Ok so in the interest of sharing more bargains, here's a name I just came across recently and surprisingly, their products have been getting really good reviews and more importantly, the plugins are very cheap!
So if you're looking to add to your library, check them out. Their EQs are the ones taking the limelight so you might wanna start with those.
Cy
After hitting a wall today with nothing to post, here comes Native Instruments with a surprise shocker. The Maschine Mikro and the iMaschine app for iPhone and iPad!
I'm sure you can google specs and reviews but of course, seeing it's a blog, I'd rather share some thoughts about them than just do a rundown on features :)
I was quite excited to see how SIMILAR the Mikro is to the full version. I own and use the original Maschine and it really is something. With its limitations in live use, It's pretty exciting to see Mikro and think about the possibilities. I'm hoping that it can be used alongside the original Maschine so I can have 2 running at the same time... I'm getting excited just thinking about it. But I'm not in a hurry at all to get one. It's just nice to think about it but I doubt I'll get one. The Maschine and APC40 alone is too much already to bring to a gig so let's see. For you guys who have always wanted to get the Maschine but have been turned off by the price, I think this is a perfect way to jump in. With everything THE SAME software-wise, it's a bargain. And trust me, the sound bank alone is worth the purchase :)
So there, some surprise I myself didn't see coming! Thoughts?
Cy
Well I've been surfing for the past weeks on and off looking for mastering plugin suggestions and with my not so big budget, I've come across a number of products you guys might want to look into if you're into home studio mastering.
Now before I get flamed for not clarifying and suggesting beforehand... mastering is better left to mastering engineers or people who actually know what they're doing. This is not to say that you cannot learn it in time but if you're looking for a magic preset if you buy any plugin, then you might not get the most of your track.
With that out of the way, let's get to it!
Currently, there are 2 all in one solutions that are holding the throne: IK Multimedia T-Racks and Izotope Ozone. Now both have their strengths and weaknesses, which I'll leave up to you to google but if you're looking for a mastering solution that has all the modules you need for a mastering chain, then these 2 will deliver. From EQ's, Compressors, Limiters, and even a mastering reverb and spreaders, you can expect quality output from these products. Remember we're talking of within budget alternatives so definitely the higher end stuff won't be suggested anymore here like Waves.
Some people also like to mix up modules with various brands since others can be strong with EQ's but not for Compressors or some just excel at Limiters so take your pick from these plugin manufacturers.
Cytomic - The Glue : this particular developer only has The Glue compressor as their product but have been getting good reviews for it. I'm actually considering this myself given how many people in the dance music industry like it. I'm thinking the brand just made one processor but they did it very well :)
Voxengo - This name always comes up in various searches for mastering plugins and their products definitely have a cult following so it's worth looking into it. They also have some very useful free plugins on the site.
Fabfilter - I love the name of this company but they're not about filters alone. These guys have a suite of plugins needed for mastering as well as synths. They don't usually get mentioned in forums but this German engineer I work with for various projects raves about their limiter so I'm also looking at this for now as well as the rest of them.
Flux - This came up in a forum as a suggestion and though I haven't read much about them, you may also want to check them out.
PSP - Of course, we have PSP who have a great collection of awesome sounding plugins not just for mastering but also to warm up your digital recordings. They are worth checking out for sure. If I remember correctly, they also have some freebies.
Massey - They come up once in a while around forums and have a reasonably priced set of plugins.
Stillwell - Also a name that comes up from time to time and have some good reviews especially since theirs are affordable for the quality you get.
The rest - Well, there's also McDSP, Sonnox and UAD which is also a favorite of a lot of people and of course Waves but those are plugins that have a higher price tag on them. I'm sure they "may" sound or perform better but at the end of the day, your ears still hold the controls and these tools won't do anyone good in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to get the most out of these plugins. We'll just need to take the time to learn them inside out and familaiarize ourselves with their own distinct sounds. Just remember that these higher end plugins require a dongle for them to work so it's also one thing to consider. It's one that I do consider as well since I don't like it.
