Analyzing DJ/Producer Names For Success >> (DJ Tech Tools)
It can sometimes be difficult for DJs and producers to come up with a good name for themselves that summarises them as an artist. DJ Tech Tools looks at some patterns and science that can be used to help you come up with the most successful name.

East London Club 93 Feet East to Reopen >> (Fact)
Great news for all 93 Feet East regulars! The East London club has announced that it is now set to reopen immediately after it won an appeal against the Tower Hamlets’ decision to shut it down earlier this year.

From Studio to Stage: Mount Kimbie >> (XLR8R)
XLR8R catch up with London-based duo Mount Kimbie to talk their equipment set up, their live performances and much more.

Sample Magic Releases MIDI Elements: Nu Disco >> (Rekkerd)
Nu Disco is a new MIDI Elements series pack from Sample Magic which contains 101 original chord progressions, neo-retro riffs, funky basslines and more.

The post Daily News: Analyzing DJ / Producer Names for Success appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

As if that wasn’t enough, we’ll also be producing a second collaborative remix ourselves in the Point Blank Remix Lab – which we’re hosting in association with our friends at Pioneer.

We’ll be open for collaborations until 8:30pm on the Thursday for anyone attending the summit who fancies getting involved in remixing a track by the legendary Nile Rodgers. Our expert Point Blank tutor Ian Mckenzie – who’s worked with the likes of Primal Scream and artists releasing on labels such as Kompakt, Life and Death, Get Physical and Southern Fried – will be on hand to assist anyone who wants to join in the creative process. So, if you want to lay down a phat bassline, some vocals or some keyboards or just have a listen to the original Nile Rodgers track and find out how the remix process works and, please come and see us.

The Point Blank collaborative remix will be played at the end of the conference, on Friday at 16:45 and we couldn’t be happier to be collaborating with IMS, Nile Rodgers and Eats Everything on such an awesome project.

And, of course, while we’re in Ibiza we’ll be taking in all the news at IMS, visiting the keynote speeches, interviewing key players and filling you in on what’s happening club-wise as we indulge in the Opening fiestas. From Guy Gerber at Pacha with his highly-anticipated Wisdom Of The Glove night, to Sankeys Ibiza with the ViVA Warriors, the legendary Space as well as DC10 and more.

Check out the official IMS schedule by clicking on the link here.

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Le Loup is certainly not a single-minded artist and this is further displayed in his additional projects as Childhood 87 or his collaboration with Clement Meyer to become part of Get The Curse Music. As Le Loup he has delivered productions or remixes from various label heavyweights including Life and death, Air Drop or Esperanza with a forthcoming EP soon to drop on Eklo. His soul-melting yet playful house sound has garnered support along the way from Seth Troxler, Damian Lazarus, Matthew Dear and Jay Haze among others.

As an increasingly prolific DJ, Le Loup has rocked parties around the globe, snapped up by major underground institutions such as The Wolf + Lamb Marcy Hotel, Dimuschi in Paris, Club De Visionaere in Berlin, DC10 in Ibiza, Louche in Leeds and Half baked in London where he now a resident. Perfect for our Producer’s Producer feature then! And here it is…

Choosing my favourite producer of all time is not an easy thing to do, but if I had to say one I would mention Daniel Bell. I discovered his music about eight years ago under his other alias DBX. I was intrigued by this kind of purist techno made up of very few elements, and it was the effectiveness of its simplicity that caught me.

He managed to achieve a heavy, powerful sound using the 909, and exploit the swing of the machine like nobody else. I later discovered his more housey productions, and it’s this style of music which has massively influenced the music I make today. He manages to combine perfectly the old skool house using the more modern machines. For me, all his tracks are timeless, you can really recognise his style, always hypnotic… sometimes weird with bleeps and blips. And he is one of the first to have done this in techno!

So here are two of my favourite Daniel Bell tracks; the first is a mix of melancholic pads and metallic clinks, with a simple but effective house beat… once again timeless!

The second track is more dancefloor orientated. You can lose yourself in a hypnotic moment, as only he knows how.

Pap’House EP – Seuil & Le Loup is out on Hold Youth from 25th April, vinyl-only. For more info visit Soundcloud or Facebook!

