This tutorial looks at how to make music with Apple’s Garageband.

via PrimeLoops:

Garageband is a very powerful music-making package from Apple, and can be used to make, edit and remix many styles. Here we show you the Garageband interface, and how to get to grips with the basics.

IK Multimedia has introduced GrooveMaker for iPhone/iPod Touch, a new loop-based audio sequencer.

Everything in GrooveMaker is done in real-time. You can add, remove, and replace single or multiple loops as you listen.

If you’ve used Groovemaker, leave a comment with your thoughts!

GrooveMaker Features:

• Instantaneous control over 8 stereo loop tracks.\
• Massive loop library of drums, bass, bass-drums, lines, pads, percussion, effects included.
• Play, Mix and Randomize loops on the fly.
• Combine studio-quality loops to produce a million possible grooves.
• Manipulate loops in real time (pan, volume, mute, solo, group, tempo).
• Arrange grooves easily with drag and drop to create full-length tracks.
• Save, preview and recall your mixed tracks.
• Upload your tracks as hi-quality WAV file to your Mac/PC (Wi-Fi network required).
• Interactive Help feature allows for quick learning, simply follow the indicated steps.

There are 4 GrooveMaker applications currently available:

• GrooveMaker FREE, House and Hip-Hop styles, 125 loops included (78-125 BPM)
• GrooveMaker Club, 189 loops included (130-135-145 BPM), $4.99/€3.99
• GrooveMaker Hip-Hop, 315 loops included (80-85-90-100 BPM), $9.99/€7.99
• GrooveMaker House, 315 loops included (120-123-125-127 BPM) $9.99/€7.99

GrooveMaker apps are available at the IK Multimedia section in the Apple iTunes App Store.

More information is available at the Groovemaker site.

This video takes a look at how to extract a groove in Ableton Live 8.

via SonicAcademy:

In this weeks tech tip we should you how to extract a groove from an audio file and apply it to a MIDI clip and a drum loop, all in Ableton Live 8.

Sunday Synth Jam: This synth jam, Synth Blues Improv with Alesis Micron, is “is a blues jam obviously inspired by Vangelis Blade Runner, but it isn’t a cover. It is to show the Micron’s amazing capabilities.”

Nice, but watch out for the abrupt ending…..

via hdebbache2000:

The sounds are custom, and I’m especially proud of the brass patch.

In a while I’ll start doing some more rythmic pieces like jarre and such, for now I just wanted to master this synth, so here is a relatively simple improv. Enjoy!

This is a promo video for John Tracker’s Amiga 1200 album, Cyber Techno. All 18 tracks on the album were created on the Octomed tracker app on an Amiga 1200.

via bazartist:

Jon Tracker’s track made on the Amiga 1200 titled Cyber Techno and promotional video to assist. This track and the Amiga Album will be available on iTunes soon.

This is an interview with Sasha and John Digweed, produced for the South West Four Festival:

To coincide with their only joint UK festival performance this summer we are very pleased to bring you Sasha & John Digweeds first joint video interview in many years!

Usually shying away from video interviews we were lucky enough to catch this legendary duo on a recent trip to London. As both DJs are veterans to South West Four and as they are rarely are interviewed together, we are absolutely chuffed to be able to bring you this exclusive as the duo discuss their first joint UK festival performance together in two years, life on the road, their individual projects and more.

via LockNLoadEvents

Trance Emotions Sample Pack

This pack contains: 370 Samples sorted in categories – Kicks, Claps, Hihats, Crashes, Rides, Snares, Percussions, Basses, Synths, Effects

The file is compressed as a .rar file.

Download link (Hotfile)

via LorDBassePL

Enjoy this pack

Here’s a treat for BT fans – the new video for his latest single, Rose Of Jericho, from his upcoming album to be released on Black Hole Recordings.

BT seems to be revisiting his progressive trance past with this track, which may be just what a lot of fans are looking for.

Visuals by Scott Pagano. Details on the release below.

