FL Studio Introduction & Workflow Video

Just posted an introduction video on my FL Studio workflow on Vimeo.


Introduction to My FL Studio Workflow from Patrick Woo on Vimeo.

I am now starting to do my projects on Cakewalk Sonar too. Being worried that I'll lose and forget the painfully accumulated workflow, tips and tricks when I need to come back to them, I've recorded a video as a reference for myself in the future.

I don't even know if I am doing things the right way, but its been working for me so far.

If you see anything in there that's not right, please correct me. Please also share any experiences, tips, tricks that you may have, so we can all learn together.

Thanks for watching!

The only thing I want to add, is that middle-mouse-clicking on your instrument names in the step sequencer/pattern editor would also allow you to rename your instruments. :)

Yes it saves you 1 additional mouse click! (usually its right-click to bring up the menu, then choosing 'rename' from the menu)

K-Pop Song: You & I by IU

There's a very catchy and very well made K-Pop song I've just been introduced to, by Kaihsin.

The song is padded orchestral arrangement for the opening, middle instrumental and ending portions. The chords are elegant and logical and the parts are nicely written.

I did not find the melody very distinct or particularly memorable. But after a few plays it started to haunt me. I'll be reminded of portions of it from time to time, in the next few days. Maybe its the singer's voice or the exotic pull of a foreign language. Sometimes the song is more effective when you don't understand the language. I tend to listen harder, and wonder what the lyrics are saying.

Besides the very well written melody and orchestration, the music video is also very elaborate and nicely shot. Can really tell this is a big budget production.

Hope you enjoyed it :)

Native Instruments Releases Skanner XT: Special Price for Existing Owners!

Following the release of the free version of Skanner, Native Instruments has released Skanner XT, the next chapter of their advancement into their concept of a sampler-based-synth. Part sampler, part synth, but altogether a new breed of instrument that uses samples in an organic way to create completely new sounds that morph over time in an organic way.

Featuring 296 sounds and limitless combinations and morphing potential, Skanner XT runs on Native Instruments' Reaktor platform.

For the users who already own Skanner (free), Skanner XT comes with more than double the number of sounds, and also includes 2 new categories: ChipTunes (gaming arcade machine sounds) and Motion (rhythmic type of sounds). Skanner XT also offers 2 extra effects: flanger and cabinet. These will further expand the instrument's potential, and open up more possibilities for musicians & sound designers looking to twist, warp and mangle up our sounds.

There is a special introductory price that offers previous owners a 50% discount of USD 29.50 on Skanner XT. Regular price is USD 59.00. Offer ends 26 May 2012. Thats about a month away, from the date of this post.

In my previous post entitled "Interview with Stephan Schmitt on Reaktor Skanner", and "A Conversation with Stephan Schmitt", we can go to BigBrainAudio's website to read about Native Instruments Stephan Schmitt's bold vision for hybrid synthesizers like Skanner and Reaktor and the innovative spirit behind these instruments.

Being an existing owner of Skanner (I downloaded the free version), I was entitled to the 50% discount. The introductory price was impossible to ignore. Coupled with the powerful and versatile features of this product and the new presets, I had to buy it!

And so I did! I just completed the transaction. :)

Ilya Efimov Electric LP and Strum is Out

Ilya Efimov has just released the Electric LP and Strum to further complete their guitars virtual instruments collection!

I just realised I've already written about Ilya Efimov products before, but here I go again.

When I first knew about Ilya Efimov's guitar libraries 2 months ago, they only had the Acoustic Guitar and Nylon Guitar and their 2 respective Strum libraries.

Just very recently they've released the LP Electric Guitar virtual instrument, and the LP Strum.

Acoustic / Nylon / Electric LP
These guitars are the most amazing sounding guitars I have heard, coming from a sampled library. Each individual guitar comes with its own 2GB+ of sampled data (from more than 3000 individual samples, sampled at 44.1khz, 24-bit in stereo), deeply sampled 14-velocity layers on each note, 17 frets on each string, round robin.

You can let the instrument automatically select the most appropriate string and fret for the note you play on your keyboard, or you can manually select which string to strike. All the instruments have 14 articulations and realistic legato and glissando. They also feature many fx and noises that can be produced on the guitars.

Each of the products has its own set of effects like Reverb, Chorus, Compressor, Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser, and Cabinet modelling.

There is also a MIDI-guitar mode where you can play the virtual instruments using a MIDI-guitar controller.

All the Ilya Efimov products are running on the full version of Native Instrument's Kontakt 4.2.3 or later.

Strum Guitars
All Strum guitars (Strum Acoustic & Strum Nylon) feature about 3000 samples totalling more than 2GB each. As with the individual guitar instruments they have 14 velocity layers for every note, 17 frets on each string. There are more than 30 chords strumming techniques, featuring auto and manual strumming modes. There are 250 preset strumming patterns and 70 custom patterns for you to create, edit, store and use.

