Future Music Magazine met up with Cakewalk’s Brandon Ryan in Frankfurt, Germany at Musikmesse 2009 in March. Brandon was demonstrating the many functions of SONAR V-Studio 100, giving them a tour of all the knobs, buttons and controls. Watch the video below to get a close up look at Cakewalk’s own Swiss Army Knife:
Sonar Studio VS100 demo at Musikmesse from will seelig on Vimeo.
Please see our latest post about SONAR V-Studio 100 for more information on this product.
This South Carolina blues band, Elliot and The Untouchables, spice up their vintage blues sound with the release of their latest album, Voodoo Stew (BluePoint Records).
Elliott New (vocals, guitar), Mike ‘Naz’ Nazarenko (harmonica), J.T. Anderson (bass), Sonny “D” Dickey (saxophone) and Jim Heidenreich (drums) showcase their blues fusion sound around the world, performing at various music festivals and opening for music legends such as Van Morrison at the Rhythm & Blues Festival in Ireland.
Their latest album features 12 original songs, recorded and produced in SONAR, and covers a variety of blues styles from jumpin’ swing to the gritty ‘Mississippi swamp’ blues. To incorporate the traditional bluesy sound with the new, Elliot started experimenting and building his own diddley bow, cigar-box guitars which the band uses in 4 tracks on the new CD.
Listed among the Top 5 Best Self-Produced CDs by the International Blues Challenge and Top 100 U.S. Blues Releases by Real Blues Magazine, ‘Voodoo Stew’ is the band’s 5th top-selling release under the BluePoint label. Suggested tracks include: Voodoo Stew (title track), Blues Came Callin’, A Girl Like You, and Toss n’ Turn.
To hear clips from the new album visit Elliot & The Untouchables official website
As you probably have already heard, the new SONAR V-Studio 100 by Cakewalk is taking portable music production to another level. When used with your Mac or PC you get a 24/96k audio interface with high-quality mic preamps and a DAW controller. Away from you computer you get an 8×6 digital mixer an SD recorder to play back beats at your gig or to record those inspiring moments on the road or at home when you don’t feel like firing up your computer. Plus it comes with the VS Production Pack of effects and instruments for Mac and Windows.
To prove our point, we took the V-Studio 100 to Sha Money’s One Stop Shop Conference in Phoenix, AZ and put it to work. With all the up and coming MCs and producers in attendance, we figured One Stop Shop was the best place to test this product out with the Hip Hop community. To paraphrase one of the original gangstas “If we can make it there, we’ll make it anywhere.”
Cakewalk’s resident producer Lil Shamrock recorded a beat on the spot and then threw down the gauntlet, challenging the MCs in attendance to come up and record their rhymes on the fly while the beat was playing back from the V-Studio 100’s SD card.
Watch the video below to check out the finalists, then cast your vote and let us know who’s got it. The winner is going to receive a copy of SONAR Producer or Rapture. It’s up to you!
This contest will run through Monday July 6, 2009.
Just imagine that if we could do this quickly in a tradeshow environment, what you could do in your creative space.
Learn how the SONAR V-Studio 100 will help you make your music anytime, anywhere
Read more about Cakewalk’s activities at One Stop Shop 2009
To honor one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, we thought it fitting to post this amazing rendition of Le Sacre du Printemps or The Rite of Spring, arranged in SONAR by Cakewalk user Jay Bacal.
The two-movement piece is shown as a series of four videos – two of which Jay has yet to post. Performed on a 16GB Quad-core Windows VISTA 64-bit PC, Bacal used Vienna Symphonic Library to emulate the pristine sounds of the orchestra and arranged the piece using SONAR 8’s Piano Roll view.
Known as Stravinsky’s most controversial work, The Right of Spring caused a great riot at it’s debut, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France in 1913. Performed by the Ballets Russes, the intensely rhythmic score and primitive scenario – the setting evoking pagan Russia – shocked audiences accustomed to the more modest conventions of classical ballet!
Please don’t cause another scandal but feel free to tell Jay what you think of his latest project on the Cakewalk forums!
Day 2 of Mix Nashville started out great but you really can’t go wrong when you are in a town that has top notch music, weather and of course the most important element; BBQ!
In between the panels at the conference, I found myself having some great conversations with local Nashville songwriters, producers and musicians about “all things music”. I have come to the conclusion that there are more home studios in this town than there are BBQ joints.
