Ayoba Music Mag by Tebza Miya

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April 2013

AYOBA MUSIC MAG Inside: Grooveassassin, Sanele Langabi, Rosy Kbee, WMC 2013, reviews and much More

Deejay Kabila

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Winter Music Conference 2013 Winter Music Conference March 15-‐24, 2013 at the Miami Beach Convention Center South Beach, FL

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3 April Issue Contents

>WMC 2013 – 2-‐8 Dj Kabila – 9-‐13 >BlackBird Studios – 14-‐16 >Who to blame? By Nhlanhla Vilakazi –17 >How to build a Studio – 18-‐27 >Grooveassassin – 28-‐31 >The Emulator – 32-‐ 33 >Rosy Kbee –34-‐35 >Universal Audio Appolo 16 – 36 >Sanele Langabi – 37-‐38 >Korg Erupt with Volca analogue Synth Series -‐-‐ 39

Ayoba Music Magazine focuses on House Music, Dj'z and producers, Hot Clubs to go to, Producing Programs, Deejaying and Studio Equipment National and international, South Africa and and the world's history with House Music. Editor: Miya M. G. Miya Owner of Ayoba Music Magazine and Ayoba Entertainment Also Marketing Manager at Ganyani Entertainment. Call: +2760 333 5373 Email: tebza@Djganyani.co.za http://www.traxsource.com/search?term=Ayoba+ Entertainment+ ayobsmusicmag@gmail.com Ayoba.ent@gmail.com .

Rosy Kbee Dj Ganyani Out now in Store and also online Store like traxsource, itunes etc. http://www.traxs ource.com/search ?term=Ayoba+Ent ertainment+

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http://www.WinterMusicConference.com REMIXING & EDITING WORKSHOPS

The Remixing & Editing Workshops are some of the most educational and demonstrative seminars during the Conference. You will learn what new plug-ins come bundled with the latest version of Pro-Tools, what short-cuts you can utilize for certain software, what production equipment will best suit your particular needs, etc. This is an excellent opportunity to ask skilled programmers, producers, and remixers questions regarding audio programs. Two half-day sessions are being offered; Remixing and Editing Introduction and the Intermediate/Advanced Workshops. Attend one or both. Space is limited, so don't delay. An additional fee is required and these will sell out! You must be a registered delegate to attend.

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SEMINARS & PANELS

Music and Industry The shape of the music business today is completely different then it was 10 years ago. As aspects change and shift, WMC makes great efforts to create a Program that reflects the current climate of the Industry. Because music is such a fluid and transformative art form, WMC closely follows emerging trends and genres and integrates such ideas into the Program. No matter which form of music you are interested in, you are guaranteed to find colleagues and experts in the fields you work in and enjoy. Innovations in DJ and Production Technology Developments in digital mixing and recording have enhanced the art of production and DJing. Digital mixing tools have completely changed the dynamic of the DJ. WMC explores all the new and exciting innovations, and brings together leading manufacturers and developers to discuss the pros and cons of the array of new options. Also, our panels of esteemed guests will be there to answer any questions you may have about programs, plug-ins, and products. Distribution The Winter Music Conference addresses every aspect of music distribution as it stands currently. From brick and mortar retail distribution, to digital distribution, to mail order distribution...no matter how you choose to operate your business, you will find the information you are seeking.

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Radio Exposure WMC presents the top professionals from around the world as they evaluate radio as a vehicle for developing artists. WMC makes a huge effort to create a balance between internet, satellite, and terrestrial radio formats. Also, the radio panel will address issues such as: how to draw and sustain listeners, how to break artists through such diverse radio formats, how to get your records on the air and keep them in rotation...Get the inside track on these topics and more! Legal Issues and Advice Understand the fundamentals of effectual and solid contracts, copyrights, licensing, online retailing, digital distribution and the intricacies of publishing laws through a series of seminars devoted to legal issues. Get expert legal advice from top entertainment lawyers for free! Some of the most influential and active professionals in the music Industry will assemble to examine various Industry related legal issues and answer any questions you may have. Media Discover which media outlets work best for you and how to approach them. Journalists and publicists will discuss how to use publications, TV and the Internet to your advantage. Learn how to develop and maintain relations with the worlds leading media sources. Discover the most effective means of breaking artists and maintaining success through the media. Foreign Markets Join executives from global companies discuss music marketing worldwide. Find out everything you need to know to promote your artist worldwide and generate revenue outside the U.S. Learn the ins and outs of International contracts, touring, promotion, distribution, licensing, exporting, collecting royalties and more. Also, find out what global trends are emerging today. Revenue Streams Don't rely strictly on album and song sales as a form of revenue! There are numerous ways to make money aside from traditional music retailing. Licensing, touring, soundtracks, advertising, ringtones, and merchandising are all great forms of alternative revenue streams. WMC has assembled Industry leaders working in these fields daily, who have developed effective business strategies. These subjects are more important now then ever. As such, these panels are not to be missed!

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7 Looking to get signed or seeking direction? Take advantage of this rare forum for you to be heard, critiqued, and quite possibly be asked to stick around to exchange contact information. SUBMITTING YOUR DEMO Submit your song and brief bio with your photo and contact information. Space is limited and slots are filled in the order they are received. You will be notified as to when you are scheduled to be heard.

STANDBY SUBMISSIONS If you were unable to reserve a spot in advance, there will be a standby list for each workshop. Artists must report to the workshop room one half hour prior to the scheduled start time in order to be included on this list. This does not mean you are guaranteed a listening spot. Once advanced submissions have been accommodated and as time permits, artists will be called from the standby list on a first come first serve basis. Please note that panelists will determine how much of your track will be heard in order to base a critique. Guidelines •

Indicate track number if applicable.

•

Indicate a reference point if your submission does not start at the beginning of the CD. Also indicate a reference point for the hook of the song.

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Please submit demo in CD audio format which can be played universally.

•

You will not be permitted to approach the workshop engineer prior to or during the session.

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Only one track will be accepted for each representative, whether they are artist, manager, or producer.

•

You must include a contact name, email address and phone number so that we may contact you, as well as a brief bio and photo.

•

Submissions will not be returned.

Send your submission to: Winter Music Conference 3450 NE 12th Terrace Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 Phone: (954) 563-4444 ATTN: Listening Workshop

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Dj Kabila 1.

Please tell me a little about yourself? Who is Dj Kabila?

Ans :dj kabila is Siyanda Makanya, born in the Eastern Cape in a small town called Umthatha, studied in P.E tech and worked as recruitment agent before pursuing a dj career 2.

When did your career start?

Ans : my dj career stated way back in 1999 when I was still studying at port Elizabeth. 2.1 How did you get your start in the music business?

2.2 How had the internet changed your relationship with and to music and the industry? Ans : It has made everything easy with things like facebook and twitter as you can communicate your business easy to the world, get your music out there in platforms like soundcloud , back then we would have to travel to get records as there where few shops, like you wouldn’t get a vinyl shop in eastern cape but now u can get the music online but there’s still a slight problems as a lot of dj’s in this country are still at school and cant afford credit cards to buy music but over all it made everything easy.

