So after spending nearly a year and a half writing a piece every day, I haven't managed to write anything this year....how shocking! It just goes to show what a great challenge PAD was! So I have thrown myself back into it (kind of) a just had to get the vibe back, so I fired up Logic (not Logic X yet!) decided not use my usual staple of Omnisphere, but went with Kontakt and the amazing Spitfire Albion, with a bit of some vocals from the Francesca library. A bit rusty around the edges but I thought I would post anyway in the spirit of piece a day!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Logic X released!!
So here it is!!! Hell has frozen over!! Just 3 days short of four years when 99% of us had given up hope, Apple just slip it out there. There is quite a lot to digest, and I am going to have to get downloading this asap. But from what I can tell it looks very good! I guess it does look a bit Garageband pro, but so far I think the interface works....shame they seemed to have keep the crappy 90's icons though! But yes very swish! I love the concept of Drummer, especially for what I do and look forward to exploring it in depth and yes it seems the biggy for me (yes to fully tell), but audio editing has been addressed!! Finally, you can do sample accurate edits in the track window...>FINALLY!! Flex pitch! Finally!!Questions for me currently are....Environment? Is it still there? EXS...hasn't be replaced....Kontakt it is then!!Well done Apple, finally, but hey....it's not cool, you could have told us, we aren't impressed by your secrecy!More to follow once I have got my teeth into it!!PeaceNeil
What do we want from Music Technology?
As you may have noticed, I have posted quite a bit recently about Logic 10 (or Logic X), or perhaps that should be the lack of Logic. I kind of thought we would have had an announcement at WWDC on the 10th of the June, but there was none, and this is fuelling the fire that it has off Apple's radar. In July, it will have been 4 years and that is an incredible amount time in terms waiting for an update of any piece of software. So this got me thinking, what is that we actually want from music technology? I mean Logic 9 does more than anyone in the 60's/70's/80's could ever of dreamed of! The Beatles worked on a 4-track, Logic gives in an infinite number of tracks and the ability to move, quantise, correct, adjust by samples, add any effect you could imagine, add an orchestra, all from the comfort of my Laptop. But have I produced the next Sargent pepper? Nope!!We have access to amp modellers (I posted recently about this) which can create every single amp, effect, pickup configuration known to man, and this is an amazing feat for music technology. But, in this respect, why are we trying to model and recreate the past? Would it not be more fortuitous to try and develop something new? Or is it down to the musicians/creatives who continually try to push the boundaries of the technology we have. They aren't bothered that the their Line 6 model of a Fender tweed isn't an 'exact' replica, but it is a sound, which they can shape into something new! They aren't worried that they don't have every plug-in under the sun at their disposal, but take the tools they have an put move focus into the act of creation.Now, as I started this article about Logic X and how I am waiting for it, this makes me sound a bit like a hypocrite. So this is what caused me to start to wonder.....what is it that I want from music tech?In a sense, I think I have answered my question by wanting less perhaps. Maybe running 4 tracks on Garageband on an iPad, because that is all it can handle, will stop me thinking of what could be and make me actually work within those constraints. Maybe I just need one amp sound and make it my own, perhaps I should not spend a day going through 999 presets, but make one which is my own (okay I do do that!), but these aren't failings of music technology, they are failings of me and my inability to go with what I have. But then again, do you remember the days when a synth was a whole collection of knobs, limited to a couple of LFO's, Oscillators and the like? You could spend all day just tweaking, it was a very tactile experience, not looking at a screen with an million options, you would learn each feature inside out and yes you then thought of somethings you would also like, but on the whole you would create art. Now we have every option under the sun pretty much, and a million that we never thought of, I think this gives us what I call 'creative option overload' or COO for short and maybe it is time to fight back.....but what could music technology do to help us? Less perhaps?Okay, going back to me being a hypocrite, there are somethings I'd love in Logic.... in particular....better audio editing ...I mean it is 2013 now! But in hindsight, there isn't much, and I am perhaps caught up in upgrade envy. I am not sure....I mean if I am doing a sound project, I'll work in Digital Performer, as it has fantastic audio editing tools, it is just that it totally doesn't suit my way of working when it comes to composing (that is just me!).Do we need more options? Do we need simplicity? Do we need something 'new' without constant references to the past?What do you want from music technology??My parting thought is as follows....Make the most of what you have, push the boundaries, be experimental, drop off the internet and all the opinions that it brings. Believe in you, believe in your art, that makes it personal, that makes it unique.PeaceNeil
Logic Pro X or 10 - release date 10th June?