Mike Lawson from Lawson Media stopped in to say hello and check out the new SONAR V-Studio 100 and he brought a friend of his by the name of Bob Welch. You may or may not have heard the name ‘Bob Welch’ but I can guarantee that you have heard his music, if you have listened to the radio and especially if you are a Fleetwood Mac fan. Bob was the original guitarist for Fleetwood Mac and was also a solo artist chalking up three massive hits from 1977 – 1979 with the songs “Sentimental Lady”, “Ebony Eyes” and “Hot Love, Cold World”. I had an amazing conversation with him about the digital music age compared to his experiences as a successful musician and artist in the 70’s. I have always been fascinated with that era of music so I really enjoyed and appreciated talking to him. I was also psyched to find out that he is a PC user and will be recording some of his upcoming projects in SONAR 8 Producer.
Later in the afternoon while my co-workers and Product Specialists Rich Curtis and Mike Trujillo were exemplifying all the features of the V-Studio 700, I caught up with Producer / Mixer / Songwriter / Musician Chris Trevett who is a friend of mine that I haven’t connected with in a while. Chris is an amazingly talented music guy who has two Grammys under his belt (yep 2!) and has worked with many iconic artists such as Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys and R. Kelly (to name a few). He was stopping in to check out the new V-Studio 100 as well and I was psyched to catch up with him.
Chris relocated to Nashville from New York about a year and a half ago so he was able to fill me in on what the local music scene in Nashville is really like. He is also working with some great international artists and I was able to get an interview with him, which will be featured on my Cakewalk Artist Spotlight series in the near future. In the meantime, check out Chris Trevett’s website for more information on his work.
Later on in the afternoon things started winding down a bit as most of the people were attending the panels and performances. I did get a chance to meet with new SONAR user Tiffany Shea and also the very talented Nashville Producer / Musician / Songwriter (and Artist) Nathan Meckel who has been busy working with LA-based Singer / Songwriter Sara Hayes as well as his own project “Upside of Envy”.
Nathan was checking out MIX/Nashville with his father Mark Meckel who owns Street Singer Music Publishing. Besides producing and writing for other artists, Nathan has got a great work-horse story and has played shows from Nashville to Israel and I think we will be hearing and seeing more from him in some bigger pictures soon.
To wrap up the conference, I was invited to check out a band called Pico vs. Island Trees and was pleasantly surprised at what I heard and saw. I highly recommend you check them out. The band has a very unique sound coupled with great songwriting and an authentic image that works well. It was an exclamation point on a great trip and also a confirmation that this town is filled with ridiculously talented people.
Thanks to everyone who stopped in to check out the new V-Studio 100 and thanks to MIX Magazine for holding such a great event.
Thanks for reading,
Jimmy Landry
Cakewalk Artist Relations Manager
Hey Everyone! We’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about using SONAR for vocal tracks. We thought it would be cool to assemble together a few of the demo videos that have been released over the years, showing different ways to edit and mix vocals with SONAR Producer. If you have a video tutorial of your own, don’t be afraid to share it!
Advanced Vocal Editing Techniques with V-Vocal
Basic V-Vocal Editing
Using AudioSnap to correct vocal timing
DJ Johnny Juice on using the VC-64 on vocals
For more information on SONAR, visit the SONAR product page.
For more videos, check us out on DailyMotion and YouTube.
Hello, Hello from Memphis and Nashville!
I used to be in Nashville and Memphis from time to time in my past life of a touring musician, but I really forgot how amazing this region of the country is; especially in terms of music. The trip started out early yesterday (3am) when I left my apartment for Newark Airport and then magically found myself in Memphis 5 hours later. I’m not too much of a plane-sleeper but I knew I needed some ZZZ’s for what was going to be a very busy day in “The South”. I met up with Cakewalk’s PR head Steve Thomas at his hotel and we both found it funny that we have more face-to-face business meetings in random cities than we do in the Cakewalk Headquarters. The afternoon rolled in and we headed over to Sun Studio in Memphis.
If you are not familiar with Sun Studio, it’s one of the most famous studios in the United States and has turned out some of the biggest hits in our time some including tracks from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, BB King, Roy Orbison and U2 to name a few. You might be wondering at this point why we would be visiting Sun Studio on a business trip and I can proudly tell you it’s because Sun Studio is powered by SONAR and as of yesterday, the new V-Studio 700 is at the helm. I had never been to the studio before and Steve has always mentioned how great of a vibe it has… and he wasn’t kidding.
