unexpected andcreated a live performance-based folk-pop album. Weird? Maybe. But he's already earned his cred,so the guy should have room to experiment, right?
42 Air
By Ken Micallef
While most people are concentratingon making million-selling hit singles on iTunes, Air wantsto revert to the old daysof cassettes andrecords, when albums told a cohesive story from start to finish. It'snot clear how the story transitions between 路Hell of a Party" and"Napalm Love: but our guessis that it really was onehell of a party.
48 Finders, Tweakers
By Benjamin MacFarlane
As part of your questfor usable found sounds, you'll need to find a friendwho'swilling to holda glove anda hammer (among other objects) while yourecordall the noises that urbanlife andnaturehave to offer. Just makesure this personis reallya friendandnot somelatent serialkiller-you neverwant to hand a hammer to a serialkiller.
55 My Mic Sounds Nice, Check 2
By JasonScottAlexander
Lastmonth, we toldyou about varioustypesof microphones andtheir purposes. This . month, we get into the details of miking techniques. After all,if you'regoing to just throw up mics haphazardly, assuming that you can fix anyproblems in the mix,thenyoumay aswell hit yourselfover the head with the aforementioned hammer.
TECH SECTOR 68 New Products Fromthe practical to the icing on the cake, here's everything you needto staya leap ahead of your friends(and adversaries) in the studio.
72 Focusrite Saffire LE Thereare a lot of FireWire interfaces out therenow, but this one, complete with Focusrite plug-ins,is-at the risk of sounding supercorny-a gem.
76 Akai MPC500 The newestsiblingin the lineof MPCs maybe the runt of the litter, but it's alsobatteryoperated, which means you couldmake hot beats in a cave. Now that's versatility.
80 MixVibes DVS Pro Anotherdigital-DJing program? Yes, but it's crazy cheap in comparison to the other setups out there. You will need a soundcard, but thosepracticallygrow on trees.
84 M-Audio X-Session Pro This MIDI controlleris tailor-madefor DJ-softwareprograms, but it works with DAWs andsoft synths, too. Take it on the roadto your next gig in Dubai...or DesMoines.
88 Fixed Noise Otto Getyour industriaVIDM sample instrument right here, plusMiami bass, jungle, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban, rock,glitchandmore.This should shutyou up for a while.
90 One-Shots These thousands of sounds will keep youbusier thanBritneySpears in her post-breakup partyingphase.
6 _MIX . MARCH 2007
AemlX Editorial Director - Tom Kenny, tkenny0prismb2b.com Editor - Kylee Swenson, kswenson0remixmag.com TechnologyEditor - Markkus Rovito. mrovil00remixmag.com Assistant Editor - Lori Kennedy, Ikennedy0remixmag.com
GOODBYE TO DISCO D Wewere all saddened by the untimelydeathof Detroit producerJ Dilla(akaJay Dee)last year. Recently, on January 23, we lost anotherDetroitproducer, ghetto-tech pioneerDiscoD (akaDavid Shayman), His suicide comes as a shock to many of us-unfortunately, he allegedly suffered from depression and was recently diagnosed with the bipolar disorder. D, who started out as a DJ at age 16 in his hometown of Ann Arbor, Mich., started his own label, Gn Recordings, andspreadhis loveof hip-hopandghetto-techthroughoutAnn Arbor andDetroit.After releasing his mix CD, A Night at the BootyBar, on TommyBoy in 2003 <Check out the July 2003 issue of Remix for a "Shop.Ialk," article on Discom, he movedto New Yorkandhit it bigas a producer. Aside from doingthe music for 50 Cent's hit "Ski MaskWay: D also produced Trick Daddy, Nina Sky andSpankRock. In addition, he remixed Pharrell, Crime Mob, Usher, Christina Milian and more. Most recently, he'd started the Gringo Loucolabelto support Brazilianbaile-funkmusic. Although D battled with mental illness, he was a very positive and driven artist and businessman (he graduated with honors from University of Michigan's RossSchool of Business). In additionto juggling DJ gigs and studiotime with artists, D alsocomposed music for film, videogamesandcommercials (including Best Buy andSprite). Withoutunderstanding his struggleswith bipolar disorder and depression, it's hard to grasp how someone with such a bright future could check out at the young age of 27. A couple of years agoat the Remix Hotel event in NYC, D came by to participate in a panel, and he was not only smart and informative, but he was alsoan incrediblydown-to-earth,nice guy. Latelast summer, D e-mailed Remix to let us know that-in our July 2006 story, "Stepsof Transformation"-we had neglected to shed light on DJ/producer Jeff Mills' career as The Wizard on Detroit'sWJLB 97.9. "If it weren't for The Wizard, I wouldn't exist because he influencedall of my early mentors: he said. D was truly passionate about music. When I asked him what he was up to, he was really excited about how things were going. He said his Trick Daddytrack, "I Pop: had just leaked to radio, and he was finishing up studio time with Lit' Scrappy, BG,Lit' EazyE (Easy E's son) andKevin Federline. Meanwhile, he was jugglinga marketing/distribution job for aLeda (a transparent rolling paper), working on licensingdealsfor his tracks andhandling the launchof Gringo Louco with Brazilianartists Braza,Cabal and Mr. Catra. He talkedaboutopening an LA. office and seemed to be constantly expanding andmoving faster than the speedof light. His passing is heartbreaking. It's another reminder that we need to look out for our friends and family and get help for them and/or ourselveswhen times get tough. And we have to remember, as we struggle to balance our basic happiness with our creative passions, that sometimes we'll take a step forward, and sometimes we'll taketwo stepsbackward. Life is definitely a roller coaster,and we have to hangon. I talked to a one-time collaborator of D's, Mocean Worker(akaAdam Dorn), and he put it simply: "It just really reminds me that all time is, in fact, borrowed, and that you can't takeanythingfor granted. I hope he is at peace and in a better placenow: From the staff at Remix, our condolences go out to DiscoD's friends and family. To pay your respects, go to www.myspace.com/gringolouco.
1fu->r---KyleeSwenson Remix Editor
10
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MARCH 2007
re mi xmag.com
WE LIKE 'EM YOUNG
THE POLITICS OF SELLING
My nameis Joel Corpening, andI'm 9 years old. (My older brother Charles helped me with this letter). I havebeenreading Remix for about a year. After beingturned on to music by my family (my grandfather to be exact>, I decided what I wanted to be when I grow up-I want to be a OJ. The reason is because I read the article on Beck ("Wax On, Wax Off") in your December 2006 issue. I read the section within the article featuring OJ Z-Trip. After I looked up OJ Z-Trip, I listened to his song"Uneasy Listening" and felt the most amazing euphoria. I decided that I'm going to make music just like that. Thank you, Remix, for having articles that inspireme. Thank you so much.
As owner of a high-end Allen &Heathconsole, I want to makea pointregarding a full-pagead printedin the RemixJanuary2007 issue, on page31. The advertisement was designed not to layout Allen &Heath's phat bass, distinctive filters or crossfaderthat cantake 200 million passesstrong.In fact, the product was not even pictured at a full quarter of its length. Rather, we are being directed to "Join Christopher Lawrence andthe selectgroupof worldclassDJs thatjust won't settle for second best." Enter the "PROfile" list. The list starts out stating he is an American from LA The rest of the list is questionable in the amount it has to do with being anything professional. The list continues humorlessly to include George Clooney as best actor and "water, no ice" as Lawrence's drink. After proclaiming his mixer brand, the last question is, "What's next?" He replied, "George W. Bush will be impeached." Need I say any more? It doesn't matter if the approval rating for the president drops into negative margins, this B-gradeadvertisement abouta C-grade entertainer is not the place to level a political attack on President Bush. Lawrence didn't mention Darfur, gas prices or global warming, safe to say other things we can agree on. But I wouldn't take home anotherAllen & Heathproductif theywere givingthemawaywith my next coffee purchase. Scotty Webb Washington, D.C.
SCREW YOU, BUDDY Hey, I like Beck,but what's up with Nigel Godrich not wanting to disclose his production tools and methods? Who does Godrich think he is? To borrow an expression from the Brits, "What a ponce!" However, keepup the greatwork-interesting artists andgear porn-for us geeks andmusic freaks. Adam Cote Santa Barbara, Calif.
WHAT YOU NEED I just want to thankyou for Remix. I read recording! musicmagson a nonstop basis, andRemixby far tops the league in terms of the info presented. Everything in your pages is more thanrelevant to thehip-hopand underground community. I've pretty much stopped subscribing to someof theotherpublications because you folks present exactlythe artists I'm interested in andexactly the stuff I care about as a producer. I am the musician that you target; I relateto every singlestory you presentin one way or another. (My music infuses vibes from a number of genres-it's original, ambient and experimental, but it is still street.> You got an avid reader for life right here. Ash Philadelphia, Pa.
WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE••• Everytimeyouturnaround, thereisanewproduct better thanthelast. ThethingI loved about outboard gearwas thatyouactually hadto create with it.You honestly can't keep up with all the damn companies andtheir neverending upgrades andbettersoftware andmoreoptions. Thenwe have the greatandwonderful Macs andPes, new OS, new chips....Thisonewill run your programs andwipe your butt at the same time. Did anyone ever stop and think maybe we should be teaching the next generation about musicand not just techcrap? If you listen tomusicfromthe'60sto the'90s,youwill findthat itsonlygetting worse. Take alookatwhatwe aresubject to listen to:Britney Spears, Paris Hilton. Yuck. It'sabout timethatmusicwent back to themusicians andvocalists, not this fake-ass younger andyounger generation produced byamajorlabel. While I'monmysoapbox, the colorof your skindoes not make youa good musician. I'm up to my ass in hip-hop, and everyass from here to NY thinks that theycan produce. You maythink I'm bitter, but I already have all the success I could ask for (including six Grammy nominations). I guess aslongas thewhitemanis making money off yourdumbass, you will keep producing. Howabout somerealmusicagain? Anonymous
remixmag.com
Style:Anything from hip-hopandsingersongwriters to cutting-edge club music Established: In SanFrancisco, Calif.,byJody and Michael McFadin in 1990 Artists: Breakestra, Greyboy, Shawn Lee, Nino Moschella, Nomo, OwusuandHannibal, PPP, Radio Citizen, Ohmega Watts andmanymore Essential Listening: Greyboy, Freestylin (1994); Beatless, Life Mirrors (ZOO1>; As One, 21st Century Soul(Z004); PPP, Triple P (Z005); Ohmega Watts, TheFind (Z005); Radio Citizen, Berlin Serengeti (ZOO6); Shawn Lee, VoicesandChoices(Z007) Manifesto: 路We're a collection of DJs, surfers,skaters, designers, promoters, musicians, record nerds, yoga freaks, film makers andyo-yo champs,"says AndrewJervis, A&R. vicepresident. "Tostaytrueto our listeners andourselves, we'veonlyeverreleased musicthatwe like. At the moment theactsonour rostermightdeliver lo-f soul, some crackin'-but-edgyhip-hop, forwardthinkingdub'n' funk, cosmic afro-beat andthe occasional clubjoint. We alsopreserve and reissue jazz, souland funkfromeras gone by:
A&R Philosophy: 路We likepeople who pushthe limits, innovators,entertainers, extraverts, and we lovehard-workingtypes,"Jervis says. 路 We accept demos from actswho knowwhat Ubiquity is about. Please don't send oneif you'veneverbeen to theWebsite or heard oneof our records. We listen to everything thatcomes through the door, and youwill geta response, so no need to check in, followupor freak outunless it's been months sinceyoumailedus: Upcoming: "Z007 is shaping up to bea goodyear ~ with folkslikeOhmega Watts, PPp, ShawnLee ~ and Greyboy returning with new albums," Jervis ~ says. "We'll also have albums byConnie Price, The '" ~ Keystones and newactssuchasWest Coast-dub ~ band The Lions: ~ Contact: AndrewJervis,Ubiquity NorthernHQ, c, ~ 70 Latham Lane, Berkeley, CA94708; andrewla ~ ubiquityrecords.com; www.ubiquityrecords.com
~
'" 16 Rl!M.X. MARCH 2007
remix mag.com
EXCESS INVENTORY Cover the hugeWinter NAMM gear show all on this page? Preposterous! Instead, Remix, Electronic Musician and Mix magazines bandedtogether to produce videos,podcasts, a blog and full NAMM show reports online. Go to http://mixonline.com/wnamm to check it out.
SHAOLIN FUNK
Wu-Tang Clan'smaster producer The RZA built a hip-hop empire using Kung-FuTheater dialog and mysterious, tension-filled music to create an auraof mythical legendaround his crew of MCs. So no doubt he was the perfect man to score Spike TV's hip-hop anime show Afro Samurai, which debutedin January and is coming to DVDthis spring. In classic fashion,the show's main character Afro is an elite Samurai warr ior whose only mission is to avenge the murder of his father.The RZA providesall the music and some rhymes as well, and the soundtrack-Afro Samurai: The Soundtrack (Kochl-available now, features guest spots by Q-Tip,TalibKweli, GZA and Big DaddyKane. But the RZA'sbeatsaren't the only thingsthat are razor sharp on this show. Afro valuesthe hip-hopideals of individuality, one-upsmanship and freestylingwhen he fights. But unlikea dopeMC, when Afro slayssuckasin a battle, he really slaysthem.Wu-Tang maybe for the babies, but AfroSamurai isn't.The show combinesall the blood-spraying violence and sex of Japaneseadult animewith the influence of hip-hop culture, slangand somegood-oldfashionedAmerican cussing. Set in a futuristic wasteland, AfroSamurai fusesthe ancient samurai ways w ith sel-f trappings such as super-robot killingmachines. Samuel L Jackson voices both the reticent Afro and the verbose Ninja Ninja,who latches onto Afro and provides comic relief. The two-disc unrated director's cut Afro Samurai DVD ($39.95; www.afrosamurai.coml is available for preorder now and has 15 minutes of never-before-seen footage, as well as exclusive art andan interview with the creatorTakashi Okazaki. But what you'll really want to see is The RZA Music Production Tour, giving you a behind-the-sceneslook at the soundtrack'screation.-Markkus Rovito
PAY TO PLAY THELEGAl WAY
MEET THE PRODUCERS
REAL WORLD: URBAN ART
You don't have to bea cigar-chomping, big-wiglabel executive shelling out bribesto pay for radioair time anymore. AirSpun.comhaslaunched a servicein which youcreate a 6O-second ad for your music (including a song c1ipl and buy asloton the INC . station of your choice. AirSpun provides aneasy template for creating ads, andit has negotiated affordable ratesas low as $35 per spotfor terrestrial stations in 10majormarkets so far, or less for Internet radio.
If you're a new-jack producer, getyourhands on Beat Kings: Respecf the Architect (Nature Sounds, 2oo7l. Wu-Tang producerMathematics-who scored thedocumentary anddid theinterviews-captured memories, tech/gear talk. businessadvice andmorefrom 20 producers, including Just Blaze, OJ Premier, Kanye West. Marley Marl PrincePaul andPete Rock. The RZAcame with thebestcheerleading advice for aspiring producers: "Even if nobody buying your beats, don't mean nothin' 'cause whenthey startbuying them, you're going to have a hundred to sell:
Visually illin'artistJustinBuareleased his first book, The Beat ofUrban Art: The Art ojJustin Bua(Regan Books, 2007), whichmelds urbansketches andgraffiti with classical-art training. The book covers Sua's turbulent youthgrowing up in NYC in the 70s and'80s, with illustrations thatreflectraw streetlife andthebirth of hip-hop. Brought to youbythemanwho developed thelookof SlumVillage's award-winning video "Tainted: MTV's Lyricist Lounge Show andEA Sportsvideo games NBAStreet andNFLStreet, the bookis anawesome display of Bua's distinctstyle-distorted urbanrealism.
.
alrsplJn
remixmag.com
MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ R.WIX 17
"' MAGIC NUMBER
Three cities, eight members and 10 tracks make III far more than a triple threat Sacramento, BrooklynandNashville were the citiesto be in duringthe recording of HI's latestalbum. Anyone wanderinginto the right placeat the right timemight've lucked upona floating snippet of new II!tuneswithout knowing it, as the bandspent months careening in and out of three different studios to piece together what has become Myth Tokes (Warp, 2007). With bandmates living on opposite coasts, song ideas were developed in several different ways. "Either something will start out as a jam, and we'll all craft it into a song: HI guitarist Mario Andreoni explains, "or one of us will have a very specific idea, and we'll ask the others for contributions: The musicians usedboth e-mail andsuch file-sharing services as YouSendlt to send their sounds zipping back and forth across the country before hitting the studio. They tried out an overseas online collaboration as well. "We did this thing on the Internet where you send a sound file to some place in Berlin: bassist Justin Vandervolgen chimes in. "They play it through a special reverb chamber andthen send it back to you. It's very weird andcool: N~t all long-distance band relationships work out,
t8 _MIX. MARCH2007
By Kristi Kates
but 1!I is dedicated enough to make it happen. "Since we live apart. it just became the method that we work in: Andreoni says. "We did a lot on our own for about six months, then recorded thealbum in chunks. Therewas so much logistical stuff to figure out that if we weren't asseriousaswe are, it wouldn't have worked: After doing preproduction ideas remotely, the eightmember band agreed to meet up in their various home-base cities. In Sacramento, the band tracked at renowned budget studio The Hangar, which offers more than 100 microphones-including some from Neumann, Earthworks andWunder Audio. "TheHangar is anamazing place: Andreoni enthuses. "Geoff Daking makes greatcustom boards thataren't commonly used, andthere's oneat TheHangar, so we recorded straight to Pro Tools from their Dakingconsole: In Brooklyn, !I! recorded and mixed at The Brothers facility, working in Apple Logic with bassist Vandervolgenas engineer. And in Nashville, the octet experienced its most down-home setup, temporarily installing a makeshift Pro Tools studioin the basement of arented house. But for matter-of-factVandervolgen, the equipment wasn't key. "For the most part, studio equipment is accessible to most people: he explains. "We use the sametools everyone else does. Recording, for us, hasmoreto dowith songwriting. On this album, we madea conscious effort to write real songsas opposed to jams with vocals:
Certain geardoes inspire song ideas for II!,though. "Tyler [Pope,guitar/keyboardsl andI are both into really oddeffects: Andreoni sayswith a laugh, "Old Neutron stuff, old delays, [Roland] Space Echoes-we used'em all: On "A New Name: they tweaked Vandervolgen's outboard equipment to approximatea distinctiveLeslie speaker sound, running his bass through a Lexicon effects unit, pushing up the tremolo and setting the auto-pan feature in time with the song's tempowhile running one side of the EQ hot on the treble and the other side heavy on the bass. "That's how we got that cool spinning effect: Vandervolgen explains. Meanwhile, "Must Be the Moon" features Pope using alternateguitar tunings, a tremolo effect anda plethora of noisy feedback. And "Sweet Life" makesthe most of reverb and delay. "We're getting more into experimenting with noises: Andreoni says, "and it really fell together when we startedplaying the songs live: There will be plenty of opportunity for HI to hone those songs over the next year, as the band already started touring Europe in Februaryand is scheduled to continue throughJune. "The albumhasa reallynice overall feel to it: Vandervolgen says, "so now it's all about focusing on the songs: But Andreoni can't help but concentrate on the busy time ahead. "This year's going to be absolutely insane: he says. "It's daunting, but we're totallylooking forward to it: 0
remixmag.com
FAT FREDDY'S DROP ByDominicUmile seven-piece outfit characterize Based's 10distinctive entries, peaking often in uptempo party-type numbers like"Roady: which bounces with brass,organbits and wah-treated guitar,
The compositions that ended up on Basedon a True Story, the debut full-length from New Zealand's Fat Freddy's Drop, will be almost four years old when they find a place on American record-store shelves. It's fitting. Mostof the eclectic, genuine sentiments on Basedon a True Story-which has already soldmore than110,000 copies in New Zealand-were developed over time onstage. In what's nimbly cloaked in a jam session, themembers of FatFreddy's Droparemolding and perfecting their jazzy, dubbed-out tunes, hoping that they'll see the light of day before everyone's old andwithered.
believe lhere must be s1Areat, ~n and tears to achieve somelhins that's just a little more special thanwhat is out Ilacre -D.J Fitchie
Empirical LabsDistressor, Lexicon and TC Electronic digital effects, digitalplug-ins, spring reverbs andtape delays. In a smoky soul number called "Del Fuego: click sounds andoccasional woodwind flourishes play out alongside the reverberating, distant percussion. While Fitchie usually likes to fatten up most tracks with the meatyoptions provided by the group'sKorg Trident-"the best synth in the world", he says-"Del Fuego" boasts a humble acoustic-guitar base, andthe effects camelast, in the song's mixdown process. "Del Fuego" is an almost entirely beatless piece, until Fitchie's MPC knocks intermittently behind the brassy, lethargic exiting moments. Fitchie is opinionated about what equipment is used to construct the grounded, sometimes soothing pieces on the album, but in a place like New Zealand, where reggae and dub are among the most popular musical genres, a
"Most often, the music will come from very basic inspiration on my lAkai MPC) sampler: saysFFD's OJ Fitchie(aka ChrisFaiumulof the writing process. "It's usually a 4-bar loop that could be samples of some nicechordsfoundon a recordor ariff of our own lifted from a recordedjam in the studio.Then, it's just having the courage to take it onstage and have a jam. From there,the goodonesstick, andthe rest just eventually makeit to the trash. Our vocalist will usuallytake the moodandvibe of the music anddevelop lyric ideas: Based on a True Story (KarteVQuango, 2007l is definedby the buttery, coffee-house-styled vocals of Dallas Tamaira (stage name Joe Dukiel and the dub and reggae sensibility of the album's backing tracks. Woozy, echoing dub sonics from this well-loved
"The Freddy's thing startedwith decksand microphone, Joe Dukie, TonyChang <trumpet) andmyself," Fitchiesays. "They would comedown andhavea jam with me when I was doing OJ sets. About the same time, I first came across an MPC. It was a natural progression to develop this idea usingmy MPC. It was easyto jam for much longer, andbest of all, we were now jammingover our own originalbeats: Inwhat Fitchiecallsa"small-but-solid" musicscene, improvisation goesa longway with FatFreddy's Drop, and it's clear that technology playsjust as big a part in the band's Pro Tools-centered recording methods. Fitchie commandeered Based's sessions over 18months at his Wellington, New Zealand beachside studio amid a Genelec Active Monitoring system, the
band like Fat Freddy's Drop has to stand out in the crowd. Having tried out both software and hardware samplers, Fitchie feels his MPC is what makes the band's live show most exciting. "l explored other software options but havealways stuck with the simplicity and mobility of the MPC: he says. "Sonically, I love it. Most of all, MPCs aren't as fast as [their] software equivalents and don't offer as many features, but it's this fact that is the magic. It keeps you real and focused on the feel and the important things. A lot of the new software sequencers and editing packages are just making it too easy. I believe there must be sweat, pain andtearsto achieve something that's just a little more special than what else is out there: 0
SLOW COOKER
The reggae jams of Fat Freddy's Drop evolve until the cream rises to the top
20 _MIX. MARCH 2007
,
remixmag.com
4HER0 CALCULATED RISK
4hero attends to the details of recording live sounds, then edits with abandon Sometimes changes that occur outside of your control end up taking you in a direction that is better for
By Lily Moayeri
studios, splitting the contents of their original studio
We know exactly the sound we want to achieve:
in the process. Dego retained most of the physical
On its third full-length release, Play With the Changes (Milan, 2007), the shift from analog to digital
keyboards. Marc Mac, on the other hand, embraced virtual instruments and plug-ins. And while Dego has
is not discernable. The 4hero characteristics-soulful
moved to a Mac G4 running Logic Audio 6.2, Mac is staying with a PC setup running Logic 5.3.
