Supercharge Your Beats - another Native Instruments teaser video

Native Instruments have uploaded yet another teaser video to their YouTube page.



Unlike the first teaser that we got last week this video seems to be more focused towards beat programming. Rumours are suggesting that this could be an updated version of their popular drum sampler instrument, Battery.

Could this mean that Native Instruments have two new products coming our way?

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Reason Tutorial: Your first ten minutes in Reason - Propellerhead

Here's one for all you newcomers to Reason. It's a pretty neat video from Propellerhead that shows you how to quickly get up and running with Reason.

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Guide to Reason Rack Extensions Part 1 & 2 - ProducerTech

Here's a couple of YouTube videos from ProducerTech, they focus on Rack Extensions for Propellerheads Reason. The first video focuses on the awesome Polysix synthesiser from Korg and the second one looks at the two compressors; the Rough Rider by Audio Damage and the FET Compressor by Softube.

I recently brought both the Korg Polysix and the Audio Damage Rough Rider and I've been using them religiously in my productions. I'm also working on a free Voltage-Controlled preset pack for Polysix that will be available to download soon.

Anyway, I found these videos very informative so I thought I'd share them on the site. Check them out and don't forget to take a look at the ProducerTech Youtube Channel while you're at it.

"Review of Korg Polysix Rack Extension for Reason

This movie is the first of a series of mini tutorials, exploring the range of instruments and effects available in Reason's new Rack Extensions feature. Korg's Polysix is the first instrument made by an external manufacturer to be included in Reason, so this is an exciting development! The movie takes you on a brief tour of the instrument, giving an outline of its controls and synth engine.

For more information about Reason, check out: http://www.reasoncourses.com"

"This movie gives an overview of two of the great new compressors available in the Reason Rack Extensions range - Audio Damage's Rough Rider and Softube's FET Compressor - showing how they cope in extreme compression situations, how they differ and their various merits.

For more information about Reason, check out: http://www.reasoncourses.com"

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Taking a look at Moldover's Jamboxes

Now this is really cool. I've been a fan of Moldover's unique style of controllerism for a while now and this new video showcases some of his awesome Jambox's. They look super fun too. If you don't know what I'm talking about then have a look at the video below.



"Born from the union of a passion for controllerism, and the love of community-collaboration, Moldover's jamboxes are some of the most radical and innovative instruments he's ever created. The OctaMasher, The SyncoMasher, and The MiniMasher are completely unique designs; each explores a different realm within the multi-player universe. Like jukeboxes in the 1950s and boomboxes in the 1980s, jamboxes are now playing a crucial role in the new explosion of social music and culture."

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Logic Environment Tutorial - Create Kaoss Pad style X-Y Fader Effects Unit - Point Blank

This week's video from Point Blank Online is aimed at Logic users. It covers how to use Logic Pro's environment to create a virtual X/Y pad to control effects. This is a little more in depth than most of the videos that are posted on Voltage-Controlled so this might not be for everyone.



"http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/logic-courses.php This week Paul Yarrow shows you how to use the power of Logic Pro's environment to create an X-Y fader multi effects unit much like Korg's Kaoss pad. 

Learn more about using Logic Pro's environment on our wide range of Logic courses: http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/logic-courses.php

Check out even more free tutorials at http://www.logic-cafe.com/Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Creating a Tech House Track in Ableton Live with Radio Slave Loops - Point Blank

In this weeks video from Point Blank we are shown a few tips and tricks while creating a tech house track using samples and loops. They also have a pretty cool competition running where you can win the sample pack used in this video, a copy of Ableton Live 8 and a place on a Point blank Pro Producer course.





"Win this Radioslave pack, Live 8, and a Point Blank Pro Producer course here: http://ow.ly/c0BAS

In Ableton Live we have a fantastic tool to manipulate, chop and twist loops into your own interpretations all in real-time. This gives you the ability to create limitless unique tracks with the same loops and samples. In this tutorial Danny J Lewis shows some simple but very effective techniques to do this such as adjusting the clip start position and transposing the key up and down.

The pack he is using is one of Ableton's latest partner instruments, put together by Radioslave and Sample Magic. As well as a collection of drum, percussion, and musical hits and loops, the pack contains some great custom instrument and effects racks which, if hooked up to a midi control, can give a really tactile method of experimenting with the sounds. 

Check it out here: http://www.ableton.com/library/radio-slave-live

Racks such as the Kit Creator use macro controls to scroll through the various samples and adjust parameters like attack, decay and low cut to mould the sounds into something new. It is a great example of the type of racks that we teach you to build from scratch on Point Blank's Ableton Live Sound Design courses.

