Thursday, December 30, 2004
Clinical Applications of Music Technology
As a music therapist, one of my major goals in therapy is to effectively engage the client in musical interaction in order to work towards non-musical goals (such as attention span or self-esteem). With all the technology available today, music therapists are starting to music technology as one of their methods of interacting with their clients.
One application that I find would be particularly useful with individual clients, or even groups, is the ability to create their own CD of music.
While this is fairly simple to do with a MiniDisc recorder, by using your computer, some good recording software, and a professional soundcard, you will get a result that is of a much higher quality and more aesthetically pleasing. Using a professional mic and soundcard will afford you the flexibility to control your recording levels more closely, and through the software or direct monitoring, you can monitor the input level, instead of having to go back afterwards and try again - this makes your sessions more efficient and less frustrating for both you and the client for having to do multiple takes. With multitrack recording software, you also don't have to worry about having the right balance between client and therapist, as this is much easier to fix afterwards than with a MiniDisc.
By adding effects and creating extra parts with the help of VST or DXi soft synths, you can create a recording of music created entirely by the client - a very empowering experience! You could, over the course of several sessions, create an orchestral accompaniment to a client's song, as the client would not have to be able to play all the instruments of orchestra, only sequence them with the software into something that is meaningful.
While most clients' songs are limited to being recorded with piano or guitar, as it is impractical to record with other instrumentations, with recording software, you can create accompaniments of any instrumentation with a software program and some good soft synths - and no other instrumentalists are required. Your recordings would be limited only by your client's imagination!
For more information on music therapy, visit the Canadian Association for Music Therapy or the American Music Therapy Association.
- Kristin
Posted at 9:29 AM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Cubase SX 3.01
Steinberg has announced the first update to Cubase SX3! This update includes several new features and a new reverb virtual effect processor, and is available for download from Steinberg's web site.
The new RoomWorks reverb plug-in included in this update is fully surround-capable, and provides high quality reverb for just about any conceivable room or space, while offering over 60 predefined virtual spaces.
One of the nice features of this plug-in is that it allows users to scale the CPU efficiency of the plug-in, making it great when you're CPU load for a project is already high!
The MIDI device panels system is now also available for editing effect plug-ins in audio channels as well as VST instruments with the 3.0.1 update.
This makes any parameter of those objects instantly accessible not only in the Project Window, but also on the appropriate channel mixer strip and the track inspector through user-defined panels. The concept of full automatic plug-in delay compensation to include external effects loops is also expanded in this update. The unique new "ping" button can be used to measure the processing delay of any external effects device and automatically set the corresponding delay parameter for automatic compensation. Automatic sample-accurate timing is now possible even in complex software/hardware systems where plug-ins and hardware effects work side by side.
Cubase SX 3.0.1 has also added an overload indicator to the master output level display, so users can easily check, with a single glance at the Transport Bar, to see if the audio output has exceeded 0db.
- Kristin
Posted at 8:39 AM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Yamaha Buys Steinberg...
Yamaha announced today that is has purchased Steinberg from Pinnacle and will be integrating the Steinberg US sales operations into Yamaha US. No word yet on what this means for Steinberg Canada and other global affiliates.
As for the product line, the old "nothing will change" line is being used again. However, we can expect to see even tighter integration of the software into Yamaha products, and perhaps more bundling of Cubase SE with other Yamaha products.
Should be interesting to see what happens in the New Year as the deal is finalized and Yamaha takes over.
- Kelly.
Posted at 9:40 PM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Cubase SL 3 Now Shipping!
After its much anticipated release, Cubase SL 3 is finally shipping. Cubase SL incorporates many of the major new features of the more powerful Cubase SX 3, while being more affordable to the home user. Features like the Audio Warp real-time time stretching and pitch shifting tool and the new Play Order Track tool for pattern-style composition provide you with the same powerful tools as Cubase SX for loop-based composition. The extended "Freeze"
feature, now including audio tracks and insert effects, gives you more power to process large audio projects.
Cubase SL does not include support for Surround Sound, includes a few less editing plugins and VST instrument slots, but is still a very powerful program!
Upgrades have to be purchased directly through Steinberg.
- Kristin
Posted at 1:23 AM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
MusicTime Deluxe & Encore are back...
The popular notation programs MusicTime Deluxe and Encore are available once again! The new versions of the programs include improved stability, and fixes of several bugs such as print layout problems, getting the wrong sound when reading MIDI, slur and align spacing, and much more.
If you've upgraded your system, and found the programs don't work for you anymore - these new versions now support the latest operating systems. You can now upgrade to the latest version of MusicTime Deluxe or Encore and start composing again!
Kristin.
Posted at 9:47 PM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Sibelius Student Edition
Sibelius has recently released a "Student" version, only available in the UK. Selling directly from Sibelius for £99, the "Student" edition is a cut down version that only allows up to 8 staves and will notate only basic music - no irregular bars, custom lines, noteheads or cue notes. Sibelius USA hasn't decided if this will be a product they will carry in North America yet, but you can check out the details on the UK web site.
- Kelly
Posted at 11:39 AM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Aardvark - gone?
Rumour has it that Aardvark Audio is no longer in business. We don't want to spread rumours, but we have verified with a number of sources that they have no longer been able to reach Aardvark or purchase products from them. With Avid's acquisition of M-Audio and a string of other sound card companies folding over the past few years, the sound card industry is certainly seeing some consolidation.
The Q10 was always a favourite of Kelly's Music, and Aardvark's products were always rock solid. They will be missed.
- Kelly
Posted at 9:05 PM by Kelly's Music :: Archived :: TrackBack (0) ::