What you have - Don't forget that your DAW of choice also has very capable default plugins which you can use as you dive into and learn mastering so don't dismiss onboard plugins as inferior to what you can buy separately.
Why Buy - when there are free plugins. Yep. A search for "free" this and "free" that yields results as well so you may also want to take the no-spend route and check out your options for compressors, EQs, limiters, etc. There are also very capable FREE plugins so dismiss them just yet!
Don't forget, all these have trial versions so give em a shot and see which ones fit your need and your sound. You may want something really transparent or you may be looking for color, to take your pick!
Best of luck finding one that fits your sound!
Cy
I'll be doing a more in-depth review of each but for now let's go with introductions. On the right is a the Zoom Q3HD recorder. It's has HD video recording and a pro-grade recording mic which is SUPERB. Unfortunately, the HD branding on the unit fails as it only represents HD resolution but not the clarity and quality you'd expect :( The one on the left is the GoPro HD Hero camera. It's an awesome little thing and I only have good things to say about it! Can you see how small it is!? hehe
Anyway, I plan to use them together where the Q3 HD handles the audio while the GoPro handles the video. For regular basic recordings though, the GoPro has its own mic built in. Unfortunately, it only records in mono so it's merely just to save the memory or document some sounds while shooting but if you're after audio fidelity like me for recording shows, gigs, or whatever, best to have the Zoom around. The Zoom is good in daylight for video but I really don't know how it can pass as HD especially for the night shots or concert shots. It's really that bad. My Sony Cybershot point and shoot digicam that records in HD has even better video!
Good thing is, both are available locally!
So there... I plan to use these for my video reviews and shows as well as for little personal projects of mine like a music video just for fun. Let's see!
Cy
I'm not talking about the sound though it's nice to always cross reference your mix in mono to check.
I'm talking about Mono the brand of gear cases for musicians :)
Visit the site coz it'll give you a lot more.
I'm currently endorsing their DJ bag line and I'll be doing an extensive review of their 365 and Kondenser bags very soon. I'll just finish the videos.
If you do find a bag/case/product that you fancy, head on over to http://nelldenmusic.com/ and place your order because it's now available locally!
Check out their product line.
On a more personal note, I initially just got the 365 but the Kondenser bag I got for review looked so awesome and I just had to get it for other types of gigs and so I got both! I just love the Kondenser bag for normal running out of the house to make music use for my laptop, controller, and headphones. The 365's more for my gigs. Detailed video review for both coming soon!
Cy
All too often, we find ourselves in a mess plugging in our cables and worse, wallwarts. We tend to then need either long ones plugged sideways or some sockets left unused coz some won't fit. This is where I find this very interesting and needed by most live PA acts. I actually got this shared by one Live PA as well. It makes things easier and by the shape of it, it's really easy to bring out to shows.
http://www.quirky.com/products/44-Pivot-Power-Flexible-Power-Strip
Now if only it were available locally...
Cy
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wowcool/3329581857/
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]This time around, it's my first ever American Strat. It's a Fender Strat Plus 40th anniv model.
I love this guitar to bits coz it was my first Fender. It sounds awesome as well. Having this along with Johnny gives me 2 totally different sounds. This one is cleaner for recording though coz it has Fender Lace Sensor Gold's. One thing I was excited about it before was it's the same pups on Claptons early sig model hehe And finally, you gotta admit, the sunburst really gets you. Ever since I was a kid, strats on my mind were always sunburst and I've loved it even before I was into playing music so when the time came that this was being sold, I grabbed the chance and have been smiling since :)
Cy
I'm really a strat guy so I don't see myself adding anoth LP to the stable at all. Another Gibson, yes... probably an explorer. But no more LPs for me :)
Cy
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]I've always loved sunburst guitars ever since I was a kid. After searching high ang low and waiting for the right guitars to come along, here are the remaining and last sunbursts I'll ever have :)
The strat I got the moment the owner posted it for sale. I was actually racing against other people to get it but I won (thank you, Lord)! It's now my main recording guitar especially for client work.