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Enjoy the mix, and short interview, below…

Point Blank In The Mix 002: ERI2 by Point Blank

Name: Diogo Tenreiro

Age: 27

Hometown: Lisbon, Portugal

Role at Point Blank: College Assistant

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/eri2

Favourite producer(s): Format:B, Carlo Lio, Max Cooper, Alan Fitzpatrick and many many more.

Favourite tune at the moment? Ambivalent – Iwato (Original mix) [Cocoon]

Favourite tune/song of all-time? Very difficult to name just one! I have so many favorite tunes… But regarding electronic music, “Jaydee – Plastic Dreams” has been one of my favorite tunes for such a long time.

Tell us about your mix… This mix was done the way I usually play out, but this time using a digital method, through Traktor mixing four decks but mainly using three decks to blend in loops and other elements on the mix. I wanted this one to have a progression from a kind of deep minimal passing through some tech house grooves and ending, as I usually like to do, with more driving techno. And always with some musicality. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Any tips or advice regarding the music industry for PB+ readers? Love what you do above all, take advice but always follow your heart and transform that love into motivation. Don’t stick to just one or two genres, listen to good quality music whatever genre it is, this will open your sonic horizon and allow you to bring inspiration from different sources. Always keep in contact with people and meet new people, networking is one of the most important things to spread your work/music. And finally be humble and have fun!

The post Point Blank In The Mix 002: ERI2 appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

These special switches that select from among a number of options are called “Radio” buttons. Here is a quick trick that lets you set a range for these otherwise “rangeless” controls.

The trick revolves around “double-grouping” your effect into racks and using the macros to control the parameter you need to create a range for. We end up with a dial controlling another dial as opposed to controlling a “Radio” button with a dial.

1. Load a Ping Pong delay onto an audio track
2. Right-click onto the delay’s header and choose “Group” to place it into a rack.  Let’s call this rack “rack # 1”
3. Right-click on the “delay time” and choose “Map to macro 1”. You can now control the delay time using the macro 1 but once you enter the “map” mode to set a range for it in the browser, this is not an option yet
4. Right-click onto the rack # 1’s header and choose “group” to place it into another one (rack # 2)
5. Right-click onto rack  # 1’s macro 1 and choose “Map to macro 1” to control it with the rack # 2 macro 1
6. Now enter the “map” mode using the “map” button on rack # 2
7. You will now see a range next to the macro in your browser
8. Use this to specify the dial’s mapping range.

This easy workaround works for all “multi choice” buttons in Ableton such as the arpeggiator’s style, the Amp type on the “Amp” effect, the filter type on “Auto-filter” – just to name a few.

Click here for more of Freddy’s Tech Tips!

The post Freddy’s Tech Tips 004: Creating a Range for your “Radio” Buttons appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

A very common practice is to start with a minimal version of the verse. For example starting with the drums and bass then introducing other elements, or with a synth or guitar riff, and build it from there. The basic concept is that you basically gradually build the track in.

However, there are many other ways to introduce your track, here are some examples. Fade a long instrumental intro in from nothing, so that the song begins as just a suspicion in the listener’s mind and gains strength gradually. This is a great technique to draw people into your song. Check out ‘This Is The Day’ from The The’s Soul Mining album for a good example of this tactic. A sparkly, haunting, music-box synth part twinkles in from the far distance. You strain to hear this lovely sound and your delight only grows as it becomes more audible. By the time the song proper kicks in, you’re hooked.

A variant on the above idea is starting a song with ambient noise and bringing the instruments in over that. Air’s ‘La Femme d’Argent’ starts with rain as the ambient noise, and it works beautifully. As a side note, there’s really only one thing you can hum in this whole atmospheric instrumental, and that’s the distinctive bass line, so Air make sure to bring that in right at the start, after all, it’s their hook.

Using ambient sounds related to the subject of the song is a well-used but potentially winning idea too: Kraftwerk’s ‘Autobahn’, opening with car noises, is an example, as are Madonna’s ‘Swim’ (from Ray Of Light), which starts with the sound of running water, and ‘Good Morning Good Morning’ by The Beatles, which starts with a cockerel crowing.

A deliberately weird intro can work too with the right kind of song: listen to Erasure’s ‘Chorus’, from the album of the same name, it uses a weird noise intro, bloopy, bleepy, sci-fi synth textures, to good effect. However, do not let this type of intro last too long! Boredom will set in very rapidly if you don’t get going on the song.

