We are the music makers - producers?

anyone here used this http://www.uaudio.com/uad-plug-ins/uad-2-pcie.html ?

I've not but if you're looking at using it for Reverbs I'd definitely recommend having another look at the built in Space Designer in Logic. I never thought much of it until I started loading the absolutely enormous presets - the cathedrals and the prison hallways and the like - and tweaking those to fit. Now everything I make sounds like a blocked ear. Brilliant.

I use an M-Audio Keystation one with a 5-octave range. The 61ES I think. Not bad, the weighting is a bit clicky but it works well. The couple of sliders are a bit cheap-feeling but the pitch/mod wheels are fine. I'm happy with it.

Cool, that's all I want really - just something that's not unpleasant to play and an accessible mod wheel. Presumably the Oxygen keyboards are basically the same as the ES, just with a few extra sliders and the like?

^ No, I don't think the Oxygen keyboards are weighted. The more expensive Axiom ones are though.

I've not but if you're looking at using it for Reverbs I'd definitely recommend having another look at the built in Space Designer in Logic. I never thought much of it until I started loading the absolutely enormous presets - the cathedrals and the prison hallways and the like - and tweaking those to fit. Now everything I make sounds like a blocked ear. Brilliant.

Ha, yeah, it's quite impressive. You can get some interesting effects from the PlatinumVerb as well.

Ive got an Axiom25 and the key weighting is lovely if thats what you're after

Axiom's are highly rated - think they always come out top in Future Music mag

I use a tiny Akai LPK thing! Now using Push also, which is a totally unique way of playing

Ha, yeah, it's quite impressive. You can get some interesting effects from the PlatinumVerb as well.

Thanks chaps. I dunno, I've not had a lot of luck getting the logic reverbs to sit in a mix nicely yet. I'll try playing with some more presets too.

Thanks chaps. I dunno, I've not had a lot of luck getting the logic reverbs to sit in a mix nicely yet. I'll try playing with some more presets too.

I tend to use two reverbs in a band mix, a hall type verb to give things like drums a sense of largeness, and an ambient one to push instruments back and forward in the mix, make them. I've not quite got a hall reverb to work perfectly yet but as far as ambient verb goes, the Wooden Room 0.2 is absolutely bang on. Incredible sense of real space.

Also I could be teaching you to suck eggs but the tip which made my reverb use much better was a pal of mine who said it's easy to overuse reverb, but for it to be effective, you shouldn't be able ot pick out the reverb itself, as an effect, but just as an enhancer of what's already there. The way we'd check it was put the reverbs up to about where we thought they should be on each track, then turn the volume of the reverb send all the way down to zero. As you bring up the send fader, you should be able to identify a point at which the reverb stops bringing the mix to life, and starts making it deader. For me I was CONSTANTLY pushing it up further than it needed to be and that trick really helped.

Did all of you Logic/cubase pro tools buy your DAW's at full retail?

My Machine Drum mk 1 is now for sale. It wasn't used much and still has the original box. If anyone is interested drop me a line. It will go on ebay soon though.

You'd like the Elektron Sid station which uses the Commodore 64 sid sound chip:

http://www.8bitventures.com/mssiah/

I've still got my C64....

Did all of you Logic/cubase pro tools buy your DAW's at full retail?

I did, though Logic is a bit different to the others - I think the current version costs about £140, which is insane for what you get.

just took the plunge and bought izotope Ozone 5 and Alloy 2 bundle from ebay seller in USA - works out to £155 for both which is pretty good I reckon

Did all of you Logic/cubase pro tools buy your DAW's at full retail?

I did, yeah, though I only use Logic.

Yep me three. Paid for Logic 9.. a week before X came out. d'oh!

Logic is brilliant value compared with Live 9 Suite

Yep me three. Paid for Logic 9.. a week before X came out. d'oh!

Ha! I did that as well, was using 7 before that which I got with an education discount while I was at uni, still worked out about 400quid IIRC.

I'm actually still using Logic Express 8 (which was Pro 8, just without the mastering and live performance tools). Going to buy Pro X when I've finished the current job I'm doing.

Loads of the plugins are still even using the same UI as 8 though, e.g. the EXS sampler. Wouldn't be surprised if they updated them soon, they're looking a bit crusty these days.

Night Of Machines — An Elektron Launch Party

Set your alarms. Saturday Nov 23 we'll throw a big party at Humboldthain Club in Berlin. Why? We have a new machine to show you. Welcome!

Live:

Very Special Guest (Kompakt)
TM404 - aka Andreas Tilliander (Kontra-Musik)
Cascandy (Monaberry)
Andre Kronert (Stockholm LTD, Neurotron)

DJs:

Dataline
Marlon & Karxman

Time:
Saturday Nov 23.
Doors open at 23:00.
Venue: Humboldthain (S-bahn Humboldthain)
Hochstr. 46 133 57 Berlin Germany

Interesting. Due to the age of my laptop I can't go beyond logic 9. But I'm not arsed about have the latest shiniest goods. (despite^)

There's not all that much in Pro X that the previous version didn't do, it's mostly just tidier and easier to use. Some new effects & plugins, and the time/pitch stretch stuff is a lot better than before, apparently.

Anyone got any recommendations for largeish (49 key at least) midi controllers? Started to get into scoring for a project and playing huge strings doesn't feel right on a mini keyboard. I used to like my old Line 6 keyboard controller, keys felt nice for nonweighted, but I'm seeing what else there is out there.

I'd definitely look out for decent weighting. The Yamaha digital piano I have is completely lovely to play, compared with every cheap keyboard I've owned. I'd use it as a midi controller too if it was in the same room as my studio PC.

Also I may be teaching you to suck eggs here, but when scoring strings, try not to think, write or play in chords, but treat each string group separately - 1st and second violins, violas, cellos and bass - and write them separate lines. It stops you writing things that are impossible to play too, which sounds more convincing.
I have also learned that underpinning strings with brass really does give them depth and tone, without it sounding brassy.
I can recommend Garritan Personal Orchestra, if not for ease of use, for the sheer quality of the sound. It can be very convincing indeed if you pay attention to the details.

good tip using pink noise to mix against

Top Pro Tip on Mixing down your track - YouTube

How much music experience do you guys have- stuff like reading music, being proficient on an instrument?