Thursday, January 31, 2008

Sonivox plugins

I Just bought another plugin from sonivox, the Symphonic Harp i already own the Symphonic Ensemble Strings and i have to say they are amazing for the price. if you want quality instruments for a good price then you need to check these out

http://www.sonivoxmi.com

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Creating Your Own Snare Rolls

First thing you need to do is load up the snare you want to use. once you have selected your snare you will want to send it to the piano roll, (to do
this simply right click the channell and select send to piano roll).
once it's sent to the piano roll just paste a note anywhere like in the image below.

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next thing you want to do is resize that note like i have.

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Now that thats done you'll want to select the Paint tool like i have selected in the image below it looks like a paint brush.

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now your gonna need to change the snap to 1\2 step like in the image below.

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Now all you need to do is click and drag to create a string of snare hits. if you look at my example's below you'll get an idea of what i mean.

Example 1:
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Example 2:
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Play around with this and you will soon be coming up with some serious snare rolls.
I hope this tutorial helps somebody. any questions just ask. and i'll try respond asap.

Jont

Friday, January 11, 2008

Basic Compression Tutorial

NOTE: I didnt write this i just thought you might find it usefull

Well, Compression is something most people don't really notice, but it can turn your mix from ill but sounding like crap, to ill and sounding nice...

Most peeps use compression, all the producers and beatmakers use Compression, doesn't matter if your Dre or anyone else, thery use compression... It makes your beats sound just a bit nicer...

Terms to know:

Attack: How fast a compressor will react once the threshold is breached. 0ms will result in immediate action.

Decibles (db): Measure of sound pressure.

Gain: Used to increase or decrease compressed sound. (measured in DB)

Knee: A compressor characteristic that affects the way a compressor behaves.

Milliseconds (ms): Attack and Release times measured by milliseconds.

Ratio: How much a signal is compressed. With a compression ratio of 3:1, a signal which is 9db over the threshold level would be reduced to 3db. A signal of 3db over the threshold would be reduced to 1db.

Release: How fast the compressor will return to its normal state after the signal has moved below the threshold. 0ms will result in immediate return.

Threshold: Threshold level determines which signals are subject to compression. With a threshold of -5db, all signals above this level (-4db < ) would be compressed by the set ratio.

----------------

Compressing instrument tracks...

Drums: Perhaps the most important element in a hip-hop track. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Alchemist, Havoc, RZA, Marley Marl, Jay Dee, and Timbaland. What do all these producers have in common? Their thumping drums. Now imagine if all those beatmakers had used weak drums. Premier's "Come Clean" probably wouldn't be considered a classic, nor would Pete Rock's "T.R.O.Y". Compression is very much needed on drums, especially in the hip-hop world. What exactly does compression do to help? Fatten, thicken, louden, and sharpen. Deep, rumbly kick drums and sharp, snappy snares. Ah, the wonders of compression.

Threshold: -10db to -15db
Ratio: 6:1 to 8:1
Attack: 3ms
Release: 10ms
Knee: Hard
Gain: +5db to +7db
---

Percussion: Although not all hip-hop tracks contain, or need percussion, a lot of the newage pioneer beatmakers are using bongos, congas, triangles, steel drums, as well as other percussion instruments. Percussion doesn't require a lot of compression because usually, the percussion track rests behind the drum track. Bongos, congas, and the likes usually have an immediate popping sound that doesn't need compressing, so the attack should be set slower than drums.

Threshold: -3db to -7db
Ratio: 3:1 to 6:1
Attack: 5ms to 7ms
Release: 15ms
Knee: Hard
Gain: +2db to +4db
---

Bass: A common problem with bass is that the low notes seem to disappear into the mix while the higher notes stick out like a sore thumb. With many instruments, reverb could solve this problem. However, using reverb on the bass track usually gives it an undesirable effect. By using compression, you can bring up the lows, and submerge the higher notes into the mix. Often times, there is an initial "pluck" to the bass sound, and it can be more beneficial to let this sound slide through uncompressed.

Threshold: -4db to -9db
Ratio: 4:1 to 8:1
Attack: 3ms (if there is a plucking sound, use an attack closer to 7ms)
Release: 100ms on short bass sounds / 300ms on long bass tones
Knee: Hard
Gain: +2db to +4db
---

Brass / Wind instruments: Brass and wind instruments require a "transparent" type compression. Any obvious processing can noticably ruin the sound. Brass and wind instruments have a lot of variety in playing styles. Trumpets can be played expressivly loud, and a smooth, mellow flute will need much different processing.

Threshold: -2db to -4db
Ratio: 6:1 (lighter instruments) to 15:1 (deep brassy instruments)
Attack: 3ms (If a transient sound needs through uncompressed, use 6ms)
Release: 300ms
Knee: Hard
Gain: Varies

Guitars: When working with acoustic guitars, compressors tend to reveal themselves more so it's a good idea to use a very "transparent" compression. If working with electric guitars, make small increases to the ratio and threshold.

Threshold: -2db to -3db
Ratio: 3:1 to 4:1
Attack: 3ms (If there is an initial pluck, use 5ms)
Release: 30ms to 60ms
Knee: Soft
Gain: 0db to +1db
---
Samples: If you're a sampled based producer (specifically, phrase sampler), chances are you don't get to compress several instruments in different ways. Using the following numbers, you'll be able to smooth out the entire sample without too much limiting.

Threshold: -2db to -4db (If the sampl#e is recorded bad, and there's lots of peaks, use a higher threshold around -8db)
Ratio: 2:1 to 3:1
Attack: 2ms
Release: 400ms
Knee: Hard
Gain: +1db to +3db
---

Full Mix: The final mix doesn't require much compression, although some hip-hop songs have been compressed with up to a 4:1 ratio, most aren't needed that much. A final compression should act as a limiter, keeping the signal close to the 0db mark.