and sultry vocals, rhythm and blues-based melodies
The major shift in the 4hero setup is the selling of
'60s and '70s, updated with modern touches-are
that have their roots in the psychedelic sounds of the
you. That is what has happened to Dennis "Dego"
the duo's tape machine, wh ich had been one of the
all present. Then there's 4hero's particular flavor of
McFarlane and Marc "Marc Mac" Clair, the duo who
identifiers of its sound up until now. "The decision
broken beats and flourishing strings.
make up the UK's 4hero. For years, the two operated
allowed us to expand digitally: Mac says. "24-bit
out of their studio in the Dollis Hill district of North
digital sound can sound really good depending on
sounds on PlayWith
London. But the local government decided to turn the
the signal chain. We still use valve compressors
were careful to capture source sounds carefully. For
More than 40 musicians were involved in the
theChanges, and Dego and Mac
neighborhood into a str ictly residential one, pushing
and microphones that helped keep the warmth
example, on "Awakening: Andy Hammill's upright
4hero out.
we're used to on tape. The good thing about [having
bass takes were recorded directly with a pickup on
Dego and Marc Mac decamped to separate home
worked] with tape is we always have that reference .
the bass, as well as with an AKG C 414mic in front to pick up the sound of his fingers. "There's a lot of new jazz music where they think we've got to get rid of that because they think it's got to sound round: Mac says. "' want to hear fingers; I want to hear wood, the bottom end, the vibration: Not restricted to traditional instruments, the duo used a number of percussion instruments from India-such as the tambura-and the Far East. On the Ursula Rucker-vocalized "The Awaiting: Asian chrome balls were recorded and altered so that they sound like a synthesizer. "Part of the reason I wanted to use [the Asian balls] was because they're used as a calming effect: Mac says. "I thought if f had that drone in the background of the track, even though [Rucker) was quite strong with her lyrics, there'd be this calming effect underneath it. I stood in the booth with the two balls in my hand, moved them back and forth across two 414 mics so we get a stereo [panning effect!. That went into the Summit Audio DCL-200 valve compressor, then into Logic. At that point, the first thing we put on it is Logic's Fat EQ, then standard Logic compression. Waves MetaFlanger would have been one of the first effects on there. Then it would go into the PSP filter, then WavesRenVerb: One thing that doesn't change is the vocal chain. Aside from guest raps from the likes of Little Brother (which were recorded in North Carolina and sent over), 4hero stuck with either a Rode NT mic or an AKG C 414 along with a Summit Audio compressor for Jody Watley, Carina Andersson, Lady Alma, Jack Davey and others. And the duo isn't afraid to really play with the changes of the vocal takes. Case in point is "Give In: which started at one tempo and was changed at the last minute. Without missing a beat, Mac stretched the vocal in Logic to fit the new tempo. "I grew up with samplers: he says. "It doesn't matter who comes into the studio; it's not unusual to go straight into what we've recorded, cut it, move it and shift it around until it's tight and the exact sound
we want,"
22 ReMIX. MARCH 2007
0 rem ixmag .com
By Xania V. Woodman
DJ RASHIDA At Zia Record Exchange in Las Vegas OJs today are finding fewer stores that deal in vinyl. With the advent of such digital technology as Serato ScratchLive, everyone from world-renownedOJsto the hobbyist or bedroom variety can spin with just laptops and mixers. Even COs are being shunned as a too-heavy burden best left at home next to the dusty LPs and 45s. The art of spinning and manipulating vinyl seems to have devolved from a basic job requirement to a noveltyor an old-school throwback. OJs who still spin records are becoming rare, and a female OJ who spins vinyl is evenrarer. Rashida Robinsonjust rolled out of bed gorgeous. She strolls into Zia Record Exchange in jeans and a cool yellow hoodie. Oior sunglasses nestled in her tamed but curly hair, she is dripping with gold jewelry: giant gold earringssporting her name, two huge bangles and heavyunicorn and heart pendants. Her ring covers two fingers like bling-y brass knuckles. She goes straight for the new arrivals bin. "Hot, usedvinyl: it touts. This former crate digger knows her stuff. Even though much of Rashida's record haul will be transferred over to MP3format for easeof travel. she still finds ways to work vinyl into her sets and
24
R~"IX路
MARCH 2007
Photos by Joe Coomber
into her privatecollection. As a fine-arts major in her hometown of Atlanta (one of the many hometowns she cannow claim>, photography was Rashida's main creativeoutlet, but it was her reputationasa bedroom OJ-budding but not booked-that got her roped into spinning at a friend's birthday party at the ageof 18. "My hands were shaking: says the now-confident 26-year-old of her very first gig. A few yearsanda brief stayin Spain later,Rashida was torn: New Yorkor L A.? "I needed to come back to L A.: she says, and with that she began a crosscountry move with just one suitcase, her turntables and a crate of records. Whether it was beginner's luck or raw talent, Rashida booked a gig for her first night in town at The Conga Room, where she would end up playing every Fridaynight."That was the first of manyfree gigs: shesayswith a laugh. Her dayjob of bartending at Temple Bar alsoturned out to be her first paid residency. There, she opened for countless live acts spinningrare grooves, funk,soulandclassic hip-hop,tuning her sets to suit the artists. One fateful day-during a stint as a Friday and Saturday resident at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip-Rashida was spinning in a room next door to Prince'sprivateafterparty when someof The Artist's bandmemberssat in on Rashida's set. "They said, 'Oh, you funky!'" Rashida recalls. It wasn't long before she went from being requested for Prince's
afterparties and house parties to touring with him as his personal OJ. It's an honor that continues to serve Rashida well, as she is now opening for the Purple One from 10 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays at 3121, Prince's new nightclub at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, or "my halfway house: as shecallsher temporaryVegas home. Rashida makes her way throughZia'saisles looking for names like Bjork, Stevie Wonder and, of course,Prince. "Now that I know him andhaveheard more of his stuff, it's really put me on to more of his music: But it's easy to get distracted by some of the random miscellanea one inevitably encounters amid the stacks, racks and crates. She picks up one particularly heavy five-album collection by Chingy and eyesit suspiciously: "How did he get a box set?! That's just insane: With parents as musicalashers,Rashidacould not have helped but become a collector like her father andher mother (who was herself a radio OJ, a flautist anda singer in LasVegas, New Mexico>. "We had a moment," Rashida says, "and [my mom] was like, 'Rashida,you'reliving my drearnl"
GEORGE BENSON In Flight <Warner Bros.> My father listened to a lot of George Benson, but he also listened to a lot of Oonny Hathaway, and this
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has · Valdez in the Country" on it, which is a Donny Hathaway songthat is just beautiful. Also, this has"The World Is a Ghetto: which is classic George Benson.
tening to them and loving them for being from Atlanta. The home team!
GEORGE GERSHWIN DAVID BOWIE
Tb« Somut!1 Goldwyn Motion Pictuf't! Production 01
Aladdin Sont!(RCA> The cover alone, the artwork-he's a maniac. I love David Bowie. This one is more for listening, but I could maybe play"Panic in Detroit: There's a few thingshere I could probably play, but it would have to be for the rightparty, know what I'm saying?-an open crowd!
Porgy and Bt!ss (Columbia) ·1Loves You, Porgy"-that's my favorite. BillieHoliday's versionof that isjust heartbreaking. I loveBillieHoliday. But that song, the way she doesit...1grew up listening to Billie Holiday, and I heard [her! version before I got this.This is why I collectrecords. It's notjust the music; it's a work of art. It'sjust beautiful!
CRIME MOB ·Stilettos (Pumpsr (CrunkIncorporated/Reprise) There's a white-label Baltimore house track called "Stilettos (Pumps)" that I love. I don't know who did that bootleg remix, but this is the record they sampled it from. I love Baltimore house; it's just gritty, grimy and ghetto. I love it! It's perfect.
DUNGEON FAMILY Evtm in Darlcnt!SS CArista) It features everybody from Goodie Mob, Outkast and Sleepy Brown to Society of Soul. This takes me back to the A-T-L This is before they were worldwide. You could only hear that on the radio stations in the South. It wasvery regional, andnow it's everywhere. There's like, a pride in that-that was our music. I came up Iis-
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MOS DEF Th«Nt!W Dangt!r(Geffen) His album before this [Black on Both Sides) was more of a rock thing. On this one, he's got a little bit of that, but then he's got what we love him for-his hip-hop, his rhymes. He's got crazy flow. [Minnesotal did the production on this song, "Modern Marvel"; they took Marvin Gaye and chopped it up on this song. It's so fresh; it's so beautiful. Also, "The Panties: Dope. Sexy. If you like him singing, he sings on that song.
just passed- rest in peace. I mean, he'snota new artist but my all-time favorite hip-hop producer. It's funny, I'll look back at all my favorite songs, and I'll always find out that my favorites have been produced by Jay Dee. He contributeda lot to hip-hop.
VARIOUS ARTISTS Th«Sound01L.A. (Plug Research) PlugResearch is throughTemple Bar;this was my first residency. And that's actually where I met all these people, !including the Platinum Pied Pipers!. It was such a mecca for live music. It was where people that were on their way up would come before they blew up, where things just grew, where sounds grew. That's where I met all thesecats.
STEVIE WONDER
PLATINUM PIED PIPERS
Innt!rvisions ITamla) I like anything from Stevie. This is from my childhood. I have distinct memories of listening to this on my dad's record player, of sleeping on my dad's back while listening to this. This is one the best albums of all time. Every singlesongis a masterpiece. This is one I'll definitely play in the club. I'll play "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing: 0
Triplt!P (Ubiquity) I picked this because it's got so many of my favorite new artists on it. And thatwould include Jay Dee, who
Zia Record Exchange; 4225 5. Eastern Ave., LasVegas, NV. 89119; (702) 735-4942; www.ziarecords.com
MARCH 2007 • R.".X 25
"All the drums are still done on the MPC: RJ (born Ramble Jon Krohn) reassures, although from the sound of his meticulously programmeddrumtracks,it's sometimeshard to tell whetheranactual drummer isn't in the room. "Basically,the rest of the record is live: he says. "I've alwayshad a thing for big, hard drums, and that's gone in with whatevermy semi-psychedelic leaningson guitar or keyboards havebeen. But essentially what I'm trying to do now is makethe kind of records that I would havesampled, or wanted to sample, back in 2002: Left tohisowndevices(whichnow includeOigidesign Pro Tools and a Oigi 002 interface for recording), RJ has gradually transformed his basement studio in Philadelphia into a do-it-yourself haven for further explorations in analog sound. His newfound engineering approach leans heavily toward the classicStaxera for drumsand, for instruments, the ideas of EMI Studio legend GeoffEmerick (author of the book Here, There and Everywhere, about recording The Beatles during
30
R~"IX路
MARCH 2007
the latter half of the '60s). They're lofty references, to be sure, but they're alsocrucial if the idea is to make a vintage-sounding record. "Of course, you're never gonna find that magic key: RJ says, citing what he sees as the near futility of attempting to duplicate such iconic sounds exactly. "I mean, what can you say about it? It could be The Beatles, it couldbeJohn Bonham's drum sound-whatever it is, you'renever gonna find that one magicthing that finally gives it to you. But the last three or four years of my life have just been utterly dominated by absorbing every little iota of information I can get about microphones, preamps, compressors-the wholeengineering game. So I'm interested in the challenge:
GIANT STEPS Although RJ02 has made quantum leaps in both his songwriting and engineering routines since he first began work on The Third Hand in 2005, he prefaces his launchintothe fine points of his studiosetupbynot-
ing that high-end equipmentis not necessarily the main act when it comesto making goodmusic. 路When I couldn't affordstudio gear."he recalls,"I used to think I needed whateverI was reading about. ThenI started hanging out with some kids in a group called MHz[MC Copywrite'screw from Columbus, Ohio],who made songs by bouncing down to a double-cassette deck using a cheap OJ mixer with a five-second sampler in it and a Radio Shackmic. And I realized it's way more important to just do what you can on whatever you've got than to get sucked into thinking that good gear is needed to do the job: That said, when fortune smiles uponyou andgrants you access to some quality equipment, there's plenty to be gained from diligent experimentation with such things as mic placement, tube amplification, signal cranking and vocal layering, as RJ soon discovered. "One of the biggestthingsI've learned: he says, "is that as you go down the signalpath, certain thingsbecome less important.
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"So let's say you want a guitar that sounds like Joe Perry [from Aerosrnithl,"he continues. "Theguitar and the ampare the biggest contributors to achieving that; thesecond biggest is themicrophone, andthe third biggest is the mic preamp [and so onl. And it's not to say that your choice of tape machine won't haveanything to do with it just because it's the last stopin the signal path-I mean, onceyou've tracked 20 or 30 takes of a particular instrument, the deficiencies of a crappytape machine or a lousyconversion ratewill start to addup. What I am saying is that if you've gota problem, start at the top of the food chain. That's probably the numberonethingI'velearned." After countless hours of trial and error, RJ arrived at a recording scheme for each instrument that held predominantly steady throughout the tracking phase. Synths and keyboards were routed through a Fender Twin guitaramplifier to a 70s Realistic mic.A Yamaha baby-grand piano, which sitsdirectlyabove thestudioin
32 _MIX. MARCH 2007
RJ's dining room, getsmiked remotely via an XLR wall jackheinstalled himself. Meanwhile, guitars wereplayed through a Vox AC15 or AC30ampto a Royer R-121 ribbon mic,andbasswas recorded eitherdirect (through vintage RCA BA21 tube-mic pres or directly into Pro Tools> or through anAmpeg B-15R Portaflex ampto an AKG D12E mic. For all his vocals, he useda Microtech Gefell UM71 and, toward the endof recording, a UM75, which he hopes to usemoreof on futurealbums. "If you haven't noticed, reverb and harmonies are already a crutch that I haveno intention of letting go: RJquips, referringto thestacked andprocessed vocals of the single "Beyond the Beyond" and to someof the effects moves he made with mix engineer Jim Bottari for the entirealbum. "To me,it's really like the best Dr. Oreproductions, whereyougetthisweirdhybridization of hip-hopand psychedelic pop music. It was like, 'Let mejust takethis to the nthdegree andmake the vocals as psychedelic as possible:"
IWANTMYMPC Equally mind-bending, of course, is the deftness of RJ'scontroloverthe capabilities andparameters of the MPC2000XL-a level of inventiveness that earns him regularcomparisonsto suchveterans of beat-chopping finesse as OJ Shadow. And like Shadow, he hopes to reacha pointwherehecanengineer a livedrumsound that'sasgoodaswhat hecancapture onthe MPC-and in fact, whenever time allows, he works on miking schemes with a drum kit that takes up one end of his studio. For now,though, the MPC is the answer. "I've really got it down to the point where, all modesty aside, I can make it do whatever I want it to do: he says. "Eventually, I'd like to breakmyselffree of the sequenced or looped nature of what I do-I'd like to have that breathability that classic-rock bands have, but I can'tdo that with drums that sound so soggyand wishy-washy that it's like I'm slapping a wet noodle on the wall. It'sjust not working yet."
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0\ect sound, instantly... q Nn\\ons ot sounds•••• OJ ° Rac~ S~aces... , e"tot. ....c One \nsttumentJw \\eseatc\\ "et 0,
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Interestingly, RJ often ends up emulating this selfsame "breathable" quality by programming subtle variations into his beat sequences (heard to stellar effect on "You Never Had It So Good: wh ich truly sounds as though a live drummer is chasing RJ's catchy, Lennon-esque chord changes and vocal stylings). The illusion works because of the overall holistic approach to sampling and sequencing drums that RJ has perfected over the years. "The key is to get one nice solid strike of the kick, the snare, the hi-hat and then each tom: he explains, "w ith each piece of the kit separated enough so that there's enough decay on them. The best thing is to find a record w ith a drum solo where you can hear every single piece of the kit-there's a B-side to a Billy Thorpe record called Children 01theSun that's the best example of this. If you can get four hits of the exact same snare, three or four hits of the exact same hi-
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34 ReMIX. MARCH 2007
theDead, w hich is one that Argento produced) .
miked and engineered from the same kit, so when you
"One of the things I hate about Clavinet is that
replay them, they sound just like a break because they
auto-wah disco sound: RJ scoffs . "What's incredible
all came from the same record:
about Goblin is that they use Clavinet in a very un-C1av
The MPC's "16 levels" option-which spreads a drum
((( Âť))
ne 01 the bi....est thin.....s I've-'earnecris that as you 80 down the sia.nal .P.ath, certain tliinas become less Important. II you've 80t a problem, start a"1 the top 01 the lood cliain -R.JD2
sound across the unit's 16 pads and allows precise
way-it's like they're playing
riffs. That
part was one
of the few things on the record where I listened back
control over parameters such as attack, decay, velocity
and I was like, 'This doesn't sound anything like what
and tuning-also figures into the equation. From there,
a Clav is supposed to sound like: And that's w hat I
it's a matter of composing a beat and then reworking it
was after:
w ith the improvisational changes an actual drummer might choose. "When you listen to a good drummer: RJ continues,
True to his hip-hop roots, RJ's devotion to harnessing gritti ness in his production style is w hat compr ises the alpha and omega when it comes to matching the
"they're not gonna play the exact same fill in a song.
sound of vinyl. And ironically, he found that one of the
So usually one of the very first things I'll do is get a
things he'd downplayed-one of the processes that
groove going, and then I'll program five or six different
takes place in the later stages of the signal path-would
drum fills. And you can get even deeper. Let's say I've
come back to haunt him.
got a 16-bar verse; I can take one of those middle bars
"You know, just this week, I bought an Apogee
and just put a slight variation in it, like take out a kick
Rosetta 800: he sighs w istfu lly, "and for the first time
or put in a snare accent. The more you do these kinds
I realized how semi-dull everyth ing was in the input
of things, the less chance your ear has to get numb to
stage, whe re I was using the Digi 002 for
the loop. Then your brain starts to think, 'Whoa, man,
sion. I still went to a nice studio to mix, so I feel that
maybe I'm hearing a real drummer: "
made up for it- but damn, w ith the Apogee, I cannot
ND conver-
believe the difference. I'll put it this way: I'm mixing a
JOURNEY INTO SOUND
song now that's gonna be a B-side, and there were
As is normally the case w ith any RJD2 product ion, a
background vocals there that I was hearing for the
keen attention to detail w ith synth and keyboard sounds
first time. It was like going from black-and-white TV
in particular is what gives the music a large part of
to color:
its spaced-out, kaleidoscopic appeal. Fender Rhodes,
Even the most seasoned of pros will admit that
Wurlitzer, Farfisa, Clavinet and a stately Hammond M3
studio engineering is a constant learning experience,
organ all find their way into The Third Hand, wh ile an
but RJD2 seems to take that a step furthe r by acknowl -
array of vintage synths that includes everyth ing from a
edging that's it's not enough just to be content to learn
Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 to an Oberheim OB-Xa
your way around the gear-you have to will yourself
helps bolster the alien weirdness of songs like "Work It
into unfamiliar territory as an art ist in order to map
Out" and "The Bad Penny:
out new worlds of sound. "Even after mixing this
"I spent a lot of time on this record getting sound s
album, I feel like I still could have pushed it a little bit:
out of some of the older keyboards: RJ says, cit-
he admits. "I'm still figuring out exactly how hard I can
ing such instances as the glockensp iel-ish opening
push a preamp, for example. There's shitty distortion
to "You Never Had It So Good: which is actually a
that you don't want that sounds like crap, and then
Clavinet that was sustai ned and overdriven through
there's the good amount of fuzz-and that's the fuzz
the Fender Tw in. Inspiration for the sound came from
that I want on everything. But I'm getting there. It's
the work of the Italian prog -rock group Goblin, known
just a matter of try ing different things and not getting
for their scores of class ic Dario Argento horror films
too hung up on some mythical, magical piece of gear.
