Modulate This! - Electronic & Experimental Music Tech, Technique, & People

Ableton Live 6 and Sampler now Available!!!

Ableton Live 6 and Ableton Sampler have released. Below are links related to each:

Ableton Live 6:

• Ableton Live 6 Overview Page
• Press release for Ableton Live 6
• What's new in Live 6 Video

Ableton Sampler:

• Ableton Sampler Overview Page
• Press release for Ableton Sampler
• Sampler video

Ableton is also offering discounts on instruments if you bundle with Ableton Live 6.

All these items are available on Ableton's newly revamped online store.

Checkout all my articles on Live 6 and Sampler.

iTunes 7.0.1 does not fix Error - "iTunes Unable to Browse Album Covers On This Computer"

Apple just release iTunes 1.0.7 (I installed it and my version is 7.0.1.8). You can download it from here. According to Apple, "iTunes 7.0.1 addresses stability and performance issues with Cover Flow, CD importing, iPod syncing, and more."

Unfortunately, this release did NOT  remedy cover flow problems on my XP System. If the video driver is not configured properly, you will still get the cryptic "iTunes 7 Error - iTunes Unable to Browse Album Covers On This Computer."

If you are receiving this error, check out this article in my blog for possible fixes.

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com
www.markmoshermusic.com

Video of new ableton instrument - Sampler

I mentioned in a prevous post that  Ableton announced a new sampling instrument called Sampler. According to Ableton "Sampler is a new sampling instrument that brings powerful multisample playback and profound new sound design capabilities to Ableton Live." Ableton just released this new video overview of Sampler.

If for some reason the player does not appear in this blog post, click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcJEDIUbxL4.

Using Flash to publish audio on your web site

I've added another new category to the blog, "Marketing Your Music Online". I'll kick off the first post in this category with a discussion of Flash technology to server audio from a web site.

Flash is such a fantastic tool for presenting audio and video on the web. Why? Well because the flash plug-in is pretty much standard issue on all internet enabled computers which means your audience will spend more time listening to your tracks and not messing with downloads and media players. As a side note, Flash is the technology used by www.youtube.com to stream video.

I'm fluent in flash programming, so I  used it to create a custom audio player to promote a track from the an audio book project of mine www.wwiiaviator.com. I embed the actual player in this blog so give it a try.

I used an image of a vintage WWII Radio, then edited the image to place display surfaces for my player controls. I then created some embossed text and  wings to brand the player. The player streams audio  so even on a slow connection, users will hear the audio before it has finished downloading the entire file to their system. The entire player application is 21k!!!

Now I realize you might not be a Flash programmer, so below is a list of Do-it-yourself audio players. To use these you'll need to know how to upload files to your web server, as well as need to have enough web skills to place a chunk of html into an existing page.

CoffeeCup Software's Web Jukebox is the easiest way to go. It has a wizard like interface that allows you to take mp3's and publish them so fans can listen to them on your Website. It comes with over 20 player designs. The program has a built-in tool that automates file uploads to your web server, and gives you the html code you need to plug into your web page. To learn more and check out a free trial, go here  - Coffee Cup Free Trials, click the "Products & Downloads" Link, then scroll down to "CoffeCup Web Jukebox" link.

A more advanced player is the Wimpy player. Don't let the name fool you, this player has many advanced features like; playlists from folders on you servers, jukebox audio from podcast feeds custom skinning, eCommerce integration and more. This player is more complex and more difficult to implement, but worth a look if you are a technically savvy with web sites. To learn more and check out a free trial, go here - Wimpy Player Website

Rick Wakeman Video

Gigging Tips: You can’t play if you can’t see what you are doing

If you’re just starting out and have never gigged, it may not be obvious that you have to be ready for the effects of lighting and heat on the displays on your hardware. Certain conditions if not dealt with ahead of time can make impossible to read the display of your synth – which of course means you can’t navigate – which means you can’t play.

