Producer's Edge Magazine / Producer's Edge Magazine Forums / General Music Discussion

NI Presents:

xodus phoenix — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT

http://www.hobnox.com/home.1302.en.html

Win 3x $30,000

Development packages for Music, Film, & Culture

Hobnox Evolution the 2nd

The Hobnox Evolution is back! Due to the overwhelming success of the first Evolution contest in Europe, we are launching a worldwide version: Hobnox Evolution2. Submit a project into one of three categories and compete for one of three Artist Support Packages worth up to $30,000 each. Sign up now!

Radiohead uses KONTAKT 3 live.

xodus phoenix — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:03:36 GMT

http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=radiohead&L=1

RADIOHEAD on stage with KONTAKT...

Radiohead live in Berlin

After 27 shows, Radiohead's 2008 World Tour was about two thirds over when the band came to Berlin. The last time they played in Berlin was the evening of September 11, 2001, which, as the band stated on stage, created a special bond between the city and them. The concert had been sold out immediately after the announcement, and most of the 20,000 people filling the venue had been following the band's appeal to use public transportation traveling to the concert and thus put less strain on the environment.

Radiohead's keyboard technician Alan 'Russ' Russell

We met Radiohead's keyboard technician Alan 'Russ' Russell during some last-minute preparations for the show, where he gave some exclusive insights into the band's setup. Russ's workplace comprises an Apple Macbook Pro that sits on a rack of daisy-chained audio interfaces. The computer receives MIDI from two keyboard stations on the stage, operated by band members (and brothers) Jonny and Colin Greenwood. They play their parts on their respective controller keyboards and MIDI floorboards.

On his computer, Russ runs Kontakt 3 as the main instrument for all sample-based sounds in the show. Both keyboard stations are routed to Kontakt, with each song having it's own monolithic multi. "Kontakt is great to work with", says Russ. "It has allowed us to completely get away from all the frustration of hardware samplers. Editing and importing becomes quicker and easier, which allows the band to make changes or try new ideas without delay or fuss."

KONTAKT 3 plus backup

Russ switched Radiohead's setup to Kontakt during the preparation for the 2008 world tour. "The band wanted to replace some old hardware from previous tours and consolidate those sounds into one central system.

For the live versions of the songs on 'In Rainbows', I worked with Kontakt. I used material from the studio production, and I also adapted some sounds from the Kontakt library - the Crumar Orchestrator gets quite a bit of use. After that, I basically went through the entire Radiohead catalogue and converted all the old sample material for Kontakt. I sampled a few hardware instruments and created multisamples. It's just made the organisation of all the keyboard sounds so much easier."

Jonny Greenwood's live set-up

During the show, Radiohead play all songs entirely live - no backing tracks or sequencers are used except for songs with a more electronic aesthetics, such as "15 Step", where synchronised percussive loops are triggered in real time by Colin and Jonny. In addition to playing sounds on Russ's computer via his controller, guitar and keyboard player Jonny Greenwood operates a mixture of analog devices and his own laptop running experimental patches in Max/MSP on his tech station on stage left. During the show, Jonny manipulates the synths and outboard devices by hand and foot.

Radiohead's KONTAKT 3 instruments set-up

Bass player Colin Greenwood uses more of a conventional setup for his keyboard parts, comprising a controller keyboard and floorboard. All the changes in sound selections during or in between songs are operated directly by Russ, including some sounds from Pro-53 and other software synthesizers.

Playing such a central part in the show, Russ's rig has to be entirely failsafe, which is why he runs a second rig with identical setup. He has a nice big "panic" switch to change over to his backup system in case of a failure. "I did have to hit this switch a couple of times during the tour," says Russ smiling, "but it's never been a problem with the software. Kontakt has proven to be very stable. In the few cases when my system crashed, it was always caused by hardware issues."

Text & photos: Florian Grote

Top 10 Mistakes Artists Make

xodus phoenix — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:13:27 GMT

http://www.discmakers.com/community/resources/ffwd/2008/Top10Mistakes.asp

Top 10 Mistakes Artists Make
By David Hooper | August 2008

If you want to get a record deal, get people to your shows, or sell music like crazy, the answer isn't some kind of "magic pill" website that you post your music on, blindly sending out a bunch of demos, or anything to do with having good music... although good music certainly helps. The answer is to develop a mindset that naturally attracts people to what you're doing as well as an understanding of how the music business game is played.

As you develop as a person, your music career will develop with you. Sounds crazy, but it's true, and I've seen it time and time again, with thousands of acts that I've worked with, from garage bands, to the guys selling out arenas.

Of course, part of developing includes making mistakes along the way. Check out these ten common music business mistakes, and ways to avoid them...

10. Being too difficult (or too nice)
First of all, let’s get this clear... Just because you wrote a few good songs and recorded them, it doesn’t mean the world revolves around you. Lots of people write and record good songs, so get in line.

Contrary to what the online rumor mill or media would have you believe, people in the music business are involved because they love music, and they’re not making enough to deal with jerks. And they won’t deal with jerks. If you’re a pain, they’re just go to the next guy, who also writes good songs, but has a better attitude.

With that said, don’t be too nice. You don’t have to say yes to everything. Pick your battles. If there is something you really feel strongly about, don’t settle for anything less.

Bottom line: Keep your ego in check and behave with courtesy and respect. At the same time, don't let anyone treat with you anything less.

9. Trying to convince people of anything...
You play music, and people have strong opinions about music. Either people get what you’re doing or they don’t.

So, some reviewer, booking agent, or manager doesn't like your new album. Let it go! Don't try to convince him he'll like it better after a second listen. He won't. And the more you press him to give your music another shot, the more he’ll remember how annoying you were. This means he’ll be far less open to ever listening to you again.

There are a lot of people who won't "hear it" when you approach them. So what? Move on. There are plenty of other people in this business who can help you. Go find the people who do "hear it" and put your energy into building good relationships with them instead.

8. Looking for industry approval
There was a time when the "industry" had a lot more pull when it came to breaking an artist, getting them distributed, and everything else. This is a new time, so we're playing with different rules now.

Distribution is easy. Every day, more and more albums and songs are being sold online, physically and digitally. Recording music is easier than ever. You are not limited by a lack of options for getting something recorded that sounds professional.

