Here’s the primer :

Open up any modern (hardware) keyboard and start Google-ing the bigger parts on the circuit board to begin understanding that not only are these (awesome) units built on 10-20 year old technology but the iPhone is considerably more powerful.

With that said we introduce products such as the Akai Synth Station

or the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer that I have posted several times on the MIDI Mobilizer, most currently here.

So what’s the problem now, right?

I just read a follow up article on CDM regarding this topic. This article ultimately falls in line with all the NDA protection and conjecture on the Apple policies.  Here’s a few quotes from CDM:

Here is a few lines from the referenced CDM article (this will cause brain pain):

The old agreement

3.3.24 Your Application may interface, communicate, or otherwise interoperate with or control an iPhone Accessory (as defined above) through Bluetooth or Apple’s 30-pin dock connector only if You have obtained a license for such iPhone Accessory under Apple’s MFi Program.

The new agreement

3.3.25 Your Application may interface, communicate, or otherwise interoperate with or control an iPhone Accessory (as defined above) through Bluetooth or Apple’s 30-pin dock connector only if (i) such iPhone Accessory is licensed under Apple’s MFi Program at the time that You initially submit Your Application, (ii) the MFi Licensee has added Your Application to a list of those approved for interoperability with their iPhone Accessory, and (iii) the MFi Licensee has received approval from the Apple MFi Program for such addition.

{via CDM} Apple is now allowing third-party apps to support those hardware accessories – provided Apple approves both the accessory itself, and via the accessory’s maker, the app.

I don’t want to discuss the inner workings of this statement, but it is clear that we there is some nasty stuff going on.

Let’s bring it around to the end users (you and me).

The iPhone (OS) and similar devices has the potential to revolutionize the synth, controller, and hardware industry 3 years ago. Unfortunately it looks like another 3 years is going to  pass before anything real happens.

Apple is not going to relinquish control for us greedy electronic musicians who are often much smarter than the other iPhone users and have a high density of hackers and programmers in the audience.  Roland and Korg are safe (for now) but the end may be near.  As soon as there is an established protocol and standardization for input/output on these devices the guitar pedal market is going to shrink considerably.  The number of effects on outboard pedals that can not be “virtualized” is pretty small.  Boss, as a pedal manufacturer, should be worried, very worried.

When some required changes finally take place here is my prediction:

• End users are going to grow the tool kit exponentially
• End users will need to sift through a market of mostly crap as weak programmers and (cr)app(y) development will dominate
• Large companies will be crushed as they lack the inherent required agility to shift with the market
• Large companies will further alienate users as they grasp to old ideas of revenue generation that do not work in the “app” market
• Boutique sales will slowly rise and dominate as the choice of professionals (tube, analog, and other similar choices)
• Smaller companies and blogs will become the resource of choice for those in the know
• Large “knock off companies” such as Akai, Alesis, Bheringer, and Novation will mass market popular choices that lack the quality professionals desire

I really don’t know what the future holds, but one thing is clear – the technology is moving faster than academic, corporate, and traditional media can keep up with.

It is up to us, the (Ableton and electronic music)  users, to make am impact and speak honestly and truthfully in all realms to keep music alive.

If we fail, the traditional stability of pedals, keyboards, and instruments in general will be suffocated by an influx of cheap China knockoffs, crappy apps, and bug laden software that crushes so many systems everyday already.

Well, 2 things I bumped into today from CDM (thx guys).  First is a release form Serato regarding the bridge. Some critical information is out!

Just hit this link: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/08/18/the-bridge-for-serato-and-ableton-public-beta-manual-available and you begin your travels through the manual and other fun elements.

Next up is (my hero) DJ Shiftee talking about practice.  Pay attention!

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2010/08/17/dj-control-details-on-denon-ni-novation-and-oh-yeah-practicing

That is all!

Ableton has released 8.1.5 for public download last night.

You can download it here.

A forum thread on the release.

View the Change Log.