 Issues with gigging outside:

• LEDs are near impossible to read when direct sunlight is shining on them
• LCD displays can distort or turn completely black on gear exposed to direct      sunlight

Solutions:

• Try to setup your rig where you are not getting blasted with direct sunlight. If you do have to setup in direct sunlight, bring a light colored towel to place over your gear until show time.
• To make your display more readable, you'll need to fashion something out of cardboard. Cut out one piece to shield the front of you display, and a tow others to shield the sides. Wrap all the pieces in black plastic tape, then tape them together to form a shield. Plastic tape can then be used to tape the shield to the gear so that it blogs the sun from the display. Obviously, never put tape on the display itself. The advantage of plastic tape is that it won’t leave as much of a residue as other tapes. This might all song "hoakey", but from a few feet away, this solution will look just fine.

Issues with gigging at night or in a dark room:

• If your LCD is not backlit, you need to provide an external light source (not      very common these days, but with vintage gear this could be an issue)
• Evenif your display is visible, the buttons and knobs on your synth might not be

Solution:

• If you want to light gear on your keyboard stand or table, I highly recommend a Littlelite solution. Littlelites are fantastic in that they have a shielded light source and a flexible gooesneck so you can direct light where you need and not blind your self or your audience. Littlite provides numerous mounting systems to fit just about any rig. Check out the Littlelite web site - http://www.littlite.com,The Littlelite dealer locator page is located here http://www.littlite.com/information_wheretobuy2.php?page=customers.
• If you      want to illuminate items in your rack, Littlelite also has rackmount solutions. Another option is to use a powersupply in your rack that has built-in lighting, like the Furman      PL-8 II Power Conditioner.
  
  
• Make sure you pick up some spare bulbs and bring them along to your show.

Test Before You Go:

With whatever solution you come up with, make sure you test it before you gig with it to make sure it’s going to work.

Copyright 2006, Newecho Productions, LLC

Remix Motel November 2-4, Los Angeles, CA

From http://www.remixhotel.com/.

The Remix Hotel provides hands-on access to the technology and equipment used to create today's electronic and urban music via artist presentations and demonstrations, workshops, clinics and discussion. Remix puts the tools of the trade into the hands of the end user and provides sponsors with access to these users they may not find elsewhere.

Primary content is sponsored by industry leaders like Motorola, Digidesign, M-Audio, Apple, SAE, Pioneer, Stanton, Korg, Vestax, Cakewalk, Guitar Center, and several others. DJ performance events at the Remix Hotels and Remix Hotel-sponsored club events feature leading artists demonstrating different genres while using current gear on the market.

The Remix Hotel is a production of Remix magazine.

November 2-4 | 2-8 p.m. daily
SAE Institute of Technology
6565 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA

New category - gigging

I gigged from 1989-2003 with "Head Full of Zombies" in Colorado Springs. I played keys, programmed synths, and sang lead and backups. I've added a new category called "Gigging". In this category I'm going to offer tips that will save you time, reduce stress, keep your gear safe, reduce crashes, recover from crashes, and make you look more professional to both your band mates and the audience. Stay tuned for posts on gigging...

Till then, enjoy this poster (click it to see a larger version). It's a poster that was used to promote one of our shows and is a parody of the movie poster. That's me superimposed into the first "ape" :^).

MTV is a acquiring the makers of Guitar Hero

I know some musicians out there are addicted to the Playstation 2 game Guitar Hero. Here is some news for you (I saw this on digg.)

"MTV, the cable TV channel some critics have accused of straying too far from its musical roots, is to acquire Harmonix Music Systems, a maker of music-oriented video games, for $175 million in cash."

read the full story here 

M-Audio Axiom Lessons for Live

Article Update: Check out this comprehensive tutorial I've written on using the Axiom with Ableton Live and the Impulse Drum Sampler.

Ableton now has released lessons to teach you how to configure and use your Axiom series keyboard with Live 5.2.2.

The lessons contain patches for the axiom, information on how to configure, as well as usage information.

Grab the lessons here http://www.ableton.com/livepacks