tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55580855082967478992024-03-13T03:42:24.617-07:00The FoNeM EffectIn this blog I intend on talking about music and DJing from my perspective along with anything else in our everyday lives that has influence on it. Discussions and opinions are always appreciated.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-52919455719519239002014-01-18T13:47:00.001-08:002014-01-18T13:50:00.079-08:00Asian Persuasion [WIP]I was out walking the dog the other day and I had some random music in my head. Luckily I had my trusty phone with me equipped with a shortcut to my Springpad app. I hummed out the sounds swirling through my mind for later use and just so happened to have a time to punch out some track composition. I quickly grabbed my Push, plugged in my Audio 2 DJ and loaded Live 9. Within minutes I had the basic melody down and was playing around with other instruments and melodies that could meld with what I already transcribed. When I came across the oriental sounding Chinese Zither in Reaktor Prism, I thought it was interesting fit and decided to go with it.<br />
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This short piece is strictly sounds that I recorded on the fly and then did some quick modifications (ie. quantization, loop configuration, etc.). Hopefully it gets a few likes and I can even get some feedback on it. I don';t seem to always have the time and/or motivation to get my musical ideas down in a DAW, but I always try to at least make mental notes through Springpad for later reference.<br />
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Give it a listen and tell me whatcha think! :-D<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/130193016&color=ff6600&auto_play=true&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-43186945313192747012013-11-06T06:15:00.000-08:002014-01-18T13:50:57.354-08:00FoNeM on TheFuture.FMJust got word from the folks over at TheFuture.FM that my mix has officially been accepted and is ready for some radio play! Give it a listen and tell your friends as this site offers another way for the song artists to get some royalties for their hard work!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="168" scrolling="no" src="http://www.thefuture.fm/embed/26741?autoplay=false" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-37729421315981781372013-11-04T10:55:00.001-08:002014-01-18T13:49:49.525-08:00Uto Karem - Free Your Soul EPHere are some great new sounds I just heard compliments of Christian Smith. Thought I would share them and help spread the word. Love me some good Techno!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/playlists/13775153&color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-26272323851405079342013-11-02T06:38:00.000-07:002013-11-02T06:38:52.885-07:00Traktor DJ, the iPad and the Touch Gesture it Really DeservesCall me a hater if you wish. I've been called much worse. I just can't wrap my head around the need for having a professional DJ software program made for iOS like it's an Angry Birds app. I feel like Apple is partnering with just about anyone to make money from its crazed fan base that buy new iPhones and iPads every six months as if their lives depended on it.<br />
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I'm slightly disappointed in Native Instruments for even making this a reality, but I guess money is still an important deciding factor. There are certainly enough iPhone and iPad users out there to garner some extra profit. But seriously, we know (and by "we" I mean the <u>REAL</u> DJs who do this for the love of the music and not as a way to pick up college chicks), that the introduction of Traktor on the iPad isn't going to produce any new or real talent to the arena. Trust me, competition is not anything I'm worried about whatsoever. It's more of an annoyance than anything.<br />
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I can see impressionable, young "aspiring" DJs looking at the price and thinking that it would be a cheaper and easier way to reach their goal. They can host parties at friends' houses or dorm rooms the world over. No MIDI controllers or turntables needed, just a sound card to port the audio to the speakers. While the overall pitch seems to be great and may very well work, this begs the question of whether or not it's a worthy addition to the field. Should we all throw out our tables and controllers for a touch screen?<br />
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Sure I think it's nifty that we have touch screen devices that (partially) eliminate the need for a mouse or other HIDs. Sure I like that the devices are small, compact, portable and look beautiful. But again we find ourselves in that age old dilemma. Just because we can doesn't mean we should. Touting around in the Twittersphere that you're an accomplished and well renowned DJ that uses Traktor on your iPad is about the equivalent of stating that you can remove the lug nuts on your tire by using your teeth. At first you're amazed that such a feat is possible! Then you quickly come to realise that **Look at me! Look at me!** it's completely unnecessary and wonder why the fuck **See what I can do? My iPad is awesome!** anyone would want to lower themselves to such a level. **I'm like a real DJ now!** Maybe it's just for attention? **BRB...the new iPad is available!** I'm not really sure. All I know is it's not for me...it's a mere fad that is cashing in on the idea that anything is possible for a cheaper price.<br />
