design with rotary knobs to manipulate effects
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Monday, 15 June 2009
Back to the studio..
set up the soundproof(ish) studio again, with lots of nice bits and bobs to write new material. Its going to be a bit cramped when the drum kit is set up..
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Saturday, 11 April 2009
MOTEL32/Shonen Remix
Duration: 8 hrs apprx.
Firstly, decided my spin off 'motel32' ambient acid house deserved a myspace page for a handful of songs.
This is just an idea for some album art. Designed using photoshop CS3 very quickly. Through email, i got in touch with the photographer and he was happy to let me use his photography for the motel32 project. We are also discussing possible collaborations involving visual/audio technology for a professional art project. Expect more posts on this soon ±±±
I have been working on an album for this project and am planning for i to be around 18 tracks. These will incorporate varying styles of old skool house and ambient trip hop. Most of the tracks involve heavy use of the Roland 606, 808 and 909 drum machines alongside the spingy TB-303 basslines - with a variety of effects used, from reverb/delays to classic acid distortion.
I have also remixed the track 'Neon Moths'by Shonen which was quite interesting as it was incorporating chiptune, something i usually try to steer clear of (due to the lack of musical talent associated with the genre). Despite this, Shonen - along with a few other artists (such as Sabrepulse/Henry Homesweet/Syphus/Pixelh8), still offer something refreshing within this popular style of electronic music and create some cool textures to experiment with.
http://www.myspace.com/motel32
Firstly, decided my spin off 'motel32' ambient acid house deserved a myspace page for a handful of songs.
This is just an idea for some album art. Designed using photoshop CS3 very quickly. Through email, i got in touch with the photographer and he was happy to let me use his photography for the motel32 project. We are also discussing possible collaborations involving visual/audio technology for a professional art project. Expect more posts on this soon ±±±
I have been working on an album for this project and am planning for i to be around 18 tracks. These will incorporate varying styles of old skool house and ambient trip hop. Most of the tracks involve heavy use of the Roland 606, 808 and 909 drum machines alongside the spingy TB-303 basslines - with a variety of effects used, from reverb/delays to classic acid distortion.
I have also remixed the track 'Neon Moths'by Shonen which was quite interesting as it was incorporating chiptune, something i usually try to steer clear of (due to the lack of musical talent associated with the genre). Despite this, Shonen - along with a few other artists (such as Sabrepulse/Henry Homesweet/Syphus/Pixelh8), still offer something refreshing within this popular style of electronic music and create some cool textures to experiment with.
http://www.myspace.com/motel32
Sunday, 5 April 2009
LIVE SET
Duration: 20 hrs apprx.
Using Ableton Live, i've made a live set which involves me doing more than just pressing play.. The idea is triggering a varitey of stems made up differnt tracks i have written into a live flowing mix. nice.
..Adding effects and tempo changes where appropriate.
A live mix can be downloaded HERE
here are some pictures!
Using Ableton Live, i've made a live set which involves me doing more than just pressing play.. The idea is triggering a varitey of stems made up differnt tracks i have written into a live flowing mix. nice.
..Adding effects and tempo changes where appropriate.
A live mix can be downloaded HERE
here are some pictures!
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
ice cream truck
Duration: 2 hrs apprx.
working on the track 'ice cream truck'
real late, bored.. sick of writing lab reports.. need to play some badly timed beats along to a very loud click track.
filmed it and decided to put it on blog!
thank god for quantise. but not for quantisation error, thats no good.
working on the track 'ice cream truck'
real late, bored.. sick of writing lab reports.. need to play some badly timed beats along to a very loud click track.
filmed it and decided to put it on blog!
thank god for quantise. but not for quantisation error, thats no good.
Monday, 16 March 2009
VENTING AURORA
Duration: 2 hrs apprx.
the song title and image came to me in a sort of daze/dream.. it was basically a volcano surrounded by desert thousands of meteres above sea level.. but instead of lava/clouds/pyroclastic whatnot it was an Aurora, you know.. like the northern lights. It looked amazing.
