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Category Archives: FamFriday


Authentic 60s Flanger for Artist

In the 60s, flanging was an electro-mechanical process that involved two turntables or two tape recorders. Since then, flanging has evolved into a digitally driven effect, with a variety of cool bells and whistles. Paradoxically, though, many of today’s digital flangers can’t reproduce the period-correct sound of 60s flanging.

Five years ago, I wrote a blog post about a vintage flanger FX Chain that took advantage of Studio One Pro’s Splitter and Extended FX Chains features. Although this week’s tip takes a little more effort to set up than just loading an FX Chain, and doesn’t have Macro Controls, it gives the same authentic flanging sound for Studio One Artist—check out the audio example.

The 60s flanging sound has three important qualities:

  • The flanging effect is controlled manually, not with an LFO. Flanging resulted by manipulating a variable speed option on one of the turntables or tape recorders, or manually pressing on the tape flange or turntable platter to cause a temporary speed change.
  • Through-zero flanging. 60s flanging was not a real-time process. One of the turntables or tape recorders could go forward in time, compared to the other one. Typically, one of the audio paths was also switched out of phase. When one path transitioned across the point where it went from being behind the other path to being ahead of it, there was a brief moment when the two signals would cancel. This was called the through-zero point, and contributed to flanging’s dramatic sound.
  • Motor inertia. Mechanical motors couldn’t respond instantly to speed changes, so manual flanging was somewhat unpredictable. After changing a tape recorder’s variable speed setting, it would take a while for the motor to catch up. This created a smooth, “liquid” feel as you controlled the flanging effect. The Inertia control in Studio One’s Analog Delay emulates the feel of controlling a mechanical device.

The Setup

Fig. 1 shows the track setup for the flanging effect.

Figure 1: Track setup for the Authentic 60s Flanger for Studio One Artist.

1. The track you want to flange feeds two FX buses via pre-fader Sends. Turn the track’s channel fader down all the way. The Sends must have the same level (e.g., -6.0 dB).

2. Insert an Analog Delay in each FX Channel. Use the settings in fig. 2 for both of them.

Figure 2: Initial settings for the two Analog Delays.

3. Insert a Mixtool after the Analog Delay in the Variable Delay FX Channel. Turn on the Mixtool’s Invert Left and Invert Right buttons.

4. The channel faders settings for the Fixed Delay and Variable Delay channels need to be identical, and track each other. It’s a good idea to Group them.

How It Works

The Fixed Delay channel has a 5 ms delay. This is the “dry” channel. The Variable Delay channel’s Mixtool flips the FX Channel’s phase. The Analog Delay in the Variable Delay FX Channel can be longer or shorter than 5 ms. So, when the audio passes through 5 ms of delay, there’s the cancellation effect of through-zero flanging. By delaying the “dry” path, we’ve effectively allowed the Variable Delay to go into the future…at least as far as the dry audio path is concerned.

Create the flanging effect with the Analog Delay controls in the Variable Delay channel:

  • The Factor parameter in the Motor section controls the flanging effect itself. Move the control in real time, while writing Automation, for authentic-sounding flanger variations.
  • The Inertia control in the Motor section adds the “glide” that occurs when changing the Factor control from one setting to another. An Inertia setting of around 0.35 is a good starting point. This tends to be a set-and-forget control.
  • For positive flanging (a more subtle sound), turn off the Mixtool’s Invert Left and Invert Right buttons.

Customization

  • To avoid the “double cancel” effect when the flanger goes past the through-zero point then returns back through it, set the Factor control for the Analog Delay in the Fixed Delay channel to 2.00. The flanger will still hit the through-zero point. But when the flanger reverses direction, it won’t go through the through-zero point again.
  • To extend the low part of the flanger range (longer delay), change both time controls to 10 ms. However, remember that the Time setting creates an initial delay that will delay the track slightly.
  • To have the through-zero point occur in the middle of the Factor control’s range, set the Analog Delay time in the Fixed Channel delay to 10 ms, and its Factor to 2.00.
  • If the sound seems bass-heavy, turn up the Low Cut control on both Analog Delays to between 50 and 100 Hz.
  • If you don’t want full cancellation at the through-zero point, change one of the Dry/Wet controls to less than 100%. 85% generally is enough.

PreSonus Fam Friday: Steve O’Brien

It’s another edition of PreSonus Fam Friday. This one comes to us from across the pond! Meet Steve O’Brien. Steve had 19 years of experience in MI retail with a particular focus on guitar related products and service and 17 years of experience in various event production roles including guitar technician, sound engineer, stage management and production management. He joined the PreSonus family over in the Ireland office as a Sales Executive. Get to know more about Steve here!

How long have you worked for PreSonus?

6 Months

What’s your official job title?

Sales Executive EMEA

What’s your favourite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?