The guitar chords are played with a left hand playing position, and you can choose to let the instrument adopt an automatic position or manually select a chord position of your choice. You can edit your own chord tablatures or use the existing 1584 pre-created tablatures in 33 chord variations, if required.

Best of all, all the strum patterns, effects set-up and custom tabs you create can be exported and imported to any directory on your harddisk for back-up purposes.

Strum guitars also have all the effects of the individual guitars stated above, and they are also playable via a MIDI-guitar.

Here's a video clip on their website demonstrating the power and ease of use: http://www.ilyaefimov.com/component/content/article/51-news/33-strum-video-clip.html

Don't just read the specs and features. Listen to the amazing sounds here. I'll talk about price below.


My current favourite track is "Melancholy" ;)

Pricing Information (at present):
Each guitar (acoustic/nylon/electric) comes with its strum version, and they are all sold separately, totalling up to 6 separate products available for purchase. Each of these 6 products cost 99 Euros.

There is a bundled price for both the Acoustic & Nylon Guitars with their respective Strum versions (4 products in total) at the price of 249 Euros instead of 369 Euros.

You can also purchase the Strum Bundle which includes the Strum (Nylon) and Strum (Acoustic) for 198 Euros.

About Ilya Efimov
Ilya Efimov is a composer for film and TV, jazz pianist, song writer, arranger and sound producer. As a jazz pianist, he has many awards under his name. He has also produced a number of concert programs.

Ilya Efimov Sound Production started in 2010. Ilya Efimov has since been actively involved in the company developing sample libraries while working on film music projects at the same time.

About the Company
Ilya Efimov Sound Productions deals mainly in creating virtual instruments libraries, sound effects and royalty free music libraries.

EastWest Complete Composers Collection HD+ 70% Discount!

Here it is again, ladies and gentlemen, the EastWest Complete Composers Collection sale is on again! The products are going at a huge 70% discount this time round!

Unlike the regular Complete Composers Collection where you can only buy 7 products in a pack, you now can have the choice to buy up all their products that are participating in this offer, making a total of 11 products, and still enjoy a 70% off the total price! (Please do your own calculations on the total savings just to be sure!).

Promotion ends 2 May 2012, midnight USA-Pacfic Time. Its 26 April 2012 today so 6 more days left to grab this. On top of this, there's free worldwide shipping for the first 3 days!

Don't miss this chance, folks. Go to the SoundsOnline.com and pick your instruments today!

I bought the regular CCC pack, so I already have 7 of the 11 products. How I wish I didn't so I can buy them all over again! :)

MediaCollege.com

This is the write-up for MediaCollege.com. It is a free resource site, suitable for anyone with an interest in audio visual-media. Tutorials and articles include everything from video production to website design.

They have hundred of exclusive tutorials from video/tv production, audio, graphics, web, photography and more. Definitely worth checking out :)

I was refreshing my knowledge of audio compressors, limiters and gates, when I ran into this site :)

They even have a channel on YouTube! Follow them here. 

Here's a friendly welcome video from the folks at MediaCollege.com! :)

SonicControl.tv: DAW School

What makes a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) a DAW?

Is a DAW the software or the hardware?
How do I build a DAW?

Questions like these and more, will be addressed and answered in DAW School. This is not a course that you enroll yourself into.


http://soniccontrol.tv/category/daw-school/

DAW School is actually a series of web episodic content that you can follow at your own pace, to find out how DAWs came about, how they have changed with the times, and how they've turned into their present configurations.

The 'lessons', conducted by the 'teacher', Peter Alexander, are available to the public on YouTube. Peter Alexander is the author of How Midi Works, Street Smart Guide to Logic, and The Professional Orchestration series. Watch all of his YouTube videos here.

Sponsorship message from the video:

DAW School is sponsored by ADK Pro Audio and TrueSpec Systems who represent EastWest, ProjectSAM, IK Multimedia, Sonivox, Garritan and other major libraries. TrueSpec also offers books, music scores and online music training in orchestration and counterpoint, and self-study programs in MIDI Mock-ups, Writing for Strings, and other subjects.

So here are the embedded clips (up to this point) for your viewing convenience:

Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 1: What is a Digital Audio Workstation


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 2A:
What Makes a Digital Audio Workstation a Digital Audio Workstation?


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 2B:
Talks about some price guidelines.


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 3A:
You as the System Integrator


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 3B:


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 4A:
Apple versus IBM Machines


Sonic Control's DAW School - Webisode 4B:
Apple versus IBM Machines (continued)


This last webisode was posted on April 2009. So please be aware that the pricing guidelines were accurate at that point in time. The most current webisode I can find was posted on 31 Aug 2010 (that's my birthday can you believe it?!)

Sonic Control's DAW School - Season 2:
64-bit Revolution in Music Production, 4 Reality Checks, System Integration Goals, 64-bit compatible DAW Software and Virtual Instruments Libraries (remember this was only current as at Aug 2010)


Remember, these videos are quite American based. If you are outside of the United States, you should be able to find your local computer-based music stores that will be able to help you with your DAW system integration needs.