Decided to write this song which i think describes this image. bit deep? meh. Here goes.
(details on the track are within STU ROLAND NEW IDEA a few posts back. no extra points for copypasting I'm afraid.)
VENTING AURORA (will be on here when i can find a decent Mp3 hosting service.. in the meantime its on the myspace player, see the link below)
!!!!!MYSPACE!!!!CLICKHERE!!!!! for the track and of course for more music! like a nice remix of the FLASHGIRLS 'QuickTrax' woo!
the song title and image came to me in a sort of daze/dream.. it was basically a volcano surrounded by desert thousands of meteres above sea level.. but instead of lava/clouds/pyroclastic whatnot it was an Aurora, you know.. like the northern lights. It looked amazing.
Decided to write this song which i think describes this image. bit deep? meh. Here goes.
(details on the track are within STU ROLAND NEW IDEA a few posts back. no extra points for copypasting I'm afraid.)
VENTING AURORA (will be on here when i can find a decent Mp3 hosting service.. in the meantime its on the myspace player, see the link below)
!!!!!MYSPACE!!!!CLICKHERE!!!!! for the track and of course for more music! like a nice remix of the FLASHGIRLS 'QuickTrax' woo!
top 40
Having studied music business & popular music/culture on several academic courses, i am researching further into what 'over produced bullshit' people want to hear. Its commercial music at its best, and the brilliant thing is its all so genuine to many people. If everyone knew just how much input came from marketing, promotion, labels (hefty advances) and production teams the whole concept would become slightly less credible. Some argue that 'mainstream' music is purely a product to be sold, and a groundbreaking artist is no different to a brand new type of cereal released by Kellogs. My opinion is similar.. but being a critical thinker its not all that simple. I believe commercial 'top 40' songs harbor far more than just money for production teams and artists alike. I would like to think that these people involved get a degree of satisfaction from creating these insanely successful records and have a lot of fun in the process weather it being recording in amazing studios or touring around the globe. Although saying that, it could be that many people share the Ben Folds approach; 'I don't even like writing this music, but hey.. its my job' (sorta thing). This is something i will have to get to the bottom of and i hope for the good of music, it isn't entirely the case.
MOVING on.... recently i have been analysing popular 'chart' songs, rock, indie hip-hop and dance alike. They all share many common factors which make them immensely popular to the masses. and the key element is the clever combination of genres within each song, which can ultimately appeal to a broad range of people with varying tastes.
I decided now to try and write something worthy of the top 40, its a challenge but it really interests me and might take a lot of time. its my latest project anyway, expect many updates on my process of this potentially pointless and stupid plan!
I'd like to make a sort of journalistic doc on the subject, where cameras follow me round investigating the ins and outs of this industry but mainly my journey in which i create this disaster piece. D:
i'm need a female voice.. think i know where to find one ;)
and an image.. LOOK UP TOP.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
nano jam
Duration: 3 hrs apprx.
Just been experimenting with some sounds. Decided to make a 4 chord keys loop with some FX and play along to it with some beats. Not supposed to sound amazing but its really just to document the process where i find beats and sounds i like before recording something.
Logic 8
Nanopad USB controller
Just been experimenting with some sounds. Decided to make a 4 chord keys loop with some FX and play along to it with some beats. Not supposed to sound amazing but its really just to document the process where i find beats and sounds i like before recording something.
Logic 8
Nanopad USB controller
Monday, 2 March 2009
GRABBY HANDS EP
Duration: 2 hrs apprx. (editing artwork)
Grabby hands artwork.
designed by Ursie Georgeson
Grabby hands artwork.
designed by Ursie Georgeson
Friday, 20 February 2009
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
STU ROLAND NEW IDEA
Duration:3 hrs apprx.
Been recently thinking more about live percussion for my performances so have been working on a song called 'Today Hero' and the demo can be heard on the myspace player a few posts back.
The melodic content isn't quite there yet but I am happy with the rhythms and contrast of both acoustic and electronic drum sounds.
