Drugs and Drums

2010-02-06T23:45:00.009-06:00

Ableton Chicago User Group meeting at Toyota Creative Lounge in Wicker Park!

You're invited to join the Ableton User Group in Chicago for a workshop on Feb18th. Chicago user group host and Ableton certified trainer Thomas Faulds will host the meeting, in which he will discuss beat making with drum racks, creating and using effects racks, using control surfaces, and many of the new features of Live 8.

***Special guest Moldover will be giving a featured presentation!

Moldover performs with a custom-built mixing system, creating radical remixes and multilayered mash-ups, live on stage. He has played nationwide at clubs, festivals, special events and on prime-time TV and radio.

check out his website: http://www.moldover.com/

Moldover will explain how he has integrated Live with custom Reaktor patches and custom MIDI controllers, creating his own style of mashup instrument. He will also show his "MOJO" and answer questions.

Moldover's Mojo from Michael Chenetz on Vimeo.

We will have several Ableton certified trainers attending the event including Thomas Faulds, Orville Kline, Brandon Murphy, and James Lauer. Bring your questions and ideas about Ableton Live!!! This will be fun and informative for everyone!

Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops and share tips and tricks with the group.

When:
Thursday, Feb 18, 2009, 6:00 PM

Where:
Toyota Creative Lounge
1564 N. Damen
Chicago, IL 60622

Check out all of Ableton Chicago activities on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abletonchicago

*** DJ afterparty and wine/beer will be provided by Lokal Lounge/Restaurant
1904 W.North Ave

This event is FREE!!!

Thanks to:
Music industry Workshop
Ableton Inc
Toyota Creative Lounge Chicago
Lokal
Native Instruments

A little finger drumming tutorial

2010-01-31T21:39:00.006-06:00

I've been using an MPC longer than I've owned a computer and something that never appealed to me was "finger drumming". It evoked thoughts of shitty 80's outdoor music festival wankery, dudes with offensive looking devices strapped around their necks (see above) and lots of synthetic "tom tom" fills. Even recently speaking, "live MPC" usually implied super played out "battle" routine style stuff. Fortunately, a new generation of talented producers and performers decided to reclaim the drum machine's potential as a realtime performance instrument (right around the time MPC's were kind of running out of steam I'll add).

After seeing cats like Jeremy Ellis, Jel, Exile (shout to Aarab Muzik) and others do their thing with my own eyes, I finally got it. The point is not to replace the drummer, it's to do shit they can't. It's also a great way to speed up drum programming (1 take, vs clicking in a piano roll for 20 minutes).

After some trial and error, I came up a little mapping system for myself that was ergonomic, versatile and most of all, natural (my thing was I wanted to be able to play anything I could already play on the real drum kit, plus stuff I couldn't) and practice it constantly.

I noticed people don't seem to share too much when it comes to their methods and technique, so I made a little video and a mapping chart for anyone interested in how to get started.

If you have any questions, criticisms, whatever, please let me know.

Till next time...

How to do mpc pad finger drumming from Brandon Murphy on Vimeo.

Oldie but goodie

2009-09-09T18:07:00.001-05:00

This is a performance of the opera "I, Norton" writen and conducted by Gino Robair (does stuff with John Zorn, Tom Waits and Anthony Braxton amongst others) from a couple of months ago here in Chicago. I'm somewhere off to the right making hideous racket with my modular synth, fx pedals and a gameboy. Good times:

Gino Robair, I Norton, May 2009 from The Bee on Vimeo.

Bonvenon!

2009-09-09T15:19:00.001-05:00

That's a little Esperanto for you, I'm trying to bring it back...

Anyways, I've joined the late 90's and started a blog. I'll be posting about some interesting goings on, both in the Chicago area and rest of the world, as well as personal news. Ex: I'm officially an Ableton Live certified trainer! You should bug me with all your questions and needs by posting up here.

Also, I'll be guest lecturing on Live at Columbia College next month and providing some training for the music department faculty.

Finally, I'll also be leading the Chicago Ableton User Group on September 25th @ Gallery 99 located @ 1829 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago, Il 60622. Come nerd out and make noises! Arrrrr!