Human Sound Systems Ports Scanned Synth Pro 2 to Mac

Human Sound Systems has released it's previously PC-only Scanned Synth Pro 2 for OSX earlier this week. SSP-2 is a digital synth combining physical modeling and wavetable synthesis. A demo is available.

Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 on Ebay

Looks to be in absolutely amazing condition. Shipping alone is $600, though... heh.

Info at the listing...

Tech Interview with T.H.D.

Total Harmonic Distortion originated as a duo of Shawn Rudiman and Ed Vargo based in the tiny town of Frackville, Pennsylvania (population: boredom). Throughout the mid to late 90's, the duo released several albums of gritty, highly technical industrial music. Then, they disappeared for 10 years.

Now, THD is back as a solo project of Rudiman (although he insists Vargo will always be an official member), with two new releases on 23db Records - an absolutely free 10-track EP called "Subconscious Drip", and a full-length album entitled "The Evolution of Our Decay"().

In addition to putting these releases out on my label, I had another connection to THD. In the early days of my own musical career, I used to go to their studio to record since they were the first people I knew to have a computer-based digital recording set-up. During that time, they became not only mentors to me, but very good friends. So it was with great pleasure that I sat down to talk with Shawn to talk gear, process, and just where THD disappeared to for the last decade...

WAVEFORMLESS: Okay, the obvious first question - what have you been up to for the past ten years?!

THD: Wow. Big one... ugh. Fell head over heels for Detroit techno and techno in general. Less politics and more rhythm and funk and soul. Kinda left the angry side behind and found more depth. Found there are more sides to life than the one you are brought up in. Got involved in running techno labels and releasing, playing live and touring. It's been a pretty interesting 10 years. A lot of up and downs.

WAVEFORMLESS: How was it to revisit T.H.D. after so many years? How did your experiences since the last T.H.D. album help shape the new material?

THD: It was a real breath of fresh air, honestly. It was nice to leave the techno behind for a minute and look at things with eyes that have been shut for a long time. It was great to be able to finally give THD the vocals it deserved. I always hated my past vocals minus one track. I thought they always were always just wrong. I couldnt get it - I was trying to be someone else, really. I just had to let my voice be my voice. My experiences since the last THD album have been vast to say the least. A nervous breakdown, Euro tours, a whole new life and a whole new look on the world, really. It's been the hardest years of my life I think. So many crazy things have happened, good and bad. All those things have shaped the new releases greatly. The albums are pretty much built around my life and my views, thoughts, etc., so it's like a biography of sorts. You listen to it instead of reading it.

WAVEFORMLESS: You've got a number of projects outside of T.H.D. each covering different styles. Do you sit down to create a track with a specific project in mind, or do you figure out which songs fit into the style of which project after the fact?

THD: No, I just sit down with my therapist (Dr. Akai MPC) and we just work things out. Sometimes it's industrialish, sometimes synthpopish, sometimes techy, sometimes house, etc. etc. etc... It's whatever has its hold on me. Like possession, really. I've learned that certain moods translate to certain styles better. It's weird... if you make the mood and inputs a certain way then things output a certain way. It's weird to think of yourself like that. I definitely figure out which songs go where after the fact.

WAVEFORMLESS: Tell us about the gear you used on the new T.H.D. material.

THD: Everything from analog synths, 16, 12, & 8 bit samplers, drum machines, and yes, even plug-in synths. Mostly hardware though. Akai MPC-3000 for main sequencing and the majority of the drums, Oberheim Xpander and (Sequential Circuits) Pro One a lot. Umm.. E-mu Esynth Ultra and E6400, Akai S900, Rhodes piano, Imposcar plug-in, Angelina plug-in, Roland MC-4, 808, 909, 606, (Sequential) Studio 440, (E-mu) SP-12... Lots of low-priced effects processors form the 80's. Just a large smattering of gear, really.

WAVEFORMLESS: What's the one synthesizer you've always wanted, but never owned?

THD: Hands down a PPG 2.3 and a (Sequential) Prophet VS. I'll fuckin' fight hungry timber wolves for either one. They are 2 of the most original sounding machines I've ever heard.

WAVEFORMLESS: What do you reckon is the rarest piece of gear you ever owned?

THD: Fairlight II with MIDI. Or the Korg SB-100 Synthebass I still have. Or maybe my Studio 440... it's a tie, I guess.

WAVEFORMLESS: Recording has changed a lot in the past ten years. Are you doing things differently, or is the recording process pretty similar to how you did things back then? Maybe go your process for us?

