Hi.

Here’s my last post before Christmas eve!

I had heard about Psycle for a long time, so yesterday I decided to give it a try. It turned out I really liked it, perhaps even better than Buzz – which Psycle apparently is based upon – and that says a lot. It’s simple, inituitive, and yet powerful. The ‘machines view’ – also known from Buzz – is a stroke of genious.

Although I still prefer Renoise when it comes to trackers, I feel that Psycle and Buzz are some really strong alternatives because of the ‘machine view’, their VST support and because they aren’t commercial. I like the idea of one being able to start making music just by downloading a free tracker and a bunch of nice freeware VST’s. Music making has truely become for everyone. And that’s a good thing. Mostly!

However, Psycle also has some flaws. Here and there it’s perhaps too simplistic and it doesn’t support MP3, OGG or FLAC, so if one wants to use a sample in one of those formats, you have to convert it to wave first. Perhaps a minor thing, but it’s still a workflow breaker.

Anyways, I highly recommend Psycle if you are looking for a free tracker sequencer that really does the job. I can’t see why you shouldn’t be able to make as good, or nearly as good music with this as with bigger, more famous DAWs.

Personally I still use FL Studio 9 and Renoise 2 as my main DAWs/sequencers, but I’ll definitely keep playing with Psycle.

Download Psycle and visit its online community here!

Merry, merry Christmas to everyone!

I will be teaching the following classes at 3rd Ward in February:

Embedding Electronics in Paper
Thursday February 11 ◊ Time: 7-10p

Muscle Wire!
Sunday February 21 ◊ Time: 3:30-6:30p

DIY Sequencer & Audio Tone Generator
Thursdays February 18 & 25 ◊ Time: 7-10p

For more information and to register, check 3rdward.com

Once upon a time, in the late seventies, we´ve had nothing. No computers, no Internet, no MIDI, no potatos, no shampoo.
But we´ve had groundbreaking music. And german tv showed it.
The performance of the song “The barry graves” by Klaus Schulze is taken from the WDR show “Die Deutschrock Nacht” [sic!].

Ever since the creation of the first DAW, no other software has caused so much ink to be spilled and generated such expectations. The Direct Note Access technology, which was introduced by Celemony at Musikmesse 2008, is one of those holy grails no one ever thought to be accessible because it allows you to edit single notes of a polyphonic audio recording. Is it some sort of de-mixing? Yes and no! Is it a revolution? You bet!

Before we dive into the innards of the program, a brief summary about Melodyne is necessary for those of you who don’t know it yet. Celemony created Melodyne in the wake of the Antares Autotune, which allowed you to edit the pitch of an audio recording. Melodyne worked under the same principles (pitch shifting and time stretching with formant control) within an interface conceived for musicians instead of sound engineers. After detecting the notes, you had several tools for pitch, time and amplitude correction, so you could actually edit audio recordings as easily as MIDI parts, under one condition: the audio recording had to be monophonic. The software’s excellent algorithms and idiot-proof user interface gave lots of product ideas to their partners (like Ueberschall, who developed customizable loop banks for the Melodyne engine) and competitors. For instance, Autotune got a new user interface (see the Autotune EVO), several competitors appeared (Waves Tune, Zplane) and the main audio sequencers integrated Melodyne-like functions (Steinberg introduced VariAudio in Cubase 5 and Cakewalk did the same with AudioSnap for Sonar).

While competitors were still trying to catch up with the first Melodyne, Celemony changed the game again by offering individual note editing in polyphonic recordings. During the product presentation at Musikmesse, Melodyne’s boss had a blast changing a guitar minor chord into a major chord using a simple MIDI keyboard. And to top that, he also modified the trumpet of a Miles Davis recording without changing the double-bass or the drum part. Impressed? There are no words to express it. The presentation of the product had such an impact that some people thought it was a hoax. That, together with the time it took for the official release to come out raised serious doubts among the audio community. But…

Melodyne Editor, the first software using Direct Note Access technology (DNA) has finally hit the stores. And it works…

On Familiar Ground

The installation is extremely easy. You will only need the serial number to activate it online on Celemony’s website. The software is protected in two different ways: either you activate the product online, in which case the registration is limited to only one computer (you’ll have to uninstall it first before installing it on another computer) or you transfer your license to an iLok key. Once you did that you can start your sequencer (I work with Cubase) and look for Melodyne Editor in your plugin list.

