yeah, that Akai S-1000 was everywhere... some people used E-MUs instead (like klaus jankuhn > westbam/marusha...)

My early productions [RMB Trax] where with only an Atari, an S-1100 a Roland JD-990 (for all modulated stuff!) and a cheap "boss" 16 channel mixer. An Alpha Juno came and go...

Redemption was done with an Atari Falcon [8 channel HD recording! but miserable timing!] the S-1100, JD-990 and some FX devices (reverb= sony R7) and a not soooo trashy analog mixer (soundcraft i think)

Everything was still live + MIDI sequenced into an analog mixer to DAT.

Mid-90s the studio grew: Mackie 8-Bus, Lexicon FX, JV 1080, Analog Modular, TL-Audio EQ+Compressor...

The biggest differences to 2000-todays production are: no complex sounds/modulations, no super "big" sounds, not many FXs BUT everything went through an analog mixer - and that was often "in the red"

Since in-the-box is typical everything is full with modulated full-spectrum-noises plus FX on each track, everything compressed, distorted and limited DIGITALLY...

no wonder it sounds totally different.

But the biggest differnce between 90s and 2013s music to my mind is: There was much much less music then. Even the biggest label like Low Spirit had just a few releases every month... it was much more work and higher costs to release something.... that led to selection...

nowadays soundcloud, beatport, iTunes & co flood the "market" with thousands of new releases every week....

THAT makes a difference!

quote:

Originally posted by Rolf Maier Bode But the biggest differnce between 90s and 2013s music to my mind is: There was much much less music then. Even the biggest label like Low Spirit had just a few releases every month... it was much more work and higher costs to release something.... that led to selection... nowadays soundcloud, beatport, iTunes & co flood the "market" with thousands of new releases every week.... THAT makes a difference!

I have said this so many times over the years whenever a discussion on the Then vs Now sound debate comes up; It was a series of "filters" that meant a better musical end product was released...

- People could only make tracks on expensive equipment, which meant a considerable investment both in terms of money, time and expertise. you couldn't just fire up FL for instant Schranz.

- Those people willing to make that level commitment usually did so because they were musically talented (you don't buy an aston if you can't drive). A pirate copy cubase means anyone can have a go without any potential loss.

- You had to work so much harder to get something decent our of the equipment. This meant thinking intensely about what you were doing and often, having engineers involved if not being one yourself, and therefore a better engineered product.

- Vinyl (and this ones a big reason for quality control) - The end medium was expensive to make ship and sell. That meant for a label to put it out there and take the considerable financial outlay risk, it better be something of quality that would sell. Sure there were still terrible releases but many were small run or promo'd first just to see how they'd sell, then signed to a larger label if it did well who could promote it, maybe even give it a better master. The vinyl medium wand it's inherent expense was a quality control itself. you don't spend a $1k getting them pressed if it's dogshit.

Now, a crack of FL Studio and any one of the million digital labels that have no overheads can put out any piece of tripe as there's no risk or effort at any stage of the chain. Hence one of the biggest reasons we have a 1000 crap new releases a week.

That and the whole (c)rockstar DJ image that has been sold to the yoof in recent years....

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN I have said this so many times over the years whenever a discussion on the Then vs Now sound debate comes up; It was a series of "filters" that meant a better musical end product was released... - People could only make tracks on expensive equipment, which meant a considerable investment both in terms of money, time and expertise. you couldn't just fire up FL for instant Schranz. - Those people willing to make that level commitment usually did so because they were musically talented (you don't buy an aston if you can't drive). A pirate copy cubase means anyone can have a go without any potential loss. - You had to work so much harder to get something decent our of the equipment. This meant thinking intensely about what you were doing and often, having engineers involved if not being one yourself, and therefore a better engineered product. - Vinyl (and this ones a big reason for quality control) - The end medium was expensive to make ship and sell. That meant for a label to put it out there and take the considerable financial outlay risk, it better be something of quality that would sell. Sure there were still terrible releases but many were small run or promo'd first just to see how they'd sell, then signed to a larger label if it did well who could promote it, maybe even give it a better master. The vinyl medium wand it's inherent expense was a quality control itself. you don't spend a $1k getting them pressed if it's dogshit. Now, a crack of FL Studio and any one of the million digital labels that have no overheads can put out any piece of tripe as there's no risk or effort at any stage of the chain. Hence one of the biggest reasons we have a 1000 crap new releases a week. That and the whole (c)rockstar DJ image that has been sold to the yoof in recent years....

