More Reasons To Get An iPad... Air Display

For some users, a 2nd monitor is vital for the way we work or sometimes, just for the heck of it. In comes Air Display. 

What air display does is it makes your iPad act as a 2nd monitor to your Mac. 

Of course, I won't be just posting some videos. I'd also like to share some of my thoughts. 

You'll see later in the videos that it acts a bit sluggish but depending on your intended use, I think it's a pretty nifty application that adds more functionality to your iPad than just using it to surf hehe The beauty on top of this is that it not only gives you a 2nd monitor but you can actually touch your computer programs!

For me, I'm looking at it more for music making. Imagine using it with Reason or Record like drag my Reason window into it and actually "touch" my ReDrum and create beats using the XOX without the mouse! But I'm really looking forward to using it with Record's mixer. I plan to use mine portrait style and have my Record mixer beside me so I can tweak with my fingers. It sounds fun! :) So I guess by now, part of the video's loaded so watch it first.

This is the main reason for me :)

 

but for general use, here's a quick demo I saw online

 

ok done watching?

If you're an electronic musician, read on!

I find this as a cheap alternative against dedicated wireless midi controller apps like TouchOSC etc. It may not be as quick or responsive I'm guessing but I'm hoping it may get the work done. Try it out if you can. I believe it's $10 only so if you still decide to get a dedicated midi controller app, you'd still have air display ready for 2nd monitor duties :)

Cy

 

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Focused...

Finally, God's been able to get me to focus and I'm glad He did. 

So what have I been doing with this so called focus?

I'm finally finishing the Lovecore album... FINALLY! So lately, I've been just reloading and renaming everything since I changed recording DAWs since the Lovecore album was recorded via protools for drums then processed into Mackie Tracktion along with the guitars and since I moved to Mac, I'm now reprocessing everything thru Logic since some of the plugs I used can be used there. Personally, I'd be happy with Record but with everything that we did, it's too hard to port it into Record at this point. All the rest of my albums are all Record but for now, I SHOULD live with the difficulties. It's all good though. 

At this point, we're reprogramming all the guitar settings and I'll polish the drums once more using Logic plugs. Then we're off to record and finalize all the remaining vocals. I really hope I could finish and release the album come summer...

Here's to a rockin 2011. I can't wait to get this album off the ground and into your ears!

Cy

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Guide To Sending Out To Record Labels

pic source http://www.flickr.com/photos/31070478@N04/3174521823/

After 10 years, I found my rhythm and sent my tunes to record labels. I decided I'd focus first on a particular style since I do a couple and just direct particular labels focused on just that. 

With that in mind, I got to it. Computer turned on with broadband, I sent away. The first day, I sent out to 30 labels. then I believe 4-5 days later, I added 20 more so all in all, I sent out to 50 labels. Now I don't know the statistics but I am hoping that among all the 50, one would say yes and that's all I need really. 

I actually received some word already but i'll get to that later. I'll just share my experience first and how I sent mine to those of you hoping to send yours out too. I don't want to wait till I get signed before anyone else gets these reminders. Some might be pretty obvious but some are easy to forget so here I am...

1. Decide on a style - I'm not saying decide on a fixed one permanently. But for the purpose of submitting, it helps to be more focused. In my case, I decided I'll be sending out my breakbeat tunes. This helps me in narrowing down later on which labels to send out to. 

2. Make your best track - really obvious but sometimes neglected. Make sure you're 110% in love with your tune. If you feel you're not there yet, take the time to polish it. If it doesn't make you move, make another one. Remember, you get one shot at this... ok maybe 2. But the point is, you need to send out your very best since your purpose in the first place is to get signed! :)

3. Render and Label - After making your track, mixing and mastering, go and render it to wav or aif and onto mp3 320kbps for the best possible quality. Don't forget to fill up the id3 tags! Very important! Don't forget to ALWAYS include your artist name, contact details, website, other social networking accounts. 

4. MP3 or Soundcloud? - Now since we talked about labelling previously, it's understood that you already had it in mp3. Keep your mp3 file handy as some labels would want you to upload it direct on their site. But these days, most labels have soundcloud accounts that have dropboxes for demos.

5. Google Is Your Friend - Now google for the label names. Be specific then broad on your search queries. You can use "(style) labels" be creative and you'll get those names!

6. Email AND Soundcloud - Initially, I bombarded soundcloud accounts but I noticed that some labels even specify that if you're really serious about sending them demos, then email them directly because it's been so easy to submit over soundcloud that they get thousands of tunes a week. I'd suggest doing both submit by email and soundcloud. What I did was I just included a link to my soundcloud tunes for the ones I'm submitting. DON'T ever attach your mp3. Labels hate that. Just send them a link where they can stream your tune, thus, Soundcloud. The free account is more than enough for sending out demos. 

