Modulate This! - News, Tips and Links for Electronic Musicians and Producers

Ronald Jenkees - Inspiration and Jams from Outer Space

I found this great video by Ronald Jenkees on YouTube called "A fun beat from outer space (an experimental improv jam)" an thought I'd post it in case you've not run across his music yet.

Ronald Jenkees is an independent Hip Hop artist from Kentucky. He composes and produces using only a Triton LE (Which is one generation back from the Korg TR), Yamaha Motif XS8, and  FL Studio 8. He's built up a great fan base by releasing videos like the one above on his YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/ronaldjenkees. He's got one album for sale and another one on the way and also created music for ESPN's Bill Simmons "B.S. Report" podcast.

What I like about Ronald - besides his great music and "chops" - is that he's willing to share his techniques and take you behind-the-scenes with his YouTube videos. I also like the fact that that he promotes the idea that music should be fun and he often has encouraging words for those starting out.

Here is an excerpt from his YouTube channel which I think says it all.

Thanks to all of my friends and subscribers. I'm very thankful for your viewership!! Before you ask, I'm a perfectly normal and healthy guy, just a little geeky and different - but that's a good thing, not a bad thing. My hope is that you are entertained and at the same time, inspired to make music. Anyone can have fun with music.

Get more Ronald Jenkees here:

• His official web site, blog and store - http://www.ronaldjenkees.com/
• YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/user/ronaldjenkees
• MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/ronaldjenkeesmusic

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com

Videos of Laura Clapp & Robbie Bronnimann - Ableton Live, TC Electronics Interfaces, and Live Vocal FX Processing

Here is a post for the singer/songwriters. I spent a little time digging around YouTube this morning looking for videos of artists demonstrating technology they use to to perform live.

This first video is of Laura Clapp & Robbie Bronnimann playing live at Namm Show 2008. Robbie Bronnimann is a producer, remixer & recording artist from the UK who also is part of Howard Jones' band.

Robbie is using Ableton Live with a Novation Remote SL keyboard. Laura is using live vocal FX processing.

Next is a sales video of Laura demonstrating the use of the TC Electronics Voice Live to create harmonies on the Fly.

 

• Official Laura Clapp Web Site
• Robbie Bronnimann on MySpace

 

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com

Awesome 1976 Video of Gary Wright Performing "Dream Weaver"

I just installed the new iTunes8. It has a new feature called Genius Playlist (which I blogged about here).  I was flipping through my library and accidentally clicked on an old Alan Parson project tune. While I'm very much into modern electronica, I do have a small collection of  Prog Rock :^).

The Genius Bar recommended Gary Wright's "Dream Weaver". I thought to myself, man, that's such a classic synth song and I hadn't heard it in a long, long time.

Just for fun, I Googled the song on YouTube and found this fantastic video of the live version of Dreamweaver from a 1976 episode of Burt Sugarmans Midnight Special.

This performance is fantastic in that they perform live without backing tracks. Just a handful of people covering all the parts. No backing tracks, or pitch correction here. Just Gary Wright  playing some keys and belting out the song into an SM58 mic.

Here is a video of  the same song performed live last year. The guy can definitely still sing!

I love YouTube. No seriously. I love YouTube.

In closing, if you want to more about this song, there is a Wikipedia entry here.

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com

Yazoo (Yaz) Goes On Tour in US for Some Unfinished Business

I've always been a huge fan of Vince Clarke's synth and compositional work with Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Erasure. I was Googling around and discoverd that Yazoo (known as Yaz in the US) are touring.

Note that this is not some sort of "Nostalgia" tour. Many of these songs were never played out live. This is more like unfinished business for Vince Clarke & Alison Moyet. As you can see from the live performance video above, they have a contemporary light show and Vince Clarke is laptop based and running Logic and various soft-synths.

Native Instruments recently posted an interview with Vince Clarke on their site here. In the interview he talks more about his stage setup.