Users of previous Melodyne versions, especially those who had the plugin version, won’t feel too estranged at first sight. The user interface (the look and layout) didn’t change much. Under the Settings, Edit, Algorithm, View, and Help menus, you’ll still find the aluminum-like bar hosting the basic parameters. Most of the interface is made up of a sort of piano-roll grid displaying yellow, orange and red events… On the right side, you’ll still find the “Correct Pitch” and “Quantize Time” buttons, as well as three automation-capable controllers that allow you to play with the pitch, the formant or the volume parameters in real time. On the center of the tool bar you’ll find the Undo/Redo icons and the tool box (with the same old icons): from left to right, you’ll find six tools for selection/zoom/scroll, pitch editing (with modulation and drift parameters – a sort of audio pitch bend), formant editing, volume editing, timing editing and note separation editing.

Right below these icons, there are two fields that display the note detected in the segment selected and its distance to the correct note. Finally, on the left side of the bar you have the transfer parameters. Just like with the first plugin version, the first thing you have to do is start the detection process: once Melodyne is inserted in the track that is to be processed, click on the transfer button and start playback in the sequencer. Depending on the algorithm you selected in the “Algorithm” menu, Melodyne analyzes the audio material and generates events on the grid. There are three algorithms available: monophonic (melodic), rhythmic/unpitched and polyphonic. In this review, we will focus on the latter since the two others are already known from the Melodyne plugin.

Before we get into details, we have to mention that, unlike the first Melodyne plugin, you can fully resize the program window and freely zoom in/out via shortcuts. It would have been perfect if it had a button to switch into full-screen mode with a single click…

Now let’s take a look under the hood…

…

Conclusion

Melodyne Editor is indeed the revolution we expected, thanks to its DNA technology. The algorithm is not infallible and (still?) doesn’t allow to entirely de-mix a song. Nevertheless, there has not been such an exciting invention in the audio industry ever since the creation of Autotune – and the invention of samplers before that. Melodyne is available for a very affordable price considering the huge R&D efforts Celemony had to make to achieve these results.

While we wait for a more comprehensive version that includes MIDI export of the detected notes, we strongly recommend Melodyne Editor to sound engineers (to repair an acoustic guitar recording when the guitarist already left the studio), to musicians who work with loops (and never find the right sample in the right key) and to all sound designers. You will undoubtedly have lots of fun discovering the huge possibilities it provides. However, there is still one thing that remains unclear: what happens to the copyright of the processed samples? If I change all the notes of a Miles Davis phrase, will he still be the owner of the melody I use in my song?

To wrap it up, if I were to have only one gift under the Christmas tree, I’d ask for this one!

• Technological feat that revolutionizes audio editing and sampling
• Ease of use
• Stunning results when used for the right application
• Price (considering the R&D investment)
• Amusing and creative tool
• One of the best monophonic time-stretching & pitch-shifting tools, maybe even the best…

Drawbacks:

• CPU consumption: you’ll have to bounce!
• Left and right channels cannot be edited separately
• Not multitimbral
• Disappointing results with some audio material

To read the full detailed review including sound samples see:  Celemony Melodyne Editor Review

