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http://www.crysonic.com/
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Nomad Factory's ECHOES - ANALOG ECHO BOX $49!
ECHOES - ANALOG ECHO BOX
"Nomad Factory is proud to introduce ECHOES, a new Analog Echo Box plug-in designed to give you the warmth and richness of classic vintage delay effects.
ECHOES faithfully models the greatest delay effects of all time, PLX-1 based on* Echoplex® 1, PLX-3 based on* Echoplex 3, OILCAN based on* Tel-Ray® Oilcan Delay, EHX-DM based on* Electro Harmonix® Deluxe Memory Man, and ADM-2 based on* Boss® DM-2 Analog Delay.
Following the philosophy behind Nomad Factory’s hit Magnetic plug-in, ECHOES not only sounds amazing, but it is designed to be very easy to use. Unlike many other delay plug-ins that have dozens of unnecessary knobs and confusing parameters, ECHOES has captured the essence of the original effects by keeping it simple. With the turn of a few knobs, the plug-in delivers musical results and instant analog delay satisfaction!"
ECHOES is currently on Sale for $49 at DontCrack's website:
Sonnox Oxford Inflator with My Video Example
The Sonnox Inflator plugin (part of the Sonnox Elite Bundle) is a loudness enhancer but operates differently than a limiter. A limiter reduces the dynamic range and then raises the overall level of the signal. the Inflator also raises the average (RMS) level of the signal but doesn't change the dynamics of the music. So you can make your mix louder but without it having that squashed lifeless sound. When used in conjunction with proper limiting it will give much better results than just using a limiter by itself.
The Inflator controls consist of INPUT, EFFECT, CURVE and OUTPUT. There are also CLIP 0dBr, BAND SPLIT and an IN button (bypass). The INPUT fader sets the level of the signal entering the plugin and should usually be set at Odb. It can be set above Odb to overdrive the plugin for distortion effects. The EFFECT slider controls how much enhancement is added by the plugin. The range is 0 to 100%. The CURVE slider adjusts the processing nature of the plugin (i.e. less/more pronounced). The output slider sets the output of the plugin. This s definitely needed when inserting other plugins after the inflator. The CLIP 0dBr button when lit prevents clipping by restricting the maximum output of the Inflator to Odb digital. When turned off this button allows the plugin to be overdriven at will. Also when the CLIP 0dBr is de-selected the input meter levels will show how much overdrive is being added to the signal. The BAND SPLIT button selects between full bandwidth processing and splitting the signal into LF (low frequency), MF (mid frequency) and HF (high frequency) bands. In most cases it's best to leave this de-selected but feel free to experiment.
This plugin is usable on the stereo buss, group aux or even individual sounds especially when overdriving the Inflator to add not just level but harmonics to the sound.
A good starting point is to set the effect to 100% and the curve at 0. Also set the INPUT and OUTPUT to 0. Now play your song or mix and listen to what the Inflator is doing to the sound. Adjust the curve to see how it changes the perceived loudness and texture of the sound. When set to the minimum of -50 the Curve has the effect of increased harmonic content but less perceived loudness. It also tends to emphasize the louder more present elements of the song/mix and reduce the level of the softer more ambient parts. This setting works well to enhance drums and percussion. To get maximum effect and that "in your face" sound push the CURVE slider to +50. This increases the Inflator's behavior on the sound to maximum effect but be warned it can drastically change the spectral balance of your mix. Once again experiment with different settings for best results. Below is a clip showing the Inflator being used on a track (produced by Carlisle Young) along with the Waves L3.
Here's a link to Sonnox' website where you can download a demo or purchase the Inflator:
http://www.sonnoxplugins.com/pub/plugins/products/inflator.htm
Jury can see Michael Jackson autopsy photos in his doctor's trial
California Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor ruled Thursday that two autopsy photos of Michael Jackson can be submitted as evidence during the upcoming trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, a person inside the courtroom told CNN.
Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, with authorities alleging that he gave Jackson the drug propofol, which the Los Angeles County coroner ruled caused the singer's death June 25, 2009.
Jury selection in Murray's trial began last month and will continue into early May. Opening statements and testimony are scheduled to begin May 9.
The defense has argued that Jackson self-administered the propofol in a desperate attempt to get sleep before a rehearsal.
Murray told investigators that he was trying to wean Jackson off propofol in the last days of his life but that he used it along with other drugs to help the pop star sleep that last morning.
The defense claims that the singer's dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, injected Jackson with powerful painkillers dozens of times in the last months of his life, unknown to Murray.
The Medical Board of California and Los Angeles County coroner investigated Klein after Jackson's death, but he was never charged, and no action was taken to revoke his medical license.