The tele, well here's the short story... I once had an 83 Fender MIA and sold it to this guy... a few months or I think a year down the road, he posts this tele for sale and the rest is history. At this time, I was set on getting this I even sold some of my synths. At that time, I realized that it was better investing in guitars coz it retains its value more than synths and that's when I got it... love it! It's not as sharp sounding with that usual tele bite like most people look for in a Tele but I found that I prefer its more rounded tone retaining that "tele sound" which I really like especially when I'm playing with my band, Lovecore.
Enjoy!
Cy
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]I've always loved sunburst guitars ever since I was a kid. After searching high ang low and waiting for the right guitars to come along, here are the remaining and last sunbursts I'll ever have :)
The strat I got the moment the owner posted it for sale. I was actually racing against other people to get it but I won (thank you, Lord)! It's now my main recording guitar especially for client work.
The tele, well here's the short story... I once had an 83 Fender MIA and sold it to this guy... a few months or I think a year down the road, he posts this tele for sale and the rest is history. At this time, I was set on getting this I even sold some of my synths. At that time, I realized that it was better investing in guitars coz it retains its value more than synths and that's when I got it... love it! It's not as sharp sounding with that usual tele bite like most people look for in a Tele but I found that I prefer its more rounded tone retaining that "tele sound" which I really like especially when I'm playing with my band, Lovecore.
Enjoy!
Cy
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]I've always loved sunburst guitars ever since I was a kid. After searching high ang low and waiting for the right guitars to come along, here are the remaining and last sunbursts I'll ever have :)
The strat I got the moment the owner posted it for sale. I was actually racing against other people to get it but I won (thank you, Lord)! It's now my main recording guitar especially for client work.
The tele, well here's the short story... I once had an 83 Fender MIA and sold it to this guy... a few months or I think a year down the road, he posts this tele for sale and the rest is history. At this time, I was set on getting this I even sold some of my synths. At that time, I realized that it was better investing in guitars coz it retains its value more than synths and that's when I got it... love it! It's not as sharp sounding with that usual tele bite like most people look for in a Tele but I found that I prefer its more rounded tone retaining that "tele sound" which I really like especially when I'm playing with my band, Lovecore.
Enjoy!
Cy
[[posterous-content:pid___0]]
Was shooting the studio a few months back for a blog feature and since we were setting up, I decided to shoot my babies as well :) First up, Lil Johnny :)
Cy
Korg has had huge success with their micro series from the virtual analog Microkorg, then the microkontrol, Microsampler, and now, the Micropiano.
It's a 61 key digital piano with 61 sounds. It's battery powered and has a headphone out which also serves as its main out. It also has built in speakers making this a very mobile instrument to bring anywhere for just jamming out especially if you're a piano player. They say the keyboard has a different feel to it. I'm just hoping it's unlike the early microkorgs because the keys were so short, it really felt like a toy with the keyboard feel.
Korg is a Japanese company but made in China and the thing about their recent products is that it doesn't feel like a solid product. Add that to the micro look, people have looked at a number of recent Korg products to be toys. It's pretty negative if you go over forums but we can't avoid it. They still have really nice and top products that still makes an impact to dance music today. But to some extent I agree to some opinions of it since I own a Korg R3. It doesn't feel as solid as say my old Korg MS2000 or Prophecy. Don't discount this new keyboard though here's why.
As much as people may say that they're toys, the feature set is great and personally, I can recommend this to parents who would want their kids to get into playing the piano. It looks really nice and with the soundset, I'm sure there are a lot to be had with this.
You can check out a video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaTsvvG_FyU
Cy
The design my wife made to the studio got featured in a design blog and since we were pressed for time, we had to do the photos ourselves than have them bring in a photographer. We're no pros at all and so we just made do with my point and shoot and had a go. Since we were already shooting, Bernice wanted the photos to include my guitars and this is the reason why we have another new album. We were shooting anyway so I asked her that I'd just add some more shots :)
Pictured here are my Fender John Mayer Strat, My Fender 40th Anniv Strat Plus, My American Vintage 62 Telecaster, and my Gibson Les Paul Premium Plus :)
Enjoy!
Cy
