You are FAT!

WhoFAT? No no, I am talking about fat analog synthesizers sound. The trend of using soft ware plug's in instruments with DAW platforms had hit the roof in popularity for the past 7 years...They are cheap, easy to crack (especially for PC), convenient, ease of uses and adaptive with your favorite music applications. You can get just about whatever plug of your favorite synths ever made...real cool.

Ever wonder why your favorite Electronic artists always got such a fat sound out of their CD's...even though they keep claiming and promoting software synths plug in? You know along the chain of their production somewhere...there are some analog gears got in the way, otherwise plug's in don't get that FAT! Of course the artists are using the soft plug in instrument...but no where in the page that they said how much or the software version was used in detail. We were not there at the studio, weren't we? It is all about promotion, marketing, and MONEY.

There are many possible analog passes along the way of the production, pre's, line inputs, fat dynamic processors, DI's, and of course the FAT analog synthesizers.

Ever wonder why with all these software instruments, which so cheap and easy to use, analog synthesizers and their manufactures are kept cranking out new models...and they are so dam expensive. Not to say they are flying off the sale floor faster than the Hosa cables? The simple answer is that these manufactures, let's not exclude the artists, know that you can not get FAT with plug's in. That is the fact, truth...period.

I work with these analog synths now for sound designs and I can't just could not get over how thick and full sound come out of the analog synths these days. Absolute must for all dance, electronic, ambiance what so ever you call it. Without these things in the mix, Ableton live, Protool, DP, Cakewalk, VST, RTAS, TDM...and especially Reason will not save you.
I chose some models here to show you a clue because among my musician friends and I, we own these suckers. Don't forget the possibility of using these analog synths for your effect processor, my god the filters on these are insane.
I assume we all know the basic of synthesis I will only mention the goodies of these babies.

Access Virus Polar,

-Dual DSP system with over 80 stereo voices under average load. (Load depends on which oscillator / filter model has been chosen)
-The Virus TI is the first hardware synthesizer with sample-accurate timing and delay-compensated connection to your sequencer.
-WaveTable Oscillators for a completely new array of sounds. WaveTable and conventional Virus oscillators and filters can be mixed.
-2 multi-mode filters (HP, LP, BP, BS) and the Analog Filter (modelled after the MiniMoog™ cascade filter with 6-24 dB Slope and self-oscillation).
-6 balanced outputs with +4 dB level and switchable soft limiting algorithm. Studio grade 192 khz D/A converters with S/PDIF digital I/O. 2x24 bit inputs. Surround sound capabilities...dam right, SURROUND SOUND.
-Compatible with USB 2.0 specifications, USB and High-Speed USB devices.
-Programmable arpeggiator pattern for every patch, yes instantly turn you into a wannabe dance electronic wiz kid.



Moog Music Electric Blue Voyager series,
For this, it is all about the legend sound and filters.

Dual mode filter module includes dual lowpass and highpass-lowpass filtering. Dual lowpass mode consists of two Moog lowpass-resonant filters in parallel, one per output channel. Highpass-lowpass mode consists of Moog lowpass filter in series with a highpass filter.

* CUTOFF control sweeps the frequencies of both filters throughout the audio range.
* SPACING control sets the spacing between the frequencies of the two filters, over a +/-3 octave range.
* RESONANCE control adjusts the resonance of both filters, from none (pure lowpass response) to filter oscillation.
* KB CONT AMOUNT control sets how much the filters open and close as the player presses different keys on the keyboard.
* Dual Lowpass/Highpass-Lowpass switch selects between dual lowpass operation or highpass-lowpass operation.
Try run your guitar thru this baby...heaven.

Nord Lead,

Older but still kick butts.
-The Nord Lead 2X comes with 20 voices polyphony - very useful when creating layered sounds, "power pads", awesome leads and booming basses.
-The awesome sound in the Nord Lead 2X is refined even further thanks to the brand new, crystal clear 24-bit DACs running at 96kHz .