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I'm going to just sit back, work on my next set and enjoy watching from a distance as the attention and stimuli seeking masses bounce around from fad to fad like balls in a pinball machine, enjoying all the bells and whistles and pretty lights. Enjoy your life inside of that glass cage. I'm going to explore the rest of the world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-85313029760200989882013-10-30T13:21:00.001-07:002013-10-30T13:22:08.906-07:00Insidious 2 Rework for APPHere is my final submission for my Audio Post Production course at Full Sail.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mfjat5JPW3U?autohide=1&version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=MgdeVDZ5tgaJ3F4iUudoIQ&showinfo=1&autoplay=1" target="_blank">Insidious 2 Trailer</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-69134775920693319462013-10-25T13:19:00.002-07:002013-10-25T13:31:18.211-07:00The Beauty in SimplicityAfter posting a new DJ set that I recorded a few days ago, I got a reply from one of my long time friends. He was a co-worker when I was in the Navy and is a fellow music lover and creator. We are always able to have very in-depth discussions about various topics and though our taste in music makes us seem persnickety to some, I like having high standards...especially when it comes to music.<br />
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The discussion that we had started my wheels of thought spinning, albeit slowly as I was still waking up...hahaha. Here is an excerpt of my reply,<br />
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"In this day and age, there seems to be too much stimulation. People can't sit still and relax. They are constantly checking their phones for new messages, continuously updating their social media statuses, uploading photos, etc. I feel that we need to take a breather now and again. </blockquote>
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I believe in the Less is More mentality. I want my music to influence people to embrace that lifestyle, to take enjoyment in the subtle details, to value patience...for true quality should be an experience that holds its value over the course of time, not just until the next monthly upgrade comes along."</blockquote>
I have managed to find emerging artists that share this same frame of mind and it's refreshing to me. I think we all could use a little "me" time, don't you? So if you're down with chillaxin' after a long, arduous day, then grab a pair of headphones and zone out to the following newest mix brought to you by yours truly. Dig in...dig on.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.mixcloud.com/widget/iframe/?feed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mixcloud.com%2FFoNeM%2Ffonetics-vol-1301%2F&embed_type=widget_standard&embed_uuid=3df48766-f776-4b7d-a795-dd45265c8e18&hide_cover=1" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/FoNeM/fonetics-vol-1301/?utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=base_links&amp;utm_term=resource_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Fonetics Vol 13.01</a> by <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/FoNeM/?utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=base_links&amp;utm_term=profile_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Fonem</a> on <a href="http://www.mixcloud.com/?utm_source=widget&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=base_links&utm_term=homepage_link" style="color: #02a0c7; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"> Mixcloud</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-28454313555976603152013-07-12T13:56:00.001-07:002013-10-25T07:17:57.592-07:00Is perfection really flawless?With the advancements of modern day music production hardware and software allowing for greater control over the most minute elements of music and sound design, the pursuit of perfection has soared. Perfection in audio quality, quantization and pitch, just name a few, have become much more tangible as we now possess the tools to examine and alter waveforms at such a small level. But is this ultimate achievement in perfection really music to our ears?<br />
In essence, yes it is. Music can be perceived better the more pleasing its sound is. Too much squelching or feedback, dissonance or distortion can be distracting and possibly lose the listener's interest. That being said, there is a flip side to this metaphorical coin.<br />
Pop music has exploded in the recent decades gaining high listener volumes near the top of the food chain alongside rock, inching ahead of hip hop and country. And although pop music has mostly strived to attain that perfect balance of sound, I've noticed that same desire bleeding over into the other genres. Pop rock music especially has seen a tremendous change in sound production when compared to bands produced by legend Steve Albini in the late 90s. <br />
As I delve farther into my music production degree I've seen a push to create and deliver clean mixes with the more or less mandatory implementation of quantization. Personally, I understand this requirement as it instills a certain mindset that forms a good base for our production knowledge. Also, a majority of the students working on these types of degree programs are looking to get into.the mainstream media field. Obviously there is a demand for producers that can deliver the sounds which are driving the industry.<br />
So, I guess my reasoning for writing this article is to express my fear of future producers and writers constraining themselves to a boxed ideology. One that pushes for that perfect, clean sound. Look around you. Perfection is talked about everywhere now. Anti-aging skin products, advancements in cosmetic surgical procedures, video games and movies that portray beauty and youth as purity and innocence. People are afraid to get dirty, to see the slightly less "attractive" objects as something that possess unique qualities and is equally important to the overall spectrum. <br />
