All posts by fanu

Ableton Push 2 and Simpler: warping modes, slicing audio in Simpler, and step sequencing

I recently became an Ableton Certified Trainer, and wanted to celebrate that somehow. I did a new video on Ableton Live / Push 2.
I’m often asked why I like Live so much, and whether Push 2 is worth it in my opinion. I did a video demonstrating some Push 2 features I like.

In this video, I’ll show you how to:
-convert an audio clip to Simpler
-use different Simpler modes (classic, oneshot, slicing)
-use different warping modes in Simpler
-make beats using the Push 2 step sequencer
If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Make sure to subscribe to my channel on Youtube!

How to become a mastering engineer?

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Every now and then I am asked, “How could I become a mastering/mixing engineer?”, “What school could I attend to land a mastering position?” and I hear “That might be a nice job to have”.

Here’s my two cents.

The very first thing you are going to need is huge truckloads of passion for the craft. It’s a very long road to the point where you can start working with others’ songs and charging for that.
Most people who end up doing that are peeps who have been messing with music production or engineering for a good while and they realize they’re decent at it and they also like it a lot (the amount of ppl who have said to me, “How the hell can you do that? I’d get sick of that in a heartbeat!”….) Continue reading How to become a mastering engineer? →

Bandcamp bonkersness

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In anticipation of the next FatGyver album release (vinyl test pressing in my hands soon), I’ve temporarily gone bonkers and dropped the price of my full digital Bandcamp discography price to 24 EUR.
The offer lasts this week only at https://fanu.bandcamp.com.

BREAKS & BEATS PODCAST #15

The podcast series serving you the freshest in the world of breaks and beats driven drum and bass is here with June 2016 episode, which is #15 in the series.
Plenty of dubs and contemporary bass music freshness from the contemporary heavy hitters. It’s all about the various flavors of jungle, drum and bass, footwork, and related styles.
DJ bookings: fanu@fanumusic.com
(art by Ingrid)

SUBSCRIBE VIA iTunes (this episode will be available in a few days after upload)

TRACKLIST: Continue reading BREAKS & BEATS PODCAST #15 →

Mastering: computer versus human

Being a mastering engineer, I get asked about my opinions on cloud-based mastering such as Landr etc. quite often.

My opinion?

Mastering is a job that requires perception skills, i.e., has to be done by a human if you want it 100% right. Sure, we have technology to match an EQ curve and loudness figures, but there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s like having your text translated by a computer: it can be OK, but you won’t get that A+ result your work deserves. There can be so many problems that a computer simply cannot “hear”. In addition to that, a computer can’t be “highly familiar with a genre” the way a human can.

I recently had a phone convo with a person who started another cloud mastering service that does it for very a inexpensive price; he knows me and lives in the same country and he wanted to check he’s not stepping on my toes, and our thoughts were similar: we’re not sharing the same client base, because those who want that OK quick master and don’t want to pay a lot go for automated cloud mastering, but those who want the best result that stands up to commercial releases go for human-operated service. You can not discuss the mastering job with the cloud; you can’t say “can you still add a little bit of sheen, please?”, and the cloud cannot tell you “it’d really be best if you turned that one percussion down by 3 dB as it’s sticking out way too much in my opinion”.

Being able to discuss things with the engineer is more important than some might think, and the results of that and an ongoing relationship between a producer and an engineer can yield superb results, and that will never happen with a computer.
I’m not saying one shouldn’t go for a cloud mastering service in the least; I’m saying be aware what your money can buy and go for whatever suits your budget/expectations/needs the best.
Anyone interested in mastering done by yours truly can get in touch and peep my mastering service.