Get Zapped: Born with Music

Get Zapped: Born with Music Great quote. Great Blog. Some really thought provoking images and quotes here. Check It.......

Mac Freak: Distributed Audio

Oh dear. I really need to get out more :) What exactly is it about these bits of kit that make me happy? I suppose one of the reasons is that I can link them together so I can have even more SoftSynth madness going on. Something those programming wizards at  call Distributed Audio. A simple ethernet cable and hey presto, how many Space Designer Reverbs would you like? Just link your Macs together and let the lazy machine in the corner do some work. Let me tell you - I love this technology.

There comes a point when making music using softsynths, that the CPU (no matter how powerful) says "STOP!" It varies from system to system, but generally the faster the CPU, the more memory you have available (bigger is better) etc etc the more plug-ins, softsynths and virtual devices you can have. Now, as in all things teamwork is the way forward! Link your Macs, sit back, watch in amazement as they share the load. I've been using the Jinster's Mac Mini as a Logic Node but today ordered my new iMac especially for the job. Well one of the jobs I have in mind for it anyway. Who knows, if the album does well I may treat myself to a Mac Pro to act as a Super Node :)

For those that are interested here's how it works:

"A distributed audio network requires at least two Apple computers running Mac OS X version 10.3 or later, with one acting as a master system (1GHz G4 or faster recommended) and additional computers serving as “nodes” (G5 recommended). Logic node software uses each networked computer as an additional processor for your Logic Pro 7 system. You may install Logic Node on an unlimited number of Macs. Gigabit Ethernet provides the best performance. If you use more than one node, the switch that manages them must be Gigabit to avoid data transfer bottlenecks."

Ahhhh. Tasty.

Quote: Noam Chomsky

"Many indigenous people apparently do not see any reason why their lives, societies and cultures should be disrupted or destroyed so that New Yorkers can sit in their SUVs in traffic gridlock."

The man is a genius. More Chomsky at Official Chomsky Website.

Trentemøller: The Last Resort Oct 6th Release

From Pokerflat Trentemøller album coming soon! 22.08.2006

We are very happy & proud to announce the debut album of Anders Trentemøller, The Last Resort to be released on Poker Flat October, 6th!
It's been a great year for the young Dane, with many great releases and furious live-shows. In between his busy schedule Anders managed to record a beautiful album. "Making these tracks was like having time-off.“, says Trentemøller, „Moments to totally space out and let the music flow", and so the album is personal and emotional, 100% Trentemøller.
Other than the dancefloor bombs he released on Poker Flat and some other labels, the album includes 13 beautiful capturing rather downtempo songs - mixed in one flow by Trentemøller.
Watch for a new milestone. more info soon!

artists: Trentemøller
release: The Last Resort

Blog: sousys

sousys: The love for music

A fellow music lover. Found this post and excellent blog after searching Blogger to see who else listed the amazing Trentemøller in their profiles. I couldn't agree more with the posts so I had to link it. Check the Digital Hippie Culture Collective You won't regret it..

Peace
Migz

It's ALL F**Ked: Passwords!

"What's my password? What is it?" The cries of a fairy who struggles with all things password related always bring a smile to my face. Love ya Jin xx

Flickr Toys & Slideshows

More new goodness. Found this cool slide show code at Slide It's what I used to generate the Slideshow on this page.

New Album: "Civilization 2012"

Hot on the heels of "What is The Question" featuring the late great Terence McKenna, another two tracks should complete this weekend. A few final tweaks and arrangement edits are all that remain for "Berlin" - but "No More Working for The Man" is also only approx half an hours work from completion. Ah the imbeciles that are Hannity & Colmes. The genius that is John Connor! Stay Tuned....!

Mac Freak: Jinster's Mac Book

Not to be outdone by her parents - who recently ordered a Mac Book, the Jinster has taken the decision to go mobile also. Ladies & Gentlemen we proudly present the Jinster Mac Book. Ah yes, the Jinster who switched to Mac from PC about a year ago with her lovely Mac mini feels the need to go mobile. Wireless connection to the "Hub" is what we all need - I speak as an avid fan of Wireless.