But more importantly, once you get a recording together, you don't need the industry to tell you your music is worthy. The consumers, the people who buy music, are really the only opinions that matter. And when you have the love of the consumers, the industry will come around.

The thing is, in the music industry, technology has changed faster than mindset. Stop believing you are at the mercy of any record label executive. You're not. Connect directly with your fans on your terms. The feedback, loyalty and money you receive from them will be far more gratifying than you spending your time beating your head against a wall trying to figure out a way to get an approving nod from a record label.

7. Not building strong relationships with fans
People aren't stupid. They know when they're being marketed to. They know when you're looking to sell them something.

Do they mind? No.

In fact, if you have a good relationship with your fans, they won't mind being marketed to, and if you do it well, they look forward to being marketed to. However, they have to know you care. Building relationships with fans take time. You have to show them you care.

Do things like:
• Give them a few free songs to download.
• Have message board on your website and build a community there.
• Do a "fan appreciation" show.
• Record a holiday album or an EP that you give out exclusively to members of your fan club.

Show them in special ways that you not only care, but that you're willing to go the extra mile to show your appreciation. In turn, they will buy your music, travel to see you play, call radio stations on your behalf, and promote you all over the web.

Every day – no matter if you're busy recording, on the road, or at home worrying about how you're going to find the money to make your project happen – do something (no matter how small the gesture is) to reach out to your fans.

6. Not "getting" how the fan/artist relationship works
You’re the leader and your fans do the following. You make the offer, they choose whether or not to accept.

Take charge, record the music, play the shows, print the t-shirts, and let them have the options of buying your album, coming to see you, or getting something to wear.

The average person has enough leadership duties to deal with in his or her own day. People are looking for somebody else to take control, so take control and let them ride along for a little while.

5. Laying Everything on the Table...
You're a rock star. You’re living the dream. Keep up that fantasy. Don't tell people how broke you are, that you're still living with your mother, or anything else that breaks the image of you fans have in their minds.

One of the reasons people like music is because they have the opportunity to live vicariously through the people they are listening to. When you are on stage, they're up there with you. When you're on the road in your tour bus, they're riding shotgun. Don't take that away.

Give them insight into your life and what it's like in your world, but always remember, you're not just selling music – you're also selling a persona.

4. Thinking the key to success is just musical talent, money, or looks
Yes, if we're talking about pop music, MTV, or the major label system, a certain amount of a contrived "image" probably helps sell records.

Obviously, money helps things. And it's always good if you can play and sing.

But "image" without marketing won’t get you on MTV. Good songs without marketing won’t get you on the radio. You can play well, have money, and look like a model, but if you don't have the marketing to back you up, none of it matters.

You know what? If you don’t have a good, solid marketing plan in place, everything else doesn't matter so much.

3. Giving up power
Keep control as long as you can. Yes, a label deal will give you opportunity that being an indie won't. And a professional manager has connections that you don't.

But when you sign with these guys, you're handing over your career to somebody else. Nobody cares as much about your career than you do. When you and your talent are the most important commodity you have to offer, do not give up your power easily and without a damn good reason.

Your music is worth something. You are worth something. Think of your career as being "virtual real estate" which, if marketed correctly, will pay dividends for years to come. So, treat it like that.

2. Jumping at every opportunity
You don't have to say yes to everything. In fact, sometimes, saying no to something can be more beneficial to your career than saying yes.

Why do you say yes to things? Take a look at your standards and make sure they’re high enough. As an example, just because a club has a PA system, it doesn't mean that it's worth playing there. There are some gigs that just aren't worth playing. There are some connections that just aren't worth developing.

When you say yes to something, especially something that takes your time, you're likely saying no to a host of other things by default. Leave yourself open to saying yes to the opportunities that really matter.

Trust your own judgment. If something doesn't feel right and you want to say no, it's okay. At that moment, you may worry you're passing up a great opportunity and will be missing out. The reality is better opportunities (that are a better fit for you) will come if you are open and ready for them.

1. Not getting help
You don't know everything. This business has been around for a long time – long before you were involved.

Read books, get advice from people who work in the industry and keep studying every aspect of the industry. Don't be afraid to ask for help. You can bypass a lot of the problems you're likely to run into simply by asking people who have already been in, and dealt with, the situations you find yourself in.

Remember this: Time is worth more than money. You can always earn more money, but you have a limited amount of time. Don't waste your time. If you don't know something, or need specific help, don't be afraid to pay somebody to help you deal with whatever obstacle you face. Don't let anything stop you from having all the knowledge and know-how you need to have the success you aspire to have.

David Hooper has been serving the independent music community for over a decade and is host of the syndicated radio show, Music Business Radio. Visit www.MusicMarketing.com for more information on David and additional music business advice. For more Top 10 lists, go to www.musicmarketing.com/top_10/.

Latest Critical Beatdown Show..Download NOw

xodus phoenix — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:38:29 GMT

Mr CRF Presents The Critical Beatdown Hiphop Radio Show

Ok people if you didnt get the chance to catch last weeks Slammin Critical Beatdown Show,just click the link below and download it now...More Dope Hiphop,New releases and Oldskool Classics brought to you by Mr CRF ... Enjoy people and dont forget to let me know what you think..If you want a shout or gotta request for the next show then get in touch..

Thanks

CRF

http://www.zshare.net/audio/15910204202237c7/

Lil dap --- Watch Me Do
Dj Davito,Mayhem Lauren,Black Attack,Killa Sha,Shabaam Sadiq,Sav Killz & Complex --- The Intervention
Game --- Doe Boyz
Cormega,PMD,Grand Puba,Big Daddy Kane,Krs & Red Alert --- Fresh
Million Dan --- Hiphop Ya Dont Stop
Si Philli --- Sunshine
Freddie Fox --- How To Rob 08
Large Pro --- The Intro (Entrance)
Dr Dooom --- Surgery
Tanya Morgan --- How Low
Mr CRF --- Superspit

Oldskool Selection.......

Rodney O & Joe Cooley ---Everlasting Bass
Cool C --- Enemy Territory
Spectrum City --- Check Out The Radio
Twin Hype --- Nothin Can Save Ya
Caveman --- Streetlife

End Of Oldskool Selection.......