THD: Yeah, it's pretty much the same for me. Ed and I always had HD recording so it's not new thing for us (as you know, Tom!) only recently have I been able to multitrack things. This helped with THD stuff a lot. I would get rough rhythm and synth tracks down and then do overdubs and things when I was in between other things. Worked out good overall and led to not getting worn out on one song too much. Sometimes the songs were done as a whole, sometimes piece by piece of odubs over time. It's nice to not have a pattern. Keeps it fresh for me. Sometimes they were 8 or 16 bars "tracks" that just got edited and arranged in the digital domain. Then other times they were all laid out linearly on the MPC start to finish. It's nice to be able to have a total range of ways to work depending on my mood. Sometimes I just don't want to be in coralled into a linear structure. Other times I'm holding onto it like a ladder that's 500 feet off the ground.

WAVEFORMLESS: What's your favorite mic? Monitors? Mixer?

THD: Favourite mic: I'd have to say this 300 dollar AKG one we have here in the studio for whatever. It just works well with my voice. For monitors I use my KRK V6's. They work good. Wouldnt mind having the V8's though. I'm a fan of the KRK stuff. Mixers... my favourite mixer is the SSL 4000. I'd beat my mom up for one. But since they're 17-250 G's.. ahhh. Don't think I'll be getting one anytime soon. I use an allen and heath GS3V 32-channel analog desk. It sounds real nice and has subtle parametric EQ's, mute groups, VCA groups and mute/VCA automation. It's a really nice desk, has in line channels (tape ins and channel path are flip-able for mixdown), 4 auxs, direct outs, inserts, 8 busses and just feels and sounds good. I'll keep this guy for a while. Looking into an AMEK BIG 44 maybe. Since it has a lot more busses, but I really dig the mute groups and such of the A&H.

WAVEFORMLESS: What is it about 12-bit drums that sounds so frigging awesome?

THD: It's the grime and alias. The things that were never intended to sound good. The things that companies tried soooo hard to get rid of. Those things make 12-bit drums so great. When you put 12-bit drums thought a nice compressor and then a good EQ you get a great sound. They add life to a sample - more than what was put into it. Just a little.

WAVEFORMLESS: What's the one piece of gear you couldn't live without?

THD: AKAI MPC 3000.

WAVEFORMLESS: What's the album that first got you interested in electronic music?

THD: Electronic in general or industrial? Electronic in general I think was the Flock of Seagulls album, industrial was (Skinny Puppy's) "VIVE SECT IV" I can remember being at my grandmother's house on Xmas eve listening to it on a dubbed cassette while everyone opened gifts. If they could hear the soundtrack to the that Xmas as I heard it..."walk straight bi-ped... human disease.." I don't think they would have liked it :)

WAVEFORMLESS: I know you're a hardware man at heart, but what is your feeling on software synths?

THD: Honestly they have come around and gotten better. No matter what they don't have the balls of old machines, though. The low end on that digital/VST stuff just can't get as heavy and thick as the real thing. But some softsynths are ridiculous. I dig the synths that are using the power of PCs to do things that are new and that aren't recreations of old ones. Exploring new directions and things that analog couldn't do. I like those a lot.

WAVEFORMLESS: If you could travel back ten years and tell anything to your younger self with the wisdom you've since gained, what would it be?

THD: First you're supposing I have gained wisdom. Second, I'd tell myself to buy every last fuckin' synth I could find and store them for 10 years. Then open a vintage store. Then I'd tell myself that I should never ever again even think about having a career in music.:)

Crumar DS-2 on Ebay

Info at the listing...

Arp Pro Soloist Emulating Softsynth for Mac and PC

AM Music Technology has released a new softsynth aimed at emulating the Arp Pro Soloist called Pro SoloVst. The plug-in is available in VST format for the PC and VST and AU formats for the Mac. A demo is available that periodically beeps until you purchase the full version for 24,99 Euro.

New iPhone App from KJ Sawka

If you've spent any time on YouTube, you probably have seen the amazing videos of drummer KJ Sawka playing live drum n' bass on a combination of acoustic and electronic drums. If you haven't go check it out now.

Cool, huh? Now, Mr. Sawka joins the ever-growing ranks of bands and musicians releasing their own apps for the iPhone called DrumBanger. Sounds really dirty, huh? Here's what he has to say about it:

"KJ Sawka has announced the worldwide release of DrumBanger, a simulation of his half-electronic drum set that gives fans a way to remix and sequence Sawka's music from their iPhones and iPod Touches. Loaded with cd-quality samples of KJ Sawka's live drums and massive synth sounds, DrumBanger puts the user behind the drums to deconstruct and then reassemble the music into a new creation. DrumBanger represents a new way to consume and enjoy music: not just by listening to it, but by simultaneously teaming up with the artist to create it."

