My latest addition to the AGZFX store has been released. HELL PIANO is the result of intentionally short circuiting and reverse-engineering a Fisher Price toy piano from the ’80s.
256 mono wav files recorded and edited at 24bit, 96kHz. 10 KONTAKT instruments were created from these samples. This library/instrument is great for apocalyptic sound design, scoring and electronic music production. Find out more and buy AGZFX03: Hell Piano More AGZFX Sample Libraries
Quiztones is a frequency ear training app for amateur and professional audio engineers and musicians. Quiztones uses frequency-altered tones, noise and musical loops to train your ears and help develop more acute listening and frequency recognition skills. Previously I blogged about the Quiztones app for iPhones, Now it is available on your Mac through the App Store. For more info, visit Quiztones.net.
Quiztones will…
• Sharpen your ears & frequency recognition skills
• Improve your mixing and EQ chops
• Prevent noise and frequency buildup in your mixes & recordings
• Eliminate the need to sweep for frequencies
Quiztones cleverly uses quizzes to engage users in training exercises. Track your progress with the built-in score log.
Each EQ Quiz includes four trainers:
• Easy frequency boost
• Hard frequency boost
• Hard frequency cut
• Expert frequency boost (1/3 octave)
I’m making good progress on the latest sample/instrument library product. It will be called Hell Piano.
So far it’s 256 samples and 10 KONTAKT patches. It’s recorded at 96khz and stretches very cleanly. There is actually a lot of strange sounds to be discovered by stretching. A 44.1kHz version will also be available.
Click to enlarge
What does it sound like?
“The end of the world” is the best we’ve been able to describe it. The source is a circuitbent Fisher-Price keyboard (original sounds included) from 1988. I’m still astounded by the horrific sounds that come out of electronic toys with just some slight adjustments to the circuit.
I’m hoping to have it out in the next couple weeks.
Joe Gilder from Home Studio Corner has announced HSC Production Club 2.0, the followup to his popular interactive music production course from a couple years ago. This time its a 16 week in-depth recording and mixing training course with all new content.
HSC Production Club 2.0
16 weeks
Walk through the production process from song idea/pre-production to finished master, in Joe’s home studio.
In-depth training on Pre-pro, recording, editing, mixing, mastering and more.
Live webinars
HD video content
tons of GREAT content, designed to guide you through the entire process.
Follow along at home as you work with Joe through the content.
Access to all the “classic” content from Production Club 1 (whoah! double value!)
Cool! How much?
1 time payment of $497 or 6 payments of $97
Joe has been kind enough to set up an affiliate program for his closest blogging friends. Purchases made through these links support Audio Geek Zine.
The class starts November 17, so you absolutely MUST jump on this offer right away. After the 17th you can’t get in. Consider it an early Christmas present for yourself.
Last week Ian Shepherd (productionadvice.co.uk, mastering engineer and friend of AGZ) announced the release of his first instructional E-Book Mastering with Multiband Compression.
There is a basic and enhanced edition. The enhanced version has a bonus 1hr tutorial video, and audio examples for just $10 more.
Here is the sales page: Buying through this link will support AGZ If you prefer not to donate, click here.
Ian sent me an advance copy and I was quite impressed. I sent him a short review for his sales page.
“I already use multiband compression in my mixing and mastering, but this eBook made me realize I’d been taking some things for granted. Reading it I gained new strategies, a greater understanding of the parameters and new ideas I can implement into my mastering projects right away” Jon Tidey, Audio Geek Zine
And this is the truth. Ian’s approach is different than the way I’ve taught myself to use multiband compression over the past couple years. I haven’t been doing it completely wrong but I now know why on several occasions it hasn’t worked as well as I’d hoped. Multiband compression was never as transparent as I’d like and it was so easy to overdo it. I know this is a common complaint about multiband compression and Ian’s book has the solution. The starting point, strategy and tips will change the way you misuse multiband compression.
This sample library contains the sounds from three baby pianos captured in stereo at 96kHz and at multiple velocities. Two of the pianos had 4 keys, the third had 8. Noise reduction was used to increase dynamic range. The edited WAV files (included) were used to create KONTAKT instruments that span several more octaves than the original toys. There are 5 KONTAKT instruments for each of the 3 pianos with various effects and manipulations. You will find the distinctive clink, fast transient, bright ringing and slightly off-tune sound of the baby pianos useful for music and sound design projects.
QTY: 60 Stereo audio files + 15 KONTAKT patches
Format: WAV 24 bit, 96kHz OR 44.1kHz
Price: $10
Buy here: AGZFX Sample Store
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