(Suspiria being one of the more legendary, as well as the George Romero-directed zombie staple Dawn01
should be about:
I mean, we're all musicians, right? That's really wha t it
0 rem ixmag.com
-
ames Murphyjust mightholdthe keyfor igniting another dancefloor revolution. While the previ~ ous dance-music explosion was largely associated with superstar tranceDJs,drugcultureand glow stick-bearing ravers, the new dance movement is based on more of a punk-rock ideal. Thosewho previously shut out dance-music DJs and clubs from their weekend activities now find themselves dancing to the beats of JamesMurphy's stable of DFAartists andhis own live act,LCD Soundsystem. LCD Soundsystem initially caught fire in 2002 with hot underground 12-inch releases "Give It Up" and the genre-defining "l osing My Edge: Subsequent releases "Yeah" and "DaftPunkIs Playing at My House" ledto a record deal withCapitol Records andLCD Soundsystem's 2005 self-titled debut album. Beyond LCD Soundsystem, DFAhas also flourished as a record label and moniker for productionand remixcollaborationsbetween Murphy and co-founder TImGoldsworthy.Thelabel hasreleased music from artists including the Juan Maclean, The Rapture and Black Dice, andit hasdropped two volumes of DFAremixes through a relationship with Astralwerks. Ironically, while DFA and LCD Soundsystem might be two of dance music's most promising entities, Murphyisn't all thatmuchof adance-music fan. Rather, Murphy grew up on punk rock, played in rock bands his entire life andcites Brian Eno, The Fall, The Velvet Underground, Richard McGuire from Liquid Liquid, Holger Czukay from Can andJah Wobble from Public Image Ltd. assomeof his primaryinfluences. "I thought dance musicwasall about C+C Music Factory: hesays, "and when I heard a pianostabor a 909, I immediately tuned out andstopped listeningto it. Although, I do like old disco, Chicago house and that classic stuff from Detroit-you know,something seminal: Murphylooked to his rock influences andto thefiner side of dance music for the creation of his new LCD Soundsystem record, Sound of Silver (Capitol, 2007). The record was created almost entirely using analog gear, andit's filledwith the raw,edgysound oftenmissing in today's computer-aided dance music. lyrically, Murphyopens up with songs that will get people talking, especially on "North American Scum" and "New York I love You But You're Bringing Me Down: One thing that can't be conveyed through the album alone is Murphy's true passion for the craft of making and presenting his music. He'sextremely opinionated about how music should be produced, played live and marketed, andheloathes producers who taketheeasyway out. While some might find Murphy's outspokenness to be a bit arrogant or boorish, his high standards for everything that bears his name have paid off-Sound of Silver is downrightnastyandalready one of 2007's finestreleases.
J
RIDING THE SILVER BULLET Sound of Silver was recorded in spurts between April
andNovember 2006. Rather thandevote his full attention to recording the album, Murphyalso worked on a piece of music for Nike's workout series titled 45:33 andembarked on a OJtour. "I preferto put things down and pick them up again because you forget what you were previously worrying about: he says. "You'll start hearing thetrackwith freshearsagain if youput things MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ Re:M.X 37
to the side and pick them up later: Murphy drew on classic rock, techno and disco for the new album and broughtin a bunchof records for sonic reference and to prevent him from getting mired in what the studio speakers sounded like. He also felt that his first album was "wood-toned anda bit too comfortable" andsought to make an album that was more awkward and with more elements of glam rock. "I wantedit to be shinier andspacey andnot so homey: Murphysays. Murphy's working styleisn't so muchstructuredas it is constant. "I liketo work reallyfast anddo a lot of detail work. Rather thanpaint a smallperfect picture, I like to work roughly and as quicklyas possible. I put as much detail into a hugemuralknowingthat somethingswon't be photo-realistic, but it's better to keep pushing forward." By focusing on the rough elements of his tracks andnot the detail work. Murphyoftenendsup releasing unfinished rough mixes of his tracks. "I typically never know when one of our tracks is done because almost everything we release is a rough mix: he says. "I just
38 ReMIX路 MARCH 2007
figurethatwhateverelseI do to a track is taking it away from what I already like, so I just leave it: Lead single "North American Scum" went through manypermutations, and the version that appears on Sound of Silver is actuallythe rough mix. As he doeswith someof his poppier songs, Murphy originally wrote a framework for the track on Propellerhead Reason and quickly composed the changes with really dinky phone-ring sounds so that he wouldn't be tempted to keep them for the final mix. "It's like a Kraftwerk version of what the songis supposed to soundlike: he says. Oncethe Propellerhead Reason sketch of the track was written, Murphyand his teamadded additional instrumentation andworked toward completing the track. On the previous LCD Soundsystem album, Murphy created the tracks "Tribulations" and "On Repeat" by himself and was disappointed that they didn'thavethe naturallift that'sachieved when several musicians play together. For SoundofSilver, hewantedtorecordasong by himselfthat sounded likea bandandhadthatnatural
lift. For the track "All My Friends: Murphy developed a technique wherebyhe first recorded scratch drums and then went back and played bass over the top of the drum track. Thenhe went back again andreplayed the drums listening only to the recordedbass, andthen he again played the bass listening only to the recorded drums. He went backand forth with this patternabout five or six times. andtogether, they sounded likea band because each take responded to the next. "It was a really good experiment for me because it was nice to arrange a songwithoutcuttingandmovingthings. Even a songas linearasthis moved the way it was supposed to movebecause it sounded right:
IT'S AN ANALOG WORLD AFTER AU Murphyis adamant aboutnot using the computeras a key piece of production equipment and works almost entirely with analog gear. He recorded and edited Sound of Silver with Apple Logic but will not use any soft synthsor plug-ins andwon't mix on the computer.
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AllmixingandEQingisdoneona desk, andalltheeffects areoutboard. Heviews thecomputeras a greatstorage and editing device but claims thatthis is where it should stop. "Computer mixing sounds abysmal to me: Murphy insists. "In the computer domain, youget people putting fake tapehiss on thingsor buying tubeemulators, andI think that's a reallyundignified way of doing things: Rather than using tape, Murphy records everything into the computer, runs it through the desk and processes thetracksdifferently to make each of themmusical and unique. Murphy's key to getting his music to sit right in the mix is harmonic distortionand placement in tandem with nicemonitors anda balanced controlroom. He also uses a dbx 162SL stereo compressor/limiter strapped acrossthe mix in order to pump things up or usesubtly as a limiting amplifier.Lastly, he tries to keep his tracksas thin as possible-but withoutsounding too thin. "I try not to put too much bass in things: Murphy says. "Everyone loves puttinglots of bass in things, but I think it winds up sounding likethere's no bassat all-it just cancels out.When we get to the end of a track, and something needs bass, thenit kindof feelsgratifying: The one exception to Murphy's bass rule is the title track. Murphy sought out to make a "5 a.m. Balearic jam" with a modular synth, live drums, live bass and piano. He wantedthe toms to soundlikeelectronic 909 toms, so he recorded them really dead and thick so they would cut through the listener'schest. "The low end betweenthe drums, toms and the modular synth is pounding, and it's all about bass: Murphy says. "I knew when I put this on the record that a lot of people were goingto hear this on a laptopor an iPod, and it's notgoingto makesense. But if you ever getthe chance to turn it up really loud, it's pretty thunderous. I'm most proudof the low endon this songmore than anyother songon the album: While he does champion analog over digital production methods, Murphy isn't into collecting the newest and most updated gear nor does he believe that it makes music any better. In fact, his band plays $100 Squier Telecasters and 1960s-era Epiphone basses that were purchased from eBay for around $150. Murphy also usually plays the same drum set, bass, bassamp and sameguitars on every track. "I'm really into the technology, but I'm more of a customizerrather than a consumer: he says. "Our console is not that old, not that new and not that fancy, but we rebuilt it. We guttedit and put in a master bus, new groundbus, power distribution and new master section: Thus, Murphy subscribes to the principle of modifying older and cheaper gear rather than buying expensive gear full of needless bells and whistles. "I was looking to buy a guitar.They makeexpensive Epiphone Les Paul Juniors,andtheyalsomakethesecheapones. I bought the $70 model and then thought about what I wanted from it. I'd rather havethis type of pickup, this type of nut; I want these types of tuning pegs and this type of bridge. So I hadsomeone modify it, and it still cost me lessthanthe fancyone andhas exactlywhat I wanted. The fancy one has things that this doesn't have, but lit alsol doesn't havethingsthat I care about: Murphy also had a friend modify his Fun Machine (an oldorganwith a filter settingin ill to helphim figure remixmag.com
out a way to play a live version of the track "Disco Infiltrator" from the last album and for use on Sound of Silver track "Us V. Them" "We have knobs that have been modifiedalloverthis light-up homeorgan from the 70s: hesays. "Youcantapinto timewhereit canreceive apulse andstayin time, andyoucanalsoattack thefilters. It sounds amazing,andwe now useit on a lot of stuff:
DEATH OF THE LIVE SHOW Inthe dance genre, it's possible to counton onehand the amount of live shows that are truly worth the price of admission.While advancements in technology are often a reallygood thing,it hasactually hurt the development of the livedance show. Oneof the biggest culprits is the useof laptops for liveperformances. All too oftenthere is a disconnect between fansandthe performing artist who getslostbehindthekeystrokes andmouseclicksof a laptop. When Murphy andhis LCD Soundsystem band members Nancy Whang, PatMahoney, Al Doyle (onloan fromHotChip)andPhillipSkarichhit theroadthisMarch, you can expect a show that's performed completely live with wondrous analog gearandvoid of laptops andsoft synths. It's all about delivering a raw sound and creating a moment for the audience. Through the duration of Remix's hour-long interview with Murphy, nothing seemed to get him going more than the opportunity to speak franklyaboutthe topicof live music. "' don't thinkthatmanypeople understand theexperience of live music: he says. "The momentousness of livemusicis so incredible andpowerful. When youseea band with a laptop, yourealizethatit's sucha low-quality experience. The stage is interchangeable, the tights are interchangeable, the audience is interchangeable and the music is interchangeable. If you bought a record, you don't go and see the band live to re-experience the record. You mightaswellcut outthemiddleman andhave a record-listening party instead of defrauding people out of the experience andnumbing them to the low-quality live-music experience theyaregetting usedto. "When people seeus live,theywere comingup to me saying thatthiswas thebestshow theyhadseenin,like, five years. I was like, "What the fuck is going on?" I'm nottryingto beself-deprecating,because we work well as a band and try hard. We havegood nights and bad nights. , think [musicfanslare so usedto atrocious live bands: supercareful, horrible bands with in-ear monitors who tune guitars between songs and sound like the recordbut neversoundloudor powerful or wrong. Therearejust no moments, andif we getoff stage, and thereare no moments, I'mdepressed, evenif it's a good show. It'snotwhat I want to givepeople. I want to reach people with a sense of momentousness. I don't havethe kindof charisma thatsomeone likeNinaSimone hador DavidBowiehas. It'samassivelyuphillbattlefor me. I'm aworker beeanda Luddite, andI'm workingashardasI canto achievethat momentousness. It's sadto me that momentousness doesn't seemto be a requirement for bands or audiences anymore. It'sbad: Murphy also takes no prisoners when it comes to the OJ lifestyle andwhy he believes so manyelectronic actsrefuseto putmoneyinto upgrading their live shows or eventravelto the U.S. anymore. "Electronica artists bitch about the costs of live shows because of how 40 _MIX. MARCH 2007
spoiled theyarefrom being DJs: hesays. "I'ma OJ, and it's a fucking ridiculous life. You go out, and someone paysfor your flight, picksyou up at the airport, paysfor your four-star hotel. pays for your dinner, and you go andplayfuckingrecordsfor a few hours. Theytake you backto the hotel, you stay there for a few daysand go to the beach and enjoythe city, andthen they take you backto theairportandfly homewith fuckingthousands of dollarsin your pocket. I'm sorry,I played in rock bands my entire life, andI nevermadeanymoney. I lostmoney.
more. I don'tseetouringasan income, especially when , can stayhomeandmix people's records. I can make a lot more moneyif I'mnoton tour: There's more to Murphy thanbeing the co-owner of acoolrecordlabel andanin-demand producer/remixer. Murphy is also heavily involved in the design of his album artwork and the direction of his music videos. He also likes to question authority, challenge people and disprove popular beliefs. If his earlier challenge to dance DJs and producers to shape up isn't proof
â&#x20AC;˘ H you are wilD... to waste my fucki... two hours and take my S2O, and ~ aren't wiW. . to lose money to do it-H you aren't . . . . . to try-Ilw:n luck -.James Murphy
off"
If youarewillingto wastemy fucking two hoursandtake my $20,andyou aren't willing to losemoneyto do it-if you aren't going to try-then fuck off. I think that's an abominable excuse, andtheyall fucking suck.Timewill provetheseactsto be piecesof shit.If your showsucks, then don't playa show. Go OJ.To go out on a regular basisandknow thatyour show is garbage is disgusting. It's a betrayal of making art. The right to voice this on people is deplorable. I'm not saying to burn moneyand rent a lighttruck. Wedid it reallycheap andcheerfulfor a longtime. We wouldput downa piece of plywood with Casias taped to it. Now it's more expensive because now I'mold,andit hurts andI can't carry anything any-
enough, look no further than his quest to be a top-40 charting artist. (Murphy is asking all his fans to purchase the new record-out on March 20-in the first week of release in the hopesof selling38,000 copies and charting top 40,) Then there's the controversy that is sure to come over the title of his track, "North AmericanScum: "People loveto be retarded: Murphy asserts. "It's like the samemorons that asked me crap about 'Losing My Edge' are going to ask questions about'North American Scum.' I'm not looking forward to theAmericanjackasses andthe European jackasses who w ill havevery differentquestions, but I'm sure it's goingto be a world of jackassery," 0 remixmag.com
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42
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MARCH 2007
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~~~~~ (Q)~ ffi\ila=; one of France's most popularmusicalduos: the literal and perceived nature of the group's sound. Whether blasting Pink Floyd fantasies in their late-'9Os live shows or composing puppy-love make-out messages in the studio, Air's Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin are typically regarded as electronic maestros of the first order. Fans and critics alike adore the duo's use of classic synthesizers and contemporary drum machines, as well as the tweaked and twisted vocals<think 2004's "Run"), which soundlike textbook examples of the Pro Tools cut-and-paste aesthetic. But the audience's perceptions aren't always the same as the artists' intentions. "Our music is not electronic: Jean-Benoit Dunckel (keyboards, vocals) says, asserting his card-carrying musician credibility. "It only soundselectronicbecause we use computersto record it. "Weuse live drummers as well as the Elektron Machinedrum, andwe will often playa loopthat soundslikea sequence: â&#x20AC;˘ Although Air doesembrace muchthatmoderntechnology has to offer, Dunckel and Godin are old-school musicians, whose fourth proper studio album, Pocket Symphony (Astralwerks, 2007), longsfor the good-old days. "This is probably the last time we will record in the old-school way, with a beginning, a middleand an end: NicolasGodin (bass, guitar, vocals) explains from a Manhattan hotel."Everything is changing, andnobody will record that way anymore. So this is our tributeto that era, the idea of conceiving a record as a trip, like when you had vinyl with an A-side and a B-side. The CDarrived, andthat was forgotten:
Hereto demonstrate the disappearing act of the era of old-school records: Jean-Benoit Dunkel (left) and Nicolas Godin.
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DANCING FOOLS
Produced by the returning Nigel Godrich and
Pocket Symphony is largely a return to the sound of Air 's debut EP. Premiers Symptomes (originally an
and Gang in Paris and Air's own studio in Bastille
recorded at Mayfair Studio #2 in London, Revolvair
the shamisen, it's like a banjo that you play with a stick. It is really hard to play."
import-only French singles collection, reissued on
(soon to be uprooted to Paris and renamed Atlas
WORK FOR HIRE
Astralwerks, 1999). To a large degree an instrumen-
Studios), Pocket Symphony benefits not only from live
Pocket Symphony's instrumental focus was also influenced by two recent projects with old pals. Air wrote
tal album-except for appearances by Pulp's Jarvis
performances and witty guest-vocal turns, but also
Cocker and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon (as
from Godin's embrace of the Far East. Returning to his
and performed the music for Charlotte Gainsbourg's
well as Dunckel and Godin's demure vocals)-Pocket
childhood love of discovering new instruments, Godin
5:55, where they played a mostly subordinate role. Air
Symphony may be the most subtle, sedate and soothing album of the duo's 12-year career. And while Dunckel
played the Japanese koto and shamisen on Pocket Symphony, bringing an exotic air to the duo's retro
Coppola film, Marie Antoinette. (Although their tracks
and Godin admit to a warmer embrace of Pro Tools
lunar tracks, especially the humming "Mer du Japon."
was also hired to compose the soundtrack to the Sofia for the movie, save "II Secondo Giorno; were ultimately rejected and then reworked for Pocket Symphony.>
technology than in the past ("You can travel everywhere
"When I touched the koto-oh my God; Godin says
around the world just carrying some files-it's great;
with a laugh, "I'd forgotten how cool it was to play
"Those experiences made us more confident on
Godin marvels), their heart is still in live performance.
something new. It was very flexible, and we used it
guitar and piano; Dunckel says. "We were forced to
"On songs like 'Napalm Love' and 'Redhead Girl: "
on a lot of songs. Every time you hear a harp, like on
play in the studio, and that made us better. Since Nigel
Godin explains, "those are all live. It is the piano and
Jarvis' song, 'Hell of a Party: that is the koto. It took me
was there, we had nothing to worry about,not about the
the bass playing the same thing all the way through
10minutes to learn how to play it, but it takes a long time
production or keyboards or what beat we would add.
the song. We play from beginning to end even if it is the
to find the right balance of position and sound. lAs for]
We were just concentrating and focusing on the way
same notes and patterns. You can hear it. It is the same chord but never played exactly the same way. [But] we do overdub because there are only two of us."
we had to play together." "When we recorded our early singles; Godin adds, "we had this weirdness . We recorded in our living
"We need to touch; Dunckel says. "When you do
room. We didn't have much money. Our weird music
music, you have your body, and the way you play is
was part of our charm. So now we have accepted who
like a dance. I don't know why, but humans feel that.
we are. With Charlotte Gainsbourg, for the first time
Music is made for humans, and when it is a computer,
we did a real album. There was a singer, a producer,
it doesn't sound the same; the feeling is not right. You
a lyricist, and we did all the music. We did a classic
have to really play it. Your body has to appropr iate and
album. Wow. For us, we don't need to do that, but now
condense the instruments to put them into the music.
we know we can."
And then it is possible for the people to understand it."
LOVE IT LIVE Pocket Symphony recalls Premier Symptomes in mood, direction and execution. Air used a variety of synths: the ARP 2600, Dave Smith Poly Evolver,Clavia Nord Lead and Elektron Monomachine, as well as Korg and Yamaha synths. The difference is that real drummers accompanied the band's live performances and the occasional Machinedrum beat. The music is seamless, subtle and constant, placing the listener in a nocturnal slow-motion world. Air toyed with IRCAM plug-ins but ultimately abandonedthe idea. In fact, there are no plug-ins on the record. What sounds like a drum loop is often a live drummer playing a part as if it were a loop. And vocals and instrumental performances are live and unedited wherever possible. "If you hear three choruses within a song, then we
CUSTOMS AND KOTOS
have played three choruses; Godin insists. "We hate to
Appearing a bit rattled after a U.S. customs ordeal
cut and paste."
where Air 's passports were confiscated and hole-
"But sometimes we can't do it; Dunckel adds. "On
punched, Dunckel and Godin are understandably tired.
'Night Sight: we couldn't do it because that was impro-
Dunckel is the cool, collected type whose expressions
vised. We jam and improvise on chords, then throw up
never betray his emotions, while the painfully thin
ideas and decide which to keep. Originally, there was
Godin displays a keen sense of humor.
no beat in that track, no measure, [which makes it! a
"Two years ago, someone came on the tour bus and
nightmare to move sounds within the computer."
took our passports; Godin recalls. "When we brought
Air's preference for live, practically stripped-down
our new ones, U.S. Customs said, 'These are the stolen
tracks influenced the duo's use of EQ settings and
passports.' So they destroyed our passports."
effects (sparse delay, reverb and added treble for
Luckily, the Internet saved the day. "They finally
Dunckel vocals), live-string orchestrations and drums.
Googled us and realized we were who we said we
But certain effects are forbidden. "Since Moon Safari,
were ; Godin says. "They were laughing, the problem
we can't use vocoders anymore; Dunckel says, laugh-
was resolved, and then the said, 'Come on. Why are
ing. "We've burned that trick ."
end of the songs: Dunckel recalls. "For 'Once Upona Time' and 'Photograph: we recorded the tracks and added the drums at the end of the process. We will record with the Elektron or a click, then hire a drummer for one day and make him record drums for all the tracks. Then we decide if we want live drums or machine drums on the track: "For some songs: Godin explains, "Tony Allen had the click in his ears then played the entire track. On 'Space Maker: we asked Joey to play the beat as if it wasa loop. It is supposed to sound likea loop, but it is a realdrummerplaying all the way through:
NAPALM GIRL Air likes to work fast-so fast that for some tracks, they can barely remember what happened. The pair bounces memories off of eachother to comeup with a blow-by-blow description. Andtheyendup rememberingthesynthsusedfor dense trackslike"Napalm Love" and"Redhead Girl: "On'Napalm Love: thebass wasrecorded first: Godin says. "The rattling sound in the intro is the Elektron Machinedrum. I was playing with one of the knobs-I have no idea what I was doing, but I was making the beat. Theguitardoubles themelody with theNordLead. Then that low warblingtoneis the Monomachine. It has a special knobthatcontrols the delay. But [atthatpointl, thedelay is about to feed back. At theend, I put it down, but not too much.The entiresound is feeding back and filtering. We recorded that all live, then overdubbed where he hadto. We don't program keyboards. That is thePolyEvolver doing thepercussion in theleftchannel, and thatdeeptoneis the NordLead again: The eerie vocals and somnambulant tones of "Redhead Girl" come near the album's end, like the moon fading before sunrise. Dunckel's high-pitched vocals were panned in Pro Tools for an ominous spreading effect; the Poly Evolver cycles in Moog-like tones; theKorgMS-20produces a whirring hum;andat onepoint, vocalslooplikea spooky, hovering sirenthat recalls The Beach Boys'"Till Die: "I thinkI recorded my vocalin stereothere: Dunckel says. "We looped it andadded the fade-in on the computer. Thatis all it is-I am sorry!"
THE WHOLE JOURNEY Ultimately, Dunckel describes Pocket Symphony as an album of dual perceptions. Like their roles as hardworking musicians turnedelectronic trendsetters, Dunckel andGodin see the value of double entrendre, bothliteralandfigurative. "We arealwaysdoing symphonies:heexplains. "But we do it with small things-little beat boxes, instruments-and as a kind of night cycle. And there is the contrast between theword 'pocket.'which is small, and 'symphony: which is complicated andwide: "Listening to an album used to be like a voyage: Godin says, returningto his earlier theme. "Now, with the iPods and the shuffle mode, that way of making albums will disappear, and it will turn into a new thing-who knowswhat? People will download Pocket Symphony andlistento it illegally or not, butwill anyone listen to it from beginning to middleto end?" 0 remixmag.com
MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ ReMIX 45
48 RI!M.X' MARCH 2007
RGURE 9 >Next,clickon the ToSImpler button in the
FIGURE 5 >This sample is a recordinl of a hind brushinl ecross a lenBth of cOITUlated shed sidinl- The four most prominenttransients, startinl II 4.4.3, hive been converted into a loopeblephrase of eilhth notes with Ableton Uve's Warpfunction. It's simple, but it should be an effective fill in the track II the end of phreses. I used th8l same lr8nsient process described earlier to looselyquantize recordiOis of writinl and typinlStretchinl functions are a pert of meny of the bil DAWs. Even the most scrambled rhythm is easily brouIht in ~ne with a treck without the laborioustrimmiOiand repositioniOi th8l would hive been required a f_ years alo. When producers relied on 8I18lol medii to record, such menipulations of n8lural rhythm were next to impossible.
