Messages

16

SYNTHESIZERS + SOUND-MAKING HARDWARE / Re: recommendations for a phono pre-amp

« on: February 14, 2011, 06:38:25 pm »

well after much reading on various forums etc i've settled down for the cambridge audio 640p which is a solid state preamp that was cheaper than the bellari but is meant to sound extremely good. it's on its way right now and i will receive it in a few days.

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summary.php?PID=29

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SYNTHESIZERS + SOUND-MAKING HARDWARE / Re: recommendations for a phono pre-amp

« on: January 27, 2011, 06:20:27 pm »

thanks a lot, that looks ideal indeed. not many distributors in europe though but one merchant on ebay. that should do:-)

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SYNTHESIZERS + SOUND-MAKING HARDWARE / recommendations for a phono pre-amp

« on: January 27, 2011, 10:15:01 am »

19

THE FUTURE OF THE MUSIC BUSINESS / Re: CDs are dead (almost)

« on: November 10, 2010, 12:36:46 pm »

I think it's interesting to hear different points of view depending on age and tradition. When I first started to listen music, cds didn't exist and vinyl was the obvious format. So I guess i still play them out of tradition. Nevertheless, vinyl appeal to very different people now and I think its 'success' is not only due to the sound and object-ness but also because it's the least abstract way of playing music at home. Where downloads are kind of virtual, the listener has an 'experience' by dusting off the vinyl, putting the record on the turnable, listening to the crackles of the needle, etc etc. Their is a unique physicality involved.
I remember somebody I knew in the 80's who would buy vinyl and would record them straightaway onto reel to reel tape. I figure out that for this person listening to music was a very involved act...
Regarding cds I buy them mainly to support artists and labels and I try to avoid itunes and such like the take a huge chunk of money out of the sales. But I think globally people will buy whatever is more practical ie downloads or stream services. As mention above most people don't hear the difference between compressed and uncompressed and anyway listen to their music on poor quality earbuds and/or in their car. No need for cds really.

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OTHER MUSIC / Interesting new Eno interview

« on: November 02, 2010, 07:43:26 am »

Some interesting things said + stream of the full album

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130918991

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OTHER MUSIC / First music from forthcoming Brian Eno's album

« on: September 30, 2010, 07:11:27 am »

http://brian-eno.net/listen/

 

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STUDIO + RECORDING TECHNIQUES / Re: Opinions regarding mastering, eq etc.

« on: August 29, 2010, 05:10:40 am »

There is another important feature for mixing in Ableton that is really noteworthy and it is to incorporate the racks in your workflow. For a start it keeps things tidy- I usually use two racks in series for each track: one for syth+processing or just processing if it's an audio sample and one for the mixing strip. That way I can collapse the racks as I wish and it make the sound design and mixing process much more efficient and quick. But more interestingly, using nested racks in parallel can be very rewarding. The most obvious use of parallel racks is parallel compression. Something accessible from other plugin, easily emulated here. To go further, I have made an M/S rack that allows me to treat the M or S part of the signal with different plugins or chains. Sometimes I add distortion only on the S part of a track or compress more heavily the M part. The possibilities are really endless. As you may know you can rack up 128 racks into one rack and so on in each of the 128 racks. The racks create a very modular environment that can really enhance the possibilities of Ableton native plugin when chained up either in series or parallel.
I hope this will be useful for you.

23

COMPUTER MUSIC / Re: linux?

« on: August 16, 2010, 06:52:48 am »

There is an interesting article written by Kim Cascone about a year ago in CDM (http://bit.ly/dC1my9) where he talks about why he's moved from an apple to a linux rig and how he's managing it.

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STUDIO + RECORDING TECHNIQUES / Re: Opinions regarding mastering, eq etc.

« on: August 13, 2010, 06:34:29 am »

Hi Tom,

that's a lovely track and a lovely video too:-) I can't comment so far on the quality of the mix because listening on crappy headphones right now but will listen on proper speakers tonight.
Maybe there is something you don't know about the Ableton EQ but you can use it in 'hi-quality mode' (oversampling) and it sounds much better - please don't feel offended if you knew that already. It works also in M/S mode and that can be great to enhance the soundstage of some instruments.
Also I feel that getting a good mix with Ableton plugs only is perfectly achievable. As Chris said above, it's the operator most of the time:-)
Combination of Ableton saturation/erosion/vinyl plugins in very moderate amounts can do wonders on cold sounding instruments also and is very effective sometimes.

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SELF PROMOTION / Pascal Savy "The Endless Seasons" [Field Noise Records]

« on: August 04, 2010, 04:09:01 am »

"The Endless Seasons" is an experimental ambient project by Pascal Savy and Toshikatsu, who worked together on creating music and lacquer incense cases. All tracks have been produced by Pascal Savy, upon conceptual propounding by Toshikatsu. The incense cases have been designed and hand-crafted as a series of four over a year period. This release explores the concept of Japanese seasons within the realm of imagination, and their instrinsic absence of absolutes.

Tracklisting
1 - Watching Dew
2 - Sunlit Cloud
3 - In Fading Light
4 - The Colours of White

Download and info
Release date : 30 July 2010
Label : Field Noise Records
Format : free mp3 download
License : Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Produced by Pascal Savy (March-July 2010)
Mastering by Christopher Leary @ Melograf Mastering (July 2010)
Artwork by FNR

Contact
Field Noise Records

26

COMPUTER MUSIC / Re: McDSP Analog Channel

« on: July 23, 2010, 06:14:40 am »

Thanks for your replies, really appreciated. Yes I am looking to add something warmer and textural  to my sound and so far have only use native plugin on my DAW to achieve this, but keen to experiment with console emulation and tape saturation type things. l'll give a try to this McDSP plugin when it is released in AU format.

27

COMPUTER MUSIC / McDSP Analog Channel

« on: July 22, 2010, 08:40:36 am »

Hi,

I would like to know if anybody has any experience with the Analog Channel plugin by McDSP. It's an analog pre-amp/tape emulation that runs on ProTools but soon to be released as an AU plugin, which I'll then be able to use as I don't have ProTools.

I know that people on Gearslutz keep praising it but I have the feeling they work mostly with drums, guitars etc.

I was wondering if anyone had used it for ambient and microsound music.

Thanks

28

FIELD RECORDING / Re: vanishing quiet spaces / Gordon Hempton interview

« on: July 09, 2010, 07:09:29 am »

I feel the same about traffic noise being "forced" upon me and try to enjoy as much as I can "silence" where the more minute sonic elements can combine and develop free of cars etc.

Reading comments about the traffic noise from a long distance turning into "nice" drones, I thought about this beautiful release by Wieland Samolak from 1993, that some people might be interested in (http://monolake.de/releases/ir-01.html)

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STUDIO + RECORDING TECHNIQUES / Re: Acoustic treatment question

« on: May 25, 2010, 05:35:47 pm »

Hi Chris, thanks for your reply. I have actually looked at the acoustic treatment section on the gearslutz forum and learned a lot from there:) I should receive 3 panels very soon and will add bass traps after, if I can. Do you think that the 4-inches Auralex foam wedges panels are up to the task for good bass trapping?

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STUDIO + RECORDING TECHNIQUES / Re: Acoustic treatment question

« on: May 24, 2010, 10:34:35 am »

thanks Taylor! I'll get those panels in and treat the mirror positions first and see how it goes. Probably some bass traps afterwards...