This month, Michael Jackson's dermatologist was ordered to give copies of the pop star's medical records to Murray's attorneys.
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff argued that he needed the financial and medical information to make the case that Jackson, who he said was "a desperate man in many respects," gave himself the fatal dose of surgical anesthesia while the doctor was not watching.
Pastor did not order estate executors to give the defense detailed financial information about money the singer owed when he died. But he said Jackson's former business manager, Tohme Tohme, must testify in Murray's trial.
Transient Shaper plugin
The Transient Shaper from Schaack Audio Technologies is a plugin that works on the same principle as the SPL Transient Designer but with an added touch. It has a DRIVE control that adds saturation to the signal.As it's name suggests the Transient Shaper alllows you to shape the transients by increasing/decreasing the sound's attack and release envelopes. The controls consist of an ATTACK knob, a RELEASE knob, a DRIVE control (which is used to add the saturation I mentioned earlier) and an output GAIN knob.
Both the ATTACK and RELEASEe controls feature 3 different shapes: sharp (sharper faster transients), mid and soft (softer rounder transients). The ATTACK increases when turned clockwise and decreases counter clockwise. The same goes for the RELEASE except that it affects the sustain or release envelope of the sound. I've actually used it to remove some of the reverb from drum sounds that were recorded with too much reverb on them. You can also use an expander/gate to de-verb sounds but the Transient Shaper sounds more natural to me. The DRIVE control adjusts the amount of saturation that's added to the sound. This adds a more analog texture and also softens the peaks to give you more level without clipping the channel (reminds me of tracking to tape) . When turned fully counterclockwise it has no effect. The LED below the DRIVE knob indicates when saturation is being added.
The GAIN knob adjusts the output level of the plugin and should be adjusted last. It is not active when the plugin is bypassed so you can easily match levels when comparing the sound before and after processing. For more precise control hold down SHIFT when making adjustments. The plugin provides two views BIG and SMALL. The SMALL view shows only the controls and takes up much less screen real estate. I wish all plugins did this.
For more info, audio demos and to download a copy of the Transient Shaper visit:
http://www.schaack-audio.com/transientshaper.html
'American Idol' Masters an Album Each Week at Bernie Grundman's
Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, Calif., reports it hosts weekly mastering sessions for the long-running Fox TV variety series, American Idol, in which Brian "Big Bass" Gardner masters a new album of songs by the show's contestants. On Friday, Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, meets with competing contestants to go over the song possibilities, and each one picks a song. Over the weekend, they track with top producers, including Rodney Jerkins, Jim Johnson, Ron Fair, Tricky, Rock Mafia, Don Was, Toby Gad, Dallas Austin, Harvey Mason, Jr., and Ryan Tedder.
Pictured in session at Bernie Grundman Mastering are, from left, Interscope/American Idol music production supervisor Chuck Reed, recording engineer Jose Alcantar, and mastering engineer Brian "Big Bass" Gardner.
Photo: David Goggin
"The artists come in and record vocals for the full song version which will be on the week's download album," explains Chuck Reed, Interscope VP of Recording Operations and the show's music production supervisor. "We also record stems to incorporate with the live band, which is a shorter version for on air. The full album version is mixed and then mastered on Tuesday morning for download after each show."
As of January 2011, American Idol is said to be the most-watched TV series in the Nielsen ratings and the only program to have been Number One for six consecutive seasons.
"We master each week's album at Bernie Grundman's with Brian 'Big Bass' Gardner," says Reed, "because he is a great mastering engineer in every genre from hip-hop to jazz. He knows all the styles on 'Idol,' including pop, R&B, rock and country. In fact, this week we mastered Creedence Clearwater's 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain,' and Brian had mastered the original back in 1970."
In the current season, music producer Jimmy Iovine appears behind-the-scenes working with and lending his expertise to the contestants as they compete to become the next American Idol. New judges for 2011 are Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, joined by returning judge Randy Jackson.
Innovason Unveils New Eclipse GT Digital Mixing Console
Innovason of Plougoumelen, France, has unveiled Eclipse GT, the latest incarnation of its Eclipse digital mixing console. Eclipse GT offers a new look and an optimized feature set.
Innovason Eclipse GT
Eclipse GT integrates a side rail to facilitate moving and carrying, as well as red LEDs in the sidecheeks (which may be switched off if necessary) and the signature Innovason red trackball. The company says that it selected all of the knobs and faders "to give the desk a significantly more expensive 'feel.'"
The Eclipse GT also has the ability to control and memorize all the parameters used by Neumann/Sennheiser's digital microphones.
