Optical Compression explained -> http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/article.php?id=176

Equipment resources -> http://www.sonicstate.com/

A bunch of Fruity tutorials.

Fruity Loops 6 Tutorial Vids
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=29 (Showcase of the new FL6 FX plugins) 31mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=28 (How to use the new FL6 mixer) 13mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=30 (Using BeatSlicer) 7.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=31 (Deep Inside Sytrus) 10.1mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=27 (How to use DirectWave) 22.2mb


Beginners-
CODE
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=10 (How to use the FL Studio user interface) 14.7mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=7 (How to use the FL Studio stepsequencer) 10.1mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=24 (How to use effects (FX) in FL Studio) 10.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=3 (How to use playlist in FL Studio) 12.3mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=21 (How to hook up your midi key- board and record a melody) 9.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=26 (How to use the FL Studio pianoroll) 10.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=25 (How to use the FL Studio mixer) 21.3mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=20 (How to hook up your MPD16 to FPC and punch in a drumloop) 12.2mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=6 (How to record your guitar in FL Studio) 13.2mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=17 (How to record audio (your voice in this case) in the mixer) 12.6mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=23 (How to use the FL Studio automation) 14.7mb


Advanced-
CODE
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=16 (How to use the FL Studio Vocoder) 15.1mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=12 (Advanced use of the FL Studio pianoroll) 25.7mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=15 (How to use the FL Studio timestretching) 14.3mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=18 (How to use the FL Studio Wave Editor) 9.3mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=4 (How to use the FL Studio as a plugin in Cubase SX3) 11.2mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=14 (How to use the Sytrus softsynth plugin) 14.5mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=5 (How to use FL Studio as a Rewire client) 6.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=13 (How to use the FL Studio slicer plugin) 15.9mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=2 (How to use automation clips in FL Studio) 13.8mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=9 (Advanced use of FPC in FL Studio) 12.1mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=11 (How to create and use the FL Studio layers) 10.2mb
http://69.50.201.40/download.php?id=8 (How to use the FL Studio audio and midi loop recording) 16.9mb

Alex Penn's Fruityloops Bass Tips:

• Lower all the channels/volumes and raise them to a level where the bass can dominate or loom over the tune. Basically lower everything but the bass.
• Create two versions of the bass. Play one as normal and play the other with a heavy low end filter on it. You can then have a bubbly bass looming over your bassline. If you want to lower the overpowering bass effect, put a trancegate VST over it set at 1/16 or 1/32 with some subtle delay.
• If you are familiar with compressors run your bass through one, but if you are not sure use a master mix preset and make sure the gain isn't too far up.
• I would also recommend EQing your bass. Try lowering the volume, lowering some mid range and releasing more bass frequencies. This can be done straight from the fruity mixer's EQ.
• Try adding some distortion with Fruity's Blood Overdrive, which is a distortion for digital sounds. You can give your bass an extra punch with this, but make sure the gain is not set too high (or low!)
• To give your bass more character, open the VSTi 3xOsc and emulate your bassline there. you can quickly add more bass with a pulse Osc or more spike with a square one.
• If you really want to get your bass heard, clone your bassline twice and pan one left and the other right. put them through the same effect channel, insert Fruity Stereo Enchancer (i think it's called) and use the 'Subtle' preset. Keep both these clones channels filters with a lowpass filter and lower their volumes slighly lower than the original.
• Some reverb on cloned bass channels is also a good trick..

Hope this helps dudes

FROM MR. PARKES:



Here are some tips for when you need to use a compression like MP3 on your audio for uploading on the net etc..

Preparing Audio for the Internet with Sound Forge
In addition to video files, I also talked about how to save audio files in the RealAudio, MP3, and Windows Media formats in Chapter 4. But I didn't talk about how to actually process your files before saving them to these formats. Because the RealAudio, MP3, and Windows Media formats all use compression to reduce the size of audio data so that it's easier to download over the Internet, they can affect the sound of your audio. You can compensate for these unwanted changes in quality by following a few simple processing procedures before you convert your files.

