::: Vibes N Scribes :::

Good day crew. I trust all is well. How did everyone fair with TS Hanna so far? We had lots of rain this way, a few swells out of nowhere, but nothing major. I think the storm has passed over and that being said, I offer you the graphic above as symbolism of such….

Hope everyone’s weekend has been and continues to be good. This week I bring to u a lil mix of some head nod groove via Joshua, some jazziness via Positive Flow, and some ambient/nu-jazz flavor from Erasto and yours truly, Groove 7. Without further adieu, the playlist follows:

1. Sponsored By The Alphabet - Dimlite/Jazzanova 

2. Wiggle And Giggle - Joshua/Mushroom Jazz Vol. 4

3. Sound of Sound - Audiomontage/Snert

4. Fast Free Delivery - Blue Six/Aquarian Angel

5. The City Streets (Minimalistic Mix) - Positive Flow f/Donna Gardiner - Can U Feel It?

6. Eewayo - Espresso Del Lago/El Bano del Sol de Ibiza

7. After The Woman  - rdm

8. The Road Home - Erasto/Man Of Peace

9. Be Like That - Clara Hill’s Folkways/Sideways

10. Third Sky - Groove 7/SFTF Vol.1

Here’s our local flow:

rdm
Groove 7
Erasto

Check discogs.com for information on mostly all artists featured on The Sunday Soundtrack.

Enjoy the time of listening to this musical offering….

peace,

Fresh! (aka Groove 7)

 

 The Sunday Soundtrack - 7 Sep 08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Aha…if u read the previous post, you can’t tell by the pic, huh? Well, I will say that the winner is portable, and is able to be integrated into any digital audio workstation out there. Still not enough hint? Ok, for you headz out there, two very easy hints: Pete Rock and Just Blaze.

The winner is…………

The Akai MPC-1000. Stay tuned for some hot tracks in the future….

peace,
F!

Now that I am getting comfortable in using Logic Studio as my digital audio workstation to compose my music, I come from the outboard world where I’ve been using hardware drum machines to program and compose my drum tracks. Where others are used to it (because of they started on it), I find it difficult to programming drum tracks (beats) on my keyboard controller. Enter the Akai MPC 1000 and the Akai MPD32 pad controller.

The MPC 1000 is a full-fledged music production center in which u can produce full tracks on via the use of samples, as well as it’s onboard sounds. Logic Studio (Logic Pro is the same thing, software-wise, with not only the EXS24 with GBs of factory samples, but the ability to also load samples into it as well.

The MPD32 is simple a controller (no built in sounds or the ability to import samples). It can trigger samples via its 16 pads and sends various MIDI messages, transport control messages, via its knobs

I kind of like having the ability of composing hardware wise, without the need for a computer (although, I have a Roland MC-808 already too, however sample editing for the MC-808 is best done with a computer). The MPC-1000 is transportable, which would negate the use of a laptop, and keyboard controller. The LCD on the MPC-1000 allows for graphical sample editing. I could produce sample based music on the go, as well carry as many extra samples that could fit on a CF card.

The MPD32 appears to be better suited to programming my drum samples already loaded into the EXS24 sampler or Ultrabeat in Logic 8….hmmm.

Decisions, decisions. I just sold $400 worth of older studio equipment I know longer have a need for because of the jump to Logic Studio (with another $200 worth of equipment under pending sale)…..The key of using the MPC 1000 is to find the best way to incorporate it into my Logic Studio setup….we’ll see…stay tuned.

Crew…

Thanks for stopping by. I got this idea to sorta chronogically flow my musical journey here, not as early as when I first picked up an instrument, but more so where I started to learn how to record music, both digitally and via analog means. I first started, with my cousin, in NJ back in 1987 or so then. He branched out and purchased a Moog MultiMoog (pre-MIDI) and Porta-One four track multitrack recorder. By the late early 80’s, we both purchased the Roland TR-707 drum machines, followed by Yamaha RY-30 drum (synth) machines in 1991 and the recording process became even easier. He purchased an Ensoniq SQ-80 with an onboard digital sequencer Korg M3R synth module, As we entered the 90’s, I purchased Portastudio 4-track recorder, Yamaha QX5 hardware disk-based digital sequencer and Yamaha DX100 49-key MIDI synthesizer, only to add two synth modules - a Yamaha TG55 and Yamaha TX81Z. The recording process was off and running!

He and I, in 1992, colloborated interstate to write and record a few songs (without the help of computers), by mailing MIDI files back in forth when I visited home or he came down to MD…those (in hindsight) were definitely exciting times. Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), such as ProTools and Digital Performer, were definitely out of our reach, and we had no computers anyway, so the appreciation of how we got the work done is forever there with us both.