Here BT’s press release for Rose of Jericho:

TRANCE PIONEER BT MAKES HIS LONG-AWAITED RETURN WITH THE RELEASE OF HIS BRAND NEW SINGLE “ROSE OF JERICHO”

THREE REMIXES TO BE RELEASED VIA BEATPORT ON JUNE 9; ANOTHER THREE REMIXES TO FOLLOW ON JUNE 23

BT TEASES FANS WITH NEWS OF AN INNOVATIVE NEW IPHONE APPLICATION

Three full years since the release of his critically acclaimed experimental album This Binary Universe, BT makes his highly anticipated return to dancefloors everywhere June 9. On Tuesday, BT unveils his brand new single, “The Rose Of Jericho,” from his forthcoming full-length album due in fall. The composer, technologist and widely renowned pioneer of trance music will be rolling out three remixes of Jericho, exclusively on Beatport. Mixes include: BT’s Dues ex Machina Album Mix, Sultan and Ned Shepard Remix and Robbie Rivera New Juicy Music Mix.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve written music that I could feature in one of my Laptop Symphony sets. Not only is this track a floor-filling monster, it really features my current electronic music inspirations – minimal beats with big strong melodic and harmonic content. This track rips the A** off a dance floor. I’ve played it from Korea to Brazil, and it’s the biggest track I’ve had to play out for years.”

In other bleeding edge news, BT and his software company, Sonik Architects, are preparing to launch an innovative new iPhone application that is unlike anything else on the market. More news on this application to follow soon.

BT, born Brian Transeau, is much more than a DJ. By consistently balancing creative and memorable songwriting, sonic innovation and the latest technology for a cutting-edge yet organic sound, BT has become one of the most revolutionary artists and sought after producers on the scene. His multifaceted career ranges from scoring Pixar films, composing intricate scores with eighty-piece orchestras for films like The Fast and the Furious, remixing classics for Madonna, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos and Seal, and crafting perfect pop hooks for *NSYNC.

Fans can expect to hear more remixes of “The Rose of Jericho” on Beatport June 23 when BT releases three more remixes: Adam K and Soha, Virtual Vault and Robbie Rivera Juicy Miami After Hours Remixes. All six remixes can be found on iTunes and everywhere on June 30.

June 9th release:
1. Rose of Jericho (BT’s Deus ex Machina Album Mix)
2. Rose of Jericho (Sultan & Ned Shepard Remix)
3. Rose of Jericho (Robbie Rivera New Juicy Music Mix)

June 23rd release:
1. Rose of Jericho (Adam K & Soha Remix)
2. Rose of Jericho (Virtual Vault Remix)
3. Rose of Jericho (Robbie Rivera Juicy Miami After Hours Remix)

More music from BT’s new album to come!!

via BlackHoleRecordings

Moog Modular Trancewave 2 features sounds and images of the Moog Modular software synth.

via slices09:

This is a demo of the Trance Hands-up Electro Sample Pack.

It’s a free download. But remember what Paul van Dyk said.

Details below.

via LorDBassePL:

THE = Trance Hands-up Electro Samplepack

This samplepack contains:

- 20 Drum Construction Kits (Trance, Hands-Up, Electro…) = 115 files
- 15 Basses Root Key C (Trance, Hands-up, Electro…) = 15 files
- 30 Synths Root Key C (Leads bells pianos…)
- 1148 MIDI Trance Melodies (Various Artist: Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk…) Alphabetical Sorted.

DOWNLOAD LINK:

http://hotfile.com/dl/1291240/9a0186c..

This video captures a microtonal guitar synthesizer solo, an improvisation over a recording of Tibetan singing bowls.

Recorded April 16, 2009

via MaxRidgway

The Chase, club version, from Midnight Express.

via mik300z:

I made this track on a 22 year old 8 track sequencer, 4 synths and recorded directly onto a cd. No software used.Instruments/equipment used: (all Hardware) Ensoniq ESQ 1-Midi controller, sequencer (8 tracks )JUNO G- strings and drums JUNO 106-bassline (run through zoom effects unit for delay) JUNO 6 – melody Microkorg – melody

If Koyaanisqatsi had been set to trance music, it might have looked something like this- Art of Trance’s Swarm.

The video is full of some just incredible footage and the music seems like it’s animating the animals or pushing them to greater heights.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

via Zimaphrame:

Art Of Trance ‘Swarm’ Platipus Records 2009

Available soon

DJ and producer, Deadmau5 (Dead Mouse), talks tech with Wired.com.

