Posted on

Flyleaf discusses new album and V-Studio 100

In this day in age there are very few bands that have the components to set themselves apart from other artists and also cut through in a lasting fashion the cluttered channels of this new digital music era. Flyleaf is absolutely one of these timeless artists and proof that a combination of amazing songwriting, creative sonic utilization and a ridiculously powerful live show is a recipe for a spot in the category of “timeless artists.” Hailing from the state of TX, this band is anything but an overnight success story; in fact their story is the opposite.  Hard work and hard growing pains have attributed to the bands success where non-stop world-touring and a relentless work ethic have been the norm since their debut album in 2005 which went Certified Platinum and contained Billboard hits such as “All Around Me.”

Fast forward to now, where a focused fire burns bright at theheart of the band’s second full-length album. Flyleaf bleed, grow, love and live on the new record titled MEMENTO MORI.  The platinum-selling Texas quintet’s latest offering is a collection of poignant, passionate and pensive hard rock songs.

Continue reading “Flyleaf discusses new album and V-Studio 100”

Posted on

Converting and Recording MIDI into Audio

cakewalk_tips-sm1MIDI files function like sheet music. Sheet music contains all the information an instrumentalist needs to make music. If the instrumentalist does not play what’s written on the sheet music, you hear nothing. Like sheet music, MIDI does not transmit audio signals (digital or analog). Meaning, if you were to plug your MIDI cable into a loudspeaker or audio device, you wouldn’t hear anything.

Therefore, you need to convert a MIDI file into an audio file in order to hear what it really sounds like. There are several ways you can playback MIDI in Cakewalk and several ways you can convert or record MIDI to audio. Follow the link to Cakewalk’s support pages for more information.

Posted on

Jon Lee: Capitalist Turned Composer

profile picSo how does one of the top television-scoring professionals in the business get to where he is today? 

If you’re Jon Lee, first you run a hedge fund for 15 or 20 years…

Huh?

You’ll have to forgive Jon for not taking a more traditional route to the top of the film and television-scoring business. He found his true calling a bit later in life than most. But that hasn’t stopped him from making quite a name for himself in the field.

Although Jon started out in finance, it became a job he ended up “totally hating.” During his last few years in the business, he decided to do something about it and began pursuing his avocation: learning to play music. He took piano lessons, which eventually led him to composing. With the music bug firmly in his system, he soon enrolled at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he studied with many well-established composers.

Jon got his Graduate Certificate in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television, marking the formal end of his career in finance, and set out to land some initial gigs. He soon connected with fellow USC alum Timothy Michael Wynn, a hardcore SONAR user who co-founded the music production company Sonic Fuel. Jon went to work with Tim and his partner Chris Lennertz for about a year, “’til they kicked me out and said ‘go get a career,’” as Jon jokingly recalls.

Continue reading “Jon Lee: Capitalist Turned Composer”

Posted on

V-Studio 700 Controls Dutch Synth Master's Studio

Synth Master, Composer, and Blogger on everything synth, Michel von Osenbruggen reviews the V-Studio 700. A pro-level SONAR user, Michel especially likes its tight integration with SONAR. As hardware and software synths make up the basis of his tracks, with the V-Studio 700 console, Michel can scroll through his projects and control his various instruments and effects with ease. Watch the video below and visit Synth.nl for more on his favorite tools for synth music production.