I’ve been involved in the MI business for over 20 years.  I was looking for a change from Retail and PreSonus had an opening.  It seemed like a logical progression and I really wanted to stay in the industry.  My favourite thing about PreSonus so far is the family atmosphere across the whole company.  I was made to feel at home immediately like I’d known people I’d just met for years.

What was the first 8-track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?

Too young (ahem) for 8-Track, the first cassette was Bad by Michael Jackson, CD was The Heart of Saturday Night by Tom Waits and Download was Royal Blood’s first Album.  

Who’s your go-to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

Songs for the Deaf by QOTSA will never let you down.  Still blows me away after all these years.

What’s your go-to Karaoke song?

I wouldn’t inflict my singing voice on anyone, not even myself in the shower.

Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?

I’ve worked as a Backline Tech for about 15 years.  I’m not a great musician and discovered I was better at the production side of things years ago.  Currently off the road what with starting the new job and the coronavirus situation.  Next up, hopefully, is a week on the road with Paul Brady later this year.

What instruments do you play?

I own some guitars

Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere:

This Paul Brady Tour will be using PreSonus StudioLive console and rack mixers as stage boxes.  All over AVB network.  I’m very much looking forward to seeing it in action. 

Got any tips for working with Studio One?

Watch Gregor’s videos, I was completely new to it and found them great.

Is cereal soup? Why or why not?

Yes, Cereal counts as breakfast, lunch and dinner, always will.

What’s invisible but you wish people could see?

RF interference, I spent a lot of my retail days explaining this to guitarists, would have been much easier if it was visible, like cartoon stink lines or something.

What is something that everyone looks stupid doing?

Playing Electronic drums with headphones on, all the moves and faces with none of the noise.

What’s the strangest talent you have?

No matter where I am, I can always find the light switch in a dark room.

Follow Steve on Instagram as @dash_rickwood!

#PreSonusFamFriday: Company Wide Quarantine Edition!

It’s inspiring to see what our customers have created during these strange days of quarantine and isolation. As soon as you open your social media accounts, one thing is certain: Creativity has thrived over the last few months. We wanted to take a minute and share some of the after-hours projects and live streams PreSonus employees have been a part of during this time. Enjoy!

 

Product Specialist and Home Studio Guru Joe Gilder recently wrote this song simply titled “April.”

 

Several PreSonus team members collaborated on this performance. Hear all about it from EVP of Product Management, John Bastianelli.

“My PreSonus family is so awesome, please check out the first of the “PreSonus Isolation Jams” – Gregor Beyerle, who lives in Germany and is our Software Product Specialist started this track and sent it to me. I was immediately excited about what he created which inspired me to add some synth effects and saxophones. I then passed it to Rick Naqvi, our SVP of sales who added those awesome guitars. Next, the track was sent to Ben Livingston who works in our inside sales department who added his funky drums. Finally, we punted the track over to Richard Gaspard, who’s in charge of our worship market, he added his “rockin'” bass guitar… and sent the files back. I then doubled this really cool riff Richard played with horns and Rick and I mixed the music and sent the final mix to Gregor who created this awesome video. Oh, this was all done remotely, in our home studios on all PreSonus recording gear. I have to say I’m really proud to work for this company especially with all the talented people! Nothing can keep us from creating music, not even this virus! I hope you all enjoy our jam!”

 

Richard Gaspard is PreSonus’ House of Worship Market Manager. He’s been at PreSonus since November 2017, and been a PreSonus user since 2002.

“My wife and I formed the duo Highs and Lows, a musical experiment of arranging iconic songs as just bass (upright and electric) and vocals (mostly her on lead and the two of us on backgrounds). The point is to create very sparse arrangements, but also songs that feature the six-string bass as a solo instrument, covering any instrumental solos as part of the recorded performance. All mics used are either PreSonus PM-2 or PX-1, and everything is recorded through either a PreSonus Studio 26 or AudioBox 22VSL. All audio is edited and mixed in Studio One 4 Professional and video shot on iPhone 11 and edited in Adobe Premier using a shot template I created in Adobe Photoshop.”

Watch their performance here and subscribe to their YouTube channel:

 

Perry Tee (aka the.real.agent.p) is PreSonus’ Artist Relations Manager and has worked for PreSonus going on eight years.

“Some guys meet their buddies on the weekend to play golf or poker. We make music while practicing Social Distancing… remotely from our separate homes using Studio One.”

Eric Levy (keyboards): Night Ranger, Garaj Mahal
Jakubu Griffin (drums): Cirque Du Soleil Zarkana, Chaka Khan, Peabo Bryson, Melissa Manchester, Pearcy Sledge, David Cassidy, Pharez Whitted
Jon Cornell (bass): SNL Band, Jackie Greene, Grand Canyon
Alex Painter (voice): Life On Mars Tribute To David Bowie, Solo Artist

 

25 Years of WHABAM!

If there’s one word to sum up the man, the myth, the legend, Rick Naqvi… it’s: WHABAM!

