So! After long time and lots a hard work, finally, I can say "Here is my Debut Techno EP!"

Im very excited about this work. Its a combination of Minimal and Progressive Techno with a wafting dash of atmospheric soundscapes.

And if your into it, the BubbleButt RMX is available for free! Its on the house.

Cheers

-Andy

N∅rt to Zero, the countdown has started.

After 6-7 years producing downbeat under the alias Invader Tron, my debut techno EP "ZeroOne" is finally on the horizon..

Have a peak and let me know what you think :)

Its a blend of chunky minimal tek and bangin progressive.

http://soundcloud.com/nrt

It will be out in late august on EstuaryRecords. Keep an ear tuned for the release party too if you in Christchurch.

-Andy

Hi all, just a quick word regarding a few things.

My Electronic Music Production Course Digital Package (a mouthfull huh). Its on its way, still rollin out some more vids for it, and editing away. Just taking my time to make it as excellent as I can. Will have atleast 10hours of vids for yours to chew through!

Also working on a new Techno EP and live set, under my new alias N∅RT. Something Im very excited about.

The project will range from Minimal to progressive tek, always tilted toward the banging side of things.

The first EP will be released on Estuary Records and distributed tho it, deliciousmusic.co.nz and this site.

Planning on a wee overhaul of the site aswell. Going to make a few changes in order to suit my needs a bit better.

I've had a few enquires about my electronic music course too. I will be starting another one in CHCH too when the times right.

Keep your eyes peeled and Ill keep ya posted :0)

All the best

-Andy

Apologies to all those who tried to tune into the stream from workshops in the past two weeks.

Due to technical issues and stream unreliability we have decided to look at other options for sharing this course.

At this stage, all classes are being recorded and will be released as a package in july.

Keep an eye out :0)

For now, Ill be releasing selections from the course for on-demnad viewing.

All the best..

-Andy

Sound is vibration transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas; particularly, sound means those vibrations composed of frequencies capable of being detected by ear. There are two types of waves:

• Types of Waves

Delicious Music and Tron Audio Presents

The Electronic Music Production Series

Hosted at Tandem Studios and streamed online, Delicious Music and Tron Audio are proud to present ten weeks of electronic music production workshops. Starting from the basics, each workshop follows on from the previous, creating a progressive foundation of knowledge, skills and understanding, needed to produce top quality electronic music for New Zealand.

The topics covered will be Basic Sound Theory and Synthesis101, Bass Synthesis, Creating and using Percussion, Chord Instruments, Lead Instruments, Effects Basics, Effects Advanced, and a three part series in Track Construction. Workshops are taught on Ableton Live, although the knowledge taught is designed to be general and applicable to all applications. Students will also receive Live Packs of the topics covered, which they can take home and use.

The Workshops will run from 6:00 till 8:00 every Tuesday evening, starting from April the 13^th. At 6:00 the workshop class will begin, and will run for an hour. From 7:00 till 8:00 will be open work time, where students can ask questions, work on topics covered and receive extra tuition.

Workshops are $5 per person, per class, and places are limited. Tandem Studios is located at 78 Oxford Tce, Chch. Classes will also be streamed online. Updates will be added over time. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for bookings or questions. Individual tuition available.

Just finished mastering Spoonheads Debut Album. That boy's really stepped it up I tell ya.

Full of tasty NZ outdoor style progressive, big breaks and glitchy psy.

Check him at..

www.estuaryrecords.com

www.myspace.com/rayspoonhead

So its not too often you stumble across an album that your so enthused with, ya just wanna share it with everyone. Well this album was like that for me. Mostly leaning toward the downbeat glitch side of things, its a mellow dream worth indulging in. 

Its atmospheres are gleaming, creamy, and feel like they're glinting in the sunlight, full of original and inspiring soundscapes, rich and smooth. It is also highly melodic, well contstructed and often, fully glitched out with mashed up beats, jungle, and even a touch of acid.

If this sounds like its up your ally, I'd recommend grabbing it.

I would have to name "Over the Hill" as my favorite track. A silky smooth mix of everything good tech.

http://www.bumpfoot.net/foot103.html

Check it..

-Andy

If you live in New Zealand and make sweet electronic music, add it to the SoundCloud group and have it featured on RDU 98.5fm's NZ Lectronica Show, "The Green Room."

If its electronic, tech, digital, made from buttons and dials, get it on!

http://soundcloud.com/groups/new-zealand-electronica

http://www.rdu.org.nz

Thanx, looking foward to hearing them all

-Andy

So I've been thinking recently about the fundamental elements that a track needs, in order to make it exciting and exceptional!

Of course this is a subjective topic, but this Is what I've figured out through years of writing and listening to music.

I've tried hard to keep these elements non specific to any specific genre.

Also, these elements Im talking about, are more aimed on a deeper, subliminal sense. Elements that you don't hear and think about, but more that, you feel. They generate excitement and emotions automaticlly, and MAKE you like it!

Here we go..

1) Phat Bass

Tight and phat bass really generates a deep drive. You feel it in you gut and it makes you move! This can be one of the most challenging aspects of writing music and mixing. The bass you create needs to be tight, solid and clear. Appropriate EQ and Compression can help a great deal toward this, but the first and foremost aspect of good bass is the source of the bass. Some synthesizers have it and some just don't. But, where possible, hardware synths definitely seem to do the job best,

2) Interesting and Appropriate High end

Soaring, gliding and sparkling high end can generate alot of excitment in music. Ever noticed in a big build how the high content builds and rises? Ever noticed how Hooks usually have the most high end? How does it feel when you hear this in music? The fact is, less high end makes a section or track sound mellow, and a good amount of high end, makes your put your hands in the air, and yell! Use it appropriately though. A hook should be the most exciting part, so should contain the most. Establish a groove, build it up and hit it. Create waves of excitement so your listeners can ride it. Be carefull though. Too much, will result in hands on ears!

