Ableton are currently offering the Dennis DeSantis Live Pack for free download. The pack contains a number of pads, electronic percussion samples and effects, and comes saved in ready to use Instrument and Effect Racks.
The pack also includes an instructional demo. As with any free stuff, it's definitely worth a look!
In terms of messing up sounds, Reason gives you limitless possibilities. That's what it excels at, and that's why I love it. You can start with a basic four on the floor beat and turn it into something unrecognizable, ugly or brilliant.
The beauty of Reason is, that even if you have no experience in creating beats of your own, your able to dive right in using Dr Rex, and can be mangling things in no time at all!
Check out these videos Read the rest of this entry »
Chevelle's new album, Vena Sera, has been in high rotation at my place since I picked it up. Awesome tracks, great tone, heavy and melodic. With that in mind, it's the perfect time to post Pete Loeffler's guitar rig. For me, his is almost the perfect setup. Simple, yet bruising. Starting with PRS guitars fitted with the stock HFS pickups, through a few effects, including a Boss PH-3 phaser and BF-3 flanger as well as a Tech 21 GT2, ending with the Mesa Boogie Mark IV head. The Mark IV is arguably one of the most sought after heads in the Mesa Boogie range.
Whilst the rig pictured here is from the "This Type of Thinking..." era, I believe his Vena Sera rig is quite similar, with the inclusion of a Fender Strat Baritone or two. I'm guessing a baritone guitar comes in handy when your tuning down to Drop A! If you haven't already, buy Vena Sera, awesome album.
For more details, check out Pete Loeffler's rig on Guitar FX Depot.
It looks like Apple and iTunes are now offering tracks at twice the bit rate of the iTunes standard.
Apple's iTunes store—in partnership with EMI—is now hawking DRM-free music at twice the bit rate of its standard fare (256Kb/s vs. 128Kb/s) and charging a $0.30-per-track premium for it. We’re all for DRM-free music, but 256Kb/s still seems like a pretty low bit rate—especially when you’re using a lossy codec.
I don't think I'm the only one to be saying "ABOUT BLOODY TIME!". I can say I have never bought a track from iTunes on the sole basis that I refuse to pay for something that is of a compromised quality. 128Kb/s still seems ridiculous, 256Kb/s will be a welcome change, but you shouldn't have to pay $0.30 more for it!
If you ask me, there just isn't enough Soundgarden love in the world. That put out some awesome albums, and Chris Cornell still has one of the most impressive, and expressive, voices in music. With his solo album due sometime in June, I thought it was time to step back in time to see what Soundgarden related things I had in the 'archive'. I found this old picture of Kim Thayil posing with his rig from sometime in the 90's. Read the rest of this entry »
If your interested in remixing or mash ups, sooner or later you are going to have to figure out how to calculate the BPMs of a track. Because I'm lazy, I usually do a quick google search for track information, sometimes you'll find someone else has already done the maths for you. Sometimes however, you'll have no choice but to sit down and figure it out the old fashioned way. Fortunately, you don't have to be a member of MENSA to figure out a tracks BPMs. At worst, you'll need a pen, paper and calculator.
Here is a simple step by step overview of how you can go about calculating the BPMs for any given track. Read the rest of this entry »
I can't say that I've ever thought about using my Driver's License as and Ableton Live Midi Controller, but then again, I guess I'm not this guy!
I don't really have a clue how or why it works, mine is not to question why I guess?
Maybe my stuff would sound a lot better if I played it using my license.
Whether you like his style of music or not, there is no denying that when it comes to guitar, Tom Morello is one creative dude! His tone ranges from crunchy rhythm, to something more akin to a turntable. Now that it looks as though Rage Against the Machine is getting it back together, he's sure to knock out some more of the same.
Here's a picture of his pedal board: Read the rest of this entry »
Well I was lucky enough to catch Nine Inch Nails playing the Metro in Melbourne on Sunday night. Awesome gig, marred by an ugly incident at the end involving drunken ass hat's, coupled with a couple of canceled shows in Sydney, it doesn't seem like Trent Reznor will remember this tour fondly.
Here's an article from a Brisbane newspaper quoting Reznor in relation to CD prices.
A SHOPPING trip has ended in a record label stoush for touring American, Nine Inch Nails rock star Trent Reznor.
In Melbourne for three sold-out gigs that ended last night, Reznor was furious to find his band's latest album selling for $10 more than other Top 40 CDs.
At his first tour stop in Brisbane, he demanded an explanation from a sales rep from his record label, Universal Music.
"He goes, 'Oh, because your packaging is a lot more expensive'," Reznor said.
"I know how much the packaging costs -- it costs 83c more to have a CD with the colour-changing ink on it.
"I'm taking the hit on that, not them. So I said, 'It doesn't cost $10 more'.
"He goes, 'You're right, it doesn't. Basically it's because we know you've got a core audience that's gonna buy whatever we put out'.
"I said, 'That's the most insulting thing I've heard. I've garnered a core audience that you feel it's OK to rip off?
Reznor made Universal staff buy their own concert tickets.
You can find the original story on the Herald site.
Stumbled across this on the CreateDigitalMusic site. A very interesting take on an old school instrument.
Imagine every single piece of gear you have on your wish list. Then imagine a baby grand piano, lacquered in white. Then imagine — you know, for the sake of practicality — you want to use the piano as a projection surface. And sound system. And then imagine you just mash all those ideas into one gear-packed baby grand piano, and you’ve got the beautifully freakish BabyGrandMaster.
