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Good Watching: Synth Interviews, British Synth Artists, Musical Pioneers from Detroit to Berlin

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Pour some port, find a comfy spot on the couch, and fire up the YouTubes. A surprisingly-rich raft of terrific documentary video for synth and electronic music enthusiasts has been making the rounds.

In our queue: Analog Suicide interviews a legendary vintage synth spot in Berlin, an hourlong documentary features not only Richie Hawtin but a range of techno pioneers, as well as other shorts from T-Mobile (yes, the phone company), and the BBC scores more history of the British side of the synth revolution in music. Sit down and get ready, because here we go.

From Detroit to Berlin and Back: In-depth Interviews with Pioneering Artists

At top: an hour-plus documentary produced for T-Mobile’s Electronic Beats series follows the rise of techno legend Richie Hawtin, including some terrific Detroit footage with artists like Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, and of course Magda. Love him or hate him, Richie’s impact on electronic music is formidable, and it’s great to see coverage finally return to a tale of his roots. It seems the perfect way to get ready for Detroit’s Movement Festival, starting May 28. Via the astute music coverage on the XLR8R blog, here by Ken Taylor.

There’s quite a lot more Electronic Beats TV on the YouTube page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ElectronicBeatsVideo

Here are a few of my favorites. Kangding Ray of Raster-Noton is framed by signature, hypnotic minimal visuals. He has some wonderful things to say about the beauty of materials in sampling. Then there’s some beautiful footage of TESSEL, a morphing architectural form which really deserves some separate coverage here. Have a look:

Thomas Heckmann looks at machines, vintage and circuit bent, and talks about working with their idiosyncrasies in musical production.

From the role of machines to the role of humans, Moderat talk about collaboration as therapy, and what it does for them … and then go parachute jumping. I think people falling from a plane makes the perfect soundtrack.

Conversations for Synth Lovers, via AnalogSuicide

AnalogSuicide’s Tara Busch is one of our favorite journalists covering synthesis, and a great artist to boot. This week, she visits the legendary vintage synth destination Schneiders Beuro in Berlin. Via Synthtopia, who, like MatrixSynth, I think has an alarm that goes off when videos hit YouTube with certain keywords – incredible.

On the producer side, massively-accomplished producer Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Wire, Erasure) makes an appearance, too:

Lots more where that came from:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tarabusch

Synth Brittania

Via our friend and Chicago producer/nerd fashionista/writer Liz McLean Knight comes a BBC Four documentary that covers British synth artists in the late 70s and early 80s, including Joy Division, Human League, Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire, and Gary Numan.

There’s just too much goodness here. I want to sit down with the past and present staff of Keyboard and watch this one. Watch it while the Beeb lets you.

I’m personally gratified in that I believe technically and artistically, we’re entering another of these sorts of ages. Who knows what the cultural impact may be, but at least for those passionate artists and technologists who are involved, something’s happening. And these videos are a great place to begin for inspiration.

So, now that you have those to watch, I guess I really need not write until Monday! See you then! (joke … sort of.)

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A Beautiful Compilation from 40+ Artists Shows Support for Japan

Friday, March 18th, 2011

In a more connected world, we begin to understand more profoundly the life we share on a planet that is both fragile and potentially destructive. I remember the sobering feeling of listening to radio reports from Haiti during NAMM last year. There are countless calls for support for Japan, and I hope that, as in any disaster, people do learn more about disaster response worldwide, since any one of us can wind up as its recipient. But without covering every single one of those calls for aid, CDM contributor Primus Luta brings one wonderful musical compilation you may want to enjoy for some time to come. -Ed.

A week ago today a 9.0-magnitude earthquake shook northern Japan, leaving much of the area in utter devastation. For the past week, all eyes have been on the island nation, most prominently due to the affects the quake has had on nuclear reactors in the area. Only one day before the quake, Laurent Fintoni made his annual trip to the place he calls his spiritual home. Laurent is the man behind the Rhythm Incursions site, Original Cultures project and a host of other things in and around the world of modern electronic music. In the immediate aftermath of the quake, he housed up with Rhythm Incursions co-presenters Raid System and started work on a compilation to be released to support the relief efforts. Today, exactly one week after the quake, that compilation Nihon Kizuna has been released with a stellar lineup of over 40 artists including Kode 9, Kuedo, Rudi Zygadlo, Daisuke Tanabe, Paul White, Mux Mool, Ernest Gonzales, Onra and many more.