Buy it on:

New Softsynth Modelled on EMS VCS3

Newcomer software company Xils Lab has introduced a new analog styled softsynth called the Xils-3 for Mac and PC seemingly taking its inspiration from the classic EMS VCS3. Here's what they have to say:

"The XILS 3 is an exciting new matrix style virtual modular synthesizer. Based on the architecture of the legendary EMS VCS3 synth, the XILS 3 is capable of creating
both 'classic' sounds and totally new ones.

The XILS 3's matrix design is capable of more than 450 connection permutations, offering more routing possibilities than any other commercially available virtual synthesizer.

In addition, a built-in sequencer, based on the EMS 256 sequencer, can be used to create original and complex sequences.

The XILS 3 comes with hundreds of presets that provide instant access to a broad range of sounds and styles ranging from modern electronica to classic 1970s retro and experimental.
You can also program it yourself to create your own unique sounds!

The XILS 3 will be available soon ..."

Audio demos are available on the Xils Labs page.

Vermona Synthesizer on Ebay

Fairly rare piece, if not the most creatively-named one.

Info at the listing...

manualist plays dueling handjos with guitarist doug peirce

Link Between Tonal Languages and Perfect Pitch

Remember these hideous ads? haha

There was a story in Sunday's New York Times (that actually turned out to be a 9 year old story... slow news day, NYT?) that said scientists had discovered a correlation between languages that had a tonal component such as many Chinese dialects, and the elusive musical ability known as perfect pitch. Perfect pitch is the ability to accurately sing a specific note on cue without any reference, or to identify notes in music you are listening to, just as you would identify the colors in a painting. The scientists found that nearly 90% of people fluent in one of these tonal languages also had perfect pitch. So you never had to buy a perfect pitch training system and get a douchey 1990's haircut like the dude in the ad. Although he does look pretty psyched.

Keyboard Magazine Soundpages

Believe it or not, there actually was a time when Keyboard Magazine was worth reading. They covered artists in a wide variety of scenes and styles and had some genuinely interesting articles and reviews. Lately, it seems mainly like a graveyard for prog-rockers and paid-by-the-note solo wankery.

But back in the day, they actually used to distribute the magazine with flexi-discs (which they called Soundpages), featuring music by the artists featured in that issue, and occasionally, demos of new gear. Now don't get me wrong... there is plenty of wankery here, but I find it really interesting in a nostalgic way. Someone has taken the time to digitize these and post them to the web. I have a feeling these might end up being taken down, but I hope I'm wrong. It's not like Keyboard is ever going to offer these for sale, so why not share them?

PART 1 consists of:

"00:00 - Soundpage 12, 09/85: Jan Hammer: Airport Swap, Golden Triangle
05:58 - Soundpage 13, 10/85: Chick Corea: Marimbala, Ginkakuji
11:48 - Soundpage 15, 12/85: Dave Stewart: Henry and James
15:58 - Soundpage 16, 01/86: Alan Howarth: Songs from the Inner Ear
18:31 - Soundpage 16, 01/86: Herbie Hancock: Erik's Brick Wall
20:36 - Soundpage 18, 03/86: Jean-Michel Jarre: Moon Machine
23:35 - Soundpage 20, 05/86: Ralph Grierson: Sometimes...Not Always
28:34 - Soundpage 21, 06/86: Porcaro and Bhatia: The Manor March
30:36 - Soundpage 22, 07/86: Lyle Mays: Varying Lengths
33:47 - Soundpage 23, 08/86: Larry Fast: Main Theme from Metropolitan Suite
37:56 - Soundpage 23, 09/86: Igor Kipnis: Harpsichord Favorites
- 1. A Gigge: Doctor Bulls my Selfe / John Bull
- 2. Les Baricades Misterieuses / Francois Couperin
- 3. 3 Arias / Bernardo Pasquini "

Review: Impact Soundworks Groove Bias

Library: Groove Bias
Format: Download in Kontakt, Halion, EXS-24, and NN-XT formats
Genre: Anything in need of vintage drum sounds.
Created & Distributed by: Impact Soundworks
Price: $99 for Kontakt/Halion/EXS-24, $89 for Reason NN-XT
Support: support@impactsoundworks.com.
Demo: Audio demos on the product page.

These days, when you purchase sampled drum sounds it's almost a foregone conclusion that they will attempt to be as clean and contemporary-sounding as possible. And there's nothing wrong with that per se. It's just that there seems to be a real dearth of the types of drum sounds typical of the 50's, 60's, and 70's where tape and all manner of (now) vintage processors colored the sounds in a way that, while perhaps not the most natural-sounding, still have an undeniable pleasing character to them. It's those types of sounds that Impact Soundworks has sought to provide with their new vintage drum library Groove Bias.