3) Musical and Emotional Chord Progressions

This is the part where your listners feel your music, your expressions. Write chords that pluck on the emotional strings, and resonate with your listners, and they'll be coming back for more and more of those good feelings your giving them. Take em on a journey, but generally, at the end, leave them resolved and rested. 

4) A Groovy Rhythmical Section

Now this is how you make em move! You want to write music that makes people tap their feet, stand up and wiggle, without even thinking about it. 

All elements in you sections should interlink on this one. That synth stab, percussion, leads and licks, all work together toward and over all groovy feel.

5) Overall Presentation of the Track.

So all this is great so far, but with out this last point, it can all turn to mush.

The sounds and ideas you use, need to be interesting and origional. Put your own slant on everything, don't just regurgitate the norms. If the sounds you use sound too cliche, work on them, change them a bit. 

The movements between sections need to be lucid, fluid, sometimes expected, sometimes unexpected. If a movement sounds too expected, make it unexpected, if a movement sounds too unexpected and sudden, make it expected.

Everything you use must slot together, all feeling and sounding natural together. Everything inhabits the same space your creating, and everything needs its own space in the audio environment. This starts with the sounds and sound sources you use, and ends with appropriate EQ and Compression. I like to try fill up the audio spectrum, 20Hz to 20kHz. Each element filling its gap, but not overstepping its bounds.

Lastly, keep the energy up through out. If a bit sounds boring, and energy drops where you don't want it to, you may need to full the gap.

Even if you get everything else right, without this last point, you track may still sound boring and clunky. 

Well there ya have it. 

I hope these Ideas help! If anyone else has any ideas or comments they'd like to shear, pleeeese do!

-Andy

Here's  mix recorded on Christchurch NZ's bnet FM station RDU 98.5fm, a show by Simon Kong called Radio909, in reminiscent of the late great 909kick, and, a rocket.. which NZ recently sent into outer space.

House/Deep House, Disco Tech, Deep Dubstep, totaly groovy.

Check it..

http://radio909.tumblr.com/

Direct Download of the mp3 is available at the link

Also...

http://www.rdu.org.nz

Just in case.

-Andy

Here's a nice free digital re-release from Sick Cycle, a Drum and Bass/Dubstep/Breakbeat duo from Christchurch NZ. Coming from one of the world’s biggest per capita drum and bass scenes, these boys are the real deal. From savage and dark to light and melodic, they pull it off, and always with a uniform, impressive, lucid production style.

This album however, is a 2006 release, written and produced by Michael Westy himself, before Levon joined the team. It moves from vocal style break beat trip hop, into their much revered and established drum and bass. Unlike some of their other works, this album never delves too dark and dirty (respectively), and establishes itself in a happy medium, making it accessible and enjoyable to almost all listeners.

Download the album from HERE

Or directly from HERE

Also check out http://www.deliciousmusic.co.nz/SickCycle for another free EP

And their website http://www.sickcycle.tk/

-Andy

            IDM Forum’s net label's latest release, IDMF007-Continuum, is a statement, to the high level of production quality being reached by the IDM community, a multitude of obscure producers, tweakers and electro acoustic artists, you’ve probably never heard of.

            Spanning the lengthy scale between the most luscious ambience, gentle glitch and melodic, sound scape downbeat, right through to abrupt and abrasive glitchcore, imbedded with heavy dubstep and twisted glitch hop influences.

            My favourite track on the album would have to be “Cozy,” by “Atoms of an Addict.” Aptly named, this track conjures up feelings of warmth, comfort and satisfaction. Emotional chord changes and melody’s are supported my attentive drum and glitch programming, all wrapped up in a silky smooth mix.

            Although all styles represented, may not be my exact niche cup of tea, the high standard of production and intricate programming displayed by these artists impressed me all the way through. This album is a gem I feel I will treasure for some time.

This wonderful album can be found and downloaded for FREE at.. http://label.idmforums.com/idmf007-continuum.html

Estuary Records, New Zealand's new electronica label, have just released their first V/A, titled Garden Spores.

The first compilation showcases 11 of our finest dancefloor gems, filled with rich sounds, uplifting melodies, interesting rhytms and unique basslines.

This compilation gently spans across a diverse musical range,  warm progressive house influences set the mood, then moves into the more structured trance sound. After the hight of bpm is reached, the dub influenced sounds emerge exiting to an ending of ambience.

Certainly a fresh new breeze, which guarantees to satisfy a wider audience this upcoming Summer season!

Available at www.estuaryrecords.com

Delicious Music Production Workshops!

Tonight's class will be the final part in my Track Construction Series.

So far we wrote a loop in Ableton Live, which became our first Hook in our track, then striped it back to and created a progression from Intro, to Groove, then into our first Hook. Then we took that, and developed and extended it, up till a break. Next we introduced a second Lead, and a second chord structure to build the foundations of our second Hook.

Tonight we will extend out the second hook, and progress toward an outro!

Then we will mix it down into a tight wee mix, and that'll be the conclusion of the track we've been writing in class.

This will also be the last Workshop for a while.

Thanx for all the support and interest from everyone, its been a great wee project.

Classes will start up again next year, and you will all be informed as we go.

WE HQ, Lvl 1, 1 Bedford Row, Chch

6.00 - 6.30 is Open Question Time

6.30 - 7.30 will be Class Time

And, if you can't make it in, Class will be Streamed online at...

www.livestream.com/delicious_tv

This series on Track Construction has also been recorded and will be uploaded to www.tronaudio.com for viewing, if anyone missed it.

Thanx Again, Andy..

12 Live acts, 9 DJs, 4 Zones...