Rick is as much of a staple to PreSonus as drag and drop is to Studio One. He loves his team, music, and his job! After spending a quarter-century serving the PreSonus family, he is the expert when it comes to selling PreSonus with passion and enthusiasm.  If you’ve met him, you love him (and you’re probably still hypnotized by the Rick Effect.) And if you haven’t met him, here’s your chance to get to know him better.

 

How long have you worked for PreSonus?

This coming October will be my 25th year at PreSonus. I was employee #5 or #6 I believe.

What was your job title when you started? What is your job title now?

Well, I was the first guy in sales so I guess my title would have been “Rick Naqvi, Sales Guy.” Today my role is Senior Vice President of Global Sales.

What were you doing before working at PreSonus?

In my early 20s, I was playing in two bands (Zaemon and Chris LeBlanc Band), running a recording studio and working in a music store called BeBop Music Shop. I was finishing a Marketing degree at LSU at that time as well.

What about PreSonus made you want to work here at the time?

I knew Jim Odom from the local music scene. He was one of our hometown guitar heroes and although he was a few years older than me, we went to the same high school and even took guitar lessons from the same guy. I did a recording session with him in the early ’90s and he used to come into the music store I worked at. I remember him bringing in the prototype of the very first PreSonus product, the DCP-8, about a year before PreSonus started. When Jim approached me about being a part of a startup company, it was a no-brainer for me.

Let’s talk about the Rick Naqvi Effect. People LOVE you and recognize you as the face of PreSonus. How did this come to be? How has it helped you?

Haha!! LOL. Well, I guess since this year will be my 25th year of working at PreSonus, I’m definitely one of the blessed people that found something to do with their lives that has spanned pretty much my entire adulthood. I’ve always been passionate about music and technology and I love people. So PreSonus has been the perfect place for me. I’m in awe of the fact that people use our products to share and experience music together with each other. That’s the part of this job that never gets old. I love being part of a team whose mission is to help people make music.

The FirePod was one of PreSonus’ first major products. What need was the FirePod supposed to meet?

The Firepod was the first recording interface with eight microphone preamps in 1U. So you could basically mic an entire drumkit at once. Or record a small rhythm section. It was also one of the first interfaces that allowed for multiple units to be used at the same time. So if you needed 16 simultaneous inputs, you could chain two of them together, and so on.

Any fun stories about the FirePod?

Here’s a true story. The original design for the FirePod had eight inputs but only two mic preamps. Jim Odom was beta testing one of the early prototypes and took it home to record his son’s band. When he realized it was going to be a hassle to hook up additional outboard preamps, he came to work the next day and changed the design of the Firepod to include the other six preamps. We literally had to reshoot images for a tradeshow launch that was happening a few months later. However, putting eight preamps on the Firepod solved a huge need, not only for Jim but for tons of customers. It was one of our most successful products without a doubt.

What has been one of the biggest challenges of working at PreSonus? Major roadblocks?

Working for a technology company has its ups and downs. There have been good years and not so good ones too. Sometimes you create a product that really resonates with people and other times there are challenges that keep a product from its full potential. There’s nothing more important to us than delighting our customers. And when we can’t do that, it is a major bummer for us. Thankfully, our mistakes give us the experience to get better and that’s what we strive to do every day.

In 1995, how did you define success?

One of my first job tasks was to contact dealers and try to tell them about our product. I had a copy of Music Trades that had a list of the Top 100 US Dealers. So I literally picked up the phone and started cold calling people!  It was so hard to tell people about a brand new product from a brand new company that they had never heard of. It was amazing just to get someone on the phone who would give me the time of day. Amazingly a bunch of people that got called by a 25-year-old Rick Naqvi are still in the business and are some of our most trusted dealers and life-long friends.

Tell us a cool NAMM story. Or any other PreSonus story.

One time at a NAMM Show I had to give a DigiMax demo to Steven Seagal. Turns out he’s a musician and had a studio at the time. It might have been one of the strangest demos of my life. He was super serious and never cracked a smile. When I told him you could only do 96k using AES outputs, not ADAT, I thought he might judo chop me or something.

 

When you think about the last 25 years, how does it make you feel seeing how far PreSonus has come?

It really doesn’t seem like I’ve worked for one company. It seems like I’ve worked for about 5 different companies. I’ve been through three building moves and I’ve seen tons of people come and go. I’ve seen kids of our employees grow up and start families of their own. It’s truly humbling to have been a part of this great journey.

Read more about the last 25 years with PreSonus

 

 

PreSonus COO talks Notion, Career and PreSonus!

Here are three cool things you may not know about PreSonus’ notation software Notion.

  • Notion was featured in an Apple commercial and photos featured in Apple Stores… True story. Watch the commercial HERE! 
  • Notion has won several awards, including a prestigious music industry NAMM TEC Award for Best Smartphone/Tablet App.
  • Notion has a 4 out of 5 rating in the Apple App Store.