• Morphing: Each function that is controlled by a knob can also be controlled by the modulation wheel/pedal to continuously fade between two sets of values
  
• 4-octave velocity sensitive keyboard
• Octave Shift buttons (+/-2 oct.)
  
• Keyboard Split, two sections
  
• Wooden Pitch Stick

...and yes, the mother of dance Alesis Andromeda



The A6 Andromeda Analog Waveform synth is no digital emulation of an analog synthesizer. The A6 is the real analog deal, boasting more knobs than a tuna's got scales, and beefier than the world's champion sumo wrestler! Features include 16-voice, 16-channel multitimbral with full MIDI control. You get 2 oscillators per voice, with 5 waveforms available, suboscillators, hard and soft sync. 72 knobs (72!), 144 buttons (144!), ribbon control with multiple assignable functions give you incredible control and performance power. The A6 is capable of some absolutely stunning sounds, from some of the sweetest and most soulful lines and leads you've ever heard, to some serious analog freakness.

Be it that you may choose the rack mount version or keyboard style, hardware wise, these synths will not let you down. The recording of the hardware synths is where the difference in sound count. You are not going to get that lo-end or earth shaking tight bass in your electronic music with software base instrument, oh and that dam leads.

Tran Duy

Steve Jobs.., I hate you man!

So this has nothing to do with audio, recording, or music...well sort of. I travel back to America just to see the whole country holding its breath for the release of the iPhone, which is very soon in 2 days. I can't help it but, I had been a Mac user forever...since it used to be only black and white monitor.

Like previous all Mac products the way to buy them is to look at them, play with them in store, and ask the impatience friends of your, after the consumer "honeymoon" period hype buy, then wait for at least the 2nd generation to buy into it.
Well I think this time with the iPhone, Apple really do me in with the flaws. First of all, I hate AT&T phone services, second I don't buy cell phone unless it is a GSM type or world phone. This dam iPhone is everything I hate....but here I am gather up precious $500.00 and anxiously waiting for the release date so I can grab one for myself.
Why I am buying one?
The dam thing is nice in my hand, I don't have to buy a new video iPod anymore, I can throw my PDA's away now (I hate that thing), I leave my laptop at home, and I will be...cool.
Yes I will buy one, I hate you Steve Jobs.

Just a rant about...how my iPhone will be so good and you don't have one! life's suck isn't it?

The heavy guitar sound

Every young guitar I met want to same thing, "I want to sound like Tool, Slayer, Korn, or Megadeth...so on and so on." Ok let's say you practice your ass off and technically sound like most of these guy, let's assume that.
I am not a guitar player but I know that for some of these awsome artists, beside their main axes, what behind and hook up to them is just as important.
I did some searching and found out that most of them use a combo of some sort. Adam of Tool got his sound with combo of Mesa Boogie and Bogner amps out to Mesa and Marshal cab...but I could be wrong of what else there is. But I know the Bogner got in the mix.

Mesa Boogie make great sounding amp and gears but the company is not the only one out there. for your info, let's not forget about Budha, Marshal, Riverrara...and yes BOGNER!

here are some of the artist using them

James Root (Slipknot, Stone Sour)

Avenged Sevenfold

Rob Caggiano (Anthrax)

Brian Holland (Offspring)

Paul Landers (Rammstein)

Joe Holmes (Ozzy Osborne)

Disturbed

Kevin Burnes (Joe Lynn Turner, Shake)

Alain Johannes (Eleven)

Tool
Funeral For A Friend

Steve Pedulla (Thursday)

Tom Keeley (Thursday)

Korn

Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains)

Layne Staley (Alice In Chains)

Mike Tempesta (Powerman 5000 - PM5K)

Michael Wilton (Queensryche)

Chris Degarmo (Queensryche)

Scott Jan (Anthrax)

Danny Spitz (Anthrax)

Marty Friedman (Megadeth)

Kerry King (Slayer)

Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)

Chris Traynor (Helmet)
Jack Frost (Seven Witches, Savatage)
A Static Lullaby
Claudio Sanchez (Coheed and Cambria)
Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria)
Alex Knoll (Even X)
Gustavo Drummond (Udora)
Dough Dunham (Custom, Operator)

yeah, I am talking about the Ecstacy series...meaner than a Vietnamese wild dog.
I saw Tool up close in concert and stood right in front of Adam. I can hear the sound hit me from his amps before the house PA system. His Bogner was hook up to Mesa cab and oh boy it is mean and thick.

here is the spec.