Pedigree Chumps --- The X Fam
Illustrate --- Work
Craig G --- Deep Down
Krs One --- The Heat
Lost Secret & Ced Gee --- Delata 2008
Kool Keith ---- Get Sexy

End Of Show

Dynamic Producer Conference 2008 NYC

xodus phoenix — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:22:55 GMT

New York, NY – Dynamic Producer is proud to present The 7th Annual Dynamic Producer Conference. The event will take place from July 30th through August 1st, 2008 at New York City's Radisson Martinique Hotel. Regarded as the first and longest running music producer conference, over the years The Dynamic Producer Conference has been attended by over a thousand up and coming producers, as well as many top flight producers such as Kanye West, Just Blaze, DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, Brian Michael Cox & Rocwilder. This year's event continues its legacy and will once again introduce up & coming music producers to the realities of what it takes it break into the music industry and the networking opportunities to break into it.

The 3 day conference will cover every aspect of the music industry, including both it's business and creative sides. The Conference will be attended by Grammy award winning and multi platinum selling producers and engineers, songwriters, artists, managers, lawyers, publishers, publicists, major & independent label A&R's and more. Established music producers confirmed so far to share their insight to the next generation of producers include: Easy Mo Bee, Jimi Kendrix, Amadeus, Devo Springsteen and the Heatmakerz. Also confirmed (so far) to participate this year include representatives from SESAC, Violator, BMI, BET, G-Unit, Warner Music Group, AV8 Records, Hitco Music Publishing, Bad Boy, Shady Records, EMI Music Publishing, Atlantic Records, Dipset, ASCAP, Volition.com and Soundblaze.com

Several highly anticipated & unique events are taking place during the conference. The "What Artists Want Panel", is an all artist panel featuring Skyzoo (Audioworx Ent), Ali Vegas (Rich Soil/Asylum), Big Sean (G.O.O.D. Music) and Sadat X (Affluent Records). "Major label sessions", consist of groups of producers visiting a major label's office or studio to play demo's for A&R's and/or artists. The "DP Alumni Panel" will offer valuable insight from several Dynamic Producer members who have recently broken into the industry. There will also be a performance by G.O.O.D. Music artist Big Sean with an introduction by Dynamic Producer members WrighTrax. "Whether you want to network, be heard, or learn about the business and grind that it takes to break in the industry, I don't know of a better place to be." states long time member & Executive Director, James "Jim Bond" Llonch.

Dynamic Producer is an international support organization dedicated to the advancement of up and coming music producers. Dynamic Producer 's mission is to foster music producers through continuing education, career orientation, job opportunities, and community involvement. For further details please visit www.DynamicProducer.com or contact jim@dynamicproducer.com.

Janes fabulous idea for the next issue cover.

Jane Alias — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:32:52 GMT

The Technology Behind Esquire’s Flashing Cover

Microcapsules containing pigments enable issue’s electronic paper display.

By Jason Fell
07/22/2008

To commemorate its 75th anniversary, the October issue of Esquire will feature a flexible electronic "paper" cover that allows words and images to scroll across it—a first for magazines, according to parent company Hearst.

"We decided to dedicate our 75th anniversary issue not to the magazine's past but to our culture's near future," editor-in-chief David Granger said in an interview with FOLIO:. To pull it off, the magazine tapped E Ink, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based electronic paper display technologies firm that developed the electronic paper display [EPD] technology for Amazon's Kindle and the Sony Reader. The result, Granger said, is "a very literal representation of our theme: 'The 21st Century Begins Now.'"

Those words will flash across the cover of 100,000 copies when it hits newsstands in September.

‘Microcapsules Thinner Than a Human Hair'

Development of the EPD cover began about two years ago, according to Granger, when he and his team, with the developers at E Ink, began discussing how to create a flexible electronic cover. Hearst Interactive Media acquired a stake in E Ink about seven years ago.

"The cover is made up of microcapsules that are thinner than a human hair and are very small in diameter," said E Ink vice president of marketing Sriram Peruvemba. "How it basically works is that the microcapsules contain black and white pigments. When a charge is added, depending on the polarity, the pigment particles rise to the top creating the image you see."

In order to make the cover seem as much like paper as possible, E Ink used a flexible plastic to bind the device instead of glass, which is traditionally used in other LCD devices, Peruvemba said.

To get the design right, E Ink collaborated with Hearst's manufacturing department, Structural Graphics (the company which is assembling the cover) and printer R.R. Donnelley (which is printing and binding the magazine) to better understand how magazines are put together. Temperature became an issue during the assembly process, Granger said, since extreme temperatures deteriorate a battery's life expectancy. "We had to arrange for everything to remain cool at all times during the assembly process," he said. "That's not something magazines normally have to think about."

Another obstacle was designing a power source—and the chips that operate the device— small enough to fit within a magazine cover. Hearst turned to a Chinese engineer to come up with something innovative, and small. "Look at Amazon's Kindle: it's mostly battery," Granger said. "The electronic paper screen is very thin and pliable, but Amazon builds a superstructure around it to protect it and power it. We had to fit that into a magazine cover while preserving the cover's integrity."

The battery should last for roughly 90 days, the company says.

A Paperless Future for Magazines?

Creating the industry's first magazine with an EPD cover doesn't come cheap. While Hearst declined to reveal the final price tag, the publisher helped offset the cost by selling the inside cover ad to Ford, which also will utilize the EPD technology.

Granger hopes the technology becomes cheaper, and thinks that EPD could revolutionize the way we read magazines.

"We're hoping we can find ways to bring costs down through scale or more advance planning so that we can do it again," he said. "I think there are a lot of options."

Hearst is also hoping to offset costs by upping the cover price. The special anniversary issue, only available on newsstands, will sell for $5.99—two dollars more than its normal cover price.

How E Ink Works

Critical Beatdown Classics continues 07/12/08

xodus phoenix — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:56:17 GMT

If you didnt get chance to tune into the Critical Beatdown Radio Show last Saturday,you can now download it by clicking the Link below..90 Minutes of Real Hiphop presented by Mr CRF (Pedigree Chumps Fam)

Track Listing (As Aired Sat 12th July)

www. zshare. net/audio/15075721998bb2a7/

Craig G & Marley Marl --- Reintroduction
Si Philli --- Sunshine
Krs One --- Kool Herc
Kids In The Hall ---- Blackout
Lost Secret & Ced Gee --- Deltaforce 2008
Mr CRF --- Random Ish
K-Rino --- Scientific
Custom Made --- Mass Appeal
Oc & Ag -- Put It In The Box
Nas --- You Cant Stop Us Now
Krs One --- Hiphop
Million Dan --- Go In
Craig G --- Skates

Back To The Oldskool Selection.......