In 2013, we acquired the assets of Notion Music, adding Notion™ music notation and composition software and their other solutions to our product line-up. This innovative product was the first notation app to run on iOS in addition to Mac and Windows, one of the most downloaded music creation apps. Notion and their team were a natural fit in the PreSonus culture of inventive technology development. When PreSonus acquired Notion Music not only did we score an award-winning software, we also got the one and only Jim Boitnott. All year we’re celebrating 25 years of PreSonus so it’s only fitting to celebrate Notion and hear more from one of the creators and current COO of PreSonus Jim Boitnott!

 

What were you doing before PreSonus? 

I was the CEO of Notion Music.

Was owning a business something you dreamed of doing or just fell into it as the products came along? 

I never actually owned Notion Music, it was owned by several people and started by Lori and Jack Jarrett. When I was brought in I was in various management positions, and then became CEO. I never dreamed of being a CEO, I just wanted to make a great product that we were proud of. One day after working very hard for years I found myself sitting in that role. I tried to make the best choices I could for our team and customers.

What’s the process of having a great idea to getting it out the door? 

This could be a book… There are so many pieces of this massive puzzle no one ever thinks about! Most importantly, commitment from incredibly talented people is crucial. Hard work, focus, and simply finding a way to make it happen. And that’s just getting it out the door… There are many more obstacles after that to make “it” successful.

What need was the Notion intended to meet? 

An easy-to-use notation software product with great playback. We always wanted to lead with the sound results, others always lead with the printed results.

At the time, did you have any data supporting the need for this product? 

Kind of, but none that would have made a difference. It was more of a “we want to build this and we are” mentality. However, when we released Notion for iPad we did have more data that helped us realize the opportunity. We knew there was a great opportunity for the iPad version and it did pay off with great results, as well as being featured in an Apple ad campaign… one of our proudest moments.

What was the biggest challenge? Major roadblocks? 

I’ll be honest, at different times in our company history, it was different issues, such as; ego’s, red tape, lack of experience, internal politics, indecision, cooperation, budgeting, forecasting, etc. It felt like everything at different times, but when it came to making Notion the product, that sometimes felt like the easiest and clearest part. Once we finally got a team that was focused in one direction we were pretty incredible for such limited resources. Then, our biggest roadblocks became time, resources, really good competitors, and market factors.

At the time of its conception, how did you define success? 

I think that was part of the problem early on, I think everyone had a different opinion of what success was. Some would have said revenue, others would say a great product, and some were just worried about other things. However, for the first iPad version of Notion, we had a clear goal “Be the first-ever notation app for iOS and make it as solid as the desktop version that it worked alongside of.”

How did you guys come together to build it? 

Notion Music from 2003-2013 had some incredible people involved in it, at different times and in different ways. We had people from all over the world come together in Greensboro, NC and created something special. All played a role in getting us where we are today. I was teaching guitar and film scoring classes at Elon University using competitor notation products and then met a co-founder, we randomly struck up a conversation one day. Once she found out I was very knowledgeable with Finale and Sibelius I found myself working at Notion Music just a few weeks later. However, like many businesses, there are highs and lows, and unfortunately, after Notion v2 we had to make some major changes and lost a great number of our team and redesigned the product. The final team, which basically stayed totally intact for the last 5-6 years and all the way through the PreSonus acquisition, were put together based on their versatility, skills, and work ethic. An amazing team: Ben, Chris, Eric, Kyle, Richard, Brian and Brian, Josh, Patrick, Kris, Allison…we all worked hard and had fun.

 How did you feel when it was complete? 

 Like most software products… Notion is not complete, and will never be complete.

When you think about the last 25 years, how does it make you feel seeing how far PreSonus has come?

Just looking at the last 6+ years I have been here it makes me very proud to see what we all have accomplished. The PreSonus team is remarkable, and the stories I have heard about the previous 20 years can go from one extreme to the other. I’ve given responses to those stories like, “How did you even stay in business?” to, “Amazing, how did you accomplish that?”..and of course “Rick did what!?” But looking at 25 years, I’m proud of PreSonus and the amazing team here, and I’m proud of the Notion team that worked through so much adversity to have an opportunity to even be here.


Interested in Notion? Check it out here. 

Notion Music featured in Apple Stores across the world!

Co-Founder Jim Odom Talks 25 Years of PreSonus

Whether you’re new to the PreSonus family or you’ve been around since the 90s, you owe a huge thank you to THE Jim Odom, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at PreSonus. Jim is a member of the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing, AES, NARAS, NAMM, and other industry associations. Jim holds a B.S. Degree in Computer Engineering from LSU right here in Baton Rouge, LA and has a graduate studies degree at the Investment Banking Institute – NY, and the Venture Capital Institute. He also studied Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music. He has received dozens of product awards, INC 5,000 Growth Award, and is the recipient of gold and platinum sales awards for various music and film projects. Pretty impressive, right??

