Audiometry for iPhone
The human auditory system is sensitive to a wide range of sounds, both in terms of frequency pitch and intensity loudness.The lowest sound in pitch we can typically hear is about 20 Hz, and the highest sound 20kHz. However, we are not all equally sensitive with all differing frequencies…
Find out just how far your ears can hear ranging frequencies with Audiometry, an iPhone app which is a must have for all audio enthusiast.
With Audiometry, you will test your frequency threshold, using static volume tones. Using the iPhone headphones, you will be asked to adjust the iPhone volume, for clear and effective playback tones. Your left and right ear will be tested alternately with every frequency, from the above frequency ranges. After the test has been completed, you will get a report of your hearing frequency response.
Future versions of the app will include a dB test (for loudness rather than just frequency), and the ability to save and share tests with others. It’s hardly a substitute for going to a real ear doctor (if you have serious issues, you should definitely do that), but considering all the damage your iPhone may have done to your ears, the least it could do is help you figure out how much.
The new Ableton Operator – keyboard blessing
Ableton has announced that when Live 8 ships there will be an also provide an update Ableton Operator. Ableton is calling it a “major overall”. Feeling the ill effects of software synth overload, you may have glazed over when Ableton announced it was making its own FM synth, exclusively for Live. Ableton has built an easy-to-use, great-sounding instrument that integrates classic analog and digital synth sounds with Live’s beat-synced and envelope-shaping powers. Finally, it’s Ableton software for keyboard players.
So what’s new?
- User Waveforms: Draw your own waveforms by adjusting the amplitudes of each oscillator’s harmonics. You can also edit the built-in waveforms. So, it’s like a mini-additive synth.
- Feedback is now available for all oscillators that are not being modulated by another oscillator. This should provide for some pretty interesting possibilities.
- New filter types: New ladder modes and SVF filters bring the total number of Operator’s filter types to fourteen.
- There is also a frequency response curve view in the filter display and an integrated waveshaper in the filter, featuring an adjustable drive amount and four curve shapes.
- The filter, LFO and pitch envelopes now feature adjustable slopes, like those found in Sampler.
- There’s a new MIDI modulation section in the global display, with multiple destination and amount settings for five MIDI control sources. We’ve also added new modulation options for the LFO and pitch envelope.
Watch video from Ableton:
Top electronica/IDM/glitch albums from 2008
While I’m at it making lists of noteworthy album from 2008 here’s a list of electronica/IDM/glitch albums:
Alva Noto – Unitxt. Less noisy landscapes, more beats! Carsten is back to the Trans series and moving on.
Lexaunculpt – The Blurring Of Trees. Finaly on mp3 release.
Nautilis – Sketches
Byetone – Death Of A Typographer
Benge – I am 9
Signal – Robotron (ok, released 2007). Need I say I love the Raster Noton label.
Autechre – Quaristice. Hard to avoid the superstars of electronica.
Venetian Snares – Detrimentalist. Maybe not innovative as so many other releases by AaronFunk but it has got a special place on my mp3 player.
Bitstream – Steeljacket. why can’t the Connor brother release more!!!
Xanopticon – Liminal Space. Finaly on mp3 release
Exclusive performance by Depeche Mode
Their new single “Wrong” will be played live at the Echo Awards Feb 21st in Berlin, others who will join in are e.g. U2 and Kate Perry.
Wrong is taken from their new album “Sounds Of The Universe”
Gahan in the studio working on the song:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwruMvh4ZcU&eurl=http://www.zeromagazine.nu/nyhet.asp?id=1654&feature=player_embedded]
Tickets are available at www.eventim.de
FabFilter Twin 2 is here
FabFilter Twin 2 is a versatile and powerful synthesizer plug-in with the highest possible sound quality and an ultra-flexible modulation system.
- Three oscillators with sawtooth, square, triangle, sine, and pink/white noise wave forms, ring modulation, hard sync, pulse width, phase sync, stereo panning and polyphonic portamento
- Two independent multimode filters with 11 different filter characteristics
- On-board delay effects section with two delay units and two extra multimode filters in the feedback loop
- Clean and uncluttered interface that only displays the components that are actually in use
- Drag-and-drop modulation system that lets you modulate almost any setting with the following modulation sources:
- . Up to 4 XY controllers
- . Up to 6 XLFOs offering everything from classic LFO shapes to 16-step programmable step sequencers, per-step glide with adjustable glide curve, “snap” option that locks steps to musical notes to create arpeggio-like sequences, modulatable phase offset, and much more
- . Up to 6 envelope generators with graphic controllers and optional side chain input
- . Up to 4 envelope followers, triggering on side chain input
- . Up to 10 MIDI sources that let you use any type of MIDI data as a modulation source
- More than 1600 professionally designed and categorized factory presets
- The usual FabFilter goodies: perfectly fine-tuned knobs and controllers, section presets, interactive MIDI Learn, undo/redo and A/B switch, Smart Parameter Interpolation for smooth parameter transitions, an extensive help file with interactive help hints, sample accurate automation, AltiVec and SSE optimization and much more
Tiny Terror
Although I am not a guitar freak I jsut had to show you this little cute bastard…
Along with the Dual Terror and the Terror Bass, the Orange Amplifiers Tiny Terror Hard Wired Edition really makes for a terrifying trio of new products. This new, all UK manufactured, point to point, all hand wired Tiny Terror Hard Wired Edition offers a step up on the already legendary best selling Tiny Terror. With high specification transformers, ‘carbon comp resistors’ and ‘mustard capacitors’ this is truly a boutique amplifier which comes in a special leather padded gig bag*.