Das Efx --- Microphone Checka
Craig G & Marley Marl ---- Droppin Science
Mc Lyte --- Cha Cha Cha
Original Flava --- Kick The Butta
Eric B & Rakim --- Lyrics Of Fury

End Of Oldskool Selection ................

G-Unit & LL Cool J --- Straight Outta Southside
Kool G Rap --- Ny Times
Tame One & Del --- Catch Me
Naughty By Nature --- Hiphops Pain
Nas --- America
Egocentric & Noz (Pedigree Chumps ) --- I Had A Dream

End Of Show

Feel free to leave me a comment if you enjoy the show..Many thanks..Support Real Hiphop
Mr CRF

Artists who wish to submit tracks for future shows,get it touch..

Concept Synth Design Rack Unit

Griffin Avid — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:59:12 GMT

Mongoose Analogic Synth from Griffin Avid Systems

4 Oscillators with choices for shape. Options for combination shapes and Super Saw.

Dials have multiple rings that rotate.

When silver Focus Dial is set to MOD and Routing Matrix becomes a circular wheel of Modulation choices. When a Ocs is chosen, the Routing Matrix feeds that OSC through the different filter options.

Right above the word filter are the patch effects. One press lights the preset bay and locks setting to Preset A and Preset B. This is useful for taking a snapshot of your work or morphing/transforming/combining/mutating presets. Each combination of button press controls what type of mangling system is used. I.E. Holding A while pressing B two times rapidly keeps the tone of Preset A and use B's settings.

Ships with software editor for patch storage and additional features including sysex dump.

Specs:

4 Voice Synth

CV In/Out

MIDI IN/Out

Headphone

Audio IN/Out Aux IN (usually headphone out re-routed here)

Can be controlled fully through MIDI.

What to do when you're bored.

Oscar Wilde — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:54:33 GMT

Normally I'm not one to complain as it were, but I've hit a musician slump and I find myself bored to tears. I want to do something different and Radikal, but I'm short for the spark to getting it started.

Mind you I don't sample and I don't want to buy any new gear- SHOCKING, I KNOW!!!

Although I am looking in to this little baby...

Any ideas about this Griffin? I know you're into synths proper...

When I get it, I want to do something different with it.

maybe I need to invent a new genre or bend some rules. I'm just tired of my same old ouput. Slagging out the same tunes over and over again.

@Lady Jane:

Could you check your IMs. I want to check out the link for the Access VST and want to know how you're getting on with it. Also I want to add a gearlist like Jane - who should I ask about permission?

Hook it up Dun Dun.

Pro Tools, Ableton Live 7, Absynth 4, Z3TA, Alesis SR16, Roland JP-8080, Juno 106, Korg MS2000

So many creative people in the world of hip hop in the UK

WithMe — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:45:33 GMT

do you agree or disagree?

New Critical Beatdown Show 060908 FREE DOWNLOAD

xodus phoenix — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:34:27 GMT

The Real Hiphop Is Ova Here........

Mr CRF Presents The Critical Beatdown Hiphop Radio Show..

Okey people,if you didnt manage to catch last saturdays Critical Beatdown Radio show,you missed out on some Bangers..Dont worry though as you can now download the show by clicking the link below...

http://www.zshare.net/audio/1242639305d15dfd/

Nyg..z,Lady Of Rage & Freddie Fox --- Days R Numbered (Remix)
Shaya --- Impecable Concepts
Big Twin --- Big Twins
Nicolay & Kay --- Blizzard
Elements & Skinnyman --- High Grade
Group Home --- Get It
Game --- Pain
Craig G & Marley Marl --- Made The Change
Life --- Bad Minds
Buckshot --- Go All Out
Emc--- Grudge
Kidz In The Hall --- Drivin Down The Block (remix)

Old Skool Selection.....
YZ -- Return Of The Holy One
Rumpiltilskinz --- Attitudes
Poor Righteous Teachers -- Butt Naked Booty Bless
Organised Konfusion --- Last Piece Of Chicken
Pmd & Das Efx --- Here They Come

End Of Oldskool Selection....

Chip Fu --- Flashlight
XS If --- Hiphop Disciple
Krs One & Mc Lyte --- Love
Tanya Morgan --- The Bridge
Cool Kids --- Miami Beach
K..naan --- Strugglin
End Of Show

More YouTube nonsense...

xodus phoenix — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:50:59 GMT

"...im a struggling producer and i would like to know could you burn me a copy of sonar 6 for 50$ peace."

So I said:

This is Xodus Phoenix from PE Mag. Griffin would flip if he read this and ban you from the YouTube channel in a heartbeat- after hurling a bunch of insults first.

1. Do you even understand what Producer's Edge stands for?

2. Sonar Home edition is $139.99

3. If you're smart enough to know Sonar 6 is the app for you then you are smart enough to raise enough money to buy it.

4. If you're so struggling you can't afford money for a Sequencer, then you have other life issues more important than getting your mits on the latest Sonar. Cakewalk Project 5 is $99. http://www.project5.com/

5. Use a free one. Search KVR and also look into Reaper.

6. Save your pennies and support the companies that make the products that help YOU make music.

Don't bother us again with such trivial concerns.

Also since this is the weekend, all the yahoos are out. We got a bunch of racists checking in. Every since this channel broke into the millions it's like a-hole central. Hey Wildman, if you're bored you can always be a moderator on the youtube channel- you can be sure your corny comments will get through and talk to all the losers in video cyberspace.

And more:"You're over here too? Instead of MIGRATING BACK TO AFRICA TO LEARN YOUR LANGUAGE, RELIGION, CUISINE, AND IDENTITY...your over here wasting your time listening to awful sounds. There is hope: "Africans mull citizenship for slave kin" (Google it!) Sorry for the bad news...but somebody has to inform you! I mean if I were you, I'd be jumping in joy, knowing that I'll finally be experiencing TRUE FREEDOM and LIBERTY in my own ancestral land and with my people (but I ain't you). "

Hahahah

iStandard 2008 Beast of the Beats

Admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:54:01 GMT

There has been a venue change for Beast Of The Beats. The event will now be at TOUCH at 251 west 52nd street between 8th and Broadway, all original event tickets will be honored.

