Posts tagged synthesizer

SYNTHPOSIUM VOL. 13 - CHALLENGE 3

FAVOURITE ALBUM OF 2012

  • Lara’s pick:  TRUST - TRST

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  • Les’ pick:  Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel…

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Check out our podcast below to hear our comments

Synthposium Vol. 13 2012 YEAR END - Challenge 3: Album of the Year by Synthposium5

-Lara

SYNTHPOSIUM VOL. 12 CHALLENGES

  1. TOP 40: Choose a song from current top 40 billboard charts and research the producer/synth use
  2. BACK TO THE MAP:  Synth in Africa
  3. PRE-SYNTH:  Find an artist who released a record sans synths, who would use synths in their later career
  4. B-SIDES/RARITIES:  Find a b-side to a top-40 single released in the synth era that deserves to be exposed

Until then, here’s a fan video for Kaskade’s “Empty Streets” featuring LED magic gloves

 

Synthposium vol. 11 Montréal Edition - Challenge 1

SCENE SURVEY:  WHICH ELECTRONIC SUB-GENRES ARE ALIVE TODAY IN MONTRÉAL?

  • Lara’s pick - liquid feeling/cinematic instrumental:  CFCF - Exercise #3 (Building)
Got to know CFCF via the Elite Gymnastics remix “Here, In Heaven 4 & 5” (which is available for download here), enjoyed the tender and frosty soundscape, looked them up and not only is he based in Montréal but he just released a stellar new EP Exercises, last week with Paper Bag Records.  Also if you dug the John Maus/Ms. 45 mashup be sure to check out CFCF/Nuits Rouges video by Alex Jones.

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  • Les’ pick - garage-influenced house:  Jacques Green - Another Girl
Jacques Greene came to our attention for his remix of Kelly Rowland’s epic slowjam “Motivation”, in which he gave a dancefloor seducer a more kinetic pulse.  His sound is distinct with his R&B samples immersed in lush ambience and fluttering beats, “Another Girl” features vocal samples by Ciara, from her cover of “Deuces” by Chris Brown.

-Lara

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Synthposium Vol 11 (Montréal edition) Challenge 1: Scene Survey by synthposium4

SYNTHPOSIUM VOL. 10 Challenge 3 - Part 1

GEAR TRENDS:  FIND MUSICIANS OF THE SAME ERA WHO USED THE SAME SYNTH AND DISCUSS HOW IT WAS USED DIFFERENTLY

  • Les’ pick:  Sequential Circuits Prophet 5

Mega-popular analog synth of the 80s: although it did not yet have a MIDI interface, it did offer patch memory, which memorized settings for individually created sounds and saved them in the internal memory.  Used by everyone from Kraftwerk to The Prodigy, the Prophet 5 was favoured for its five note polyphony, lush strings and “punchy” bass sounds.  The full string sounds create warbling and melancholy synthmospheres in these two early 80s ballads:  

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Japan - Ghosts

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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - The Romance of the Telescope

-Lara

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Synthposium Vol. 10 Challenge 3 Part 1: Gear Trends (Les) by synthposium3

Synthposium Vol. 10 Challenge 1

CHOOSE A COMPUTER PROGRAM AND DISCUSS HOW IT AFFECTS THE SOUND/USE OF THE SYNTHESIZER.

  • Les’ pick: Ableton Live (Example: Caribou - Odessa)
A program used both as a D.A.W. (Digital Audio Workstation) and as an instrument in live performance, Ableton’s Loop-based user interface enabled Caribou to explore dance music in a new way. 

  • Lara’s Pick: UJAM (Endorsed by Pharrell Williams and Hanz Zimmer)

    UJAM Brings intelligent software to a new level, allowing you to form a song from a basic melodic idea you have in your head, allowing for the music making process to be accessible to everyone. Check out a demonstration of how the software works here:

And, of course, don’t forget to tune into the podcast below!

Synthposium Vol. 10 (Equipment Ed.) Challenge 1: Software Programs by synthposium3

-Les