I have scheduled meet up Number 2. I am still in the confirmation stages with speakers and such, so let me get that to everyone in a bit.
I will be out of town for a while – so don’t have any of those crazy thoughts…
Instead, here is your task: Make a killer rhythm loop out of nothing more than a dog bark and the vocoder.
PS – Get ready for Max and Serato for 2010!
Yes, there is an update.I have not been able to download and work with it – or found the change log (yet). But today is a busy day and I am on a big project for the next 10 days. So if you don’t hear from me I am okay! I will be posting a catch up early November.
I hope nothing BIG happens between now an then!
Courtesy link : http://www.ableton.com/latest_versions
Found a change list : http://rekkerd.org/ableton-updates-live-8-and-ableton-suite-8-to-v8-0-8/
Week of 19October2009 “Bring the Cold” Edition : The weather is chilling up out there and that means my tube amps and power supplies will turn into heaters instead of the summer sweat lodge.
Events:
Next Meet Up is 22November2009 at the Walnut Room. Watch for the official Post! Put it on your calender right now!
Friday 23Oct2009 at the D-Note [[[http://dnote.us]]] Darren Kramer is live with Live (Ableton). Darren’s site. Here is a snippet:
“ELECTRIC QUARTET” Latest Release! FEATURING “Electric” Horns and B3 Organ. PERFORMING Original Funk, Jazz & Soul A brand new 4-piece DKO group that primarily features improvisation and the use of high-tech electronics and loops to create innovative sounds and unique textures.
Beta 23Oct2009 : Mochipet @ Beta BPL w Spectre & Ale Fillman – info at Facebook
Via Gear Junkies : At this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), 365LIVE and Media Satellite present a series of workshops and audiovisual jam sessions, including an introduction to Ableton Max for Live, a fully integrated tool kit for making your own instruments, effects and extensions in Ableton Live 8. More info is available here.
Various
If you are not aware of http://www.remixcomps.com you should be. If you are an infected mushroom fan there is a remix comp going on right now.
2010 Bent festival calling for performers – goto Matrixsynth for information.
Matrix Synth has this link on how to build a synth. I looked over some of this and found it slow moving but interesting. The content is hard to move along without either getting boring or wooshing by too quick. Why do I mention this? Because there are so many people pushing synthesis with no idea of the roots or principles of synthesis (Did you know that a Hammond organ tone wheel is a mechanical synthesizer or additive synthesis)
What is a vocoder? Here is the answer, vocoded of course.
Visually
Hey! Ableton Tweets has a new (?) site up at http://abletontweets.com!!! and reminds us the Ableton is 10 years old!
There is a video titled “Mickey Mouse Abuse” I placed here. Well, here is an interview of Kamoni (the artist) on Phuq Radio
Beginning Max Demo (vimeo) “How do you make an application in Max” – Get yourself ready. The Fed’s or duct tape ain’t gonna help you! (Only you can prevent large bears from wearing park ranger hats).
max4live.info Tutorial: Beginning Max from max4live on Vimeo.
Here is Ma x applied to the game of life
Gif animation of the game of life.
m4l.lab.gameoflive from liubo on Vimeo.
Advanced Max for Live – “Live Paths, Objects, and Observers”
Max For Live Paths, Objects, and Observers from max4live on Vimeo.
Editors note on Max for Live: There is going to be a lot of fun out of the box stuff available, but I want to say that we are entering a world of programming with this application. Please send me notes on this topic. I am seeing traditional programming ideas in Max more so than any other software packages. I work in this field and I would love to talk more on the topic where it gets deep.
Official (?) sneak peak of Max:
Max For Live Sneak Peak from max4live on Vimeo.
Circuit Bending for beginners via Matrix Synth.
Hardware :
Flame, uhh. Get ready. Well, first off, these are the cats who make the “Talking Synth” (it uses a vocal processing chip instead of a traditional oscillator – way cool). Well, they have some amazing MIDI gear also. Start here the site is harder to navigate than it should be, but there are some real gems.
Live Block control surface (demo) by Livid. Really good stuff! Info via Syntopia.
Livid Block Control Surface Intro from Livid Instruments on Vimeo.