All times, all rules, all judges, all performances and all prizes remain the same. 21 and over w/ ID is still the rule.

Thanks for your support and WE ARE SO sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. It was out of Don and my control.

Please spread the word. Call and email all those who have tickets. We will also have a sign at Home to redirect those who show to the new club TOUCH.

NI Interviews : Mark Vinten and Lil' Jon

Griffin Avid — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:44:57 GMT

Mark and Lil' Jon

As programmer and engineer of hip hop superstar Lil' Jon, Mark Vinten is directly involved in the success of Jon's famous "Crunk" style, which originated in 2002 with the release of "Kings Of Crunk". Having produced Usher's 2004 hit single "Yeah", Mark and Jon realized every producer's dream of the perfect working environment: For the production of Jon's "Crunk Juice" album, they rented a luxurious house in which they set up a top-class studio as well as a full-blown club PA. In this agreeable environment, they are currently working on the completion of Jon's 2008 album "Crunk Rock". Mark sat down with us to talk about how Guitar Rig helped him shape the edgy sound of the recordings featuring a prominent lineup of rock artists, and how Battery, Kontakt, and Massive inspire him to continously come up with fresh sounds for the protagonist of high-energy hip hop.

Interview: Florian Grote

Mark, what is your role in the production team of Lil' Jon?

I am his engineer. I do a lot of editing and arrangements in his music, basically all the computer work. Basically it's about getting his sounds right, operating the sequencer for recording and things like that.

How did you get involved with Lil' Jon?

I was working at Circle House Studios in Miami, Florida. I had been there for about a year and a half when Jon came through and I was given the session. Jon and I just had a good vibe from the start. He would come back down about twice a month, for three to five days at a time, and every time he came back, he kept asking for me. For his last album, "Crunk Juice", he had the idea of renting a house and putting a studio in it. He called me and asked if I wanted to come out, work the session and do the album with him. I left the studio in Miami and have been with Jon pretty much since then.

For the new album, "Crunk Rock", we started with sessions in Las Vegas, working at the Studio at the Palms. Now we're basically back to the same process as with "Crunk Juice": We have a house in L.A. and put the entire studio in it.

How did you organize the workflow? Do you have one big studio in the house, or do you all have individual setups? How many people are involved and how many are in the house altogether?

There were about five people: Me, Jon, a bass player, a guitar player, and we would have different keyboard players come through and play on different tracks. We all lived there and were just working on the album.

I am just curious because today, so many producers tell you that it's a great advantage to be able to stay in touch on the internet, without actually having to be in the same place, or in the same studio. In your opinion, what is the benefit of staying in the same spot and producing together all day?

I think it is a matter of convenience, really. You could be sitting around the dinner table eating, and you would be talking about a certain beat, then someone says "I think it needs this special thing in there", you know, like a certain sound or a certain bass line or guitar part. You can just go to the studio right then and knock it out. You don't have to wait until you've booked studio time or anything like that. The studio is right there and if you have an idea, you just go for it. We have all lived in the house for a year now, and only take breaks for about 3 or 4 days at a time.

Does it feature nice surroundings, to just relax or to get away if necessary?

The house is incredible. It's a seven-bedroom house, with a full basement that has a theater room in it. That’s where we set up the studio. It has a pool, a bar, and a hot tub. There are all kinds of big screen televisions. It is really very nice.

Are you finished working on the album?

Jon has actually gone to Atlanta for a little bit, to work with some people out there, but it is still in production. It should be done within the next couple of months, though.

What can we expect? How is the sound going to differ from what we know as the Crunk style Lil' Jon stands for?

It is definitely going to be more rock influenced. Crunk music is all about the energy and a lot of rock music is too. So it seems like it's going to be a good mix, the energy of both of them coming together. And I hope that we come out with something great and new.

How would you describe the workflow and the production process of creating that typical energetic Crunk sound?

It all depends on the first step, really. It will happen in one of two ways: Sometimes, Jon goes in and works on his drums and puts a couple of synthesizer sounds in there. Then, we'll try to add the rock elements on top of that. We'll talk to different rock artists to see who would sound good on that particular track. Is it going to be Kid Rock that wants to do this one? Or are we going to get Travis Barker, and have him play some live drums on it? It can also happen the other way around, though: We did a lot of work with this band called Whole Wheat Bread and we had the entire band go in and basically just jam. They would run through ideas all day and we'd go back afterwards and say "Okay, I like this idea from 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 3 minutes and 30 seconds". I would then take that and basically structure a song around it. Then Jon would come back and put his elements on top of that. We basically always worked in one of those two ways.

At the Grammys

How does the collaboration with rock artists differ from collaboration with R&B artists, like say, Usher, when you produced "Yeah"?

It is a lot different because these are sounds that don't normally go together. Usually, you wouldn't have programmed drums that are nice, beefy and round and then add a live drum set on top of that. It just doesn't happen very often. There's a lot of blending to do, trying to get everything to work together. Whereas, if you are doing the regular R&B record like "Yeah", you only have programmed drums and a couple of synths, and then you add in the vocals on top of that. With the rock stuff, you have all the regular Crunk and R&B sounds, plus you are adding in electric guitars, a live drum set, a live bass and so on. This will make your sessions fill up real fast. But if you can blend all the elements together nicely, it makes for a big, big mix which will come out sounding huge.

During which steps and for which elements in the production process did you use NI software like Kontakt and Battery?

I think that Battery is one of the programs that we have used the most so far. Besides Battery, we also use Guitar Rig quite a lot. A producer who is at the top of the music business, like Jon, has a drum library that is just ridiculously vast. He has so many drum samples you wouldn't believe it! Battery has proven to be the best way to keep everything organized. You can make really convenient programs with lots of cells, and I use that to take for example all the kicks and put them into one program. When Jon wants a kick, he just goes to the load menu and pulls up all the kicks. He can go through at least 64 kick drums and find the one he wants. Or, if there is a special kick that he has gotten from someone, like a special 808 or 909 kick, we can drop it into one program and then just pull it out again any time. Being able to tune an 808 or any other drum sound is great! When the kick drum sounds good, but it's just kind of not sitting right in the mix, you can just use the tune knob in Battery and adjust it to where it sits perfectly right in the mix with everything else.

