Friday, January 20, 2017

Lollapalooza Paris 2017

Lollapalooza is coming to Paris!

This year's Lollapalooza will be held in Hippodrome de Longchamp in Paris, France on July 22 & 23, 2017. For a complete list of line-up, see the awesome poster below:



Headlining the event are Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Imagine Dragons, DJ Snake, The Weekend, plus other top acts from France and the rest of European music scene today.

For more information and ticket sales, please visit their official website:

https://www.lollaparis.com (French)
https://www.lollaparis.com/en (English site)

Ticket price starting at 149.00 euros for adults and 25.00 euros for children fourteen (14 yrs. old) and below.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

The Women Of The 90s Rock, Alternative, and Grunge Scene

The 90's was truly the golden age of music in the alternative, grunge, metal, rock, and pop music scene. I realized that most of my musical influences are female or bands that have female members. It wasn't that much of a big deal but to me, it is something I truly celebrate as a musician who started out learning to play music in the 90s.



They ruled the radio, MTV, and the charts. Most of them even kicked ass than their male counterparts. More music made by women made more sense, and with lyrics or themes that are beyond testosterone or being macho. These women proved the world that gender doesn't matter when it comes to music, because each of us have our own musical tastes.

I admired and love the women of music, I am greatly influenced by them - singers, vocalists, bassists, drummers, artists, and live performers.

Friday, January 13, 2017

A Perfect Circle's "3 Libras" Is My New Cover Song

My latest upload on my YouTube channel is a cover song from A Perfect Circle. It's none other than their hit tune "3 Libras" from the Mer de Noms album.

I always wanted to play this song in the past 7 years as a solo musician, but I lacked the time and the resources to do so.

You can watch the full video by clicking on the link below:


I am tempted to cover "Judith" in the future, because it is the strongest single in the Mer De Noms album.

For now, I am ready to transcribe and record my next song. Back to my workstation!

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Mobile Recording Just Got Better with Roland Go:Mixer

Roland came up with an exciting recording device designed for portable recording using your mobile phone (Android or iOS). It's the Roland G:Mixer.

It's a pam-sized mixer/audio interface for connecting microphones, guitars, or other line-level instruments for your mobile devices and tablets. You can also use it on your laptop or desktop computer via USB.



For more info, visit the Roland website:
https://www.roland.com/us/products/gomixer/

Monday, January 9, 2017

Akai Pro Launches New Standalone MPC Hardware Ditching The Laptop - MPCX and MPC Live

A while ago, I was scrolling and checking out my Facebook newsfeed when suddenly, one of my friends posted an article about leaked images of the upcoming MPC hardware from Akai Professional, the Akai MPCX and the MPC Live. I got intrigued by the news because I've been waiting for a new drum machine/groovebox that's standalone and doesn't require a computer tethered.

As hours passes by, it seems that Akai finally revealed about their upcoming new products for NAMM 2017. And it is confirmed!
This is their new flagship model, the Akai MPCX. it is a standalone MPC that has 16 gigabytes of internal storage, it has a 10-inch screen, 8 CV/Gate output for external analog gear/synths, and more...
8 configurable CV/Gate outputs for the analog control of modular gear, such as classic synths - See more at: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-x#features
8 configurable CV/Gate outputs for the analog control of modular gear, such as classic synths - See more at: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-x#features
8 configurable CV/Gate outputs for the analog control of modular gear, such as classic synths - See more at: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-x#features
8 configurable CV/Gate outputs for the analog control of modular gear, such as classic synths - See more at: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-x#features

The portable version is the Akai MPC Live, looks like an MPC Touch but it is also standalone, and it is has rechargeable battery. You can use it anywhere without the need for a power adapter. It has a 7-inch touch screen but not much knobs. It looks thicker compared to the MPC Touch. It has also a 16 gigabyte internal storage.

Check out the video below to see what the fuzz is all about:


Both machines are capable as a software controller when hooked up to a computer via USB ports. Both models have SD card slots as well.

The MPCX will be sold at a suggested price of $2,999.00 while the portable MPC Live is priced at $1,999.00

I am really looking forward to see these real soon. I would love to try them out at a nearby music store/showroom. This is a perfect machine for live performance.

For more information and further details, check out the entire specs from the Akai Professional website:

MPCX: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-x

MPC Live: http://www.akaipro.com/product/mpc-live

Downgrade From MacOS Sierra to Yosemite

Last week, I was compelled to upgrade my system from Mac OS X Mavericks to MacOS Sierra because most of my new hardware and software no longer supports older operating system. It was also my opportunity to tidy things up on my computer, a fresh install would make my laptop faster and like new.

After I finished installing and running MacOS Sierra, I immediately installed Propellerhead Reason 8, Ableton Live Lite, and Native Instruments Maschine with Komplete Selection.



I also checked right away if my new audio interface, the Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd gen) will be detected and easily configured on the audio input/output settings of my DAW. It turns out that I have to put up an aggregate audio device so that the record/line input form my soundcard can be used on Reason 8 and Ableton Live. I had difficulty recording guitar tracks and bass parts using real music instruments. I also noticed latency problems and the operating system hogs a lot of my RAM and CPU.

So, I decided to do another reformat. I installed Mac OS X Yosemite instead of Mavericks, the newer system meets the minimum system requirements of my music applications.

I might upgrade to a newer operating system in the future if my laptop will be upgraded with SSD hard drive and additional memory modules. MacOS Sierra seems to run flawlessly on faster laptops or newer machines. For now, I'll stick to what works best for me.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Generation) Unboxing and Testing

I just made an unboxing video of my recently purchased recording device, the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. It's a 2-in/2-out USB audio interface suited for recording instruments analog signal like guitars, bass, keyboards, or vocals.

I also gave it a dry run and testing with a guitar running in Propellerhead Reason.

Watch the video below:


The reason I decided to buy the Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) is because I've read a lot of good reviews and feedback from users. It is recommended for musicians and producers who need an interface for recording guitar parts, and it is very affordable. I like the built of the device, the case is made up of aluminum that makes it sturdy and tough.

I bought it at Woodbrass music store in Paris (http://www.woodbrass.com) which is just a few blocks away from home. I've already recorded a couple of tracks with the Scarlett Solo.

I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an affordable USB audio interface for recording at home or outdoors because it is USB bus-powered and has low latency. Works great on my late 2011 Macbook Pro (stock RAM and hard drive).