Die GrooveBox wird gerne als Live Instrument genutzt, doch auch in der Produktion hat sie ihren festen Platz. Eigentlich kann man das Gerät auch als DJ Tool ansehen, aber sie können noch einiges mehr die kleinen Grooveboxen. Links im Bild ist eine D”2 Groovebox von Roland, dieses Gerät ist eine intuitive DJ Box mit fetten Sounds an Bord. In der Mitte befindet sich ein D-Pad zum imitieren von Vinyl oder zum Grooven mit Beats. Rechts davon ist das Sequencer Bedienfeld und über dem Pad befindet sich die  Pattern Sektion. Auf der linken Seite vom D-Pad sind Effekte und Synthymodule. Gerade Grooveboxen sieht man häufig in Produktionsstudios, da diese komplette Tracks wiedergeben können. Angefangen vom Schlagzeug bis hin zu Effektsounds sind mit den Geräten schnellumgesetzt. Die D2 besitzt beispielsweise 8 Spuren sogenannte Pattern, hier lassen sich auf der Drumspur zusätzlich noch einzelne Unterpatterns belegen. So sind Schlagzeugsets mit mehreren Drums möglich. Die Effektsektion beinhaltet Vinyleffekte, Filter, Synthymodule, Appregiatoren, Quantizise und weitere Soundeditoren. So lassen sich die Sounds individuell bearbeiten und einstellen.

Das untere Bild zeigt eine klassische GrooveBox von Roland, die 303.

Soundation Studio

online music loop based production , web based sequencer. http://www.soundation.com/

Boogaloo children! Play with Soundation Studio and your days will pass more quickly.

[tvst] has an interesting take on a sequencer. His design uses coins on a turn table to trigger midi events in a loop. There are four tracks available, each having its own sensor above the spinning platform. The sensors consist of an IR transmitter and receiver setup as a voltage divider. When something passes below the IR transmitter and reflects the infrared waves back up to the receiver, the output of the sensor moves to digital high. The four sensors are connected to an Arduino which is used in conjunction with ttymidi, which converts the Arduino data into midi events.

We like projects that provide a more tangible interface for the user. Coins work well for this setup. They reflect infrared enough to trigger the sensors, and they’re easy to pick up and move without upsetting the rest of the tracks. It would be great if this could be expanded to differentiate between coins (pennies versus dimes, etc.) in order to increase the resolution from four different events to eight or more. Check out the video after the break.

Vor ein paar Wochen hatte ich hier den Reactable erwähnt, eine Art intuitiver Sequencer, der mittels der Position verschiedener Bauklötze zueinander Musik erzeugt. Kürzlich habe ich dann herausgefunden dass die zugehörige Software namens reacTIVision als Open Source frei zugänglich ist. Alles was man noch dazu braucht ist eine Webcam und einen Midi-Sequencer (z.B. Reason) und schon kann man sich seinen eigenen Reactable bauen, im Zweifelsfall mit Papierschnipseln:

Mein nächstes Projekt steht also fest.

Download:

reacTIVision Open Source Software

Just Like Music.

Inquire.

By Luca De Rosso

Images

found on CDM

8fx inudge 002

Check out this cool little sequencer. Nudge is a virtual-instrument widget designed for self-expressive online music making & sharing. It’s fun and simple to use and you don’t need to know a single thing about producing music to make your own individual songs in minutes!

Start a new one here Inudge

And here is last nights offering from 8FX…

8FX Inudge 001

Introducing FL Studio 9

FL Studio 9 is a complete software music production environment, representing the culmination of more than 10 years of sustained & focused development. FL9 is the fastest way from your brain to your speakers.

What is FL9?

FL Studio is a full-featured, open architecture, music production environment capable of audio recording, composing, sequencing and mixing, for the creation of professional quality music. The FL Studio philosophy is creative freedom:

	Free your audio – Route any instrument to any mixer track. Each mixer track can receive audio from any number of instruments, any number of other mixer tracks and a soundcard input. Mixer tracks, in turn, can send audio to any number of other mixer tracks and a soundcard output. Create sub-mixes, effects chains or complex mixes. FL studio’s flexible architecture sets audio free.
	Free your mind – Choose your preferred workflow, compose using the step-sequencer or piano roll. Create in pattern or track mode, then arrange your ideas in the free ‘palette’ Playlist. The Playlist presents timeline as a virtual  ‘canvas’ where each Playlist track can simultaneously hold any number of score, audio and automation events. Now that’s freedom.