The Eclipse GT further retains features found in the original Eclipse console, such as the M.A.R.S. onboard multitrack recorder, Virtual Soundcheck and the Broadway function for seamless changeover from a live to a recorded soundtrack. The M.A.R.S. system also acts as a redundant control computer and can take over all control and display functions. Eclipse GT also retains Innovason’s way of working with the SmartFade and Smart-Panel features for maximum flexibility and configurability without having to resort to the use of layers.
Kanye West's Charity Foundation Closed
Kanye West's charity foundation has been shut down for unknown reasons. The Stronger hitmaker's organization, which was created by his late mother to combat the high school drop-out rate across America, was in operation for four years. Former executive director, Joseph Collins, alerted his associates by email last month (Mar11). He wrote, “I am reaching out to let you know that the Kanye West Foundation has officially closed it doors after a successful 4+ years of programming and events. “It has been an incredible experience working with Kanye and the board to realize his mother’s vision and I am honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the Foundation." West's mother, Donda, passed away in 2007.
Ahmed Rashid on negotiating with the Taliban
Intrepid Pakistani author and journalist Ahmed Rashid wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times describing the Obama administration's secret decision to ramp up talks with the Afghan Taliban, trying to find a negotiated solution to a decade-long conflict. In a follow-up phone call, Rashid said that the Obama administration ought to announce these talks publicly and pressure Afghanistan's neighbors to get behind them.
Amar C. Bakshi: What is the shift in U.S. policy toward Afghanistan?
Ahmed Rashid: For a very long time there was a lot of division about whether the U.S.would talk to the Taliban or not. Those divisions have now more or less ended. There is much greater determination to set in motion not just secret talks but everything around it that has to happen.
For example, the Taliban are very keen to open an office somewhere in one of the Gulf countries or maybe Turkey. There is nowU.S.support for that. There would presumably be international support for that also. These are the kinds of steps that are needed to get a political process going.
There is the acknowledgement that an over-dependence on a military strategy is not going to work in the long-term. Secondly, the economic and international situation is really not in favor of a long-term military strategy. What is needed now very much is a political strategy. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton herself has said this several times in the past few weeks.
What would a deal with the Taliban look like?
We are a very, very long way away from that. Many questions are being raised. For example, would there be a power-sharing with the present government? How would it take place? How would the constitution accommodate something like that? There are all sorts of social and legal issues about the constitution and Islamic law.
One of the key steps that the Americans have taken is that for the last two years or so, the Obama administration has been talking about preconditions – that the Taliban has to renounce Al Qaeda, accept the constitution and President Karzai. Now what we’re seeing is that talks are going on without any preconditions. These preconditions, or red lines, are something that everyone assumes will be accepted by the Taliban at the end of the talks rather than at the beginning. That is a very positive thing because I don’t think either side could go into their talks with their preconditions.
There are Taliban preconditions that seem to be watered down too because the Taliban were insisting that they wouldn’t talk until the American forces started to leave. But they seem to be willing to put that aside for the time being.
Why is this shift happening now?
The overall international and economic situation is very, very dire. First of all, the majority of European countries want to pull their troops out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible and that includes some of the leading nations like Britain, Germany and Canada.
Economically they can’t do it. They’re cutting their defense budgets. They are in recession.
And secondly the huge expenditure by the Americans themselves: Something like $108 billion is going to be spent on Afghanistan this year on the war effort. This is clearly not sustainable with all the economic crises that President Obama is facing right now.
What can the U.S. do to help make India and Pakistan see eye-to-eye on Afghanistan?
That is obviously a very crucial part of it. The big tussles going on over Afghanistan right now is between India and Pakistan in a battle for influence there. I think the U.S. needs to play a more upfront role – privately at least – to bring the two countries together if not on the other issues that divide them like Kashmir and larger issues, then certainly on Afghanistan. I think that’s very doable.
The more we get into this endgame and negotiations - the more the world realizes that the Americans are talking to the Taliban - I think it becomes very imperative for both the governments in India and Pakistan to accept the fact that they will have to work with each other if they want to be part of the ultimate equation.
Does Pakistan want to see stability in Afghanistan?
Pakistanis very keen to see stability in Afghanistan. An end to the war in Afghanistan could have a very dramatic effect on containing terrorism inside Pakistan too and containing the Pakistani Taliban. So I think Pakistanis very keen to see stability.
The question at the moment is: If the U.S. is going to take the lead – or the United Nations or whoever we are going to see in the months ahead take the lead on this – they have to bring together all the neighboring countries, of which Pakistan is probably by far the most important, but all of the neighboring countries have to agree to some king of on non-interference in Afghanistan.
Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia are being exacerbated by upheavals throughout the Middle East. How might Saudi Arabia and Iran see eye-to-eye in Afghanistan?
For the last 30 years, Saudi Arabia and Iran have been rivals in Afghanistan. For example, the Saudis backed the Taliban regime in the 90s. The Iranians very strongly opposed it.
The point right now is that with the tensions in the Gulf - the Saudis accusing the Iranians of destabilizing Bahrain and Saudi Arabia– they are both searching for allies.
The Saudis have recently been approaching the Afghans and the Pakistanis to ally with them against Iran. That is something that neither country can afford to do – neitherAfghanistannorPakistan. Secondly, you need the compliance of both Saudi Arabia and Iran for any eventual Afghan peace settlement.
So taking sides on this Iran-Saudi dispute in the region is not a good idea. It is not very helpful, especially if you want to bring the two countries into the peace agreement.
So a major diplomatic lift is needed?
Yes, absolutely. We’re talking about a huge diplomatic effort, which the former U.S. Af-Pak Special Envoy, Richard Holbrooke, had started. It needs a very big push by the United States, NATO and the European countries.
It needs some public diplomacy. Things need to be done and said in public so that people around the world can see that there is movement on this. As well, of course, a great deal of private diplomacy is needed such as dealing with this Iran-Saudi Arabia issue, bringing India and Pakistan together. A mixture of private and public diplomacy is needed.
We might see some of that public diplomacy in July when President Obama marks the withdrawal of some U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
The quicker the United States gets on with this, the better it is going to be. One of the big steps it should take in the public realm is admitting that the U.S. is having talks with the Taliban and set out a roadmap as to what the President would like to see. The quicker we see the administration doing this, the faster this process will move.
Kirstie Alley Caught in the Act
Actress, dancer – and deejay?Kirstie Alley has a new gig! TheDancing with the Starscontestant went from the parquet to the Colony, an L.A. nightclub, where she surprised the crowd and spun hip-hop music under the name DJ Lil Buttercup. Alley's deejay gig drew out fellowDWTS competitors, includingKendra Wilkinson, her hubby Hank Baskett, and Romeo, as well as Cheryl Burke.
Rare Sex Pistols disc is 'most valuable vinyl'
A rare recording of God Save the Queen by the Sex Pistols has been named the most valuable vinyl disc of all time, with experts saying it is worth £8,000.
The single was originally produced by A&M Records. But the group were dropped before it was released and most of the copies were destroyed.
Record Collector magazine have compiled a list of the 51 most collectible vinyl records.
The Rolling Stones and the Beatles both feature in the top five.
"There is something of an investment market in mint-condition copies of iconic albums," said Record Collector editor Ian McCann.
"The problem is people love them and play them to death, making it increasingly rare to find them in mint condition."
The Beatles' Please Please Me on the Black and Gold label is ranked in second place with an estimated value of £3,500, while the Rolling Stones self-titled debut record from 1964 - valued at £1,000 - is fifth.
Between them on the countdown are jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley's self-titled album from 1957 and rocker Wil Malone's own self-titled release from 1970.
Andy Warhol self-portrait could fetch $40m
An Andy Warhol self-portrait completed shortly before his death is expected to sell for up to $40m (£24.3m) at a New York auction next month.
Painted in 1986, Self-Portrait was among the last to be exhibited before he died after routine surgery aged 58.
The red-on-black piece, measuring nearly 3m per side, is considered a landmark work by the American pop artist.
The painting wil go under the hammer on 11 May.
Of the large self-portraits Warhol painted in 1986, the other six are all in museums or in collections.
"It is a rare event that a work of this grandeur and stature comes to market," said Amy Cappellazzo of Christie's.
"With all the other examples in museums, it will be the last chance that buyers will have to bid on a work that shifted art history."
The current record price for a Warhol self-portrait is $32.6m (£19.8m) set last May in Sotheby's in New York.
In February another self-portrait of the artist sold for £10.79m ($17.44m) at Christie's in London.
Jackson estate settles with Heal the World charity
Michael Jackson's estate has reached a settlement with the Heal the World Foundation (HTWF) over use of the late singer's image and likeness.
The estate sued the charity in 2009, alleging it had misused trademarks to create an association with Jackson's now defunct charity of the same name.
HTWF said Jackson's lawyers had given it permission to run the foundation in 2005.
The charity can no longer use the Heal the World name or Jackson's likeness.
The deal came as a trial was due to begin in a bid to decide ownership of trademarks.
Jackson's estate had sought to block the use of words and phrases associated with the star, including "King of Pop" and "Thriller".
The foundation had registered a number of Jackson-related trademarks, applied for a further 41 and sold merchandise using them.