• Head
• Ch 1: gain, bass, middle, treble, volume, pre eq, boost
• Ch 2 & Ch 3: gain 2, gain 3, bass, middle, treble, vol 2, vol 3, pre eq 2, pre eq 3, gain-structure, gain boost, plexi mode
• Effects loop return master volume for power-amp
• Effects loop tube buffered (series or parallel) with Effects mix control
• Dual assignable presence controls
• Dual assignable Excursion switches for loose, medium and tight feel
• Power section 100watt EL34 or 6L6 (50 watt optional)
• 1/2 power & old/new style switch (cuts power from 100 to 50 to 25 watts)
• Functions on foot controller: ch1, ch2, ch3, boost 1, boost 2, fx loop, stand-by mute

OPTIONS:

• Class A/AB switch
• Individual LINE-OUT control for each channel
• Metal front grill
• Classic option: EL34 power tubes are used in this version along with Preamp, Poweramp, and Power supply design revisions which offer a more woody attack and blooming sustain that overall gives a rich 3D open sound with a less compressed feel than our Ecstasy 101. Plus! the Classic has a really classy chrome plated front panel.

Hero In Danger, rock that is Vietnamese not Vietnamese (wannabe) rock

Hero In Danger

I can remembered my friend, who works and lives in HCM city, Vietnam, five years ago told me about this band he saw live during a Beatles tribute concert in that city. Every year he would come back to visit and never fail to mention how good this band was. Fast forward to the present, I started my trip back to Vietnam for Meyer Sound and ran into my friend again. He had told me that I have to see Hero In Danger in concert no matter what.

You know, I have never really to thrill about Vietnamese rock bands, I had heard and seen them all. They all carry some sort of cliche pop-esque kind of image or it'd seem they're way over done with the "acting'' like a rock band. I was almost doubt my friend's words about this band.
Oh well, was I wrong about this one. I had heard them all, Vietnamese rock bands, but this one cut the cake. Phuc, the main singer and song writer of the band, is one of the kind. Quiet and always let the music do the talking...yes, that is the key phrase here...let's the music do the talking.
Phuc's song writting is strong and freak ass honestly to the point. Maybe too honest for some people but in my book, he is mr. cool. I hear Vietnamese rock...oh plenty of them, either speed, thrash, dead...or woodie whatever...or worse European's bullshit goth rock wannabe or influences but nothing is really...rock Vietnamese way.
Hero In Danger has seem to get it and make rock sounds Vietnamese instead of the other way around. And please no Limpskitz or Linkin whatever wannabe, I am no longer a teenager.
I took the band's demo CD to let some of my engineering friends in the US to listen, on the trip back. They all jump at the chance and ask me if they could be part of this music. Well here is the news.
From what I know, Hero in Danger is finally decided to take effort in recording their first Cd and they want to do it right. The band is making an effort to test drive their demo first then will take the next step to professionally record and mix their debut CD.
So here I sit waiting patiently for their new CD...don't miss this one folks.

If you cannot wait for the real CD and want to listen to their demo CD, please go to northern California and find a Neve VR console, it is on the top left of the Adam S3A's...good luck.

Ok the word "Neve" is being way over use

NEVE MELBOURN

On a visiting trip to a "famous" studio in Ho Chi Minh city Vietnam, one of the intern there, after yapping with me on how well knowledgeable he was about the audio (mostly crap from forum he'd read but never actually see or hear), showed off a racked Neve preamp to me and claimed that he got the Neve sound in his recording. I took a glance at the dam thing and have to just chuckle inside, the dam thing is some AMS or ADK clone bullshit...That is why you are an intern (your boss do know something).