Remove DC Offset
As I mentioned in Chapter 8, it's always a good idea to remove any DC offset that may be present in your audio data before doing any processing. Otherwise, you can add unwanted anomalies. To remove DC offset:

1. Select all the data in your audio file by choosing Edit > Select All (or pressing Ctrl + A on your computer keyboard).
2. Choose Process > DC Offset to open the DC Offset dialog box.
3. Choose the Remove DC Offset (Scan Entire Sound File) Preset.
4. Click OK.

Apply Equalization
Equalize your file while keeping in mind that most of the high-end and extreme low-end content might be lost when you save the file to one of the compressed file formats. It may take some experimentation, but cutting the low frequencies (below 60 Hz) and the high frequencies (above 10 kHz) is a good place to start. This helps in reducing any of the anomalies that can occur during the file format compression. To compensate for the frequencies being cut, you can boost some of the low frequencies that are still intact around 200 Hz. You can also boost the mid-range frequencies around 2.5 kHz. This emphasizes the more important content in your audio, such as vocals, if there are any. What's great about Sound Forge is that it accomplishes all of this equalization with one process. Here's how it's done:

1. Select all the data in your audio file by choosing Edit > Select All (or pressing Ctrl + A on your computer keyboard).
2. Choose Process > EQ > Paragraphic to open the Paragraphic EQ dialog box.
3. Activate the Enable Low-Shelf option. Set its frequency to 60 Hz. Then set its gain to -Inf. Doing this cuts out any frequencies below 60 Hz, as I mentioned earlier.
4. Activate the Enable High-Shelf option. Set its frequency to 10,000 Hz. Then set its gain to -Inf. Doing this cuts out any frequencies above 10 kHz, as I mentioned earlier.
5. Set the gain on the first parametric band to +3.0 dB. Then set its Center Frequency to 200 Hz. This boosts the low frequencies around 200 Hz. You can experiment with how much the frequencies are boosted, but I wouldn't go any higher than +6.0 dB. Also, set the Width to 1.0.
6. Set the gain on the second parametric band to +3.0 dB. Then set its Center Frequency to 2,500 Hz. This boosts the mid-range frequencies around 2,500 Hz. You can experiment with how much the frequencies are boosted, but I wouldn't go any higher than +6.0 dB. Also, set the Width to 1.0.
7. Leave all the other parameters set to their defaults.
8. Click the Preview button to audition your file before making any changes. If you hear any clipping or distortion, try lowering the gain on one or both of the parametric bands.
9. Click OK.

Apply Dynamic Processing
In addition to altering the frequency content of your audio, converting to RealAudio, MP3, or Windows Media can reduce the dynamic (amplitude) range, making your audio sound flat or dull. Adding a bit of dynamic processing before conversion gives you some control over your final signal levels, rather than leaving them to chance. To accomplish this, you need to use Sound Forge's Graphic Dynamics function:

1. Select all the data in your audio file by choosing Edit > Select All (or pressing Ctrl + A on your computer keyboard).
2. Choose Effects Dynamics Graphic to open the Graphic Dynamics dialog box.
3. Choose the 2:1 Compression Starting At -18 dB Preset. You can experiment with the Ratio parameter if you want. A good ratio range is between 2:1 and 4:1, but it may vary with some audio material, so you have to use your own judgment. But be careful, because too much dynamic processing can add unwanted artifacts and make your audio sound dull and lifeless.
4. Click the Preview button to audition your file before making any changes. If you hear any clipping or distortion, try lowering the Output Gain parameter.
5. Click OK.

