Link: Knowledge | New Label Profile: Kokeshi
You’d better recognise!
Really looking forward to see what comes out on Kokeshi.
Archive for: September, 2009
Knowledge | Producer Profile: Syncopix
Link: Knowledge | Producer Profile: Syncopix
“What’s the key to producing drum & bass?
The key to an original d&b production is listening to as much music as possible for inspirations and then doing sound analyzing on your favourite drum & bass vinyl. Your brain finds a way to combine all kinds of genres and make something new out of it. You should have a feeling for broken beats on high speed”
The new Knowledge Magazine is packed full of back issues, blogs, news and splendid interviews such as the recent one with Syncopix aka The Producer’s Producer. It’s definitely a valuable read if you’re wanting to get into producing or even if you’re already knocking out some decent tuneage.
How long is too long? DJ Fresh – Heavyweight
Link: How long is too long? DJ Fresh – Heavyweight
Is it just me or does Heavyweight by DJ Fresh seem like it’s been around for ages?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s the tune of the summer for lovers of bass… it just feels like it should already be available. It was featured on the Friction: Assassins Album released on 15th June so surely people have heard it, they want it but may be reluctant to buy it as may be it’s already been featured on other albums or podcasts.
This certainly isn’t a challenge on the knowledge of the Digital Soundboy camp (they defo know what they’re doing) but more of a ‘what does the public think’…
What are your thoughts on how long a tune should be kept back from general sale? A month, six weeks…? Lemme know your thoughts…
Blu Mar Ten – New Mix
Link: Blu Mar Ten – New Mix
Mmmmmix-tastic chilled out from Blu Mar Ten with some lovely album cover art work. I’ll be having this on tonight with a couple of beers in the garden 
> Heading off to rock festivals, or simply turning up the volume on your home amplifier might be good for your brain power. According to researchers at Manchester University, music fans are stimulating part of the inner ear known as the sacculus, which responds to the beat in music. This gives the brain pleasure and makes us feel good – during the music and afterwards. The sacculus, which is not thought to have any hearing function in humans, appears to be sensitive only to very loud volumes, above 90 decibels. Neil Todd, an expert in the scientific study of music, explains that the sacculus seems to be part of a primitive hearing mechanism that has slowly been lost as humans have evolved. He said it has a connection to the part of the brain responsible for drives such as hunger, sex and hedonistic responses. When these desires are satisfied, the brain is stimulated into releasing feelgood hormones that make us calm, happy and responsive. So to trigger a dose of happy hormones on a Monday morning, you should, in theory, choose Black Sabbath over chamber music.
How happy do you feel after reading this? Hurray for kick-ass loud music in the car on the way to work on a Monday morning. It’s doing you some good!
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Crash Bang Wallop – Logistics on Fire!
Link: Crash Bang Wallop – Logistics on Fire!
If you wanna get your mitts on the 4-piece vinyl, get yourself over to Hospital Records now to pre-order to be dispatched on September 13th.
OR get a sexy exclusively signed CD and limited badges from the site which is to be dispatched on September 23rd.
Can’t chuffin’ wait!
…aaaaand Logistics’ blog is over ‘ere…
How to destroy 10,000 hours work in an instant.
The figure of 10,000 hours is the well known length of time that is associated with becoming an expert.
10,000 hours = 5.1 years of a full time job at 37.5 hours per week.
How many of you out there can say they have practiced something for over 10,000 hours and you are now an expert?
Producers, singers and musicians spend their whole lives creating and perfecting their art, over 10,000 hours of practice making them an expert in their chosen field, instrument or perfecting their voice. Producing perfection or close to it every time they sit down to create takes time, patience and investment.
Now what happens at the end of creating that perfect moment… the listener dulls down the perfection by choosing to listen to that perfection though (quite bluntly) shit headphones or speakers. Surely it’s heart breaking for the artist after all the time and love they have put into their baby aka their piece of music to see fans listening to their music on (w/s)hite headphones.
I’m very, very fortunate to have in my possession a fine pair of headphones which I have to be fair neglected in favour of some white (insert brand here) ‘phones and y’know what, I need to be hung for crimes against music.
And before I go too far down the route of headphones, I also want to mention the quality of the music. Hands up who’s downloaded illegal music… c’mon, I know you all have. I have my hand up too. Well, there’s the other culprit for your substandard listening experience. I’m not an mp3 expert but I know the higher the bitrate, the better quality (till you get over 300-ish and then it doesn’t matter).
So these points beg a question… if you love music so much, why sell the experience short by listening on shite headphones and downloading sub-bass killing mp3s?
Next time you think about downloading from YouTube and listening on your white ‘phones, think about the 10,000 hours of perfection you’re missing out on.
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