To say the least, Jim has rallied together a group of employees who have accomplished a lot of the last 25 years.  We thought it would be cool to highlight his story from the beginning and some of the products that helped shape who we are today!

Jim Odom with the DCP-8

 

So what were you doing before PreSonus? 

  • I started recording music in my late teens and built a studio in the hayloft of a barn. I started off with just an 80-8 TASCAM eight-track recorder, which turned out to be a great place to begin, because it forced me to think about the sounds, the parts, the blend, the timbre, the tone, etc. of each instrument. I received an invitation to join a local band and sign with RCA Records when I was 21. After five years of recording and touring, I went back to full-time audio engineering and session work. I decided to get more involved in the technical design of products, so I spent four years earning my Computer Engineering Degree, primarily to understand how to design the products I had in my head. I began designing the DCP-8 digital automation processor to solve some issues I was having in smaller recording studios, which required the formation of PreSonus to manufacture and sell that product.

Was owning a business something you dreamed of doing or did you just fall into it as the products came along? 

  • I’m an entrepreneur at heart, but I think that all musicians are entrepreneurs at heart. We make products, we promote, we sell, and we do it again. Our goal is to please large groups of people. Making products is very similar, but with the addition of technology-based creations. A company is just a vehicle to organize this effort, so having a structure that allows investors, creators, marketers, and consumers to all connect is really cool. 

What’s the process for having a great idea to getting it out the door? 

  • We follow a well-defined process called Stage-Gate development, where we identify or imagine the product idea, then document what that will be and what position in the market the product is required to hold. This is different for each type of product, but the work is basically the same. Product ideas can come from two sources—market-driven or technology-driven. That said, the best products come from a meeting of both. You first have to understand the technology you plan to use, then use your best instincts to create the embodiment of that technology; like what knobs should it have, how many inputs/outputs, buttons, etc. After that, you need to design the product to that specification, build it, test it, then work with a factory to manufacture and deliver it. Simple!

 

What need was the DCP-8 supposed to meet? 

  • The DCP-8, Digitally Controlled Processor, was an eight-channel, digitally controlled analog processor that offered eight compressors, eight noise gates, eight VCA based automation stages, and 128 recallable scenes. It was designed to insert in an analog mixing console’s insert point and controlled via MIDI by a DAW, or external MIDI controller. It was used by Broadway theaters to automate scene changes during a play, for example. It was also used to automate mixes in the recording studio.

At the time, did you have any data supporting the need for this product? 

  • I needed it and my friends needed it and that was enough for me. 

What was the biggest challenge? Major roadblocks? 

  • Having spent years in major recording studios, I was hypercritical of the sound of the compressor and noise gate. I spent a year choosing those circuits and perfecting the performance of the system. The next challenge was manufacturing—with over 1000 components, the circuit boards took a long time to build. We eventually built a factory in an old furniture store, converted the circuit boards to surface mount technology, and leased some robots to place all of the components. Our secondary challenge was to write the software that controlled the system, which at the time was bare metal, assembly language programming. We also built software drivers for MAC and PC based digital audio workstations—basically MIDI control maps and system state information. 

In 1995, how did you define success? 

  • At first, we were satisfied that our product was accepted in the professional audio community, having won several awards and placement in high-profile environments. That quickly changed to sales, however as the need to build a sustainable company overwhelmed our small staff. 

How did you guys come together to build it? 

  • I had some experience with manufacturing from my previous job, but not on the scale of the professional audio industry. We (Brian Smith and myself) built a small factory with local employees that built PreSonus products until 2002. We were lucky to have some great partners in the early days that taught us how to use the machinery; that being said, it was a pretty steep learning curve!

How did you feel when it was complete? 

  • I was nervous! What if it failed in the middle of a Broadway show? It’s always the feeling you get when you see your product being used in a major broadcast, performance, or recording session. I’m still nervous today! With all things considered, it’s an amazing feeling when you get a compliment from anyone using your product!

When you think about the last 25 years, how does it make you feel seeing how far PreSonus has come?

  • One of my weaknesses is being obsessed with what we do—it doesn’t allow me to stop and take in the successes we’ve had over the years; I wish I could! Technology is in perpetual motion, and there is always something new to consider, so I’m looking forward to the next 25 years!

Remembering Skip Jones, 1953-2020

Skip’s Guitars

One of our dear friends, Skip Jones, passed away recently. He was 66. Skip was not only one of our biggest supporters, but he was also one of our longest-running forum mods. Skip helped countless people with their PreSonus stuff starting way back in the early days of the PreSonus forum, and most recently via the StudioLive and Studio One groups on Facebook. Skip was the guy that originally came up with the idea for PreSonuSphere and pitched it to Rick… who then pitched it to PreSonus. Skip even named it.