Groove Bias is the end result of 8 months of work, and while three drum kits and a percussion kit might not sound like much, when you consider that the kits are made up of almost 4,000 samples for full-velocity switching and round robin-style goodness, you'll realize that this is a library aimed at quality and not quantity. Furthermore, you get more than just 3 drum kits and some percussion. In addition to the full kits, you also get each component from every kit available individually mapped, so they can be mix and matched into your own custom kits with a minimum of effort. You'll also find many of the same components used in a Processed selection that manipulates these individual sounds with the built in processing and effects options offered by your software sampler of choice. I'm reviewing the Kontakt version of this library which also includes custom interface controls for selecting the balance of mic position between close-mic and overhead mic positions when available.

The first kit is the so-called "Superfreak" kit, a 60's Ludwig Silver Comet kit like the one used by funk legend Rick James. The kit was recorded with vintage ribbon mics through a Neve console with outboard processing gear by Empirical Labs, Tube-Tech, and Anthony DeMaria Labs. It consists of a kick, rim, 2 snares, closed, pedal, and open hi-hats, 3 toms, a crash, a ride, and a splash. The sounds themselves are really nice. The kick has a very solid, weighty punch, the snares sound tight and present, the toms ring with authority, and the cymbals are clear and expressive. The only problem I could find with this kit was in the rim sound. There is a noisy "tail" on the end of some of the mid-high velocities that isn't present in any of the other sounds (or even in other velocities of this same sound). Furthermore, at one particular velocity, there is an odd sound in the tail that sounds like someone shifting in their seat or something. It's quiet and is unlikely to be noticeable in the context of a mix, but given the attention to detail this library generally exhibits, it does stand out a bit.

Next up is the Herodotus Kit, which is apparently the same type of kit used by Ginger Baker during his time in Cream. A variety of vintage mics were used, and outboard processing is provided by the likes of the famous UA 1176 and various Manley gear before the results were recorded to a Tascam reel-to-reel tape machine. This is a smaller kit, consisting of a kick, snare, 3 toms, and closed, pedal, and open hi-hats. The kicks and snares can be further customized by adjusting the balance between close and overhead mics, which adds a surprising amount of variety to the general timbre and feel of the drums. The kick here has less low-end punch than the Superfreak kit and the snare has more of a metallic ring to it. All the sounds are very playable and expressive. The addition of at least a crash would've been nice, but you can, of course, add your own with the individual 'component' patches.

The third kit is called the Tape Kit and is a made up of pieces from various manufacturers recorded on a selection of vintage mics and bounced to an Otari 24-track tape machine. The lo-fi goodness is provided by the room sound being recorded on a 70's era cassette machine. Soundwise, the kit is made up of close-mic and overhead versions of the kick, rim, and 2 snares, closed, pedal, and open hi-hats, 3 toms, a crash, a ride, and a splash. Timbre-wise, this is probably the tightest and driest sounding of the kits. Everything sounds punchy and present, while still full of character. As you would expect from a kit recorded to tape, slight noise tails are present, but as they are present on all of the sounds, it has a pleasing quality unlike the rim sound from the Superfreak kit where it just seems out of place.

What better to supplement some great sounding vintage drum kits than some percussion sounds given the same treatment? The Percussion kit consists of agogos, bongos, hand claps, cowbell, shakers, tambourines, triangles (including mute) and woodblocks. I found the percussion sounds to be by far the most expressive and fun to play in the library. (Which isn't to say the others aren't...) The hand claps are especially impressive. If you know what you're doing, it's possible to create very convincing percussion tracks virtually effortlessly.

The Processed section is laid out similar to the Component section, where an individual drum sound is mapped (complete with velocity and round-robin) to a single key, allowing you to build your own custom kits to taste. Everything from crunchy, lofi kicks, to reverbed snares, and dirtied up toms are on offer here. These are definitely a nice addition, but there is nothing that stands out as particularly spectacular. My guess is that most users will prefer to process the drum sounds themselves, to better fit the sound of their track.

If you've been frustrated trying to find these types of vintage drum sounds, you probably didn't even bother reading this far and have already placed your order. But for those who need further convincing, just take a listen to the demos on Impact Soundworks' website. These kits are certainly a worthy addition to the library of anyone seeking that sound, but clearly this is a library that drummers will get the most enjoyment out of given the range of expression that is possible with disciplined playing technique. Regardless of your level of ability, however, this is a great sounding collection of the types of drums that aren't exactly abundant on the sample library market these days. (9/10)

Marsh UDS Soviet Drum Synth on Ebay

Info at the listing...

Depeche Mode Interview in Keyboard

Very cool interview with Depeche Mode and producer Ben Hiller by Create Digital Music's Peter Kirn. (Includes gear list...)