First of all, head engineer James Lott is such a great guy and it was a pleasure to meet him finally. When he brought me into the studio, the combination of the room itself along with the gear and the memorabilia on the walls gave me an overwhelming sense of music history. I can totally understand why people still love to record in this room as it’s one of those places that triggers creative inspiration. Between the way the natural light hits the room, the décor (including authentic and rare photos of Elvis and other iconic artists) and the materials from which the studio was built, there is something very unique and inviting about this studio that I have never seen or felt before. The VS-700 looks great in the room and I’m looking forward to hearing all the tracks in the future that will be recorded on this system.
Continue reading “Live From Mix Nashville 2009: First Stop, The Legendary Sun Studio”
On Purpose, the sizzling 4th album from Unified Tribe (nominee for ‘Best Live Band’, American Black Music Awards) and leader / front man Magic Mendez (winner, ‘Best Neo Soul Performer- Male’, American Black Music Awards) is a soulful R&B explosion. The new release showcases exquisitely-produced tracks recorded in SONAR.
The group’s new single, ‘Guilty,’ is the featured track in SONAR 8’s project demo. ‘Back and Forth’ (Funktional Family album) and ‘Do You Wanna Come’ (On Purpose album – Rap version) were also featured in past SONAR versions.
Mendez describes the group’s latest album, as “a rhythmic power play that delivers major musical mojo.”
“Its songs fuse jazz, blues, pop and soul, and range from sultry slow jams to blazing dance tracks. Def melodies, rich harmonies and themes from challenges to enchantment make ‘On Purpose’ a musical and emotional joyride that bridges genres and generations.”
The album was recorded at Magic Muzik Studios in Las Vegas, mixed by Rick Camp at Reeltyme Productions — Rick is also the live sound engineer for Chris Brown — and mastered by Ron McMaster at Capital Records in Los Angeles.
Unified Tribe (www.unifiedtribe.net) was nominated in 2007 for “Best Live Band” and is described by Richard Searling, DJ of Smooth Radio 100.4FM UK: “Getting a one class album together is one thing, making a second to take the breath away is rare, but to succeed with a third awesome soul set is just unheard of these days… but check this, Unified Tribe have the hat-trick, blessed with the gritty aura of a Will Downing or David Porter take… it’s most definitely hip and heavy, its the real deal… right on now, Unified Tribe, keepin the faith alive in 2009.”
Unified Tribe represents R&B, heart and soul – and they do it “On Purpose.”
Chris Maguire, record producer and owner of Altsounds.com, recently re-wired his studio to run SONAR 8 Producer. After using SONAR to record various session work, Maguire published an extensive review of the new upgrade, giving major props to the DAW’s versatility and sound quality.
“SONAR 8 Producer is intuitive and makes complete sense straight out of the box but is MUCH deeper than meets the eye and holds gems for users as their skills progress.”
“There is so much packed into SONAR 8 in fact that even a seasoned user such as myself never really touches the surface of what it can do…”
“LP-64 Multiband – Excellent Multiband Compressor that will allow even novices to get mastered mixes at levels expected.”
“TL-64 Tube Leveler – Awesome for adding Tube Warmth to your mixes or two individual entities in a mix.”
Macguire also compliments SONAR’s new workflow enhancements including the improved transport controls, the audio engine optimizations (arm/disarm tracks, ability to change audio settings without restart) and the endless array of VSTs and effects hosted in one package.
“(It’s) a mechanics toolbox worth of useful tools, fx and instruments. It’s an audio mechanics dream.”
SONAR users, Tim Tully and Kathy Marty, make learning fun for the whole family with Universe Productions’ DVDs on outer space.
Journey through the galaxy from your seat on the sofa with The Universe, a wondrous video tour through space. Experience over 200 amazing astronomical phenomena as seen through the lenses of the Hubble, SOHO, TRACE, and other NASA orbital telescopes. Watch Saturn change seasons, stars being born and see galaxies from the dawn of time, complemented by an amazing surround sound music score and narration.
Also released by Universe Productions is a DVD just for kids (ages 4-9) about the wonders of space. With The Astropuppies In Space: An Amazing Adventure for Young Astronauts, blast off on an incredible adventure from the moon to the sun and out to the planets. Join the Astropuppies on their quest to meet real astronauts on an exciting Space Shuttle launch, as they visit the remarkable International Space Station, and go on an amazing space walk.
Read reviews for these titles and pick up a copy at Amazon.com.