So after placing the order at 4.15pm on the 8th it arrived today (10th). Less than 48 hours. Great service, the Jinster was so giddy this morning. I awoke to the sight of her jumping up & down with uncontrolled glee and a package in her hands that was undoubtedly some serious kit ;)

Having watched my parents in law equally gidddy yesterday with the arrival of their Mac it was a weird sense of I deja-vu I experienced as The Jinster squeeled with delight. So being the Mac Freak that I am I decided to record the experience. Here's the timespan of delight for another satisfied convert.....











As you can see, quite chuffed. I've been unable to pry her away from it. All good then.....

So that's my In Laws and my lovely Wife fixed up with new Intel Macs....

Errrrr about that new Quad Xeon with 16GB I fancied..

Peace

Migz

New Album: "Civilization 2012" Track Title: "What Is The Question?"

What is The Question?

Dub Electronica for the 21st Century. The first track to be completed from my new album Civilization 2012 featuring a sample of the late, great and sadly missed Terence McKenna. Posted today to archive.org.

It's good to have the creative drive well & truly back in place. Logic Pro has helped me more than a clever little piece of code has any right to (If little pieces of code have any rights that is: discuss), not only has it managed to draw me back into making music on a pretty much daily basis; it's also helped me to make the music I'd always wanted to make.

The sonic possibilities seem endless - as I suppose the advertising blub for any sequencing software will always state. But in Logic's case I can say {IMHO} that statement seems to be true.

"The sonic possibilities are endless..."

My productions have taken a massive leap forward from a production point of view. The Jinster has even commented on such with the beautiful phrase "Everything just sounds fatter.."

True enough. The sounds are "fatter" "dirtier" "funkier" and all the other qualities you (well certainly I) want from a track. I think more than any other program I've used it inspires me to create. The quality of the plug-ins are just breathtaking. For the new album one of the guiding precepts was the "Totally Soft" approach. One of the many coincidences recently (a full list to be published here) was my good friend Ben bringing this months copy of a well known Techy music making magazine featuring an article on going "Totally Soft" ie not using outboard gear (Synths, Drum Machines, Reverbs, Mixers etc) instead use software versions. The argument "real vs soft"(whatever real is) has raged for years and will continue to do so until the end of time I'm sure. The tag line read

"The totally software studio, with sound quality at least as good as that offered by studio hardware, is now more feasible than ever before. But what are the factors to consider if you're going to go completely 'soft'?"

I sold my last remaining real synth recently. My Access Virus C was a much loved but unfortunately much neglected synth module. When Logic Pro came along everything changed. I couldn't justify keeping the Virus when I wasn't even using it - especially since we were in the process of moving to our beautiful new home in Ibiza. And amazing synth that the Virus was, why keep something you don't even turn on?

Yes I could've kept it for "old times sake" but seeing as I could sell it for the same price I paid for it, over 18 months ago, and if I paid for shipping it over to Ibiza then never used it.... it was a no brainer. Well it was a no brainer when Logic sounded like it sounded (and continues to sound). Bye bye Virus. Hello world of the totally soft. Just Code baby that's all we got...

Well apart from my input device (I like to call it a Keyboard) the funky little Remote 25 and my Amp & Monitors etc my Studio is "Soft". This would have been science fiction not too many years ago. But now thanks to our mastery of technology and the invention and subsequent mass production of the CPU we have a fully functional Pro Audio Studio in a gorgeous little (well seventeen inches if you want to be pedantic) laptop.

So armed to the teeth with kick ass software I began. What Is The Question is the first track to be completed. In the fortnight that I've owned Logic I think I've started 9 tracks. A couple were vying for the "first completed track in Logic Pro" title, but in the end "What is The Question" just sneaked ahead of "Berlin".

It's a dubby electronic production number, that will always remind me of the lovely little house in Baildon that we rented for 12 weeks while we were sorting out our future Ibiza life. If you're a fan of Terence McKenna (and if you're not, you should check him) you'll recognize his dulcet tones immediately. It weighs in at just under 5 minutes and it's quite a trip. The idea was to build a groove on his distinctive voice then layer dubbed out synth lines and tightly focused rhythms. The Jinster called it "trippy". That'll do for me....

Enjoy.