Instruments

	Make virtually any sound – FL9 includes over 30 software synthesizers covering acoustic/synthetic bass, electric guitar, multi-sampler tools including piano & strings, general sample playback and beat-slicing (With Rex 1 & 2 support).
	Synthesis techniques – span subtractive, modelling, FM, RM, granular and additive. With the addition of FL SynthMaker you can further create & share your own FL instruments, effects & MIDI control dashboards without the need to write basic code.
	Open plugin standards – FL Studio supports all PC industry plugin instrument standards including VSTi (1/2), DXi(1/2), Buzz and Rewire. This means you can sequence with your favorite plugins and applications.

Audio Recording & Editing

	Multi-channel audio inputs – With the ability to simultaneously capture all the inputs on your audio-interface, FL Studio has the flexibility to record a single vocalist, guitar or a full symphony orchestra.
	Arranging audio – Audio can be arranged, with complete freedom in the Playlist. Features include the ability to host an unlimited number of audio recordings, time-stretching, pitch-shifting, beat-slicing, cropping, editing and the re-arranging of audio with only a few mouse clicks.
	Edison – FL9’s audio capabilities are further enhanced with Edison, the recording wave editor. Edison is an integrated audio editing and recording tool with spectral analysis, convolution reverb, noise reduction, loop-recording, loop-construction tools and more.

FL Studio supports WAV, MP3, OGG, WavPack, AIFF, and REX audio formats.

Sequencing

Compose and record your musical performances and ideas in the most logical way.

	Pattern or track sequencing – You choose, record your musical performances and ideas in the most logical way. FL Studio 9 can simultaneously function as a pattern and track based sequencer. Reuse patterns as Pattern Clips in the Playlist or record song-length sequences, as desired.
	Step sequencer or Piano roll - Scoring tools include FL Studio’s legendary Step-sequencer, one of the most advanced Piano roll’s in any software studio, event and multipoint automation envelopes. FL Studio supports MIDI input, standard controller compatibility, and the ability to simultaneously control multiple instrument channels from separate controllers.

Arranging

FL Studio allows you to do what you want where and when you want.

Determine your own project design - In FL Studio 9, you decide how your project will be laid out. Unlike the competition, FL9’s Playlist is a totally flexible and virtually unbounded workspace where Note Pattern, Audio and Automation data can be arranged and edited to suit your creative ideas and preferred workflow.

Mixing & Mastering

FL Studio provides all the tools you need to produce your tracks to high professional standards.

	The mixer - FL9 includes a superb 104 track stereo track mixer that is about precision, control and flexibility. The mixer’s tracks each hold up to 8 effects (VST, DX or FL’s proprietary format). To create sub-mixes or mixing chains of almost unlimited complexity, each mixer track can be routed to any other mixer track, one of 4 dedicated ’send’ channels and or the Master track.  Sends provide the ability to sidechain inputs to multi-input effects plugins. Finally, each of the mixer tracks can be routed to any output on your audio interface, now that’s flexibility.
	Effects – What about effects? FL Studio includes more than 40 effects spanning maximization, limiting, compression, delay, distortion, equalization (graphic & parametric), filtering, phasing, flanging, chorus, vocoding and reverb. These have you covered for the creative broad-brush effects, through to the minutia of the mastering process.
	Open plugin standards � FL Studio supports all PC industry plugin effect standards including VST (1/2), DX(1/2), Buzz and Rewire. This means you can mix with your favorite plugins and applications.

Lifetime free updates

There may be no such thing as a ‘free lunch’ but there certainly is ‘lifetime free updates’ with Image Line’s update policy.

Never pay for bug-fixes again! – Customers who purchase a download edition of FL Studio through our online shop receive lifetime free downloadable updates. Free updates entitles the customer to all future updates of FL Studio according to level purchased (Express, Fruity, Producer or Signature Bundle). For example, all FL Studio 9 customers will be able to download their version of FL Studio 10, 11 etc, for free.

Boxed Edition – Customers who have the Boxed version don’t miss out and can convert to lifetime free downloadable updates for a small additional fee.