7. Wait - Don't bug them about your demo. Once it's sent then they got it for sure. Just be patient. It has its rewards :)

8. Additional Notes - I've read that if you get turned down, feel free to send them an email back perhaps asking if they can tap you for remixes instead in the future or perhaps ask if you can submit more tunes for consideration. 

I do hope these will help you when sending yours out. Good luck and always hope for the best!!!

Now before I end this, I shall tell you the replies I got...

So far I got two replies, which unfortunately says my tunes were great but not the sound they're after. I guess it's a milder way of saying 'no' but the other one was asking for other tracks so let's see. 

I may not have received the Yes I was hoping for but it's only been less than a week. I'm just glad 2 labels cared to listen to my submissions and respond to it since a lot of the labels wouldn't even take the time to do so. Not because they're snobs or cruel but just because they get probably thousands of demos in a month or maybe in a week that they can't respond to all of them. So take it easy, be patient, and enjoy the wait. Make more tunes while waiting or you can repeat the process for another style this time. It's really up to you. Just enjoy the ride!

Cy

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Ipad, Ipod, Midi, thoughts...

Anybody familiar with the ipod and ipad "enough" knows that it is waaay beyond how people see it. I know a lot of people who wouldn't want to get into it just because they see it as a toy. Some people just feel it's a very simplified notebook computer. To some extent, it is true but for us musicians, it is one of the greatest developments in music technology and things are just getting better. 

For this entry, I won't be talking about the thousands of apps out there for music but something more hardware related. 

If you own an ipad, you'd love this:

and if you own an ipad, you'll love this:

drooling yet?

Now before you check your wallet, let me wipe off your drooling and perhaps save you some money...

The moment I saw this, it was immediately on my wishlist. Thing is, I already have a couple of midi controllers in the studio. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have this but should I spend a decent amount of cash just to get something redundant for the studio just because it's for the ipad/ipod? Answer is NO. 

With the upcoming iOS update which will enable MIDI, these photos I posted may not be as desirable in the long run because you can still use what you have. With the camera connector, USB is the way to go. 

BUT if you don't have a controller yet, these are really nice pieces since your ipad/ipod can sit nicely on top of your controller and has a place for it. 

The Akai controller for the ipad reminds me of those old analog synths and if you run your iMS20 on it, I'm sure it'll look really sexy! With tons of music synth apps for the ipadm this controller sees a long future ahead of it!

Downside to the camera connector option I've read is that it only connects to ipad so us ipod users won't be able to enjoy midi via hardware via its connector so getting the 25 key controller would be a viable option. 

Cy

_________

 

Additional lightbulb moments....

suddenly, it seems I'd want this more if it would do this thing I was thinking of...

since the 49 key controller CAN act as a basic keyboard controller via USB to any software on your computer, I was thinking if it would also transmit midi from the Ipad app into the Akai and into our computer. That would be dope!!! That way, I can have a lemur type controller on my ipad while having the hardware keys! SICK!!!

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Becaue I ran out of things to write, here's John Mayer...

I didn't know what to write today. My mind was blank at the same time filled with millions of ideas to write about... maybe coz of so much of it, it turned into a blur and a blank... 

So I thought, what does John Mayer write in his blog. I remember more than a year back, he was very active in his blog. So I visited his site... It hasn't been updated for almost half a year already but here's what was left of it for now...

TO THE FANS

Thank you all so much for making the Battle Studies tour such a huge success and a pleasure. I’m going to miss seeing your faces every night. Thanks for singing along. And for accepting me. You don’t know how good that feels. And thanks for the signs, the clever, funny, awesome signs. And for letting me play both my pop radio hits and a 15 minute long jam while giving it the same level of appreciation. Thanks for buying a ticket when money is tight, for waiting in traffic to both enter and leave the venue, and thank you for telling your dubious friends to come with you and see what this “Mayer” guy is all about. Thank you for being fans and thank you for giving me the awesome life I have. 

 

Time to (try to) disappear for a while. Love you guys. A lot.

John

I was there during the concert and as mushy as it sounds, his entry somehow spoke to me and I'm sure to everyone who was there. It brought me back to that night and the whole experience despite the rain. His thank you was written well and I especially liked the part about the pop tunes and his jam being given the same level of appreciation because as a huge fan, I know that a lot of people just know him coz of his pop stuff but fail to appreciate his blues side, which I like more. He also thanked the people for getting a ticket even if money's tight... because it was for me... and to think that the cost of the ticket for the Philippine concert was I heard the highest ever, it really was something.