Now, this is isn't to say that we need to shift our perception in the opposite direction. I'm not an extremist by any means. I believe in balance. And when it comes to the realm of music and sound, I feel it is imperative that we learn to see the strengths within all that we hear and stop the urge to "fix" those which we don't perceive as pristine. There is beauty in chaos just as much as there can be chaos in perfection. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-61971013685163486522012-12-10T20:54:00.000-08:002012-12-10T20:54:14.535-08:00Santa, I wanna Push!So I've been salivating for some time now as the end of 2012 approaches and 2013 edges closer. Why you ask? Well, because of the release of Ableton's Live 9 as well as their MIDI controller - Push.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vUXXu2sqffU/UMa6Wt0PkkI/AAAAAAAAFbQ/XcJtYTgDDz0/s1600/tour-push-notes-and-chords-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vUXXu2sqffU/UMa6Wt0PkkI/AAAAAAAAFbQ/XcJtYTgDDz0/s400/tour-push-notes-and-chords-01.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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With Push, there are so many possibilities for composing music by combining the aspects of a beat machine, a keyboard as well as having many other functions such as loop division, effects, library browsing and so much more! As I learn to use Ableton (as well as Logic Pro, Pro Tools and Garage Band), I see the need for a multifunctional control surface like the Push. I'm super stoked about the upcoming release! If you would like to see it in action, take a look at Ableton's teaser trailer:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5obV0TAADhE" target="_blank">Ableton Push</a></div>
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In other news, I'm also on the list to get the Leap Motion. It looks to be a promising new way to interact with your computers and I'm anxiously awaiting that little delight to ship out. Here's a sneak peak at the Leap Motion:<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d6KuiuteIA" target="_blank">Leap Motion</a></div>
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Have a happy holiday everyone!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-1437484487916021262012-10-17T16:22:00.001-07:002012-10-17T16:22:31.368-07:00Amazing buildsSo as many of you know, P!nk has a new album out - <i>The Truth About Love</i>. My girlfriend was extremely excited to get a hold of it as soon as possible. The first track that I heard from it was <i>Blow Me (One Last Kiss)</i> which I thought was a pretty clever title. I liked it, I won't lie. As far as that realm of music is concerned, I'd pick P!nk and Katy Pery to listen to all day considering the other choices out there in that specific genre. I'd pick those ladies for a few other things, too. ;)<br />
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Anywho, I bought the album as soon as I could and gave it to my girlfriend (who absolutely loves it). We were listening to some of her songs as we were driving down the thruway and I heard track number three - <i>Try. </i>Now being that I'm almost always up for hearing some new music and really try to look at what makes a song great beyond just the lyrics, I found this track's build to be amazing. You only get the full effect in the beginning before the first chorus, but it's worth it. The second time around it's watered down and accompanied by P!nk's vocals, but that's okay. I like her voice.<br />
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If you haven't heard it yet and you love a good melodic, spacey and trancey build, give it a listen while wearing a good pair of headphones. It's a magical 10 seconds that was excellently constructed for this song and blends the genres of P!nk's pop rock sound with an epic sounding EDM build.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTCDVfMz15M" target="_blank">P!nk - Try (Official Video)</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-4215555832887829302012-10-16T07:41:00.001-07:002012-10-16T07:41:32.131-07:00Working with Ableton Live 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nqm2yU1Sqs0/UH1yCV05Z6I/AAAAAAAAFZA/KiNsIc-4-TQ/s1600/ableton_live_8_logo1_thumb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nqm2yU1Sqs0/UH1yCV05Z6I/AAAAAAAAFZA/KiNsIc-4-TQ/s320/ableton_live_8_logo1_thumb.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
So, I took the plunge and added Ableton Live 8 to my studio for music production. So far I'm liking it. I have been watching videos from their site as well as YouTube vids from other users showing their work flow. It seems to be just what I needed. Now the thing is learning how to use this DAW.<br />
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I have been using the Internet to search for help in various arenas in order to better hone my skills. Obviously dedication to the DAW and constant usage will help the most, but it also pays to learn some tips, tricks and shortcuts to speed the process along. Watching tutorial vids or product feature overviews gives the basic user some insight as to what the DAW can do for you, but it's not always the best way to learn. For me, I needed to get some more real world usage help.<br />
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As I bounced around from site to site, sifting through the myriad of search results, I happened to come across some info from Vespers, a Glitch Hop DJ from Canada, who is also a certified Ableton Trainer. He had some of his tracks available for download along with a PDF he put together with some tips he uses in his Ableton studio setup. It was a mix of things that I already knew alongside some new tricks that I was unaware of. All in all, I learned a lot from reading the document and I'll be referring back to it to brush up on the keyboard shortcuts and MIDI mapping section.<br />