I guess having posted so many time about Logic 10 or the lack thereof update, I guess our final hope lies at the Apple WWDC conference on the 10th June 2013. Being the last big event Apple will be holding for sometime, I guess it is our last hope that something comes out, after that it will have been almost a month shy of 4 years since Logic was last updated, and that is just such a long time. I know there are some arguments about 'well what more could you want' (better audio editing for a start) and to some extent, if it ain't broken then don't fix itI guess all some of us want is for Apple to cut their b**s**t ...secrecy trend (it ain't cool any more, especially when you are running a business!) and let us know we still exist, acknowledge us. I want to give Apple money believe it or not, I would love to upgrade my dead MacBook Pro (yep it is dead) but even they haven't been updated in over a year), so Apple are preventing me from spending cash with them. Bizarre!Hand on heart though, I think we will seem snazzy new iOs bs and a version upgrade to the iMobile device, and nothing for the creative profession....I'd so love to be proved wrong!PeaceNeil
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder
Wow, just seen this this announcement from Musikmesse 2013, about the update to the Zoom H4N (which I have been using for years). The interchangeable microphone format is fantastic news!! I personally am very excited about the M/S option, just wonder what the capsule is like!! This is going to make working with a DSLR for filming very interesting indeed. I wonder what the price is going to be!The current information is
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder
- The world's first handy recorder with interchangeable mic system
- XY mics capture remarkable stereo depth and clarity
- Mid-side mics provide continuously variable stereo width
- Four XLR/TRS inputs for external mic/line connections
- Up to six channels of simultaneous recording
- High-definition audio of up to 24-bit/96kHz
- 6-in/2-out USB audio interface
- Over 20 hours of operation with 4 AA batteries
- Supports SDXC memory cards up to 128GB
- Optional Shotgun mic and external XLR/TRS inputs available
PeaceNeil
Pro Tools 11 is here
With offline bounce!!! Can't believe it has taken so long (not being ironic!) for this to be implemented and I find it fun how the people are waxing lyrical on the Avid video about how amazing it is, and how it is something brand new! Funny! Anyway, as you all know I am not really a Pro Tools user, except at one of the places I work, so it is interesting to see what they are putting out with this update, and of course making me feel sadder that there is still no Logic X news!! Would I fully switch to something like Pro Tools? I doubt it to be honest, especially not for composition work. But hey, I have to use it in a Post Production environment, so it is always good to keep the chops up! So here are the features they are shouting about! 64 is pretty cool too (finally!)
- Fully redesigned audio engine and 64-bit architecture
- New Avid Audio Engine — Delivers multiple times the processing power of Pro Tools 10 on the same hardware configurations.
- 64-bit architecture — Exponentially increases the number of simultaneous virtual instruments and the performance to handle the most sophisticated sessions.
- Offline bounce — Delivers mixes up to 150 times faster than real time.
- Low-latency input buffer — Ensures ultra-low latency record monitoring without sacrificing plug-in performance.
- Dynamic host processing — Maximizes plug-in count by reallocating processing resources as needed.
- Expanded metering
- Extended standards support — Features a broad range of built-in metering standards, from peak and average to VU and PPM, to maintain adherence to regional broadcast requirements.
- Gain reduction — Shows gain reduction for all dynamics plug-ins on each channel.
- Direct HD video workflows
- Built-in Avid Video Engine — Enables audio post professionals to play and edit a wide range of HD video formats includingAvid DNxHD®, directly in the Pro Tools timeline without transcoding, using the same core engine as in Media Composer®.
- Video interface support — Enables monitoring of DNxHD and QuickTime media through Avid Nitris® DX, Avid Mojo®DX, and other video interfaces.