Ans : When I started I bought myself turntables Gemini2000 and I partnered with one of the dj’s who use to rock our campus at the time dj mtira, we would do parties at the campus and get hired for birthday parties. Then 2001 I moved to Pretoria where I met my old timefriend Nathi Maphumulo (Blackcoffee) who was already paving his way on the Pretoria club scene, then would join him for his gigs and also started landing my 1st club gig at Pretoria times4, from there I never looked back as would b e booked for tertiary institutions gigs and the clubs around.

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3. which countries have you visited through being booked and which is your favorite?

5. what are the biggest barriers new Deejays/producers face?

Ans :I have travelled to New York , Miami and Swaziland. Miami and Swaziland. Swaziland 1st time there was the best experience ever people on an epic set u feel them and they appreciate what you do, for me Swaziland is the best by far. 4. What is the key ingredient in a track according to you? breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?

Ans: For dj’s is getting a platform and gigs, for producers is getting their music signed in big labels and getting in platforms like beat port and traxsource in selling their music.

Ans: Soulful house with a bit of funk for me the vocals that touch the soul, they make people sing along on the dance floor, the song must build up and take u on a journey listen to blackcoffee’s superman or Ralph Gum fly free then u know what I am talking

Ans: I think its best you take it to the people who have done it for years who have experience, even the best in the industry always take their tracks to be mastered elsewhere but its also recommended that you learn. 7. What do you believe is the secret to your success as a Deejay/producer?

6. How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?

Ans: staying positive and the love of music I believe is the only secrete to my success. 8. Any advice for the aspiring Deejays/producers out there?

Ans: Believing in yourself, stick to your

sound it will take you far, always be open to be criticized, as you will learn from it, and surround yourself with positive people that see value in you and that will take

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REAL NAME

: Siyanda Makanya

ALIAS

: Dj Kabila

GENDER

: Male

DATE OF BIRTH: 24th June 1978 NATIONALITY : South African-Eastern Cape RESIDENT

: Durban and Pretoria

PROFESSION

: Music Artist and Deejay

GENRE

: House

ALBUMS

: Believe; Soulistic Music Cuts Volume 1

Dj Kabila is a South African deejay whose love for the deejay box dates back to the late 1990s. He has an undisputed gift of knowing how to keep

capacious,

jam-packed

dance

floor

rocking the entire night. Prior to a car accident that left him wheel chair bound in September 1999, those who knew him then testify today to the fact that the house dance floors have since been deprived of a phenomenon dancer. This is evident in the manner

wheelchair.

which That

he being

still the

dances only

flaw

his that

resulted from his accident, the ever- radiant and chirpy Kabila’s love for music remained and still remains untainted. It was exactly two months His traction in rising above this life-changing

after his accident that he started exploring his

ordeal is remarkable.

talent with beats.

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2003 Kabila first burst onto the scenes in the year 2003 at Tshwane’s Times 4 nightclub. Determined to brand his mixes he saw himself play alongside well-known as well as in Gauteng’s Clubs & Technikon Bashes. 2004 In March 2004 YFM declared him Dj of the Month battling against Gauteng’s best. So sure that he had now cracked a nut, unfortunately he had to relocate to Durban, which meant recreating his brand. He soon won the hearts of party and club lovers in and around Durban but he knew that building a career in this industry meant he had to do much more than play at parties and clubs. Kabila then hustled to be afforded the listener’s ear on the airwaves and most of all their commentary. 2005 Determined to make a name for himself, Durban embraced his talent and afforded him slots in the annual Underground gig happening on the 25th of December as well as in Linda Sibiya’s show of Ukhozi FM. Local newspapers began giving credit where it was due. He also began establishing relations with Eastern Cape based Umhlobo Wenene FM through Dj Thulani. He was also afforded an opportunity to play alongside internationally renowned Jean Paul from London at the 8th Series International. 2006 He joined Soulistic Music. For him this has been a stepping-stone as he soon learnt the in and outs of the music industry and the opportunity brought about the inception of his career as a music artist. Asked whether he truly believed this industry would take a wheelchair bound house deejay seriously he responded: “My disability counts for zilch when people need to have a good time, all they demand from me is good performance. The only reason you would book me for a gig is because I am good at what I do and definitely not because of my disability… “ 2007 Apart from establishing his company, Music Soldier Entertainment, Kabila also founded the Dj Kabila Foundation aimed at developing the physically disabled schools and subsequently identified a beneficiary – The Mason Lincolin Special School in Emalandeni – V Section, Umlazi Township in Durban.

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On the 24th June 2007, his birthday, he performed as a fund raiser in support of the Foundation and proceeds thereof were presented to the Mason Lincolin Special School as intended. Kabila released his very first album titled “Believe” with hit track “Amantombazana” which coincidentally is his favorite track in the album.

The album has received tremendous support

particularly from the Eastern Cape, which compelled him to host gigs in the following towns East London, Queeenstown, Dutywa, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth. At the 2007 South African Music Conference, he spoke on “Unlimited Talent”. 2008 Kabila continued advocating for support of the Dj Kabila Foundation and his efforts caused his 2008 birthday celebration to be sponsored by Durban’s Ithala Bank. The proceeds once again were presented to Mason Lincolin Special School. As he brainstormed on the purpose of the Foundation he realised that it should aim far beyond addressing disability handicaps but rather celebrate disability as a way of life. This later led to the conversation of the Dj Kabila Foundation to the Beyond Disability Program. 2009 Kabila founded the Beyond Disability Program www.beyonddisability.co.za - A program aimed at instilling hope, self belonging and self empowerment to all disabled people in South Africa. Through this program Kabila foresees transformation in the lives of all persons living with disabilities. 2011 2011 will see Kabila launch the Beyond Disability Program as well as his second album ‘Soulistic Music Cuts Vol-1’which is set to keep the music lovers across the globe happy.

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John and Martina McBride launched the internationally renowned Blackbird Studio in Nashville in August of 2002. Motivated to offer the highest quality recording experience for their clients, Blackbird Studio was designed with state-of-the-art facilities and technologies, and in turn has been the studio of choice by artists ranging from Beck, Rush, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Kings of Leon, The White Stripes and Taylor Swift. The facilities now comprise eight unique recording studios with a décor described best as The Four Seasons meets Moulin Rouge. Blackbird’s unrivaled equipment and microphone selection, including consoles available to fit any taste: Neve, API, SSL, and DIGI create a recording environment second to none. Great audio is our number one priority. Our goal at Blackbird is to give the artist, producer, and engineer every color on the palette with white to paint their picture. So come by and let us help turn your dreams into reality

Blackbird Studio

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Blackbird Studio http://www.blackbirdstudio.com/#/home

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WHO TO BLAME ? By: Nhlanhla vilakazi Music industry is growing rapidly every single year and especially abroad we are seeing musicians growing every single day which is a very good thing because it shows how much music means to a lot of people. But when I look here in south Africa yes, the music is growing especially house music which is a very popular genre now days but my problem here is that is it enough to make south Africa one of the major countries when it comes to music. Recently we are seeing lot of our musicians not getting major events, losing lot of money and some even die without a cent now I’m asking myself who to blame, do we have to blame the musicians for not delivering what we expect from them and not putting 100percent in their work or do we have to blame the people[music fans] for not supporting our musicians and buying fake cd’s or maybe blame the government for not funding our musicians in the way that they could be doing major projects and if you could ask people this question it could take up a long time until you find a right answer. But on the lighter side though I personally think that south African music is growing very much and it has attracted a lot of overseas people, we are seeing our artists making their names to be known outside the country and lot of our musicians are going gold, platinum, double platinum when it comes to cd sales it shows that even though people say that the cd sales have dropped but there are still those people who are going to music stores and buy the music. And on who to blame, we can never say who to blame but all we have to do is to give each other chances let’s give our musicians a chance to showcase their talent and to give us amazing music that will last for a long time and let’s give ourselves a chance to be able to trust and support our musicians, we should attend the shows that are done by our local musicians more than we attend those that are done by abroad musicians and the government should take stand and not be afraid to fund our local artists ,let the government spend money to make our artists to go overseas and showcase their talent and work. But at the end of the day we should be able to enjoy our music rather than debating about it and mostly support each other in order make our country one the best in music industry so beautiful people lets love our artists and love our music so lets give our artist that platform for them to be able to know that south Africans are behind them all the way.