Threshold: -4db to -7db
Ratio: 1.5:1 to 2.5:1
Attack: 5ms
Release: 200ms to 500ms
Knee: Hard
Gain : Varies

Gillie Da Kid - Get Down On The Ground

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Ice Cube Teams with Microsoft for Online TV Network

Ice Cube and veteran West Coast producer DJ Pooh are teaming up with Microsoft to launch what they are describing as the world’s first real-time, online television network, UVNTV.com. The site will utilize Microsoft’s new Silverlight 1.0 technology, a browser and platform independent plugin that delivers multimedia content on the web in real time. UVNTV will provide full screen DVD quality resolution, Dolby surround sound and a channel guide with a video window. “We are thrilled to work with Ice Cube and DJ Pooh, both whom have proven track records and have been at the forefront in music, film and television,” said John Case, general manager of Microsoft’s Developer Division. “We see UNVTV as a leading example of the changing landscape of how consumers experience entertainment, and how the industry is seeking new interactive platforms to better reach their target audiences. By using Silverlight, UVNTV will have the capabilities needed to take the user experience to another level.” The site will also utilize social networking features such as profile pages and the ability to showcase their own talents on UViewTV, their user-generated content channel. Users will be encouraged to audition for productions, pitch show ideas and otherwise contribute to the network. Channels already lined up for the network include Snoop Dogg’s Snoopadelic TV, fashion designer Christian Audigier’s Live TV and Ice Cube’s own Hip Hop 24/7 TV.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

FREE DOWNLOAD: Exclusive Wordsmith Mixtape!

After months of well received tracks in HipHopDX's Audio Section; DX favorite Wordsmith is releasing his new anticipated mixtape for free to the viewers and fans at HipHopDX.

Presented by your favorite Hip Hop website, the mixtape is mixed and blended by DJ Furious Styles and features all of The Nu Revolution Camp. With production from Sketchman, DeMo, Strada, Capish, Street Level and more.



Tracklist:
01 Coronation (Produced by Sketchman)
02 Hip-Hop in the Headlines f. D-Dub, Mic Brown, & A-Class (Produced by DeMo)
03 The Black Book Conspiracy pt.1 (Produced by Strada)
04 Corrupt Justice (Produced by Sketchman)
05 Grudge of a Madman (Produced by Sketchman)
06 Introduction to the Nu Revolution f. The Nu Revolution Camp (Produced by Capish)
07 Legion of the lyricists 2 Remix f. The Nu Revolution Camp (Produced by Capish)
08 Microphone Bully 6: Back to tha Block f. Black Knight (Produced by Street Level)
09 I Said No (Produced by Strada)
10 Ultimate Celebration (Produced by Lucki Handz)
11 Big Boy Romp (Produced by Strada)
12 Cobra Clutch (Produced by Strada)
13 What Should We Do With It f. RhymeZwell (Produced by One Condition)
14 The Funkbox f. Black Knight, SoL tha Analyst & RhymeZwell (Produced by Capish)
15 Groove Back f. Soulstice (Produced by Capish)
16 Mrs. Musica (Produced by Capish)
17 A California State of f Feat. All-Biz (Produced by Professa)
18 Soul of the Muzik 3 f. Snapz & SoL (Produced by Unknown)
19 Hard to Forget f. Kontact (Produced by Strada)
20 The Eternal Reign f. Kontact (Produced by Professa)

Bonus tracks:
21 Q-Tip - For the Nasty (rmx) f. Busta Rhymes & Wordsmith
22 Miami Chula (rmx) f. Rob G

HipHopDX Presents Wordsmith - The Revolution Begins With a Takeover Vol.1 (Mixed & Blended by DJ Furious Styles) [Click to download]

Crystal VSTI

Crystal is a semi-modular software synthesizer featuring both subtractive synthesis and frequency modulation (FM) synthesis. It offers abundant modulation control with over 90 parameters which may be modulated, multi-stage envelopes with graphical editors, extensive tempo sync of envelopes/lforates/delay times, built-in effects for chorus/flanging/comb filtering/echoes, and a band splitter for effects processing by frequency band. Not only that, Crystal has wave sequencing, granular synthesis, program morphing, MIDI learn, and imports soundfonts. The musical applications for Crystal are literally boundless.

Crystal is a plugin, which means it runs within a host, such as Cubase, Orion, Logic, Fruity Loops, etc.


Download : http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/download.html

Fruity Compressor Settings !!!

Just a couple of settings i made for the fruity compressor, for kick, bass, and percussion, hope you find them usefull

mp-fruity compressor settings.rar

Monday, January 7, 2008

Saturday, January 5, 2008

New kit enjoy !!!

Just a small kit i made for you all to use.

mp-jan08_kit.rar

Password as always is ; music-producers.blogspot.com

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Ice Cube - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It

Mad Skillz (2007 Rap Up)****Official Video****

Ryan Leslie: I-R-I-N-A (Shot in 113 seconds)



VIDEO: A few months ago, I hired Guillaume Doubet (http://www.myspace.com/ilovegeedub ), a talented young director from France to come and work on our video team. He came up with the concept to shoot this video at double speed so when we played it back in real-time, it would have the slow motion effect that you see. So - imagine dancing and singing this song at 2x the speed all in one continuous take - no edits. Watch closely, the end of the video where I walk off screen really gives it away. PLEASE NOTE: This means that the video was shot in exactly 113 seconds (or 1/2 the time it will take you to watch it).