You can listen to a short mix of the music included in the compilation below or just go straight to the Nihon Kizuna site and purchase the compilation.

V.A. – Nihon Kizuna (日本絆) by laurentfintoni

Updated: TRUE CHIP TILL DEATH has a chip music compilation going, too. I know there are many others, so feel free to add them in comments.
http://truechiptilldeath.com/japan/

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Major Traktor Software, Audio Hardware Updates; DJs and Live Electronic Artists Alike May Be Pleased

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Traktor 2 is a new “generation,” says Native Instruments, of its flagship DJ software, along with upgraded hardware interfaces. The upgrade is so capable, simply calling it a “DJ” product may be inadequate. Just as Ableton Live’s user base grew to incorporate DJs, Traktor’s capabilities move easily into live performance and remixing, too.

It’s still Traktor. But drawing on Traktor’s background, it’s Traktor as a DJ tool that, aside from just playing auto-beat-matched tracks, can transform into a sampling and remix tool with some far-out sonic effects, for a more dynamic live show.

However you classify yourself, the update promises both expanded usability and, for those who do want to go deeper, more extensive live sonic manipulation.

New features:

Redesigned UI you can actually see. NI calls it “high-visibility”; I’d call it “squint proof.” While I’ll need to use it first-hand, it may at last resolve one of Traktor’s most glaring deficiencies – that the UI was too darned hard to see.
Four sample decks and the Loop Recorder. I love Ableton, but too often users fail to limit the number of simultaneous samples. Four samples playing at once really is often more than enough, so the four-deck metaphor makes a lot of sense. Coupled with loop recording, you could forget that Traktor is marketing at DJs and have a pretty nice little looping program; I’d been tempted to test it as such to see how it stands up. For people who do call themselves “DJs,” meanwhile, it’s an opportunity to really set your live numbers apart.
Big, colorful wave views. High-resolution, color-coded waveforms (and lots of viewing options) let you focus on visual mixing with wave views. That should both please some digital die-hards and offend purists, so we’ll see how people comment online to this one. (Flame war, perhaps?) At the very least, it can make your workspace look nicer.
SoftSync. I’m looking into this, but NI says it’s a new automatic beat-matching mode that keeps multiple tracks in sync without “manipulating phase.”
New effects: Tape delay emulation, Bouncer (pitch delay) effects, and Ramp delay.

There’s a whole lot to the UI rebuild; it’s not only bigger, but cleaner, adds more waveform feedback, and tons of customization options, all intended, evidently, to make the UI easier to see and use.

Obligatory promo video (as with any manufacturer, put your hype-filtering glasses on … now!):

And Ean Golden over at DJ TechTools already has an in-depth walkthrough:

There’s also a great feature-by-feature walkthrough in the UI that rivals what you’ll find from Native Instruments site:
Traktor Pro 2 @ DJ Tech Tools

To me, the addition of sampler on all decks, a loop recorder, and extra effects make this the first DJ-dedicated tool you could really see as a live tool. For people coming to DJing from producer backgrounds, I think that’ll be welcome.

On the hardware side, the Audio 6 and Audio 10 represent big improvements, too:

More I/O: 6 or 10 inputs instead of 4 or 8 on the previous models. NI suggests you use the extra stereo in as a loop or sample in, an effect/send return, for an external mix, or other … stuff. Yeah, it’s handy to have.
24-bit/96kHz Cirrus Logic converters, +12 dBu outs
Better LED indicators
New Direct Thru function patches an input directly to the output even without a computer connected. (Hmmm… handy if your computer crashes, huh?)

You also get a copy of Traktor LE 2, the new Traktor 2 version of their lightweight DJ tool.

There are loads of great interfaces out there for production and recording; what might appeal about the Audio DJ interface line is its live features – even if you’re more on the live PA / live electronics side than DJing per se.

Mac and Windows support; I’ll be curious if the unofficial / unsupported Linux drivers remain compatible, as there – with far fewer good choices – NI’s stuff tends to be a great choise. (I use an Audio Kontrol 1 right now with my Ubuntu setup, and get some fantastic low-latency performance.)