The other software we have used just as much as Battery is Guitar Rig. We sometimes track overdub guitars directly through Guitar Rig and flip through some presets and say "That's kind of close to what we want", and then we can add a flanger or put some delay on it. It's all right there, and we can manipulate it into what we need, which makes Guitar Rig perfect for us.

Entourage

Have you tried Guitar Rig on other, non-guitar sounds as well?

Oh yes! A short while ago, we had a whole mix of Jon's drums, and I bounced them all down to a stereo track and put Guitar Rig on it to get that crunchy, distorted drum sound. We then used this drum loop as a background in a song. It sounded like a sample of an old drum loop, but we had actually made it ourselves. We built the entire beat around that loop.

I have also used Guitar Rig on vocals: I'd either put it across the whole vocal channel, or if I just want a certain buzz to it, I just add a little bit of grit underneath the vocals. Especially for some rock stuff, you don't want the vocals to be too clean, so they might need a little dirt behind them. So in my Protools, I just set Guitar Rig up on an aux-track and route the sends on it. That way, you can't really hear it, but you can feel it. It's a little bit grimier, it has just a little bit more dirt in it. Also, a lot of times I add a delay before Guitar Rig on the aux-tracks. That gives you clean main vocals, but any delays that come through will be distorted or modified in some way.

Do you use Kontakt as well?

We use it a lot to access and edit the sounds we have on our Open Labs Neko. It makes the handling of samples much easier, you just save all the files on the Neko to one folder and use Kontakt's browser to open them on your computer. That basically gives you the exact same sound from the keyboard in Kontakt, only now they are fully manipulable! If I want to edit my sounds from the Neko, I do everything in Kontakt.

Also, we often use Akoustik Piano and the B4. With any of the keyboard players that come through to play just regular keys or an organ, the first thing that we bring up is Akoustik Piano. The Boesendorfer in there is wonderful! The B4 has great-sounding organs and of course they are all completely manipulable. The best thing about having all the sounds in the software is how easy it is to change them according to your needs. If you want to take some of the top-end out, then just go ahead and do it on the screen. It's all savable, you can easily recall it. Just save it as "This is the piano that we used on (whatever song it is)". So if you need the same kind of sound as on another song, you can just open the preset and there it is. You do not have to go through trying to get the mikes just how they were, or get into the same tracking room or anything like that. You can make your sounds the way you want them and then just hit "save" and you're good to go.

When did you start to work with software instruments?

It was probably about a year ago. We didn't have all the NI products for "Crunk Juice", but we've definitely used it on "Crunk Rock" in unbelievable amounts. It's all over the album, really. NI software is one of the mainstays in our productions, the first option when we want to try something. We'll go in and use Kontakt, Akoustik Piano, and the B4, or Massive, which we have started using recently. There are some really new sounds in there, some stuff that has never been heard before! With someone like Jon, who does so much music, it is important to always have new material. All the NI products are updated so frequently that you are constantly getting new material to work with, and that will inspire you to create new things. It keeps everything fresh for you, keeps you moving forward.

Well, thank you very much for your time, Mark! We are looking forward to the new album!

NI Interviews: Vince Clark on Absynth, FM8, and Reaktor.

Griffin Avid — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:40:15 GMT

http://www.native-instruments.de/index.php?id=vinceclarke&L=1&ftu=0f09148e9c2fb19

As founding member of Depeche Mode and songwriter of the band's early hits, Vince Clarke was among the first pop stars of electronic music. Already in the late 1970s, Clarke had started his collection of analog synthesizers that would eventually grow into a large and complex studio setup he used to produce the hits of his projects Yazoo and Erasure.

Having worked with very early sequencing software for many years, Clarke has now spent the past four years exploring the depths of software synthesis. In the interview, he shares his thoughts on songwriting with synthesizers and explains how he uses Absynth, FM8, and Reaktor.…

Interview by Florian Grote

You are famous as a user and collector of analog synthesizers, but computers made it into your setup list very early on as well. How would you describe the role of the computer in your creative work?

I started using computers around 1984. Prior to that I was using analog sequencers like the Roland MC-4, which is essentially a 4 Channel triggering device. I started to use computers with a software called UMI, which was made for the BBC Micro computer, a machine that was employed for basic education purposes in the U.K. The UMI software was a 16-channel MIDI sequencer that I used for years on the same computer. Even though technology went way ahead of me I stuck to the same piece of equipment. The reason for that was that its limitations really helped me to make the right decisions when it came down to making music. I couldn't get thrown over by having too many choices and that helped me focus on what was important in the song. When I moved to the U.S. I started using Logic and Max/MSP while I was waiting for all my equipment to arrive from the U.K. That's when I really got into software synthesizers. It was the first time I read a manual in my life. A rather difficult experience.

So then you took the step from working with analog synthesizers and digital sequencers and entered the world of software?

Yeah, it was very new to me. I'd seen it being used by other producers but my few attempts at using software instruments before I really got into working with them were incredibly slow. It took a while or me to get faster when using the software and for it to be useful for me.

Which technology has had the biggest impact on your music?

When I first started using Logic it was purely for convenience and practical reasons. I just couldn't get all my gear over from the U.K. fast enough. It wasn't love at first sight. Later when more and more software synthesizers came out that were based on a lot of analog gear I really started to get interested.

How did you come across Native Instruments?

Yazoo (Alison Moyet & Vince Clarke)

That was by recommendation from Martin Ware of Heaven 17. We worked together and he recommended Absynth and FM7 to me. I loved Absynth right away because it was so different from anything else. Then I got into Reaktor through Gareth Jones, who was another producer I worked with. He explained to me how it worked. At first I was a bit put off by the idea of creating your own synthesizers. Initially, I couldn't be bothered to do that because it sounded like a lot of hard work. But I soon found out that it was also a lot of fun!

Where do you see your musical influences when it comes to working with synthesizers?

I've always been a fan of music based on synthesizers. In the 80s the two key bands for me were Human League - before the girls joined the band - and OMD, especially with their first album. I loved the fact that they were using synthesizers in a pop context.

What is your stage setup?

