Archive for 2011
A random MIDIviaNet session with Andre
A couple nights ago my friend Andre and I were messing around with MIDIviaNet, he was tapped into my Korg X5DR.
What the heck is MIDIviaNet??? It’s a cool little app that allows you to connect to a MIDI device over the Internet!
How does that work? Well, MIDIviaNet only sends/revieces MIDI data, not actual audio. In order for Andre to hear the sound that was coming out of the synth from across the Atlantic, we used a really long Dixie-Cup Phone…
…what?
Ok, we used TeamTalk! What does that mean? The short version is, Andre plays music from his place, I hear it “live”, and then he hears it a few seconds later because of the various delays involved in the process of sending the TeamTalk audio. So to do this and play anything coherent requires a fair amount of work knowing how to keep your timing! Or you can have a ‘substitute’ sound respond to you live at the “player’s side”.
Anyway, what follows is the result of all that.
I also made a quick remix/song from one bit which is pretty cool. Enjoy!
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Fantom XR Impulse Responses
Here is a set of 20 Impulse Response recordings from some reverb/delay effect settings I have used on my Roland Fantom XR. Now you can use them with most software Convolution Reverb plugins!
All samples are 24Bit 96Khz Wav format.
Enjoy!
Download the self-extracting EXE (or just open it in 7Zip)
Some Nintendo Remixes and More!
Here are some remixes I just recorded today. Enjoy!
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MOTU 24I/O First Recording Tests
Still working on re-wiring my gear into the new MOTU, and setup all my audio software on the new Synth-Studio Tower. I made some fresh recordings from one of my favorite games ever The Secret of Monkey Island! I also recorded a couple other things. Over all, the MOTU sounds fantastic! Now it’s just a matter of me putting everything back together.
Anyway, enjoy the recordings!
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Download the MP3!
Meet Synth-Studio Tower!
I finished building my newest PC a little while ago. Just the other day (at time of writing) I replaced the motherboard due to a bug in the Intel Sandy Bridge motherboard chipset Serial ATA Controller with it’s new, bug-free version.
Long ago, for the first time, I built my own PC. Then, I built another. Then another, and another. This is one of them.
Surprisingly, that went through with zero issues I’m happy to report! I thought at least I would have to re-create my RAID 10 array, and re-image the machine from a backup. However, it found my array and booted right up! Way to go Intel/Asus!
I decided to take some photos of it, they came out alright, as the lighting in my room is not great. Check them out below.
What, you don’t want to look at stupid pictures you’re a computer expert? What are “specs”? Why do you want to know about what kind of glasses I have???
System Specs:
Chassis: Silverstone Fortress (FT02 in Black)
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider 1200 Watt PSU (ST1200)
Motherboard: Asus P8P67 Deluxe (B3 Revision)
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600k Quad Core CPU (2nd Generation Core i7 “Sandy Bridge”)
CPU Heatsink: Prolimatech Super Mega Twin Tower CPU Cooler
Memory: 2x G.Skill Ripjaws Series DDR3 1600 8GB 2x4GB Kit
GPU: 2x Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce GTX570
HDD: 4x 1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 SATA3Gb/s (in a RAID 10 array)
Optical Drive: LG 10x Blu-Ray BurnerOn Back-Order: MOTU 24I/O Recording System with PCI Express interface card (still waiting for this beastie at time of writing.)
Now, the photos!
A few more random recordings
- My newly remixed covers from Doom.
These were fun! They use mainly the Roland XV-5080 and some new guitar patches I’ve made which are combinations of waveforms from various SRX boards. Also features the really cool Roland PMA-5 on drum tracks for all three songs.- Download Doom – E1M1 SRX
- Download Doom – E1M4 SRX
- Download Doom – Intermission SRX
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- My remix of my friend Andre Louis’ song The Improbability Factor.