Normalize
The last step is to normalize your audio. As I talked about in Chapter 8, normalization raises the amplitude of an audio signal as high as it can go without causing clipping or distortion. This guarantees that your file uses the maximum amount of digital resolution and amplitude available. It also ensures that you use the highest possible volume when converting your file for the Internet, which helps in masking low-level noise and possible compression artifacts. To accomplish this, use Sound Forge's Normalize function:

1. Select all the data in your audio file by choosing Edit > Select All (or pressing Ctrl + A on your computer keyboard).
2. Choose Process Normalize to open the Normalize dialog box.
3. Choose the Maximize Peak Value Preset.
4. Click the Scan Levels button to find the highest amplitude level in your audio data.
5. Set the Normalize To parameter to anywhere between -0.50 dB and -1 dB. In this case, you don't want to normalize to 0 dB (or 100 percent) because the RealAudio, MP3, and Windows Media conversion processes don't always handle 0 dB signals very well. They can sometimes "choke" on such a high amplitude signal, so it's best to leave a small amount of dynamic room for the conversion process to work its magic.
6. Click the Preview button to audition your file before making any changes. If you hear any clipping or distortion, try lowering the Normalize To parameter.
7. Click OK.

Psy Kick Tutorial by Zero

 

An envelope is a general word for a functional bit of a synth which can change a parameter with time with four key values.

ATTACK - defines the time for the parameter to rise from its baseline to the peak (defined by a parameter usually called "amount", "amt", "depth", etc)

DECAY - defines the time for the parameter to fall from its peak to the SUSTAIN value while the note is being held

SUSTAIN - defines the value the parameter will DECAY to while the note is being held.  A setting of zero means the DECAY will decay to the baseline value.

RELEASE - defines the time for the parameter to return to the baseline value after the note is released (key-up on a keyboard).


Now, we have to think about what makes a drum sound.  A drum is just a skin stretched across an empty cylinder.  Like a string, it has a fundamental pitch at which it will vibrate if you perturb it - the tighter the membrane, the higher the pitch.  When we hit it with a hammer, the impact very rapidly stretches the membrane and, likewise, rapidly (and temporarily) increases the fundamental pitch of the drumskin.  As the hammer comes away from the drum, the pitch quickly drops as the membrane relaxes and the stored, elastic energy slowly disipates as the drum vibrates and makes a sound.  We need to recreate this with a synth and an envelope is the perfect way to do it.


Example :

In Cubase (and as a caveat, I've never used cubase, but most people seem to so I'll use it as an example) load up the Monologue synth - it comes free so everyone should have it. It looks like this :




Set "noise" and "osc 2" to zero in the mix section as we'll only use Osc 1.   Forget the LFO, forget the filter, forget the FX section.  Pick a triangle wave in Osc1 leave the coarse and fine pitch adjustments at zero.  At this point, it may be helpful to have a loop play a half-note on-beat where you would normally put a kick drum - set it to a bass-to-subbass note and just let it play over and over again as we build the drum.  You could also just use a keyboard, but since you won't likely hit the key with the same velocity each time it may be trickier to tweak later on.  At any rate, it's good to hear what everything does as we go.  The velocity setting for the note can be whatever is default since we won't change it for the kick.

Set the "MOD SRC" to "MOD ENV" and crank up the DEPTH - we can fuss with the DEPTH value later.   MOD SRC defines what you want to modulate the pitch of Osc1 - in our case, we want to use the envelope, MOD ENV. 

Leave the MOD SRC here at VELOCITY.  This means that the peak value that the filter will rise to will be defined by the velocity.  Since we are using this for pitch information, this is like saying that the harder we hit the key on the keyboard will translate to hitting the drum harder - the drumskin will tighten to a higher tension and we will peak at a higher pitch. 

DEPTH can be cranked up to whatever.  We will, again, fuss with it later.  Say half to start with and you can tweak to your heart's content.  This just gives the range for the softest velocity to the hardest.