Skip is survived by his daughter, Lindsey Jones, and his siblings: Tammy Jones, Sandy Jones, and Larry Jones. His ashes will be spread in the Gulf, the same place his wife was laid to rest in 2015.

We’ve been able to collect a few nice words about Skip that you’ll find below. And if you’d like to share your own, feel welcome and encouraged to do so in the comments.

Godspeed, Skip. We’re better for having had you around.


“I met Skip Jones about 12 years ago. He was an early supporter of Studio One and PreSonus hardware and instantly started spreading his enthusiasm across the PreSonus community. He was not only one of PreSonus’ biggest supporters, but he was also one of the longest-standing forum moderators, and has helped literally thousands of our customers. Skip was constantly coming up with ideas on how to serve our customers better. It’s a humongous loss for our user community. Our prayers are with his family and friends at this time.”

– Rick Naqvi, SVP of Global Sales


“Skip was the first person who reached out to me when I joined the PreSonus forum many years ago.  His kindness and knowledge were infectious.  He is one of the main reasons I am even here. Over the years we became very good friends through conversations about everything from Apple operating systems to the best way to house train a terrier.  I was there to talk when his wife passed and he was there when I was trying to be a single parent.  He was a great friend. I remember discussing what turned out to become PreSonusphere with him.  Can you believe it all started as a simple hangout at one guy’s farm in Southern California? The world lost a good man, and a good friend.”

– Jon M. Taylor, Technical Sales Lead – Live Sound


Skip Jones was committed to helping others. When I needed assistance a few years ago with my StudioLive 32, he was quick in providing the answers I needed. He focused on providing users in the PreSonus Forum with the resources they needed for many years. Thank you for your years of service. We will miss you!
-Trucky Krueger

 It is with great sadness that I write this but I am so glad I knew Skip. He was the first PreSonus Moderator that helped me and he was the first to teach me to become a good Moderator. He was always so kind and patient. We were also beta testers together for different software programs. Skip loved his dog he named “Dog.” Skip was a vital part of our group and many times did the work no one else volunteered to do.
I will remember his kind spirit always.
-Jim Saad
Forum Moderator and Friend

To my good friend Skip Jones:

I met Skip Jones on the PreSonus Forums back in 2009 and we were friends instantly. Sharing what we knew of Studio One and supporting hundreds of people on the PreSonus Forums. When I lost my voice in 2011, I was ready to chuck everything and stop doing music, but Skip wouldn’t let me. He was one of the major driving forces who pushed me to create Home Studio Trainer. He supported me like no other. He was also the conscience for the MOD group and hated when we talked about beta stuff… lol. We will have nothing to fill this hole but our memories. Live long and prosper where ever you are, Skip. You deserve peace.

Johnny Geib
Producer\Engineer\Instructor


Skip and I first made contact in the Studio One Facebook group. He was always friendly, engaging, helpful and full of fun. He and I persuaded Johnny Geib to start his own Facebook group for His site Home Studio Trainer, and we helped him moderate the group. One group quickly became two, and later three groups. In late 2014, as I, under encouragement from Skip and Johnny, began to make Studio One tutorial videos, I found Skip to be a wonderfully loyal supporter, and a fierce advocate for my content. He would spread the word about my videos, and then about my livestreams as I started them.

When I joined the PreSonus Forum Mod Squad, Skip again helped build a “Community University” in the Forum, where he would post my videos and links to my livestreams, as well as johnny Geib’s content and others as well. I learned a lot from Skip. He was a very fine mentor, teacher and encourager. And he was a great friend.

PreSonus, and its user community, has been very greatly enriched by Skip Jones, and the scale of the loss we now feel in his death is very great indeed. He will be very greatly missed. We all have a Skip shaped hole in our hearts. May the impact of his legacy among us forever grow deeper and wider.

Jonny Lipsham


I have known Skip for ten years, having spent most of that time as forum moderators, and shared many a conversation about our shared love of music. But it was our first interaction that most completely represents Skip to me, and what I will carry forward. It was a forum conversation that had taken a turn for worse, and I found myself with the torches and pitchforks crowd. At the time I was new to Presonus products trying to learn, and Skip was a forum moderator helping to teach and herd the cats. Well, decorum had been lost, and we were setting fire to the village. Skip messaged me, saying “Come on, you’re better than that.” Yes we are, having been lucky enough to have known you, Skip.
Rest in Peace my friend. Dog is glad to have you back. We’ll keep an eye on the monkey for you.
Matt Gorman

PreSonus Fam Friday with Lee Boylan!

We’re excited to bring back the PreSonus Fam Friday blog series. This round we will introduce you to our team across the pond in Europe! First up is our Product Specialist Lee Boylan!

 

How long have you worked for PreSonus?

6 years

What’s your official job title?

Product Specialist.

What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?

Meeting creative people from around the world who love music/audio production. / Because it is a company that listens to the users needs and makes really cool tools, that I get to show.