FIGURE 7 >Some of the bottle notes ere shorter then they need to be bec8use they requiredmoreBir. Fortun8teIy, the Melodyne JlIuI-in is the perfect tool to stretch the shorter ~ The notes can stretch to ebouttwicetheir qnel IenIth with no noticeebIe 8rtiflICts. I deleted the qnel samples in AbIeton Uve,so aU th8l W8S leftW8S their counlerp8rlsin Melodyne. I saved the whole thiOiIS one file end opened th8lfile in Emulator X2, whichcanopen IS a VST instnment Oiu! t.AeIodyne).
Seve section II the bottomrilht. Make sure the Str8lch
optionreads "up and down" to ensure th8l the full keyboard is beinl used. Th8l means the hiihest sample str8lches up, and the lowestsample str8lches down. After clickiOi on the OK button in the Save Samples dil101 box, the MIDI keyboard is mepped with every bottle sample that was recorded. The root keys for eech sample are assil"ed autometically. I thouIht Reason's NNXT sampler W8S convenient, but this is almost too elSY. By then I W8S ready to start playiOl the bottles from a keyboard.There's plenty of susl8in, and I could play chords with them. The notes blendedtOl8lher perfectly, so I was now ready to treck my lead lines.
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RGURE 6 >The best bottlerecordiOlS of eech note are liken from the R-09 and placed in a row on a sequencer IrICkin AbI8lon Uve. They occur in ascendinK order sllrtinl with a low B~. I tried to stick to the chrometic scale, but some notes fellin between. I cued the Melodyne plul-in to transfer in the eudio samples and then hit play on AbletonUve's trensport. Then ell the samples appeared in the MeIodyne window. Melodyne aUows sneppiOi the notes to the chrorn8lic sc. and also allows correctinl for pitch devi8lions. Th8l will meke it easier for Emulator X2 to detect and assilO the pitchof eech sample.
_
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FIGURE 8 >Toimport these samples into Emulator X2, simplychoose AcquireSImples from Emulator X2's File menu. Click on the Loed button to lo8d the saved sample. With some tweakiOi of the l8le/chop function to the rilht of the sample window,eech note is sliced to its own sample. By clickinl on the Set Keys button, EmulatorX2 recOl/lizesand ISsip the pitchof eech of the sliced samples.
FIGURE 10 >The simple b8Ss ~ne could be processed on its own in the U"" sequencer. Itwould be just as fast to copy it and transpose its pitchin Uve as it would be to lo8d it in Emulator X2, play it out and quantize the performance. There W8S a pretty quick decay on the relatively quiet sample, so I tried to extrect more from it by boostiOithe blSs with Uve's EQ4 plul-in. I also tried to mex out the sustain by usinl a Iontl-release compression. Th8l worked fairly wel~ otherwise, the audiocan be stretched in Uelodyne. But it WIS stilldisproportionatel loud II the belinniOi and sounded more ~ke a kickdrum.
I used a simplealder branch for a Hi-hat substitute. Taking the branchto a quiet spot away from the traffic and streetlight hum, I set up the R-09 and swung the branchin front of it numeroustimes.With lots of sprigs on the branch, it had a pleasant swish, and I tried to give it an accent here and there by speeding up and slowingdown. Tempo is not too importantat this stage because that will be set in ReCycle. When the branch broke, my first recording sessionended. After loading all my percussive samples into the computer and monitoring them, I was satisfied that the audio quality was sharp enough. There wasn't too muchhandlingnoiseon the R-09 (something I carefully
avoided). The condenser mics sounded fine. With so muchambient noise coming from traffic, machines and wind in the samples, it's hardto comment meaningfully on the self-noisein theR-09scondensers, but for these purposes, they seemed fine. See Figures 1 through 4 for how I edited the samples.
particles of sound-to produce longer note values. If something is stretched too far. then the algorithm becomes conspicuous in the form of digital artifacts. Quite often it canintroduce a whole new synthesis and maskthe timbralqualities of the originalmaterial.While that can be fun, I avoidedit here. {SeeFigure5.l
PUSH AND PULL
EMULATING THE EMULATOR
Time stretching is a strong ally of creative production. Usually, it's best used on an element that just barely falls short of correct timing. Stretching algorithms rely on a process of analyzing existing signal content and repeating that content in the form of grains-very small
While E-mu'shardware Emulator sampleris longgone, E-mu has kept in the gamewith one of its most recent innovations, the Emulator X2 software sampler, which is perfect for wrapping up this project. A top-flight soft sampler, Emulator X2 ships with 3 GB of sampled sounds and a simple 2x2 MIDI interface, which acts as the software dongle. It handles 16MIDI channels, it has convenient sample-looping features, andits "synth swipe" allows for easy and comprehensive sampling of other hardware synths or samplers. Emulator X2's Z-plane filters are the most complex, innovative filters I'veseento date, andthey soundgreat. For these humble purposes, the most interesting things about Emulator X2 are the quick keyboard mapping and positional crossfading. For this section. I enlisted the helpof the Celemony Melodyne plug-in. I didn't want to use bottles, but after prowling endlessly for good melodic sounds, I resorted to the somewhat-cheap trick of blowing on bottles to get melodicsoundsto loadinto EmulatorX2. I foundthree different-size bottles in different pitch ranges that resonated well. With a jug of water and the R-09, I started blowing over the bottle tops. Beginning with the biggest bottle, I alternated recording and filling the bottles with water until I reached the top of their ranges. {SeeFigures6 through9.l
BASS FISHING A cleanand appealing bass frequency was the second most difficult thing to find. After a while, I found the perfect sound from a pieceof 2-by-4 wood holding up a shelf stocked with electric guitars in a stock room. By hitting it with the sideof a closed fist, it produced a usable basstone. Better still,with a box restingagainst the side of the 2-by-4, striking it produced some nice overtones aswell.I recorded bothversionsof the sound andheaded for the studio.{SeeFigures10through III
G'ON AHEAD One thing to take from this experiment is that production is blindingly fast compared with yesterday's standards.Especially when it comesto integrating chaotic sounds that don't originate from a musician's chops, the tools at a producer's disposal are unprecedented in flexibilityandease of use.It takes somemoneyto getup andrunningwith thetoolsusedhere. but in comparison to the cost of settingup just a decade agowhen there was nothingcomparable to Melodyne, Uve or Reason, it's not a lot of cash. Also, you can approximate many of thesetricks with less expensive DAWs andplug-ins. So count your blessings; musical creativity has never hadit this good. 0
To hear the song the author produced from this article, go to remixmag.com. 52 _MIX. MARCH 2007
remixmag.com
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sharpenthe attackandbring focus to the placement of a kit's individual pieces across the stereo sound field of the overheads. With the following advice, I assume you're looking to minimize leakage and have highly present, well-isolated tracks for mixing/remixing.
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BOOMIN' SYSTEM) On kick drum, you want to c1ose-mic a large-diaphragm condenser inside to capture the low end and may want to augment that with a condenser further away from the drum. Starting on kick, place a large-diaphragm dynamic mic inside the drum, aimed just a couple of inches away from the inner head and just slightly off-axis to the beater. If you want a meatiersoundwith less click, just pull the microphone back a few inches and place it midway in the drumshell, facing more toward one side. I like the Audio-Technica AE2500 ($699; www. audio-technica.com) dual-element cardioid instrument mic for this job, which combines condenser and dynamic capsules into one and can really dig into the low frequencies without blowing under high soundpressure levels (SPLsl. For recording truly fat and funkyhip-hop or dubbyjazz loops, I'veactuallybrought in a large orchestra bass drum and set it next to the kick so it could ring sympathetically to give more low end, instead of the commonlyemployed trick of adding a suboscillator to the kick track during mixing. You can also try augmenting your c1ose-miked sound by additionally placing a nice tube mic around 12to 14inches in front of the outside head of the kick. Leakage from the rest of the kit will now become an issue, however, so you'll want to construct a 4- to 5-t d (i to i
MORE ON THE FLOOR) Instead of bottom-miking a floor tom as is commonlydone, try puttinga condenser two or three inches from the top of the drum for a more presentattack. behind it <Cut a slit in it to slide over the mic stand) to provide a tiny bit of added isolation from the hat and cymbals. For the bottom mic, I like to set a condenser relatively close (2 to 3 inches) from the snare with its back to the kick drum and its pattern set to cardioid to minimizebleed from the kick. Though manyengineers will only bottom-mictoms, I prefer to use a c1ose-miked dynamic on the high tom and condensers on the mid and floor toms, each mounted facedown about two to three inches from
the top head. That captures more present attacks. Regardless of microphone type,try to savethe largest capsule mics for the lowest toms. You can use dynamic mics on hats if your microphone stash is limited, but I prefer the sound of a cardioid condenser facedown and 2 inches above the hat.Try positioningthe mic so that the hi-hat itself is a natural sound barrier betweenthe mic and the snare. Again, use a piece of carpet padding slipped over a spare gooseneck stem or a clotheshangerduct taped to the mic stand for extra isolation from the cymbals sitting right next to the hat. A misnomer about overheads is that they're only for picking up cymbals. In fact, they'rethere to capture the overall kit, as well as the room to a certain degree. The overheads are the SWndof your drums,so that is
Id
s
positioned like that will really save you in the mix and let the ride come through loudly.This is also particularly helpful if your drummer sets the ride cymbal lower than the other cymbals because the ride will be overpowered by the crashes.
FEELING AMPED In modern production styles, there seems to be a million ways to mic an electric-guitar amplifier. Though the tried-and-true method is to use a sturdy dynamic mic like the Shure SM57,many modern condensers and even ribbon mics can easily stand up to the punishing SPLs.
COLORIZATION> Moving the mic away from the cone (left) rolls off low frequencies, and positioning it offaxis (righ t>diminishes high frequencies. "clean" amped guitar sound is best achieved with the
recording room is conducive to great acoustics, you'll
micro phone set to cardioid and placed 1 to 2 feet from
probably want to keep the mics set to cardioid and
the speaker,on- or slightly off-axis, being careful not to
aimed toward each other, flipping the polarity of the
overload the microphone .
back mic to counter phase cancellation.
For a rounder, beefier "American" sound, you might want to try a condenser mic and a dynamic mic simul-
GREAT ACOUSTICS
LIL' CHAMP> The Shure SM57 dynamic mic is
taneously, recording them to different tracks and either
In general, prici er small- diaphragm condensers w ith
popular for its low price and sound, and its handling
picking or blending between the two feeds at mix time.
omn idirectional respons e are best for capturing
of high SPLs suit it for snares, guitar amps, etc.
That also works wonders with dual-speaker amps,
acoustic instruments close-up for their extended high
where you can aim one mic straight at the cone-edge
frequencies , smooth character istics, low susceptibility to proxim ity effect and no off-ax is colorat ion. But
Classic positioning would have a dynamic mic very
many engineers swear by dynamic micro phones as
close and aimed directly at the center of the cone for
well. For the average-sounding bedroom studio on a
maximum high-end "Br itish" crunch . While aiming it
budget, there's nothing wrong w ith using a decent-
slightly off-ax is achieves a warmer sound, most engi-
sound ing large-cardioid condenser-preferably a
neers agree that the sweet spot seems to be where
tube-or r ibbon mic.
the speaker cone and dome meet. Close-miking like
For a natural-sounding acoustic guitar, careful mic
that produces a very in-your-face sound. Moving the
placement is crucial so that you avoid a boxy, overly
microph one back from the grille cloth, you can experi-
resonant sound. Though acoustic guitars primaril y
ment with the proximity effect by fine-placing the mic
project through their sound hole, this tone is overly col-
closest to the speaker to achieve enhanced lows,
ored by the resonance of the guitar's body. Instead, I'll
fewer lows as you move away and diminished highs as
try to capture a more pleasing balance of body, string,
you orient the mic more off-ax is or slide it toward the
sound hole, neck/fret-board tone and room ambience.
edge of the speaker cone for an even duller sound. To
In a single microphone scenari o, a small- or
incorporate a little more room ambience to your sound,
large-diaphragm condenser is placed at the classic
try changing the polar pattern from cardioid to omni. A
positioning of the 12th fret with the capsule pointing
AMP SAMMICH
>With an open-back amp, try a
dynamic mic inside and a condenser mic out front. sweet spot of one speaker and aim the other mic pointed off-axis at the second speaker; that allows you to blend the crunch tone of one w ith the fuzzy warmth of the other. When bi-miking an amp, though, it's imperative to keep the micr ophone capsules positioned the same distance from the speakers for the best phase coherence. Another wide ly used method is to combine one
BRIT POP >This dynamic-mic position on a guitar ampgives a sound that is known IS a "British" cnn:h.
microphone behind an open-back cabinet w ith another at the front , for ltlat Ia
"Gab"
lJ
of the horn for clear, sharp notes
slightly up the neck (or to w here the neck joins the body) and w ith its polar pattern set to cardioid to
filled w ith lots of high-end transients,
reduce the boominess from the sound hole. That
or at 45-degrees off-ax is to the bell
is a common bedroom setup because it rejects the
for warmer tone variations.
standing waves and early reflections bouncing off
Miking a piano can be tricky, and it
close, parallel-plated walls, and it captures a cohesive
is best approached based on the style
blend of the entire instrument rather than merely
of music and the part being played. But you can borrow from theory
the sound hole. If you're picking up the guitarist's
already discussed here and assume that c1oser-miking (under the lid and directly over the soundboard) will capture a brighter, less reverberated sound that should cut through a pop track, while mid placement of microphones adds more room-influenced body and fuller harp/soundboard tone. Unless your room has amaz-
ALPHABET SOUP> Here is one version of an XV mic configuration,
ing acoustics, distant-miking might
used to capture this acoustic guitar in stereo.
turn your piano into nothing more than a haunting special effect. Using
toward the neck, the less bass and softer attack the
one microphone, my foolproof method is to suspend
sound w ill have, w hile venturing closer to the bridge
a small-diaphragm condenser from a heavy-duty
w ill bring more warm th and fullness to the sound
and shock-absorbing microphone stand, such as the
w ithout sounding tubby, as well as more brilliant highs
Atlas Sound air-suspended SB-series (www.atlas-
and cr isper attacks. Another option is to position the above mic in front
soundoller.com), directly over the middle of the sound-
of the sound hole, oriented off-axis toward the bridge, w ith a second condenser aimed at the mid fret board (around the 6th fret> to pick up string noise; again,
BAD BREF >To mask the guitarist's breathing, pull
cardioid for both. Once recorded, that combo can
the mic back 16 inches and point it downward just
be mixed either in stereo or more for tonality as an
above the low E string.
extremely rich mono signal. For even more elaborate
breathing, sniffs and snorts too much, try position-
stereo recordings, position two condensers in an XV configuration, mounted on stands horizontally so that
ing the mic somewhere just above the low E string and tilt it downwa rd but still aimed at the same angle
their capsules are the same position and distance from guitar, mounted on top of each other at 90 degrees and
up the neck. As for distance fr om the guitar itself,
facing the guitar in off-axis fashion. Finally, you can
tr y setting the microp hone 15 to 16 inches in fr ont
use spaced pairs, using one mic over the guitarist's
for a more integrated sound, where the levels of
shoulder and another 8 or 12inches from the middle of
direct and reflected sound should be just about right, even in nonideal rooms. Close-miking-one foot or
the guitar neck, delivering a sound similar to what the
closer-will emphasize the upper midrange and pro-
player hears with more string tone from one side and more pronounced lows from the other.
duce a cr isp, harder sound that is complementary to pop music. Indeed, you may find yourself moving the
fairly still in his chair or pickup patterns w ill begin to
for a dynamic on the bass strings and a condenser
mic all over the place to find the right tone for a given
smear w ildly. As a backup plan, try clipping a miniature
on the treble, and the signals can be mixed to mono.
track. As a general rule, the closer you move the mic
tl.avalier or "tie-tack") mic inside the guitar.
In all of these cases so far, the guitarist must remain
VINTAGE KEYS> This tw o-mic piano method calls
board. With the lid w ide open and angling the mic so
SILKY STRINGS, BRASS BALLS
that each side of its figure-8 capsule points to the high
Stringed instruments such as violins, violas and cellos
and low strings, what you end up with is a rich and
need room for their rich and full resonance to build.
equally balanced mono piano signal that really cuts and is ideal for most modern piano tracks. When c1ose-
For this reason, you don't want to c1ose-mic these instruments . Similarly, omni-pattern microphones are
miking like that, there's no need to match microphones,
excellent for distant-miking horn and string sections
so I'Ikoften add~;,!a!'~~lm
II
iN
i
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OJ
By Ean Golden
JUGGLING ACT
Learn some key-control commands to work Traktor 3's four decks like a pro It's no secret that the reputation of NativeInstruments' popular OJ program, Traktor DJ Studio Pro (now officially renamed Traktor 3), has been on the ropes. Largely due to its now severed but highly publicized, abusive marriageto Stanton, Traktor'simageasa stable andDJ-friendlyproducttooka bit of adiveoverthepast year. Now thatthe Stanton partnershipis dissolved, the diligent team at NI turned back to doing what they do best: makinggood software. The result was the latest update to one of the first and most forward-thinking digital-DJ products on the market.This strong update CTraktor 3.2) brought more stability and a few underthe-hood features that can reallymakeyour set shine.
DECK DUPLICATE Mypersonal favorite additionwill notbefoundanywhere on the user interface. There is a slightly hiddenhotkey andMIDI command to duplicatea playing deck into any otherdeck, instantly.This includes loops, position,timing and effects. Why would one want this, you might ask? Well as you know, Traktor has four decks, but having enough MIDI or key controls to control all four decks at once can be difficult. You can, however, effectively ~ all four deckswith controls for only two using the duplicate feature. Imagine you are mixing out of deckA andintodeckB: DeckA is at the endof the songwhere you set a loopon a breakdown to extend the outro. The two are working reallywell together, so you don't want to losethe loop, but you need to start mixingin the next song. No problem. Witha single click, you can duplicate the loopinto deckC or D andnow layera new songon top of bothdecks. As longas the loopwas locked in the groove with deck B, you should not need to adjust its timingandcannow blend it in or out as needed. Deck duplicate is also a really cool way to do an extreme version of a common turntablist trick. The duplicate command can be customized to duplicate
are some handy uses for that. First of all, there's the wet/dry effects blend. Rather than use a button to turn on an effect and a knob to changethe blend, use a single knob for both. It makes sense that you would want the effect on or off depending on the mix amount. You can take that a step further and use a single knob for all four decks' mix knobs and power buttons. For instance, the large and playable modulation wheel of a keyboard makes a great effects-mix controller. Assuming that you will havea MIDIcontrol that selects the effect for each deck in the software, double assign that control to make that deck the
valuesa control sendsout to makeit do more specific thingsin Traktor. Normally, a MIDI knobor slider sends out a rangeof valuesfrom 0 to 127. The software then interprets thesevaluesas all the way off or all the way on. For instance, if you assign a slider to directlyscroll betweeneffects, it goesfrom thebottomeffect(whichis a blankslot) to thetop effect <the T2 filter). Somewhere
into anydeck. So you will needto set three commands to duplicate deck A into B, C and D. Then, using the beat-jump tool, move deck B back a half beat, deck C backonebeatanddeck D backtwo beats. Crossfading rhythmically between deck A and B gives you the classic double-hit trick, but mixing in C and D adds a really cool dub twist. Onespecific suggestion for DJs who are using external mixers to mix: Modify your commands to duplicate both of your main decks to deck C. Then you need only three stereo outputs on your soundcardrather than four.
focused one as well. Program the modulation wheel to control the wet mix andon/off of any focuseddeck. Now when you put delay on deck A. the modulation wheel automatically turns that effect on and controls the mix. Effects layering is also effective using this technique. Although possibleonly when mixing internally, you can havea deck effect and a master effect active at the sametime. Thenconnecta slider to the wet/m ix controls of both effects. This is particularly nice with a delay/reverb combination. As the delay gets more intense, it widens and becomes less in your face. Then when you turn the delay off, it punches in for a more dramatic effect.
in the middleare delay, reverb, glitchandflange. Using a MIDI monitor like "MIDI-PIPE: you can determine that 77 is the value where the delay sits. Because I mainly like to use the delay and the filter, I have limited my MIDI slider to output only the values 77 to 127. Now the bottomof the slider selectsa delay, andthe top selectsa filter. That is useful live when you needa clear visualreference of what effect is selected, andyou can quickly choosethe desiredeffect. It is also possible to makebuttonsdirectly select an effect using this trick. Again,using a MIDI monitor,you would need to determine the range of valuesthat the effect falls within. For instance, the delay falls within 77 to 95. So program the button to send a value only within that range, andevery time you hit the button, it will directly select that effect. Use it for all your favorite effects, and you won't have to look at the screen at all. This technique is also great for effect settings like delay times and glitch lengths. Program four buttons
MULTIPLE MIDI MAPPING
MORE KONTROL
to directly accessthe settings you use most often and then label them appropriately. It's just a few of many
Before Traktor 3, a MIDI knob or slider could be assigned only to one function. Now you can assign a single control to multiple parts of the program.There
Althoughnot uniqueto 3.2, here are a few MIDI tricks
62 R.M.X路 MARCH 2007
you can use to make controlling Traktor easier. The general concept is to deliberately limit the range of
great ways you can program Traktor so you spend less time staring at a screen and more time rocking the club. 0
remixmag.com
POWER By Doug Eisengrein NO SURGE CHARGE Why power conditioning matters and what you can really do on different budgets One fateful near-doomsday, I was finishing a marathonsession in myhomestudiolateat night.I reached underthedeskto pickup a fallendiscandaccidentally kicked the plugto a cheapie multiple-power strip.The problem was, all of my subsequent six hardwarestore power strips were chained off that single one. My entire studio was fully powered up in that moment when a loud thump emitted from my more professional-grade (expensive) studio monitors, and then every LED in my studio went black. Covered in goosebumps, I gingerlyturned off eachpiece of gear and then plugged the main strip back in. As I prayed to all of the gods, one-by-one I flipped my gear back on to find it was all still okay. In an instant, I firmly decided to outfit my most cherished investment (and creative lifeline)with something I always put off buying: proper power conditioning. Now, as I sit here glancing at a rack that houses a MonsterPower Pro 2500 with its LED playfullydancing between114 and 118 (incoming volts), I breathe easier; it's one of the best$200 I'vespent.