Key new features and changes

Over 370 additions, changes & bugfixes featuring:

	FL Studio Sidechaining – The FL Studio Mixer ‘Track Send’ now has an additional ‘Sidechain’ mode to support multiple-input mixer plugins. Multi-core CPU (Hyperthreading) – Improved multithreaded generator & added multithreaded effects processing. Multiple controllers – Can now control multiple independent instrument channels, assigned by MIDI number. New volatile linking feature. Wrapper – Aligned tick lengths checkbox for greater plugin compatibility.
	Revised Playlist Playlist track naming & icon – Tools for better song organization. Playlist track mute controls.
	Piano roll Riff machine – Automatic sequence generator tool. Note Grouping - New feature (works on selecting, moving, resizing, deletion, muting, shifting using mouse-wheel).
	Mixer More tracks - Now has 99 Insert tracks (up from 64). Multi-core CPU support – Added ‘multithreaded mixer’ tracks processing for improved multi-core performance
	New Plugins Autogun (free) – Sonic adventure, Based on Ogun. Sakura (demo)- String physical modelling instrument Ogun (demo)- Additive metal simulation synthesizer Gross Beat (demo) – Real-time, audio-stream playback, pitch, position and volume manipulation effect Stereo Shaper (free) – Mid / Side stereo processing Vocodex – The last word in vocoders (free with Producer Edition).
	Revised Plugins SimSynth Live, DrumSynth Live, DX-10, WASP and WASP XT are now included in FL Studio (Fruity edition upwards). Fruity Reeverb 2 – Added Mid vs Side input signal processing. Fruity Wrapper – Now supports multiple inputs/outputs (free). Wavecandy – Visualization & analysis tools (free). Fruity Limiter – Compressor section now has sidechaining (free).
	Browser Presets – Drop effect presets onto mixer tracks & channels, mixer track presets onto effect slots and channels, channel & generator presets onto mixer tracks & effect slots. Windows file shell menu – Available from Browser (right-click) item menu.

See our ‘History’ page for the full list.

Demo Limitations

All FL Studio demo versions are fully featured, giving you access to features associated with the highest level of the program (Producer Edition). Compose new songs and export them to WAV, MP3 or OGG. The only limitation is that projects saved in demo mode will only open fully once FL Studio and plugins have been registered. This gives you the ability to save recover your original projects post-purchase.

Supported Formats

FL9 will fit easily within your current software supporting VST/VSTi/VST2, DXi, DXi2, MP3, WAV, OGG, MIDI, ASIO, ASIO 2, REWIRE, REX 1 & 2.

Additionally supported through DirectWave Editor: AKAI AKP (S5/6K,Z4,Z8), Battery (version 1), MPC, Reason, Kurzweil, EXS24, Kontakt (version 1 & 2), Recycle, SFZ+ and SoundFont2.

download:
http://uploadbox.com/files/Ms1i3GY86j/

http://depositfiles.com/files/se7jy6pws/

http://rapidshare.com/files/277745654/lf9.rar

password: freshsound

Crack by union:

http://depositfiles.com/files/g7litwzd1/

http://uploadbox.com/files/2178d702ab/

Bei dem Online-Sample-Tool Incredibox teilt man Figuren Acapella/Beatbox Soundeffekte zu, was sich nicht nur ganz nett anhört, sondern zusätzlich überraschend unterhaltsam ist.

[via Kfmw]

Wer noch ein paar Nette Online-Musik-Sequencer, die vor allem durch ihre spielerische intuitive Bedienung überzeugen sucht, dem ist wahrscheinlich mit dem iNudge, dem Hobnox 909/303-Online-Emulator und der ToneMatrix geholfen.

[via Nerdcore]

Letztere erinnert an das Tenori-On, welches mal in einer Folge von Tracks vorkam, in der es um Musikinstrumente des 21.Jahrhunderts ging. Und ja, ich will den Reactable.

Das Internet wäre nicht das Internet, wenn es die Folge nicht irgendwo zu sehen gäbe. I love it: