October 2011 | UniqueSquared Pro Audio BlogUniqueSquared Pro Audio Blog

PRO AUDIO

Taylor
October 14, 2011

Electronic Drum/Sampling (Part II)

In the last blog we talked about a very brief history and overview of electronic drums and sampling. I also delved a little into what I am familiar with when it comes to using electronic drums and samples in a studio production scenario as well as my own personal experiences. In part two, we will talk about electronic drums and samples in a performance setting, my projection about the future of electronic drums and sampling, and close with my own opinion on electronic drums and sampling in the studio and on the stage.

Performance

Some of the biggest acts in the world, even those with recorded drum samples, still have a live drummer performing with them. This makes for a great concert experience and shows the musicianship involved with percussion on certain productions. Many bands use drum pads with additional electronic sounds to compliment their live acoustic setup which you …

PRO AUDIO

DJ Scott Mad Flip
October 12, 2011

AVID Fast Track C400 Review

M-Audio has long been a leading manufacturer of pro audio recording equipment. One of their most popular interfaces, the Fast Track, was considered the industry standard for home recording since it’s introduction in 2004. It was a high quality USB interface that was very simple to use at home or on the road.

The Features

The Avid M-Audio Fast Track C400 is a compact and ergonomic USB audio interface with the capability to record up to 24bit/96kHz audio with up to 4 simultaneous channels at a time with the help of a digital S/PDIF input. When it comes to playback and mixing, the 6 outputs of the Fast Track C400 will come in handy to give you separate feeds for, say, a headphone amp or outboard gear.

The Look

The Fast Track C400 departs from the traditional look of a USB audio interface and comes in an ergonomic form ideal for the home …

MOBILE STUDIO

UniqueSquared
October 11, 2011

Torae Album Preview Event | UniqueSquared Mobile Studio

One of A3C’s highlights is being able to often times co-mingle with your favorite emcee/producer/dee jay as your walking from one venue to another, or even just after the performance for the artist in question. Another highlight is when an artist brings something special to the A3C Festival that you wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. That’s exactly what Torae did when he linked up with the UniqueSquared Mobile Studio to host an invite-only listening session for his upcoming album,‘For The Record’.

The Mobile Studio Lounge moments before the invited guests arrive

The Mobile Studio Lounge moments after the invited guests arrived

The album, which is scheduled for release on November 1st and is available to pre-order on iTunes and FatBeats, drew in many of the industry’s most discerning taste-makers and music scene leaders for the preview event. In attendance, among many others, were Eternia, …

PRO AUDIO

Taylor
October 7, 2011

Electronic Drums/Sampling (Part I)

Beginning in the 1970s and into the 1980s, electronic drum kits became a new innovation in production and performance for some of the biggest bands of the era. Duran Duran, Rush, and of course Rick Allen of Def Leppard with his hybrid acoustic and electronic kit, set a new standard in what electronic drum technology could do to musical creativity. Fast forward to the 21st century and electronic drums have never been more popular. Sales of electronic drum kits have risen greatly in recent years with more and more studios using them for production and artists using hybrid electronic and acoustic drum kits. Software like Toontracks, Ableton, and Battery 3 provide an endless array of drum sounds to pick from to be controlled via a MIDI keyboard or with an electronic drum kit.

I have spent the better part of my life playing acoustic drum kits and have recently been …

PRO AUDIO

DJ Scott Mad Flip
October 6, 2011

Artist Spotlight: Kid Cedek

This week’s artist spotlight is on the fireball from the DMV, Kid Cedek. His meteoric rise to predominance is a result of relentless gigging, releasing numerous remixes and original productions, and flawless marketing and branding. We can all learn something from the manner in which Kid Cedek, aka Merchicedek Reyes, is taking his career to the next level. It’s one thing to be focused on your career in every action, and in every detail of your every day routine, but it is also paramount to challenge yourself, expand your abilities, and constantly hone your craft. This defines Kid Cedek and it truly shows in his music and his live performance. It really helps that he’s a pretty nice guy too.

How did you get started playing and producing music?

DJ Obeyah from Washington D.C. helped me out by giving me some Numark TTX’s when I was learning in the beginning, …