I used:
Logic 8
EZ Drummer/Down tempo drum bank
SuperTrigga FX plugin
Modelled some synths in the ES2 including bass and string sounds.. more info to come about that...
finished version will be uploaded soon!
Been recently thinking more about live percussion for my performances so have been working on a song called 'Today Hero' and the demo can be heard on the myspace player a few posts back.
The melodic content isn't quite there yet but I am happy with the rhythms and contrast of both acoustic and electronic drum sounds.
I used:
Logic 8
EZ Drummer/Down tempo drum bank
SuperTrigga FX plugin
Modelled some synths in the ES2 including bass and string sounds.. more info to come about that...
finished version will be uploaded soon!
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
AVIDACID
Duration: 20 hrs apprx.
I have recently been working on a project with fellow artist 'Misfemme' on some tracks as part as an EP. I worked previously with Misfemme on the production of the 'Super MF'record which is now on sale here CLICK
The music is mainly electro/house with the addition of female vocals so its something new and interesting for me to work with production wise!
The first tracks working titles are 'Alt' and '007'and are still in their early stages but a clear grounding of what im aiming for its almost set out. The tracks will also require a degree of collaboration from Misfemme with melodies, vocals and additional production ideas. We are currently planning on doing some DJ sets around the UK to get the name out there and eventually perform our own material live.
the track '007' can be heard below (turn off the myspace player if its at the bottom of this page)
I have recently been working on a project with fellow artist 'Misfemme' on some tracks as part as an EP. I worked previously with Misfemme on the production of the 'Super MF'record which is now on sale here CLICK
The music is mainly electro/house with the addition of female vocals so its something new and interesting for me to work with production wise!
The first tracks working titles are 'Alt' and '007'and are still in their early stages but a clear grounding of what im aiming for its almost set out. The tracks will also require a degree of collaboration from Misfemme with melodies, vocals and additional production ideas. We are currently planning on doing some DJ sets around the UK to get the name out there and eventually perform our own material live.
the track '007' can be heard below (turn off the myspace player if its at the bottom of this page)
| 007demo1 by AVIDACID |
| Fandalism Free MP3 Hosting |
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
NEW IDEA
Duration: 5 hrs apprx.
(the above image shows a part of my setup, mainly the PRESONUS FIREPOD with all the drum microphone cables connected. click to make bigger)
Last night i decided to make some basslines, kinda experimental stuff i wouldnt usually do and it sounded quite good.
Today i decided to record some drums to this track and film the whole thing, quite satisfying to watch back myself playing drums with nicely recorded sounds rather than the bad quality video phone audio!
VIDEO
(the above image shows a part of my setup, mainly the PRESONUS FIREPOD with all the drum microphone cables connected. click to make bigger)
Last night i decided to make some basslines, kinda experimental stuff i wouldnt usually do and it sounded quite good.
Today i decided to record some drums to this track and film the whole thing, quite satisfying to watch back myself playing drums with nicely recorded sounds rather than the bad quality video phone audio!VIDEO
Monday, 19 January 2009
REBIRTH
Back in 1998 Propellerhead and Steinberg teamed up and created the REBIRTH RB-338 software.
The software is now free from the Propellerhead website and theres loads of cool Roland history too if you like that sort of thing.
Without sounding too much like an SOS article heres why i like it so much.. (but also where it annoys me)
+'s:
- its saves getting a pile of old Roland kit.. (two TB-303's, TR-909 and 808)
- looks like a program designed in the 90s :)
- from all the clones, samples and sequencers floating around in softsynth world this is pretty close representation of what the hardware sounds like. Although to be fair if you want a 303 sound you essentially need a real 303, same goes for the drum machines. The slides and accents on the 303's are pretty faithful when compared to most bassline emulators, with these the saw and squarewaves are normally fine but they lose out when matching the elasticity and analogue squelch!
- Rebirth teaches how to program basslines! which is time consuming and frustrating but sounds ace.
