Linux side note – Launchpad getting ported to, you guessed it – LINUX! Here is the article. Relevancy? We got it. Her you go:
One day Ableton will run on Linux! (probably not)
The algorithms are getting more widespread and the “uniqueness” of Ableton is diminishing. This means open source software will start getting projects dialing in these ideas
Ableton is not the ONLY program.
Linux is Cool
I could go on, but I would be geeking out too hard.
FREE STUFF – some live packs on Groove Packs site – click here for a zip file. Get it while the link works!
Update: Meet Up – I am trying very hard (too hard IMHO) to get my date solid. Emails and phone calls are not being returned by my venue of choice. I am open to suggestions and moving ahead with to talk to a new club opening up in central Denver where I also have friends. The last Thursday of Sept is my date. I am sure many many people out there have dealt with clubs and club owners – it is like the exact inverse of a used car sales person (or put into mathematical terms : 1/(used car sales person))
Enough math.
# Some shows:
Vendetta Festival Sept 25-7 for the Gothic/Industrial inclined. The link. Some locally orientated acts such as Blackcell and Torso will be performing as well as nationals. Check out the line up, this is a 3 day festival at 3 different clubs. If I can make it I would love to see The Horrist at the Bar Standard. The Horrist (aka Oliver Chesler runs the Wire to the Ear blog)
BASSLAB 003 is this Friday (11sept) at Beta – local and otherwise will be thumpin’ – ( Future Simple Project, Fresh 2 Death, S.P.E.C.T.R.E., Project aspect, movax on visuals ++). For details here is the Facebook page.
The show of shows is happening, again in NYC the AES Conference. For music geeks this is the holy grail (yeah NAMM is cool but this is much smarter while NAMM is flashy). So if you are in NY October 9-12 2009 go check it out. In fact – Sweetwater is (was) giving away free admission.
Extendlive.com also has a free Operator download available at http://www.extendlive.com/?p=96 (site still crashing) “free give-away from the Presentation I held at the Ableton Live User Group in Berlin”
# Free Stuff
Line 6 if giving away the farm, the POD Farm that is. Go here and download a ton of plugins. Offer ends September 30, 2009.
Reason 4 is on the way and if you want $129 worth of free piano sounds go here (gotta get Reason 4 however).
# Content
Gear Junkies [article link] pointed out this cache of techno samples / loops from Click Produce – there are several different packs available to suite your style.
Need to get your Ableton Synthesis up to par (or synthesis in general)? Go here – tons of great videos. We have a lot of instructors in the Ableton group if you want some hands on time or geek talk. I am one of many synthesis people, drop a note.
# Gear Watch
Akai MPD18’s are hitting the street at $99. This is USB and MIDI (yeah) pad controller. What a great way to add a few more (velocity sensitive) pads. Check it out at Akai. The info out there is a little vague on the MIDI (5 pin) – but it appears to be real. I have been watching this item for a few months and I have almost 100% confirmation on the MIDI as well as MIDI over USB.
Also – Allen and Heath are shipping the Xone:22 – a 2(x2) Battle mixer at $299 street. Here is a Future Music link because the Xone site is not as good a resource (link). Here is what I like : 2 channel battle style mixer that allows you to flip phono inputs into line inputs making this a 2×2(x1), there are XLR outs (OMFG!), a real FX loop (OMFG again), and it looks like the unit will be InnoFader ready. (I have a support ticket into A&H on that item). The last ship date was 16Sept, that has been pushed back to middle October according to a phone call this morning.*
Joe at Home Studio Corner pointed out Drop Box here here. Dropbox is a file sharing site located at http://getdropbox.com where you start off with 2gb of room to share / trade your files (sound familiar?).