RANDOM ACTS OF CARELESSNESS If you're ~ot already sold on this idea, you might be thinking, "200 bucksjust for a fancyrackmount power strip?What for?" In my case, consider this: That particular strip has a $500 analog filter, two $800 tube channel strips,a$250 effectsunit,a $400 digitalpatch bay, a $500 audio interface, $1,600 monitors, a $200 external hard drive anda $3,000 MacG5 all attached to it. Now, is $8,000 worth protecting behind a $200 investment (not to mention all the precious computer datathatcouldalsobe fried in an instant>? You might argue that you're not so careless as to trip over your cords, but what about acts of nature? Everyone's been in a blackout, been in a lightning storm or tripped a circuit. Economically speaking, take a quick inventory of your studio; if it consists of gear you couldn't go out and replace right away if it all was ruined, then you are a prime candidate for power conditioning.
A SOUND INVESTMENT Power conditionersare like car insurance. You could be the most careful driver on the road, but if another car runs a red light at precisely the wrong time, your car is toast. However, unlike car insurance (which will fix or replace your totaled car), quality power conditioners are designed to ensurethat disastersin the studioor onthe roadneverhappen. Their purpose is to not let "bad" power through. It's true that even cheap power strips sometimes provide basiccircuitbreaker protection, yet most professional power
64
~"IX.
MARCH 200T
conditioners' armor against power surges is much more robust. In addition, like antifreeze that regulatesa car's temperature, quality power conditioners regulate the voltage going to your gear, making sure it doesn't fluctuate too low or too high. Thatis important because a steady stream of voltage powering your gearensures that theyperform properlyandwith the utmost efficiency, and that means your gear is likely to live longer. That is especially important for owners of esoteric or expensive gear. For analog-synth aficionados, an even stream of voltage helps keep thoseolder, unstable oscillatorsas fluctuation-free as possible. Perhaps best of all, somepower conditioners incorporate filter circuitry that removes line noise from incoming electrical lines (RFI/EMD, as well as that generated by the connected equipment. The result is simple: muchbetter sound in your studio and recordings. What caught my attention regarding this fact was a displayI saw at the NAMM music-industry trade show: Monsterhad a display rig set up where you could literally hear just the line noise via headphones, both pre- and post-power conditioner. The difference was startling.
PURCHASE_OR PAY If my scare tactics or audiophile temptations have piqued your interest,thenlet'stakea brieflookat some options. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, but rather a snapshot of what's out there in different price points. (Note that all prices listedare retail-not necessarily street-price.> Probably the industry's best-known brand, Furman, has a lot to choose
from. Its M-8 model ($65) provides 8 rear-mounted outletsandone front-panel outlet, an RFVEMI interference filter and a circuit breaker on the rear panel that protects against total loads exceeding the specified 15 amp/1,800W limit. Though not especially robust, for manyhorne studios it could do the trick. The very popular PL.-8 II ($189) adds a multistage surge-protection circuit with a voltage-shutdown rating of 140V, a maximum surge of 6,500 amps and front-mounted dimmable LED rack lampsfor use in low-light conditions. Furman's PM-8 II model($329) addsdigital-volt and current-meter LEOs on the front panel. Monster Power's Pro 2500 ($200) features robust surge protection, a voltmeter LED, ground and wiring alert LEOs anddiscrete, separately filteredoutlets for digital, analog and high-powered connections. It also has two-stage timedturn-on/off sequencing, so sensitive things like speakers don't pop when the conditioner is turned on. Monster's Pro 5100 ($799) boasts 12 rear-mounted outlets andtwo on the front, digitalvolt and amp meters, three modes of surge-protection circuitry and24-karat gold-plated plugcontacts. If I've managed to convert you, then do your homeworkbeforepurchasing. Look closely at specs, specifically their Joule, voltage and amp ratings, and think about your priorities. Will you needa 15or 20 amp model? Do you need many outlets? Extraheavysurgeor dirty-power protection? Several other brandsare in the game too,such as ART, TubeWorks and Alesis; rest assured that different models availablecan meetmostbudgets andneeds. Now, go save your studio! 0
remixmag.com
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By Tom Ravenscroft
TREASURE HUNT Take it from the son of a legend: tastemaker DJs are hot for untapped talent When I moved to London, I worked in lots of very poorly paid and thankless television jobs before getting a job working on The Music Hall of Fame as a researcher. From there I was asked if I would like to write a new-music column for The Times. It was off thebackof that, plusa friendwho workedin radio, that I was asked to do a pilot for Channel 4 Radio. I haveto say that my dad[legendary BBC OJ John Peel, who put many bands on the map with his live radio show, The Peel Sessionsl didn't really have a huge influence on the career choices I made but rather my general approach to work and how not to get too obsessed by the ideaof moneyor status. But the route for me has been a sudden and fast one. I have being doing my show, 4Radio's SlashMusic, for Channel 4 Radio (www.channeI4radio.coml for about eightmonthsnow. I bought deckswith myfirst student loanandspentall my student daysbuying andplaying records. I earned a film degree at Sheffield Hallam University, which gave me a lot of free time, and my friends and I would spend hours every day trying to mix and scratch records. I have always had a fondness for playing people things that I think they might not have heard. Your dad owned hundredsof thousands of records. How did his love for music influence you in discovering new music. and how has that enabled you to spot a band that has something really special going on? The record collection in our house is extraordinary; it's quiteunique in that it contains everytype of music imaginable. We always hadmusic playing, every hour of the day, every day of the year. It was relentless. Oneminuteit would be techno, the next Zimbabwean music,U.S. folk or metalfrom Germany. Therewas so muchto listento thatyourarely revisited records. The moremusic youlistento, the betteryougetat spotting what you think you might like. Once you start looking, I think it's very hard to stop-my dad's dedication to this bordered on the insane. Heoftenusedto saywith every new box of demo tapes, "The next Elvis could be in here." There have been occasions when I have begun to feel a little dizzy, especially when so much of the musicis badly recorded in bedrooms. But I oftenhave "ah-hal" moments-I'd like to think at least at three timesa week. Theyare well-worth the wait andkeep you smiling as you listento the next300 badones. There are a lot of up-and-coming bands that hopeto be discovered. What can bands do to pave the way andget the attention of OJs such as yourself?
66 _MIX路 MARCH 2007
I'vegot lots of friendswho are very talented andwho don'tseemto beableto getthe attention theydeserve. The music scene in Britain is overrun at the moment with "fashion bands." They look great but are in fact very ordinary. I think that if a band is reallygood, then they will get noticed. Don'talter what you'redoing in an attempt to sound like what is currently popular. Oh, andtry to avoid comparing yourselves with other bands. I stopped listening to people who said they sounded likeJeff Buckley. On your SlashMusic show, you present the best of thousands of unsigned bands. What's the best way for an unsigned bandto approach you?In addition to uploading music to the Channel 4 site,what can they do to get your attention? I am a big fan of people just being nice and retaining a degreeof humility aboutwhat they do.We are very fortunate in that everyone we seem to deal with in recording our shows, from the bands themselves to distribution companies and PRo are all really nice. I don't seethat it's particularly necessary to see other acts as competition. I listen to every singlething I get sent, so it doesn't makemuch of a difference how I receiveit. However, you can find out the distribution companies of your favorite bands andtry to persuade them to distribute you to us; there are certain ones that I always look out for. Also, I am setting up a PO Box in the next few weeks. In the meantime, records can be sent to my producer, HermeetChadha, at PO Box 53615, London, England SE249LO.
For our readers who are OJs, how would you suggest they makethe transition from OJing in clubs to OJingon the radio? I rarely OJ in clubs, so can'tclaim to beanexpert. But I guessit would havesomething to do with making a namefor yourself, and it also depends on what types of musicsuddenly makeit intothe mainstream. At the moment, it seems to be all about hiring dubstep DJs; tomorrow, it mightbe the return of breaks. How would you advisea fellow OJ to go about getting the proper training and experience for radio? What's important in presenting yourself to a station program director or person looking to hire new on-air staff? Doloads of pilotsand keep doingit until it startsgetting fun. Thenfind a friendwho works in radioandbother them constantly. I still have a long way to go in radio, but I am enjoyingmyself now,and it makes all the difference. It took me a longtime to get usedto hearing my voice through a microphone, and until you do, you can't relax. Also, youhave to show the bosses thatyou cangivethemsomethingthatthey can't getanywhere else. Andwhentheytry to tellyou what theywant,just nodandthenignore them. What is a mistake bands (unsigned or signedl make that you'd liketo seethem avoid? A lot of bands have this strange tendency to think that in order to appear talented, you haveto behave likean arrogant idiot. This isn't true. 0
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MANYTONE MUSIC MANYONE LOW-CPU SAMPLE MODULE WITH EFFECTS RACK Anyonewho doesa lot of in-the-box audio production needsquickaccess to goodsounds; constantly creating layersandarrangements meansyour tools havegot to be as fast as your brainstorming. Sample-based plug-in makerManyTone hasreleased ManyOne ($49.95; www.manytone.coml, a high-quality, full-featured, easily sequenceable plug-in samplerwith a skinnable interface that aims to offer every type of keyboard-related layersa producer needs. Banks include hi-res electric pianos, drawbar andtransistor organs, vintage-synth waveformsandclassicensembles (Mellotron, Solina, Oberheiml. Tenavailable effects include echo, limiter, flange, chorus, phaser, tremoloandoverdrive. ManyTone also offers a space at its Website calledthe FreeZone where sounddesigners and enthusiasts posttheir favoritecustomizedsounds, as well as ManyTone's own new sounds. The bustling UsersForum is also a useful resource for new soundsandideas andoffers support for new users getting into unfamiliar territory.
ALLEN & HEATH XONE MIXED IN KEY
I!ONE CONNECTS FIREWIRE SNAKES DIGITAL-ROunNG RACK UNIT Most music venues, multiroom studios, places of worship andother large spaces end up dealing with massive amounts of expensive andconfusing cabling to keep audioflowing from placeto place. IIOne Connects hasintroduced a compelling alternative; the new Firewire Audio Snakes ($899-1,699; www. ioneconnects.coml savelots of time, space andmoneyby offering complete analog anddigital I/O options in expandable arraysthat operate from single-rackspaceunitsusingultrafastandlightweight fiber-optic cable. Operating at a 0.35ms overallbus latency, the systemmaintains that speed regardlessof the number of connected devices all the way up to 500 meters/1,640 feet-all that with almost no jitter thanks to TCAppliedTechnologies JetPLLJitter Elimination. Also mLancompatible for Yamaha fans, the hardwareis controlled by WindowsXP software and operates at 24-bit word length with sampling ratesranging from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz.
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SONG-ANALYSIS SOFTWARE Oneof the more annoying habitsof novice OJs-and always a dead giveaway- is a badlyharmonized transition. If the new track is in the wrong key, it just won't work with the old one no matter how well the beats lineup,andOJswho don't pay attention to that will messup their whole set.Fortunately, Allen & Heathhasteamed with softwaredesignersMixed In Keyto createXoneMixedIn Key($58; http://xone.mixedinkey.coml, a Windows andMacprogramthat analyzesyour soundfiles for root keyandbpm.Its browsable, drag-and-dropCollections shouldbe a big time-saver for veteran OJs, sounddesigners andanyone who works with largebanks of samples. For novice OJslearning to matchtransitionsharmonically, XoneMixedIn Keyoffers good, basicmusic-theoryknowledge besides the cool analysis features.Extensive quick-search featuresallow for fast, on-the-fly track location by key,bpmandsongname. Full dragand-dropsupport for Ableton, Traktor andother OJ programs helpsmakethe whole thing integrate intoa systemas the search tool of choicefor laptop OJs.
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AVANT ELECTRONICS AVANTONE CV-12
MOOG UTILE PHATIV STAGE EDITION
LARGE-CAPSULE MULnPATTERN MICROPHONE ThenewCV-12 ($399; www.avantelectronics .corn)large-capsule. multipatterntube condenser mic is part of a wavesweeping the industryof high-quality mics designed to deliverthe warm. pleasing. vintage tones needed for the highestlevelof audiocapture without the astronomical price tag.Thewhole thingscreamsstyle.andwhile the Cabernet Red finish on the machined brassis beautiful. this beautyis a beast underthe hood. offering someseriouslypowerfuloptions. Availablepatterns includenot onlyomnidirectional. cardioid andfigure-8 patterns. butalsosix other "inbetween " settings selectable from the included power supply. which shouldmakefor some very interesting mix experiments. Avantone alsogoesthe extramile for creative producers by including threetubeswith theCV-12. each offering differentgaincharacteristics andtonal personalities by varyingthe gainbeforethe output transformer: swapping themis fun andrelativelyeasy. Highpass and-10 dB switchesare on the mic itself.andthewhole package comes complete with the power supply; a woodenbox for the CV-12; a customshockmount; special XLR cables; anda padded. metalcarryingcase for the entirecollection.
MONOPHONIC ANALOG SYNTHESIZER After the deathof Bob Moog. his company released the Little PhattyTributeEdition synthesizer-a small. digitallycontrolled analog synthbased on the final design of the legend himself. The keyboard was so popularthat nearly all units produced were sold out within the first year. andwith more fansclamoring to get their handson them.Moog Musicis issuingthe Uttle Phatty Stage Edition($1.375; www. rnoogmusic.corn), which offers the exact samefluid interfaceas the TributeEdition but with a stage-friendlyrubberized charcoalsiding. The software hasbeenupdated to include autocalibration. makingit easyto stayin tunewithout turning screws. Witha few other softwareenhancements in tow. the entire software upgrade will be madeavailable for free to TributeEdition owners from MoogMusic's Website. lest they getjealous.
QUIKQUAK RAVSPACE 2.6 SURROUND-REVERB DESIGNER Possibly the coolestplug-in to comeout in a while. the RaySpace 2.6 ($90;www. quikquak.corn)from QuikQuak allows users to createand customize 5.1 surround-reverb spaces by drawingwalls of anyangle. shape or size. Using a supersmooth new diffusion engine andfeaturing easily tweakable presets. RaySpace lets youzoomandspin around insideyour space with the mouseso that you can watch andlistenas you adjustyour space's parameters. Futuristic "ray-scattering" algorithms allow for randomization in wall reflectionsfor reallyfine-tuning a space's character. anda 4-bandparametric EQallows for complete controlof the final output. While it doesn't use convolution algorithms. RaySpace canexport your roomsas stereoimpulseresponses for use with normalconvolution reverbs. And. unlikeconvolution reverbs. longerreverbtimesin RaySpace donot meanmore CPU usage. so there is almostno sizelimit to your spaces. Since it doesn't needmassive drive space to store its files (unlike the space-eatingimpulse-response files). youcanmakeas manycustomizedroomsas your creative heart desiresandstill haveplentyof room to record audio.
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69
NEW PRODUCTS
TC ELECTRONIC CLASSIC PEDAL SERIES STOUPBOX EFFECTS While mostcompanies arereissuingtheirold gearas plug-ins for computer producers, TCElectronic hastakena differentroad. Revisiting someof its most popularclassic stompbox effects, it hasreissuedthe ClassicPedal Series ($259each; www. tcelectronic.com) from the 70s: the TCXIIPhaser, the Booster+Distortionandthe Sustain+Parametic EQ. Trueto the original, the TCXIIPhaseris a flexibleunit capable of subtleto saturated soundsandfeatures a 4, 8 or 12kHz filter selector, as well as LFOspeed controland more for carefullycontrolled moving tones. The Booster+Distortion is a guitarist's dream, offeringtube-drivensignalboost anddistortionfor "always-on" signalboosting andtubetoneor tonechanges for specific sections. The Sustain+Parametric EQis essentiallya studio compressorinside a pedal, capable of creating sustain for soloists or carefuldynamics control, the pairing with the EQmakes for a powerful abilityto focusin on specificelements inside complex tonesfor precisionsoundcontrol.All three are built with a ruggedmetalchassisandreadyfor the typical roadabuse.
ODYSSEY AFPCDJ1000 FACEPLATE FOR THE PIONEER CDJ1000
QUIRETEC THE WALDORF EDITION SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER COLLEcnON Waldorf's early synthesizers were popularin the explosion of electronicmusic production techniques in the early '90s; its popular line of plugin software synths was just as futuristic soundingand aggressive. Althoughthe originalplug-ins cost $299 each, TheWaldorf Synthesizer Company hasdecided to re-optimize andrelease its three most popular plug-ins togetherin a collection calledThe WaldorfEdition($149; www. quiretec.com), Offeredat a much lower price, the package is composed of the PPGWave V2 wavetablesynth(a re-creationof the '80s classic Wave 2 synth) , the aptlytitledAttack(a powerful '80s/' 90s virtual analog drum machine with a ton of sounds) andD-Pole(a flexibleandpowerful filter bankcapable of a maximum of +52dB overdrive). Thecollection is included in VSTandAudioUnitsversionsin UniversalBinary format for users of anyplatform.
70 _MIX. MARCH 2007
Today's DJs are lookingfor ways to distinguishthemselves, andin an industry where artists often use identical gear, few thingscanbe asmeaningful as a customizable lookto makeyour toys truly your own. Odyssey's new collection of AFPCDJ1000 faceplates ($99.99each; www. odysseygear.com)for Pioneer's industry-standard CDJ1000comesin severalcolors including chrome, silver, gold, sexy red andthe sleeklyfuturistic carbon-fiber finish. Offeringthoroughprotection in addition to goodlooks, the faceplates are reallya must-have for anyone usingCDJs. If thesecolors don'tsuit your fancy, buy a coupleof extra onesand paintthemyourselffor a truly uniquelook. 0
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BALANCING ACT >All fourof the Saffire LE's '14-
inchinputs accept balanced connections, making them
compatible with highend equipment thatuses balanced outputs.
PIMPED PRES
>The
Saffire LE's two mic preamps exhibit the dear and transparent sound of a quality solid-state design. Focusrite's tradition of highend
pres shows through.
FOCUSRITE SAFFIRE LE 24/96 FI REWIRE AUDIO THAT'S BUILT TO MOVE BY ROBERT HANSON FOCUSRITE PiCking out a portable audio interface usedto be a fairly simple process-there were only a few major players. But in the past few years, the market has become awash in affordable FireWire interfaces that all seem to promise the same things: tons of I/ O,ultralow-latency monitoring and a laptop-friendly footprint. But as with all things, the devil is in the details. While the recentlyreleased Focusrite Saffire LE includes manyof the usual offerings, the company's ability to address the little things,such as drivers andprofessional-grade connectors, quickly distances it from the other "me-too" productson the market. The Saffire LE rounds out the Saffire line, which includes its two bigger siblings,the original Saffire and the Saffire Pro 26 I/O. The Saffire LE hasall of the same attributes of the Saffire,minus the onboard DSP and 192kHz capability. The Saffire LE is a 6-in/8-out FireWire audio/MIDI interface designed for Mac OS X and Windows XP. The unit includes a healthycomplement of analog and digital I/O as well as a slick monitoring application that is designedto coexist with your DAW of choice. The package is rounded out with a collection of Focusrite plug-ins for VSTand Audio Units as well as AbletonUve Ute 5, FXPansion BFD Lite, a demo version of FXPansion Guru and a collection of loops and samples. All of that addsup to an attractive package for musicians who are taking their first significantleapinto the world of homerecording or for seasoned pros who need a high-quality, no-fuss portable recording setup. )
72 Re: M.X路 MARCH 2007
SAFFIRE LE >$299 Great-sounding interface. Solid micpres. Balanced V.-inchinputs and outputs. Ughtweightand cornpacl . Veryuseful monitoringsoftware. Pros:
Cons: Plug-ins seemed likeanafterthought. Contact: www.focusrite.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Mac: G4/BOO MHz; 265 MBRAM; OS1033 or higher; DVD-ROM drive for installation; native RreWire port PC: Intel-ccJlr4l8lible/900 MHZ; 256MB RAM; Windows XPHorne EditiorVXP Professiona~ RreWire port
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PREPWORK Setting up the Saffire LE and installing the included software is a fairly painless process. Mac users can simply plug in the unit and use it as a basic audio interface. But to gain access to the plug-ins and the Saffire Control LE monitoring application and to enjoy thelatency-free monitoring,bothMacandPCusersare advisedto use the install disc. I tested the unit on a dual 2.5 GHz MacG5 with 4 GB of RAM running as 10.4.9. After inserting the installation DVD and following the usual prompts, I was asked to register the hardware andsoftware via an automated online registration tool. The tool asks for the hardware serial number and the Saffire Plug-in Suite registration code, both of which are easy to find inside the packaging. The whole procedure takes aboutfive minutesand is requiredto gain full useof the hardwareand software. Once installed, the Saffire LE appeared as an available audio device w ithin the as x system preferences as well as my test software, which included Apple Logic Pro 7, Propellerhead Reason 3 and Ableton Live6. Furthermore,the Saffire Plug-in Suite showed up, as expected, in my Audio Units plug-in folder within Logic, clearing that program's plug-in authorization utility.
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the headphone and monitor outputs. It's possible to adjust the level and panning for all six input channels. Furthermore, you can adjust the level of the eight outputs, streamsurround-encoded sourcesand resize
the screen based on your needs. The application is especiallyusefulwhen working with several musicians because it allows you to create a realistic-sounding monitor mix with appropriate level and pan control for eachperformer/source.
