music production experiments

I’m trying to get a friend into music production, but they don’t have a budget for expensive software. Here is a list of plugins I compiled for them to install. Blamsoft VK-1 Viking - Classic monophonic analog synthesizer. This is a great start for those wanting to learn classic subtractive synthesis such as that provided by the ... Read More

I’ve been trying to embrace a DAWless production workflow, testing out various grooveboxes and their sequencers to come up with a setup I’d like. The Korg Electribe EMX-1 is very fun to work with standalone. I decided to approach using it as a sound module, with Cubase as the primary sequencer, during production… and then dump the MIDI patter... Read More

Note: This device panel will only work with Cubase Pro. I created this panel to facilitate using the ESX-1 as a sound module with Cubase. I wanted to explore a workflow where sequencing and arrangement is primarily done in Cubase, but then later the patterns are dumped into the ESX-1 via MIDI with MIDI clock sync. Features Channel Panel f... Read More

A workflow I’m currently pursuing is using the Korg Electribe EMX-1 and ESX-1 as sound modules, with all sequencing being performed in Cubase. I tried to learn Ableton Live in the past, being attracted to the idea of recording my arrangements at home, but then being able to remix those arrangements on the fly. With the Korg Electribe, I can do ... Read More

Background In October of 2023 I purchased a 2023 Mac Studio as the heart of my hobbyist home recording studio with the following specs: Apple M2 Max with 12‑core CPU, 30‑core GPU, 16‑core Neural Engine 64GB unified memory I made this purchase based on YouTube videos by James Zhan, which helped to inform me of the performance I could exp... Read More

I had to map out the Continuous Control messages that map to the controls for the Minimoog Voyager. Note, the knobs that include 2 numbers are high resolution, and thus are transmitted with MSB and LSB values. Section MIDI CC Description Value Notes Common 5, 37 Glide Rate ... Read More

Introduction This is meant to be a supplemental guide to the MIDI Devices Manual provided by Steinberg for Cubase Pro v14. Banks and Programs Many people use VST plugins in Cubase, preferring to work with instruments and effects “in the box”. Some of us may own various pieces of hardware that do not exist as VST plugins, and thus we must mo... Read More

How It Started My obsession with Grooveboxes started with the purchase of a Roland MC-303. I was looking for a hardware drum machine, and it was available for a lower price than a Behringer clone of the Roland TR-909. It included a a built-in sequencer, classic Roland drum sounds (TR-606, TR-808, TR-909), and Roland rompler PCM sounds. This was... Read More

Here’s my list of premium patches that are available to purchase online for the Access Virus line of synthesizers. NuttyTraxx UK Nutty Traxx - Virus TI Soundset Vol.1, 2, & 3 Ultimate X Sounds Super JX-8000 - $85 Arcade X Sounds - $50 Pad Heaven Vol 1 - 3 - $160 Pads Heaven V... Read More

Many of the soundsets that are provided for free from the Access Virus website make use of various initials in the patch names. I’ve tried to identify several of the people that are responsible for the sound design of these patches. I’m missing AV, MN, and PX. If anyone has any idea, please contact me - jason at red confetti dot com. AV A... Read More

Recently I purchased a Roland MC-303 Groovebox on Reverb. It’s the successor to the MC-202 released in 1983. I was in the market to purchase a drum machine, but also looking at MIDI sequencers, and I stumbled upon the MC-303 and got the impression that it would act as both a sequencer and a drum machine, and more. I read that it provides 8 tr... Read More

Welcome to my guide and review to using the Nektar Panorama series of MIDI Controllers with Cubase 13. The Panorama series of MIDI Controllers first was introduced to the market in 2012 with the Panorama P4 (49 keys), followed by the Panorama P1 (no keyboard) and Panorama P6 (61-keys) introduced in 2013. Even though it’s been over 10 years, thi... Read More

This is a reference page for the Nektar Panorama Series of MIDI controller, with various notes. Controls This section captures the default MIDI CC mapping of the controls. Diagram taken from P4 Quick Start Guide I refer to the physical controls using letters and numbers. For example, the P group of 8 rotary encoders will be referred to i... Read More

If you want to download videos or music from YouTube, you can use a utility known as yt-dlp. Installation You can install this tool using Homebrew by running the follwing commands. brew install yt-dlp ffpmeg fprobe Download Single Video # Download Music Only yt-dlp --extract-audio --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 6 https://www.youtube.c... Read More

MIDI was originally created as a standard to enable musical devices, such as synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, or drum machines, to integrate with each other for the purpose of facilitating playing, editing, and recording music. Basics MIDI does not transmit analog audio signals generated by musical devices. It transmits digital packets of d... Read More