Even the audio interfaces get their own video:

And a bonus video of Traktor Scratch:

Pricing:
TRAKTOR PRO 2 – $ 229 / 199 EUR
TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 2 – $ 669 / 599 EUR
TRAKTOR DUO 2 – $ 119 / 99 EUR
TRAKTOR SCRATCH DUO 2 – $ 399 / 349 EUR

S4 users get the new Traktor for free; other upgrades available. On the interfaces:

TRAKTOR AUDIO PRO 6 $ 279/249 EUR (that’s the bargain, in my opinion)
TRAKTOR AUDIO PRO 10 $ 449/399 EUR

Okay, now with your hype goggles off, let us know what you think.
Traktor Lineup Page

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How Do professional Hip hop artists make there beats?

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Question by scott luvi: How Do professional Hip hop artists make there beats?
There are many programs all over the web. But I assume they don’t use those. And what would be a good way to start making beats?

Best answer:

Answer by Absquatulator
mainstream producers probably use expensive soft synths and keyboards..
BUT…
for REAL Hip Hop Production, get a program to sample music with.
With Sampling knowledge, you can make beats as well as anyone

What do you think? Answer below!

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Which professional or famous electronic artists use Cubase?

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Question by Lone Wolf: Which professional or famous electronic artists use Cubase?
I’m trying to learn how to use Cubase to create electronic music. I’m having a very difficult time learning how to use the program. Can Cubase make stuff like Owl City, or is some other program better for this?

Best answer:

Answer by Dave LaBuda
Most of the pros use Pro Tools. Not Cubase to record with. If you are attempting to create music in Cubase and not record into it, that is likely your problem. To create electronic music, you need a sampler and sequencer, not recording software. Pro Tools and Cubase are digital audio workstations (DAW). Their primary purpose is to record, edit, enhance, and master music. But, a sampler/sequencer like the Roland SP-555 can actually create sounds and record or sample sounds and then sequence them together to make music. A Roland Keyboard synthesizer like the Roland Juno-G can also do that. If you already have recorded sounds that you can import into Cubase, then you can use it as a sampling and sequencing workstation as well. Cubase may have plug-ins that provide drum tracks and other percussion sounds you can use to import into tracks in Cubase that you can then sequence but, you need the sounds to come from recording an instrument or device or synthesizer or importing prerecorded sound tracks.

Your Cubase user manual is the best place to go to figure out how to do what you want to do. Cubase user support is another place if you can figure out the manual.

You might also want to check out some of the samplers/sequencers …

You might also want to see the equipment that Dub FX uses.

http://media2.roland.com/en/v/v0774/v077403M.mov

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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Decibel Log 1: Ean Golden, Gold Panda, Mux Mool, Lusine, Pantha Du Prince

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Who says laptop artist can’t connect? Decibel 2010: 12 Planet. Photo (CC-BY) VeryBadLady / Heather.

Ed. Seattle’s Decibel Festival is, as one commenter put it, a convergence of music straight out of many of our music collections. Musician, producer, and journalist Primus Luta (David Dobson) is on the scene to bring us a vicarious experience of the sights and sounds. He brings us impressions, reflections, and videos, too. Here’s the first day; coverage of the remaining festival is to come. -PK

Seattle locals will tell you, August and September are the sweet months, and walking around Capitol Hill where people are full of smiles in short sleeves with their legs exposed, you get the sense that there is merit to the claim. The festival base of operations, Pravda Studios in the heart of Capital Hill, is a large event space with strong multi-media support. In the lobby a four monitor wall display offers a live slide-show of pictures being taken during the Festival. Festival sponsor, Microsoft, have the second studio equipped with multiple machines for attendees to get the latest information. It is cut off by a room divider separating it from studio one, where the conference portion of the festival takes place.

Decibel founder is quick to note that the festival is not just about the performances, but also has an educational aspect facilitated through the Decibel Conference. The first day of the conference focuses on technology and techniques. In the first session Kris Moon gives an in-depth workshop on Serato Scratch Live, touching on techniques for adding MIDI controllers into the live turntable set-up with Serato. Ghostly International artist Lusine takes to the podium next to talk about organizing Ableton Live for performance. Where both of these sessions focused on specific platforms for live performance, in the last session Ean Golden talks controllers, specifically the MIDI Fighter platform which uses modular video game style interfaces to build custom controllers.