It has changed quite a bit over the years. Right now we're using Logic. But I had to cut up all the tracks of the individual songs due to synchronization problems. You know, we record to tape in the studio. It was a lot of work but it sounded much better and really tightened things up live. What I would like to get into more is using hardware interfaces with software synthesizers. I really like the idea of using two hands to create a specific sound rather than a mouse. That has to be a good thing.

Would you like to see music technology develop more in this direction of offering tactile control?

Erasure (Andy Bell & Vince Clark)

When the first digital synthesizers came out, everybody complained about them having one button that did several different things. The synthesizer companies responded to that and started making digital synths with knobs. For me, it would be very useful for software synthesizers to go in that direction.

It is all about user friendliness. The reason Andy and I never write using synthesizers is because we'll never finish the song. We'll do a bar or two and then we'll start tweaking the sound. We wouldn't get any further than that. There was one album in particular where we had rules like no chords, no MIDI sequences and only analog sounds. It gave the album a very distinctive sound. It's quite good for me to limit myself in that way. I had an interesting conversation with another musician in the U.S. He told me how he'd been using Logic for years and then decided he was fed up with looking at the screen and not listening to the music. So, he actually stopped programming for a couple of years and let somebody else do it.

What are your next projects?

I'll do some more writing with Andy at the beginning of next year. I'll be very busy over the next few months setting up my new studio complex. I have a lot of calibrating to do.

Latest Releases:

"In Your Room"-Box-Set (EMI/Mute)
"Reconnected"-EP (EMI/Mute)

Duckdown Show Calendar Late June into July for dates here!!

Griffin Avid — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:47:28 GMT

SHOWS...AND MORE SHOWS

6/27/08: Buckshot, Talib Kweli, Pete Rock, NY, NY @ The Museum of Natural History
6/28/08: FREE Crooklyn Dodger's Re-Union Show for Celebrate Brooklyn @ Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY (FREE)
6/29/08: Buckshot, Rock, of Heltah Skeltah, and Ruste Juxx performing at CLUB HOME
7/06/08: Kidz In the Hall Pawtucket, Rhode Island @ The Blackstone (+21)
7/10/08: Smif N Wessun, Bilal, Ladybug Mecca and Chip Fu with a LIVE BAND as part of the BK Hip Hop Festival @ the Brooklyn Masonic Temple
7/12/08: Buckshot, KRS ONE, DJ Premier, Mickey Factz and more performing at THE BROOKLYN HIP HOP FESTIVAL @ Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park

Duck Down Record's Artists are staying busy with a slew of upcoming shows. Kidz In The Hall just returned from a Tour of the UK with Atmosphere and head right back to Europe for more dates next week. Check their Site (www.kidzinthehall.com) for a full tour schedule.

Read below for exciting shows featuring Buckshot, Talib Kweli, Pete Rock, Smif N Wessun, KRS ONE, DJ Premier, Bilal, Masta Ace, Special Ed, Rock, Ruste Juxx and more.
_____________________________________________________________________

Buckshot, Talib Kweli and Pete Rock Making History:

Flavorpill presents "One Step Beyond" at the American Museum of Natural History, featuring performances by Talib Kweli, Buckshot, Pete Rock and Hi-Tek.

Friday, June 27th
9PM to 1AM
79th Street @ Central Park West

$20 -Price includes admission to the show and a free return visit to the museum.

Click Here for More Info

_______________________________________________________________________

Free Crooklyn Dodger's Re-Union Show:
Join the festivities on Saturday June 28th at 7PM at Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, New York as Celebrate Brooklyn and Lyricist Lounge present the Crooklyn Dodger's Re-Union Show.

FREE SHOW!!!

Click Here For More Details

_______________________________________________________________

Smif N Wessun, Bilal and others to Perform with a Live Band at the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival:

THURSDAY, JULY 10th
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, Brooklyn Bodega & boomBoom present Revive Da Live!

Chris Dave & Friends with Bilal, Smif & Wessun, Ladybug Mecca & Chip Fu + Appearances from
Akrobatik, Raydar Ellis, Renee Neufville, Stimulus + surprise guests!

Brooklyn Masonic Temple
317 Claremont Ave at Lafayette Ave (Ft. Greene Brooklyn)

Tickets: $25 Available at Boom Boom NYC: www.masonicboom.com

Brooklyn Masonic Temple: www.brooklynmasonictemple.com

_________________________________________________________________

KRS ONE, BUCKSHOT and DJ PREMIER HEADLINE The Main Stage of Brooklyn Hip Hop's Festival:

SATURDAY, JULY 12th
MAIN PERFORMANCE DAY

The Kings and Queens of Brooklyn return home supported by the next wave from Brooklyn and beyond.

Live Performances From:
KRS One, DJ Premier, Buckshot, Blu & Exile, Mickey Factz, 88-Keys, J.Period, Fresh Daily, Zaki Ibrahim Homeboy Sandman and Special Guests! Hosted by Uncle Ralph McDaniels

Click Here For Tickets
Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park
4-8pm
Corner of Plymouth & Main Streets
Dumbo, Brooklyn

iSOUND Artist Blog:

Griffin Avid — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:43:25 GMT

New Technology Makes the World an Oyster for Independent Artists
New computer technology allows unknown entertainers to tell the world who they are and what they do. It's mind boggling... and we can't possibly keep up with the changes much less learn everything we would like to know about these incredible tools. However, if we are to succeed in today's show business environment, we must learn to embrace at least a few of these computer necessities. The word processor, database, e-mail and internet - web site components are an absolute must. And, it wouldn't hurt to get reasonably familiar with one of the basic graphics or page maker programs as well. If you are completely illiterate when it comes to computers, you'll have to rely on a friend, or establish somewhat of a relationship with your local business center for many of your office requirements. But, even if you can't turn on a computer, there are available tools (auto-response services) that will deliver your video... bio... reviews... sheet music... contract and/or contract rider instantly and inexpensively through a simple email auto-request from your client. This article will focus on the most important item in any performer's promotional package... your video demo and the various delivery options.

Every professional performer has (or should have) a good video sample of their on-stage performance. This should be one of the first priorities of any performer's promotion package. And, for a tribute artist, it is quite simply the most important priority period... after all, it is crucial that potential clients be convinced that you look, sound and act like the superstar you emulate. They need to know that you can really deliver a believable performance. A good video sample will establish that you can... and can also show them some of your other strong qualities as well. How to make an effective video without spending a fortune will be discussed another time. For the moment, suffice it to say that today's digital camcorders and simple video editing programs make it possible for anyone to produce an acceptable video with very little experience or expense.