Peace

Migz

Music - Todays Playlist

Well it's Thursday and here on the Terrace that usually means me hitting the decks and spinning some of my favourites. I'm lucky enough to get music sent to me by Labels / Distributors so I'm never short of new stuff to listen to, but Thursdays are kinda special (full details why on Civilization 2012 shortly) so I tend to play stuff I love on Thursdays rather than just hitting the fresh stuff. If a Tune makes the cut for today's playlist it's special.

• Issst (Nathan Fake Remix) - Tiefschwarz
  
• Original Ft Smallboy - Tiefschwarz
  
• Strangest Things (M.A.N.D.Y Remix) - Freeform Five
  
• Strange Fruit - Nina Simone
  
• Dream Machine feat. Sean Hayes - Mark Farina
  
• Galvanize (Abe Duque Remix) - The Chemical Brothers
  
• My Love Is Systematic (John Dahlback Remix) - Marc Romboy
  
• Live in Copenhagen - Trentemoller
  
• Never See More - Cagedbaby
  
• I Get Lifted - Frankie Knuckles vs Barbara Tucker
  
• Big Day (Booka Shade Remix) - Tahiti
  
• Timmy's Turn - Motion 040
  
• Fly (Miguel Ramirez Mix) - Tiefschwarz
  
• Dust (Miguel Ramirez Mix) - Recloose
  
• Electromagnetic (Freeform Reform) - Freeform Five
  
• Freakin (Robert Babicz Remix) - Marc Romboy Vs Blake Baxter
  
• Blood (Tiefschwarz Remix) - Lopazz
  
• Shake It (Original) - Jason Hodges
  
• Erotic Discourse (Miguel Ramirez Mix) - Paul Woolford
  
• Berlin - Caged Baby
  
• Get There Tonight - Recloose
  
• My Personal Jesus - Zoo Brazil
  
• Yamore (Luciano Remix) - Salif Keita
  
• Byte the frog - Steve Bug & Tanzmann
  
• Miranda - Marc Romboy Vs Stephan Bodzin
  
• Mana's Bounce - Recloose
  
• Friend for a Night - Booka Shade
  
• Say What - Trevor Loveys
  
• Pleasure seeker - Elektrochemie
  
• Melopia Funk (Nu Edit) - Altz
  
• Easy - Freeform Five
  
• Red Hot - Solid Groove & Sinden
  
• That Shit Was... (Original Mix) - Mike Monday
  
• I Can Feel It - Lawnchair Generals
  
• Big One (Original Mix) - Elektrochemie
  
• Lose Body Control (In Tha Club) - Missy Elliot And M.A.N.D.Y.
  
• Nam Nam - Trentemoller
  
• Samba - Tomboy
  
• Get On Downz - Switch (Dave Taylor/Trevor Loveys)
  
• New Disease - Riton
  
• Homeless - Riton
  

Riton still doing it for me, Trentemoller (but that almost goes without saying) and Recloose all baking my noodles. If you haven't heard these tunes you really should try to make time to. Unless of course you think that today's electronic music is and I quote "Just Squeeks, Blips and Farts" in which case I'd suggest listening really carefully to Riton's "New Disease".

Yes Reg. We mean You.

Windoze Vista

Windoze Vista - the excitement never starts. Unfortunately as you are all no doubt aware it keeps getting delayed, and delayed, and delayed. Ah well, good things come to those who wait right? Yawn.

Here's what the Vista users have to look forward to when it finally arrives {LMAO}

Microsoft Vista Demo

Peace

Flickr Toys & Slideshows

Studio Pieces,
originally uploaded by Miguel Ramirez.

A nice little effect I found on Flickr Toys. My creative hub in Hockney style. Found a couple of excellent Flickr Toys in the last few days. The Hockneyizer and the Slideshow.

Check 'em - you won't be disapointed.

While I'm in slideshow mood here's my favourites from Flickr. There are some lovely people posting on there, shouts go out to Jilicious and Lady Kubricka.

We Love Space Sunday 23rd July

Space Sunday,
originally uploaded by Miguel Ramirez.

Ah - Space. A night club that opens during the day. A place full of happy, ridiculously friendly, mind blowingly gorgeous clubbers: all on the same vibe, all up for a great time, all TOTALLY into the MUSIC. Does it get any better? Well no actually it doesn't.


