Archive for the ‘In the Studio’ Category

jack all the rage in dance music

  • What was once considered a dance music sub-genre has become a staple production format for most popular styles of dance music. In late 2007, a certain progression of production style was infiltrating electro, house, progressive, breaks, trance and other styles of dance music - this foreign invader was none other than jack. So, you might ask - what is jack? Well, simply put, jack is when the primary beat of a dance music song is paired with another beat element that seems to throw the timing off for a split second - therefore, it ‘jacks‘. While dance music is normally constructed in fourths, a jack element is usually found in the thirds and/or sixteenths. The funky off-kilter timing method is not new to dance music and most-likely got its start in the timing methods used by hard bop jazz drummers in the 1960’s, then pushed into the frontiers of funk in the 1970’s.

    One thing is for certain - nothing jump-starts a dancefloor or spills a drink like a jacked out beat.

    Corporately created pop music always follows underground dance music trends, so be sure to listen for ‘jack’ beats showing up in the pop music of 2009! And when it does, you heard it here first at BitsofBeats.com!

  • Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 | Posted in In the Studio, Special Features | No Comments »

Exclusive bitsofbeats audio samples | WAV 24bit 48kHz

peace love productions gets the job done

A little phasing can make a big stereo difference

  • Producers have been using an audio technique called phase shifting since the 1960’s to create a roomy stereo pan effect which can dramatically change the entire depth of a track. By splitting a stereo track into separate Left and Right audio signals, a producer can offset (ever so slightly) one side or the other to create a panned depth to the stereo signal as a whole – an out-of-phase signal.

    Digital producers can easily execute this technique by splitting a stereo track into Left and Right mono signals, or by doubling a mono track and setting one Left and one Right. Use the magnifying tool (universal software application) to look closely at the mono audio wavelength you are shifting (viewing 3-10 valleys/peaks), then ever-so-slightly shift the mono wavelength a few milliseconds backwards or forwards – then listen to the complete stereo audio. Notice the difference? The new stereo audio should sound like it has physically moved a little to the left or the right (depending on the shift).

    The sound and depth of the audio depends on how far you shift the wavelengths out of phase – so experiment and be creative to find the sound that suits your needs. The one thing you probably want to stay away from is phase shifting low-end frequencies such as basslines and kick drums. Shifting these frequencies takes away from their power and punch, which is normally a big No-No in the audiophile production world.

  • Thursday, August 2nd, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio | No Comments »

Korg KP3 – KAOSS technology advanced

  • Starting at a reasonable $399.00, the new Korg KP3 module may add some flair to the ordinary with its lightning fast multiple effects touchpad, live sampling/playback, and dynamic signal processing. Find out more at www.korg.com

  • Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio | No Comments »

Reason 4.0

  • With the announcement and pre-promotion of Propellerheads’ Reason 4.0 production software, all new purchases of Reason 3.0 will include a free DVD tutorial, a 1GB USB drive filled with Reason sounds/plugs, and a FREE upgrade to 4.0 when it is released. Reason 4.0 is rumored to include software applications equivalent to Ableton’s Live mixing/production software. 

  • Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio | No Comments »

Focusing on blu-ray technology

  • With all the recent moves by the industry to embrace the HD market, some may still wonder why the big fuss over Blu-ray – what is it? Simply put, Blue-ray technology uses a blue-violet laser (405nm) that has a much shorter wavelength than the previous red laser (650nm) technology. This hyper-focused laser allows digital information to be stored in less physical space (because our plastic discs aren’t getting any bigger) which obviously allows for more information storage on a single disc (25GB/50GB).

    For more information on Blu-ray - http://www.blu-ray.com/

  • Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio | No Comments »

Roland SP–555 - live performance hardware

Putting the electric back in EDM

  • When analog recording was reaching its pristine pinnacle in the 1980’s and 8bit sampling technology was just getting affordable, electronically created dance music began pumping through massive speaker cabinets in dark warehouses throughout Detroit and Chicago.

    Now jump 23 years into the future - analog vinyl records, once the sole medium for distributing dance music, are now nearly extinct - the dance music scene has moved from underground parties into prime-time venues with commercial zest - hundreds of thousands of brands and imprints flood the marketplace - and everyone is a DJ. It seems that the only thing that has not changed, to a great extent, is the music itself - although 23 years of musical evolution and digital technology has honed the sound to a razor’s edge. So, what’s next?

    It appears, as of late, that the sound of electronic dance music in general has hit a nostalgic root. Looking to breathe a little more style into their music, both bedroom and professional producers alike from across the globe are scrambling to get their hands on the original equipment that started it all. Rummaging through pawn shop backrooms, garage sales, and Ebay, producers are feverously digging for early analog and 8bit digital gold from brands such as Oberheim, Akai, Ensoniq and countless others. These rare acquisitions can give a producer an edge to their sound - and a possibly a spring in their step.

    So, what can we expect over the next 23 years?
    I’ve got a fairly good idea - but we will save that conversation for another time.  

  • Thursday, July 26th, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio, Special Features | No Comments »

mixing dance music - when to mix the next track

  • When mixing tracks into a dance music dj mix, always drop in the second track on the first beat of a 32 (or 64 or 128) beat matrix from the first track. Listening for the turn-around in a song is your best cue point to drop a track - if you mix in too early or too late, the mix may not sound as proper as it should and the turn-around(s) of both tracks may clash.

    Every dance music song is different, and experimenting with the various cue points is the key to a good mix. Really listen to the music you are mixing and know your tracks, backwards and forwards.

    Make some love with that mix!

  • Monday, July 23rd, 2007 | Posted in In the Studio | No Comments »
« Previous Entries