It may sound obvious but don’t forget you can pile in immediately with a catchy riff. Blondie amongst many other examples, do a lot of this (at least half the tracks on their huge classic 1978 Parallel Lines album). The advantage is that the track is stamped immediately with a strong identity and the listener’s desire for something to happen is satisfied right away.

Finally, why not start with a vocal solo. Meaning, why not come straight in with the vocal part unaccompanied for a few words, then bang! In with the rest of the instruments. That will certainly grab attention.

The post How Do You Start A Song? appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

As one half of the infamous DJ duo, Lee Rous has travelled the world, playing at some of the best-known and most well-respected clubs on the planet along the way – including a residency at London’s fabric – their four-deck set-up wowing audiences everywhere they go. They set off on the pathway to fame with their debut album A Plump Night Out which set them and, in 2001, they were asked by Mixmag to mix their cover CD, which they called Elastic Breaks.

Soon after they released a two-CD mix compilation called Urban Underground and in February 2003 they produced the eighth album in the FabricLive series for the acclaimed London venue. As well as being adept on the ones and twos, Lee and his partner in crime (Andy Gardner) are also rather nifty in the studio, producing some all-time classic breakbeat tracks over the years, including Light Fantastic and Gobstopper, among others.

You can catch the Plump DJs in action at the Noisily Festival this weekend! More information at noisilyfestival.com

The post Friday Forum Live! Interview with Plump DJs (Lee Rous) – 17.05.13 appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

Young Guru has helped AIAIAI to engineer their excellent TMA-1 headphones, which are released next month. To celebrate the arrival of these headphones, we’ve been granted an interview with Young Guru with the Point Blank community encouraged to send in their own questions for us to pose to him!!

So, please enter your questions in the comments section below by 6PM BST ON MONDAY 20th MAY and we’ll select the best ones to put forward to Young Guru.

For more information and to sign up for pre-order notifications, visit aiaiai.dk/youngguru

The post Send your Questions in for Legendary New York Audio Engineer Young Guru appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

For this special PBYF interview we were pleased to have the company of one of the UK’s most successful rappers in recent times, a man with a brilliantly clever lyrical flow and, of course, a lot to say for himself both on the mic as a performer and when he’s off the stage too, none other than Sway!

As somebody who has found success through working independently, setting up his own label Dcypha Recordings in 2004, we thought Sway would be a great candidate for our Youth Foundation series. His inspired move to start up his own label nine years ago set him on the path to success and, in the years since Dcypha was launched, he has not only been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, but he has also sold in excess of 100,000 albums, picked up numerous awards and found himself working with producers across the pond in America – the land which many British artists find so difficult to conquer.

A Bit Of Background…

In 2004 the UK’s urban scene took a new direction pioneered by then 22 year old rapper Sway. With a plan to make himself heard and respected as a producer, writer and namely an artist he independently promoted and released his mixtapes “This Is My Promo” Vol. 1 & 2. These releases proceeded to change the rules of the game as they earned him awards and accolades even before the release of his debut album. Off the back of these early endeavours Sway went up against US heavyweights 50 Cent and The Game in the 2005 Mobo’s as Best Hip-Hop Newcomer still without a having released an album.

By 2006 his debut “This Is My Demo” was one of the most eagerly awaited albums of the year and lived up to expectations which The Independent described as; “not just the best British rap albums in years, but simply the best rap album in years, full stop”. Self producing more than fifty percent of the album Sway also worked alongside emerging talents such as Al Shux who later went on to produce ‘Empire State Of Mind’ for Jay Z. Together they forged a sound to match Sway’s lyrical ingenuity. Sway’s debut album is considered a landmark for British “urban” and hip-hop music receiving widespread acclaim. The record received further mainstream endorsement when it was selected as one of the Mercury Music Prize ‘Albums Of The Year’ – one of the most respected accolades in UK music which honours only 12 albums each year.

From the release of this album came sell out tours in the USA, Europe and Africa, award show performances and collaborations with top artists across the globe including Akon, Kaiser Chiefs, Lemar, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Craig David, Lupe Fiasco, Chamillionaire, Ian Brown, Madness, Ali Campbell (UB40) and Jamelia. Having an ability to identify raw talent Sway still took time to work with unknown artists such as Mr Hudson and Chipmunk helping to facilitate label deals and provide them with early direction. In 2007 Sway’s accolades started to reach beyond the UK winning the BET (Black Entertainment Television) award for Best International Artist, the first time a UK artist had been entered, let alone won. The award was driven by a public vote, and was testament to the fact his lyrical prowess and achievements had by no means gone unnoticed outside of the UK.