Is this hardware, hard wear, software, or soft wear? Regardless – This is cool, jump into your own (damn) control surface. . ***Not recommended for anyone with bladder issues***
Music "soft wear" - more here.
New midi controller series from M-Audio. From what I see, this is more like an update of the Oxygen series. I am not too clear on the changes – my use of M-Audio products is almost none. I welcome input or reviews! Send me a message.
Elextro Harmonix has released the Memory Boy “Analog Delay – 550ms of delay time with Chorus and Vibrato” . Fun stuff. These guys have a warm place in my heart.
Tascam, the steady hitters in the audio interface game have dropped another solid unit – the US-2000
the quote:
TASCAM has announced the US-2000, a new one rackspace 16-input audio interface that’s expected to sell for under $500.
Super major FYI here – Touchprone make a bunch of fringe MIDI and similar items. The ebay store – one handy unit is the In line sync start-stop – here is an auction link . This is somethin every MIDI person should know about. There are several companies out there producing, this is but one option for inline start-stops.
Software
Free Alterex VST’s (via Matrix Synth)
Free SPL attacker plugin (via gear Junkies) “SPL celebrates one year of Analog Code and give away one Attacker per computer.” Direct link.
Free Jazz Guitar pack for Knotakt via Synthopia. Pettinhouse has released WarmJazzFREE, a jazz guitar sample library for Kontakt.
Another case of “show your age” – Remember the Korg M1? In our part of town this keyboard was the total “cat’s meow” for live Latino music in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Well, here is a link for a free sample pack via Synthipoa.
Circuit Bent Sounds library via Synthopia here is the quote:
Loopmasters has introduced Circuit Bent Sounds 2, a collection of bastardized electronics, twisted circuits, rewired technology and warped audio.
Pretty cheap and tons of sounds. Check out this page also.
I do not think I posted this – “The Future of Ableton Live” – interesting twist that came via Synthopia:
The future of Ableton - inside the box!
Online Synthesizer – good job!!!
Personally
Well – I finished my Ableton Rig. This has been going on since February. My goals:
I have a ton of photos, I will be posting more information soon. This is one of my specialties – I mod gear, cases, controllers, etc and get TIGHT rigs together. My gigging key rig was always a total blast! My Ableton rig is even more killer. Here is a link to a Tumblog I keep regarding audio peripherals and technology. Watch for more links.
Finally – a minor blow to Denver. I am from NY also and aree with Oliver. However, there are a bunch of us whoare pushing the envelope.
Enough gear drooling, here is a nice tutorial for producing minimal tech house using Ableton. Enjoy and have a happy Friday in Denver!
What happens when you put APC40 and Launchpad together in Ableton?
My instincts tell me:
“Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling! Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes… The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!” [see audio clip]
or this
Preamble: Thank you to everyone who came out for meeting number 1. Our second is coming up 15November2009. As soon I get the press release worked out I will post the invites and such.
This is a super collection of the past 2 weeks. Business has kept me form collecting and formatting a post. So here’s to catching up.
P(re)S: I have begun putting some Ableton videos out. My first one is on the bottom of the page. Let me know what you think.
Ableton Land
Novation Lanuchpad Coverage: First, let’s get a first class “word ‘em up” to Ableton for keeping a secret. This came out of left field for me. Is this true for everyone else?
I am very interested in the build quality of this unit. Novation has a checkered history on some units and decisions. A live performance controller demands quality, reliability, and no foolishness. The price point ($200 street) raises my eyebrow. Ye olde mantra of “you get what you pay for” is not to be ignored. I see this discussion unfolding on the net in the coming months.
The Launch pad at the Novation site. Also as seen on Matrix Synth, Gear Junkies, and some Q&A on CDM
Big news on coming big news – the long fabled Ableton + Serato project. Back in the days of old (7 months ago) there we rumors coming from the Forest of Doom telling the townsfolk that the elves were working on bringing peace between the digital Gods of Ableton and ato. Not into the myth and story, all you need to know is here at Gear Junkies. The short version – 14January2010 at NAMM there will be a delivery of information
With each passing year I regret missing the AES show. Max for Live had an event event at AES 127 NYC – thanks Gear Junkies.
Wacom Table Theremin using Max for Live:
Off topic
Something Cute, how a Neuman microphone is born on YouTube.