Ean Golden at Decibel Festival 2010 from Primus Luta on Vimeo.

Following the workshops the divider between studios is pulled back, expanding the space for the Opening Gala event where Kris and Ean share live set spots with Derek Mazzone and Introcut. As the double sized room starts filling in one begins to get the sense that indeed they are in an electronic music festival, though not necessarily the standard fair. The contemplative face was just as present as the gyrating waist, and often from the same individual. Each person in attendance acting as a microcosm of the festival’s vision.

Chatter around the room is all anticipation as participants plot out their weekend by the artists they want to be sure to catch. A common theme amongst all is that the weekend will include a few hard choices, as overlapping events make it virtually impossible to catch all the artists on ones list. A seven year volunteer for takes as much pride in the growth of the festival as Decibel founder Sean Horton. They both agree that the growth is good, but more importantly it has happened without sacrifice of the original intent to be an event which spotlights electronic artists who might otherwise be under the radar.

As the sun sets some festival goers file out of Pravda Studios and into the line across the street at Neumos where Ghostly International has a showcase lined up to christen this years festival. Mux Mool starts things off in the right direction with his breed of heavy hitting, modular hip-hop beats. Rocking a streamlined Ableton Live set-up with only the pad control under his fingers, he launches into his Tobacco remix to begin. Each track lures the audience deeper into the nights experience as heads nod and hands wave approval. The energetic give and take between Mux Mool and the crowd is accentuated the few times he takes to the mic to make sure they are ready for the nights journey – they are.

Mux Mool at Decibel Festival 2010 from Primus Luta on Vimeo.

London’s Gold Panda takes the stage next as a name most in the crowd know, but few know exactly what to expect. Once the effect heavy live intro kicks into “You” from his Ghostly EP though, they are all in his hands. Video from the performance in an upcoming CDM interview, available in the next few days. -Ed. Lusine takes the stage next with the obvious hometeam advantage. If there were any question as to why he was teaching the afternoon Ableton session, it becomes obvious once he takes the stage. His presence is calm and collected with little animation other than the smile on his face and slight head nod. He is a master of his craft, who makes getting the dance floor steady rocking seem effortless.

Lusine at Decibel Festival 2010 from Primus Luta on Vimeo.

The headliner for the night, Pantha Du Prince takes the stage in a black hooded overcoat with a scarf partially covering his face. He has a presence that demands attention and as he starts working controllers, contact mics and foot pedals into his own breed of noise music, the audience is sucked into a hypnotic trance. Through the shadows you can catch glimpses of his eyes, and then as the scarf is pulled down, his slightly opened mouth as he intently continues to build the tension. As percussive sounds slowly build into a beat that ramps up, as if queued by post-hypnotic suggestion, the energy in the room boils over.

Pantha du Prince at Decibel 2010 from Primus Luta on Vimeo.

As people exit the venue there is a sense of arrival. Each an everyone has made a journey to be here, and the sonic baptism which the Ghostly crew laid upon them fully immersed everyone of them into the experience that is Decibel. Some would find there way to after-hours events, others just to a bed to rest up. It is only Wednesday after all, and if this day stands as a means to measure there will be plenty in the days to come for which sleep will not be an option.

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Free SoundCloud Sampling with Creative Commons Search, Player; Q+A

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Creative Commons button. Photo (CC-BY-SA) Andy Melton.

Finding samples and remix-able music — or advertising the availability of tracks you want to release for that purpose — has just gotten a lot easier. As part of a raft of improvements to the SoundCloud service – including some nice non-CC enhancements to search and tag browsing – the service has boosted integration with free licenses. You can now search for CC content, and the license is visible directly in the player, going beyond what even services like Flickr and Vimeo have done.

You can add SoundCloud to CC-focused sites like ccMixter as tools in your freely-licensed arsenal.

I spoke to the folks at SoundCloud about the changes, and about how they see Creative Commons fitting into a larger picture. Henrik Lenberg, Business Developer at SoundCloud responds.

CDM: Can you detail exactly what’s changed?