DIOOI G
EXPLORI GTH NEW TERRITORY The Saffire LE is roughly7 inchestall,2.5 incheswide and 7 inches deep-essentially the same footprint as the original Digidesign Mbox. It includes a swivel base that rotates out to make the unit a little more stable on a desktop. And weighing in at a slight 2.5 lb, the unit is surprisingly light without feeling cheap. All the knobs and buttons.feel sturdy and well-manufactured, though some may find the controls to be a bit on the small side. Overall, the Saffire LE is really designedto move. It fits easily into a backpack or messenger bag, and once there, you'd hardly know you were carrying anything at all. On the front panel of the Saffire LE, users will find inputs 1 and 2, which comprise two V.- inch TS!TRS inputs and two XLR inputs with switchable 48V phantom power, as well as corresponding gain knobs and line/instrument switches. Each input, including the additional V.- inch TS!TRS jacks on the back panel (inputs3 and4), has simpleoverloadLEDs on the front panel. Thereis alsoa singlegreenLEDthatindicates S/ PDIFinput activity. Rounding out the front of the unit is a monitor level- control knob and a V.-inch headphone with a dedicated volume knob. Onthe backpanel, thereare the two V.-inch jacks for inputs 3 and 4, six V.-inch TS!TRS outputs(which can be configured for monitoring separate stereo outputs or for surround applications), MIDI I/O, S/PDIF I/O, external-power input(when bus power is unavailable) and two six-pin FireWire jacks, which allow for easy daisy-chaining with an external FireWire hard drive or other device. The unit ships with a 6-foot FireWire cableand a 12Vwall-wart power adapter for computers without FireWire buspower. The second aspect of the Saffire LE is the Saffire Control LE monitoring application that allows users to create, save and recall detailed monitoring setups. Users can create custom monitor mixes for
MIX 'N' MATCH > Inthe SaffireLE's Control LEmonitoring application, you canadjust the lever and panning of theinterface's six sources and asmany aseight playback tracks. You can also make independent mixes for the headphoneand montior outputs.
~
JACK STACK >All of Saffire LE's 'A-inchplugs are balanced. Thesix outputs can be used for separate headphone/monitor mixes or for 5.1 surround systems.
JEWELS
Right out of the gate, the first thingthat struck meabout the Saffire LE was the overall sound quality. I started out by just previewing a few of my favorite tracks in iTunes followed by some mixesand demosongsI had in progress. Compared with some of the other portable FireWire and USB interfaces on the market. the Saffire LE doesmore than hold its own; it's downright impressive. Everything I played throughthe unit came throughwith the kind of clarity anddetailthatI hadonly associated with higherend(andmuchmoreexpensive) pieces from Apogee. Also, the unit seemed to have no problem at all working with the latest version of the Mac as, an issue that has plagued some competing productsin recentmonths. Moving on to the instrument inputs and mic pres, I started off by plugging a Gibson SG guitar into input 1 and trying out a few presets in Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2. The inputshave plentyof gain, andturning the gain knob up while playing sounded totallynatural and linear-no pops, no abruptjump in level and very littlenoise. Thesamegoesfor the mic pres. Focusriteis a favorite amongprofessional engineers andrecordists for its high-endmic-pre products, and the pres on the LE obviously owe something to that lineage. For test purposes, I plugged a BlueBluebird condenser mic into the LEand tracked a few passes with a female vocalist. I've used the Bluebird on a number of sessions, and I'm pretty attuned to the way it should sound. After recording several passes, I had zero complaints. The mic pres exhibited exactly what one should expect out of a quality solid-state design: They produced a clear and transparent sound that allowed the mic and vocalistto shine. For the pros who maywant to supplant the onboard pres with an outboard channel strip,you'rein luck. The Saffire LE accepts balanced V.-inch jacks on all four analog inputs.Thatsolvesoneof my biggestgripeswith the competition. A while back, I dropped the cashon a vintage Trident channel strip that has only a balanced output,and I'm alwaysshocked when companies don't include balanced connections as standard equipment. MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ RI!M .X 73
REVIEW Âť SAFFIRE LE Kudos to Focusrite for paying attention to that detail.
the most out of it. you'll need to tweak some of the
It's nice to be able to have my guitar and Une 6 Pod
Working w ith the vocalist also gave me a chance
routing in your DAW. In the session I was I working
hooked up to the Saffire LE and just sit down and play
to tryout the Control LE monitoring application and
on, I simply changed the output routings of a few key
it through my monitors without needing a dedicated
the zero-latency hardw are monitoring. Essentially. the
tracks in Logic to take advantage of the ability to mix
mixer. That setup also doubles as a great rehearsal
hardware side of the LE splits the inputs into tw o
the levels of the playback tracks in the Control LE soft-
tool. I had a bunch of old demo songs saved as MC
signals. sending one through the interface for record -
ware . Furthermore, the monitor-control knob on the
files in iTunes. and it was great to be able to play guitar
ing and sending the other back through the hardware
LE wo rks like a real hardware volume knob. allow ing
against those w ith complete control over panning and
for monitoring-a very common design. The Control
you to hook up a pair of powered monitors directly to
level. Sometimes you just want to play an instrument,
LE software works as a virtual mixer. allow ing you
the unit w ithout the need for a separate line mixer to
and you don't want to go through the hassle of booting
to adjust the level and panning of all six sources and
control the volume.
up a dozen different sessions in your DAW.
as many as eight playback tracks from the softwa re.
Another great feature of the Control LE application
The software allows you to set up independent mixes
is that it allows you to leave a guitar or a synth plugged
THEEXTRAGOODIES
for the headphone and monitor outputs. To really get
in and ready to go, even w ithout booting up a DAW.
Included w ith the Saffire LE is a collection of plug-ins for VST and Audio Units. With the suite you get EQ, reverb, compress ion and an amp simulator. All of the plug-ins feature a simple-but-effective user interface that gets the job done w ithout using up too much screen space. The EQ is a standard 4-band offering with low and high shelving. Each band has controls for frequency, gain and Q. The reverb has dials for amount, room size, diffusion and tone. The compressor features standard controls for threshold, ratio, attack, release and gain. And w ith the amp simulator, you can sw itch between British, American. combo and bass models. as well as adjust drive, level and low, mid and high tone. The compresso r and the EQ can also be sw itched to an Easy mode. where the more complex controls are grayed-out, and you can jump between presets. The compresso r includes settings for flat, vocal. electr ic guitar, acoustic guitar, brass/wind. piano, strings and percussion. The EQ has the same presets as the compressor wh ile also including basic controls for low, mid I, mid 2 and high EQ. That is a handy for new users or anyone who needs to quickly jump to a particular sound w ith minimal fuss. Overall, the plug-ins are what they are: a "valueadd" drop-in to make the package seem a little more attrac tive to new users. And there is nothing w rong w ith that. The plug-ins sound fine and do exactly what they're supposed to do. But after auditioning all of the plug-ins on a variety of sources, I couldn't really find a compelling reason to use them over the stock plug-ins from Logic or Live.
PREClOUSG Overall, the Saffire LE is fabulous product that I would recommend to anyone who is in the market for a portable FireWire audio inter face. The company obviou'sly spent some time getting the
SCHOOL OF RECORDING ARTS ............................................: 800 .226 ,7625
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right. The mic and instrument inputs are totally pristine.
:
and the Control LE software makes the whole thing a pleasure to use. Focusrite researched the way people actually use this type of product and responded accordingly. For new users. the included suite of software and loops makes it easy to start making music the day you bring it home. With 24-bit/96 kHz fidelity. a 6-in/8-out design. S/PDIF, MIDI. balanced connections all the way around and a sub-$300 price tag. you really can't go wrong with the Saffire LE.
0
For audia examples of the Saffire LE's plug-ins, go to remixmaqcom.t
+&1
74 _MIX. MARCH 2007
rem ixmag .com
To order Computer Music Product Guide, or any of our other publications, please visit www.mixbooks.com. or find it on newsstands wherever Electronic Musician is sold.
HYPNOTIQ ) A fluorescent
blue backlit LCD screen stays visible in anyenvironment.
EFFECTO MUNDO) Accessible from Pad 9,theMPC500's effects include chorus, f1anger, bit grunger, 4-band EQ, compressor, phase shifter, tremolo, flyingpan, reverb and delay. Twostereo effects and a master effectcanbeactive.
TAKE THAT TO THE BANK ) Four banks of 12 pads canaccess both the 48 active samples and the 48 possible tracks in a sequence.
AKAI MPC500 MUSIC PRODUCTION CENTER THE BEATBOX SAGA TAKES TO THE STREETS BY STONI Mini-interfaces, mini-controllers and now mini-drum machines-life just gets easier. Akai hasdecided to drop the new, battery-operated MPC500, makinga claim for the slogan "don'tleave homewithout it: Muchsmaller in size thanits predecessors (even the MPC1000>, the MPC500is designedto fit in all places, with a new,smaller 12-padsurfaceandultrablue fluorescent screen. Small and compact in design, the MPC500 drum machine gets the job done with its sequencing, sampling, effectsandmixing. This mini-monsterhasthe abilityto work in a studioenvironmentas well ason anyairplane or in a hotelroom. The MPC5000can alsowork with computer-based systems. )
BLACK-AND-GREY'S ANATOMY Weighing in at 2.95 lb.with a stylish black-and-grey color scheme, the MPC500packsa bigpunchwhen it comes to having the most usefulfeatures in a compact-size drum machine. The12-pad set is the beginning of a new era, but the touchstill remindsme of the classicfeel of a 16-pad MPC drum machine. The pressure-sensitive padsare usedto trigger sounds from assigned banks A, B, Cand 0, which areeasilyaccessed byusingthepadbanksection, givingyou 48 sounds. After sounds are loaded, the 12padscan be set at full Velocity for that punchyfeel. The LCD screen is smaller in size, with a viewablearea of two 16-character lines. If you havealways beena member of the MPC club,havinga smallerscreenmighttakesomegetting usedto. It also features a cool fluorescentbluebacklight with a handyon/ott switch for extending the batterylife. For maximum portability, the MPC500 can be poweredusing six AA batteries, which providejust as much juice as the DCpower adapter. My working time with the batteries was approximately six hours. 76 _MIX. MARCH 2007
AKAI PROFESSIONAL MPC500
>$1,299
Pros: Short learningcurve fortheprofessional user. Can merge effects 1and 2. Patch phase playback. Compact and lightweight. Loads sequences and sounds from other MPC models. Backlight switch reserves thebattery life. PC or Mac USB connection. Cons: Loses 0 bank when loading songs from other MPC units. Small two-line LCD screen. Lacks Window-button feature. Nomixer. NoMIDI timecode (MTC). NoSMPTE timecode. Can't create patch phrases. Contact: www.akaipro.com
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REVIEW
禄 DVS PRO
be a DMC champion, chances are you won't be able to tell the difference either. That being said, there is a reliable way to test the realized latency of a vinylcontrol system through a sequencer. Using that test with a fairly high-performance laptopand a midrange soundcard, MixVibescamein at aroundthe10ms mark. That's comparable to a systemlikeSeratoScratchUve, which MixVibes felt similar in response to. Onefeature thatsetsMixVibes apart,however, is multiple-turntable control. although it would be nice to have immediate tangible access to adjust the timing of more than two decks. While it's physically impossible for onepersonto scratch four turntables at the sametime,a DJ tagteam
might try it out. That, however, does require an even more intenseaudiointerface, something in the rangeof theRME Multiface II,which canrun about$700. Overall, the turntable response was good, as the MixVibes team has gonethroughseveral generations of timecode and software updates. With this latest release, MixVibes seemsto havefounda solidperformingcombination.
DASH OF DELAY. SIDE OF SAMPLER I wantedto makemy loopsa little more interesting, so I turned to the effects bank. There, you find the standby effects and a few welcome extras. Onenice aspectis that many of the effects have optional LFOs to auto-
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82 R.W.X路 MARCH 2007
matically spice up, for example, a normally mundane filter sweep. You can layer as manyas six effects per track, with three of them having direct access from the GUL Flexibility is a big selling point here. You have the option of layering effects in any order you want and having onscreen access to the effects you most commonlyuse. Trying to emulate an extreme-but-possible scenario, I mixed four decks with two effects each and did not notice any deal-breaking drain on the system. Do keep in mind, though, that this test was run on a brand-new Intel Centrino Duo with a 1 GB of RAM. Results are guaranteed to vary depending on your processingpower. With a loop running, it's easy to then employ the use of the internal sampler. That wins my choice for innovative feature insidethe program. It holds a 16-slot samplerthat you canloaddirectlyfrom the decks. With a 4-count loop or sample running in deck B, a simple "send-to-sampler"command will loadthat sample into one of the sampler slots and cut it to perfect length. From there, the sample can be replayed at will using the internalpadsor a connected controller suchas the M-Audio Trigger Finger. Each sample can be further manipulated with its own individualeffects,speed and key controls. If you had a unique effect running on a deck that was giving the loop a particular sound, that effect and setting are also copied over to the sampler for further manipulation. One of MixVibe's weak points: MIDI control. Many DJ control surfaces and all MIDI controllers are supported, and nine so far (including the Trigger Finger, Kork PadKontrol and Vestax VCI-l00> evenhavededicated mapping files available. But actually assigning controllersis a less-than-friendlyprocess. Somefrustratedusers havedescribedthe processas "scripting," Although it's not as bad as wr iting code, it's also a far cry from the straightforward usability of a MIDI-learn system. You are required to hand type the name of the MIDI CC number and desired control in a scriptlike environment deepwithin the preferences.
FOUR-COURSE WRAP-UP If youalready own a multi-inputsoundcard/audio interface or can get one for less than $200, then MixVibes could be a good, inexpensive way to try digital DJing with turntables. The flexibility of the overall system may be a big sellingpoint for manyaspiring DJs. Over time youcan addmorebellsandwhistlesto your setor upgrade the soundcard as needed without waiting for a paid software update. Manyusers have complained about a lack of customer service and the accessibility of a Frenchcompany, but MixVibes claimsto be opening a U.S. support line in March. Also, it told Remix it will add iTunes support in the next update and Mac compatibility sometime this summer. For entry-level users or bedroom DJs who don't require a high-end system like Serato Scratch Uve, MixVibes DVS Pro couldbe a muchmore fun programto playaround with in your sparetime. Alongwith theeffects,sampling and moredecksfor your dollar, there'slots of room to grow within the programwithout needing to shellout a lot of cash in advance. 0 remixmag.com
MIDDLE GROUND> Themiddle two rows of knobs on the XSession Pro have center detents, whiletheoutsidetwo rows do not, givingyou optionswhen assignng theknobs to software controls.
SIDEWINDER> TheX-SessionPro's crossfader hasanappropriately looser actionthanthe vertical faders. It's obviously key to OJ software butalso works well for Ableton Uve's crossfader.
M-AUDIO X-SESSION PRO OJ-ORIENTED MIDI CONTROLLER IS NO ONE-TRICK PONY BY MARKKUS ROVITO What'Sgoing to survive a nuclear holocaust: rats, cockroaches or MIDI? Don't bet against your digital friend just yet; it's been spawning like a super-rodent in mobile phonesand, more importantly, OJ gear. The recent NAMM 2007 show in Anaheim, Calif. was lousy with new DJ MIDIinterfacesfor taking hands-on command of the exploding amountof OJ software titles. We'll studythose new beastsin the comingmonths. For now,the M-Audio X-Session Pro is a simplecreaturebut no less fit for survival. In simpleterms,the X-Session Pro resembles a 2- or 4-channel OJ mixer,with MIDI controlsfor the crossfader, channel faders, EQand more. What that gives you is a quick-and-easy way to operate two virtual decksinside of a DJ software program such as,oh, I don't know, let's say M-Audio Torq LE, which is conveniently bundledwith the X-SessionPro. (Startingin March, earlier buyers will get a free Torq LE download.> Of course,you don't have to be a DJ to enjoy this low-cost control surface.Anyoneusing music software with MIDI-learn capability could addon the X-SessionPro to their existing setupsandassign,as one example, four extra DAW tracks to havetheir own hardware-mixing controls. )
THE HARDWARE STORE The X-Session Pro is a USB MIDI class-compliantdevice for both Macas X andWindows XP, so you don't haveto install anydriversto getit going.Just plugin the USBcable, flick onthepower switch(it runs onUSBbuspower> and launch somesoftwareto getstarted. However, you'll want to install theincludedEnigma editor/librariansoftware for creating andsaving differentMIDI-control setups on the computer, as well Torq LE, the scaled-down but very functionalversion of M-Audio's excellent TorqOJ software. Installation alsoincludes13complimentary MP3tracksfrom well-known artists such as Carmen Rizzo, Junior Sanchez, the Crystal Method, the Nova Dream Sequence (King Britt> and others. These songscomepre-analyzed with Torqs TQD files, so the bpmsare detected andreadyto go. If you want to use the X-Session Pro w ith Torq LE, the device is alreadypreconfigured to integrate perfectly with the program. Eachside of the hardware has identical controls for the two virtual decks of Torq LE.These controls-per side-include four transport buttons (play/pause, cue, skip forward, skip backward>, a pitch fader, a volume fader, a headphone-cue button,three knobs for EQand three amount knobs for Torq LE's three effects. B4 ReMIX路 MARCH 2007
M-AUDI O X-SESSION PRO> $129.95 Pros: Lots of control fora lowprice. Easily programmablein software with MIDlleam Includes Torq LEOJ softwarewitha preconfigured control map. Enigma editor librariansoftware.Virtuallyno setuprequired.
Cons: No5-pin MIDI I/O. Can't unlock thefull version of Torq with anupgrade price. Contact: www.m-audio.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Mac: G3/G4 667MHz; 256 MBRAM; as 103.9/10.4.7 or later PC: PlII!500 MHz;256 MBRAM; Windows XPSP2 or later
remixmag.com
REVIEW Âť X-SESSION PRO
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._._.... BUNDLE 0' JOY> The X-Session Pro package comes impregnatedwith extra software. Torq LE(left) is a scaled-down, yet useful versionof the full Torq DJing software, andEnigma {right> is an editor/librarian for creating and storingcontrol templates for the hardware.
Finally, the crossfader naturally fades the master output between both decks. The unit's plastic construction is fairly sturdy. While it could be built more like a tank for absolute durability, the trade off is having a nice, light unit that won't weigh you down when bringing it to gigs. The USB port and power switch is just aboutall you'll find on the backpanel,other than reset
buttons and a Kensington lock slot. While USB tends to be the modern-day MIDI port. the lack of the oldfashioned5-pin MIDI Inor Outmeans thattheX-Session Pro doesrequirea computerto use it. With everything installed on a 2 GHz iMac G5, I launched Torq LE, and the X-Session Pro worked perfectly with all the controls routed as they should have
been to Torq LE, and without any noticeable latency. I liked how the crossfader has a looser feel, the way crossfaders should, while the vertical faders giveyou a satisfying resistance. The crossfader, of course, is not going to rival the buttery smooth models of dedicated scratch mixers out there, but it's cool that M-Audio paid attention to this detail. Another nice consideration
Master the universe. Designed from the ground up for mastering and sound design professionals, these stateof-the-art plug-ins were originally available as part of Peak Pro XI-. Nowthe Master Perfection Suite- is available for virtually every host application on Mac and Windows, offering more features and many interface improvements over other plug-ins in their class. PitchCraft'" - Real-time pitch correction/transposition Reveal'" - Seven-tool analysis suite SuperFreq'" - 4-, 6-, 8-, and to -band paragraphic EQ Repli-Q'" - Spectral matching with linear phase EQ Sqweez "'-3 & -5 - Linear phase multiband dynamics GateEx'" - Professional Gate/Expander Find out more at www.bias-inc.com
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86 REMIX. MARCH 2007
remixmag.com
is that the two sets of EQ knobs have center detents, while the other two effect sets do not. Thathelps when using X-Session Pro w ith the preconfigured Torq LE, and it also gives you options when programming the controller for other purposes. After havinga lot of fun with the straightforwardTorqLE,I movedto testing the X-Session Pro with other programs. Mostmusic-software programshavetheir own way of detecting andsetting up MIDI controllers. After making sure eachprogramwas recognizingandinterfacing with X-Session Pro correctly, it was a breeze to use the hardwareas a customized device using the different software's MIDI-learn functions. In Propellerhead Reason 3, I usedits Remote Override Mapping to set up special configurations on the X-Session Pro to control the mixer, MalstrClm and Subtractor synths, BV512 Vocoder and whatever else I wanted. The same goes for using MIDI learn in Ableton Live. Because Live has a MIDI-controllable crossfaderin its Session view (few MIDI controllers have actual horizontal crossfaders), X-Session Pro, with its crossfader and many other controls, is a particularly fine option for Live users. But with its price and simple operation, the X-Session Pro would be a smart idea for almost anyonewanting a low-cost MIDI control surface, either on its own or as an addition to a multi-interfacestudio.
from TorqthatTorqLE doesnot include areVST-effect support, the 16-cell sampler, ReWire support, externalaudio mixing. external OJ mixer and control vinyVCD support and snapshot instant recall. If you're new to OJ software, Torq LEmakes it easy to dive right in and feelexcited about the possibilities. The manual is online only(nopaper or PDF>. butit isverythorough andhelpsexplain theprogram in a concise manner. The only small bummer to the X-Session ProlTorq LE combo is thatthereis no discounted upgrade pathto the full Torq. You have to buyoneof the M-AudioTorqaudio interfaces (Conectiv or Xponent> tounlock thefullversion of Torq. These interfaces arereasonably priced. so I can't
complain toomuch. Also, if youalready have thefull Torq, you can usethe X-SessionProto control it.
X HITS THE SPOT While the X-Session Pro was made with digital DJs in mind. its appeal does not stopthere. As people depend more and more on computers for music production, everyone seems toneed morehardware control. Ifyou're just starting out. a control surface will make computer production feelmore natural. andif you're deep into this game, a few extraknobs andsliderscan always come in handy. The X-Session Pro is simply a nicely priced way to get your mitts on some extra twiddly bits. 0
THE SOFTSELL Enigma is the software editor/librar ian that M-Audio uses for all of its MIDI controllers. For those who have it installed for other products, using it with the X-Session Pro requires a software update for Windows users or installing a separate app for Mac users. With the X-Session Pro connected, launching Enigma will connect the hardware and software. From here you can create control templates for the X-Session Pro andthendownloadthosetemplates- as many as 10 at a time-to the hardware. With Enigma, you can store an unlimited amount of templates for the X-Session Pro. You can assign the controls to MIDI CC numbers, but where Enigma really comes in handy is its dozens of control lists for popular software instruments. So for many Steinberg, GForce, Native Instruments, Propellerhead Reason devices and manyothers,Enigma stores a list of all their MIDIcontrollable parameters. You just need to drag-anddrop one of those parameters on an X-Session Pro control in the software to assign that control. When you're finished, download the template to the hardware before launching the software instrument. By including Torq LE, M-Audio has made the X-Session Pro a OJ-performance package right out of the box. The LE version is quite a bit paired down from the full-featured version, but it is still a lot of fun and has all the essentials for someone to perform a set with only the software, X-Session Pro and a laptop. Specifically, Torq LE includes the same auto beat detection/synchronization, digital audio playback, iTunes/i Pod integration and independently variable speed and pitch as the full Torq. While Torqincludes 10 built-in effects, TorqLEhasonly three, buttheyarevery useful filter, phaser and strobe effects, which can be simultaneously active. Among the high-level features remixmag.com
MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ REMIX 87
JUSTENCASED> Otto's two-DVD set installs4.3 GB of material wrapped in a customized version of Native Instruments' Kontakt Player 2.