Hey everybody – did you know that The Walnut Room is coming to south Broadway? That’s right – the old Freaky’s on Ellsworth and Broadway (1 block south of 1st Ave) finally went up in smoke (literally) and The Walnut room is moving in – eta is Fall 2009. This has been going on for a while, but last week I went over and peeked the windows. Looking really nice! Map Link
And finally – the LAREST CONTROL SURFACE EVER! CDM got this to my digital doorstep : http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/09/02/gps-beatmap-ford-ltd-salt-flats-locative-driving-control-surface/. In summary – beats and sounds are overlapping and mapped via GPS. So you drive around the and mix is created. If you don’t get it – watch the video. This is a revolutionary idea for music and mixing. A living, breathing radio remix. This could prove to be very fun and interesting when you tie in your iPhone / similar device and have massive participation. Imagine directing a Flash Mob using this technology?
As always, if you know or see something let me know. Local Ableton, electronic music, and shows welcome!
Post script – did you upgrade to Snow Leopard yet?
* I am NOT a DJ, but I do use DJ Mixers in my rig (some are circuit bent). The DJ Mixer can add amazing real time control to Ableton – when you hot rod a little harder you can explore entirely new ideas.
Wacom is entering the market with nextbeat (slow page load) – an “instrument for creative DJs” source Gear Junkies
Open source sequencer based on Arduino (and other) chips – I ran the page through a translator, here are the bullets (more on Arduino below):
1.Hardware Step Sequencer
2.8 marks a 8 patterns each with 16 steps
3.Each track can have its own MIDI channel (input, output)
4.Internal resolution of 24 pulses per 1 / 4 note (PPQN)
5.Inclusion of external MIDI devices
6.External and internal synchronization (play, stop, resume, clock)
7.Modifying the sequence during playback
Open-source software concept
Programming by Arduino IDE
Based on Atmel ATmega1280
USB interface for communication with the PC / MAC
MIDI interface (MIDI input, MIDI output)
Silicon 28 buttons, 2 rotary encoders with confirmation and an LCD display
Apparently this bag is APC40 friendly – how do you transport your APC?
Okay – this is just plain cool! Do you know Otto? Hardware for real time slice sample control – take a look…
Mark Mosher from Modulate This found a great video on how Depeche Mode is using Ableton to real time process the drum needs. Forget about the performance and DJ types of things you can do for a minute. This is enabling more “studio trickery” to enter the realm of live music.
Have you seen the “Squarepushin on the APC” video? This is fun:
New friends? I hope so – I was selling a blade server this past week and the buyer turned me onto a company in Boulder named Spark Fun. In short – they are a technology company and offer free (online) and pay-for classes (in person) classes on a lot of circuit technologies. Do you need to get your soldering chops up? Are you about to enter the Arduino chip programming area (like me)? This looks like a great local resource!
Arduino is a physical computing platform based on a simple open hardware design for a single-board micro-controller, with embedded I/O support and a standard programming language.
Well, here is a simple starter project from Spark Fun for a MIDI controller. This unit allows you to control MIDI how ever you want. I am not sure if this guy (next video) is using such a controller, but this is essentially the building block. (beware, this will freak you out a little):
Until next time – spread the coolness and thank you.
If you are in Denver and need a power supply an don’t want to spend too much money here is your place to remember: Action PC. They are located just south of Yale on Colorado Blvd. Here is the site http://www.actionpc.com/.
They have bins (seriously) of power supplies and they are mostly $4.95 each. So the Boss power supply you just threw at a cat outside your apartment window may be gone forever but that doesn’t mean you have to cough up $20+ for the replacement.
Most (not all) of the barrel diameters (inside and outside) for the plugs are pretty standard. the 9v tip – ~500ma Boss adaptor is the same 9v tip – ~500ma used for a corledd phone, etc.
Do pay careful attention to what you are doing – there is margin for smoke and fire. Try not to get no-name power supplies. If there is any thing loose inside put it back. If you see melted plastic anywhere, don’t buy it. All common sense stuff.
I have a drawer of power supplies in my gear closet and I love it. I jst gave one away yesterday with some gear I sold and BLAMO, there was another one!
Action PC recycles computer stuff. If you are PC orientated (and there is some mac stuff too) this is a great place to know!