SC: As far as Creative Commons features are concerned, the biggest changes in this release have been the introduction of a CC landing and discovery page, prominent placement of license information on track players and pages, and advanced search by license type. The basic features before provided a really simple way to select a license, and these changes make it more straightforward to find and identify Creative Commons-licensed material on the site. SoundCloud is geared particularly towards audio creators, and this release should make it much simpler to find samples, sounds, and tracks that can be used for remixes, mashups, and other compositions.

What have been some of your favorite uses of CC so far on SoundCloud?

We’re just wrapping up a series of blog posts with some of our favorite CC users on the site, which can be seen at http://blog.soundcloud.com/tag/ccinterviews. You can see there we’re getting all kinds of music under CC licenses on SoundCloud, but also field recordings, audiobooks, and plenty of other sounds. As far as samples are concerned, we’ve got the OLPC Sample collection online, which is over 6000 CC-BY samples, as well as really interesting collections, like the Stretta Samples and Karmadrums who makes on-demand drum loops on real drums. We’ve also got all kinds of sample-making companies, including Twisted Tools and Sample Magic.

How do you hope the new functionality might be used? What do you think might come out of it artistically?

I’m sure that some of the uses will surprise even us, but I’m expecting to see the same kind of outpouring of creativity that has accompanied Creative Commons licenses on other platforms. I hope there’s an uptick in remixes of CC licensed material on the site, and I imagine that video creators, podcasters, independent video game makers, and other people who need to find music for their works will begin to discover SoundCloud as a resource.

With more Music Hack Days coming up, what does this release mean for the developer community?

We’ve included Creative Commons filtering in our API so now you can build apps that let you find and use CC content in various ways. For example, one thing we expect to see is the possibility to search and browse samples and sound effects within your favorite sequencer or audio editor, then preview the results and drag and drop the sounds you prefer right into your arrangement. We believe that bringing tools and content closer together really can change how audio is shared and reused, and Creative Commons is an important piece of getting this puzzle together. We’re big music hack day fans, and glad to offer developers an easy-to-use resource for any type of CC content.

We hear regularly from the Creative Commons organization about how they perceive the business potential of artists, and why it isn’t simply creators giving their work away for free with no reciprocal benefit. We also hear from naysayers who, very often, seem to have little understanding or experience of CC. Coming at this from the perspective of a third party, what do you think the value might be for independent artists?

Well, first off, it’s absolutely true that Creative Commons licenses aren’t for every artist, and they’re not a magic bullet to finding a business model or getting your music heard. But it’s also important to note that every CC license requires at least attribution to the original artist. While there are certainly some artists who have the problem of too many fans trying to listen to their music free, many more are grappling with the issue of getting their name out there, and all of the CC licenses make sure that if your material is being used you’re still getting credit.

Ultimately, there are a lot of musicians and other artists who actually want to allow people to copy music for their friends, or to sample it or remix it, or use it in an independent film or game. Creative Commons is just about letting artists and users make that agreement in a simple and straightforward way, by granting permission in advance, and reserving the rights that artists do want to hold on to. Again, not everybody sees things the same way, and we’re not trying to make everybody use one license or another. For users who do want to use these, we’re simply giving them the freedom to do so.

What about labels, who have tended (with the exception of the various netlabels who focus on CC) not to use the technology? Is there a place to demonstrate some use to that crowd?

There may be a way to convince labels to use Creative Commons, but it’s not really something we’re focusing on at SoundCloud. Netlabels using CC have gotten increasingly popular, and there are many very high-quality ones on SoundCloud now. There have also been a few high-profile artists who have broken from their labels in order to pursue alternate distribution methods, including releasing under Creative Commons licenses, but those are still a bit rare. Maybe as more examples pop up of artists releasing profitable CC-licensed music, that will convince the major labels to experiment a bit more. We’re not here to push one business model or another, but if it ends up being something they want to explore, we’re ready for them with the features!

If you’re ready to check out SoundCloud’s Creative Commons implementation, have a look here:

http://soundcloud.com/creativecommons/samples
Find, Remix and Reuse – SoundCloud Style [SoundCloud blog]

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Free SoundCloud Sampling with Creative Commons Search, Player; Q+A

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Expanded Lineup Could Make Moogfest Electronic Sound Event of the Fall

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Artists know essential gear when they see it. Never leave home without your Moogerfooger, and your banana. Dan Deacon, surrounded by gear. Photo (CC-BY) Andrew Braithwaite.