When it comes down to the crunch, it’s the sound that does the talking and the Tiny Terror Hard Wired Edition is more responsive and dynamic than its original version. With a wider frequency response this new amp has more bite and more punch.
All valve, 15 watt portable guitar head. Featuring a unique two stage pre-amp which has a massive tonal range using just three controls. When driven, this little amp has almost as much gain as most four stage lead channels! The Tiny Terror puts a lot of high-priced, boutique amps to shame with its clean crunch to full on overdrive sounds. At mid gain settings this valve head has masses of vintage British character; the Tiny Terror has been built to the same rugged specification as the bigger Orange amps and its portability makes it perfect for gigging around town or rehearsing. The Tiny Terror switches from 15 to 7 watts for studio use and recording. This professional little amplifier is a record producer’s dream and comes complete with a padded travel gig bag.
MusicRadar's good review on Garageband 09
GarageBand now has a more Logic-like look.
As of yesterday, Apple’s iLife ’09 software suite was available to buy, which means that you can now get your hands on the latest version of GarageBand.
To mark the occasion, MusicRadar was invited along to a press briefing at Apple’s London headquarters, and we came away with a copy of the new software. So, what are our first impressions?
One thing to point out from the outset is that you’ll need OS X 10.5 (Leopard) if you want to run GarageBand ’09. In fact, that goes for all the other applications in the bundle, too (iPhoto, iMovie and iWeb).
This means that, if your operating system isn’t already up to date, you’ll have to shell out £83/$129 (the cost of Leopard) on top of the £69/$79 that you’ll have to pay for iLife ’09.
We should mention here that Apple is currently offering Leopard, iLife ’09 and iWork ’09 in a £149/$169 bundle, but there’s no discount available if you just want to buy the former two products.
While we’re on the subject of system requirements, it should also be made clear that if you want to use GarageBand’s new Learn to Play features – we’ll be covering these in a separate article, by the way – you’ll need to be running an Intel-based Mac with a dual-core processor. As far as Apple is concerned, non guitar- or keyboard-playing PowerPC users will have to remain so.
The 11 best electro albums of 2008
Sorry I am a bit late coming out with the annual list of the best albums in 2008, it’s the 2nd of February now, hehe. I will definately shape up for next year.
Please note that their are of course more records that should have shown up on the list, but 11 is maximum, feel free to add your comments if there are others you believe deserves to be on the list, and most importantly I have not ranked them, since it is very much based on your current mode what you feel like listening to, since they are quite different beasts:
System – Self Organizing Systems
Sebastien Tellier – Sexuality
Run Level Zero – Arctic Noise
Bomb the bass – Future Chaos
Cut Copy – In ghost colours
Auto-Auto -Celeste
David Byrne and Brian Eno – Everything that happens will happen today
Steelberry Clones – Dig’it
Senor Coconut – Around the world
Elegant machinery – A soft exchange
Clark – Turning Dragon
Cheers everyone 
The EBM masters are soon ready
Hi everyone
Come to think of it I seem to have a tendency to write on artists rather than gear on Fridays, guess it must be because I am entering a stage of party mode
And that´s why its nice to give some news (well I am certainly not the first to bring this out on the web, but what the heck) on one of my fav EBM acts:
VNV Nation, new album on the way
It has been confirmed that the next VNV Nation album “Reformation” is on the way. The finishing touch is all that remain.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTL8NtqGdw4]
Here some news from the band:
PLANS FOR 2009 : We hope you all had a good time over the holiday period. We finished 2008 on a high note at the Neuwerk Festival in Berlin. When an audience sings that loud and shows such unity and euphoria, you know it’s a special night. So, what’s coming in 2009? During the last months of 2008 we were extremely busy making plans and we promise a busy year with lots happening. Firstly, the long awaited Reformation CD Pack will be released (finally, and yes, we said “pack”). Work on the next VNV Nation album “Of Faith, Power and Glory”, is well underway. There will also be European and North American Tours this year. We are also planning a lot of special releases for our fans but more on that in the coming months.
New in Promote your music here: Far Go traders
Far Go Traders
Listen here >> http://www.myspace.com/thelale Web site/MySpace : http://www.planetariumrecords.com/plane_arium/023.html Contact info: ljigotina@gmail.com)
Music production tool/s: Not mentioned
This time we have the band Far Go Traders up for review. To be honest I have not listened to all their songs on their website, but I went thru two or three of them, and based on this I would describe it a experimental electronica – with emphasis on experimental.
And how does it sound? Well at first I was very intrigued by their soundscapes and the images that they managed to paint with small electronic sounds and sampled noices etc, that by the way was very professionally done – no complaints there. However after a couple of minutes into each song I tend to get a bit bored (might be me, but than again) and the main reason for this is that I lack the common thread thru the songs – the thing that keeps it together as one entity.
Experimental music can be extremely beautiful, just look at guys like Brian Eno, but in order for it to be beautiful one need to put something that carries the story thru the song and I feel that this is kind of missing in these songs. A lot of experimental artists solves this with vocals, voiced samples, choirs etc, but that is kind of taking the easy way around it and I do believe that Far Go Traders have the capacity and musical skills to master this without these tricks.
The music is well balanced and the sounds are very nice and the mastering I have nothing to complain about so if you just can master the red line across the songs (espacially when songs to suddenly take a completely different directions) you are right on the track towards a balck belt in experimental music.
Worth listening to? Yes
☻☻☻☺☺
DATAMASKIN