Mark Mosher gets all the credit for posting this way way early in the cycle. Pay him as much browser love as possible because he is too cool!

First – Congratz to Ableton for, well, kicking ass : Ableton Voted Greatest Work Station and Science Fiction Novel of Decade!.

Okay, I was not telling the truth about Sci-fi novel…

In short, some 5000 votes on Synthopia.com said “You the one!”

I dropped this video in the Facebook stream.Get dialed in further on LPad using USER2 :

K4815 ready for action – if your into the whole euro rack thing…

Here is the opening paragraph:

As its premier offering in the modular synthesizer world, the K4815 Pattern Generator by Kilpatrick Audio packs incredible power into a small 20HP Eurorack module that offers virtually unlimited creative potential for modular players. The K4815 can produce notes and varying control voltages for a wide range of musical applications. Its unique approach to music creation is sure to have you finding new melodies and rhythms never heard before. Unlike a step sequencer, where the player picks each note in a sequence, the K4815 creates sequences by combining a scale, a visual pattern (as shown on the display) and a sequence playback motion to determine the rhythms and notes that are actually played. Other parameters can adjust the note and sequence length, as well as the transposition, direction of playback, and so on.

So there you go -  Thursday June 17th. I could not find a great link or copy. Contact me if you want me to forward the email over to you!

Personally I love 105 BPM.  I don’t know if that has any impact on the heat though.

Gonna hit on the “Game Changer” here for a sec.  In short “Meh”.

Ean Gold is someone to watch, and this is a great idea. When I put this item in perspective with my controllers (analog/digital/etc) this is no more than a novelty.

Again the Dicer certainly is cool, it fits a need, and I offer my props on that level.  The real question I ask is simple:

“Is the DJ crowd deprived of gadgets?”

Seriously, this is no more than a tightly packaged PIC micro-controller that is well thought out.  The polish that Novation added is the only real leap (packaging and marketing).  The “Game Changer” label certainly gets under my skin and contributes to (this editors) diminishing view of Novation.

Perspective : I first knew Novation in the late 1990’s when my friend Greg was repping and I managed an all synth/keyboard boutique.  But we are the jolliest buncha’ mean folks you may meet when we get on the “who sucks” discussion.

In short, the only gear I am not pissed off at is Nord and anything I have not owned.  (But there was a huge issues w/Nord about a year ago – but that was all US distribution channels).

Back to the Dicer, and in the scope of Ableton there is no “standard interface” like the turn table.  The APC is the only kinda’ almost, the Trigger Finger is also a good contestant.  So the universal “game changer” is probably not going to happen for the modern digital musician.

But this is not a sad note – “The Bridge” is coming. We are all hoping that this is a stable non-crashy release with some fun stuff.  This is going to close the gap on DJ-Ableton artists.  This is awesome!

On the note of “Ableton Artist” – is it DJ? I don’t like getting grouped with that crowd (I have never DJ’ed, so don’t box me in!). Electronic artist is not quite there, electronic musician is totally good but too long. What the hell are we?  There is a bunch of software nipping at the heels of Ableton and you certainly do not what to reference your trade by the name of the product (sorry Ableton). So what do we call our self?

The Ableton spectrum is HUGE – from folk to techno to dub-whatever to a bunch of categories I could not describe.

Electro-crunk-wobble-swing-remixed jazz changes? HUH?

So the point is clear – make your own game changer. I am working on my own game changer as I hook up with a crew who has a CNC machine (oh HELL yeah).  So if you ever wonder why I don’t do too many shows or gig like mad, I am usually soldering, programming, and plotting!

Other News

Fader Fox gets a rejuvenation. Check out this article form CDM, here’s a sexy image. The big change – USB!

File Under: I was wrong!

I was predicting apocalypse with “DJ Hero“. Well, we are still here! But now there is a new threat to society and our lives. It comes from the same concept.  As Mark Mosher reports – there is a real MIDI keyboard included in  the new Rock Band.

Is the the end?

Is doom near?

Mark has some great commentary as well, worth the stop.

