andPOP » recording

M-Audio Fast Track C400 with Pro Tools

Rick Levine — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:03:26 +0000

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M-Audio promotes the new C series Fast Track recording interfaces to be the best sounding, best looking and most feature rich audio interfaces they have ever designed. When M-Audio designed the new C Series audio interface, the company wanted to use technology from their higher line of interfaces with the aim of delivering exceptional sound quality by including boutique quality pre amps and premium audio converters . M-Audio claims to have sought customer input in order to create a completely redesigned form factor, with the intention of simplifying the music making process for the user.

Top Panel Design
The Fast Track C series audio interfaces feature top panel knobs and buttons, designed for quick, single handed operation with input controls on the left and output controls on the right. On the right panel is a new feature to the C series which is called a ‘multi button’. The idea of the muti button is to provide immediate access to the software functions you use most to help simplify common work flows.

The Rear Panel of the Fast Track C400 includes the following connections: A pair of mic/line Inputs, 2 pairs of Monitor Outputs, a S/PDIF input and Output, one Pair of MIDI in and outs, the USB connection and a Kensington Lock connector slot.

Connections on the Rear Panel of the Fast Track C400

Key Features of the Fast Track C400 M-Audio Interface:
- Includes Pro Tools SE Recording Software
- 4 x 6, 24-bit/96 kHz audio interface
- Assignable top-panel Multi button
- Near-zero latency monitor mixer with built-in reverb and delay effects
- Built-in monitor management system

For the mixing process, the sound engineer will often want to be able to check the mix on multiple speakers to hear how that mix translates by A/B ‘ing the mix. The Fast Track C series features a built in monitor mix management that is simple to use without the need to invest in additional hardware and cables. The Fast track C 400 allows the user to connect up to 2 sets of different monitors. Therefore with the C 400 it is simple and economical to hear your mix on multiple speakers to get the assurance that your mix will sound good on different speakers.

Drive Mixer Software for the Fast Track C400 by M-Auido

When setting up the the Fast Track C400 it is important to download the lastest software drivers for your operating system before connecting the Fast Track hardware to your computer. The much improved look and feel of the Fast Track Driver/Mixer software is a welcome enhancement from previous versions of M-Audio software, particularly for the Macintosh.

Another important requirement when using the Fast Track C400 is to minimize the number of USB devices connected to your computer in order to avoid overloading the USB bus. Never having experienced this particular power issue before with an audio interface, it is a mystery to us, as to why M-Audio did not engineer a socket for an external power supply in the design for the Fast Track C 400 as had been done with previous Audio interface models. Never needed to ever use an external power supply for any previous M-Audio interface however, the Fast Track C400 caused this USB alert to appear…

Suffice it to say that M-Audio is a respected, experienced brand in the world of computer Audio interfaces. The Fast track C400 is a very smart looking, thoughtfully laid out audio interface in a compact size and is compatible with a wide range of music creation software. With many new enhancements, when correctly configured to your computer, the Fast Track C series offers the ability to create music quickly and creatively on both the Mac or the PC.

Retails at:
Fast Track C400 Audio Interface/Pro Tools SE $309.95 MSRP

Joe Jonas Wants to Make More Music With Brothers

andPOP Staff — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:59:57 +0000

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Joe Jonas was asked about his New Year’s resolution. His response should excite Jonas Brothers fan everywhere.

“I hope to continue what I’ve been doing — making great music that I’m proud of,” he said. “And be able to make more music with my brothers.”

It will be amazing to have all the brothers back in the studio together after they have spent some time on their individual projects. Joe has been working on his solo music career, Nick is beginning his stint on Broadway, and Kevin has been writing and directing his own short film.

Morgan Freeman’s Next Gig: Answering Machines

Natalia Buia — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:25:13 +0000

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Without a doubt, Morgan Freeman has one of the most recognizable voices in Hollywood. He can narrates about Penguins, play God, put babies to sleep with a lullaby and now he’s on a new vocal adventure: recording answering machines.

Revolver Entertainment, one of the leading film distrubutors, didn’t want to rely on a robot to speak on the company’s automated telephone menu. Instead, they asked Million Dollar Baby actor Morgan Freeman to be the voice people hear first when they phone in.

This is a really good move on Revolver Entertainment. Many of us humans are sick and tired of calling major companies and getting a prerecorded droid on the other end. To hear a familiar voice will ease the pain of having to wait 20 minutes on the line to speak to an actual representative. Hopefully, more businesses reach out to Freeman because it seems answering machines are his forte.

Other celebrities that should follow in his footsteps: Adele, Sarah Silverman, Keifer Sutherland and Rosie Perez.