This article is for Cubase users that own a MIDI controller, and that are struggling to fully control their virtual or external instruments using that controller to optimize their music creation workflow. If you feel like you don’t understand portions of this article, make sure to read my other article on Understanding MIDI. MIDI Controllers ... Read More

I was trying to understand MIDI better, so that I know the difference between note messages, controller change messages (CC), and System Exclusive (SysEx). Ultimately my goal is to better understand and work with MIDI and MIDI devices in Cubase. I ended up coming across references to Most Significant Byte (MSB) and Least Significant Byte (LSB),... Read More

The following is an interview on July 10, 2021 with Erik Cantù of Prism Kisses, available on Spotify and BandCamp. What genres would your music classify as? It varies by whatever I’m into at the time I make a recording. Definitely genres like Indietronica, IDM, Noise rock, Noise pop, Tape Music. I play a lot of tapes. Hypnagogic pop, which... Read More

In the past I’ve developed music using the IK Multimedia’s Total Studio bundle combined with Cubase. The fruits of those efforts resulted in a number of tracks that I’ve posted in my Music section from 2007/2008. I moved to Berkeley, California in 2009, dabbling with music a bit using Garageband, and later again some more tracks using Cubase. ... Read More

This article is for new iPhone users. At some point you’re going to want to put music one your iPhone to listen to. You can do this without having to buy music from the iTunes store, if you have music available on CDs or in MP3 files. What you do is install iTunes software (downloaded from Apple.com) on your desktop computer. Then you import... Read More

Success: What people think it looks like. What it really looks like. Read More

When I was a child I remember having some sort of curiosity, and other subtle feeling that I consider pleasurable, that arises when I would see something presented as esoteric, and possibly magical. Sacred geometric art, pyramids, accounts of alien contact, etc, can sometimes bring up this feeling. I remember watching Unsolved Mysteries, narrate... Read More

I found this gem recently. The vocal melody and tone of this woman’s voice stayed with me recently. It almost reminds me of Alicia Keys on Unthinkable. Emilie Harsongkram, your singing is beautiful. Read More

I just want to thank Tom Bland and Randy Webb of the group ‘Gravity’ for making this track (“We Want Information”). You were an inspiration to me at a young age. One day I would make techno. I need to find that inspiration again. Read More

Here is a song that I produced using a YouRock MIDI Guitar. Distressed Lotus Read More

I decided to make a “remix” of the Audio Illusion video on YouTube. Audio Illusion Remix Your browser does not support the audio element. Read More

Audio Illusion Remix Read More

Just installed Logic Pro and used it for the first time. Garageband of course was kind of like training wheels for the program, but it’s a different beast than Garageband. But that’s a good thing. Here is the first track I’ve produced. Evolute Read More

Infinite Rays of Appreciation Read More

I made this song a while back. It’s a pretty nice one on acoustic guitar. You might have heard it while on hold for HostDime.com back in 2004-2008. Golden Pot Tree Read More

I was watching ‘The Listener’, which is a cancelled NBC drama which is currently available on Hulu, and this song came on. It’s a really great song, I recommend that others check it out. Read More

I must say I love Robots in Disguise, an electro punk band from England. I got turned onto them by their single ‘Turn It Up’, which I discovered on Last.fm. I decided it was time that I give the other songs a listen on Grooveshark, and I’m finding that they’re not just an underground one hit wonder. I urge anyone who loves electronic pop w... Read More

For those out there that are familiar with the song Under the Milky Way by The Church, which is definitely one of the highlights of the Donnie Darko soundtrack (that’s how I became aware of the track), I recently discovered that the same band recently covered ‘Disarm’ by The Smashing Pumpkins. Read More

This is one of the most awesome Gary Numan songs evar!! 1979 Demo version Read More

I love this song. This piano tribute can possibly make the dark beauty of this song accessible by those who probably wouldn’t be able to appreciate the original. Read More

If you like 80’s synth pop, you’ll likely like The Aviation Orange. Check out their single ‘Radio’. Read More

I took this photo at the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Read More

Say what you will about our love… … But nothing can come between a sasquatch and his pine. I saw this on the wall at a rehearsal studio in San Francisco. I just had to take a picture and share it. I should just make a blog of the things people write on the walls in rehearsal studios. Seriously. I would love it if someone found this and clai... Read More

This song is fucking HOT! Read More

Indifference, very awesome song. Read More

I love this. The sound track, the type of show. I would have totally watched this as a kid, along with ‘Unsolved Mysteries’. Part One Part Two Read More

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Last night in the desperation to record music (because Scott’s Fostex is acting like shit) I emailed Digidesign regarding my lost authorization code needed to install ProTools LE 5.3. Last time I emailed them they said that I was not registered, and they couldn’t help me. So this time I asked them what do I need to do to get the code, even if I ... Read More