“Moogfest,” more than just a showcase around a brand, is an event that invokes one of sound’s greatest pioneers, Robert Moog. For a lot of artists, that’s a pretty high bar to meet. The massive Moogfest brewing for October 29-31 in Asheville, North Carolina appears to be attracting sound-loving artists with abandon – with the new organizational muscle of Bonnaroo producers AC Entertainment presumably partly to thank.

This week, the festival announced the addition of Hot Chip, Pretty Lights, Girl Talk, Panda Bear, Dan Deacon, Four Tet, RJD2, EL-P, Dam-Funk, School of Seven Bells, Matmos, and Emeralds. It’s looking like a pretty nice way to celebrate Halloween.

Moogfest wasn’t always this way. I covered one of the New York events for Keyboard, sadly the night that news broke that Dr. Moog was unable to attend due to health. Some of the artists were great, but some of the experimental spirit you’d expect at a Moogfest was missing, and being stuck in Times Square felt horribly wrong. This massive festival in Asheville could well become one of the events of the year.

In fact, I see no reason not to be hopeful about new sonic events around the US and North America. Moogfest can’t possibly cover the gamut of their own user base in a weekend, let alone all that’s happening now in electronic sound. Whatever your neck of the woods in the world, we’re interested to hear from you.

Here’s the finished lineup:

Friday, October 29
MGMT
Big Boi
Girl Talk
Panda Bear
RJD2
El-P
Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible
Saturn Never Sleeps (Featuring King Britt & Rucyl)
The Octopus Project
Kuroma

Saturday, October 30
Massive Attack
Thievery Corporation
Jonsi
Caribou
Four Tet
Matmos
Dâm-Funk
School of Seven Bells
Jon Hopkins
Emeralds
Mountain Man

Sunday, October 31
Pretty Lights
Hot Chip
Dan Deacon
Mimosa
Two Fresh
DJ Spooky

http://moogfest.com

Originally posted here:
Expanded Lineup Could Make Moogfest Electronic Sound Event of the Fall

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Mary Anne Hobbs Leaving BBC Radio 1, Marking End of an Era

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Performing live at SONAR, courtesy the artist.

Mary Anne Hobbs has announced that she is leaving BBC Radio 1 after fourteen years to pursue other work. It’s a changing of the guard at one of the world’s major musical beacons. In her tenure as a DJ for the Beeb, Hobbs famously helped fuel the explosive rise of the dubstep genre. Notably, she also became a champion of many American artists, shining a light on artists like Flying Lotus. (Leave it to the British to appreciate the significance of American popular music more than Americans – ask The Beatles.) And on a radio station known mostly for charting the top of the pops, Hobbs’ “experimental” show was been a cultural highlight. The show will continue through September 9.

It seems that after a decade and a half, Hobbs is leaving the station on good terms. And she’s going on to teach. Here’s the statement from her MySpace site:

Yesterday i resigned from BBC Radio1, after an amazing multi-dimensional 14 year career.

The great freedoms the BBC have given in me as a broadcaster, have allowed me to help break so many confrontational artists as diverse as Slipknot and Skream, and of course, the whole genre of Dubstep in recent times.

My current Experimental show is in peak condition, it’s never been stronger. And although it’s a very emotional decision to leave the show that I love so much, it’s also an optimum moment to bow out, at the very top of my game.

My work for Radio1 on the Breezeblock, Rock Show, many fascinating documentaries about everything from David Bowie to Dubstep, on daytime, at festivals and award ceremonies, has been exceptionally rewarding. These have been glory days not just for me, but for all the artists who have shared my BBC platform, and of course, the listeners everywhere from Beijing to Berlin, Baltimore to Blackpool, who shared a great passion for future sound.

I will continue to DJ live, work in film, and curate at Sonar festival in Barcelona.

I have also accepted a new job mentoring and teaching students at the University of Sheffield’s Union Of Students radio station, TV station and the newspaper that operate out of their superb Forge Media Hub, which presents me with a really exciting new challenge.

My last show on BBC Radio1 will be broadcast:
September 8th>>9th … Wednesday night >> Thursday morning… 2-4am
www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/maryannehobbs

Thank you so much for listening..

I think we need to organize a listening party for the last show. To Ms. Hobbs, best of luck with your new endeavors. And I know while your listeners will miss you on the airwaves, we’ll continue to enjoy your other appearances and live sets.

http://www.myspace.com/maryannehobbs

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Mary Anne Hobbs Leaving BBC Radio 1, Marking End of an Era

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Free Weekend: Creative Commons Workout, Moby, Samples, Inspiration, More

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

Yeah, for a lot of the northern hemisphere, one of these kinds of weekends. Photo (CC-BY) Frenchman Julien Haler. (Oh yeah, we really don’t say it enough – thanks, France! In fact, jeez, double thanks!)

Summer days and evenings for a lot of us are a perfect time for buying new records, listening to new mixes, exploring new sounds and samples and production techniques. And yes, while pundits worry about the failing value of music, I personally manage to stock up on free downloads and wind up overspending my budget on records, too. It’s good to be an enthusiast.

Here’s just the latest of what’s hit my inbox, for your enjoyment.

Moby recalls the 90s in his “old-school rave mix” for our friends over at XLR8R. It’s good, clean fun, a musical beach book perfect for a retro-tinged, rave-recalling holiday weekend here in the US.

Percussion Lab is a source of endless, fantastic musical mixes, so it’s hard to know whether to begin. For an Atlanta-style take on what summer is about, Sorted prepares an electro/club-style mix. Concept Audio’s Scafolder goes on a headier, ambient-er journey called “Rain Man,” tinged with pianos and Idhren and Lusine textures – good stuff, as well. And if it’s techno you want, that’s covered, too. Check out the full set lineup on Percussion Lab’s immaculately-designed site.

If certain shirtless werewolfs are starting to make you feel like you need to hit the gym, there’s good news. After Australia decided to hike fitness class music licensing by a whopping 1500%, the good folks at WFMU’s Beware of the Blog prepared a nicely-curated set of Creative Commons-licensed, indie music from Dan Deacon to Mochipet. It’s nice listening, too, perhaps as much of a cure to bad music allergies at the gym as it is bad licensing policy.

Speaking of the Free Music Archive, if you’re in the mood for something a little synthy and dreamy, there’s an excellent mix by Tori y Moi live on dublab.

From Spain, various sonic goodies. Want to catch up on what you missed at SONAR? BBC has a graphical, clickable map of all the artists. Need a little dancefloor-friendly techno, and want it from a high-quality netlabel founder? Thomas Raukamp notes the latest work from Madrid-based Dessben and his Offaudio netlabel, and celebrates their move to SoundCloud.

Downloads for Producers

So, that’s some good poolside barbecue and workout fodder for you… but what if you’re looking for tracks to inspire your producer side? (Working on tracks can be a great way to cool off.)

Ambienteer, whose excellent work I covered last month, has been experimenting with contact mics. Learn about how he made music with an electric toothbrush and plastic wrap and hear the results:
Ambienteer blog

Explore some nice new ambient and minimal tracks from East Peoria, USA-based John Koch-Northrup.

SoundCloud has become a hive of free and Creative Commons-licensed samples, from musical tidbits to hardware and software. You could use it to grab new content and decide whether you really need ElecTribe on an iPad, all at the same time. (Make friends! Grab samples!)

SoundCloud themselves have a nice guide to what’s out there – a badly-needed reference, given that SoundCloud has become so busy, it can be downright overwhelming to the uninitiated.
Sample time! [SoundCloud blog]

Via groups and users, there are full, oddball sample collections, like this pool:

Sample Collections / Instruments / Loops

Tim Exile, working the mic live, (CC-BY) Keylight Photography / Jonathon Dow.

And there are artists like the wonderful Tim Exile, who live samples his crowds at his shows and uses SoundCloud to gather snippets from fans in advance of gigs. I think it’s my favorite set of this post; have a listen to some of his interactive, sample-generated work:

2006 – Tim Exile’s Nuisance Gabbaret Lounge by timexile

What are you listening to / sampling this weekend? Let us know in comments.

And since far be it from me to be accused of saying all music wants to be free, I hope to follow up soon with albums worth buying this summer. Nominations open … now.

Have a great weekend, and happy 4th of July, USA. (Hey, England’s over it, too — the Queen is visiting my neighborhood this week, celebrating the long history of the English here in NYC, and the great ties between our countries.)

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