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Now that I have a MIDI keyboard from school to use, I can start to program settings into the knobs and buttons and get my Live sessions setup in hopes of working more efficiently. Vespers made a very good point that when you know your DAW and your hardware, you spend less time worrying about how to accomplish certain tasks and you can focus more time on creating music. This will pay off for me big time since a large part of my frustration has been not knowing how to get certain effects and/or sounds from my DAW. And by the time I figured it out, so much time had passed that I had forgotten what I was trying to accomplish. Talk about a total waste of time!<br />
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So, I feel that Vespers, along with so many other successful computer music producers, have become so by putting the time and effort in to learn the tools of their trade. I'll be spending some time learning keyboard shortcuts, macros and creating Racks and Session Templates.<br />
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Does anyone else have a secret about how they learn?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-70065158446278580972012-07-12T06:50:00.001-07:002012-07-12T06:50:01.528-07:00Why is Drake popular?<div><p>I have grown up being surrounded by many different genres of music from pop to rock, dance to rap. Every style of music forms from a certain way of life. It's chosen by the artist as a means to communicate with their listeners in a sound that is complimentary. </p>
<p>Rap has been an everchanging genre that has blended musical styles from newer dance and club sounds in the recent years. I remember listening to the Fat Boys, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest and other groups the were around in the mid to late 80's. They were all amazing in their own right having unique sounds that set them apart from their competition. </p>
<p>What I don't get is this phenomenon with newer rappers such as Drake. When compared to such heavy hitters like Ice T, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Notorious BIG, and so on, Drake really has nothing to offer. He lacks skill and prose and when I hear anything by him, all I'm hearing is some guy talking, adding in a half hearted laugh here and there. His "style" is lazy and his voice is devoid of any emotion. I don't get any sense whatsoever that he even cares about what he's rapping about.</p>
<p>I know he's not alone in this abomination of modern rap music, but his publicity deems him the biggest target. I would rather listen to P Diddy (or whatever his name is now). Sorry, Puff, but you're a much better entrepeneur than a rapper.</p>
<p>Hopefully things will change and weed out the slew of talentless tripe we are forced to tolerate now. Drake really does put the "rap" in "crap."</p>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">iTunes is Apple's flagship media player and it also ties in with their online store. Nothing wrong with that at all...most great media players have that option. It can stream internet radio stations, fetch missing album art, sort, filter, sync, blah blah blah... With all the things that it does right, why can't I live with it?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I suppose it comes down to what I've been used to combined with my expectations - oh, and throw in a dash of my own stubbornness. I have been a PC user for many, many years. However, I started out on Macs. I believe that both platforms have their distinct advantages and disadvantages and I'm not here to compare apples to oranges. They are different and have different uses. While I do like the way Apple has made their whole OS fairly clean and simple to use (great for the computer illiterate as well as the long-time advanced user), I have to speculate that it's the simplicity that irks me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I understand the reasoning behind the brushed grey layout with it's polished, sparse GUIs that favor the graphic designers. The look is supposed to be less of a distraction to them so they can focus more on their work. I'm no graphic designer so I can't speak for its effectiveness in that area. The fact that it's so hard to customize my OS and make it my own without paying for apps that only mod small things (such as folder icons, mouse pointers, etc.), bothers me. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In truth, it doesn't really matter but I like the option to change things if I like. Hence, my attraction to Windows. It's fun to tamper and tweak to my heart's content. Have I gotten the BSOD before? More times than I can remember. In fact, when I get a new PC, I try to see how fast I can get the BSOD greeting. C'mon...it's fun! xD</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I'm getting off topic. My issue with iTunes is that it's just bland to me. I want my media player to say something. I'm listening to music after all and I want my media player to reflect some sort of emotion! Not just sit there all grey and cold and distant. To date, my favorite media player has been Winamp. It does everything that iTunes can do (for the most part - I'm not gonna get down to insignificant details), and I loved how customizable it was! I could give it a whole face lift in seconds, completely changing the feel of it. And my favorite feature was letting my music play as I hooked it up to my HDTV and turned on the trippy, 3Dish visualizations!