Interesting times!PeaceNeil
Logic X features
I feel I have been a bit down on Apple in recent posts, but I do feel that it is getting a little bit insane that it is coming up to nearly four years since we had an update to Logic. This got me thinking, what is it that I love about other DAW's that Logic just doesn't do for me any more (or ever!). Logic is the DAW that I would say I am without doubt most proficient in, I invested a hell of a lot of time over decades learning the in's and out's of it, and there is something homely about coming back to it. I do have some similar feelings about Digital Performer, but a recent spate of crashes and the fact it is much heavier on the CPU that always brings me back to Logic when I need to work fast or compose.So I thought I would detail the things which really mean that Logic struggles to be perfect for me and what features I am hoping we will see in Logic 10, if it ever comes out1)Audio editing, it is terrible...yes I can get the job done, but when you look at Reaper, DP, ProTools (or even Soundtrack Pro RIP) you realise how it should be done. Also, it is pretty impossible to do fine editing in the Arrange window, and the edit window is SOOO old school, plus it has to render the file each time....so slow!!!2)Crossfades, it would be nice to have a intuitive way of manipulating these3)Track folders, see DP for how this could be implemented, it is fantastic, especially when working on large scores or big sound design work pieces.4)Mixer layout, please can I get to rearrange the organisation of the tracks...thanks!5)Pitch correction, see how DP does this in the arrange window, it's awesome!6)Updated EXS24 Sampler, please it is so old and lacking in features, it could be awesome again!7)Improvements to group editing and bussing!!8)Drum editor, or perhaps just a change to the way the Hyper Editor works?That is it off the top of my head, I am sure there are some other bits and pieces, but it isn't much to ask for after four years is it??What are you hoping for??PeaceNeil
Samsung Galaxy S4 (and the musician)
Can't help noticing that the new Samsung Galaxy S4 has been released to much fanfare, particularly as it is heralded as the iPhone 'killer'! I have to say that from first impressions it certainly does look very swish (like the S3!) and makes the iPhone 5 look a little dated.So, why am I writing this article you might ask, well as some of you know I am particularly keen to see how mobile technology can be useful for the creative/musician types. Apple certainly are the market leader in this area currently, but I would love to see Android catch up, in particular for the remote controlling of DAW's or software instruments and plug-ins. I would also like to see the equivalent Garageband iOS or Cubase lite versions available on Android, but perhaps it is only a matter of time. I own the older Galaxy S2 and for the most part it has been a good phone to use (if you forget the connection and battery issues I have been plagued with!), but the music apps and software integration with something like Logic, has been very poor, I would say unusable infact! But, from a 'running a business' perspective, it certainly excels over the iPhone, with it's fantastic Google integration (ignoring the fact that Google now know everything about me!!). I keep looking, slightly enviously at those musicians and creatives doing cool stuff on their iDevice. But, even with that in mind (and the fact otherwise I am a complete Apple users), I don't really think the iPad or iPhone to be worth the outlay!I also have a concern, it would seem at the moment that Apple are a bit on the back foot, they are no doubt pushing much of their resource into playing catch up in the mobile device market, with much or their focus on phones and tablets, rather than the products which made them the global success! From the professional creative/musician/film maker perspective, it seems Apple don't care any more. I have talked at great length about the lack of development or even appearance of Logic X or Logic 10 (whatever it will be called), but it seems that with no new high end machines (Mac Pro's), the Final Cut Pro fiasco, no word on a new Aperture 4, it might be time to step away from the might Apple.We live in interesting times and it will be interesting to see how market share changes to Samsung (and other Android producing companies, Nokia, HTC etc) with new phones like the S4.All we need now is for a company to take up the reigns and develop a super DAW platform (hardware I am talking about!).PeaceNeil
Reason 7 Review
Wow, so the announcement has just gone out that Reason 7 is coming, and wow there are a couple of features which make me very happy, and probably returning back to doing a lot more work when it comes out! You can watch the Propellerhead's video hereSo what is it that is exciting me, well firstly Midi Out! I guess many people have been waiting for that for a long time. I am guessing that if you are running a multi-workstation DAW setup, you can control soft synths as well as hardware synths. That would be fantastic and in a sense give you software integration within Reason.Secondly, and this is the biggy for me....create your own Rex files!! Finally!! No need to use Recycle!! And (it isn't completely clear in the video) then you could import them in to Stylus RMX and then I would be the happier person around!!Looking good, I wonder what the release date will be (and the upgrade price more importantly!)PeaceNeil