Listen to Morgan Freeman’s recording below.

Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston Back in Studio

andPOP Staff — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:21:15 +0000

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Justin Bieber and Sean Kingston are back in the studio recording. Bieber and Sean have become quite close, with Justin visiting Kingston in Miami after his jet ski crash.

In a post on his Twitter page, Bieber writes, “Had a great studio session with my big bro Sean Kingston and the talented jonathanrotem. Goodmusic.”

The two buddies have recorded together before, and have also toured together.

Justin Bieber Stays In Bed

andPOP Staff — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:34:27 +0000

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Justin Bieber is unstoppable, but even he can get a little under the weather.

Bieber had to put recording on hold after falling ill. The 17 year old is working on his follow up album to “My World 2.0.”

He tweeted, “No studio today. Sick and staying home and watching movies. Chill night. Gotta rest up.”

‘American Idol’s’ Haley Reinhart gets Interscope Recording Deal

andPOP Staff — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:23:52 +0000

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Haley Reinhart who was a finalist on Season 10 of American Idol has just landed a recording deal with Interscope Records. Haley is currently on tour with “American Idol Live,” which kicked off on July 6.

“I’ve always dreamed of getting this kind of recognition,” Reinhart says in a release. “I am very thankful to 19 and Interscope for giving me this opportunity to create my own music.”

This is amazing news for Haley, considering she initially tried out for Season 9, but didn’t make the cut for Hollywood. However, Season 10 she made the cut for Hollywood and became an Idol favorite. Although she didn’t win Season 10, getting a recording contract with Interscope is a nice second prize.

Aerosmith Heads Back To The Studio

Christian Allaire — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:30:00 +0000

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Aerosmith is heading back in the studio to begin working on their long-delayed new album, reports Billboard.

Not that frontman Steven Tyler is done with ‘American Idol’ for the season, he has plenty of time to work on his own stuff. The singer and his four bandmates plan to reunite next month with producer Jack Douglas, guitarist Joe Perry says.

“Whole band has plans to go into the studio with Jack Douglas second week of July to work on new Aero CD,” Perry tweeted.

The album will be recorded in a Massachusetts studio the band built six years ago. This will be the band’s newest materiel since 2001′s ‘Just Push Play.’

The band has delayed recording due to several reasons, like health problems rising among the members or Tyler’s pushing desire to go solo.

It’s about time – I doubt their new stuff will be as good as the classics, but I’m sure they’ll be back with some fresh stuff!

Mark Hoppus Says Blink-182 Album Is On The Way

Christian Allaire — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 05:34:46 +0000

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Singer and bassist Mark Hoppus has told MTV News that a new Blink-192 album is on its way.

Back in February, drummer Travis Barker told MTV News that his band’s long awaited album would be finished in “June or July,” an announcement that was greeted with much anticipation from fans. The album’s release date has had a timeline that stretches all the way back to February 2009, though, when Blink-182 announced that they were not only reuniting, but “in the studio writing and recording a new album.” Three years later, the album still isn’t here – but it’s on its way.

Hoppus post a brand-new studio clip on his Facebook page on Tuesday, but when MTV News spoke to the bassist last week, he backed up Barker’s claims of a summer release. Blink fans unite!

“The timeline! The Blink-182 timeline! Always an interesting point of discussion!” Hoppus laughed. “We are still planning for an early-to-midsummer release, we’re working very hard at it. Right now Travis is back on the road, so I’m back in L.A. working on the record, [guitarist Tom DeLonge's] working on the record, we’re sending stuff to Travis; as soon as [he] gets back, hopefully Tom and I will have the album in a shape where Travis can come in and we can spend, you know, a month, month-and-a-half working really hard on pounding out the album and get it done.”

Hoppus explained that most of the recording’s delay has been due to the way Blink have chosen to work this time around — in bits and pieces, alone and together, in a pair of California studios — all due to the members and their busy schedules.

“It’s definitely a very different process … before, at least we were all in the same room at the same time,” he said. “With this, with Travis having his solo record, me being in L.A., and Tom doing his stuff and also being in San Diego, at first it felt like maybe it was a bit piecemeal, but now it feels like we’re getting into a good rhythm.”

“Between sending songs back and forth to each other, we’ll all meet up in the studio every few weeks and go over everything, listen down to everything and I’ll say, ‘OK, I love what you did with this idea. Let me take this song for a week and try some ideas on it,’ ” he continued. “And I’ll take a song for a week, try a bunch of stuff on it, present it back to everybody else, they’ll make their comments and then move on from there.”