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How to Build a Recording The magic of the recording studio has often mystified even the most seasoned professionals. With all the knobs, switches and buttons on various gear and large format consoles, no wonder confusion sets in to most non-techies. Many people, especially artists, composers, producers, and engineers, will end up putting together their own studio for writing and pre-production, with some eventually deciding to take the plunge and create a full-fledged recording complex that is capable of recording major albums. This article will try to shed some light on the considerations to take into account when making a studio, be it a small home studio or a professional recording studio. Is size important? Some may say it is so but this is not always the case. The dimensions of the studio are very important. A room too large may become over-reverberant or full of unwanted echoes. A room too small may sound tight and unnatural. It is important that the room size and room sound is relevant to the type of music you are recording. You don’t want to go into a very small tight room to record BIG rock drums. Although, big room sounds can be achieved by adding external reverb effects to simulate rooms at a later time when necessary. It is best to find the room that suits the sound you are trying to achieve from the beginning of the recording process. The smaller the room, the smaller and tighter the sound will be; this is not necessarily a bad thing. Small tight rooms can be good for vocals, guitars and percussion if you are going for a tight clean sound. Larger rooms have more air for the sound to travel in, so it will be in fact a bigger more open sound.

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The sound has a longer travel time for the sound wave to move, therefore the reflection from the walls will take longer to bounce back creating a bigger more spacious sound. The decision of size and sound has to be made early on before the recording starts. One advantage that a larger room will have is the ability to be scaled down by closing up the room using modular baffles or gobos (go betweens). Gobos are structures that are partitions, that help to block sound by placing them in between the musicians, instruments, and microphones. Placing the gobos around the microphone at a close distance will help a large room with too much ambiance sound smaller. This will eliminate the reflections coming off of the walls that are further away. Small rooms can produce big heavy tight sounds with the absence of the decay from the reverb that is caused from big rooms. Sometimes a large room can sound like it’s washed out, or far away. With a good engineer any room can sound amazing with a little adjusting. A poor sounding room can be manipulated to sound good, although it requires much more work and time. Deciding on the proper room size for your needs is critical to the sounds that get reproduced. This will highly dictate the type of sound the microphones will pick up. Clapping your hands in a room can give a good representation of what a room will sound like. The reflection coming off the walls will be picked up by a simple hand clap. The true test is to try out some instruments or vocals and position them in various sections of the room until reaching the optimum sound quality. If one side of the room sounds bad try a different spot or move around into a corner until the sound is improved. Experimenting with different sections of the room also keeps the sound fresh when recording many instruments. If the acoustic guitars are recorded in the center of the room, when the time comes to record the electric guitars you may try recording them in a corner of the room for a different room sound. This gives clarity on the final mix creating separation and providing more distinction on various sounds. If you are starting your own studio, remember that the bigger the studio the higher amount the bills will be. The benefit is that larger studios can charge more for their studio rates.

Getting the Necessities

If you happen to reach that elite 2% and become that million dollar, hit selling, famous producer or artist (or if you just win the lotto), then you might eventually think about buying serious studio gear and setting up your own producer paradise. Acquiring the proper equipment and labor is key to a great studio and successful recordings. Studio gear is expensive and the knowledge of those who use the gear does not come cheap. Hiring the right people can save money and time in the long run. Studio designers also are specialty breeds that can make or break your studio. Your buddy Joe the carpenter may be able to help build it for less, yet if the studio is not properly isolated for sound it is a great waste of time, energy and finances. The studio engineer is also the focal point of the sound that is created. Having an experienced engineer involved in the process will make your sound have a character of its own. He is the extra set of ears that gives another dimension to your productions. He is also a critical consulting partner when building or choosing to rent a studio.

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Let the experts help you with advice, it will create less of a headache in the long run. The experienced engineer can fill you in on all the equipment needed for recording the music that is relevant to your world. He can also give some guidelines on how the studio should be setup before having to consult a designer. There is no room for guessing or assumption on these issues. When purchasing studio gear it is wise to research only what is absolutely essential for your style of music. If you’re not recording live drums in your studio, there is no need to buy a plethora of microphones for them. By being patient and shopping around for the best prices, a mass amount of money can be saved in the end. When you save $ 50 to $ 100 bucks on each piece of gear it really adds up in the end, and there is a ton of gear needed to put a proper studio together. Below is a basic studio checklist that will be discussed in further detail in later articles. These are the essentials of modern day recordings and the tools that are most commonly used in the best studios around the world. Recording / Mixing Console The engineer or producer operates the console that controls all of the levels for recording, playback and mixing. This is the big board that has all the buttons, switches, knobs, faders which control the levels and signal routing for each instrument. This could be referred to as a board, console or mixer. The most common consoles in major studios are SSL (Solid State Logic) or Neve. The console is the most important piece of gear in the studio. It controls the overall operations of signal flow and sound manipulation.

The console allows for each instrument to be on its own channel on the board. Each channel may then have effects inserted into its signal path to enhance the sound. A signal may also be routed to external gear for further manipulation. Anything that can be imagined, can be done. There are no rules for experimenting with sound. A signal can be sent to reverbs, delays, compressors, guitar amps, speakers in hallways for re-recording Each channel strip on a decent console will contain: Faders, Preamps, Panning, Equalization, Filters, a Routing Matrix, AUX Sends and Returns, Dynamics, Muting, & Solo. Other Features Of The Console: Inserts, Outputs, Monitoring, Automation, Fader Grouping, Bussing, Splitting… Patchbay Allows the studio to combine interconnectivity with all the equipment by using patch cables. The patchbay can be configured for each studio’s specific equipment requirements. All of the outboard gear, console and recording devices inputs and outputs are hard wired to the patchbay. The Patchbays can be be analog or digital. The most common is the bantam TT cable configurations.

