tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17380004262207699622024-02-19T03:24:10.442+01:00Sixty DegreesAudio & Music Related News BlogSixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comBlogger104125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-17582851053854314052012-08-08T01:51:00.003+02:002012-08-08T01:51:20.167+02:00The World's 10 Highest Paid DJ'sFor any musician who's spent a lifetime practicing learning your craft, this might not be something that you'll want to read. <b>Forbes</b> recently compiled a list of
the world's top 10 money making DJ's. While still not as much as the
current pop stars, some DJ's are sure raking in a lot of cash, but
that's thanks to a global EDM industry that is now worth an estimated $4
billion.<br />
<br />
Here's the list:<br />
<br />
1. <b>Tiesto</b> - $22 million<br />
2. <b>Skrillex</b> - $15 million<br />
3.<b> Swedish House Mafia</b> - $14 million<br />
4. <b>David Guetta</b> - $13.5 million<br />
5. <b>Steve Aoki </b>- $12 million<br />
6. <b>Deadmau5</b> - $11.5 million<br />
7. <b>DJ Pauly D</b> - $11 million<br />
8. <b>Kadkade</b> - $10 million<br />
9. <b>Afrojack</b> - $9 million<br />
10. <b>Avicii</b> - $7 million<br />
<br />
Keep in mind that their income is from touring (Tiesto makes about $250k a night), endorsements, and merch.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-81007647987422756532012-08-08T01:45:00.001+02:002012-08-08T01:46:53.407+02:00Introduction to Digital AudioDigital audio at it’s most fundamental level is a mathematical representation of a continuous sound.<br />
<br />
The digital world can get complicated very quickly, so it’s no surprise that a great deal of confusion exists.<br />
<br />
The point of this article is to clarify how digital audio works
without delving fully into the mathematics, but without skirting any
information.<br />
<br />
The key to understanding digital audio is to remember that what’s in the computer isn’t sound – it’s math.<br />
<br />
<b>What Is Sound?</b><br />
<br />
Sound is the vibration of molecules. Mathematically, sound can
accurately be described as a “wave” – meaning it has a peak part (a
pushing stage) and a trough part (a pulling stage).<br />
<br />
If you have ever seen a graph of a sound wave it’s always represented
as a curve of some sort above a 0 axis, followed by a curve below the 0
axis.<br />
<br />
What this means is that sound is “periodic.” All sound waves have at least one push and one pull – a positive curve and negative curve. That’s called a cycle. So –
fundamental concept – all sound waves contain at least one cycle.<br />
<br />
The next important idea is that any periodic function can be
mathematically represented by a series of sine waves. In other words,
the most complicated sound is really just a large mesh of sinusoidal
sound (or pure tones). A voice may be constantly changing in volume and
pitch, but at any given moment the sound you are hearing is a part of
some collection of pure sine tones.<br />
<br />
Lastly, and this part has been debated to a certain extent – people
do not hear higher pitches than 22 kHz. So, any tones above 22 kHz are
not necessary to record..<br />
<br />
So, our main ideas so far are:<br />
<br />
—Sound waves are periodic and can therefore be described as a bunch of sine waves,<br />
—Any waves over 22 kHz are not necessary because we can’t hear them.<br />
<br />
<b>How To Get From Analog To Digital</b><br />
<br />
Let’s say I’m talking into a microphone. The microphone turns my
acoustic voice into a continuous electric current. That electric current
travels down a wire into some kind of amplifier then keeps going until
it hits an analog to digital converter.<br />
<br />
Remember that computers don’t store sound, they store math, so we
need something that can turn our analog signal into a series of 1s and
0s. That’s what the converter does. Basically it’s taking very fast
snapshots, called <i>samples</i>, and giving each sample a value of <i>amplitude</i>.<br />
<br />
This gives us two basic values to plot our points – one is time, and the other is amplitude.<br />
<br />
<b>Resolution & Bit Depth</b><br />
<br />
<div class="alignRight" style="width: 160px;">
<a class="highslide" href="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsFigure1.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsFigure1.jpg" title="Click to enlarge" width="160" /></a><br />
<div class="caption">
(click to enlarge)</div>
<div class="caption">
</div>
</div>
Nothing is continuous inside the digital world – everything is assigned specific mathematical values. <br />
In an analog signal a sound wave will reach it’s peak amplitude – and all values of sound level from 0db to peak db will exist.<br />
<br />
In a digital signal, only a designated number of amplitude points exist.<br />
<br />
Think of an analog signal as someone going up an escalator – touching
all points along the way, while digital is like going up a ladder – you
are either on one rung or the next.<br />
<br />
<div class="alignLeft" style="width: 160px;">
<a class="highslide" href="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsExtraFigure.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsExtraFigure.jpg" title="Click to enlarge" width="160" /></a><br />
<div class="caption">
Dynamic range versus bit depth (resolution). (click to enlarge)</div>
<div class="caption">
</div>
</div>
Let’s say you have a rung at 50, and a rung at 51. Your analog signal
might have a value of 50.46 – but it has to be on one rung or the other
– so it gets rounded off to rung 50. That means the actual shape of the sound is getting distorted. Since
the analog signal is continuous, that means this is constantly happening
during the conversion process. It’s called quantization error, and it
sounds like weird noise.<br />
<br />
But, let’s add more rungs to the ladder. Let’s say you have a rung at
50, one at 50.2, one at 50.4, one at 50.6, and so on. Your signal
coming in at 50.46 is now going to get rounded off to 50.4. This is a
notable improvement. It doesn’t get rid of the quantization error, but
it reduces it’s impact. <br />
Increasing the bit-depth is essentially like increasing the number of
rungs on the ladder. By reducing the quantization error, you push your
noise floor down.<br />
<br />
<div class="alignRight" style="width: 160px;">
<a class="highslide" href="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsFigure2.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://www.prosoundweb.com/images/uploads/ProAudioFilesDigitalBasicsFigure2.jpg" title="Click to enlarge" width="160" /></a><br />
<div class="caption">
(click to enlarge)</div>
<div class="caption">
</div>
</div>
Who cares? Well, in modern music we use a LOT of compression. It’s
not uncommon to peak limit a sound, compress it, sometimes even a third
hit of compression, and then compress and limit the master buss before
final print.<br />
<br />
Remember that one of the major artifacts of compression is bringing
