Love it, hate it, but Rap is one of the pilars of modern EDM (Electronic Dance Music). Hip Hop and rap were on the front of the modern electronic music production. This genre made sampling to an art! Ice-T’s documentary should be watched by everyone, … therefor!
Elektron has released OS 1.2 for the Octatrack. This major OS update adds, among other things, the Pickup machines. Pickup machines make the Octatrack function as a looper. Record, overdub, loop, reverse, time stretch and pitch shift loops on the fly. Automatic sequencer to loop sync makes it easy to blend pre-programmed Octatrack patterns with recorded takes. Pickup machines are great tools for guitarists, beat boxers, DJs and in general anyone wanting to experiment with loops.
Hookemon (Nick Hook of Cubic Zirconia) talks Novation’s new Impulse MIDI controller in this new clip filmed at his studio in Greenpoint, taking you through the makings of a Cubic Zirconia track and giving some insight on his live setup. Geek out, and be sure to grab Cubic Zirconia’s Follow Your Heart LP and the “Take Me High” single, out now on Fool’s Gold.
Native Instruments is offering a chance to win a trip for two people to witness the debut performance of Mostly Robot on June 14th at Sónar Barcelona. The lottery is open to everyone, and the winners will enjoy a four day break in Barcelona – featuring flights, accommodation, two full festival passes and a tapas meal with the band.
The new C2 OS v2.00 update will give your Nord C2 the same B3 organ engine and rotary emulation as the new Nord C2D. This includes the improved B3 Key Click (with an added Key Bounce menu setting, and an extra high Key Click level available in the Sound menu), improved B3 Percussion behavior, improved B3 bass response and the new 122 Rotary model from the C2D (in both close and normal mic-positioning).
Siesta Submarina is one of the more interesting contemporary techno acts that have emerged from Norway. His live sets are techno in the truest sense; deep, evolving, mechanic and yet strangely human. Improvising when performing, while always keeping a keen ear on detail and rhythm, are inspiring trademarks of his.
Zki & Dobre (known by other aliases, but most well known as The Goodmen and Chocolate Puma), are a Dutch house music duo from Haarlem, Netherlands. They comprise Gaston Steenkist (“Dobre”) and René ter Horst (“DJ Zki”). They have produced multiple dance hits under various group names since the early 1990s. For their upcoming compilation Pssst Music Assorti 1 they went up to their studio’s attic in search for some old master tapes. Doing so, they stumbled upon some old studio equipment they have been using over the years. Watch the video and see all the great goodies they have used, that we’ll all love!
Alex from Source Distribution (UK) gives us a comprehensive run down on the almighty, Moog Minitaur analogue synthesizer – featuring 2 oscillators, the classic Moog ladder Taurus filter, MIDI and CV. Perfect for stage or studio. This new synth from Moog is by now worldwide available.
Today a sad episode of our ‘Something for the Weekend’ post. Today, friday, we got the news that Adam Yauch a.k.a. MCA from The Beastie Boys died, probably, as a result of cancer. Yauch co-founded Beastie Boys in 1979 with Mike D, Mix Master Mike and Ad Roc. The Beastie Boys are one of the most important and influential hip-hop groups of all time. They were instrumental in making hip-hop a global, mainstream force. Formed in 1981 as a hardcore band, they combined punk and rap into a singular sound that grew increasingly broad over the years, encompassing a vast array of genres. We are truly saddened by this news. Therefor in honour of Adam we post on the greatest videos (we think) of the Beastie Boys, ‘Three MC’s and One DJ‘.
One of the few good kept secrets was the release of a ‘little’ Roland Jupiter at this years MusikMesse. The JUPITER-50 is equipped with a sound engine that’s the sonic equal of its big brother JUPITER-80, containing most of the SuperNATURAL acoustic and synthesizer tones found in the JUPITER-80. It also retains the same Live Set architecture, where four separate sound engines can be stacked together to create massive voices such as classic fat synth tones. Users can even import JUPITER-80 sound data into the JUPITER-50. In addition, powerful multi-effects and reverb are onboard for studio-quality sound processing.
The story of Stevie Wonder’s technical challenge to Ray Kurzweil that ultimately motivates the inception of Kurzweil Music Systems.
The sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine inspire musicians around the world, even though the device hasn’t been made since 1984 and most of its avid users have never actually seen one.
Music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce availability of its newly-developed SPARK Vintage Drum Machines (Standalone, VST 2.4 & 3 — 32-bit and 64-bit, RTAS and US — 32- and 64-bit) software instrument, placing 30 legendary drum machines at discerning musicians’ rhythmic fingertips!
In a world where manufacturers keep making the life of a DJ easier with all kinds of ‘sync’ functions, there will always be people who do things … differently! The video below shows us how you still can do a reasonably proper DJ set with a totally exotic approach. Why not use two Elektron Octatracks and just sync it oldskool … by ear!?
Native Instruments recently unveiled the details behind the upcoming debut performance by Mostly Robot. Conceived by the music technology company itself, the band is made up of five highly-renowned musicians, each celebrated in their own field: Jamie Lidell, Tim Exile, Jeremy Ellis, Mr Jimmy and DJ Shiftee.