What was the first 8-track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?

Appetite for destruction G&R.

Who’s your go-to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?

Joe Jackson

What’s your go-to Karaoke song?

 

Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?

Live sound-mixing, Recording / Producing projects. Playing Drums. I’m also renovating a really old cottage in Dublin which demands a lot of my spare time at the moment. “Forever home” type of thing.

What instruments do you play?

Mainly drums, some guitar bass, Keys, etc. I can make a somewhat musical noise on a Trumpet too. I usually play by ear. I have learned to read music in the past I rarely used it. 

Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….

The latest cool event I did was Studio One 4.6 release party at Redbull Studios in London. Steve Winwood was there!!! I really enjoyed Synthfest UK in 2019 too. Looking forward to more cool events for 2020.

Got any tips for working with Studio One?

Try to drag n drop everything! Spend time setting up your shortcut keys.

What are you currently working on at PreSonus? What’s next for you?

Starting to work more closely with companies in the Middle East and Africa. Long flights…

Rapid Fire Questions: 

What’s the strangest talent you have?

  • Effortlessly touch nose with my tongue.

Is cereal soup? Why or why not?

  • It depends if milk is heated. Yes if that’s the case.

What’s invisible but you wish people could see?

  • WIFI

What’s the best Wi-Fi name you’ve seen?

  • FBIVan

What’s the most ridiculous fact you know?

  • Joe Pesci has a hip-hop record. It’s true… 

In 40 years, what will people be nostalgic for?

  • Devices that you don’t speak to.

What’s the weirdest thing a guest has done at your house?

  • Look in the window before knocking.

What movie would be greatly improved if it was made into a musical?

  • Terminator

If someone asked to be your apprentice and learn all that you know, what would you teach them?

  • All that I know.

What would some fairy tales be like if they took place in the present and included modern technology and culture?

  • Snow White and her 7 friends.

What is something that is really popular now, but in 5 years everyone will look back on and be embarrassed by?

  • Country Rap.

What ridiculous and untrue, yet slightly plausible, theories can you come up with for the cause of common ailments like headaches or cavities?

  • Cat hair.

Anything else you want to share?

  • My crisps.

 

Follow Lee on Instagram!

PreSonus FAM Friday with Gregor Beyerle

It’s been said that “Not all heroes wear capes,” but maybe our Software Specialist Gregor should consider adding one to his wardrobe. He’s launched a new YouTube series where he covers the basics in Studio One, covering everything from installation and setup to basic beat-making, and even time-stretching and working with Ableton Live. His tips really will save you time and frustration if you’re just getting started in the DAW—and there’s more to come for advanced users! You can watch the series here. Be sure you like and subscribe!

But who is Gregor? Good question…

We wanted you guys to get to know the man behind the Studio One madness for PreSonus FAM Friday!

 

How long have you worked for PreSonus?
I have worked for PreSonus since February 2019.

What’s your official job title?
My official title is PreSonus Software Specialist. I produce videos for my series “Studio One with Gregor” on a regular basis. I’m also collecting user feedback for Studio One, and present at our software at workshops and other events.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?
My favorite thing about working for PreSonus is that I get to work every day on the exact same things I’d spend my free time on, with some of the most incredibly talented people I’ve ever met. It sounds corny, but it’s seriously the best feeling in the world to love what you do!
What was the first 8-track, cassette, CD or digital download you purchased?
My first ever cassette was “Sleeping in my Car” from Roxette. That song still rips!

Who’s your go-to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
When driving or clubbing, Malaa is always a safe bet. I’m also a massive fan of the German Synthpop band Seabound.

What’s your go-to Karaoke song? 
Probably Johnny Cash’s Cover of NIN’s “Hurt.” If the Karaoke bar has that one, get ready for one dramatic performance.

Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?
Besides working for PreSonus, I’m producing, mixing and mastering for several Artists, primarily from the Electro-Industrial / Wave / Gothic scene. Check out Coma Alliance, We Are Temporary or V2A if you want to hear some of my work!

What instruments do you play? 
 I’m a mediocre keyboard player, but a total champ at the triangle and when it comes to the triangle, I love the versatility!
Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, Install somewhere….
I really loved doing IMSTA FESTA in Berlin last year, as well as SuperBooth 2019. Generally speaking, every event where like-minded people get together and passionately talk about music is a successful event to me.
Got any tips for working with Studio One?
Definitely… spend more time exploring all the amazing Macros that Studio One 4.5 comes with, and don’t be scared to create some of your own. Embrace the fact that you can adapt Studio One to YOUR personal workflow—not the other way around!

I took my first steps in semi-professional music production with Cubase more than 10 years ago. I knew my way around fairly well, though I always felt that there were just too many steps involved in getting the result that I wanted. When I decided to make producing, mixing, and mastering a full-time career, this annoyance became a serious issue—because I just couldn’t earn a living if each project took so long to finish.