Probably not. Here’s a video:

Follow up coolness – Mark is a synth guy (is it our age?). So much of his work touches me in that special place, you know, in the oscillator. Here’s something fresh on Modular Synthesis.

OMFG REMIX! Here’s a link for some Bass Nector Natives. Get them NOW! These don’t stay up long. Save time and go right for the stems HERE.

I gotta tell you – go out have fun! There is nothing really happening on my radar screen.  The iPad hype has faded, iPhone 4g is not really a gamer changer (LOL), and no new software releases are on the horizon.

Or is there…???

–Marc

PS new site on the way. New domain too.

So we had a killer turn out for ILL.GATES – thank you everyone.  If you need help or have questions send it into the community!

Some new friends and the whomp truck is in news.

Is this cool yet? Nope, I don’t think so. But not at Line 6’s fault (Jobs is the issue) There is no new media, no mention of iPad (a great gauge to the alert level of L6).

The new (Apple iPhone OS dev agreement still cripples this hardware / software app). Keep watchin, keep hoping, or maybe generation 2 iPads will fix it?

So how about an early trickle of one a slate on Android?

Minimal techno tutorial on YouTube via Dub Spot

Back to Android. There seems to be some ground being made into audio, CDM really gets it good in this article. The ALSA and other libraries are there and totally ready for  exploit. Android based multi-touch control is SOOO close – I would drop an iPad in a second for a good Android device (I want to hack). Until then I will use the iPad.

Swing it with your python hanging out Python based swing (thx Cache Flowe)

Some friends at ATX Ableton drop some comment on the Livid block.

I want to get High (pass filter) so High (pass filter) – I use high pass filters in my analog processing (post Ableton) with great success (thank you Borat)

FEA Labs is making a bunch of opto-compressors. I have not used this brand, but the collection looks nice. Dual band optical compressors are wonderful for Ableton as they can keep your sound stable after the D/A conversion.

Dual Band Optical Compressor-Limiter
Dual Band SMX Optical Compressor
Opti-FET Compressor

FFE Labs

Let’s drop some serious WTF on Opto

I can (and often do) lecture on compression. In general (and especially in Ableton) they are A-B-U-S-E-D!

Digital compression is a joke, sorry, it is true. Once you work with real compression (mechanical compression is best – using the room to settle your sound) or a killer strip or tube line or a dedicated unit you look at the digital versions as effects processors that mimic the real deal.

Now you can get a lot done with the digital versions, most modern engineering is done in the digital realm (enter Multi-band compressions aka mastering). But this is not the type of compressor I am talking about.

Optical compressors use light to compress the sound.

This is cool because you can not overdrive light (unlimited head room and range). A (real vacuum) tube or valve compressor is close. But the compression is essentially happening with the conversion of sound to a electrons (pure energy) in the context of the vaccum tube (Thermonic Transmission via Wikipedia). This is not optical compression. Although it is often sold as such (ART marketed some of the pre’s as optical at one point – they all got returned).

Here is result #1 and the explanation is not quite developed yet, so here is an a fast diatribe.

In essence your sound is converted to light (energy). No, not SPDIF/ADAT light, but a simple modulation of light based on your input signal.

In total darkness (or else things leak and sound bad) the light is transmitted in open air to an optical cell where it is captured. The optical cell is more or less a solar panel.

So your sound goes form controlled voltage (normal analog audio signal) to light (pushed through a LED let’s say) and the received by a solar cell. While your sound travels as light there is no way you can run out of head room in that environment. So by controlling the “gain” of light you compress or attenuate the signal as light where the curve, control, and performance is very easy to deal with regardless of your sound source.

Usually there is no attack, knee, or ratio. Most of my (many) optical compressors have 2 knobs – pre/post or input/drive.

The change is subtle, but when you are plugged in a loud speaker system or a picky input (no headroom) optical compression is the way to go.