It’s a bit ironic that he makes a point of saying he doesn’t like quantized beats aligned to a grid, and then reveals his “secret weapon” to be a Monome.

Overall, a good interview, with lots of geek gear talk.

via wired

Paul van Dyk and his tech team have come up with the PvD DJ App for the iPhone.

Here, van Dyk gives an overiew of the features of this new app.

Note: The app doesn’t appear to be in the app store yet, and no pricing has been announced.

via paulvandyk

This is an informal video Interview with psytrance artist Simon Posford (Hallucinogen) in the studio.

via alex4527:

This is a interview of Smon Posford( also known as Hallucinogen, Shpongle and Younger Brother) at his music studio in UK.

Part 2 below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Germany’s Paul van Dyk is looking for producers to remix his track with Giuseppe Ottaviani, Far Away, on Beatport.

The remix competition is open to producers from all genres, as van Dyk is looking for innovative, cutting-edge and thought-provoking mixes of his track.

You can download two of the track’s parts for remixing for free. To get all the parts, it costs $3.99.

I’m ambivalent about these remix contests where you basically have to pay to take part in them. While it may be another opportunity for van Dyk to make a little money, it seems like he’s asking some of his biggest fans to pay to promote his music.

van Dyk would probably get a lot more mileage out of this sort of competition if he’d release the remix parts for free, like NIN has done, and get a lot more people interested in making remixes.

Oakenfold follows a long string of electronic music artists, including NIN & Amon Tobin, to score video games.

“It was a rewarding experience to score The Bourne Conspiracy video game — I have always been a fan of the series and the pace of the game is an ideal match for my musical tempo and style,” says Oakenfold.

Here’s the official description:

Oakenfold’s intense soundtrack features his distinct style of up-tempo music and adds another tremendous layer to the game’s cinematography techniques, presentation and pacing inspired by the Bourne films. As an added feature to the game, players will be able to unlock original tracks
scored by Oakenfold and play them on demand by completing levels and achievements.

The Bourne Conspiracy is a companion to the blockbuster series with an original story that uncovers the details of Jason Bourne’s past. The third-person action game, developed by High Moon Studios, blends hunter-prey game play through a seamless mix of hand-to-hand fighting,
gunplay and dramatic escapes. The action in the game is designed around Jason Bourne’s signature combat style, with a combat system co-designed by renowned Hollywood stunt choreographer and Bourne fight coordinator, Jeff Imada.

It had better not be another A Lively Mind, is all I can say.

For fans of DJ remixes, Reconstruction Time may offer the ultimate versions of iiO’s music. The CD features the remixes of iiO’s music that helped make iiO a name in clubs around the world.

You can view the video for iiO’s Rapture, below. We’ve also got something special for Synthtopia’s dance music fans. We talked with our contact for iiO, Lucy, and arranged for a free MP3 download of Rapture 2007 (Starkillers Remix).

The remixes on Reconstruction Time are for the most part minimal techno/trance takes on the originals. They often dispense with the harmonic progression and instrumentation of the originals, making the tracks all the more hypnotic. This approach works very well with most of the tracks, especially with their hit Rapture.

iiO is young to be putting out a “best of” CD, which reveals itself in the last three tracks, a Megamix and a couple of bonus tracks. These aren’t as strong as their hits, and the CD might have been stronger with a couple of alternate remixes of their hits.

You can also check out our review of their CD Poetica, which has the original versions of these tracks.

Tracks:

• Rapture
• Is It Love
• Kiss You
• Chastity
• Tantric
• Be It
• At the End
• Megamix
• Bonus Track 1
• Bonus Track 2

ReFX has updated Nexus to version 1.3.0. Two new expansions – Store’n'Forward with UK Trance sounds and Hardstyle with Hardstyle/Hardtrance/Rave sounds have also been released.

You can preview the Nexus with the Blade Runner-esque demo, below.

New features in v1.3:

• New master effect: distortion has been added.
• New arpeggio-mode: poly has been added.
• Internal limiter has been added.
• Several ‘locks’ have been added, so specific sections (mod, arp etc.) can be protected from loading new presets.

Fixes in v1.3:

• One-time click when loading new preset has been fixed.
• Internal optimizations and minor bug fixes.

Pricing and Availability:
Nexus $299.99
Expansion packs $69.99