For a few weeks now I have been playing with Audiofile Engineering's field recorder FiRe 2. FiRe 2 is an app for iOS that is a recorder/audio editor/metadata editor/uploader in one. Facts from the Audiofiles themselves: FiRe 2 will again revolutionize what you expect from a portable recording application. FiRe was the first iPhone recorder to display an accurate audio waveform … [Read more...]
Quiztones Frequency Ear Training Review
I recently sat down and played with the OS X version of Quiztones the other day and had a blast. A bit of background on the app from the Audiofile Engineering site: Quiztones is a frequency ear trainer for amateur and professional audio engineers, producers, and musicians. Quiztones uses tones and frequency-altered noise and musical loops (including source material from your … [Read more...]
Sonic Salute: Factory Machinery Ambiences
I had the recent pleasure to receive a copy of Factory Machinery Ambiences from Mikkel Nielsen over at Sonic Salute. It's a pretty cool atmospheric selection of engines and motors and pounding metal. Some blurbs from the library page: Sounds range from plastic foundries, casting machines, and machinery alarms, to giant textile processing units, and medical equipment … [Read more...]
Review: S-Layer, The New Sampling Creature of Twisted Tools
After several fantastic effects, sequencers and sound manglers, the crazy minds at Twisted Tools have released a new sampler called S-Layer. It's basically a sampler for Reaktor focused on the interaction and control between sound layers, allowing you to rapidly create all kinds of sonic combinations. S-Layer allows to add up to eight layers of sound and manipulate the way … [Read more...]
FMOD and Android
Peter Drescher has put together a wonderful overview of working with FMOD and the Android operating system with a breakdown of examples on the O'Reilly Community blog. FMOD is a popular game audio development system by Firelight Technologies, in Melbourne, Australia. It is used to create sophisticated interactive soundtracks for Xbox, PS3, PC, and iOS games. Representing a … [Read more...]
SFX Lab #1: Experiments on Pressure, Blow Holes
Welcome to SFX Lab, the "laboratory" of sound effects, a place dedicated to experiment and explore sound libraries with the goal of learning different kinds of sounds and some of its morphing features. We take libraries of a certain theme and put them through some experiments. Think about not only what you will learn, but also for what your ears are obtaining. Some time ago, … [Read more...]
On GRM Tools 3, Part 1
A friend recently asked me what three plug-ins I would take with me on to the proverbial "desert island." Assuming I also packed a Macbook, a copy of Logic and an iLok updater, I told him my three plug-ins would be: Serato Pitch 'n Time TL|Space The GRM Tools I recently picked up the complete GRM Tools version 3 "Evolution" bundle, and here's my experience, along with … [Read more...]