the noise floor up! Suddenly, the very quiet quantization error noise is
a bit more audible. This becomes particularly noticeable at the
quietest sections of the sound recording – (i.e. fades, reverb tails,
and pianissimo playing.)<br />
<br />
A higher bit depth recording will allow you to hit your converter
with more headroom to spare and without compression to stay well above
the noise floor.<br />
<br />
Sampling rate is probably the area of greatest confusion in digital
recording. The sample rate is how fast the computer is taking those
“snapshots” of sound.<br />
<br />
Most people feel that if you take faster snapshots (actually, they’re
more like pulses than snapshots, but whatever), you will be capturing
an image of the sound that is closer to “continuous.” And therefore more
analog. And therefore more better. But this is in fact incorrect.<br />
<br />
Remember, the digital world is capturing math, not sound. This gets a little tricky, but bear with me.<br />
Sound is fundamentally a bunch of sine waves. All you need is at
least three point values to determine a sine wave function that crosses
all three. Two will still leave some ambiguity – but three – there’s
only one curve that will work. As long as your sample rate is catching
points fast enough you will grab enough data to recreate the sine waves
during playback.<br />
<br />
In other words, the sample rate has to be more than twice as fast as
the speed of the sine wave in order to catch it. If we don’t hear more
than 22 kHz, or sine waves that cycle 22,000 times a second, we only
need to capture snapshots more than 44,000 times a second.<br />
<br />
Hence the
common sample rate: 44.1 kHz.<br />
<br />
But wait, you say! What if the function between those three points is
not a sine wave. What if the function is some crazy looking shape and
it just so happens that your A/D only caught three that made it look
like a sine wave?<br />
<br />
Well, remember that if it is some crazy function, it’s really just a
further combination of sine waves. If those sine waves are within the
audible realm they will be caught because the samples are being grabbed
fast enough. If they are too fast for the our sample rate it’s OK,
because we can’t hear them.<br />
Remember, it’s not sound, it’s math. Once the data is in, the
computer will recreate a smooth continuous curve for playback, not a
really fast series of samples. It doesn’t matter if you have three
points or 300 along the sine curve – it’ll still come out sounding
exactly the same.<br />
<br />
So what’s up with 88.2, 96, and 192 samples/second rates?<br />
<br />
Well, first, it’s still somewhat shaky ground as to whether or not we truly don’t perceive sound waves that are over 22 kHz.<br />
<br />
Secondly, our A/D uses a band-limiter at the edge of 1/2 our sampling
rate. At 44.1, the A/D cuts off frequencies higher than 22 kHz. If not
handled properly, this can cause a distortion called “aliasing” that
effects lower frequencies.<br />
<br />
In addition, certain software plug-ins, particularly equalizers
suffer from inter-modular phase distortion (yikes) in the upper
frequencies. The reason being, phase distortion is a natural side effect
of equalization – it occurs at the edges of the effected bands. If you
are band-limited to 22 kHz and do a high end boost, the high end
brickwall stops at 22 kHz.<br />
<br />
Instead of the phase distortion occurring gradually over the sloping
edge of your band, it occurs all at once in the same place. This is a
subject for another article, but ultimately this leaves a more audible
“cheapening” of the sound.<br />
<br />
Theoretically a 16-bit recording at 44.1 smpl/sec will have the same
fidelity as a 24-bit recording at 192. But in practicality, you will
have clearer fades, clearer reverb tails, smoother high end, and less
aliasing working at higher bit depths and sample rates.<br />
<br />
The whole digital thing can be very complicated – and in fact this is
only touching the surface. Hopefully this article helped to clarify
things. Now go cut some records!Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-70322172068191070562012-05-28T21:43:00.000+02:002012-05-28T21:43:41.241+02:00Need to be invented<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qShaMK0Gp1i-W5LJIbOBkZfE8EyXm0AxBn9N1ER-JPPZOyNXHQTrEEIOHWbBeTV3LXdoU0Zj0jefAEf6RkVH3SdmGOBcmKilMoOvDHJMRNl3HA0hXAiQWp_bLp2horEDEzAfKp5itJA/s1600/studer-a827.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qShaMK0Gp1i-W5LJIbOBkZfE8EyXm0AxBn9N1ER-JPPZOyNXHQTrEEIOHWbBeTV3LXdoU0Zj0jefAEf6RkVH3SdmGOBcmKilMoOvDHJMRNl3HA0hXAiQWp_bLp2horEDEzAfKp5itJA/s200/studer-a827.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
I got to thinking about the pro audio products I'd like to see invented after reading <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20110694-47/what-audio-products-need-to-be-invented/?tag=mncol%3Btitle" target="_blank">a similar story on home theater audio</a>.
When you think about it, we've all gotten pretty comfortable with
technology that no one could ever consider as cutting edge. Even though
core recording products exist in the following areas, there's plenty of
room for growth. Let's take a look at a pie-in-the-sky wish list:<br />
<br />
<b>1. A new speaker technology. </b>We've been listening to recorded and
reinforced sound with the same technology for about 100 years now.
Sure, the loudspeaker has improved and evolved, but it's still the
weakest link in the audio chain. What we need is a new loudspeaker
technology that improves the listening experience and takes sonic
realism to the next level.<br />
<br />
<b>2. A new microphone technology. </b>Something is seriously wrong when
the best and most cherished microphones that we use today were made 50
years ago. Just like loudspeakers, the technology has improved and
evolved over the years, but it's basically the same in that it's still
based around moving a diaphragm or ribbon through a magnetic field or
changing the electrical charge between two plates (that's a condenser
mic, if you didn't know). There has to be a new technology that takes a
giant leap to getting us closer to realism than what we have now.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Get rid of the wires. </b>Studios have been pretty successful at
reducing the amount of wiring in the last 10 years or so, but there's
still too much. We need to eliminate them completely. Think how much
different your studio would be with wireless speakers, microphones,
connections to outboard gear, etc. Much of this is possible today, but
the real trick is to make the signal transmission totally lossless with
zero interference.<br />
<br />
<b>4. The ultimate work surface. </b>Here's the problem. Engineers love
to work with faders and knobs. The problem is that faders and knobs take
up space, which changes the room acoustics, and which are expensive to
implement. When the faders and knobs are reduced to banks of 8, it gets
confusing switching between all the banks needed during a large mix.
What we need is a work surface that takes this hybrid to the next level,
giving the engineer enough faders and knobs to do the job, yet making
it totally easy to look at the banks underneath or above. I realize that
the bank concept has been implemented on digital consoles for years,
but there's no way to actually view what those other banks are unless
you call one up. There has to be a better way.<br />
<br />
<b>5. The ultimate audio file format. </b>I've done experiments
recording the same instrument at 48k, 96k, and 192k and I can tell you
unequivocally that the 192kHz recording won hands down. It wasn't even
close. Consider this - the ultimate in digital is analog! In other
words, the higher the sample rate, the closer to analog it sounds. We
need a universal audio format with a super high sample rate that can
easily scale to a lower rate as needed. Yes, I realize it's a function
of the hardware, but lets plan for the future, people.<br />
<br />
<b>6. The ultimate storage device. </b>Speaking of the future, there are
a lot of behind-the-scenes audio people that are quietly scared to
death that the hard drives and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NE5JCE?ie=UTF8&tag=bobbowsi-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B003NE5JCE" target="_blank"><b>SSD</b></a>'s of today won't be playable tomorrow. Just as <b>Zip</b> and <b>Jazz</b>
drives had their brief day in the sun, how would you like to have your
hit album backed up onto a drive that nobody can read? That's a more
real possibility of that happening than you might know. We need a
storage format that is not only robust and protected, but has a lifespan
akin to analog tape (tapes from 60 years ago still play today; some
sound as good as the day they were recorded). We just can't guarantee
the same with the storage devices we use today.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-73166753762743595302012-05-28T21:36:00.001+02:002012-05-28T21:39:02.144+02:00The Quietest Room In The WorldIf you've never been in an anechoic chamber, it's literally an unreal
experience. Things are quiet; too quiet. So quiet that it's
disconcerting, since even in the quietest place you can think of, you
can still at least hear reflections from your own movement.<br />
<br />
I've always assumed that the quietest anechoic room belonged to either <b>JBL</b> (I was told that they have 3 of them) or the <b><a href="http://ircam.fr/" target="_blank">Institute for Research and Coordination In Audio and Music </a>(IRCAM) </b>in France, but according to the <b>Guinness World Records,</b> it's actually at <b><a href="http://orfieldlabs.com/" target="_blank">Orfield Laboratories </a></b>in
South Minneapolis. Supposedly the Orfield chamber absorbes 99.9% of all
sound generated within, which results in a measurement of -9dB SPL. As a
comparison, a typical quiet room at night where most people sleep is at
30dB SPL, while a typical conversation is at about 60dB SPL.<br />
<br />
The Orfield chamber is so quiet that no one has been able to stay inside
for more than 45 minutes due to the fact that you begin to hear your
heart beating, you lungs working, and even the blood coursing through
your veins. Some people even begin to hallucinate during the experience.
In fact, you can't even stand after a half-hour since you no longer
hear the audio cues that you're used to when you stand as the
reflections bounce off the floor, ceiling and walls of the environment.<br />
<br />
While it's easy to figure out what JBL does with their anechoic chamber,
what goes on in an independent one like at Orfield? It seems that the
chamber is used by companies like <b>Harley Davidson</b> and Maytag<b> </b>to test how loud their products are. <b>NASA</b> also uses it for astronaut training.<br />
<br />
Here's a short video that describes the Orfield anechoic chamber.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aa_1Galj3nI&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-2571312546416701062012-05-28T13:12:00.002+02:002012-05-28T13:12:22.976+02:00Music is Life<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEXmtQfxdGo9jNChQ-9KVpgbTrlsFU6rLWnfWew57bxhMM60WrssMx3BliEmt2zRkxccwYq9g9tV6OXLfO8Qllw8z6A-sL0yVDG3k_owd8Wd7R2fHCvyq08ACIe3UGEVHArhzgCGLlZs/s1600/brain-music.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNEXmtQfxdGo9jNChQ-9KVpgbTrlsFU6rLWnfWew57bxhMM60WrssMx3BliEmt2zRkxccwYq9g9tV6OXLfO8Qllw8z6A-sL0yVDG3k_owd8Wd7R2fHCvyq08ACIe3UGEVHArhzgCGLlZs/s200/brain-music.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
I've always felt that being a musician was a profession of a higher
calling that most others. When you're doing it well, especially with
others, there's a metaphysical and spiritual lifting that other
professions, nobel though they be, just can't compete with.<br />
<br />
Now comes <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/living-longer-learning-musical-instrument-protects-brain-memory/story?id=15482696#.Ty1ioeOXQii" target="_blank">research that shows that music,</a>
as we have suspected all along, has numerous rewards, from improving
performance in school to dealing with emotional traumas to helping ward
off aging. These come as a result of the brain biologically and
neurologically enhancing its performance and protecting it from the some
of the ravages of time thanks to the active participation of the player
in the act of producing music.<br />
<br />
<b>Nina Kraus's </b>research at the <a href="http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University </a>in
Evanston, Il. has already shown that musicians suffer less from
aging-related memory and hearing losses than non-musicians. They also
found that playing an instrument is crucial to retaining both your
memory and hearing as you age, and how well you process all sorts of
daily information as you grow older.<br />
<br />
It turns out that just listening to music isn't enough though. You
actively have to participate as a player in order to receive any of the
benefits.<br />
<br />
That's as good a reason I can think of to learn how to play an
instrument and keep on playing it for life. It's not only good for your
spiritual health, but your physical side as well.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-8189076647193759722012-05-28T13:09:00.000+02:002012-05-28T13:15:43.957+02:00We love vinyl<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrV8bw2d-Z3_Or6_B9Bf_q3mPHwJBEt5kklC4wAPHscQ3vwAbnzg9-sOsY4RUN7YDH1pwslsMY08FbkDFpTV0rcV4EhGDCMwjxCFV8aZs0WXgGDpC3xz99iONZUO2D2U7mMMgxBFxJtM/s1600/vinyl-record.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrV8bw2d-Z3_Or6_B9Bf_q3mPHwJBEt5kklC4wAPHscQ3vwAbnzg9-sOsY4RUN7YDH1pwslsMY08FbkDFpTV0rcV4EhGDCMwjxCFV8aZs0WXgGDpC3xz99iONZUO2D2U7mMMgxBFxJtM/s200/vinyl-record.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
Why we
enjoy listening to vinyl so more than a CD??<br />
<br />
Here are a number of points to
consider.<br />
<br />
1) <b>It's an analog format.</b> Because vinyl is an analog medium, a
record has a theoretical frequency response that goes to the moon.
Seriously though, it goes way beyond our what we consider our "text
book" hearing limits. It's easy to get into a debate as to if that
really matters or not. Some audio scientists will tell you that we can
feel the harmonic detail beyond 20kHz and that adds to the realism,
while others will point to a mountain of data that shows that theory is
rubbish.<br />
<br />
That said, it sure does sound better than a CD, doesn't it? A CD's upper
frequency response is theoretically around limited to around 22kHz,
thanks to the 44.1kHz CD sample rate and something called the <b>Nyquist Frequency,</b>
which states that you can't have a frequency response that goes beyond
1/2 of the sample rate (otherwise, you get some nasty sonic digital
artifacts). What actually happens in real life is that a filter is used
to keep the frequency response below the Nyquist Frequency, and that
filter introduces it's own set of artifacts. That's one of the reasons
why some CD/DVD players are so expensive; they've got better filters.<br />
<br />
What this all adds up to is there's something going on in the upper
frequencies on vinyl that our ears seem to like. What that is can be
debatable, but we do like it.<br />
<br />
<b>2) Was the master analog?</b> Vinyl really helps the sound and feel
of a digital master, especially one made at a higher sampling rate like
96 or 192kHz, but it really sounds great if the source was originally an
analog magnetic tape master. It still sounds pretty good if the source
is from a 44.1kHz CD master source, but not as good as a hi-res digital
or analog master. Yes, it's better than a CD, but doesn't have nearly
the depth and "air" that an analog master has. This is why we tend to
like the vinyl reissues of classic albums so much.<br />
<br />
<b>3) Vinyl is subject to sonic degradation.</b> The big downside to
vinyl is that from the first play onward, a vinyl record sonically
degrades. Think about it. You have this diamond stylus (you know, the
hardest natural substance known to man) that's constantly grinding up
against the soft plastic grooves and wearing them down. After the first
10 plays or so, you're never going to hear it that good again. After
about 20, you'll be hearing a lot of more of the noise floor, clicks and
pops, although it will happen so gradually that you'll get used to them
by then. Still, like magnetic tape losing oxide from the friction
across the tape head. Your first pass is always the best.<br />
<br />
Those are just a few things to think about when it comes to vinyl. Now get out to your record store and buy some!Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-81179791344053601352012-05-28T13:05:00.002+02:002012-05-28T13:06:25.014+02:00De-Reverberation<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhDy-Fez0275mhBUbP228KZCIPQqvI2gW-FCrItC8uTgVPHAEkxW7tS77UAufRUjKS943W_noqA9lfRfWdHH8kRGZiISxaWtuMjrmml32gYQrWjZBJnwEsBr-4Ztq8ClaFWpi-lanVSw/s1600/Unveil.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Zynaptiq Unveil graphic from Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture production blog" border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhDy-Fez0275mhBUbP228KZCIPQqvI2gW-FCrItC8uTgVPHAEkxW7tS77UAufRUjKS943W_noqA9lfRfWdHH8kRGZiISxaWtuMjrmml32gYQrWjZBJnwEsBr-4Ztq8ClaFWpi-lanVSw/s400/Unveil.png" title="Zynaptiq Unveil " width="400" /></a></div>
One of the dreams of post engineers has been to find a device or plugin
that allows you to strip the reverberation from a sound. Dialog or
effects recording with unwanted ambience eventually have to be replaced,
costing time and money, and a music track swimming in too much reverb
can turn into a muddy mess. Now comes an announcement from a company
called <b>Zynaptiq</b> regarding a Mac plugin called <b>UNVEIL</b>, which they say accomplishes real-time de-reverberation and "signal focusing."<br />
<br />
By using artificial intelligence, UNVIEL claims to be able to not only
strip the ambience from a sound, but to add more of the natural ambience
back into the sound, as well as attenuating some of the components that
cause a sound to be "muddy" or masked.<br />
<br />
If it works as claimed, it could
immediately find a place in the plugin lists of DAWs everywhere. Not
only would it be invaluable for post, but during a mix as well. Instead
of adding artificial reverb to a mix element, it would be great just to
be able to adjust the natural ambience of the element itself. That
means, of course, that you have to record the sound well complete with
some natural ambience in the first place, but that's a topic for a
different discussion.<br />
Check out UNVIEL at the <a href="http://www.zynaptiq.com/unveil/overview/" target="_blank">Zynaptiq site</a>. A free trial is available.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-6949121497812464052012-05-28T13:03:00.001+02:002012-05-28T13:03:00.981+02:00Is your Mix finished?<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6yuZuhdBSSMwJAkMGsjjt7CKPvggJZdBQzyu3b0R5Z2oBUHjcIjeyv5vFVfnvpvvttWEDYRVrQCooVZYPyPSH-idlbEO6-nASS07cyvtw8AYfkcLwTB4jBVCxWb5kEz5WOplwx_vs9c/s1600/console+faders.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Console Fader image from Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture production blog" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6yuZuhdBSSMwJAkMGsjjt7CKPvggJZdBQzyu3b0R5Z2oBUHjcIjeyv5vFVfnvpvvttWEDYRVrQCooVZYPyPSH-idlbEO6-nASS07cyvtw8AYfkcLwTB4jBVCxWb5kEz5WOplwx_vs9c/s320/console+faders.jpeg" title="Console Faders" width="320" /></a></div>
One of the tougher things to decide when your doing a project is when
the mix is finished. If you have a deadline, the decision is quickly
made for you, but if you have a deep pocket budget or unlimited time, a
mix can drag on forever.<br />
<br />
<div>
<span>So when is a mix considered finished? Here are some guidelines, courtesy of <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1598632515/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobbowsi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1598632515" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Mixing Engineer's Handbook:</a></i></b></span><br />
<span><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>1) The groove of the song is solid.</b> The groove usually comes from the rhythm section, but it might be from an element like a rhythm guitar (like on the <b>Police’s</b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WTWY30/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobbowsi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000WTWY30" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Every Breath You Take</i>)</a> or just the bass by itself, like anything from the Detroit Motown that <b>James Jamerson </b>played on (<b>Marvin Gaye’</b>s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007FOMP/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobbowsi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00007FOMP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>What’s Goin’ On</i> </a>or <b>The Four Tops </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GDTYN4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bobbowsi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001GDTYN4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>Reach Out, I’ll Be There</i> </a>and <i>Bernadette </i>for instance). Whatever element supplies the groove, it has to be emphasized so that the listener can feel it.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>2) You can distinctly hear every instrument. </b>Every
instrument must have its own frequency range to be heard. Depending upon
the arrangement, this is what usually takes the most time during
mixing.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>3) Every lyric, and every note of every line or solo can be heard.</b> You don’t want a single note buried. It all has to be crystal clear. Use your automation. That’s what it was made for.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>4) The mix has punch.</b> The relationship between the bass and
drums is in the right proportion and work together well to give the
song a solid foundation.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>5) The mix has a focal point.</b> What’s the most important element of the song? Make sure it’s obvious to the listener.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>6) The mix has contrast.</b> If you have the same amount of the
same effect on everything (a trait I hear from so many neophyte
mixers), the mix will sound washed out. You have to have contrast
between different elements, from dry to wet, to give the mix depth.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>7) All noises and glitches are eliminated.</b> This means any
count-offs, singer’s breaths that seem out of place or predominate
because of vocal compression, amp noise on guitar tracks before and
after the guitar is playing, bad sounding edits, and anything else that
might take the listener’s attention away from the track.</span><br />
<span><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<div>
<span><b>8) You can play your mix against songs that you love, and it holds up.</b>
Perhaps the ultimate test. If you can get your mix in the same ball
park as many of your favorites (either things you’ve mixed or from other
artists) after you’ve passed the previous seven items, then you’re
probably home free.</span></div>
<div>
<span></span></div>
<span><br /></span><br />
<span>In the end, it’s best to figure at least a full day per song
regardless of whether you’re mixing in the box or on an analog console,
although it’s still best to figure a day and a half per mix if you’re
mixing in a studio with an analog-style console. Of course, if you’re
mixing every session as you go along recording, then you might be
finished before you know it as you just tweak your mix a little.</span>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-54594267918262053782012-05-24T15:11:00.000+02:002012-05-24T15:14:50.249+02:00Mastered for Itunes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXiv6oPY0xmb_J_st5wCi2WOs9xinFigIeW27MrQnhzM9P4be1u8I8h9J902W4mJ9EaGWtbiYVgRYjzI5MTanY5THvOJ9-FHD6DEF56Sz4fFJDW2tUuCxLX1hT-lR5ewopAkxKK74v34/s1600/mastered+for+iTunes.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mastered For iTunes icon image from Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture production blog" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXiv6oPY0xmb_J_st5wCi2WOs9xinFigIeW27MrQnhzM9P4be1u8I8h9J902W4mJ9EaGWtbiYVgRYjzI5MTanY5THvOJ9-FHD6DEF56Sz4fFJDW2tUuCxLX1hT-lR5ewopAkxKK74v34/s1600/mastered+for+iTunes.jpeg" title="Mastered For iTunes icon" /></a></div>
<br />
"Mastered for iTunes" at is most basic is iTunes finally opening up to hi-res masters. This means a number of things:<br />
<br />
1) iTunes now prefers that you supply the master audio files at 96kHz/24
bit, but any sample rate that's a 24 bit file will still be
considered "Mastered for iTunes." Music files that are supplied this way
will have a "Mastered for iTunes" icon (like on the left) placed beside
them to identify them as such.<br />
<br />
The reason why they're asking for 96/24 is so they can both start with
the highest resolution source material for a better encode, but also for
a bit of future proofing in the event that iTunes later converts to a
better format or a higher encode resolution (it's now 256kbs, but more
on this in a second).<br />
<br />
2) "Mastered for iTunes" doesn't mean that the mastering facility does
anything special to the master except to check what it will sound like
before they (or the record label) submit it to iTunes, and then check it
later once again. All encoding for iTunes is still done by Apple, not
by the mastering houses, record labels, or artists.<br />
<br />
The reason for this is to keep the encodes consistent and to prevent
anyone from gaming the system by hacking the encoder, but also to avoid
any potential legal problems that might occur when a mastering house
sends the files directly to iTunes instead of the label without their
permission, or uses different specs, etc.<br />
<br />
3) As stated above, the mastering house doesn't do any encoding directly, but Apple has provided <a href="http://www.apple.com/itunes/mastered-for-itunes/" target="_blank">a number of tools</a>
that they can use to hear what the final product will sound like when
it's encoded. That way they can make any adjustments to the master to
ensure a good encode.<br />
<br />
One unique aspect of "Mastered for iTunes" is something that's not been
publicized called a "test pressing." When Apple finally encodes the
file, they'll send a copy back to the label/engineer/artist to check. If
they sign off on it, the song then goes on sale in the iTunes store.<br />
<br />
Of the few mastering houses that are currently participating in the
program (all of the major ones), it was surprising that most of the time
a test pressing was rejected not because of the audio quality, but
because it was the wrong master. Yes, as record companies seem to do,
someone would actually send the un-mastered file or a completely
different song or version. Luckily, the problem is now able to be caught
in the test pressing stage.<br />
<br />
4) Speaking of the sound quality, iTunes is now using a completely new
AAC encoder with a brand new algorithm and the sound quality it produces
is stunning. If provides an excellent encode if you use a few common
sense guidelines (more on this in a bit), and if you do, the result is
almost impossible to hear (at least on the music we listened to). Certainly didn't sound anywhere near
as bad as the typical MP3.<br />
<br />
So what are the tricks to get the best sound quality from an iTunes
encode? It turns out that the considerations are about the same as with
MP3 encoding:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>a) Turn it down a bit.</b> A song that's flat-lined at -.1dBFS isn't
going to encode as well as something with some headroom. This is because
the iTunes AAC encoder outputs a tad hotter than the source, there's
some intersample overs that happen at that level that aren't detected on
a typical peak meter, and all DACs respond differently. Something that
won't be an over on your DAC may be an over on another playback unit.<br />
If
you back it down to -.5 or even -1dB, the encode will sound a lot
better and your listener probably won't be able to tell much of a
difference anyway. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>b) Don't squash the master too hard. </b>Masters with some dynamic
range encode better. Masters that are squeezed to within an inch of
their life don't. Simple as that. Listeners like it better too. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
c) Although the new encoder has a fantastic frequency response, sometimes <b>rolling off a little of the extreme top end </b>(16k and above) can help the encode as well.</blockquote>
5) "Mastered for iTunes" is only an indication that a hi-res master was
supplied; it's not a separate product. There will always be only one
version of the song on iTunes at the same price as before. "Mastered for
iTunes" doesn't mean you get to charge more, or that iTunes charges you
more. Everything is like it was before, you just supply a hi-res master
so it sounds better.<br />
<br />
6) So how do you supply that hi-res master? This is where it gets a bit
tricky. If you're signed to a major label, they've been contacted my
their Apple reps and everything is in place, so no problem there. If
you're with an indie label, insist that they contact their Apple rep for
instructions.<br />
<br />
If you use <b>CD Baby </b>or <b>Tunecore</b>, at the moment they'll tell
you they don't take 24 bit or high sample rate masters. Insist that
they contact their Apple rep and don't take no for an answer (this is
what the Apple iTunes guy told us). Apple is greatly encouraging
everyone to get with the program, so the more pressure you put on them,
the quicker it will become a standard. Of course, if you can find out
who your local Apple rep is (ask the local label), that could expedite
things too.<br />
<br />
The bottom line is that "Mastered for iTunes" is a great thing for
digital music. As far as I can see, there's no downside to it (except
maybe for the initial hassle you may go through as an indie), and you'll
be giving your fans a much better sounding product as a result.<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-66315203409048629112012-01-31T10:15:00.002+01:002012-01-31T23:40:45.698+01:00Free Sound Design Tool now available !!<iframe width="460" height="250" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9M-S6Wmtf_o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Free Music Software Developer Oli Larkin has released pMix (<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pmix/id492576037?ls=1&mt=12">App Store</a>), a free sound design tool for Mac OS X that allows you to morph between VST plugin presets using an intuitive graphical interface.<br />
<br />
Presets are represented by coloured balls that are positioned on a 2D plane. The size of each ball and its proximity to the cursor affects the weight of the associated preset in the interpolation.<br />
<br />
Morphing between presets often results in the discovery of interesting hybrid sounds. By constraining sound manipulations within a predesigned “interpolation space” complex transitions can be achieved that would otherwise be hard to manage.<br />
<br />
pMix can load four VST2 audio plugins. It comes with a suite of specially designed plugins which cover a range of experimental DSP techniques (noise generators, FM synthesis, formant filtering, frequency shifting etc). These plugins can also be used in other VST host applications.<br />
<br />
Features:<br />
<br />
Realtime VST2 plug-in chainer.<br />
Live processing of audio input, file playback or instrument plug-ins.<br />
Unique multi-layered interpolation approach.<br />
Rich visual control interface with real-time feedback.<br />
Includes a suite of 9 high-quality audio FX and generators.<br />
Many options for randomisation.<br />
Break-point function and “freehand” automation modes.<br />
Audio file player & recorder built in.<br />
Controllable via OSC and MIDI.<br />
Can be used with other applications via Rewire or Soundflower.<br />
Changes from v0.7 (released in 2008):<br />
Redesigned interface.<br />
Supports instrument plug-ins.<br />
Supports tempo synchronisation.<br />
Now includes a suite of specially designed plug-ins.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-9938832600631344702011-12-26T23:55:00.001+01:002011-12-26T23:55:41.184+01:00Binaural 3D Audio<iframe width="460" height="265" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3FwDa7TWHHc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Headphones Required! This video demonstrates binaural audio (3D Audio) along with video. The recording was done using a dummy head with silicone binaural ears, thus creating a completely 3D audio experience. See http://BinauralEars.com<br />
<br />
Recording 3D audio is easy to do, and amazingly effective at capturing the natural environment. Binaural 3D audio can allow you to relive any situation, with even more realism than with video. All you need to listen back are headphones.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-28247494347217138032011-12-26T23:50:00.000+01:002011-12-26T23:50:44.305+01:00Cobranet. The future of digital audio ?<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KHUy4UpDQ2k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
CobraNet allows realtime transport of uncompressed 24 bit/48/96khz audio over ethernet cable. <br />
<br />
Singer/songwriters and small bands might not require such a setup; larger touring groups with a large number of signals going to processors, mixing board, and out to the house speakers require more complicated setups to get the results they need. <br />
<br />
CobraNet is aimed squarely at those who need engineers and sound reinforcement<br />
professionals to make their shows work properly.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-44722225514090082312011-12-26T23:45:00.000+01:002011-12-26T23:45:05.568+01:00Slices Tech Talk: Loudness / Compression<div style="width: 500px; height: 280px"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://b2b.myvideo.de/Eb/player.php?playlist%5Fes=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eelectronicbeats%2Enet%2Ftv%2Fvideofeed%5Fend%2Exml&startid=9146&playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eelectronicbeats%2Enet%2Ftv%2F9856%2Fvideofeed%2Exml&type=e"></script></div>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-68293211507871798302011-12-21T00:24:00.003+01:002011-12-21T00:25:21.980+01:00Lemur - Now on iOSLegendary multitouch MIDI & OSC controller.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="460" height="265" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F6zOdRwgIRQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-8018948945339645812011-12-12T23:16:00.000+01:002011-12-12T23:16:18.762+01:00Dolby Presents Surrounded: 7.1 Cinema & Beyond<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26509751?byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Dolby gathered a group of cinema industry leaders and innovators from around the world for an exclusive Filmmakers’ Forum held on Monday, July 11, 2011 in San Francisco, CA.<br />
<br />
Our focus will be on how 7.1 surround sound delivers a richer, more immersing moviegoing experience to audiences—and YOU can join the live discussion.<br />
<br />
Discussion Topic: The Impact of 7.1 Surround Sound on 2D and 3D Movies.<br />
<br />
The content creation community is embracing this new audio format, and more than 25 feature films have been announced or already mixed in 7.1—and a majority of them are in 3D. Discover how 7.1 brings a more exciting sensory experience to 2D and gives content creators even more control over audio placement for 3D movies. Also learn from experts in the cinema industry how they envision the future of surround sound.<br />
<br />
Get in the cinema frame of mind by checking out a movie in Dolby Surround 7.1 and/or Dolby 3D at a theater near you.<br />
<b><br />
Panel Moderator:</b><br />
Stuart Bowling, Dolby Laboratories, Worldwide Technical Marketing Manager, Cinema<br />
<br />
<b>Panelists:</b><br />
Kinson Tsang, supervising sound designer, Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen and The Lost Bladesman<br />
<br />
Rohan Sippy, Director, Dum Maaro Dum<br />
<br />
Erik Aadahl, supervising sound editor, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Megamind<br />
<br />
Michael Semanick, Re-recording mixer, Cars 2 and Toy Story 3<br />
<br />
Eric Brevig, Director, Yogi Bear and Journey to the Center of the EarthSixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-80793772985477350962011-12-04T02:30:00.001+01:002011-12-04T02:30:49.317+01:00Red Hot Chile Peppers – ‘I’m With You” vinyl sounds better than CD<iframe width="460" height="250" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TsMpHDc7sGE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Last week Harman Aaron Loučka posted a heads-up that an example of the vinyl release of the new Red Hot Chile Peppers album, “I’m With You”, had been posted on YouTube.<br />
<br />
Since vinyl releases often show as having better dynamics (“crest factor”, to be strictly correct) than their CD equivalents in the Dynamic Range Database.<br />
<br />
The results were pretty clear, and this is a short YouTube clip to demonstrate the difference. Take a listen, and see if you can hear a difference, and which one you prefer.<br />
<b><br />
This is not a vinyl versus CD thing</b><br />
<br />
Whatever you decide, it’s important to know – what you’re hearing is NOT some inherent limitation of the quality of the CD format.<br />
<br />
CD and vinyl do sound different, but with identical masters, they should sound very close to each other. Much closer than this.<br />
<br />
These are not identical masters – on the CD, the crest factor is about 6 dB less than on the vinyl, and there are some EQ differences too. (And, the vinyl is playing at a slightly higher pitch)<br />
<br />
It’s the loudness war again.<br />
<br />
<b>The loudness war is insane</b><br />
<br />
This means that the quality of the CD version, which is theoretically a far superior format technically, is lower (in my opinion) than the vinyl.<br />
<br />
This is insane.<br />
<br />
At the very least, they should sound similar, so that people who prefer vinyl can choose it for it’s particular characteristics.<br />
<br />
As it is, since I prefer the mastering of the vinyl release, the only way for me to hear this version is to buy a record deck or download an illegal rip of the vinyl. Madness !<br />
<br />
Why does the vinyl sound different ?<br />
<br />
Of course, it’s sadly no surprise that a RHCP CD sounds like this – “Californication” helped kick-start the loudness war in the first place, and producer Rick Rubin is a serial offender, mistakenly believing that people always prefer a more heavily compressed version – they don’t, as research shows.<br />
<br />
What’s interesting is to notice that the vinyl was released a couple of months after the CD. Since they were all mastered by Vlado Meller at Masterdisc, the question is, why does the vinyl sound different ?<br />
<br />
Was this simply following the ironically perverse trend of “audiophile” vinyl releases ? Or might it be in response to the generally harsh reception of the album’s sound all over the web ?<br />
<br />
We can only hope it’s the later…<br />
<br />
As an interesting side-note, notice how YouTube’s lossy data-compressed audio sounds worse for the CD version – more artefacts.<br />
<br />
This is further proof that higher-quality, more dynamic music actually survives better when mp3-ed, and makes it even more sadly ironic that the CD master was the basis for the so-called “mastered for iTunes” version.<br />
<br />
And, a sadly missed opportunity – since there were separate masters for CD and iTunes, the iTunes version could actually have sounded better…Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-40064974820601258332011-12-04T02:19:00.000+01:002011-12-04T02:19:34.891+01:00Korg Monotribe schematicsKorg has released schematics for the Korg Monotribe – officially making the new analog synth a platform for synth DIY hacking.<br />
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The Korg Monotribe schematics can be downloaded from the Korg site. Note that, to download the schematics, you have to agree that any DIY mods that you do void your warranty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31G4yt-gt8h-gOOV1dr9s70Qq27zuAH_X4H9190UiO5ENmYRWTNzwJNQVJztt1Vrfr61nH_PTg7n_Qa1-QR6torvmjzrtcQLWEFmSNxePdoG9O5fDpCI2FH7x27Rn_2Bs1HeHdBMKWGBr/s1600/korg-monotribe-schematics-546x378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="222" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi31G4yt-gt8h-gOOV1dr9s70Qq27zuAH_X4H9190UiO5ENmYRWTNzwJNQVJztt1Vrfr61nH_PTg7n_Qa1-QR6torvmjzrtcQLWEFmSNxePdoG9O5fDpCI2FH7x27Rn_2Bs1HeHdBMKWGBr/s320/korg-monotribe-schematics-546x378.jpg" /></a></div>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-85600011937468502442011-11-14T23:51:00.006+01:002011-11-15T00:05:57.025+01:00Create your own SynthBefaco, this is a place created especially for electronic musicians who feel the need to manufacture their tools. In the gather all the information they have been collecting during the design of their machines and workshops.<br />
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<b>Philosophy on intellectual property rights:</b><br />
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All circuits shown are of free use, as they firmly believe that "<b>the free movement of knowledge and want to give back what the community has given us DIY (do it yourself)"</b>.<br />
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In some cases the circuits shown are based on other sources (appropriately cited) so its use is subject to copyright restrictions.<br />
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Our designs are licensed as Creative Commons "share-alike" - allowing any use as long as they share the same way.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?client=tmpg&hl=en&langpair=es%7Cen&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&u=http://befaco.org/&usg=ALkJrhj6ljHLj2NqDA5hM6xrRgyhwu_viQ">Befaco</a><br />
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<iframe width="450" height="250" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RHBIkfKji_Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-74372746177422234712011-11-14T23:41:00.001+01:002011-11-14T23:42:07.384+01:00Voice Lessons Touch Screen InstallationVoice Lessons is an electronic, audio device that interrogates the popular myth that every musical instrument imitates the human voice. Touching the screen allows the participant to manipulate the visuals and vocalizations of the “voice teacher” as he recites vocal warm up exercises.<br />
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The piece resides in the space between a musical instrument and voice lesson. Move the touch point left, right, up, and down to explore the visual and auditory possibilities. Rapid high pitched loops occur while touching near the top of the screen while lower pitched longer loops are heard near the bottom.<br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/31977188?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
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Voice Lessons<br />
32” interactive touch screen installation<br />
By John Keston 2011<br />
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This video documentation was shot while Voice Lessons was installed at the MCAD Whittier Studios for a session of the graduate critique seminar in November, 2011.<br />
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The piece, developed in Max/MSP, granulates both sound and video in parallel as the viewer touches the screen. Synchronization between the the audio and visual content is maintained. The piece will be installed again for an open studio night on December 9, 2011 (6 to 10pm) at the MCAD Whittier Studios, 2835 Harriet Avenue South, Minneapolis.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ejCvVz2bKfaUnfFkOhSRCCHxFraCc5rcBYyTV_xALgwBl6Sn3cCq4fekOrnMuaNJXjAnahKS8_OT6pZuUgGtJJdx6JO7kyt8k-J1FSPtFhyphenhyphen3F-fKkQ8IlAS_xOeFGyyGXKYGXb35NvGq/s1600/VL_main_patch_screen_shot_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="173" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ejCvVz2bKfaUnfFkOhSRCCHxFraCc5rcBYyTV_xALgwBl6Sn3cCq4fekOrnMuaNJXjAnahKS8_OT6pZuUgGtJJdx6JO7kyt8k-J1FSPtFhyphenhyphen3F-fKkQ8IlAS_xOeFGyyGXKYGXb35NvGq/s320/VL_main_patch_screen_shot_640.png" /></a></div><br />
The image above shows the main patch window for Voice Lessons. The X and Y coordinates of the touch-screen are translated into position, frequency, and grain width for the audio and video. When the screen is not being touched video without sound of the subject looking around the environment is played. I call this the idle mode and it serves to attract the viewer into interacting with the piece.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_vqUiq5tWvkqi3YnN-DhLLv71_LcQfdKZ2XRlukIbfWG8YxwTVA_etLZwEvsK-t3Pci0Al3qijjbDZEuZZL1noGijOIUxcbu1XW_f9CRJxwXGK6O8NL9SsmYpe2prxiJfafL46TVOym9/s1600/dads_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="199" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_vqUiq5tWvkqi3YnN-DhLLv71_LcQfdKZ2XRlukIbfWG8YxwTVA_etLZwEvsK-t3Pci0Al3qijjbDZEuZZL1noGijOIUxcbu1XW_f9CRJxwXGK6O8NL9SsmYpe2prxiJfafL46TVOym9/s320/dads_640.png" /></a></div><br />
