Disc Makers offers 12 tips for producing good electronic dance music (EDM) on their blog here – Twelve tips for producing massive and original electronic dance music. One of the most important bits of advice here, in my opinion, is to steer clear of using loop libraries right out of the box. If you do it right, it isn’t illegal. But it if it’s in a commercial library, it’s likely that lots of other EDM producers are using those same loops. There are tons of tools out there that will allow you to create and to be more original.
Of course, there are eleven more tips in the article, which was written by EDM producer Francis Preve. Check it out here: http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/04/twelve-tips-for-producing-electronic-dance-music/#ixzz3Y3qlWsoC
DJ
The New Traktor Kontrol Z1
Traktor is softwre for DJs that allows them to control multiple hardware DJ decks, do remixes, loops, etc. Se our post Native Instruments Traktor Pro 2.5 and Kontrol F1 For DJs for more information on the whole Traktor software and hardware system. I mentioned hardware as part of the system. That has been, usually, the Traktor Kontrol F1, which allows you to control Traktor Pro with faders, knobs and pads.
Well, Native Instruments has just unveiled the Traktor Kontrol Z1, which is a hardware controller that not only works with the Traktor software on a laptop, but also with Native Instrument’s iOS DJ app called Traktor DJ. You connect the Z1 to your iPad, iPhone, or iPad Touch via the 30-pin connector (so it sounds like you’d need a Lightning Connector adapter if you have one of the newest devices).
The Z1 is available for pre-order for $199. Click Here to reserve yours.
Below is a video showing this highly portable Traktor Kontrol Z1 from Native Instruments.
DJ Technique Tutorial – Stab Scratch
Someone recently told me that there was an entire segment of the audio crowd that I was not reaching very often, and that was the DJ and EDM (electronic dance music) crowds. So in order to start addressing that deficit, here is a video tutorial explaining how to do a common technique in the DJ bag of tricks, the stab scratch, by making use of mixer fades and cross-fades. This comes from DJ Angelo:
Native Instruments Traktor Pro 2.5 and Kontrol F1 For DJs
For the DJs out there, or folks interested in getting into the DJ world, you might be interested to know about Traktor Pro 2.5, Native Instruments’ update to the awesome Traktor DJ software that lets you mix multiple decks, do remixes, loops, etc. The Traktor Kontrol F1 is a hardware controller that works with Traktor – giving you lightening fast and control over Traktor 2.5.
In this package, Traktor 2.5 Pro comes with the the Traktor Kontrol F1 in one package for $249 (and free shipping from B&H!).
Below is a video that talks about the update and also provides an overview and tutorial.
IK Multimedia Just Released the iRig MIX Mobile DJ Mixer
IK Multimedia, maker of many excellent audio products but most recently some fabulous iOS apps, have just announced that they have released not one but several new mobile music apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (I’ll just abbreviate that lat bit by saying “iOS” from here on out). One of these latest releases is called the iRig MIX. It is essentially a professional DJ mixer that you can stick in your pocket (if you have to). AS with many of the IK iOS products, this one combines a piece of hardware with an app that you can download – usually for free – sometimes with an option to upgrade to a paid version.
In this case the hardware part is a very small but powerful 2-channel mixer with crossfade, cue, EQ, panning and volume controls. You can use it with iOS apps for DJ mixing or with several other apps. It can also be used to mix ANY type of audio source, meaning mp3 players, CD player outputs, etc. with an iOS device and use the beat-syncing and tempo-matching capabilities.
It comes with 4 free apps that you can get from the iTunes app store: the DJ Rig mixing app, Amplitube (which I reviewed here: iRig Amplitube Review), VocalLive singer processing app, and GrooveMaker loop/groove/beat making app. So this thing is not just for DJs!
Get more information here: www.irigmix.com
Cheers!