In the run up to his second album Sway had become one of the UK’s most sought after rappers. When “The Signature LP” dropped late 2008 the strong ties he had forged with Akon were made official with their collaborative single “Silver & Gold”. The video’s viewings topping 5 million on YouTube soon after it’s release. This album was even more ambitious than his debut demonstrating his abilities as a producer, even drafting in a 22 piece orchestra, live musicians and guest appearances including Sting’s daughter Coco, fellow MOBO award winner 2face Idibia and Lemar. Though much of the album was born out of tougher times – due to loss of loved ones who passed away during its creation – it still kept true his signature style of witty wordplay and razor-sharp punch lines whilst demonstrating an air of maturity like no other urban artist had yet achieved.

Sway’s prolific abilities have earned him worldwide respect and this has enabled him to form a strong alliance with Giorgio Tuinfort, the producer who masterminded Gwen Stefani’s “Sweet Escape” as well as becoming Akon’s main in house producer. This recognition by major US rap talent has also stretched to artists Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. Sway has also worked with other US production talent such as Emile Haynie who has produced for Eminem and Kanye West.

To date Sway has received twelve major awards including three Urban Music Awards, sold over 100,000 albums, and released seven mixtapes, of which “The Delivery 1 & 2” are his most recent, paving the way for his long awaited third studio album “The Deliverance” which will follow in early 2011. The first Delivery Mixtape was hailed by The Times as “a mixtape of album standards” and had more than 10,000 downloads in the first week. Sway has just released the second in the series in the lead up to his new album, set to be an awe inspiring record demonstrating the showmanship and versatility that his fans have come to expect and that Sway truly deserves the title of the UK’s No.1 Lyricist as well as a producer and writer of the highest international standards.

The post Sway Live Interview for the Point Blank Youth Foundation – 15.04.13 appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.

ALBUM:

Tone Of Arc – The Time Was Right [No.19]

No.19 has quickly established itself as one of the most consistent electronic music labels out there. With every release comes great music from arists who take a fresh approach to making music – this is not a label where you’re always guaranteed to find a ‘house banger’, this is a label that embodies the ethos that good music is good music, regardless of genre. This is all thanks to label heads, Nitin Kalyan and Jonny White (one half of Art Department).

The first full-length solo album to be released via No.19 comes from Tone Of Arc – AKA Derrick Boyd and his partner Zoe Presnick. With Derrick’s skills as a singer, producer, guitarist, songwriter and so forth, and Zoe adding her talents to the mix, this is an album that really has no genre-boundaries defining what it is – much like Derrick himself, who is a man who occupies his own world within this neverending universe we all inhabit.

From the seventies-tinged hippie vibes of Love Kissed (woo-wooooo), to the organised chaos of Lost In The Machine and their seminal cover of Goodbye Horses, this album is all the more impressive because it’s a debut. This is the kind of work one might expect from someone on their sixth or seventh long-player, not their first.

Make sure you pick it up, you really will not be disappointed.

Tone Of Arc – The Time Was Right LP Preview by No.19 Music

SINGLES/EPs:

No Artificial Colours – Crying Wolf [Madtech]

Former Point Blank students No Artificial Colours have been flying high for the past year or so, putting all their hard graft into cultivating a strong and identifiable sound that has helped push them along on the path to success. The duo, who took an Introduction To Logic course with us, now find themselves on Kerri Chandler’s Madtech record label with one of the year’s biggest tunes so far. Crying Wolf, which features Alex Mills on vocals, is a totally contagious house roller that stomps all over the dancefloor with its super-catchy vocal and unstoppable bassline. Elsewhere on the EP is Restless Souls with Cari Golden and Love, featuring the big man Sheff. Both encapsulating that No Artificial Colours sound that is difficult to describe but utterly unmistakable when you hear it.