Most of us will routinely send out our video samples in various forms such as VHS... VCD or DVD formats â€“ possibly duplicating and labeling these items with our own home office equipment which will save on expensive duplication fees. If you are doing your own duplications, always take the time to make sure your packaging and mailing labels look professional. This is your first opportunity to indicate to a potential client that you are a pro that cares about how you present yourself. Sloppy, unattractive packages and zerox promo kits will harm your chances for maximum success. The quality of the video itself doesn't have to match a TV network special. But, it does represent you and what you do â€“ make sure all participants are always well groomed and the content accurately represents your live performance. Quality is always a subjective matter... a video meant to secure a gig at an Eagles Club doesn't have to be as elaborate as one you would send to the entertainment director at a major casino showroom.

Recent advances in streaming video technology together with expanded web hosting services have virtually revolutionized the video distribution process. You can now deliver your full length, quality video through a video hosting service for only pennies per play. Unlike the slow web video process requiring a time-consuming download, the visitor receives instant, high resolution streaming video through a simple hyperlink on your web site or e-mail message. There are no memory or traffic problems... new expanded band widths and compression technology allows the host server to dispatch your video to virtually hundreds of visitors at the same time. And, most industry experts suggest that the current half screen high resolution transfer capability will extend to full screen high resolution capabilities by the end of the year.

It won't be long before your web browser will become just one more component you can access directly through your home TV theatre system. These technical advances will open the door to all kinds of exciting new opportunities. Anyone will be able to simulcast their concert or variety show to a world-wide audience "live" just like ABC or NBC. Not only that, your program can be accessed for free or for a fee (as you choose) and remain assessable on your host server to be viewed by anyone, anywhere at anytime. After payment or password approval, the viewer can access programming immediately similar to hotel pay per view movie schedules.

The time is certainly now for performers with exceptional creative skills and concepts to show the world what they can do. It won't be long before the web TV industry will be screaming for suitable programming - everything with entertainment value will be saleable material. So, don't delay... start working on entertaining video concepts today!

If you have any difficulty acquiring a video host server, (many web designers and servers are unfamiliar with streaming video advancements) please contact me and I'll be happy to provide you with a few recommendations.

Posted By Les Vogt @ 12:00 AM
Author's site: http://www.members.shaw.ca/lesvogt

Obin The Incredible Blog Review of Issue 02 David Banner/Mr. Collipark

Griffin Avid — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:21:28 GMT

DVD-ROM a bonus..Ha! Bwahahah. AIM Up, my dude.

____________________________

Producer's Edge Magazine Review

I was given a trial issue of a new Producer's Magazine. Now I have not seen a hip-hop centered production magazine since Scratch. Now Scratch Started out really good. I had the very first issue but when they got bought out and the new owners (Not going to mention any names) started messing with a winning formula and then started losing readers. Well of course I was one of those readers they lost. So all I have been able to read has been online forums and of course the oldies but goodies. Recording, Mix, Remix, Keyboard, Electronic Musician and of course my usual Guitar Player and Drummer Magazines. Well to the huge demographic of future hip-hop producers, there really wasn't anything to cater to us. It is a HUGE demographic to be tapped into.

Well all of a sudden I hear from Griffin Avid, who just so happens to be a writer for the magazine, that there is such a magazine! He quickly sent one to me and I have honestly read it cover to cover 3 times! It is one of the best magazine I have ever read. They had articles that actually appealed to me. Plus they are not over filled with a bunch of short articles that have no use to me or a bunch of advertisements. Not that advertisements are bad, I understand you pay bills with them so i can stand them, but I hate it when you go through 3 or 4 pages straight of them to get to 1 article!

Things I loved about the magazine is they interviewed producers who are legends as well as some who are carving out their legacy. In my first issue there was interviews with legends such as Diamond D and Easy Moe Bee. Then some current Heavy weights 9th Wonder & Don Canon. And to wrap it up there was a interview with the current "Beast of the Beats" Winner The Applejuice Kid. Checked out his stuff online and wow. Great stuff. I love this magazine. I just subscribed to it. I usually don't subscribe to to many magazines any more but this is one I'll be reading for a while. There is so much information in this magazine. Plus it isn't just useless info, it's all stuff I can use in MY production.

They even went into the reviews and technical info on classic gear like the Emu SP 1200! Then it went right into the interview with Easy Moe Bee who just so happens to use the SP1200. It is just a great thought out magazine made by producers and musicians for producers and musicians! Check it out here at Producer's Edge

Now for the best part of the whole magazine.....It comes with a free DVD packed with demo as well as free software and samples! Has great tutorial Videos and great review Videos! This was by far the icing on the cake! It came with some drum refills made by the great Griffin Avid! This is one of the greatest things any electronic musician/producer can buy. Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. This and the Beat Tips Manual are on my list to recommend to other producers who want to get started or anybody who just wants to get to the next level in their musicianship and production!

___________________________________________________

His Blog: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=99387494&blogID=406567912

His MySpace.com page: http://www.myspace.com/obitheincredible

And I did a sound pack for the free samples he gives away on his MySpace.com Blog every week. Bookmark this. This weeks' is 300 Breaks!!!!!!!

New York/Long Island Interest Immortal Technique In-Store

xodus phoenix — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:53:17 GMT

The Cop Shop
IN-STORE EVENT: 06.26.08

Cop Shop Records .... The Store .... The Label .... The Movement ....

Meet Immortal Technique - LIVE @ The Cop Shop ( Thurs )

Thursday night .... Meet & Greet Immortal Technique - LIVE @ The Cop Shop. Cop the highly anticipated brand new album The 3rd World and get your copy personally AUTOGRAPHED. Spread the word !!!

CD Admission / all ages are welcome to attend. Call For Directions ( 631.360.9700 )

www.CopShopMusic.com
77 West Main Street | Smithtown NY 11787 | 631.360.9700 | MySpace.com / CopShopRecords

- NEW Vinyl & CD's every week
- We Buy-Sell-Trade Used Hip Hop CD's & Vinyl