- You can export loops, and use the program with reason. (Reason Hardware Interface)
- Its Free now! (Before it was free it was torrented anyway)
-'s:
- It is not a pile of hardware.
- its extremely easy to twiddle for ages and end up with the same generic sounding 140bpm acid house!
- Rebirth will not run on anything past MAC 0S9. unless you have classic mode on eariler OSX machines. thats why i have it running on an old crummy laptop! at least it has a use :D
SO i like Rebirth, and its fun. Have been using it a lot lately to see what i can get out of it and had some pleaseing results!
Just made some basslines i'll incorporate into a song in logic sometime this week. so ill post something up somwhere somehow soon!
Sunday, 18 January 2009
GRABBY HANDS 3
Its been a week since i lost all my stuff. However luckily, my G5 remains intact and safe in the countryside, far from the reaches of the derby scum that breed down the alley from my house.
Decided to master all of the tracks that i had salvaged from my girlfriend and the ones burned to CD for previewing in my mastering suite (a Peugeot 306)
This whole thing taught me a valuable lesson in backing stuff up but you can never be two careful protecting all those precious 1's and 0's.
Logic Setereo mastering.
Above EQ and making it louder with GAIN and adlimiter, the best thing i've found to make the tracks sound good is multiband compression, its just the technical way of screwing the lid onto tracks and finishing it all off nice so it sounds good to me, and hopefully to others too!
I have also mixed all the tracks to sound a similar level because they have all been exported at slighly different levels and need some continuity if they are to work well on a CD together!
Monday, 12 January 2009
irony
ok so, planned to call this GRABBY HANDS for no real reason at all.
it seems it took two theives to use their grabby hands to grab and run with my stuff to seal this off as unfinished.
its all come full circle. maybe im reading too much into this...
it seems it took two theives to use their grabby hands to grab and run with my stuff to seal this off as unfinished.
its all come full circle. maybe im reading too much into this...
sealed off..
Well, long story short got my laptop and midi controllers stolen last night so the grabby hands EP in its final stages have been lost into the ether! probably end up in a cashconverters somewhere within a nice shiny macbook.
Seen it as a sign to move on and do something totally different now, so check for posts but unfortunately this weblog is the only evidence of a lot of stuff so it greatly valued!
Pretty bummed out about the whole thing but material posessions only have so much value in the long run. With a new year im sure good can come eventually.
Updates soon, but in the meantime. i gotta get my stuff back together! they even took my gloves! MY GLOVES!
Seen it as a sign to move on and do something totally different now, so check for posts but unfortunately this weblog is the only evidence of a lot of stuff so it greatly valued!
Pretty bummed out about the whole thing but material posessions only have so much value in the long run. With a new year im sure good can come eventually.
Updates soon, but in the meantime. i gotta get my stuff back together! they even took my gloves! MY GLOVES!
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Myspace Player
Duration: 30 mins apprx.
from now on, the mypace player will appear here so music can be listened to without any external links, enjoy!
from now on, the mypace player will appear here so music can be listened to without any external links, enjoy!
Saturday, 10 January 2009
GRABBY HANDS 2
Duration: 10 hrs apprx.
The EP is looking good so far. I have now got six demos together and hope to get these all polished off and sounding right over the next couple of weeks.
The latest demo is on the myspace here.
The demo name is 'Just a Tab' although that is just a working title as it will probably end up as the title track 'Grabby hands' when the CD is finished.
Another step in the process is deciding on some album art so i'm going to get in contact with some people for some help in that area! I think it would be nice to get some good artwork done for this record.
I have also recently set up a bigcartel webstore to sell some of my music should anybody be interested!
The EP is looking good so far. I have now got six demos together and hope to get these all polished off and sounding right over the next couple of weeks.
The latest demo is on the myspace here.
The demo name is 'Just a Tab' although that is just a working title as it will probably end up as the title track 'Grabby hands' when the CD is finished.
Another step in the process is deciding on some album art so i'm going to get in contact with some people for some help in that area! I think it would be nice to get some good artwork done for this record.