FIXED NOISE OTTO) $199.95 Pros: Well over 4 GB of samples. Made forIDM, industrial and hardcore electronic music but can cross over nicely tohip-hop, house, experimental pop and multimedia. Kontakt 2 Player provides clean and flexible interface for workingwithloops and sequenced instruments. Low system impact. Intel Mac-ready. Cons: A little overpriced if youthink of it merely asa sample library. Contact: www.fixednoise.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Mac: OS10.2.6 or higher; VST, RTAS, AudioUnits or stand-alone use PC: Windows XP; VST, DXi, RTAS or stand-alone use
FIXED NOISE OTTO SAMPLE-PLAYING INSTRUMENT BRINGS THE NOISE BY JASON SCOTT ALEXANDER The self-titled commercial debut from veteran Miami producer/sound designer Otto Von Schirach is the debut software release for Fixed Noise.Von Schirach pals with Richard Devine, Skinny Puppy and ex-NIN drummer Chris Vrenna, so it's no surprise that Otto the instrument takes the less-beaten path of bleeding-edge industriaVIOM, spewing dissonant and noisy sounds that are also suited to genres such as dark electro, experimental hip-hop, trip-pop, film and multimedia scores. }
GEARING UP Ottoopensto nineinstrumentfolders.TheConstruction foldercontains 24 individualhit instruments. eachwith 20-odd one-shotsamples keymapped acrossthekeyboard in pitched octaves. Stylistically, those range from rock, pop and jazzy Afro-Cuban noise kits to OJ scratches, Miami bass, glitch,breakcore andjungledrums. Kit names likeGabber Gangbang, Hip-HopJiggy PopandVideoGame Synthesis tell you what's on offer here.Withallthe cannonlike kicks,FreddyKruegercutlery hats,noisebursts, oscillatorzippers, metallicnoises, Jetsonspace buggies, solar flaresandmore,you'll never be short on contemporary electromagnetic percussion. A Surround folder offers thesesamehits routedas 5.1 using Kontakt Zs surround-output module. The Sequences folder contains 220 drum-machine style beatsusing Kontakt 2's pattern editor, while a Loops folder categorizes bounced versionsof these patterns as audio loops into 17 families. Tempos generally fall into 85 to 100 bpm hip-hop, 120 to 130 bpm techno/house and 180 to 220 bpm jungle and gabber mayhem. In another folder, 135 instruments have entirely random and off-the-wall responses, no matter what notes you play. A Melodic Sounds folder contains 52 instruments (largelystrings, choirs andspectralpads) usingsinglesamples stretched acrossthe keyboard (not multisarnpled) and no velocity switchingto achieve a low-tech effect. Finally, the 88 instrumentswithin the Cinematic & SoundEffectsfolder are mostly single samples pitchedacrossan octaveor two in themiddleof thekeyboard, with no velocity or advanced programming. Around half of the programsintegrate loopsand one-shots to create thematic kits. Leaning toward the ambient and spectral side of scoringandsound effects,thesesounds all havehaunting or suspenseful qualities. 88 REMIX路 MARCH 2007
SIZE ISN'T ALL THAT COUNTS Despite Otto's size, its true substance is a little scarce. Essentially, youhave two dozen construction instruments-from which all of the rhythmic material spawns. Otto is mainly about rhythmic material because the melodic and cinematic effects, though niceinclusions, arenot likelywhat you'dbuythis for. Each loopinstrument drawsfrom anexciting, well-devised andexpertlyproduced individual-hits collection, butthesame loop families are regurgitated as scripted Kontakt 2 sequences, bounced audio loops and spin offs, live-oriented keymaps andrandom variations. Tobe fair, therearethousands of combinations andpermutations stemming from the original instruments. Don't get me wrong: I spent hours digging deep and had incredible fun creating sequences with the Construction hits material andtweaking the Kontakt 2 sequence grid to generate loops. It could be argued that two bills is a lot to pay for a sample library, but remember thatmuchof Otto's value is themodularinterface. Theway that Ottomakesuseof Kontakt Z's scripteditorin the Sequence module makes it a purejoy to draw in the craziest, stuttery 10M or industrial-rhythm loopswith full controlover patterns, numberof stepsandcycle points, notevelocityandlength, swing, etc. It seems the Melodic materials folder was a bit of an afterthought, and the Cinematic andSoundeffects instrumentscould havebenefited from more real-time and modulation control. Also, why not use the Kontakt 2 mullis-instead of instruments-for 5.1 surroundwork? The resultscould havebeenmind-blowing. I'm not being unjustly harsh, considering the price and the buyer expectations. Otto's production qualityis stunning, andI alsolovethat the instrumentsare instantly accessible in a fully blown Kontakt 2 workstation; a stand-aloneplayerand straightforward interfaceappeals to laptopperformers.If you think of it strictly as a sample library, disregarding the virtual instrument that it's built within, you may be disappointed, but everyone's mileage will vary. Though it may not let you make finished tuneson its own, Otto is a welcometool for its speed, ease andflexibilityin knocking out killer loopsand for its contemporary-sounding material. 0
For an extended version of this review andOtto audio clips, gotoremixmag.com. I ~ I remixmag.com
REVIEWS
禄 ONE-SHOTS
By Jason Scott Alexander
ZERO-G SOUNDCLASH
BIG FISH AUDIO HEAT SEEKERS SU....ERTI E HmtAKlNG
NU-ELECTRO BEAlS PLAYI G NICE TOGETHER UKproducer SharoozRaoofi wanted to inject more live elements-such as guitar. bassandreal drums-into the increasingly synthesizer-based house recordshe spins. So, across 1.1 GBof multiformatandWAY material on the Soundclash DVD, suchdiverse influences as Seattle grungeandLondon punkgo raving together. Though Raoofi presents 17 construction kits to getyou started. it is the individual beats (92 loopsat 100to 160bpm), drum hits (500). tempo- and key-arranged synthloops. FX. atmospheres andvocoded phrases that you'll want to explorethe most.A hugeamount of "loop families"- similar to construction kits but smaller-span 120to 130bpm in one-beatincrements, along with folders for 132. 135. 145and150bpm. Combi loops rangefrom minimalist bassanddrums andthe swirling synth ~ lines and fancy filter work of "Prog - -Chopz" to the fully orchestrated synthpoppercussive fun of "Pet Shop Toys" and "Frankfurt Zwei," I loved the extreme head-bobbingfeel that balances nu-electro funk anddub-stylehouseat lower tempos. while beyond 130bprn, the material goesmore into New Jack Swing andEurohouse territory. Mostof the beatswere created by flying raw samples into the classic 12-bit Akai MPC60for that authentic '80s grit. while the ZERO-GlDIST. BY EAST WEST/SOUNDS electronic-instrumentloopsdraw ONLINE) on cheesyvideo-gametones, oldSOUNDCLASH > $99.95 schoolJuno-esquehousechunks, A! a glance: Nu-electro/house grooves.Acidized nasalltalo-disco synths, richly choWAV, Apple Loops.RMX, REX2, Reason Refill rused German string synths, warm Kontak~ EXS24. HALion. SH-101 andpulse-width tones. distorted industriaVgoth synths andmore.
Contact: www.soundsonline.com
Therewas a time when you'd neversee"high-quality polish" and"hip-hop library" in the samesentence. Heat Seekers. however. shimmers likea hundred points of ice across a platinum grille.The4.2 GB DVD <1.85 GBof 24-bit WAVl is arranged into 50 key-referenced construction kits from 70 to 140bpm. With721 WAY loops andhits in all, the collection is upbeat andexuberant.aswell as a little techno-quirky.There are influences from raveculture. space rock.tribalceremony. contemporary ethnicandcut-up orchestral music. Though the traditionally winningcombos of orchestrahits. synthstabs, pizzicatos, clavs, plucked guitar anddramatic stringsabound here.HeatSeekers is decidedly moreelectro-infusedhip-hop, with wild synth effects andvirtual sounds folded into rawer elements borrowedfrom rock and funk. Thecreative instrumentation includes pitchedlogdrummingwith a voodoo synth lead. hugedive-bombing basswith a guitarlike synthlead against a speed-pitched andreversed 70 bpmrock-drum groove. space-harp glissandos put to a laid-back Prince-type funk grooveandso on;thoughI would addthat HeatSeekers leans moreheavily to the Southern BIG FISHAUDIO andexotic-sounding palette than anything else. All kits contain a HEAT SEEKERS> $99.95 full mix and elements brokenout A! a stance: Electro-infused hip-hop construction into individualloops.as well asa kitstomelt awaythose winter blues. WAV. REX, folder of hits andanother of indiA1FF, Apple Loops. vidualdrum tracks. All in all. this Contact: www.bigfishatxlio.com disc shouldset fire to more than onehit track this year.
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS ABSYNTH 4 FLEXYOUR SOUND-DESIGN "USCLE From its rather nichebeginnings, Absynthhasgrown into a true go-to synth for thosein search of reallyoff-the-wall textures. Version 4 rocks a greatlyoverhauled user interface. Though still familiar. it hasbeenexpanded to lookandfeelmore like the rest of Nl's fleet. incorporating KoreSound support (all1.200presetsare preconfiguredfor usewith Korel anda tabbed-page design. The main page hasbeen split into a Browser page anda more informative Perform page filledwith controller assignments andother live-oriented settings. Thesignal flow within the Patch window is now freely definable, allowingyou to switch out filters for waveshapers, for instance. Theaddition of a granular oscillator andwave-morphingmodebrings several new organic-synthesis possibilities, as youcan blend eachof Absynth's channels at thewave-generator level. I got a little crazy while experimenting with the new ability to controlpracticallyall synthesis. sampling andeffects parameters usingthe tempo-synced 68-breakpoint envelopes. creating a motioncommotion within Absynth I'd never NATIVE INSTRUMENTS beforefoundpossible. Modulationtargetsare alsonow freelydefinABSYNTH 4> $339 able. andanynumberof parameters canbe mapped to oneof 16 A! a stance: Semi-roodular abstract synth macro controls. And thankyou,NI. for finallyimplementing a master using acorrbination ofrrotlisynthesis and ADSR envelope. This simplefeature greatlyspeeds up what used sampling techniques. Stand-alone. Audio to be a discreteprocessof sculpting eachof the threechannels per Un~s. VST, DXi. RTAS. note.Absynth4 improves workflow andenhances its unmistakablesound. makingit an essential upgrade for current usersor a Contact: www.natille-instrurnents.com streamlinedandintuitive synth for first timers. 0
90 REMIX路 MARCH 2007
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CD REVIEWS THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE QUEEN The Good, the Bad and the Queen (Virgin) Sprawling and strange Blur's frontman hasn't much forgotten the peculiar surface of 1993's Modern LifeIs Rubbish (993). Alongside The Clash's Paul Simonon, The Verve's Simon Tong and Fela Kuti's Tony Allen, Damon Albarn's squad of well -knowns doesn't fit the usually disappointing result of a supergroup in the Good, the Bad and the Queen. Their gloomy debut marr ies Albarns adventurous pop songcraft, a cri tique of England's Iraq involvement, a ri ppling backdrop of atypical arrangements and the sway of a staggering drunk. Tavern piano, muddy Wurlitzer tones and airy electron ic augmentation carr y the beatless and sleepy "Kingdom of Doom" w ith lofty melodies, wh ile the feather-light "Nature Springs" is lifted by swoon ing chor us harmonies and sporadic string swells. Producer Danger Mouse and his Gorillaz bandmate Albarn chop Allen's beats into a maddening percussive blitz on The Good, the Badand the Queen. Their efforts to frustrate on "Three Changes"yield jumbled drum workouts and a shriekingly pitched-up counter vocal. "Bigrnouth Strikes Again"-style. Sounding young but hardly sober, TGTB&TQ toil in a wonderfully strange capacity for what sounds like long into the night.-Dom inic Umile
**
â&#x20AC;˘ 2 BIT PIE
ADULT.
2 Pie Island (OneLittle Indian) UK group teases the dance palate 2 Bit Pie is like an electroniccoop. Mike Bryant andJon Fugler(both of Fluke) and SheShell siren Yukipulledthe friend card for 2 PieIsland, assembling musicianssuch as vocalistJan Burton (Syntax) and former Bush drummer Robin Goodridge. Big beatsand operatic flavor rSoto Mundo") or dark guitar fueled by thick distortion ("Nobody Never") drive the energeticrock-based electronic music. The beatsare haunting and sometimes otherworldly,yet reminiscentof Depeche ModeandFluke. And FuglerandYuki sharevocalduties, playingoff one anotheras if they were instruments.-Jason Jurgens
WhyBather? (Thrill Jockey) Uneasy listening for the undone Whether Adult. asksyou to be paranoid ("YouDon'tWorry Enough") or wonder why you shouldcare,the bandpresents it in a way that makesyou listen, even if you'renot happyaboutit. Dissonant guitars,electro soundsandthe stately dementia of accordion set up Nicola's ghostlywalk-down-a-Iong-hallway vocals andAdam Lee Miller's channeling of PiL-era Johnny Rotten, while the lyrics evoke...well, doomsday. While musically bold,it's often preferable to have helpescaping the mire insteadof being pushedfarther down into it; but maybe Adult.wants you to decideif it's worth the trouble.-Kristi Kates
*****
*****
BLACK MILK
GUI BORATIO
CRIME MOB
ELUVIUM
Popular Demand (Fat Beats) The new face of Detroit Young producer/MC BlackMilkarguably owes a lotto the lateJ Dillafor his ruggedyet soulfuloutput. Amid the obvious influence from thekingof the MotorCity hip-hopsound, Blackseemsto be finding his own comfort zoneon Popular Demand. Partialto dusty, Motownesque samples anddirty drums,this up-and-comergetshis swaggeron with lineslike,"Producer/rappers get the most criticism! 'til they heardBlack} Now they gonna feeldifferent: No doubt. BlackMilkdeserves to boastwith trackslikethe funkywake-upcall about crooked cops,"Watch Em: But he also hasroom to grow.-Max Herman
Chromophobia (Kompaktl Bright hues coat minimal beats The fear of colors is only in the title as Gui Borattoemploysa broadpalette of deftly intertwined texturesand tones in his melodictechno sounds. Carefully chosenand arranged noisescreatea terrific balance, but the qualityof the mix is no surprise as the Brazilian Borattocut his teeth producing the likesof ManuChao,Steel Pulse and evenGarth Brooks. Now focused on buildingintricaterhythms, his skill is on displayin the U-turn changes of "Shebang: the buzzingtribalismof the title cut and the glossy surgeof the commerciallyappealing "Beautiful Life: -Noah Levine
Hated on Mostly (Reprise) Georgia collective fills us w ith hate The title of this albumneedscontinuation. Crime Mobcould haveusedup someof that empty disc spaceby titling it Hated on Mostly. for Good Reason. The group that broughtyou "Knuck if YouBuck" is backandmore cliche than ever. The first single, "RockYoHips: and its directional-dancing instruction borders on the fringes of nauseating. "Circle: with its Friendsof Distinction sample, is by far the besttrack on the album. Unfortunately, it will be lost in the midst of nursery lyrics and lazy production. The crew evenmanages to completely jack Haddaway's "What Is Love:-Omar Hamza
Capia <Temporary Residence) A shiny new classic As Eluvium, MatthewCooper pensgorgeous, disarmingly ambientmusic. He processed guitartonesto greateffect on Talk Amongstthe Trees andfattened themwith pianoon 2006'sbrief When I Liveby theGarden andthe Sea. Notonly is Copia thestrongest of hisrecent work. it'sanelegantly craftedneo-c1assical masterpiece, wherein Cooper'spiano playing dances gracefully with synthsand string accompaniment ("Indoor Swimming at the Space Station") andevenwith sparkling brassrRepose in Blue">. Wholly shimmeringandlush, Capia glistens alltheway through, deeming subtlety anantiquated art form.-DominicUmile
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92 REMIX. MARCH 2007
remixmag.com
MONEY MARK BrandN~ by Tomorrow
JDILLA R
DRAFT
(Brushf ire) Such a sad boy Although Money Mark is typically associatedw ith artists such as the Beastie Boys, Beck and Blues Explosion, you wouldn't know it by listening to his latest full-length, BrandNew by Tomorrow. If anything, the only connection this album has with Mark's collaborations would be YokoOno, as BrandNew vaguely hints at the Beatles' White Album and in parts to John Lennon's Imagine. An album for breakups and recoveries, Brand New could be about Mark's own healing or that of those around him. The one sure messageis that something went wrong, andthere are repairs to be made. The multi-instrumentalist doesn't overwhelm his compositions with excessive sounds; rather,he lets eachpiece speakloudly on its own. The strings on "Summer Blue" havetheir special placein between Mark's words andthe shuffling percussion.Elvis Costello is channeled on the desperate assertions of "Every Day I Die a Uttle: "Eyes That Ring" features bold brass bursts that don't do enoughto override Mark's desolate murmurings. Whatis outstanding about Brand New is the humble offer ing of instruments, which are so individually unassuming, that together, their impact is louder than you would expect.-Lily Moayer!