Show your age, an interview with Thomas Dolby
Gear Watch
This will blow your mind resistive touch. Think ” the foundation of an amazing controller”.
Slow load but a lot of fun stuff here. Synth type of stuff…
Mark Mosher reviews DCAM synth Squad.
Via Gear Junkies Lexicon releases the PCM Native Reverb Plug-in Bundle VST / Audio Unit / RTAS Software Reverb Plug-in. The “PCM” caught my eye (pulse-code modulation) but a scan of the information shows no interesting connection. Hmm. I think we are dealing wit another kick ass reverb. Lexicon is hardly a bottom feeder in this field – so check it out!
The Eigenharp is out, I will give the ping-back to Latest Analog Suicide. I have been watching this unit for a while and I still do not know what to think. I am both pleased and fearful. I fear the return of the “one man band in the shopping mall” while I also applaud the innovative use of technology and a feeling of quality craftsmanship. Eigen Labs is the producer of this equipment. When you buy it can I borrow the unit?
Audio Damage is getting ready to release its first instrument. Rumor has it as a Drum Synthesizer. More info here.
Studio Electronics (my Filter of choice) has some sexy stuff, the Omega Series (get to know it).
Tech
Puremagnetik introduces Waveframe for Live 7 & 8 via Synthopia. “Waveframe is a an advanced wavetable synthesizer designed exclusively for the features of Ableton Live.”
Dj Jazzy Jeff on Serato and Ableton:
Free random panner plugin for Mac.
Nanoloop 1.5, running on a GameBoy, synced to Ableton Live. Cute, kinda funny, and ultimately important highlighting how much we can do:
Free Windows Arp modeled synthesizer.
The Crossover continues – MakingDJ frindly edits on Live via Synthtopia.
Designing Glitchy Sounds in Ableton Live:
Check out the 7 videos on using Ableton Live With Open Labs’ DBeat Music Production Workstation – strart at Synthtopia.
Reverse Reverb in Ableton popped up a few times – let’s give the credit to Synthtopia.
Propellerheads (regarding the Record program) have a good reference on EQ usage.
Oreilly on Windows 7 and music production. I have been running Ultimate 7 for a few weeks now and I must say, it runs really well. I have not put Ableton on it yet, but Cubase is running as good, if not better, than on a Mac. I am seriously impressed while still poised to dump all my Windows machines (my laptop is running Linux via Ubuntu), but Windows 7 may not be the “doom and gloom” we expect after the years of Vista. (sorry for some bias there – I got ska-ha-rewed)
More on Windows 7 and music production.
Synthtopia reports on this sample pack based on glass instruments.
Did you know M-Audio has a YouTube channel?
Audio to MIDI anyone?
More Ardour coverage. (Linux and Mac digital recording – good stuff!)
Electronic / Programming Video from Ableton:
As promised – my video #1 – Highlighting out of Ableton processing. The effects on the end of the video are pretty complicated. That is all out of Ableton – the current routing causes massive abuse on my Rane mixer. I have to limit that sort of fun until I build a circuit to bypass the Rane and emulate the signal flow.
In the business of the past 2 weeks the Fed’s (FTC) passed “Material Disclosure” legislation. In short, if you get paid to blog reviews you need to provide notice. Chicago Now has an approachable article on the topic.
So in the interest of full disclosure I will point out that I pay for all my gear, am not paid to support or criticize anything. In fact, I am the thorn in the side of most manufacturers. My adventures with Ableton involve a lot of [redacted] commentary.
Although I am more than ready to accept money, free gear, or a bottle of fine Scotch (preferably a Campbeltown Single Malt), this is not the case. If it were, I would disclose.
So in the spirit (pun intended?) of having nothing to disclose I wish to disclose some something:
With that said, email me or give me a buzz if you want to talk shop. Although I try to stay focused on the world of Ableton through this blog and user group, I am more than happy to help in cutting through the fog of glossy flyer, poor reviews, and advertising.
Well, last week was a killer! All the stuff I postponed to get to the meeting on time was due! No worries. A super-duper digest of coolness is coming! (See that Novation yet?).
Some Updates:
Watch for more and thank you everyone (now back to our previously scheduled programming and network administration)