What worse was he could not stop talking about how he know so much about the Neve sound. Can you please stop saying that word please?

While most of the people I met have not have a chance to really...really listen to a true Neve preamp with a good working original console, what you heard is not really a Neve.
Let's take a look, what is the different between Amek Neve, AMS Neve, Neve VR/Melbourn stuffs, Neve Portico, old verse new...so on and so on.

This old pair of 1073 in this condition...worth $8000.00

The truth is that there is only one answer, they all have nothing to do with each other, sonically...sort of like Sting and the Police. Same name but totally different sound, color, and ...Sting is boring! I don't really care what you say but I think Sting is really boring...really...musically!

To me all the new Neve stuffs or even the copy of a Neve gears have part or some of the color and detail of what a complete Neve sound have...which I may add, none of the 2 "old" Neve sound the same anyway. What the newer stuff lack these days is the "hair"...the "man hood" in the audio which pass out of it.

Neve timeline

So don't fall the marketing rhetorics you hear surrounded by the Neve word...not all Neve's are good and wonderful. Just like how you can get an Amek Neve console these day for about $8000.00 for 24-32 channels but you could not touch a good working condition Neve Melbourn 12 channels for less than $30,000.00...if you can find one or pry it out of a dead engineer's hand.

What is the big difference...they are all Neve? The sound and the "mojo" that come with the old original Neve.
Yes in some way some of these gears have some touch of mr. Rubert Neve but touch...not total design and none of his designs are the same anyway. You can take 2 of the original "old" Neve 1073 preamps side by side and they will both produce different color.
So enough said, which is the best Neve preamp to get?

Go out and test drive each one and find out which one will work and fit for you, don't fall for the word Neve...again, STING IS NOT THE POLICE!

peace,

Tran Duy

PS...fuck the Amek, a piece of shit and if you can't get a real Neve and just too desperate to get one...get this one below, Vintage Design LTD

Why Garbage sounds good and you don't...!

Garbage with Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, and Steve Marker

What happen when you put 3 talent engineers/producers together with a girl full of attitude for a singer. Garbage has been one of my favorite all time band. I have never miss one concert whenever they are in or near my town. I just have to write something about this band because I met Steve Marker yesterday at a music store, how crazy it was for me to get to talk to the guy and keep a straight face. Anyway, we all know that Butch, Duke, and Steve all started as recording engineer and work at the now fame Smart Sound studio where Butch produced and recorded Nivrana "...Never Mind" CD plus a few of Smashing Pumpkins CD. The story was that 3 of them are just fooling around in the studio jamming and came up with some songs for a demo. Butch play drum, Steve was playing guitar and making loop, Duke is a bass player who wanted to play guitar instead. Late one night, Steve was watching MTV and saw Shirley Manson singing for a band called Angelfish. He made arrangement to meet Shirley and offer her the position as a singer and she quickly accepted.

At the beginning during a jam, someone has mentioned that the music sound like garbage...yeah stupid man...so the band chose the name and it stuck ever since.
Well I just let the music do the talking right?





This is the funny one. It a video clip of a live show at the Warfield in SF which I was at, thought I would never see it again but I stumbled on this one while surfing the net...it is crazy. I told you about how Shirley Manson is so full of attitude. In the video clip, some stupid ass spit at her on stage...well you see it for yourself of what happen next. Don't you ever spit at Shirley on her own stage, hahahahaha! Just watch how the band and the "men" gather around her really fast when they thought she is in trouble...funny!



This last one is my favorite, it show the band when they just released the debut CD...awsome engergy and talent. Straight forward guitars, drum, and bass set up so so tight. Hey Tung, watch how the 2 mics were set up on the guitar amp... like how I showed you, yup!

Compressors, hardware or plug in?