The coloration is minimal, spikes are usually eliminated, dynamic range stays almost unchanged (as long as you are mellow and not driving signals hard). The optical compressor is just damn awesome for controlling your output as it goes from you D/A to PA.

This is very subtle stuff, but the investment is 100% worth it!

The number one place I used opto-compressors in my live keyboard rig was before and/or after filters. If you start stacking filters you can have certain freqs stack and gain 30, 60, 90db (yeah I said 90db,non-linear math my friends).

This would save the crowd’s ears from, well, being destroyed.

If anyone wants to mess around with opto-compressors contact me before the next meet up and I will bring a few. (I collect compressors).

I just got a question regarding how ILL.GATES used sample selection (pretty slick stuff) to “scan” through his 128’s.

It is not too obvious unless you really know your stuff in this area of Ableton.

So here is a walk through to allow you to get a “magic knob” to select samples inside the Sampler instrument/effect.

1. Drop in a MIDI track.

2. Drop an Instrument Rack on the MIDI track (this provides macros)

3. Drop a “Sampler” in the instrument rack. So everything should look like this:

4. Place your samples in the sampler. You can drag groups into the “Drop Samples Here” area. (ILL.GATES used 128 samples and the “128 term” because there are 128 “slots” as MIDI is 2×2x2×2x2×2x2 = 128.For the example I will use 4 samples and by the end you will understand how to use 2,4,20, 0r 128 samples.

4b. Open up the “Zone” tab and you should have something that looks like this:

Note : MIDI starts at zero!!! So 0 to 127 is the range! This is called “offsetting” or “zero offset” and is common in anything digital.

5a. Click on the “Sel” button / square to the left of the piano roll (“Key” is selected in my shot where “Key”, “Vel”, and “Sel” are grouped together).

5b. Initiate “Map Mode” and assign the area in green where the piano roll was to your macro. It should look like this:

5c. Close Map Mode.

6. Adjust the “Zones” (blue horizontal lines under the piano roll / sample selector area to be 1 (one) note and not all notes. It should look like this:

Helpful tip: Adding samples and adjusting the zones can be a pain. You can duplicate or alt/option drag to copy. This will copy the zones.  Then you can hot swap samples.  One of may approaches available.

7. Wrap it up! This step is IMPORTANT anytime you are NOT USING 128 samples.  This is also why macros help so much. Here are the sub-steps broken down:

A. MIDI Map your controller to the Sample Selector macro. You can use CC’s or a series of note values (make sure your series of notes are the same quantity as the number of samples you are intending to use).  Here is a shot of the MIDI Mapping on the Sample Selector macro:

B. Edit the range of your mapping to match the number of samples. Remember that MIDI starts at 0 (zero).  Or did I already mention that? Here is what is would look like mapping 4 samples starting at position 0 (zero):

Complete!

No, really, your done.  Now can scan through samples like ILL.GATES was showing in our recent workshop. (this is just handy stuff!)

I hope that helps! There are a number of features in the Sampler that are bitchin’ but this should get you over the hump real fast.  You will also need to have a MIDI clip running to hear your results, but that is another story all together.

–Marc
Electronic Music Missionary

[EDIT] Here is a great fast moving video that is the root of this post and discussion:

ESKAMON: “Fine Objects” – Ableton Tutorial by ill.Gates from ESKMO on Vimeo.

ILL.GATES this weekend!

22may2010 : City Hall

Start Time:    Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 9:00pm
End Time:    Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 2:00am
Location:    City Hall Amphitheater
Street:    1144 Broadway
City/Town:    Denver, CO fbook link

23May2010 : Ill Methodology Workshop (21+ @ walnut details Details and RSVP $50)

24May2010 :Ill Methodology Workshop (18+ @ woudl shop details and RSVP $50)

Pre pay using using this paypal address for ILL.GATES: thephatconductor@gmail.com or contact Ableton Denver with questions!

What to bring to the workshop.

Here’s The Phat Conductor:

ESKAMON: “Fine Objects” – Ableton Tutorial by ill.Gates from ESKMO on Vimeo.