We'd arrived back home after a brief visit to the UK sorting sh*t out. After arriving 6 hours late thanks to Jet2 (or is that Shat2?) we'd missed lunch, our evening meal and our favourite part of Space Sundays (the day!). My head was thumping since all I'd had to eat all day was a packet of crisps & a danish. Not to be deterred we quickly showered, changed and headed for sustenance. One of our favourite places to eat in Talamanca is the Andalucia - it's a bar / cafe just down the road from the Lux Isla that's very popular with the locals (the photo's from last year and it's out of season - it's busier than this normally!) The owners are truly Ibicencan - warm & friendly and the food is just amazing. After a stunning meal that really hit the spot (food always tastes even better when you're really hungry don't you think?) we walked into town, grabbed a taxi and headed to Space.

Coincidently - mmmm how does this work? Wooly (Paul Woolford aka Bobby Peru) was on the same Shat2 flight we were on. I'd met Paul briefly in my previous life when I worked in Leeds, he'd just finished a 6 hour back to back set with Ralph (Lawson) at Basics and had gone straight from there to the airport. He wasn't playing 'till 11pm and we thought we'd catch his set easily. Unfortunately due to the delays by the time we got there we'd missed him. Having said that we spent most of the night in / on the Terrace (Wooly was playing in the Main Room with Jeff Mills).

"Shit here isn't it?" said a lovely friendly fella to me with a huge grin on his face. Beautiful Baleric people were rhythmically bouncing and shaking to dirty, chunky house music. Everywhere you looked your eye caught another's. Smiles beamed back and forth, stunningly dressed clubbers were getting hot & sweaty wherever you looked. Space is COSMOPOLITAN - no question. You dance, mingle & socialise with people from every conceivable corner of the world. The phrase Global Underground was coined to describe this feeling. There are millions of like minded people getting together every weekend and having a great time. Language is no barrier, sexuality is no barrier, colour & creed is no barrier. I believe Music truly is the Global Language.

Space always works it's magic, every time we go we feel reborn. Our favourite club - definately.

Peace & Love to everyone there that night. Wooly - we'll catch you next week :)

Mac Freak: Links

Great week. Before I get into this weeks stuff here's a couple of links for all you Mac freaks out there....

An amazing Apple 30th Aniversary Video I picked up from here Tauquil

Props out to Aaron for putting the video together - great work fella :)

And I couldn't resist this Mac Light Saber Now my 17" Powerbook doubles as a Jedi weapon when it's not making music or blogging ;)

Logic Pro: ES2 Soft Synth

ES2 - The best synth I've ever used.

Logic Pro has totally blown me away. I've only had it 3 days and I can honestly say I'm gob smacked. I've been using computer sequencing packages since Steinberg made Pro 16 for the Commodore 64 way way back in pre history. I think it was during the late Pleistocene Era that early copies of this software were released - or it may have been 1985 but whenever it was it came on a floppy disc considerably larger than a dinner plate.



Impressive eh?

Anyway in it's day Pro 16 was a masterpiece of software, in 2006 the same can be said of Logic Pro. I've just spent the last 5 hours or so in the company of the ES2 SoftSynth and it has pushed all MY creative buttons. Ridiculously expressive sounds, and fat as f**k. I know synths are subjective (what isn't?) but since this is my blog I'm allowed my opinion ;)

Just for the sake of balance though here's a few of the synths I've been lucky enough to own (or have borrowed on extended loan) so you get an idea of the competition....
These are "Real" synths not Soft:

• Korg - MS10
  
• Korg - MS20
  
• Roland - Jupiter 6
  
• Roland - Jupiter 8
  
• Roland - Juno 6
  
• Roland - TB303
  
• Sequential Circuits - Pro One
  
• Sequential Circuits - Pro Five
  
• Yamaha - DX7
  
• Yamaha - DX9
  
• Korg - Poly 800
  
• Korg - PolySix
  
• Casio - CZ101
  
• Korg - M1
  
• Korg - Wavestation
  
• Korg - Trinity V3
  
• Novation - BassStation
  
• Roland - MC202
  
• Roland - SH101 x2
  
• Access - Virus C
  

And more soft synths than you can shake a stick at including recently Albino 2, Absynth 3, Reaktor, Halion, Moog Modular - you get the picture. It was fun thinking about all the bits of kit I've had tho' :)

And I can honestly say, that easily the ES2 blows 'em all away. There are quite a few SoftSynths bundled with Logic Pro all of them pretty damn cool but the ES2...... well...... so good I needed to rant!

For me the whole point of any bit of Pro Audio gear - be it Hardware or Software is "Does it help me create?" Because let's remember boys and girls - that's the whole point. Creating. The creative process. Writing a kick ass tune. I don't want to spend days (or years) with a bit of kit that doesn't make me want to play it.

It's like when I moved from Windoze to OSX last year, suddenly I wanted to create again. I didn't spend hours (days, weeks, months - let's face it - Years, "fixing" things on my PC. I used my computer for what I bought it for - creating. Logic was the next logical (pun intended) step. Cubase is great, Ableton & Reason cool as..... but seriously folks as they now say in Talamanca:

"Once you go Mac - you never go back" :)

Peace & Love

Miguel (Mac Freak) Ramirez

The Weekend

Ah - The Weekend!

Scorchio as Channel 9 would say.

Well, they don't come much better. My beautiful Soul Mate (The Jinster), good friends, great weather, amazing sounds and a brand new sequencer for me to get to grips with.

The Jinster (above) was in full effect this weekend. Favourite quote "It's F**cked" pertaining to amongst other things: the shower in the bathroom, the can opener etc, etc... Since we stopped working for The Man life has really started all over again. We're both so chilled and feel like a whole new chapter has begun - which I suppose it has. The Book has been nagging me again (lots more on this to follow) and ideas are coming thick & fast. It really makes me wonder just how much we could all achieve if we weren't - as my brother so affectionately calls it "Wage Slaves"....

We were lucky enough to entertain one half of the Space Turkeys and I:Nerve this weekend. It got messy (it was always going to if we're honest). I:Nerve dropped a copy of his latest EP "Mystery Bags & Budgie Smugglers" - amazing dark and twisted Breaks. Hope to get audio clips up for you soon....

Anyway, Space is calling. We're viewing a property in Talamanca (Ibiza) shortly and if all goes well we'll be living by the sea on the most amazing of Islands. While we're there our favourite Club puts on it's weekend special - so it'd be rude not to drop by :) Tiefschwarz are playing as well as Jeff Mills and quite a few of my homies from Basics.... all things considered it should be a blinder. There will of course be a full review on this very blog (and subsequently posted to the Hub).

Music - Todays Playlist

Todays Playlist:

• Amplified Heart - Caged Baby


• Square Eyes (Miguel Ramirez Mix) - Riton


• Mouth (Pepe Bradock Remix) - Iz & Diz


• Complete Life ( Jazzanova Remix) - Liquid Lounge


• Damaged Goods - Riton


• Drum 'N Boogaloo (Mo Horizons Remix) - Fort Knox Five


• Say What - Trevor Loveys


• Beautiful Day (Banzai Republic Vs Trentemoller Mix) - Laid Back


• One Design - Mooli

It's a beautiful day :)

Terrace Favourite at the moment - Riton. Also as I type this, Caged Baby's "Evolution" is playing which really makes me smile, Big Thanks to my friend Frenchy for getting me hooked up with "Will See You Now". He turned me onto Tom (Caged Baby) last year and the album blows me away everytime I play it. Check my links for more info.

Also on the Music side of things I've just bought Logic Pro (much more on that later) it should arrive in the next couple of days - can't wait.

As Iain M Banks would say "Connected to the Hub" - very addictive. I'm new to the whole blogging thing and my rants will no doubt come thick & fast. But I thought "what the hell". So here it is..... Music, Nature & Philosophy will be the main topics. Oh and living in Ibiza! Much much more on that later.

Peace & Love

Miguel

The Truth

"The Truth went a stage further, holding that this was a difference that could be made to make a difference. What was necessary was for people truly to believe in their hearts, in their souls, in their minds, that they really were in a vast simulation. They had to reflect on upon this, to keep it at the forefront of their thoughts at all times and they had to gather together on occasion, with all due ceremony and solemnity, to express this belief. And they must evangelise, they must convert everybody they possibly could to this view, because - and this was the whole point - once a sufficient proportion of the people within the simulation came to acknowledge that it was a simulation, the value of the simulation to those who had set it up would disapear and the whole thing would collapse."

Iain M. Banks - "The Algebraist"