Dryad

I learnt a cool trick from Venetian Snares on how to use samples in a unique sounding way. It really makes simple samples sound completely sweet. He takes a typical synth hit sample, or sound effect, drum sound, whatever. Then takes a sliver out of the sample, so that its just a quick 32nd note blip of the sound. Throw that hit into a sampler, and sequence longer notes out of putting tons of the littes "hits" together, changing the variation of 32nd and 64th note accurances every once in a while. Use these glitchy "notes" in a sequence that sounds good depending on the style, IDM, psy, whatever. You can automate pitch bends into the sequence too, to get it sounding alot like an interesting patch that you could have made on a synth. From here, the way you get your sound to shape will depend on the origin of the sample (effect, vocal, drum..). Its a real interesting way of using samples in a way that no sample will ever sound the same twice. If you havn't already heard any Venetian Snares, do so (I'm sure alot of you already are pretty damn familiar with IDM). I have found that the whole world of "noise" design has a huge influence on the future of psy.

Instead of a winner put on a cd, I would love to see one of those media player things programmed into the psynews site, (You know, like that little player they have in alot of sites that plays tunes while you're logged on). I don't know shit about web design, so I don't know if something like that could be on a forum site. But it would be sweet if a whole bunch of people just uploaded their stuff into a directory that just cycled through a shit load of songs. I think it would be great to hear what people are working on, good or shit, cause it's our community that's making it. The player could have the artist and title scrolling, so people could make note of stuff they like and then contact the artist. I would love to start getting stuff from independat producers, I really WANT to hear all the great music that doesn't land up in psyshop.

yes... Yes... YES!!! GIVE ME MORE PSYFACTOR!!!

There is a festival this summer in Canada that has a lineup pretty damn close to my dream lineup: http://www.techsafari.ca/lineup.html However, for it to be totally a DREAM, I would substitute Talamasca for Juno Reactor.

i thought logic went purely mac as of recently, i.e. logic 7. you can use the older versions of logic on pc though. thats my understanding...

personally, this is my favorite album cover...

I don't know what dark soho were on when they made "light in the dark", but it sure as hell don't sound like dark soho. I hate that album, which is funny because "combustion" is like one of my top 10 albums of all time.

There is no Tomorrow, all the way! The Jellyheadz and Psyfactor tracks will ALWAYS be two of my favorite dark psy tracks of all time.

-Producing music isn't all about the time you put into experimentation, but also the time you put into listening and studying what's already out there. -Try starting tracks with a solid idea in your head, and tweak your synths until it sounds exactly the way you want it too. -Good sounds can be made by mistake, but better sounds can be made with determination and concentration. -Your tracks are NEVER done. Put a track to rest for a while and come back a few months later... You will be suprised by what can influence an old idea by taking time to let new ideas stir in your "creative cortex" -Don't produce to get on a big label, produce music for yourself. If you love it, chances are that other people will too.

I dunno about you guys, but I like doing "the car test". There's something about the acoustics of driving in your car... Whenever I finish a track, and it sounds good on the monitors, I always do "the car test" right away to see if it sounds cool in that kind of tight space where all panning effects are right in your face. It's just a little thing I do...

for psy, been hooked on these all week: RAM - Efficient Chips K.U.R.O. - Satisfaction The Delta - Send In... Send Back others: The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute Venetian Snares - Winnipeg is a Frozen Shithole Cakebuilder - Unexpected Melodies Luca Turilli - King of the Nordic Twilight

Just be careful with using samples for complex basslines, where the sample will be transposed too much. Your sound quality will stay sharper if you can actually get a patch you like and then trigger it with your pianoroll.

I find compression to be most important in your final mastering. After your track is layed out, go back and figure out what needs to come more to the forefront of the track. A quick "Multicompressor" on a finished mixdown is very useful as well. Isolate your three basic EQ bands, and individually compress them to give them a good overall mix. I suck at tutorials, just play around with different settings to get the sound you're looking for.

Black Sun Empire rules! definitely get some of that. Last summer, I heard them open up for Astral Projection at a festival, it was absolutely mind blowing. I wasn't even on anything. And yes, get some Venetian Snares! It's the work of my buddy, Aaron Funk. I think "Horse and Goat" is his best work to date, and "songs about my cats" rules too. His new one is pretty cool too, I can relate.... Winnipeg is a frozen shithole! He really is the best thing to ever come out of this screwed up city.

you got the idea right with the white. ya, vibra, and son kite... good idea. maybe some cosma too just to do the usual "rest in peace" thing at the end of the album. i think your idea of red is a little too proggy for my idea of red. (although i frickin love sensient and beat biz.) Empty Space, good selection for dark stuff. i definitely gotta throw dark soho "karbalos" in there. good call! I don't want the white to be happy psy... just enlightening... you know. (no astrix...blah!) although silicon sound can be alright sometimes. thanks for the input people. keep it comin. when its done i'll throw the mix up on an ftp for everyone to check out.