Below is a picture of what I called my first home recording studio (in the corner of my 10th floor studio (no pun intended) apartment:

I spent many hours recording my musical ideas via the marriage of analog and MIDI and still have the MIDI sequences from the QX5 saved to 3.5″ floppy. Yes…the good old days.

For notes on the equipment in the pic, go here .

Next up - Part 2: Enter The Sampler!

Thanks for reading.

Greetings all. As usual, it’s a pleasure to be back. I hope everyone’s weekend, winding down this month of August, has been good. The summer has definitely flown by, but it allows us the hopeful chance of seeing a crisp, warm colored autumn…I can embrace that.

Over the last month or so, I’ve been hearing a track on XM Radio Channel 84 - The Chill, which has been etched in my brain. It has regular, not heavy, rotation, but the track is so….me, I guess I could say, that I had to have it. Oddly enough, I got an email about a week or so ago from a fellow musician and friend in Atlanta, Roney, who just happened to hip me to this artist, who is also on last.fm. He goes by the name of Aquanote - who happens to be this week’s featured artist. I’ll feature radio edits, as well as remixes of tracks from the release The Pearl. His flow particular excites me because it’s the kind of combination of genres that I strive to create when I compose - luxurious funk tracks + future rhythms + blissful downtempo offerings (as used to describe the music of Aquanote)….he is definitely inspirational. That being said, without further adieu, here is this week’s playlist:

1 Not Just Anybody (At Jazz Flugelhorn Remix) - Rae & Christian/Nocturnal Activity (Sleepwalking Remixed)
2. Kog - Groove Collective/People People Music Music
3. Nowhere (Pearl Speakeasy Remix) - Aquanote/The Pearl
4. Waiting - Aquanote/The Pearl
5. Nowhere (Crazy P’s Heatwave Mix) - Aquanote/Bare Essentials Vol.2
6. Lace - D’Nell/1st Magic
7. Lace (Nicolay Remix Vocal) - D’Nell/Lace (Lace Nicolay Remix)
8. The Last One - Aquanote/The Pearl
9. Only (Streetlife Original Vocal) - Aquanote/Only-EP
10. The Best Way - D’Nell/1st Magic

Shouts to Roney for bringing back Aquanote in to my thoughts. Nod to EJ for bring flow with his In Rotation mixes on my off Sundays (throw those joints in their even if I come back to weekly scheduling )

Check out Aquanote at his official website here and on his MySpace page

peace, everyone….cherish the day.

Fresh!

 

 The Sunday Soundtrack - 24 Aug 08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hello. Welcome back for another edition of The Sunday Soundtrack. As usual, glad you stopped in.  Into August - the last month of summer - wow. No waxing philosophically on that…wanna be all about the music here. I just came back from my first cruise aboard the Carnival Fascination, which went to Key West and Cozumel. Had a great time. The only downiside is that I didn’t realize I left my digital camera aboard ship!! I filed a claim yesterday with the cruise line and hopefully some kind person turned it into their lost and found. I’ll know in about 2-4 weeks.

I’m introducing three new artists this week: Shane Newville, T. Hampton, and Shiloh. Shane and Shiloh are XM Radio Chill 84 favorites. T. Hampton is a mother of five who has a continuing passion for creating electronic music. Her tool of choice is working with Sony Acid Pro. I hope you enjoy these new offerings. That being said, here’s this week’s playlist.

1. Cold Round Disc - Shane Newville/Formless
2. Sa Trincha - Espresso del Lago/Yeki
3. Ballet or Sauna (You and Me Rework) - Espresso del Lago/Yeki
4. Bleed - Shiloh/Bleed
5. Corazon de Oro - Blackfish/Hidden Shore
6. Sonar - Blackfish/Pole Navigation
7. Reflections - Jens Buchert/Sunrider
8. Tell Me Now - T. Hampton/Fixit Shop Tunes
9. Curtain Call - Aya/Strange Fruit

As always, check Discogs for info on most artists I feature here.

Enjoy the fruit….cherish the day.

peace

 

 Sunday Soundtrack - 10 Aug 08: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Greetings, crew.

This message is to inform you that due to a reprioritization of goals, I am, until further notice, posting The Sunday Soundtrack bi-weekly instead of weekly. I feel a bi-weekly post will also provide a greater variety of new tracks featured, as well as assist me in getting other musical goals reached in a timely fashion. As always, I appreciate all your comments and encouragement.

Stay tuned for this weekend’s Sunday Soundtrack.