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fuck the iTunes store. I'm not gonna buy anything from there. I have Amazon for my music and cloud storage as well as Google. Plus,, being an Android enthusiast, the Amazon media player is great on my phone for streaming. If I want radio, I use the free DI.fm app. Between those two systems, I'm covered. All I need is a good media player at home that I can put on my Mac and enjoy LOOKING at.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and if you haven't read my other blogs and don't know me, I'm a DJ and a future music producer (in school now for it). So, I use my Mac mostly for my music....except when it comes to listening to it. Sad, ain't it? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to get accustomed to the fact that as great as Apple is, it can't get please everyone. It'll do well for my music creation and DJing, but that's about as far as I can see it taking me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are your experiences?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-26311726818191973842012-05-23T19:28:00.002-07:002012-05-23T19:28:42.493-07:00Halfway Between the Gutters and the Stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember life back at the turn of the century (yeah, it's kinda cool to be able to say that and not be an elderly man). On one hand, I was disappointed that the Y2K thing didn't bring more excitement, but all that quickly faded as I moved down outside of Clemson, SC. I was getting heavy into the rave scene at that time of my life and I really got to experience house music in a totally different light.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What started as my introduction to EDM at a small, local club soon escalated to attending full out raves in various cities and locales, from Charlotte to Oakland, from the warehouse districts to abandoned movie theaters. I met so many cool people, had countless conversations about anything and everything and witnessed something that had the power to bring strangers together under a unifying theme - the love of music.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the time all this was happening, I remember Fatboy Slim holding a section of my aural attention. Though some of his live sets were less than phenomenal, I have to say that he did produce some great tracks throughout his tenure. His album, "Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars" was making an impact shortly after Y2K and I fell in love with it. Most notably was the finale by the name of, "Song For Shelter." That song held such truth for what I had perceived the world of music should be like. And to this day, my love for EDM has been shaped by his sentiments expressed in that very song.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I, for one, have never cared for fame or recognition. I don't make my mixes for money. I simply do what I do because I love music through and through. It's been the one rock in my life and has been there since as far back as I can remember. It saddens me to see so many people these days exploiting musical talents (some of them artificial, some of them bought and paid for), for such trivial things. I know that it's just a phase and soon the masses will move on to other faddish and trendy avenues, leaving behind the true music makers and those who love, listen and dance to their heart's content.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To all of the people who understand what it is I speak of and honestly share these same passions, I raise my glass and crank up the volume...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-54387966503147540402012-05-21T12:50:00.001-07:002012-05-21T12:50:17.154-07:00<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What's going on everybody? Just a quick update to let you know that I've been tied down with school assignments and haven't been able to do much work on my new track or podcast, but they ARE coming!</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It looks like my Fonetics Podcast 12.02 is going to be in the style of Tech House and Techno. I've pretty much got the set pieced together and then I can record it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On another note, I got an invite to preview the SoundCloud NEXT layout. I like it a lot. Though I had limited access and couldn't delve in deeper, I am looking forward to the finished product! Here is a screenshot of my new profile page where you can see the simplified layout.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/fonem" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="271" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sMa0zivCwvQ/T7qbAfoT6UI/AAAAAAAAEtU/3tDH65rxD58/s400/SoundCloud+NEXT+Screen.png" title="FoNeM's SoundCloud NEXT page" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://soundcloud.com/fonem"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FoNeM's SoundCloud page</span></a></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-38444011359132802832012-05-09T20:10:00.001-07:002012-05-09T20:10:56.730-07:00Plethora - Update 01<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's my first progress update for "Plethora" from my SoundCloud page. I got a lot of it done yesterday but took some time off from working on it today so that I could veg out on Youtube and watch some Pro Tools tutorials. I think I learned some good information. I'll have to put some focus on creating more risers and drops and get the placement right. Then it'son to doing the mixdown and polishing the final product. :D</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F45893081&auto_play=true&show_artwork=true&color=4ca2bb" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-75262430783247412702012-05-08T08:43:00.001-07:002012-05-08T08:43:55.465-07:00Plethora<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I've started work on my first official track. It's been an interesting/frustrating/fun endeavor so far. The interesting part is from seeing just how much can go into making new sounds with all of the available programs and plug-ins. The frustrating part is derived from the hours I've spent learning how to use some of the software and how to get my MIDI keyboard properly set up within each of them. And the fun part? Well, that's pretty self explanatory, I think. It's from getting to see and hear the cool sounds that I come up with. I'm really stoked to get more familiarized with Pro Tools and to see where things will go from here.