Audio Tool Rocks: The Online TB-303 & 909 Emulator

Audio Tool is an emulation of two Roland TB-303s, a TR-909, and a bunch of the roland/boss stomp boxes. It is very reminiscent of the classic program Propellerhead Rebirth, but without the TR-808 and better graphics.

Audio tool is simple to use and includes rewiring/audio routing on the same screen that you make your music on, which makes more sense than Propellerhead Reason's double screened rack system.

I believe they are using java/flash to run the program in the browser, but it is as easy to use as any flash app. They did an excellent job making it, even if it has been done before. Missing is a way to save your songs but you can't complain because its better than Rebirth in alot of ways.

Its fun.
Go start making some electronic music NOW!

Link: Hobnox Audiotool

4/5 Rating
Sound quality is excellent.
Fun.
Needs a save feature, even if it is a demo.

Thanks Noizone!

#1 Mistake of Hardware Manufacturers

There is one single mistake that hardware manufacturers make everytime they create a product. It makes buyers move on, or wait till something else comes out. It keeps our money out of their pockets.

That mistake is.....

Missing Features. Just think of how many times you did'nt buy something because another model did something a little bit extra. How many times has someone bought a piece of equipment and had been let down that it do some nit-picky thing, but would have made the music creation experience - or any product experience for that matter - so much better.

If hardware manufacturers would take more feedback from users they would have better products. If hardware manufacturers just spent a little extra time on a product they would be able to sell it alot faster, and chances would be that it would instantly be ahead of the competition. Instead there are tons of average and cheap products out there...alot of times you have to buy more than one from different companies to get the features you wanted - all when one manufacturer could have put it in an all in one box..


Missing features in any product are a total freaking letdown every time. Please put more time into product development. You will have alot of happy users and more money in the bank for your company. Musical instruments should not be treated like blenders.

Mental Drumming

When one of the three musicians started a mental music piece and the other two tried to accompany it, the brainwaves of the three synced up intermittently. "That was because they constantly needed to catch up with each other," said Sulzer.

A concert and an experiment in measuring people's brainwaves during music performance. Doesnt look they were setting up a traditional scientific experiement, but still looks cool.

LINK Here

Subwoofer Calibration HowTo

The purpose of a subwoofer is to fill in the bottom octaves below the capabilities of the mains speakers. So, most subwoofers provide methods for calibrating their output in order to tune them to blend perfectly with the main speakers. These controls often include a level control, a crossover frequency control and a phase switch.

Link on how to calibrate your subwoofer from sound and vision magazine forum

FM Synthesis Video Guide Part 1

Here is a great video guide explaining FM synthesis!

Click the link below to see the video:

inside synthesis: Episode Four : FM Synthesis - Part 1



Check it out!

DX7 Emulation on Alesis Fusion

+ + = FM Satisfaction

Here is a forum post about the Alesis Fusion and FM concerning the Yamaha DX7. Someone recreated all 30 routing algorithms as program templates!! So now Alesis Fusion users will have an easier time creating FM Patches. To make it even more fun and useful, I added modifier controls which emulate the DX200 Groovebox! So if you are interested in the Alesis Fusion and FM Synthesis take a look! We are cooking up something awesome for Fusion users & Yamaha FM freaks.

LINK - Alesis Fusion Forum

5 ways to Warm up Your Mix

1. Add More Sub Bass

Specifically sub-bass below 100hz. This can be done with a bass instrument, like a synth, or a guitar. Its extremely effective, and sometimes you can get away with adding more than you think you should. Small speakers can't replicate these frequencies, but it will still sound "Warm."

2. Double the Tracks and performances

Just doubling, tripling, or quadding the number of voices of a pre-recorded performance (or synth track), can widen out your sound. Panning to the left and right, and lowering the volumes of each can give you a fullness that one lead can't. A great way to do it is track each performance separately and save them. The differences between each (un-quantinized) performance can be combined uniquely. mainstream music does this all the time by doubling the voice track. You can do it with a synth or anything else!

3. Mic the audio coming from a speaker, and record it back in.

This is a good trick if you have a decent mic. This will add reverb and odd harmonics to your mix that can make it sound more real. Its also a good way to get wicked drum n bass sounds.

4. Stereo Reverb

Using Plenty of Stereo reverb can make your mix sound warmer, and create subtle dynamics that weren't there in the first place. Adding compression on top of this will bring out these dynamics. Don't be afraid of reverb!! Used properly and tastefully it won't ruin anything.

5. Chorus

The chorus filter is a popular way to widen, and warm your signal. It works great on cold synths and samples.

Mixing Tip of the Day: Fat Snares

What makes a snare sound fat?

Compression? Sometimes. Thats good for an overall level boost, if you don't have gain, but keep Reading...

The main frequencies it resonates at.



If you run your snare sample or live drum through a frequency analyser you may see more than one spike. One may be significantly taller than the other.

Tips: Try boosting the snare with a wide parametric EQ on smaller spikes that aren't quite loud, but still show up. For example, you have a loud snare hit at 200hz, and you also see that it resonates at 350khz. Boost everything between 200 and 400khz (or so) with EQ as much as 18db+ decibels depending on your situation. Tune it using your ear. Your snare will sound alot fatter! It might sound crazy to boost ABOVE the snare's main range, or use that much gain, but now it will get more attention and emphasis from the listener. Using this technique you can fill gaps in your music with the snare drum hit. Its especially good when your your main instrument (a guitar, or synth), doesn't have alot of mid-range bass.

This is great for rock music, and you will instantly have a fatter mix.