That’s the main reason why I switched over to Studio One. Within just a couple days, I was able to work so much faster than before.

What are you currently working on at PreSonus? What’s next for you?
“Studio One with Gregor” will be a regular series, so expect more and more episodes to be released going forward. I’m also working on several other projects that will help people get to know the power of Studio One better, every day. Besides that, I love consolidating user feedback and constantly gather ideas for future Studio One versions. If you have feature requests that you’d like to see implemented in future versions, please keep them coming over at PreSonus Answers.
What’s the strangest talent you have?
I can tell you exactly how heavy your suitcase is just by lifting it—in Kilograms, to the decimal place. I believe this is because I was a scale at an airport check-in… In a previous life of course.
Anything else you want to share? 
Learn every day. Stay open-minded. Collaborate with talented people around you.

Follow Gregor on Instagram! 

PreSonus Fam Friday with Perry Tee!

Our Artist & Influencer Relations Manager, Perry Tee (and all around coolest guy in the world) is up for PreSonus Fam Friday!


How long have you worked for PreSonus?

I joined the company in 2012.

What’s your favorite thing about your job? Why did you choose to work here?

Being able to develop meaningful relationships with influential and creatively successful people to showcase real-world use cases of our product line in action; ultimately bringing humans together from different backgrounds in life who share a common love of expressing themselves through sound and vision.

So I moved out to Louisiana from California to get away for a bit; a sabbatical from the L.A. hustle, if you will. Being the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans to this day still has a vibrant live music scene compared to other cities and I had enough $$$ saved up to live for at least 6 months. So I went from one L.A. to another LA.

For those who aren’t aware, PreSonus is based an hour northwest of New Orleans and they were hiring so I applied, got hired and ended up moving to Baton Rouge. Even though I no longer live in Louisiana, I’m still very lucky to be working daily with such amazing talented people. No other company is quite like us in terms of camaraderie and dedication to making things happen, world-wide.

What instruments do you play?

Keyboard, guitar, drums, trumpet, sax and flute. Studio One is the DAW environment is where I record and produce tangible recorded audio assets for others to use. But playing *live* with other musicians has always been my greatest strength and main love, in terms of collaborative creative events.

Of all of them, what’s your favorite?

They’re all enjoyable to play and sonically express my emotions with. It just depends on the musical framework I’m in at the moment. But it’s got to be executed live or not at all for me. And unintended human mistakes are typically the moments that makes music most interesting to me.

What is it that you love about “live” performance?

It’s fun, brings people together and a very instantaneous source of joy. When everyone is in sync with each other, it’s magical. I believe it showcases positivity in humanity.

Who has influenced your own playing or approach?

Everyone I’ve played music with onstage or worked alongside in recording studio sessions.

Everyone has a side gig, what’s yours? OR when you’re not at PreSonus, what are you up to?

Recording instrumental tracks for singers, producers and working on sound design. Teaching applied music theory, ear training plus improvisation to students young and old. Diving deeper into modular synthesis. Updating my coding skills. But most of all, being the best Dad possible.

Choose a movie title for the story of your life.

“Interstellar”. I constantly travel between different ‘worlds’ and can access experiences from all points in the timeline of my life’s stored memory banks to find viable solutions and resolving issues effectively. Never journeyed through a wormhole, though.

What’s your go-to Karaoke song?

“Regulate Ft. Nate Dogg” by Warren G.

Got any tips for working with Studio One?

Yes! Check out my Studio One “1-Minute Tip” videos:

Tell us about a successful event you worked with PreSonus products. InfoComm, NAMM, or an Install somewhere.

Every January, we congregate for a week in Anaheim to demo our Products and field questions like a tightly-knit family at The NAMM Show. Stop by and visit us at Booth #18801 in the North Building.

What are you currently working on at PreSonus? What’s next for you?

Finding more relevant product/use case resonant relationships for the company. We’re really interested in content creators and livestreamers with strong online audience engagement in addition to Artists, Producers, FOH Engineers, Studio Mix Engineers, and Mastering Engineers. Continuing to develop my Studio One chops as there’s always new improvements to our DAW happening regularly from user base input. Helping to make our products better every day for you all to enjoy and benefit from.

What’s the strangest talent you have?

I used to be able to perform the Doctor Who theme (lead synth melody line) using a cello bow on the edge of a standard hand saw; all while having gulped an entire packet of grape-flavored Pop Rocks and not letting the chaos inside my mouth affect my musical performance. That talent came to an end when all the bow hair frayed out… GAME OVER.

Anything else you want to share?

“No amount of money ever bought a second of time” (Howard Stark, The Avengers Endgame) really resonates the older I get and I hope that others will take that quote to heart too, as we make decisions that will inevitably shape the reality of what future generations will inherit from us.

Basically, choose wisely what you do with every moment of your lifetime and don’t take anything for granted!

Connect with PERRY TEE