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At any rate, give my track a listen and let me know what you think of it!</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Fusers%2F531786&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true&color=ff7700" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-58426446624526370002012-05-06T09:46:00.002-07:002012-05-06T09:46:51.050-07:00Another weekend coming to a close<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a busy last few days and it's been well worth it. I got to take my girlfriend out shopping for her (pre)birthday and I got to delve into Garageband a little more. I also decided that I was going to start trying my hand at writing some tracks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't ever written any dance tracks before (like myself), it can be difficult to do without prior knowledge or access to some of the software available now. For me, the other issue is time. I've got a lot on my plate and I only get to dabble in my musical endeavors part-time. As I get more familiar with programs like Garageband, Pro Tools, Logic, etc., I'm sure that things will become much easier for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, I've decided to invest in some pre-made loops from various musicians to sort of tilt the scales back in my favor. The loop library in Garageband is very basic and generic, especially when compared to the unique sounds of today's dance music. So, I figured that I could give myself a head start by using some of those sounds to get me the kind of instruments and professional quality beats that I can edit and make my own sound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does anyone else had any tips or trade secrets that they use when writing music?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-22152184104884340052012-05-02T19:08:00.000-07:002012-05-03T09:23:19.761-07:00Moombahton on the rise...but what is it?<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I was just reading up on this new music genre known as "Moombahton" and it's origin. It's an interesting concept for sure. Personally, I've never been much of a reggaeton person, but I know my boy DJ 1Love is all about it. I should hit him up and see if he knows of it...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who are wondering exactly what it entails, it's basically electro house slowed down by 20 or so BPM and infused with reggaeton style drums and beats. Dave Nada apparently was the man who pioneered the style back in late 2009.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's influence has been growing steadily as is a lot of EDM infused pop music. I guess it was only a matter of time before EDM made its debut in American mainstream music.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for me? I'll stick to the sounds that are a little less poppy and a little more technical. Once something becomes too polished, it looses its appeal to me. And that goes for anything, be it other genres of music or even movies and TV shows.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where do you sit on this proverbial fence?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-39165109438215225912012-05-02T10:02:00.000-07:002012-05-02T10:02:07.187-07:00My First Beatport ChartI've put together my first music chart and posted it to Beatport under my profile there. If you're looking for some hot new sounds in the Progressive, Tech House or Techno genres, then come give my chart a listen.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beatport.com/chart/fonem-04-12-chart/68076">FONEM "04'12 CHART</a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-leaCNMhaNvE/T6FoE7U-MwI/AAAAAAAAEl0/KTFEm9UBE6s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-05-02+at+12.59.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-leaCNMhaNvE/T6FoE7U-MwI/AAAAAAAAEl0/KTFEm9UBE6s/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-05-02+at+12.59.33+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-60649938512798847352012-05-02T09:41:00.001-07:002012-05-02T09:41:30.156-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a preview of my Soundcloud page...</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Fusers%2F531786&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true&color=ff7700" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Come on over and visit it to see what mixes I have available for download. I'm going to working on setting up an RSS in order to keep everyone updated on my upcoming mixes.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558085508296747899.post-72598495135741561242012-05-02T08:39:00.003-07:002012-05-02T08:39:40.413-07:00BAM! First post down.<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I decided to take a new step...to create my own blog. I've never been one to jump on a new fad or craze right from the get-go. I suppose I like to see if the new idea can sustain itself before I invest in it. Sure there are pros and cons to this, but I'm here now, right? The thing is, what do I do now?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0