I'M FROM BARCELONA
J DILLA
Let Me Introduce My Friends (Mute) The penny candy of pop How manybandmates doesit taketo make a happy Scandinavianpopalbum? A whopping29, if you're talking about I'm From Barcelona. Thealbumis chock-full of zippysing-alongrefrains (the mostcatchybeing"Barcelona Loves You: "Collection of Stamps" andthe breezy, bell-graced opener "Oversleeping") andall manner of instruments. Fromtheexpected guitars to the unexpected banjos andkazoos, thismultitude of musicians bringschildlikeabandon to alterna-pop music with a cheerful yet innovative set that, ascorny as it sounds, will make yougrin likean 8-year-old on Pixy Stix.-Kristi Kates
RuffDraft (Stones Throw) The legend lives on This extended re-release of J Dilla's vinyl-only EP. RuffDraft. is addictive. There's no better way to describethis late producer/Me'srugged, bottomheavy tracks, which are ignited by a mix of scorching synthsandsamples. Lyrically, somemaycall his concepts superficial, but Dillaexpertlycreates anthems for everyday life, like making proper use of your Jeep's speakers ("Reckless Driving") andgettingdough (T he $ "). And on occasion, he heads into left field with equalsuccess as heardon the psych-rock love song, "Nothing LikeThis" Bottomline, Ruff Draft is essentiall istening.-Max Herman
*****
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THEJAI-ALAI SAVANT
JOAKIM
LOVEDRUG
THE ONE A.M. RADIO
R ightof the Bass Delegate (GSU
Monsters & SillySongs (Versatile) Futuristic French disco Opening with the military beatof a rusty troopof winduptoys("Monster #1"> andquickly evolving into a friendlier version of his distinctive make of modernelectronicmusic, Joakim's Monsters (four in alll are the kind you couldeasilyinvite over for an espresso beforeyou hit theclubs-and theother 12tracksare pretty appealing. too. Fromthechanting-and-gooseinfusions of "ThreeLegged Lantern" to the genreblendingtransitionsof "Love-Me-Z" the squashy video-game bursts of "Drurntrax" andthe Bryan-Ferry-gonetechno sound of "Lonely Hearts: this set is anything but silly.-KristiKates
Everything Starts Where It Ends
Making frat parties fun again This uniqueband mixespost-punkand island music(ska, dub,etc.> influences with just a reminder that bandleader Ralph Darden is alsoDJ MajorTaylor in his other life. Besides the uncommon mix of distortedguitarswith horn sections, sung/shouted vocals, smart lyrics, singsongy choruses andplenty of hookscharacterize the album. This concoction is most potent on uptempoparty rockerssuchas "Arcane Theories" and"When I Grow Up" The albumoverall hasan early '90s feel-the heyday for bands that lacked pretension andwillinglymixeddisparate influences.-Morkkus Rovito
(The Militia Group) Starting over can be tough Lovedrug's Everything Starts Where It Ends slipped through the volatile clutches of Columbia Records.While picking yourself up out of the corporate trash bin is admirable, the album is too inconsistent. Lovedrug setsthe bar highwith the funked-out "Happy Apple Poison" andMuse-ish "Pushing the Shine" beforestaggering through a few too manyballad-y popnumbers. Comparisonsto earlyRadiohead are blatant, andgrungyaccents give the bandsometoughness; unfortunatelytheydon't explore this dimension
enough.-Jason Jurgens
This Too Wilt Pass CDangerbird) Yale and yonder Hrishikesh Hirway's sizable audience swells with each OneA.M. Radio entry, and on This Too Will Pass, the Ivy Leaguer is braced for more accolades with his trusty intimate-chamber folkand-beats formula. Hirway lingersin the beatsdepartment on This, or at least in the beats-enhancing department, as the boisterous loopsunder "Fires" and "Lest I Forget"havetoo muchpunch to haveplayed well on 2004's A Name Writ in Water. While there'sa samenessthatruns from songto songhere, Hirway's orchestralflourishesand melodies brighten thingsbeforestaleness sets in.- Daminic Umile
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MARCH 2007 â&#x20AC;˘ REMIX 93
CD REVIEWS DND Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks) Yoko, we hardly heard ye Spor ting the new showbiz name-to assumingly make her as worldwide as Bono, Madonnaand Moby (didn't going by ' Yoko' accomplish that?)the former Mrs. YokoOno-Lennon returns . This time, she's backedby a cast of 17remixers who mangle and mash up her vocals into something more familiar than you would ever expect. It's surpr ising how well Ono's flat, monotone and machine-gun vocals sit amid personalities as diverse as Hank Shocklee, Jason Pierce, the Flaming Lips, Peaches, OJ Spooky and Cat Power. If anything, Ono has never sounded quite this tuneful, pop prescient or Phil Spector-songbook classic. Even Lennon/One's original noise pastiche, ' Cambridge 1969/2007: is more drill-funk flotsam than antiwar freakout, though Ono's larynx-shredding cries retain their radical power. Some of the best tracks come from relative unknowns, such as the beatdriven drone of Blow Up's exceptional ' Everyman, Everywoman' and the guitar-spewing funk-punk of the Brother Brothers' 'Yes, I'm a Witch: Evenon a simple vocal and pianotrack like Cat Power's ' Revelations: Ono sounds calmly powerful and plaintively sweet. Lennonwas right, after all.-Ken Micallef
*****
PANTHER
SEAN PRICE
Secret Lawns (Fryk Beat>
Jesus Price Supastar <Duck Down)
Dance dance evolution Mutated from thesolitarymusical presencethat is Charlie Salas-Humara, Pantherfunksandpunks up his jazz/pop songs to thepointwherethey're often fullyunrecognizable from their initial form. Grungy synths make up theheaviestpartof the foundation,as Panther useshis raw falsetto on suchimpulsive compositionsastheR&B-f1avored ' How Does It FeelT andthebrokenrecord vocalbackbeat of 'TakeUsOut." Surprisingly hookygiven its manifold approaches, this set,performed and recorded mostlyby Panther himself. indicateshewon't haveto be begging for his "Chanzz" for much longer,-KristiKates
Brooklyn stand upl Originally knownasRuck of theduo Heltah Skeltah, MC Sean Pricehas neverbeen asactiveor ferocious on the mic ashe is now.Joinedby some of today's bestbeatsmiths (9thWonder, 111 Mind, etc.I this Brooklyn nativecomes out hungryonhis sophomore soloshot. While his free-flowingverses will leave somecraving morefocus fromPrice, there's no denyingthathe makes his mightypresence felton thethunderous bangers "Cardiac" and "King Kong: What's most impressive,though,is how he maintains his edge evenon smoother productions, suchas the soothing, soul-infused "Violent,"-Max Herman
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KRISTOFFER RAGNSTAM
THES ONE
NICK WARREN
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sweet Bills (Bluhammock)
Ul estyle Marketing (Tres)
Swedish hooks, a little French flavor Swedishpop-rock-TheCardigans, Komeda, Caesars, TheSounds, The Hives-is catchy. But it seems Kristoffer Ragnstam takes morecuesfrom French band Phoenix <Check out'Breakfast bytheMattress') thanhisSwedish kin. Sweet Bills bounces andjerkswith insistent rhythms, andmixingengineer Chris Brown(Blur, Supergrass) ensured thatthewhole package-psych-rock guitarbends, live drums, a Casio-esque drumloop, synththickener, plunky piano, etc.-meshes welLBut moreimportantly, Ragnstam knowsthat if songs aren't catchy, who cares about parameters and signal chains?-Kylee Swenson
Digging a bit deeper Conceptually, ThesOneof PeopleUnder TheStairsoutdoeshimselfon his rhymefree solodebut. Here, he explores the electronic-based jingles of composer/ pianistHerb Pilhofer andreanimates theminto his own faux advertisements, Despite the freshconcept, thesemidtempo soundscapes aren't entirelydifferent from whatThescrafts for PUTS; his crispdrum programmingandchoppedup samples haven't goneanywhere. But theways he flipsthecutesy female-vocal snippetsandevokes a specific moodon selections'Target"and' Hy-Vee" does provide a change of pace for this devoted cratedigger, -Max Herman
Paris (Global Underground) A French toast Bristol'sNick Warren findsinspirationin Parisianc1ubbers for Global Underground's30th release. Onthe moreuniversalCOl,Warren hostshypnotic mid-tempo anddownbeat thatcan enrichanysociaVprivatebooze-soaked setting. Memorablemoments include a heavenly synth-washed Ulrich Schnauss remixof JustinRobertson's ' Revtone: as well as Warren's sneaky clipsof Nove's folk-guitar licks ("Sedatives") in the front endof Audioglider's 路Whiskers."CD2is thedance volume, andWarren's trance-y tastes surprisewondrously with a sultry dub-infected Habersham & Kazell entry. Merci, Nick.-DominicUmile
Chi-town upstarts represent Fromthe musical mecca Kanye, Common andTwista call home comes EVRecords' brashly titledcompilation Everything. Short on Billboard bullets but long on reach, the in-house upstartsbehind Chicago's startup run hip-hop'sshape-shiftinggamut, from top-40 bling-coreto blunted underground. Royce Da5'9"'s opener ' The Mic" comeshardwhile Ang lJ's R&B-peppered "Ain't GoinDown" andWindyCitynative Psalm One's dusty groove'ThingsI Do" softenthe thug blows. This set showcases the Second City producers in first-rate action.-Jorge Hernandez
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94 REMIX. MARCH 2007
EVRecords Presents: Everything (EV)
rernixrn ag.com
Electronic MusIcian"AND
CO::OTEt:.:~- PRESENT
Electronic Musician magazine and Thomson Course Technology PTR have joined forces again to create the second volume in their Personal Studio Series, Mastering Steinberg's Cuoese» . Edited and produced by the staff of Electronic Musician, this special issue is not only a must-read for users of Cubaser software, but it also del ivers essential information for anyone recording/producing mus ic in a personal-studio. In addition to Thomson's easy-to-follow, step-by-step tutor ials and color graphics examples for Steinberg's Cubaser software, you'll ge t EM's famous in-depth applications articles and interviews. Use this singleissue magazine with the bonus DVD to get up to speed quickly with Steinberg's powerful cross-platform digital audio sequencer!
Other complementary topics in this publication: • Top Pros Share Their Favorite Cubaset Techniques • Using Automation in Cubase SXTM • Loop Microsurgery • Introduction to VST Instruments • Cool Software Synths for Under $100 • Choosing and Using Keyboard Controllers • And more!
MIX~
OKS
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To order the Personal Studio Series, Mastering Cubese» , or any of our other publ icat ions, please visit www.mixbooks. com. or find it on newsstands wherever Electronic Musician is sold. March 2007 • REMIX 99
REMIX'S RECOMMENDED RETAILERS VINYL POOL is the handy state-by-state directory that lists some of the fine independent vinyl shops and OJ-gear retailers that carry your favorite magazine, Remix. We don't want anyone to be left out, so if you're not carrying Remix in your shop, contact Cyndi Armell at RetailVision to get set up. You can reach her via e-mail (carmelll1lrvmags.com) or phone (800-381-1288 x60481. If you do carry Remix and you want to make your shop stand out in this bonus section, e-mail us at remixc\assl1lremixmag . com, or call us at 800-544-5530. A Remix Classifieds representative can tell you how to upgrade your listing .
ARLZON Ramseys Musical 7401 La Cholla Tucson, AZ 85741 520-744-7234
.cALIFORNIA American Music Exchange 204 N. ElCamino Real Ste.F Encinitas, CA92024 760-632-1024 Amoeba Records 1855 HaightSt. SanFrancisco. CA94117 415-831-1200 www.amoebamusic.com California Sound & Ughting 1919 SanDiego Avenue San Diego. CA. 92110 619-358-9788 www.calsound.com CheapThrills 563 Higuera St. SanLuisObispo, CA 93401 805-544-0686
DJ Culture 145 E. 19th St., Unit B Costa Mesa. CA92627 949-646-3548
Marck's Brentwood Newsstand 11737 SanVicente Blvd. LosAngeles. CA90077 310-447-2080
OJ Culture 7561 Center Ave#11 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 714-895-3548
NapaMusic Supply 2034 Redwood Rd. Napa. CA94558 707-265-8275
F Z Music 765Maybury Rd. SanJose, CA95135 408-437-1080
Ontario Music 215W.GSt. Ontario. CA91762 909-983-3551
Haight-Ashbury Music 1540Haight St. SanFrancisco. CA 94117 415-863-7327 Headstone Records 35 W. Colton Ave. Redlands. CA92374 909-335-2909 Laurel CanyonNews 12100 Ventura Blvd. Studio City.CA 91604 818-769-3327
Pepperland Music 850 N. Tustin St. Orange. CA92867 714-639-0909 Salzer's Records srtt Valentine Rd. Ventura, CA93003 805-639-2160 Sherman Oaks Newsstand 14500Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks. CA91403 818-995-0632 sarfatltaexcite.com
Sound Station Records 11220 Laurel Canyon Blvd.• E-405 SanFernando, CA91340 818-837-9391 World Records 19S. Garfield Ave. UnitB Alhambra, CA91801 626-284-1652 WP Records 1830 Pacific Coast Hwy. Lomita, CA90717 310-784-8884 http://wprecords.com ~LO
DO
The Finest Record Store 251911th Ave. Greeley. CO 80631 970-352-4657 Robb's Music 1580 Canyon Blvd. Boulder, CO 80302 303-443-8448 ~ECTICUT
Grooveman by ChopinHaguen 1543 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. FL33139 305-535-6257 www.chopinhaguen.com Music Tech Studios Inc. 18249 PinesBlvd. Pembroke Pines. FL33029 954-447-8554 www.musictechstudios.com Network Sound Productions 2520 Cr-427 N. Ste.l00 Longwood. FL 32750 407-834-8555 G~ORGIA
Big City Music 3526WrightRd. Augusta. GA30909 706-650-9977
Makin Moves 990 MadisonAve. Bridgeport, CT06606 203-696-1141
PeachtreeMusic Professional 307OldTowne Way Mcdonough, GA30253 770-320-8710
Mix Unity 241 Ledyard si, Unit B16 Hartford. CT06114 860-371 -5200
Pyramid Records 822 Broad St. Augusta. GA30901 706-724-1508
RecordShop 35E. MainSt. Waterbury, CT06702 203-754-2659
P~AWAR Newark Newsstand 70 E. MainSt. Newark, DE19711 302-368-8770
FLORIDA Action Music 1544 Seminola Blvd. #108 Casselberry, FL32707 407-339-2500
100 REMIX. MARCH 2007
Encore Music Emporium 11614 U.S. Hwy 19 Port Richey. FL34668
HAWAII The Beat Records and Tapes 2570S. Beretania St., #10 Honolulu. HI96826 808-946-3766
IJ,.L1 OS Any Frequency 21 W. Washington St. Monticello. IL61856 217-762-7700 Front Row Center 1507 N. Main St. Benton. IL 62812 618-439-9788
www.jambandcfll'eCtory.com 1135 RFD Long Grove, IL 60047 847-955-1161
IKDJAtt Audio Works 702 WColesium Blvd. Ste.D Fort Wayne. IN46808 260-482-8540 contractor97428tayahoo.com E1 Vegas 4321 S. Michigan St. South Bend, IN46614 574-231-1407 EvolvingRecords 625 Main St. Beech Grove. IN 46107 317-786-6325 Far Out Music 2008 Coopers Ln. Jeffersonville. IN 47130 812-282-1122 Powerplay Music Store 951 E.Lewis River Falls Ste.332 Clarksville.IN 47129 812-283-3555
0 Griggs Music Inc. 3829Brady St. POBox2750 Davenport. IA 52806 563-391-9000 Weird Harold's Records& Tapes 411 Jefferson St. Burlington. IA 52601 319-753-5353
kOJllSJAttA Tunz Muzic 133 James Comeaux Rd. Lafayette, LA70508 337-237-1222 ~AltjJ
Back Door Records 308 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd. Hallandale, FL33009 954-455-3545
The Groove Shop 230 ArnoldAve. Rockford, IL61108 815-229-7375
Greg Powers Entertainment 901 Portland Rd.•Rte. 1 Saco, ME04072 207-282-3783
Bob's News & Books 1515 S. Andrews Ave. Fort Lauderdale. FL33316 954-524-4731
Mixx Records 1416A WashingtonSt. Waukegan, IL60085 847-625-6499
The Music Center 149 Maine St. Brunswick, ME 04011
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MARYLAtiD
"'ONTANA
The Sound Garden 1616 Thames St. Baltimore. MD21231 410-563-9011
Ear Candy Music 624 S. Higgins Ave. Missoula. MT59801 406-542-5029 www.earcandymusic.nu
Soundz in da Hood 1905 Edmonson Ave. Baltimore. MD21223 410-362-0488
MIC IGAN B's Music Shop 219 Prospect St. Alma. MI48801 989-463-0m Clarkston Book Center 5907Dixie Hwy. Clarkston. Ml 48346 248-623-6028 Downrivermixx Connection 3409 W. Jefferson Ecorse. MI48229 313-841-5817 Picks N Sticks 26863U.S.Hwy. 12 Sturgis. Ml49091 269-659-1832 Record Time 262 W. NineMileRd. Ferndale. Ml48220 248-336-8463 www.recordtime.com White Brothers Music 4695Okemos Rd. Okemos, MI48864 517-349-3806 MItINE~_OTA_ _
NEBRASKA Recycled Sounds 9090St. Lincoln. NE68508-3607 402-476-8240
NEW .tERSJ:_Y_ _ Music Factory Inc. 508Hurffville Crosskeys Rd. Sewell. NJ 08080 856-589-5009 Music Is Everything 27 W. FrontSt. Red Bank. NJ on01 732-758-9088 www.mierecords.com Triple S Electronics 299 Broad St. Bloomfield. NJ 07003 973-748-4025 ti~WYORK
Boutique Fashions 5 Mastic Rd. Mastic Beach. NY11951 631 -833-1581 Bronen's Music Co. 2462 Webster Ave. Bronx. NY10458 718-364-3350
Don Olson Distribution 264516th Ave. S. Minneapolis. MN55407 612-724-2976
Hot Waxx Records 90-48 161st St. Jamaica.NY11432 718-297-5376
Groth Music Co. 8056 Nicolet Ave. Bloomington. MN55420 952-884-4n2
Uft Bridge Book Shop 45 MainSt. Brockport.NY14420 585-637-8354
Urban Ughts 1449 University Ave. Saint Paul. MN55104 651-647-9650
MusicTr nds 2947Hempstead Turnpike Levittown. NY11756 516-796-n55
MISSOURI
Numbers Records n -11 37thAve. Queens. NY11372 718-429-8681 www.numberscd.com
Lanham Music Inc. 2401 N. BeltHwy. St.Joseph. MO64506 816-233-5142 www.lanhammusic.com On The Grid 3207S. Grand Blvd. Saint Louis. MO63118 314-664-7437
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UPS Supply Chain Solutions 151-06132nd Ave. Jamaica. NY11434 718-481 -4417
PNS Music and Sound 468 Freeport Rd. Pittsburgh. PA15238 412-828-1003 www.pnsmusic.com
NORTH CAROLItIA
Proline Music Inc. 490 Lincoln Hwy. Fairless Hills.PA19030 215-736-8055
TEXAS Central Records 1514 Central Ave. Charlotte. NC28205 704-334-1788 www.centralrecordsnc.com Cigarettes& Magazines Newsstand 3481 LackeySt. Lumberton. NC28360 910-738-3256 Cleveland Music 101 S. Battleground Ave. Kings Mountain. NC 28086 704-730-9051 Cleveland Music 301 E. Dixon Blvd. Shelby. NC28152 704-487-0794
.oHIO Arrowhead Music 8571Mentor Ave. Mentor. OH44060 440-205-9580 Bank News 4025 ClarkAve. Cleveland. OH44109 216-281 -8m Everybody's Shutter 6106 Montgomery Rd. Cincinnati. OH45213 513-531 -4500 Record Revolution 1832 Coventry Rd. Cleveland Heights. OH 44118 216-321 -7661
OREGON Blind George's Newsstand 117 S.w.G St. Grants Pass. OR 97526 541 -476-3463 Ozone Records 701 E. Burnside St. Portland. OR 97214 503-227-1975 www.o3records.com
f.ENNSYLVAftlAReservoir Music Center 3179 StateRte. 28 POBox655 Shokan. NY12481 845-657-6127 fredro110 gmail.com
Yarbroughs Music 6122 Macon Rd. Memphis. TN38134 901-761-0414
Gallucci Music Studios 503 Lackawanna Ave. Scranton. PA18503 570-347-1753
Swissvale Music 2037Noble St. Pittsburgh. PA15218 412-351-5882 World of Music 1355 W. 26thSt. Erie.PA16508 814-459-2585 BHOD_Ei~LAtiD_
KangarooCDs & Tapes 1759C MineralSpringAve. N. Providence. Rl02904 401 -353-5480
Evans Music City 6240 Westheimer Rd. Houston. TX n057 713-781-2100 www.evansmusiccity.com
WASHlflQ1.0l l Musician'sCenter 1305 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham. WA 98225 360-756-1350
WEjitT VIRGINIASoundwaves 812 Northside Dr.. Unit 3 Summersville. WV26651
WYOMING, -_ _ Music Center 500 N.Jackson Pharr. TX 785n 956-787-4845 Music Connection 7121 Hwy. 90 W.•Ste. 140 SanAntonio. TX 78227 210-673-2850 Soundwaves #4 9499 S Main St. Houston. TX n025 713-520-9283 www.soundwaves.com
SOUTH DAKOTA
UTA
Aood Music 1515 E 10thSt. Sioux Falls.SO57103 605-367-1639
Uprok Records 342 S StateSt. SaltLakeCity.UT 84111 801 -363-7955
1ENNE_S_S~E_ _
VIRGINIA
BandstandInc. 120ANorthStar Dr. Jackson. TN38305 731-668-7426
Plan 9 Music 2614 W. CarySt. Richmond. VA23220 804-355-0095 www.plan9music.com
Sonic Rainbow Compact Discs 140 S. Center St. Casper. WY 82601 307-5TI-5947 tANADA ~
_
BGMStronghold Inc. 3219 Yonge si, Ste. 323 Toronto. ONM4N 2L3 Cosmo Music 112 NewkirkRd. N. Richmond Hill. ON L4C3G3 905-nO -5222 Sequoia Publications 8509 Woodtrail PI. Burnaby. BCV5A4A9 604-444-4115
Remix Is also av ·lab e at Bord rs and all Viraln, Sam Ash n Guhar Center stores.
CERR0 NE By Jorge Hernandez DISCO INFILTRATOR At 56, Cerrone continues to spread his beat-laden "Love" for the dancefloor
awards. Thirty years later,his total record sales range
'Yes, it's over. Goodbye: When 'C Minor' was a hit, he
between 25- to 30-million units.
came back to me. I said, 'Who do you think you are?'
The success of "C Minor: however, came with
You don't forget that:
a price: a falling out with former partner Alec
Cerrone soon found another lyricist and kin-
Costandinos. Many versions of the rift between
dred spirit. "One afternoon in Piccadilly Circus,
On the July 4th weekend in 1976, as Amer ica was in
Cerrone and Costandinos have circulated; to this day,
I saw a red-haired girl without shoes playing a
the throes of Bicentennial fever, an international flo-
Cerrone maintains it was a matter of loyalty. "When
little plastic sax: Cerrone says. "I was carrying my keyboard. She said, 'What do you do?' I said,
tilla converged on New York harbor, framing France's
I did 'C Minor: I asked him to do the lyrics: Cerrone
most famous gift to America, the Statue of Liberty.
recalls. "When the record companies refused to sign
'Musician: She said 'Great! Where? Can I come see
Toward the year's end, another Gallic gift ignited the
it, I said, "I'm sure I've got something. You know why?
you in the studio?" That girl was Lene Lovich, and
city's dancefloors: a 16-minute slab of wax by Jean-
Because nobody wants it. That proves it's brand new:
the surrealist cabaret/punk diva from Detroit and
Marc Cerrone called "Love in C Minor" (MalligatorJ.
He said, 'No, I think you fucked up: I said, 'Shit, what
the former hairdresser/Club Med music selector
Like Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's "Love to
am I supposed to do, put it in the garbage?' He said,
Love You, Baby: the 126 bpm Euro-disco template
became friends, co-writing some of disco's biggest hits, including "Supernature" (Atlantic, 1977) and its
pushed the kick drum to the front of the mix and fea-
B-side "Give Me Love: as well as "Je Suis Music路
tured heaping crescendos, climaxes, denouements
(Malligator, 1978).
and erotically charged cover art that would define Cerrone's signature as much as his accelerated tempo and symphonic excess. For all its success, "C Minor" barely made it into
lsove InC
Minoli
As disco's popularity waned and Cerrone explored R&B, rock and other sonic textures, another unexpected muse came from farther East. "I lost my father in 1983: Cerrone laments. "In '86, I became a
Disco
Buddhist. In 1994, I met the Dalai Lama. I went up to
Fever. A Parisian shop inadvertently shipped the
him like he was my father. He gave me certitude and
self-released single to NYC in lieu of returning Barry
advice: 'Good or bad news, control yourself.'" He also
White overstocks. The single then infiltrated New
gave Cerrone two to three pages of lyrics that he
being, let alone stateside in time for the movie
York's nascent record pools, where tastemakers like
set to music and has repeatedly performed at many
David Mancuso, Nicky Siano and Frankie Crocker put
of his international outdoor spectacles, which have
it into heavy rotation, generating sales to the tune of
included 6,000 revelers at Versailles.
3 million units. Billboard included it on its year-end
Cerrone's latest extravaganza is scheduled for
list, and Cerrone eventually claimed five Grammy
New York in the summer of 2007. It will comprise
ne day I will calm down, but not now. It's not time yet'" 23 simultaneous stages, last six hours , be beamed via satellite to millions and will continue his fundraising efforts for HIV!AIDS awareness, collecting contributions directly from people's phone bills via text messages. After NYC,he's off to Las Vegas and a two-year world tour. "I spend half the year on the road. It's my life: he says with a shrug. The event follows the 2006 re-release of Bob Sinclar's Cerrone OJ mix (Malligator) and the upcoming 2007 release of a new album that may include Barbara Tucker, ChakaKhan,Run-DMCand Masters at Work-extending a roster that includes covers by Danny Tenaglia, Armand Van HeIden and Daft Punk. Underscoring the obvious, the silver-haired 56year-old-who first prompted his father to buy him a set of drums some 40 years earlier to keep him from tapping out dinner-table rhythms with his fork-concludes, "When I go on vacation, my wife gets crazy; I get restless. One day I will calm down, but not now. It's not time yet:
106 REMIX. MARCH 2007
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