Check out the sound design course here:http://www.pointblankonline.net/ableton-live-sound-design.php

Watch more free tutorials on our sample course page:http://www.pointblankonline.net/sample-a-course/

Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Electronic Music Composition (pt 3) - Faithless 'Insomnia' - Point Blank

"Go to: http://www.pointblankonline.net/electronic-music-composition-emc.phpto check out our online Electronic Music Composition Course where you can learn more techniques like this. Please get in touch with our course advisors at advice@pointblankonline.net if you want to find out more.

In this tutorial Ski Oakenfull breaks down the chord sequences in Faithless' dance anthem 'Insomnia'. Buy here:http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/insomnia-best-faithless/id305775034

Do you have a track that you would like to see Ski deconstruct musically? Then let us know in a comment below or hit us up on twitter with:
#emcrequest @point_blank + your suggested track title

Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Logic Tutorial - Turn the Korg Monotron into a Polysynth - Point Blank

My Korg Monotron has been sitting on the shelf for a few months now, not really seeing any action in the studio. This video from Point Blank made me pick it up and have a little mess around with it.

Turning the Monotron into a poly synth using pitch shifters and tuning effects seems like a pretty cool idea. This tutorial shows you how to get this effect using the built in effects in Logic but the techniques shown can be easily recreated using other DAWs. I managed to get a pretty close sound using Ableton live and a few 3rd party plugins.

"http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/logic-courses.php This week Paul Yarrow shows you how to open up a new world of performance capabilities for Korg's Monotron by turning it into a polysynth enabling it to play chords.

Learn more techniques like this on our wide range of Logic courses: http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/logic-courses.php

Check out even more free tutorials at http://www.logic-cafe.com/

Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Custom FX Rack Design in Ableton Live - Stereo Width (Free Rack DL) - Point Blank

"http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/ableton-live-courses.php In this tutorial Danny J Lewis shows you how to create a custom FX rack in Ableton Live to add stereo width to your mix

Download the rack for free here:https://www.facebook.com/pointblankcollege/app_326957207366280

Learn more techniques such as this on our Ableton Sound Design course, an 8 week module that involves the creation of many bespoke effect and instrument racks :: http://www.pointblankonline.net/ableton-live-sound-design.php - get in touch with a course advisor at advice@pointblankonline.net if you want to find out more.

Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Propellerhead upload teaser video for Rack Extensions

It must be getting really close now to the official launch of Rack extensions for Reason and Reason Essentials, Just check out this teaser video that the folks over at Propellerheads have uploaded. It reveals loads rack extensions including Korg's Reason friendly version of Polysix! That's right, you'll be able to have Polysix in your reason rack.

Anyway, check out the video. What Rack Extension are you exited about getting your hands on?

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Making music with apps (pt 2) - Point Blank

You might of remembered the video from Point Blank online where a track was built using nothing but audio sources taken from iOS music apps. Well here's part 2, this vidio focuses on connecting your iOS device to your computer so that you can easily record audio.

"http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/ableton-live-courses.php In this tutorial Danny J Lewis breaks down the connection process when recording material from your music apps into your chosen DAW (in this case Ableton Live). He uses a camera connection kit to connect a MIDI keyboard to bring a traditional method of inputting note data, and a simple stereo mini jack to 2 x mono phono jack lead to connect the iPad to your audio interface.

Go to: http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/ableton-live-courses.php to find out how you can learn more about using Ableton Live as a recording tool. Please get in touch with our course advisors at advice@pointblankonline.net if you want to find out more."

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Awesome Time lapse tribute to Bob Moog

Check out this awesome time lapse video of the Bob Moog mural that's been painted on the side of the Moog factory in Asheville, NC.

To #CelebrateBob on what would have been his his 78th birthday, Moog Music commissioned a larger-than-life mural of Dr. Moog for their factory in Asheville, NC. The mural was created by local Asheville artist, Dustin Spagnola. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB! Love, your family at Moog.

Dustin Spagnola is a contemporary visual artist who has shown and created work in NYC, Miami, New Orleans, Richmond, Atlanta, Washington, DC and in his home, Asheville, NC. His work is often political in nature and eschews corporate advertising and graffiti culture alike. See more of his work at dustinspagnola.com

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Robot Drums emulating Propellerhead Figure - Point Blank

This is a pretty cool idea; the folks over at Point Blank have put together a video showing you how to create a rack in Ableton Live that gives you a Propellerhead Figure style of drum sequencing. This is a cool way of finding some inspiration and creativity when coming up with drum patterns. Check out the video below.