(KCMTDL012) No Artificial Colours – Crying Wolf by MadTech Records

Paleman – Half Out [School]

At 19 years of age Paleman isn’t doing too badly for himself. The Manchester-based producer has steadily been building up a reputation as a purveyor of dark, rolling, dare we say post-dubstep productions. There’s a starkness to his music that is irresistable, stripped back, simple and with a depth that draws you in. His latest EP is being released by Loefah’s School Records, and it’s a banger. Half Out has a half-time flow to it (hence the name we presume), it works off a bubbly sub-bass, shuffling percussion and a warped vocal that is shrouded in darkness, lurking around in the shadows. Chapel has more of a housey feel with its snares and hi-hats, the bass bounces and its more upbeat. Finally digital-only track Etch muscles its way in, all cavernous and metallic. Strong EP.

Jaydee – Pulsate [Ellum Audio]

Jaydee is an absolute legend, thanks to his early-nineties productions including the all-time classic Plastic Dreams. On this new EP he teams up with one of today’s legends, Maceo Plex (AKA Eric Estornel) for a release on Ellum Audio – Maceo’s own label. Pulsate is the lead track, and pulsate it does with a wriggly bassline that captivates from the off. In typical style it evolves and progresses the pitch rising as the tension and energy increases, reaching a crescendo midway through and a breakdown – the vocal repeating ‘Pulsate’ every few other bar. Mainstage and Steve Rachmad turn in remixes of the title track, while Maceo selects Payback for the remix treatment, which is a ridiculous electro-fied beast.

Ellum 013 – Jaydee “Pulsate” EP by Ellum

Darius Syrossian – Who’s The Douche? [Hot Creations]

One of Point Blank’s favourite DJs and producers – all-round nice guy and outspoken personality – Darius Syrossian arrives on Hot Creations with his very first EP for the label. The title track is a solo effort, and a typically beefy Chicago House-inspired roll out with a huge bassline, infectious vocal snippets and a trusty 4×4 percussion. Superlative as always from Darius. The rest of the EP consists of three tracks produced with Darius’ regular studio partner, Hector Couto. We Both Loco uses a familiar vocal combined with Darius’ trademark bassline, Can You Feel It is a lighter, more summery track and House Is House is more of the same – Perfect, undiluted house music.

DARIUS SYROSSIAN – ‘Who’s the Douche?’ – out on HOT CREATIONS – MAY 2013 by DariusSyrossian

Luca Lozano – Sail On (feat. Amirali) [Klasse Recordings]

In the lead up to his album dropping, Luca Lozano unveils another new EP on his own Klasse Recordings. With Sail On he teams up with a young talent who made quite an entrance with his debut LP on Crosstown Rebels, In Time, which was released last May – Amirali is his name and he provides a predictably melancholy vocal hook for Luca’s downtempo, solemn composition. Session Victim inject some funk and energy into the track for their remix, while another young buck, Paolo Rocco takes us to the after-party with his After The Afterhours Remix – a delightfully floaty technoid interpretation of the tune and our favourite on the EP. Finally Blanket Groove closes up the EP, a stepping analogue trip.

LUCA LOZANO – SAIL ON feat. AMIRALI by lucalozano

Matt Tolfrey – Encarta (DJ Sprinkles Soft Dub) [Leftroom]

Matt Tolfrey’s debut LP, Word Of Mouth, was released in October last year to a rousing reception. Fast forward six months and we’re seeing the first of several remix packages to come from the album. Encarta is the first track to get the remix treatment and it comes from some esteemed members of the electronic music community, DJ Sprinkles being our pick. The renowned produced takes Encarta on an ethereal trip into space and time, like a lullaby. It’s smooth, dreamy and glorious – a real treat from Sprinkles and over 11 minutes long! The original mix is already pretty relaxed, but Sprinkles really puts the breaks on. Meanwhile Marco Bernadi pumps a bit of energy into the track with his remix. Great stuff.

CLUBS:

Give It Up! x Point Blank: Sarwar’s Birthday Bash
Our very own East London party kicks off again this Thursday with resident DJ Sarwar K celebrating his birthday. Entry is FREE all night, so get on down!
Click here for information

Rodigan’s Ram Jam at The Forum – 17th May
David Rodigan is one of very few people you can actually describe as a living legend. For one night only he takes over The Forum in Kentish Town for what should be an incredible night of music.
Click here for information

Modeselektor Live at The Roundhouse – 17th May
German duo Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary hit the Roundhouse for a huge concert together with support acts Mouse On Mars, Apparat and Siriusmo. Don’t miss it!
Click here for information

The post Point Blank Music & Club Recommendations: May 13th appeared first on Electronic Music Production News and Tips.