On my last trip back to VN, during one of the lecture about compressor and how it work, I got bombarded with "myths" from my students about compressor and things they heard about it.

...But the most popular is if using compressor, is plug in just as good as the hardware version of it in most DAW (Digital audio workstation).
my answer is no freak'n way, no way and no how, and I don't care if you got the expensive Waves version of "anything plugs."

If you go to any studio in the US, regardless small or large, pro or project, one thing they all have in common is hardware compressor...one or more, the more the better.

We all know there 2 type of processors, time and dynamic in any studio. They also make software version of them in all the DAW but which one is the one that will screw up your audio the most...yes the dynamic one.

I will not buy the argument about latency using DAW with hardware processor, because nothing will make your audio go up in smoke better than plug in dynamic software version.
So if you walk in any studio and see no compressor but ton of plugs...run...run real fast.

I understand money is an issue but save up for one or more hardware dynamic processor in your studio...or more of them. Here are some I would recommend, you will do no wrong.

Cranesong TrakkerManley Vari-Mu


Purple Audio MC77Add to the list would be Empirical Lab EL-8, DBX 160vu, Urei LA series (2, 3, and 4's), also 1176.

remember changing dynamic of your audio track will loose its original character...if that what you want then fine, but adding great color so you need great dynamic processor, it is a great tool in your studio so don't make your audio suffer with software version of this processor...save it for the real one.

...oh yeah, one student actually told me that knowing how to use a compressor right in the studio is the real secret. I almost threw the chair at him.
No No, knowing and understanding the basic of audio are the beginning of great to come secrets!!!!!!

Tran Duy

OOOOH! thank you so much again...

Picture by Hoang TB Ngoc

What can I say? I could not thank enough the people who keep helping and believe in what I do along the way.

Another successful trip to VN and back, I would like to thanks the following friends:
-Ngoc's family,
anh Vu, his wife, and 2 cutie pie children of theirs for keep paying for lunch.
Alex and Nichol for make me feel like a good uncle, you two rock!
Ngoc for backing me up all the time, gift is coming girl.
-Huong's family
chi Lien for making feel like I am part of the family and stop feeding me, you make me gain weight.
Huong, you are the best. I could not survive VN without you.
-Chi Hue and anh Trang at the Chu's house
coffee, cigarette, lunch and dinner...I can't ask for more plus words of support and the real power behind all connections.
-Hero in Danger band
Phuc, Bao, Quoc, and Cuong for free dinner and friendship...don't you worry about your music.
-Tung Dao of Atmosphere
My confident and student of the trade. Despite the bullshit coming from that looser of a drummer in Atlanta, you follow thru with your promise and commitment. Keep on the hard work, it will pay itself.
-Tat Nhu Loan and the crew at Tri Viet Media
thank you for the tour and insight at Tri Viet Media. I totally understand what you had in mind. I had to laugh so hard at the story you told me about this girl's husband tried to scam you guy into dealing with their phony company from Southern California. I am glad you saw its coming and was the force behind preventing it from fucking up your operation. Dam that was hilarious.
-Doan Khoa for the friendship and everything.
-Minh, thank you so much. Remember about the NAMM show in California next January ok, we are going.
-Duc Huy va anh Phuoc for the lunches.
-Alan at Thao Le Entertainment for hanging out with you at work, will have coffee next time eh.
-yeah yeah thank you so much PT, will talk again...yes I will keep it cool and confident.
-Thank you so much TCS's family, yes I will do it, thanks for the contracts.
-Phuc is the man, thank you so much for the songs and a look into your mind.
-Thien and Trang for awsome sushi's, coffee, and sweet. You two are the best of friends
-Thinh and Alex for the taxi ride, you make traffic easy for me in Vietnam.
-Hung...enough liquor already, thanks man.

...a last few words.
Yeah, of course there were few bullshit here and there but it all back fire on the sources so I am glad. I will see you all in a month.

The kids are alright, picture by Hoang TB Ngoc