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Check List Part 2: Microphones Microphones pickup the initial sound source. The mic is the first source in the recording process receiving and converting the sound wave into electrical energy to be amplified, transmitted and recorded. Preamps Amplifies the original signal coming from the mic or instrument. Gives initial control of the recording levels. Preamps are located on the console or as external outboard gear. DI Boxes The Direct box is used mainly for instruments such as keys and bass to be compatible with mic inputs. The DI box transforms line levels of instruments to mic level for console and preamp inputs. Compressors Helps to further control levels and dynamics coming from the preamp or console. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Compressors keep levels from peaking into distortion levels and help to bring lower levels louder. FX Processors For special effects like adding space, dimension, pitch and time delays on signals and recorded tracks. Usually comes in rack mounted outboard gear or software plugins for DAWs. Multi-FX processors may have reverb, delay, flangers, EQ, compression and more all in one unit. FX Pedals Small floor foot pedals originally designed for guitar FX processing. These pedals are created for distortion and special effects, which add space, dimension, pitch and time on guitars mainly, but are an inexpensive alternative used as outboard gear for other instruments. DAW The Digital Audio Workstation is like an entire studio inside of a computer. Protools, Logic and Nuendo are just a few DAWs that provide a digital multi-track recorder, a virtual console, a wide variety of effects, editing, and sequencing(musical programming) possibilities. The DAW uses software, hardware and computers in combination to operate.

Check List: Part 3 Control Surface The control surface acts as a console that controls a DAW or external machine. The control surface usually has faders, knobs and buttons that are controlled by the computer connected to a DAW. This makes operating the DAW similar to analog operations by being able to put your hands on faders instead of clicking a mouse. Some control surfaces have all the same features as a console. The most common control surfaces are made by Digidesign. Clocking Digital recorders use different clocking formats to operate properly. Digital units sample the sound to be replicated. Clocking refers to the amount of time in between samples taken for reproduction. If the digital clocking is off it will sound jittery or add noise to the sound in the analog to digital conversion. A quality clock will improve the sound. Some common digital clock sources can be found in products made by Prism, Rosendahl, DCS, and Aardsync to name a few. Some clocks have sync generators built in to lock up with other machines.

Sync Generator Generates tones to allow communication between machines so that several recording devices can be synchronized together and operate at the same speed. Clocking works with synchronization (sync) when analog and digital equipment is combined. Sync uses SMPTE, MTC (midi time code), Midi Clock, MMC (midi machine control) to allow recording on several DAWs and tape machines to be linked up together.

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CD Recorder Records and plays back compact discs. Gives the ability to record stereo mixes and playback these mixes on other CD players. CD standard for consumer playback is a sample rate of 16 bit and a sampling rate of 44.1kHz. Sony, Tascam, Alesis, and Yamaha all make good studio CD recorders. Tape Machines Recording machines that use analog or digital tape for recording and playback of music. Some purists in sound recording prefer the sound of analog tape. There are many digital tape machines used for recording both music and video. Cabling Literally miles of various cabling could be needed for a single studio. Common cables in sound reproduction are XLR balanced mic cables and Unbalanced 1/4 inch instrument cables. Monitors / Amps Speakers in the studio are referred to as Monitors. Powerful clean amps are needed to run monitors. Many monitors are self powered, which means that they have built in amplifiers. Monitors usually consist of high frequency tweeters, low frequency woofers and cabinets that contain the speakers and components. Headphones / Distribution By using a set of earphones this allows communication between the control room and the studio, also allows pre-recorded tracks to be heard during the overdubbing process. Headphones are also referred to as cans. Instruments / Keyboards / Drums / Guitars These are more of the tools of the craft. You may have all the best studio gear in the world, but if the instruments sound bad you are starting in the wrong place. Anything could be considered an instrument if it makes noise that could possibly be recorded on a record. Amplifiers This is often referred to as an amp. Amps increase the amplitude or volume of electrical signals from sound waves. These are used in powering speakers. Guitar and Bass amps can be used for many other applications such as running a vocal or snare drum through them. Microphone Stands A wide variety of sizes and styles are needed for a proper studio. The mic stand helps to get the microphone placed properly for the best sound quality possible. Studio Furniture There are many types of racks and furniture designed to hold consoles and outboard gear. The interior decoration of the studio completely sets the vibe of the working environment. Electricity Nothing will work without electricity unless you’re jamming at the local drum circles down on the beach. Electrical installation studio power is often overlooked. Studios will setup a “clean feed” that is a separate breaker from the rest of the general power that is being used for air conditioning, lighting and the basic necessities of the rest of the building. Have you ever plugged something in and heard that horrific buzzing sound coming from the speakers or guitar amp? This is usually due to bad electrical wiring, which causes ground noise. This is the first thing to listen for when going in to a studio session.

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A simple solution to the problem would be to use a simple ground lifter on the gear or lift the ground from a direct box which can also solve the problems. We will go into details later. Isolated electrical circuits for each individual room are a must in a recording studio. The proper amount of amperage is also a must. Not enough amperage will surely cause your breakers to blow. Consult with an Electrician who is familiar with studio setups to insure that wiring and voltage is regulated and conforming with local codes. Unregulated Power Supplies (UPS) should also be in place just in case there is a power failure. This will insure that valuable equipment will not blow up or cause a fire. If there is a case of a power outage the UPS will provide enough time to backup important computer files and safely turn off your equipment. Some studios will have complete generator systems in place to keep the studio running for the remainder of the session. Improper lighting can also cause buzzing ground issues, especially fluorescent bulbs. Avoid using these in any studio. Dimmers can also cause many problems. The average household dimmers will surely put a damper into a clean sound. Make sure that professional grade dimmers are installed to avoid ground noise. Always listen carefully to signals being recorded before committing to a final take. There are a countless number of accounts that the engineer discovers electrical noise on takes during the mix process. If you are serious about your studio, may I suggest balance power or a separated panel with neutral power conditioning. The evil problems of ground issues are a direct reflection of sources returning or looking for a different ground. Voltage potential between neutral and ground will certainly change your way of looking at things… for example, .5 volts between neutral and ground is the maximum allowance by UL code that electronics will operate optimally without potential induction issues. I would suggest having a meter installed to rate this. Logging this information and having a good rapport with the local electric company would not hurt at all. Air Conditioning/HVAC This is another very important area that is often not considered. Studio gear gets very hot. The lack of adequate cooling could result in equipment failure or damage. Blowing up equipment is no fun and it gets very expensive. Some recording studios have a separate Machine Room for computers, tape machines and power amps that is highly air-conditioned to keep everything cool. This also cuts down on the noise from the fans on such units, which can distract concentration from listening in detail in the control room. Having too much air conditioning could also result in moisture or condensation build-up that may also damage the gear. Water in general is bad for electronic gear. The return air system is used to pull heat out of needed areas and also provides an air intake for the AC units. These are placed in key areas where there is a build-up of heat from the gear, for example near the console or in the machine room.