Cool song! Uses both Roland Fantom XR and XV-5080, various SRX sounds. I don’t remember if there’s some SC-8850 in there.- Download The Improbability Factor
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- My remix of a song from the RPG Brandish 4.
The soundtracks from those Japanese RPG’s are always pretty serious business, in a good way! This song uses the Fantom XR and XV-5080 SRX Sounds with the SC-8850 on drums and a couple other patches.- Download Brandish – Soldiers
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- A funny MIDI remix draft of Michael Jackson’s song Beat It. Ever wonder what the vocals would sound like as a synth with a formant filter effect? I think the guitar solo came out nice as well. This song uses the Fantom XR, XV-5080, SC-8850, and Yamaha MU128. I named it after a patch from the MU128 that is used for the intro synth.
- Download Beat Hit! SRX
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Apple’s 2011 MacBook Pro Refresh: I am Disappointed!
I currently have a, now aging, First Generation Style, Core 2 Duo, 15inch MacBook Pro, and expect my next laptop to be in that same area as far as size goes. I also use Boot Camp with Windows 7, lately, more often than OSX.
I have been anxiously waiting to see what Apple was going to do with the move to Intel’s new Sandy Bridge mobile hardware. I was also hopeful for an NVIDIA GTX400M series GPU, preferably the GTX460M. At the time, I knew my GPU expectations were likely too high.
Well the time is here, and Apple has updated the MacBook Pro product line…
Having now looked over the specs of the latest refresh of the MacBook Pro for 2011, I have to say, it’s quite a disappointing sight to see! Now keep in mind, I only care about the 15 inch model. I was really hoping they would get with the times on some key issues. At least, they are key issues to me:
Issue 1: Poor “High Res” Screen Resolution option of 1680×1050
No 1920×1080 option? Any noteworthy 15inch laptop in the “PC” market for the same price, has a “Full HD” (1920×1080) screen as an option, or even standard. This is inexcusable!
Issue 2: Graphics Performance
They switched to AMD; and I don’t buy anything with an AMD logo on it. It’s that simple, personal reasons. Every time I have ever bought an AMD product, it has failed me miserably. If it was still ATI branded, I would maybe consider it. I know it sounds stupid but hey, it’s my choice. Oh, and from what I’m seeing, the NVIDIA mobile GPU’s are still faster.
Issue 3: Blu-Ray, where is it?
Again, any noteworthy “PC” laptop has a Blu-Ray option, even Blu-Ray WRITERS! This also ties into the 1920×1080 resolution requirement of mine. Remember, the native resolution of “Full HD” Blu-Ray content is 1920×1080.
Issue 4: The Mac Tax is bad this time around!
I spec’ed out two laptops today: a 15inch MacBook Pro and a 15.6inch laptop made by Sager (a leader in high-end “PC” laptops), the NP8150. See Below:
2.3GHZ Core i7 CPU 2nd Gen. “Sandy Bridge”
8gb RAM
AMD Radeon 6750M GPU
500GB 7200rpm unknown HDD
15 Inch Screen (1680×1050)
DVD,CD – Reader/Writer
Price: $2,749
2.3GHZ Core i7 CPU 2nd Gen. “Sandy Bridge”
16GB RAM
NVIDIA GTX485M GPU
500GB Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid HDD
15.6 Inch Screen (1920×1080)
Blu-Ray,DVD,CD – Reader/Writer
Price: $2,672
Seems pretty clear, for basically the same price, you get a lot more computer by going with the “PC” this time around. The GTX485M, Seagate’s Hybrid HDD, and Blu-Ray really make that machine the winner in the entertainment category. That’s a bit disappointing, because I have liked my MacBook Pro and OSX, but for this much performance difference (at least from my perspective) the Mac is just not worth the extra cash.
Here’s a few more recent recordings I’ve been working on.
Enjoy!
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Download the MP3!
Some quick VG Remixes
Here are a few quick remixes I’ve done over the last few weeks…
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Download the MP3s!
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