For even more on the tour and some cool behind the scenes videos on why Yahoo decided to tour checkout the official Yazoo site  http://www.yazooinfo.com/.

If you are looking for Yazoo mp3s, checkout the Amazon widget to the above.

In closing,  I'll leave you with video from Yazoo's huge hit from the"Only You".

 

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

Videos on Moldover's Approach to Controllerism (and the Freebird Button)

When I use Ableton Live with my Novation ReMOTE 25 SL MIDI Controller, I feel like I'm using an instrument, not some software application. As with any instrument, the more time you put in, the more you transcend the instrument allowing you to focus on making music.

Moldover has taken this to the extreme by moding the Novation Remote SL controller and coming up with innovative processes for using Ableton Live. He's taken to calling himself a "controllerist" and calls what he does "controllerism".

Check out the videos below - pretty mind blowing! While very few of us will take it this far, there are definitely some ideas here that can apply to anyone's work flow.

Moldover was also kind enough to offer up his software presets here http://moldover.com/controllerism/index.php?action=downloads.

View Part 1 of video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2McDeSKiOU

View Part 2 of video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dznjQIarboY

Related Links:

• http://www.moldover.com/
• http://controllerism.com/
• Software Presets: http://moldover.com/controllerism/index.php?action=downloads

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com
www.markmosehrmusic.com

US MySpace Music Tour Underway with Hello Goodbye, Say Anything, Young Live , and Polysics

Saw that this tour was under way. Those of us in Colorado can catch it at the Parmount on Oct. 20th. More info here - http://www.myspace.com/myspacemusictour.

The Poloysics - all the way from Japan - are in the lineup. Below are some videos of the Polysics. Check out their MySpace page here http://www.myspace.com/polysics.

Halo 3 Launches + Video of Composer Marty O'Donnell Talking About Halo 3 Score

I was just flipping through the channels and saw G4's Halo 3 Countdown Launch which offered live coverage of the product launch in New York city. Master chief just handed the first copy to someone who'd been standing in line for a very long time - so it looks like Halo 3 has officially launched.

The composer of the music for Halo 3 is Marty O'Donnell. I found some  interesting videos containing interviews where he discusses his work on the project. I've embed them below. You can also see them at http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/11005. Click the "MENU" on the player to see related videos.

I'll pick up my copy of the game in the morning, so if any readers want to get together, email me and we can swap gametags.

New Videos on Danny Elfman's Film Music Website

I'm huge fan of Danny Elfman's Oingo Boingo and film work. There is a web site dedicated to his film work called Danny Elfman's Music for a Darkened People.

New videos have been posted to the site containing behind the scenes interviews on his work on Spider-Man, Planet of the Apes, Red Dragon, Sleepy Hallow, The Frighteners, Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman, and Batman Returns.  The site also has links to clips of unreleased music.

If you are fan of Elman's work, or interested in the process of scoring for film you owe it to yourself to checkout these videos.

I've embedded the video for Spiderman below. To see all the videos, visit http://elfman.filmmusic.com/media.html.

Pete Townshend Using Ableton Live

I found this interesting and funny video. It's a behind the scenes look at Pete Townshend using Ableton Live in his studio. He shot it himself.

Synth Pioneers DEVO New Song "Watch Us Work It" in Dell Commercial

According to a recent Devo fan clup newsletter:

"DEVO wrote a new song called "Watch Us Work It" and recorded at Mutato Muzika in Los Angeles, CA, and produced by Sweden's famous Teddy Bears. DELL heard it because Paul Malmstrom and Linus Karlsson at the Mother agency in NYC played it for them as a possibility for a song for their TV campaign featuring a newly developed, high-end laptop computer. DELL liked it, and now you can hear this brand new DEVO song when you watch the commercial currently running on nationwide TV.
...
The song is now available on iTunes! Download it here.
...
See recent article regarding "Watch Us Work It"on Adweek.com "

More info and for links to different versions of this video.