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Separate Rooms: Control Room Most studios have several isolated areas for recording, mixing, and production. Soundproofing is the main agenda when creating multiple rooms in a studio. To achieve this, the main objective is to make the rooms airtight. If air cannot leak in or out of a room, there will be less chance of sound leaking in or out as well. Most pro studios have double doors that create a sound lock to help prevent noise leakage. They also have very thick double walls with interior air gaps to also help trap unwanted sound. The floors in the studio should also be floated which means they are lifted from the ground to help further prevent extra vibrations and leakage. The first focus would be the Control Room where the mixing console and outboard gear are contained. This is where all of the recording and mixing is controlled, hence control room. The acoustics in this room should be designed for hearing the exact sound that is being recorded or mixed. The sound of the room should be as natural as possible for accurate representation of the original sound translated to the speakers in the room. The first rule for an appropriate acoustically treated room is that there should be no parallel walls .If you were to clap your hands in a room with hard parallel walls you would here the sound bouncing back and forth, this is known as a flutter echo. This is neither good for recording or mixing. The trapping of unwanted bass is important for a room to sound great as well. Twenty five percent of the room should be assigned for bass traps for an adequate mixing room. Separate Rooms: Live Rooms The next focus of equal importance would be the Live Room where the music is recorded. This is where the musicians and vocalists perform on the microphones. Live rooms should have more versatility to be able to adapt to different recording situations. Wood floors for example are great for reflection of sound, which creates a brighter tone. If a warmer tone is wanted, one could simply place a rug on the floor. Many live rooms also have a great deal of glass to see between rooms for communication. This is also very reflective. Many studios use curtains to control the amount of reflections coming off glass or hard walls. Non-parallel walls are again needed to eliminate any flutter echoes. Some studios also contain a vocal booth within the live room. This would be a smaller room designed for vocals. They may also be used for guitar amps and other instruments. There are no rules for what this can be used for; its main purpose is for additional isolation during the recording process.

Glass doors or windows are used for visibility of the artists and those working in the control room. Many elaborate studios may have multiple control rooms and production suites. Lounges and proper bathroom facilities are important in keeping the creativity flowing.

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A dining area and kitchen are also a consideration if budgets permit. Many hours are spent in the studio when working on projects. It is important to have all the comforts of home to keep everyone happy. A few proper offices are necessary for the client to be able to have private internet access and to handle business without any distractions. All studios are designed differently. Whatever can be imagined can be created. There are no rules, only guidelines. Acoustics Sound is a wave, much like the ripples on a still body of water when a rock is dropped into it. The larger the wave, the lower the tone. Lower tones, known as bass frequencies, travel in wide long waves while higher tones known as treble frequencies travel in a tighter, shorter wave. Frequencies heard by the human ear range from 20Hz to 20K. Just as an indication, a piano’s range, probably the widest range of any instrument, is from 39Hz on the low note and 3Khz on the high note. Sound is measured in decibels also represented as dB. An average concert is about 95-100 dB while a heavy rock concert or hip hop concert could reach levels of 130dB. This is above the threshold of pain; so don’t forget to wear your earplugs which are designed to protect your hearing when in extreme sound levels. Interestingly enough, whales can actually produce levels of up to 180dB. It should be remembered that taking care of your ears is the most important thing you can do to prevent damage and have a sustained career. So don’t hang out with any whales and put some protection in your ears when exposed to loud volumes. Absorption is the act of a sound wave being soaked up by a particular material. This is measured by co-efficient ratings. The higher the sound absorption co-efficient rating, the more sound that is being eliminated from troubled spots in your room. Different section of the room may require different co-efficient ratings. Remember that studios start off as an empty shell. Hard surfaces and walls need treatment to provide for a great sounding room. For example, 20 gauge theater curtains are commonly used in studios. They consist of a thick velvet material, which is excellent for absorbing high-end frequencies. The thinner materials soak up higher frequencies. The thicker materials soak up lower frequencies. This is why thick bass traps are very large and contain ports or holes to trap low-end frequencies. The larger the port, the lower the frequency absorption. There are endless amounts of products and designs that are used in the industry. Wall panels are also commonly used to absorb sound. These are made from a fiberglass product wrapped in a cloth material. Various sizes and thickness are used for problem frequencies. Again the thin materials eliminate high end and thicker materials absorb low end. Reflection is the opposite of absorption. Think of the sound as a wave hitting a mirror and bouncing back. This can be used as an advantage for a brighter tone. If a room has too much absorption causing the room to sound too dead, hard surfaces such as wood panels can be placed in strategic locations to add a more live sound to the room.

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Some studios have reversible hanging panels that can be flipped between reflective and absorptive to change the room sound at will. For vocals the room may need a more dead sounding absorptive room. Drums may require a more live sounding room. John Bonham, from Led Zeppelin had an amazingly huge live reflective drum sound. This became the goal for the big Rock drum sound. Prince is underestimated as a drummer. He has a great tight drum sound on his first record where he played all of the instruments as well as the drums. The drums have just the opposite effect using absorption in a small tight room creating a very in your face heavy Pop drum sound. These are not rules, only guidelines. Using your ears is always the key to getting the best sound. Designing a studio is quite an undertaking to do professionally. Each room is completely separated and isolated from one another. The most common method is to actually build a room inside of a room. The inner walls do not touch the outer walls, which creates an air gap that traps sound. Each wall can be many feet thick and multiple layers of thick glass and doors divide the rooms. The floors in each room are floated from the ground with spacers that also create an air space to lower vibrations and help to trap unwanted sound leakage. All floors have different characteristics in the way sound waves bounce off from their surfaces. While wood floors have a warm tone, concrete and tile have a brighter tone. This also holds true for walls. A solid plan is needed to run cabling between rooms so that each room can be interconnected with each other for microphone signal lines and headphone communication systems. Custom made cable troughs or PVC tubing is used to send groups of microphone cables from a panel to the control room. From the control room the Headphone lines would be run through the walls for communication between all of the rooms. Materials and Tools Drywall is needed for walls. The more layers of drywall added will increase the thickness of the studio walls. By using varying thicknesses of drywall stacked and shifted, alternating at the seams will help minimize sound transmission between rooms. Many drywall screws and a good electric drill will definitely come in handy if you are building a studio. Fabric is used for making wall panels and ceiling clouds that control the absorption in the studio. There are specific fabrics that are designed for different frequency absorption. Each thickness and texture has varying co-efficient ratings at multiple frequency bands. AC Duct Board and other fiberglass products are wrapped in fabric with spray glue to create absorbing panels called Wall Boxes and Bass Traps. Thermal Fiber or Fiberglass Insulation is inserted in between two sets of walls and ceiling to create an additional thickness providing an alternate texture, containing fiberglass, which is superb for capturing sound.

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Sand is also an excellent alternative choice for filling walls to prevent sound wave transmission. Wood provides the skeleton for frames that hold the panels and boxes. Larger Bass Traps with large ports could be made from wood or fiberglass. RPG panels are a series of wooden slats mathematically designed to absorb and refract, or soak up and scatter sound inside a room. Wood can also be used to create custom racks to hold the outboard gear, console and patchbay. Custom studios can be designed for any situation and style. Doors, Walls and Windows Doors and walls are the single most important item where recording studio sound bleed is concerned. A small 1/4inch air gap at the bottom threshold of a door will release 30% of the sound. Creating airtight rooms are the first step in sealing all the gaps for optimum sound proofing. The transitions between where the rooms are connected have more possibilities for sound leakage. All corners, gaps and frames for door and window cutaways must be sealed with a silicon or caulking material. Keep in mind that if air can escape through any passage then sound will surely go through as well. Sarit Bruno manages content and editorial line for Audiofanzine AudioFanzine offers benchmark testing/reviews of products, software or instruments and articles of a tutorial nature, all of which are systematically illustrated by exclusive videos or audio extracts. Addressing a universal audience, both amateurs and professionals alike, http://Audiofanzine.com addresses musicians as well as sound engineers, home-studio recording enthusiasts, and audio and lighting engineers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarit_Bruno