The settlement calls for Jackson's estate to retain the rights to the Heal the World charity and rights to any trademarks the current foundation held.
Jackson founded Heal the World in 1992 but later abandoned it as he fought child abuse allegations.
HTWF's current director, Melissa Johnson, claimed one of Jackson's former lawyers told her the pop star wanted her to run the foundation in 2005.
Jackson's three children also collaborated with the charity, sitting on its youth board of advisors.
Johnson's lawyer has so far yet to comment on the settlement.
Sick Penrith woman 'dropped' in freezing sea
A seriously ill Cumbrian woman was dropped into freezing sea waters from a cruise ship as paramedics tried to transfer her to a waiting vessel.
Grandmother Janet Richardson, 73, was on a cruise along the coast of Norway when she became ill.
After being treated onboard, local paramedics were called. As they tried to transfer her to the lifeboat she fell into the sea.
She is currently being treated at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.
It is believed Mrs Richardson was submerged in sub zero temperatures for several minutes before she was rescued.
Mrs Richardson became ill on board the Ocean Countess after sailing from Hull on 20 March.
After being assessed it was decided she should be taken to hospital on shore.
Boats moved apart
Despite the ship being equipped with a helipad, a sea rescue was launched.
According to eyewitness reports, as the paramedics were moving her from the ship to the lifeboat, the boats moved apart and Mrs Richardson fell into the sea.
Colin Prescott, from Burscough, Lancashire, was with his wife Sheila on board the ship with the Richardsons.
He said: "The vessels, which hadn't been latched together, suddenly moved apart by several feet just as they were transferring her, which caused the rescue crews to drop the stretcher into the sea.
"We had been told the sea was about minus three degrees that day.
"The rescue boat came back round to pick her up and she was taken to hospital, but she was in the water for about eight minutes or so."
A spokesman for Cruise and Maritime Voyages, which operates the service, said Mrs Richardson was suffering from internal bleeding and an emergency call was made by the ship to the Norwegian Rescue Authorities.
He said: "A rescue craft was provided by the authorities and whilst the rescue crews were seeking to transfer the stretcher into the rescue craft Mrs Richardson fell into the water.
"Mrs Richardson was rescued and immediately transferred to the Norwegian port of Bodo, approximately two nautical miles away and was transferred to the local hospital."
Cruise and Maritime Voyages said they did not own the ship, but confirmed a full investigation was taking place.
The Ocean Countess is part of the Majestic International Cruises fleet and is on charter to Cruise and Maritime Voyages in the UK.
iPhone Tracking Is All A Big Mistake, Says Researcher
The iPhone tracking issue that’s causing a big privacy stink isn’t new and isn’t really tracking users, says an iOS forensics researcher.
It’s actually a data file that is used internally by the iPhone to do things like geo-tag photos, and it’s been in iOS for a long time (in a different form).
However, the file has become more accessible than it used to be because it’s now used by third-party apps that require location data.
What’s new is a nifty extraction tool called iPhoneTracker that pulls the data off your hard drive and makes a striking map out of it. iPhoneTracker was released this week at O’Reilly’s Where 2.0 conference, causing a huge outcry about privacy and prompting U.S. Senator Al Franken to write to Steve Jobs.
“It is not secret, malicious, or hidden,” writes Alex Levinson, an iOS forensics researcher.
iOS forensics expert Alex Levinson
Levinson is a senior engineer for Katana Forensics, which publishes Lantern, an iOS forensic application.
According to Levinson, the offending file, consolidated.db, is a database of radio logs that includes geolocational data.
The file used to be known as h-cells.plist, and was hidden away from users and applications inside the inaccessible Library folder (Levinson said he used to access this file forensically for police looking for location evidence).
But when Apple added multitasking to iOS 4 last year, this file was made accessible to third-party apps to operate in the background. It moved out of the hard-to-access Library folder and became part of iOS’sMultitasking and Background Location Services.
“Because of these new APIs and the sandbox design of 3rd party applications, Apple had to move access to this data,” Levinson writes.
He notes that on the iPhone or 3G iPad, users still have full control of their location data. They are able to turn location on and off for individual apps using the Settings menu on their device. “That does not stop the generation of these logs, however, it simply prevents applications from utilizing the APIs to access the data.”
Levinson, notes that Apple isn’t collecting the data. It sits on the user’s machine in a file that is still pretty inaccessible. He’s checked with networking sniffing tools — the data goes nowhere.
It is still unclear, however, why the iPhone stores so much data and never expires it. In many cases, users are able to access almost a year’s worth of data stretching all the way back to the date when iOS 4 was installed on their device.
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