When the idle mode has been active for 1.5 seconds a new video and corresponding sound is randomly selected from a pool of five possibilities. Each video is a distinct performance of vocal exercises that explore a variety of vowels and consonants.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-47065938526913543582011-10-10T23:54:00.000+02:002011-10-10T23:54:49.843+02:00The Sound and Music of Angry BirdsFinland based composer and sound designer Ari Pulkkinen seems to be one of the most listened to composers in the world right now with over 250 million people who have heard his original Angry Birds theme. Pulkkine’s catchy theme was also recently performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra which was part of a music festival in the city.<br />
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Angry Birds has been praised for its successful combination of addictive gameplay, comical style, and low price. Its popularity led to versions of Angry Birds being created for personal computers and gaming consoles, a market for merchandise featuring its characters and even long-term plans for a feature film or television series. With a combined 350 million downloads across all platforms and including both regular and special editions, the game has been called “one of the most mainstream games out right now”, “one of the great runaway hits of 2010″, and “the largest mobile app success the world has seen so far”.<br />
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Ari has also worked on other very popular games such as Trine (PS3/PC), Dead Nation (PS3), and Outland (PS3/360). The games have received rave reviews and praise for their soundtracks and sound design.<br />
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Ari Pulkkinen<br />
www.aripulkkinen.com<br />
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ANGRY BIRDS<br />
www.rovio.com<br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/29246407?byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-1803208994763955432011-10-10T23:52:00.000+02:002011-10-10T23:52:06.576+02:00Synthesizer for KidsThis is a demo of an Arduino-based spaceship-themed synthesizer for kids, designed for the Kearney Area Children’s Museum.<br />
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The spaceship synth was created by Nebraska-based interaction designer Jason Webb.<br />
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Here’s what he has to say about the spaceship synth:<br />
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Several months ago I volunteered my skills to create a large, interactive control panel for an upcoming space-themed exhibit for the Kearney Area Children’s Museum. The project is multi-faceted and took quite a bit of time and energy to create, but in the end it came together very well!<br />
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Using the Auduino synth sketch for Arduino as a starting point, I created a synthesizer that uses two rotary potentiometers, two linear potentiometers and one infrared rangefinder to generate fun, interactive music.<br />
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The sketch works best when multiple inputs are being used at once (i.e., moving your hand while moving a slider), but will generate some sort of tone regardless.<br />
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The circuit board on the back is a simple class A amplifier and parallel 3.5mm audio jack to allow for more control over the volume of the synth.<br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28793378?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-68866096721870290632011-09-20T00:28:00.000+02:002011-09-20T00:28:33.855+02:00Roland TR-909 Drum Machine vs iPad NineOnine Virtual Drum Machine<iframe width="500" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NKuX8DKr64A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-20166961058233243232011-09-20T00:14:00.000+02:002011-09-20T00:14:02.467+02:00People From The UK Don’t Need To Go To Berlin Anymore<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28395251?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen allowFullScreen></iframe><br />
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Andreas Schneider created this video tour of the new UK Testsalon to show why synth freaks from the UK don’t need to go to Berlin anymore:<br />
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The Testsalon inside Rough Trade East in London is the showroom installed by Schneidersladen, Berlin with the latest news in electronic hardware devices. The Video gives you an overview on how to get started with analogue synthesizers, modular systems, stepsequencers, drummachines, or filters from independent manufacturers like Doepfer, Sherman, MFB, TomOberheim, Makenoise, Cwejman, SND, Vermona and many others.<br />
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ll is connected with each other via Midi or cv gate and you can make some music easily .. if you are around.<br />
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Remember – “it’s not a shame to touch it”!Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-86412781080375153682011-09-20T00:09:00.000+02:002011-09-20T00:09:22.238+02:00Pioneering Electronic Instrument – Rediscovered In France<object id="flashObj" width="486" height="412" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1104298960001&playerID=2227271001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAADqBmN8~,Yo4S_rZKGX0rYg6XsV7i3F9IB8jNBoiY&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1104298960001&playerID=2227271001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAADqBmN8~,Yo4S_rZKGX0rYg6XsV7i3F9IB8jNBoiY&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><br />
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A pioneering electronic instrument lost since the 1970s was recently recovered from a barn in Brittany, France. The Oram synthesizer, created by British composer Daphne Oram in 1957, was crucial to the development of electronic music but few people are aware of its significance. Mick Grierson, a lecturer at Goldsmiths University in London, is hoping to change that and spent the past few years tracking it down.Sixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1738000426220769962.post-53838590741960398422011-09-06T22:22:00.003+02:002011-09-06T22:23:19.384+02:00The Sound of Rise of the Planet of the ApesActing as a foundation with an origin story for a new film series, Director Rupert Wyatt takes the audience on the science fiction summer hit, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The stunning visual effects produced by Weta Digital for the apes are complimented by the wide range of sounds recorded and edited for the film.<br />
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Leading the sound team is supervising sound editor and sound designer Chuck Michael and co-supervisor John Larsen with the talents of first assistant sound editor Smokey Cloud and sound re-recording mixers Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett.<br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/27902186?byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
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Chimp Haven serves as The National Chimpanzee Sanctuary. They are an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide lifetime care for chimpanzees who have been retired from medical research, the entertainment industry or no longer wanted as pets. For more information visit:<br />
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www.chimphaven.orgSixty Degrees Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02566338317770065175noreply@blogger.com