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1. Please tell me a little about yourself? Who is Nick Moss ? Hi I’m Nick Moss aka Groove Assassin I’ve been in the game for 20+ years. Born and bred in Sheffield Steel City in the North of England, i was raised on a diet of Funk , Jazz Funk , Latin , Soul and Disco…all elements i try to utilize both in my productions and my Dj sets. Production wise I’ve worked for labels such, DEFECTED RECORDS , MN2S RECORDS,HED KANDI , STEREO SUSHI , MINISTRY OF SOUND , SOUL HEAVEN , JELLYBEAN , KING STREET SOUNDS & NITE GROOVES , GROOVE ODYSSEY , ROOM CONTROL amongst many other legendary house music imprints. 2. When did your career start? I started Djing at around about 14 with a couple of lucky breaks when i was 15. I started producing a few years later. 2.1 How did you get your start in the music business? My Djing was really kick started by a trip to Ibiza on my 16th B’day..i had a number of friends that

the summer one of which became friends with some British promoters who were running a night over there .. one thing led to another and before i knew it i had a summer residency there playing alongside the likes of Sasha , John Digweed , Danny Rampling , Slam , Alfredo and many more the next year i found myself back in Ibiza and filling in at Cafe del Mar for the legendary Jose Padilla... it was really just luck and meeting the right people at the right time. From there it was a natural progression into production and making tunes into it was something i’d always wanted to get into. 2.2 How had the internet changed your relationship with and to music and the industry? The internet changed things massively first and foremost the introduction of mp3 and its effect on vinyl sales is probably the key thing thats effected most producers and labels that were around say 15-20 years ago ..long gone are big budgets and healthy sales figures

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....but in a positive way it’s helped me spread my sound to a wider audience and made it alot easier to connect with my fan base , things evolve and you’ve just go to learn how to move with the times and embrace them. 3. which country have you visited through being booked and which is your favorite? I’ve been extremely lucky and travelled to a number of fantastic places around the globe , USA , Canada , Australia , Asia ,China , Japan, Indonesia , Malaysia ,Russia , Dubai , Abu Dhabi , Lithuania , Spain , Italy , Morocco , France , Ireland , Austria , Switzerland , Germany , Portugal , Georgia , Malta , Greece , Bulgaria ,Croatia , Holland , Belgium..it’s really hard to choose a which is favorite each country or place has been a different experience although im still waiting to hook up a South African Tour ..which could possibly end up being a favorite J 4. Do you use loops or prefer to program your beat from single hits? Depends on the project sometimes i may start with a loop then replace it later with single hits or sometimes may use a combination of both

5. What is the key ingredient in a track? breakdown? Style of production? Bassline? Kik and bass , its always the key ingredient if you get those right the rest usually flows. 6. When building a track how do you normally work? Do you start with the drum and build from that? I start by laying down the drums working round a small looped section then slowly expand once im happy with the groove ive constructed from there ill work the vocal in and start laying down some keys/bass ideas. 7. Do you mainly use analog or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analog makes a different? I use a mixture of both i have a few outboard synths/racks i use alot but also use alot of Internal AU/VST’s my outboard gear at the moment is , Korg Poly61m , Roland Jv1010 ,Emu Vintage Keys , Emu Proteus 1 they’re all old vintage pieces from 80’s/90’s all have great sounds and character.

8. Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring Speakers, headphones or Big, Phat and chunky monitors? I’ve been through so many pairs of monitors but i’d say it’s more the room or space you record you need to treat rather than your monitors whatever you decide get to know them inside out and reference other peoples tracks on them , i’d say you want flat response un coloured monitors.

9. what are the biggest barriers new producers face? Hardest thing is probably getting exposure and standing out from the crowd theres so many people making music nowadays as its so easy to do so ..but id say just stick to what you know believe in your sound and try network as much as possible to push your sound .

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10. How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend? Always professional route for me ! I know theres a handful of programs now available but id rather leave it to the professionals. 11. What do you believe is the secret to your success as a producer? Hard work ,passion, determination, self belief, open minded and stubbornness J 12. Any advice for the aspiring producers out there? Stay true to what you know don’t follow what other’s do... create your own style and vision ..keep pushing you sound then push it again no one else is gonna do it for you. Learn the basics , read , watch tutorials to help you move to the next stage , know your audience , stay one step ahead of the game.

GROOVE ASSASSIN BIOGRAPHY Nick Moss aka Groove Assassin has been in the game for 20+ years. Hailing from Sheffield Steel City in the North of England , Nick was raised on a diet of Funk , Jazz Funk , Latin ,Soul and Disco…all elements that he utilizes both in his productions and his Dj sets. One of the Wolrd’s most respected house music Dj’s and Producers, Nick’s original productions and remix work have appeared on such stellar imprints as , DEFECTED RECORDS , MN2S RECORDS,HED KANDI , STEREO SUSHI , MINISTRY OF SOUND , SOUL HEAVEN , JELLYBEAN , KING STREET SOUNDS & NITE GROOVES , GROOVE ODYSSEY , ROOM CONTROL amongst many other legendary house music imprints. As a Dj , Nick has a very versatile approach to music…. as intuitive as one might expect of a veteran who has watched the house scene go through so many different incarnations.

His style ranges from deep underground NY Garage to throbbing deep underground house to main room house music to straight up disco and funk classics , rare groove and soul – which is to say he truly revels in the diversity of this thing we call house music. His dj’ing credentials are such that’s he’s much in demand across the globe at the world top clubs delivering a very versatile catalog of musical genius. Regular appearances at the legendary CIELO nightclub in Manhattan New York – the stomping ground of such luminaries as Louie Vega , Blaze , FK , Roger Sanchez the list goes on . He’s also a regular over the summer seasons at probably the world most famous night clubs , PACHA IBIZA Playing for nights such as Eric Morillo’s Subliminal Session , David Guetta’s F*** Me in Famous , Roger Sanchez’ Release Yourself , Ministry of sound , Defected and many more of the most talked about nights in Ibiza, Nick has also graced many more of Ibiza finest clubs and bars including the world famous Café del Mar where back in 1992 Nick was playing a residency most Wednesday nights filling in for the legendary Jose Padilla. Nick also made appearances at Space , Amnesia , Summum , Es Paradis ,EL Divino ,Café Mambo , Savannah’s & Blue Marlin.

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In the UK Nick is working closely with Groove Odyssey & SVA ( Bobby & Steve ) and has appeared alongside Louie Vega & Kenny Dope @ the 02 Arena in London. Nick will be mixing and the forthcoming Groove Odyssey compilation and Dj’ing at the launch party alongside’ Little Louie Vega (Masters at Work) ‘ on the 31th March 2013 @ Minsitry of Sound , London. Nick continues to tour the globe spreading his soulful deep house sound to the masses and beyond .. he’s rocked around the globe in countries such as , USA , Canada , Australia , Asia , Indonesia , Malaysia , Japan ,Russia , Dubai , Abu Dhabi , Lithuania , Spain , Italy , Morocco , France , Ireland , Austria , Switzerland , Germany , Portugal , Georgia , Malta , Greece , Bulgaria ,Croatia , Holland , Belgium. Nick’s up and coming gigs for 2013 so far include: Australian/Asia/Indonesia/Malaysia Tour (April) South American Tour / East & West coast USA Tour / South Africa / Italy / Spain and a handful of other European gigs. Nick is in high demand for Dj mix album compilations and has already mixed some high calibre album projects : Groove Assassin artist album project for MN2S Records (Groove Assassin in the Mix) (Mixed & Unmixed) featuring all Groove Assassin Remixes & Tracks. A artist mix album project for King Street Sounds / Nite Grooves (Groove Assassin Soulful House Journey) A double DJ Mix compilation album Project for Groove Assassin Masterclass for Seamless Records. Nick has a hectic studio roster of remixes and original tacks and has worked/working with talents such as Kenny Bobien , Stephannie Cooke , Robert Owens , Mina Jackson , Dj Spen , Jason Walker , Pete Simpson & Johnny Dangerous and many more well recognized artists on the house music scene. For all info & booking contact : info@grooveassassin.com WEB: www.grooveassassin.com Nick Has released and had his music featured on labels such as : DEFECTED RECORDS, STEREO SUSHI, HED KANDI, EL DIVINO RECORDS, MN2S, JELLYBEAN SOUL, KING STREET SOUNDS, CODE RED, NITEGROOVES, SOUL, HEAVEN RECORDS, HOME RECORDINGS, FALL OUT RECORDS, DEEP HAVEN, SOLID GROUND, GOTTA KEEP , FAITH, SUNSOAKED, TEMPOGROOVE, NRK MUSIC, MINISTRY OF SOUND, SEAMLESS, APPLE FUNK, BOLSHEVIK,

UK PROMOTIONS, AUDIOWHORES, WORD OF MOUTH, NU FAZE, ROTGUT, REELGROOVE, 4th FLOOR RECORDS, LOOK AT YOU RECORDS, TRANSPORT RECORDINGS, BLACK VINYL RECORDS, GLASGOW UNDERGROUND, DEFENDER RECORDS, JAZZU For Bookings Please Contact : info@grooveassassin.com

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The Emulator transparent touchscree n mixing desk puts DJs center stage

While traditional mixing desks can bury DJs behind bulky equipment in a dimly lit corner of the club, this transparent, 46-inch multi-touch system from software development company Smithson Martin puts the person spinning the discs - or in this case the touch display - front and center. Billed as the "world's first and only multi-touch midi controller PC software for professional DJ and music," Emulator is a MIDI controller that shows all the information on one single screen and gives the user a colorfully lit display of all tracks and controls.

The Emulator features 130 controls covering all the usual functions of DJ'ing (of course there's no need to lug around your old vinyl) and the screen is made from durable toughened glass - useful if a disgruntled raver hurls a beer can in your direction. Being seethrough, the set-up also adds an extra dose of audience interaction to the whole process as the crowd can watch you mix, add effects and loop tracks ... and hopefully applaud you in the process.

Lorem Ipsum The MIDI controller PC software is designed for Windows 7 (a Mac OSX version is currently being developed) and right now it only works with Traktor Pro. Smithson Martin says that Emulator for Ableton, Serato and Virtual DJ are currently in development. The minimum system requirements are Windows 7 Home Premium or better (32/64 bit), Dual Core 1.3 Ghz CPU, 1 GB RAM and an ASIO sound card (though 4 GB RAM and Native Instruments Audio2DJ sound card or better are recommended).

The whole shebang comes with the multi-touch screen in 32", 42" and 46" versions, Emulator Software, stand and projector mount, 2200 lumen short throw projector and technical support. Depending on which size screen you choose the full package Emulator costs between GBP4,300 (approx. US$6665) and GBP5600 (approx. US$8680). Custom sizes are also available by request and the stand-alone software for use on your own tablet or multi-touch device costs US$249.

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Rosy 1. Tell us more about rosy “Rosy” is an aspiring female dj from Pretoria (Attridegville). Born 1990 September 21st, Rose Kabelo Ngoepe otherwise known as “Rosy”, originate from Limpopo (Ga-‐matlala), I later relocated to Pretoria during my early life spent with my sister and brother who introduced me to house music. Fascinated by music since my childhood it was only a matter of time before I start collecting and playing house music as a hobby during my high school days that got me of the streets, my love and affection for music began then. Little did I know that one day I’ll end up being madly in love with the genre of house or let alone be a dj! 2. How did you get your start in the music business? I’m inspired by the likes of Christos, Anane Vega and Vinny da vinci and just to mention a few, I started deejaying in 2010 through various deejaying software’s while studying information technology (software development) at the Tshwane university of technology. My first mixing experience was through software based programs then i later began playing with other deejaying equipment. 3. which province have you visited through being booked and which is your favorite?

Unfortunatly I haven’t played outside the boundaries of Gauteng, but I would love to play in kwa-‐Zulu Natal soon 4. How did you get your start in the music business?

I’ve always considered my self a “socialist”, for that I used to attend and help coordinate a lot of events whenever possible with the hope that one day

I’ll also be given the chance to show case my skills. And eventually I got my breakthrough in a pub called skibakiba in Soshanguve, from that I manage to meet a great team of djs /producer. Together we managed to establish a production company called Ace Ends productions. The company offers event management, multimedia and other I.T services. 5. How had the internet changed your relationship with and to music and the industry?

for me the internet has completely changed the way we listen to music, the way we purchase music and in some ways changed music itself. Artist djs and producers made money from albums sales, gigs and touring, those albums were of great quality but lacked the ability of easy access to the music fans. But now people in the music industry can expand their reach and musical influence very quickly via the internet, especially those that aren’t signed to any recoding labels or don’t have distributors. 6. What is the key ingredient in a track according to you? breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?

it will definitely have to be the baseline, in all songs the baseline usually support and define the rhythm of you track so that your listeners can get a feel of what the producer was actually trying to accomplish, but am loving what most of our local producers are doing at the moment. Perfecting on the

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keys and being more instrumental, I prefer a bit of minimal house and tribal music. 7. what are the biggest barriers new Deejays/producers face? The obvious case would be breaking through the industry, more and more djs are starting to take their deejaying careers seriously which leads to a bigger number of competition and their music being sold illegally 8. How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?

I believe that all songs should be mastered before a producer can even think of releasing, there is nothing that beats a high quality rated song no matter how dull the beats might be, people should understand that in order to make money you have to spend money. To improve their music producers have to get professional mastering for their music. And the advantages of that is also getting mastering engineers to apply corrective equalization and enhancement where ever mistakes were made during production .I’ve recently started learning more about production but I don’t think me mastering my own song would be that effective. I would recommend software such as Pro tools, quality monitor speakers and vst’s such as soundgoodizer . 9. What do you believe is the secret to your success as a Deejay/producer?

Vast faith, hard work and determination 10. Any advice for the aspiring Deejays/producers out there? music is something that comes from the heart ,its not just something you can do easily, so I give credits to all producers and djs that take their time and efforts in creating good music either though big recording studios or in their mini-‐bedroom studios, they should give their music more time until the song reaches its biggest stage while exploring new sounds and also as dj or producer you should always strive to get recognition through you own unique style and sound, build a brand based on that style and take it from there. Don’t try to hard and always remember the simples songs are usually the most powerful.

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Universal Audio Apollo 16

16-channel high resolution audio interface Universal Audio's popular high-resolution Apollo interface is souped up with Apollo 16. The new interface features 16-in, 16-out interfacing over firewire, and thunderbolt (via and optional expansion card) with UAD signal processing. Two units can also be cascaded to provide 32 inputs and 32 outputs simultaneously. More information from Universal Audio follows. Press Release: Universal Audio (UA), a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording hardware and software, is proud to announce the Apollo 16 Audio Interface. Delivering world-class conversion with 16x16 analog I/O, this uncompromising FireWire/Thunderbolt-ready interface combines superior sound and flexible routing with powerful onboard UAD-2 QUAD processing. With its professional DB-25 connectivity and multi-unit cascading for up to 32x32 analog I/O, Apollo 16 sets a new standard in high-resolution recording with classic analog sound. “Building on the success of the original Apollo interface, the Apollo 16 is our flagship audio converter,” says Bill Putnam Jr., Universal Audio founder and CEO. “Its sound quality and scalability make it ideal for pairing with mixing consoles and outboard preamps, and the ability to track through UAD plug-ins in real time provides powerful sonic options for professional studios.” Building upon decades of UA hardware expertise, Apollo 16 features meticulous analog circuit design, top-end converters, and DC-coupled outputs — providing the lowest THD and highest dynamic range of any converter in its class. Apollo 16’s deep, wide soundstage and exceptionally open and transparent sound makes it the ideal centerpiece for professional recording facilities. With its standard UAD-2 QUAD processing onboard, Apollo 16 allows real time processing with UAD Powered Plug-Ins — with as low as sub-2ms latency — so recordists can monitor, audition, and “print” audio through stunning analog emulations from Ampex, Lexicon, Manley, Neve, Roland, SSL, Studer, and more. Apollo 16's onboard UAD processing is also available during mixing and mastering, so that music producers can employ UAD plug-ins (VST, RTAS, AU) throughout the creative process. Apollo 16 boasts straightforward 16x16 analog I/O via convenient DB-25 connections. Two Apollo 16 units can be cascaded over MADI for an expanded system with eight UAD processors and 32x32 simultaneous analog I/O, capable of handling large professional mixes. Dedicated XLR monitor outputs and stereo AES-EBU digital I/O round out the Apollo 16’s rear-panel audio connections. Apollo 16’s routing capabilities include four stereo cue mixes with individually assignable outputs, and a new “Virtual I/O” feature that allows for Realtime UAD Processing of DAW tracks and virtual instruments. Apollo 16 also offers compatibility with Intel’s high-bandwidth Thunderbolt technology on Macs via a user-installable dualport Thunderbolt Option Card (sold separately). Thunderbolt provides greater UAD plug-in instances, improved performance at high sample rates, and reduced UAD plug-in latency in the DAW versus Apollo’s standard FireWire connection. Shipping in the second quarter of 2013, Apollo 16 will carry an estimated street price of $2,999US. Apollo’s Thunderbolt Option Card is now available for an estimated street price of $499US.

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Sanele Hlongwane AKA Langabi 1.Please tell me a little about yourself? Who is Sanele Langabi?

I'm Sanele Hlongwane(on Twitter: @djlangabi) a young 26 year old house Dj from a township near Durban called Clermont who is passionate about music, my friends name me Langabi after we accidentally burned down few shacks so they said I'm hot on the decks and also burning things even when I'm off the decks. I'm currently a resident dj on Gagasi FM on Thursday’s at 5pm on The afternoon Show Off hosted by Tp & Thandolwethu I do mixes. I'm a down to earth guy I love spending time with friends and family. 2.When did your career start? started deejaying around my township using a Hi-Fi I think 2003 or 2004 I was playing at weddings and parties then in 2005 I started doing it professionally using cdj's & a mixer, it was myself and a friend of mine Siya we taught ourselves how to deejay.

3.How did you get your start in the music business? In 2008 tavern & Club owners started to invite me to their events to play for them, I used to go to the local radio stations like DurbanYouthRadio, Nandafm,VibeFm to try get my name out there & people loved my style them I got more bookings also won a Dj competition called So You Think You Can Mix which was hosted by Gagasifm & Cash Crusaders which helped me a lot getting the recognition I needed. 4. How had the Internet changed your relationship with and to music and the industry? It played a big role it made things easy for me like spreading the name far and faster then before coz now I have friends overseas who download & my mixtapes. 5.which province have you visited through being booked and which is your favorite?

I've been around places like Eastern Cape, JHB, Cape Town & even outside S.A to Swaziland where I played at Swaziland's 40 years of freedom cebration also included the King of Swaziland's 40th birthday, my favourite place to be has to be KZN & JHB so far.

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6.What is the key ingredient in a track according to you? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?

It has to be a bassline if a track has got a good bass then I'm happy, my fav is Soulful & Deep but I play what ever feels good to me it doesn't matter if its Acid,Garage,Commercial or Deep as long as the track is good then I play it. 7. What is the biggest barriers new Deejays/producers face?

To the young dj's nothing can stop them from spreading their names we now have the internet which is a powerful tool of communication they should use it, we also have community radio stations they also give platform for the young & upcoming dj's but doing drugs will be the only downfall for them, for producers it getting their tracks playlisted on the radios stations which not easy. 8. How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?

It is very important coz you don't want to give us music that's not good quality, how can we take you seriously if you can't even respect your own music but if you can master it yourself & do a good job at it then why not production wise I'm still new so can't really comment about that. 9. What do you believe is the secret to your success as a Deejay/producer? I believe it respecting my music 1st & respecting your fellow deejays young & old being humbled can take you to places you've never dreamed of. 10. Any advice for the aspiring Deejays/producers out there? Keep pushing never give up on something that you love each time you try you getting closer & closer to your dream, hang around positive people who inspire you never lose focus and for the producers try to approach people who have already made it in the industry and let your work speak for itself send sample and upload your music on all these music sites.

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Korg erupt with Volca analogue synth series New Volca series offers rhythm station, bass and lead synths

Building on the success of their Monotron and Monotribe analogue units, and drawing inspiration from the recently announced MS20 and classics such as the Electribe, Korg have introduced a new series of batterypowered analogue synths with built-in sequencers. The new series, called Volca, comprises three different flavours of synth, informatively named Volca Keys, Volca Bass and Volca Beats. All are MIDI syncable to one another and to a DAW, and can also be player via MIDI. More details will follow along with a product video from Musikmesse. I'm sure you'll agree, these new synths look very tasty. In the meantime, here's a little more from Korg. Following the Korg monotron, monotribe, and MS-20 Mini analog synthesizers, we now announce the new volca series. It's a new lineup consisting of three units: the volca keys lead synthesizer, the volca bass bass synthesizer, and the volca beats rhythm machine. These units deliver unlimited enjoyment with carefully selected parameters that let you create a diverse array of fat sounds that can be obtained only from an analog synthesizer, and a loop sequencer for intuitively generating phrase performances. You can use multiple units in tandem, or together with your DAW. Battery operation and built-in speakers mean that you can play anywhere and anytime. These are the next-generation analog synthesizers, bringing you the ultimate sounds and grooves with ease and depth. Availability: September 2013. Price TBA.

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