"http://www.pointblankonline.net/courses/ableton-live-courses.php to check out our range of online Ableton Course where you can learn more techniques like this. Please get in touch with a course advisor at advice@pointblankonline.net if you want to find out more.

In this tutorial Danny J Lewis shows you how to create a rack that emulates the mechanics behind the way the drum patterns switch in the recently released 'Figure' app. 

Please subscribe to our channel to make sure you don't miss future exclusive tutorials from Point Blank Online school."

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Akai Pro show of their new MPC softwear

As some of you know Akai (who are responsible for the legendary MPC samplers) earlier this year announced a handful of new products. Among these was the very interesting looking MPC fly (an iOS app developed by Retronyms), the MPC Renaissance and the MPC Studio. The Renaissance and Studio are both midi controllers designed to be used in conjunction with Akai's new MPC software (Sort of like Native Instruments Machine).

Until now we were somewhat kept in the dark about this software but Akai have just released a video overview of the MPC software and I have to say, it looks pretty impressive.

One thing that isn't quite clear though is whether you need the controllers to use the soft wear or whether you could use the soft wear on it's own with another controller. If this is possible then this could be a very affordable solution for beginners to music making and live performances. Coupling the MPC software with a dirt cheap pad controller (say the Korg NanoPad) could be a very convenient compromise for some people. Even though this would be a pretty cool feature I'm not going to be holding my breath.

Anyway, here's the video from Akai.

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The Fundamentals of Synthesiser Programming (Moog Music Inc.)

I’ve just stumbled across a this series of tutorials that was uploaded to YouTube by Moog Music inc. The tutorials are presented by Dr. Joseph Akin and they cover the basics of analog synthesis. I’m not saying these videos are terribly exiting but if you’re new to synthesis then it might help you get to grips with basic sound design.

Anyway, I’ve embedded all 6 YouTube videos in this post (cue cheesy synth tutorial music).

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iPad display recorder & DM1 drum machine demo

iPad demo videos have become a pretty big part of Voltage-Controlled over the last few months. I've uploaded quite a few videos that I've taken using the camera on the back on my iPhone. That's all well and good but the quality of the videos have obviously suffered, so I got thinking about how I could go about making my videos a bit better.

At first I thought about investing in a decent camera but Voltage-Controlled rakes in little to no money from ads and donations so I couldn't really afford it. I remembered someone telling me a while back that if I jailbreak my device I can use third party software to take screen captures directly on the iPad. I looked into it but found out that the iPad 2 that I was using couldn't be jailbroken on iOS5.

However, I heard a week or so ago that it's changed and I can now hack my device and install the screen capture software. So I did it, I jailbroke the iPad and brought a tweak called display recorder.

It's a pretty basic app but it doesn't record audio which is a shame. That's not too much hassle though as I can record the audio into my laptop using my Saffire 6 interface and then sync it later.

Anyways, I thought I'd try it out and upload a video to YouTube. Here's me messing around with Fingerlab's DM-1 drum machine, one of my favourite drum machines on the iPad. DM-1's available in the appstore for £3.99 but I think I picked it up a few months ago when the price dropped to 69p.

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Moog reveals MINITAUR analog synthesizer

Moog Music inc. Have revealed the new addition to the Taurus family. The MINITAUR is a standalone analog synth, it looks perfect as a desktop synth.

"Minitaur is a powerful, compact Analog Bass Synthesizer that features a classic one knob per function design. It is the first instrument in the Taurus family that does not have foot pedals. At only 8.5" x 5.25" and less than 3lbs, the Minitaur puts legendary analog Moog bass into a package designed to fit seamlessly into today's performance and production environments. There are no confusing or convoluted menus to dig through. Plug in a MIDI controller or hook it up to your computer and start playing immediately.

Don't be fooled by it's size. Minitaur delivers all the growl, snarl and low end assosiciated with the Taurus family of Bass Synthesizers in a rugged performance package that is small enough to take with you anywhere."

This thing looks and sounds incredible. It’s stated on the Moog website that it will be sold for just $679.00 (Roughly £440) which is a pretty fair price. I can just imagine this thing sitting on my desk next to my laptop. Looks like I’m going to have to save up some money for its launch at winter NAMM.

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Punchy bass tutorial (Propellerheads sound design)

Here's the second video in Propellerheads sound design series. It focuses on how to make a punchy bass patch in Reason, perfect for modern house music.

These videos are extremely useful, especially if you're new to music production. For more tutorial videos from Propellerheads check out James Bernard's 52 Reason/Record tips.

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