ADSR we know about.  For a drum, attack should be zero or very short - we're talking about an impact so the time is very fast.  Sustain to zero, the drumskin will relax to it's basic frequency when we're done hitting it.  Decay - shouldn't be too high, but use your ears.  Too short and you'll get a click, too long and you get a long pyyeeeooooouuuuhhh sound.  Right in the middle of those two is a fat, clean, thud.  I don't have this synth so I can't give you a rough guess, but your ears will tell you.  The depth on the ADSR/Osc1 may be too high or too low and you may still get a noisy or muffled kick noise, but make it as thudding as you can with the decay and then fuss with the DEPTHs to shape the sound later.  Release should be short or nothing.   Put the same settings on the AMP ENV and increase the sustain to about half and release to a bit. 

Bang.  We're done.  Now you can whack on a filter or compressor if you like, or use the filter on the Monologue - do whatever other production magic you want on it, but that's the basics and you should have a totally tuneable base for any psy kick you may want.  Add a bit of noise if you like or try a saw or sine wave (with the filter cutting the highs, probably, and put the MOD ENV on the filter with a small bit of depth, etc, and you can totally sculpt the psy-kick of your dreams.  Full-on commercially awesome.

More psy

http://forum.isratrance.com/viewtopic.php/topic/53266/forum/2

TONE ARM CALIBARATION BY ZERO

Ok, to balance the tonearm and set the antiskate it's nice to have a record with an unpressed side - if you don't, no worries, but it helps.

To balance the tonearm, twist the weight out until the needle lifts up, then twist it back until the arm exactly hovers if you leave it horizontal. At this position, twist the dial at the back without moving the weight to set the zero at the top (or anywhere, really, as long as you remember where zero is). Then you can set the weight exactly by turning the weight - when the 1 is where the 0 was at balance, you have 1g on the stylus, etc. Now, when the needle is playing , the tonearm should be horizontal - this is a separate adjustment. If it isn't horizontal, you can raise or lower the pivot by twisting the big dial at the base of the tonearm mount until it's flat.

For the antiskate, this compensates for the lateral/radial pull on the needle when the record is turning. If you have your unpressed vinyl side, this is where you use it. Put the needle on the unpressed side and let the record turn. The tonearm may either drift in to the center or out to the edge of the disc. Adjust the antiskate so that it stays put and doesn't drift. If you have a lot of weight on the stylus your antiskate won't be able to compensate so the best you can do is to run it all the way so that it drifts as little as possible. If you don't have an unpressed side of vinyl, find a record with a good amount of runoff space and a wide track between the runoff groove. Sit the needle on the flat bit between two runoff grooves and do the same drift test. You'll have to be quicker doing it this way as it's easier to have the stylus drift quickly and drop into the groove, but just keep at it and you should be able to get it set well enough.

The above fruityloops video tutorials online, if you dont want to download them all:

Linky

http://www.northantsmusic.com/Video/videolinks.html


very good mixdown  tutorial (vid)

nice 1 for this intense read but very helpful for me being a beginer cheers again

Thought this was pretty helpful explaining some stuff.

 

http://www.blisstix.com/radio/tutorial.htm

 

How to make Tea

You will need a kettle, a cup, a spoon, a tea bag, milk and sugar (optional), and access to running water and a power point.

To make a cup of tea:
1. Fill a kettle with enough water to fill your cup. Tip: fill the cup and tip it into the kettle.
2. Put the kettle on to boil. Do not watch it. A watched kettle will not boil!!
3. Place a teabag into your cup.
4. Once the kettle has boiled, add the hot water to the cup, leaving a gap of a few centimetres.
5. Stir and squeeze the teabag until you have a dark brown liquid. Remove the teabag at this point.
6. Add the milk in small amounts, and sugar if required, tasting as you go to check you will enjoy the finished beverage.
7. Stir.

Your cup of tea is now ready to drink. We suggest you open a pack of Jaffa cakes and enjoy one or two with your beverage.

Your really giving away your production secrets now jay..