hell yeah, preach it brotha

it also doesnt help that with the rise of social media the hype of "democracy of possibilites" led to the misunderstanding that everybody can and should do anything... taking photos like newton, writing songs like lennon, filming like kubrick... and all that with a f+cking smartphone...

cheap tools are cool, anybody can do whatever he wants at home, but a bunch of oil colors and a canvas doesnt make you a van gogh...

i produce music full time for more than twenty years now but i still collect 10 idea-snippets before i finsih one song and 2/3 of my songs are never released because they are not strong enough to my mind...

if its your hobby anything goes... but dont tell the world you are the next "uber DJ" and flood the web with 3-hour-exercises of "hey that plug sounds like skrillex - i´m a star now"

[ this is NOT meant to be a personal answer to anyone posting here before ]

well if only producers release only their most worthy tracks... unfortunately the moto is to release everything to keep relevant and twice a year release the bombs.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN

I use to think that, now i just think the demand has changed.
The crowd wants different things nowadays...more fart sounds and danceable parts, less emotional melodies, bigger sounds and noise at the expanse of creativity etc

In 2004 i could easily find like 500 tracks that i liked each year, today i can barely find 10 of them - its not because there's more music available - its because my taste is no longer "mainstream".

Last edited by Viber on Apr-19-2013 at 16:32

quote:

Originally posted by Viber I use to think that, now i just think the demand has changed. The crowd wants different things nowadays...more fart sounds and danceable parts, less emotional melodies, bigger sounds and noise at the expanse of creativity etc In 2004 i could easily find like 500 tracks that i liked each year, today i can barely find 10 of them - its not because there's more music available - its because my taste is no longer "mainstream".

It's not that - it isn't "demand" for this music. People don't rush out and buy the latest pitch bent fart masterpiece from the Swedish Twats, it's the DJ's that push them, and ten thousand producers who have little to no musical talent who are suddenly able to create a club track.

none of these singles make any money (apart from the few big tracks like levels etc) so it's not a case of "demand" - it's just what is being pushed in clubs and on radio.

DJ's and producers set the music, not the crowd. I went out to see Sahsa a few weeks back and the whole night was really interesting and diverse prog/tech/deephouse.

When epic house and "real" trance was big, the main stream was whigfield, CC pensiston and Nightcrawlers - the difference was, DJ's worth their salt wouldn't touch that shit with a bargepole and it was accepted as mainstream crap; now certain DJ's make a living of playing this kind of utter tripe in clubs to people that don't know better.

So educate them; play better, not feed them this type of turd and soon the wheat will be separated from the chaff.

man what an initially confused crowd of posters...

anyways I don't know much about your music but that gear is kick-ass i guess. couldn't tell if i should take this seriously or not for awhile lol

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN

Back at 99' Oakenfold was preaching everyone how "his job as a DJ is to educate", but his dream was to take the American crowd by storm and as time went by he went cheesier and cheesier.
Oakenfold realized that in order to make more money he has to make and play Vocal Music which will please the American crowd and teenage girls in particular.

We can also take Chicane as an example from the producer's side - here's a guy with tons of money making quality music and being worshiped by the small EDM community, BUT - he wants more, he wants teenage girls to like his music and he wants his music to be on the Pop charts so he makes a song with Bryan Adams, then he makes a song with Tom Jones and then all hell broke loose.

I think the problem with today's EDM is that its trying to be friends with everybody: the teenage boys\girls,the Americans and real EDM lovers.
When you look at who's more important to please from a financial standpoint you can dump the real EDM lovers to the trash can.

Look at big money making machines like Tommorowland and Ultra festival, look at the crowd in these events and tell me you had the audacity of playing "real" EDM in front of these people, even Armin is afraid to play his long ass breakdowns nowadays...

Last edited by Viber on Apr-20-2013 at 13:58

The set of Armin at ultra is the weirdest set i've heard from him, same as tiesto's it seems that when you are in a place like this you have to completely readapt your music. 90% of armin's music was not trance and tiesto even played some trap.

Hahahaha best part is most true trance produced today sounds same as armature releases from producers that came from here.. RMB is stellar stuff deep down below was a great vocal trance track. I really wish trance would go back to its classical epic roots instead of trying to draw in from other genres.
At one time trance guys were considered purists snobs now we are stuk with being associated with ocal cheddar

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Hahahaha best part is most true trance produced today sounds same as armature releases from producers that came from here.. RMB is stellar stuff deep down below was a great vocal trance track. I really wish trance would go back to its classical epic roots instead of trying to draw in from other genres.
At one time trance guys were considered purists snobs now we are stuk with being associated with ocal cheddar

___________________
Signature Suspended as it was deemed offensive.