And so there we are... reminiscing about that night. 

Man, I miss my strat.

Cy

 

 

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Yogurt

I was never a fan of yogurt. Really.  My mom even reminded me how my grandfather always had stocks of yogurt fresh from the store whenever we'd visit them in the province. That's why it was surprising to me when it exploded here in the Philippines. I remember it being sour back when I was a kid and from that time, I never bothered eating it.This is why I wondered why all of a sudden it picked up here... after more than a decade.

 

Fast forward to today with all the White Hats, California Berries, Red Mangoes and more, we're now in this age of yogurts.

But I could never escape it as some of my friends, along with my wife, are into it so whenever they'd crave for it, we're there. As years passed, I decided to give it another shot. Lo and behold, I still don't like the taste of it. Much more that I have to pay relatively big money for a scoop or whatever their serving's called. I'd rather get a cup of Sebastians! hehe

So all my friends accepted that I would never order whenever we're at a yogurt place.

One day however, they told me to visit Fruity Froyo. It was a trip how they were all into getting me to try it. They were insisting that this one I would like because their chocolate yogurt doesn't taste like yogurt. So one day, with God's hand moving in my life, someone treated us to Fruity Froyo! Now, I had no excuse coz I didn't want to spend to try out something I knew I didn't like in the first place. But to tell you the truth, I was surprised. I loved it. Their chocolate yogurt tastes like dark chocolate ice cream which is a good thing for me. And with all the toppings there, you'd go crazy. Now it's the ONLY yogurt place I frequent and nothing else. I have to give props to the place who made me eat yogurt and a plus that it's really delicious...

Now I can say I'm one of those yogurt people. Just those sold at Fruity Froyo hehe

Cy

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This is the song that made it to the RPG Metanoia movie: Ako Ang Bayani

 

As stated in the title, this is the song I wrote that made it to the soundtrack of RPG Metanoia last December. The movie version was sung by Jett Pangan and this one is the pre-album version... Of course, this is so you'd buy the album for the rockin final version hehe

And just to add to the post, here's a live version of it!

Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHBXADa98oQ

With Jett - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYlaq26TIs0

Enjoy! :)

I'm currently finishing The Silverfilter album so I hope you can also support this band project of mine! Thanks a lot!

God bless

Cy

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Stop Looking At Your Music...

In this day and age, a lot or most musicians use a computer one way or another while writing or composing. This is an accepted fact. However, we sometimes find ourselves being confined in that way of writing music most especially electronic artists who work solely with computers. Eventually, we somehow how our music should "look" but remember that at the end of the day, always let your ears decide. We may sometimes want our music to follow a certain pattern or look/build up for the track we're writing but from time to time, turn off your monitor, minimize your program, or simply just turn away and let the music play out before you decide to make changes. Always make sure to get that perspective. As much as we'd like to stick to what we're used to... which is "seeing" our music, in the end, we're still after getting LISTENERS to enjoy our track and not VIEWERS.

Cy

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Miyu

Hey guys and gals,

I don't share tunes that much coz I don't upload that much haha

But I was so inspired coming from a long time of not making any tunes that I
finished this in less than a day hahaha

Enjoy!

http://soundcloud.com/silverfilter/miyu

Cy

 

 <span>Miyu by silverfilter</span> 

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Taking Breaks and Changing Locations...

As some of you know, I recently just got married (hooray!) and a lot of my time for the past year was mostly for preparation. It actually ate up all of my time that I wasn't able to make any new tracks unless of course those required for work. My usual tracks that I get to do in my free time was put aside and I missed making tunes. 

Fast forward to today, the wedding's done over a week ago and we've finally finished all the paperwork.I finally FOUND time to make music. 

Thing is, I guess I also needed the break. The moment I sat down in front of my workstation, I was immediately writing away. It was a great feeling to be back making music and music for my silverfilter project and not for anybody else. 

We sometimes find ourselves experiencing writers block when all we had to do was take a break. I know it's pretty obvious but sometimes we tend to forget especially when we try to focus too much on setting a goal to finish something. Oftentimes, we find ourselves just going in circles. Take a break. You'll be refreshed once you get back. 

One other thing is that when I wrote my new track, I wasn't in my studio. I was at my in laws' place. Sometimes it's also "inspirational" to be outside your comfort zone and in some other place where there's a change of atmosphere and basically everything around you is different. There's a certain "feel" or "thinking" that you'll find yourself in. It may not be in your in laws' place, but it may be at the park, a coffee shop, anywhere. Try it, you might like it :)

Enjoy your music making...

Cy

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