I have also recently set up a bigcartel webstore to sell some of my music should anybody be interested!
Friday, 9 January 2009
studio
Duration: 30 mins apprx.
this is just an image of what my studio looks like at the moment :)
missing a few bits and bobs but a good mixing setup for me
this is just an image of what my studio looks like at the moment :)
missing a few bits and bobs but a good mixing setup for me
Friday, 2 January 2009
GRABBY HANDS 1
Duration: 10 hrs apprx.
(click to enlarge pic)
Grabby hands is the latest EP and is nearly complete.
Two tracks 'Depth' and 'Eyes Uprise' can be heard on the myspace HERE
Its certainly a lot more 90's sounding, a bit like Acid mixed with my own electronica sound.. Hip hop breaks backed up with Roland TR 808/909 rythms and Roland 303 basslines with distortion and reverb for that awesome 'squelch' sound. Fun :)
CLICK HERE for a video of me Adjusting the controls on the 303 in reason (this combinator patch is probably the most authentic 303 mock up, even better sounding than rebirth in my opinion)
If i had a spare £1200 i'd probably buy one of these extrememly rare and overpriced 80's bass guitarist stand-ins.
(click to enlarge pic)
Grabby hands is the latest EP and is nearly complete.
Two tracks 'Depth' and 'Eyes Uprise' can be heard on the myspace HERE
Its certainly a lot more 90's sounding, a bit like Acid mixed with my own electronica sound.. Hip hop breaks backed up with Roland TR 808/909 rythms and Roland 303 basslines with distortion and reverb for that awesome 'squelch' sound. Fun :)
CLICK HERE for a video of me Adjusting the controls on the 303 in reason (this combinator patch is probably the most authentic 303 mock up, even better sounding than rebirth in my opinion)
If i had a spare £1200 i'd probably buy one of these extrememly rare and overpriced 80's bass guitarist stand-ins.
To many people, the world is run by facebook, without receiving updates on their mobile phones about 'So and So just commented on So and So's Status' and other needless information regarding the most antisocial form of being social (sitting behind a computer), these people would be better off. Nevertheless, 'Nosey Social Networking' (where everyone knows what everyone's been up to) has its benefits, especially if you like embarrasing drunken photos of yourself, or even better, promoting a band or solo project!
So i decided to hop on this bleak looking band wagon and set up an artist page for Stu Roland (nothing like myspace music but thats for kids right?)
Entered all the details about how it all started for me, what different monikers i have branded myself with over the years and some nice discography.
Unfortunately I am unable to upload any music on Facebook until i prove my identity with a passport or drivers license. I decided against this as its all a bit sketch from where i see it. The less facebook really knows about me is probably better.
So! ill leave it up to Myspace music an Last FM to stream my music to the world.
Back to facebook, the best bit is i can copy email addresses and quickly promote the Stu Roland page over the whole of facebook within people i know (278 apparently) and the best bit is, when someone becomes a fan it tells ALL their friends that they became a fan hopefully creating the 'Ohh whats that i think i might click on it' effect.
:3
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Stu-Roland/55941525445?ref=ts
So i decided to hop on this bleak looking band wagon and set up an artist page for Stu Roland (nothing like myspace music but thats for kids right?)
Entered all the details about how it all started for me, what different monikers i have branded myself with over the years and some nice discography.
Unfortunately I am unable to upload any music on Facebook until i prove my identity with a passport or drivers license. I decided against this as its all a bit sketch from where i see it. The less facebook really knows about me is probably better.
So! ill leave it up to Myspace music an Last FM to stream my music to the world.
Back to facebook, the best bit is i can copy email addresses and quickly promote the Stu Roland page over the whole of facebook within people i know (278 apparently) and the best bit is, when someone becomes a fan it tells ALL their friends that they became a fan hopefully creating the 'Ohh whats that i think i might click on it' effect.
:3
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Stu-Roland/55941525445?ref=ts
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