“It really depends on the day how finished songs are … there’s songs that I think are finished that we go back and work on some more, there’s songs that I think are going to take a long time and they end up progressing pretty quickly,” Hoppus explained. “I feel like we’ve worked on about 16 tracks, of which 12 of those are making the cut. When songs don’t seem to be working, we let them fall by the wayside, and I think we’re pretty good about putting the better songs forward. So, we’re working on 12, five or six of those are in states that are near completion, and the other ones are formed ideas with structures and parts — they just need filling in. The skeletons are all there, we just need to fill in the pieces.”

I’ve never been a huge fan, but I know many who are, so this is great news for them. Let’s see if they can reinvent themselves and bring something fresh to the table!

Cee Lo Green Recording With Gwyneth Paltrow

andPOP Staff — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:47:21 +0000

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Gwyneth Paltrow did an awesome job on “Glee” by performing “Forget You,” and with that performance she caught the attention of Cee Lo Green. Now Cee Lo and Paltrow are going to start recording together.

“I am actually supposed to go into the studio with her in the next few days. We are doing another personalized version of ‘Forget You and we may do something spontaneous,” Cee Lo told PopEater.

We actually spoke with Cee Lo recently ourselves where we talked about a ton of things related to music. See below and check it out.

Blink-182 Hit the Studio

Blake Dillon — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:55:52 +0000

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According to a teaser for “The Blinkumentary,” a documentary focusing on the reunion of pop-punk legends, Blink-182, the band is hitting the studio this month to continue the sessions for their new album.

Tom DeLonge, guitarist and singer of the trio, stated that the album is shaping up to be the best thing they’ve ever done in their collective lives.

“No one really knows what to expect from the next Blink record,” said Delonge. “I’ve always said that this band can do anything, but at this point, if you look at our careers and everything that we have done independently and outside of Blink, we did some of the best growing as musicians on the last Blink record and immediately afterwards.”

This record will be their first release since the drop of their Greatest Hits album in 2005.

R. Kelly Tries To Be Michael Jackson

Emma Renda — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:55:28 +0000

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This news might be a few days old, and it might involve a totally irrelevant celebrity, but it just had to be reported on.

R. Kelly (famous for the one-liner in “Ignition” and a criminal pedophilia lawsuit a few years back) wants to finish the album Michael Jackson had started recording before his death. No lie. You gotta give this guy credit for trying but I think you would agree this is a little tasteful and way too soon.

Chris Brown Is Recording Again

andPOP Staff — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:49:47 +0000

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It seems that Chris Brown is determined to come back from the altercation with girlfriend Rihanna unscathed. With the Barbadian beauty back on his arm, sources have revealed that Brown has also been recording while staying in Sean “Diddy” Combs beach estate. He has been laying down tracks for a new album for the the entirety of his stay.

E! Online reports that Brown, 19, has been in Miami for about a week and has been recording late at night at Miami’s famed Hit Factory studio.

The site also claims that, despite reports by People and Extra, Brown was not out partying solo Saturday. According to E! online, Khloe Karashian has a friend who bears a resemblance to Brown, and was pictures partying with the socialite. Apparently some fellow guests at the Gansevoort South Hotel mistook Bush’s pal for Brown, who was not in attendance.

Kardashian confirmed the mistaken identity by making a statement to Celebuzz. “ I find it silly that so many media outlets picked up our story with no truth behind it.”

Feist Recording On Off-Time

andPOP Staff — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:37:16 +0000

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Canadian recording artist Feist may just be a workaholic.

Though her Grammy-nominated album “The Reminder” hit shelves just seven months ago, she’s already making day trips back to the studio when she has the time. “[My band and I] thought, day off? Let’s just do something fun,” she told Billboard.com. “Bowling? A hike? Instead, we rented a studio. I think that’s how we’re going to start using our time off.”

Other than just playing around with her musician pals, she also laid down a track for her upcoming collaboration with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.

Feist also said she’s been inspired lately, writing new songs, but fans shouldn’t expect to hear them too soon. “I’m tiptoeing into some new terrain. There’s no necessity and no timeline. I’m not quite at the point where I think I should be thinking about another record. These songs, there’s nothing forcing them to come, yet here’s some ideas. It’s really a ways away though.”

Evan Rachel Wood Crossing Into The Recording Universe

andPOP Staff — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:47:47 +0000

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The music world is buzzing about “Across The Universe” star Evan Rachel Wood’s voice.

Wood wowed audiences with her renditions of the Beatles classics like “Blackbird” and “If I Fell” (90 per cent of the songs in the film were recorded live as the cameras rolled) and is now reportedly close to signing a recording contract with Interscope records. She is still finalizing negotiations.

The label also represents Marilyn Manson, Wood’s boyfriend.