Back to the post!

Brining improv back, this certainly does look interesting – improvisation is an area of great exploration and focus for m.  There are a few key elements worth noting:

-The basics – “Solo over form” and “what is form” in Ableton
-As a solo artist
-In conjunction with synchronization
-In the “live band” context and how to cue and communicate these ideas as well as scripting got them in the sheet music.

This is a great article form our friends over at Audio Tuts providing a help list for the “pre-mastering” stage. A good read or at least a good scan.

Damn, fabric driven controller, no seriously – if my fashion designer wife and I collaborated for the purpose of sound this is someplace we could visit:

fabricmachine from Kathrin Stumreich on Vimeo.

The Quote from Dave Smith (classic) :

“As I always say, as a designer, if you design something digital, you spend all your time adding slop in. If you’re designing analog, you spend all of your time trying to take the slop and the noise out.”

The full article is a group intervirew with Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Roger Linn, Jaron Lanier, David Wessel, Keith McMillan, John Chowning, and Max Mathews.

My iPad is coming (I know, I suck, 100% hypocrisy) Rather than spam out a full page of low quality vids of demos of apps here is the Top 25 according to Audio Tuts

Oliver found some Kaoss hacking – not my thing but kinda cool.

I am out for now! More in a bit! –M

Hello all – we are proud to announce that there is a second ILL.GATES workshop available for Monday May24, 2010 at The Would Shop.

Your RSVP link via Meetup.com.

This event is 18+ so bring your (not too) little brother or sister!

Don’t forget the ILL.GATES is performaing at City Hall (map link) on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 9:00pm. Facebook Event link and the CoClubs link.

About the ILL.GATES visit and his evening at City Hall!:

ill.Gates - http://mutimusic.com - http://thephatconductor.com
[Toronto][Muti Music, Amorphous Music/Child's Play/Om Records, Addictech]

ill.Gates is a Toronto-based composer, performer and educator. Over the past 15 years, he has established a global fan base and a reputation as one of the most dynamic electronic music artists around. He regularly tours across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Gates has headlined at such festivals as Burning Man, Shambala, the World Electronic Music Festival and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. He also has cultivated a thriving creative partnership with the San Francisco-based bass music icon Bassnectar, including a chart-topping remix of ‘Maximum’ by DJ Vadim that sold so fast the duo were accused of chart hacking. Please welcome ill.Gates back to Denver for another mind blowing bass fueled performance!

EPROM - http://eprommusic.com - http://myspace.com/eprommusic
[California][Surefire, Black Acre, Cloak x Dagger]

EPROM is known for his diverse, funky and energetic sets, which cross the lines between live remixing and manipulation of hip hop and dubstep with his own obscenely bass-heavy neurocrunk transmissions. EPROM has played alongside artists like Flying Lotus, The Glitch Mob, Skream, Lazer Sword, Kode9, Mochipet, Rustie, and many others. EPROM has worked with internationally renowned MCs and has slated multiple vinyl releases in the coming year. DJ supporters include Starkey, Jakes, Bassnectar, The Glitch Mob, Rustie, Megasoid, Zombie Disco Squad, Riton, Basement Jaxx, and BBC Radio One’s Mary Anne Hobbs.

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. - http://basslabmusic.com - http://facebook.com/spectrebeats
[Denver][BassLab, True Movement, Daly City, Dirty Circuit Records]

S.P.E.C.T.R.E. brings a diverse mixture of bass heavy music combining glitch hop, dubstep and beyond with a flare for the unexpected. His seamless blending of styles and tempos and on the fly mash-ups has made him a crowd favorite in Colorado. Co-founder of the BassLab crew, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. has built a large following from the infamous Jungle Labs warehouse parties, regular nights at Denver’s Beta Nightclub, and his mixtapes on the Temporal Fusion podcast. Recently S.P.E.C.T.R.E. has signed with Propa Tingz’ True Movement label and released the Bad Girls Go To Hell EP which is currently in the top ten charts on addictech.com