PreSonus Blog

Heya! Check out the deeply personal and incredible new video from Nothing More for “Jenny.” But more importantly, check out the cause. First, here’s the video:

Next, here’s the cause: Nothing More is looking to raise awareness of mental health challenges through partnerships with PledgeMusic, BringChange2Mind, The Jed Foundation, To Write Love On Her Arms, YoungMinds, and the International Bipolar Foundation.

You can support these charity partners and pick up some cool exclusive merch at the #IKnowJenny page on PledgeMusic. Click the image below to

Daniel “Freebo” Friedberg is a decorated singer/songwriter with an impressive session/sideman history, including a ten-year stint playing bass and touring with Bonnie Raitt. Other collaborators include John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, CSN, Maria Muldaur, Ringo Starr, Michelle Shocked, Neil Young, Loudon Wainwright III, and Dr. John. He’s also a formidable tuba player.

The last few years have seen Freebo launching into a successful solo career, having released four solo albums since 1999. There’s no quick-and-easy way to pin down a singular “Freebo sound,” as his diverse solo material is suitably colored by his work with all of the above A-list names. As such, his work boasts a seasoned blend of blues, rock and folk—but closer listening reveals undertones of dixieland, reggae, and Broadway musicals.

His Nimbit store offerings include a multitude of sponsorship opportunities (you can even buy “Executive Producer” credit on his next record!) two singles, and four full-lengths, including the canine tribute album, Dog People.

• Click here to visit Freebo’s Nimbit Store.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up here for free.

Check out this very flattering and thorough review of the Ceres 4.5BT monitors from Kern Ramsdell of Home Recording Weekly. We loaned him a pair of the Ceres 4.5BT for review—and he did an excellent job.

A couple quick snippets: “The PreSonus Ceres C4.5BT monitors are incredible sounding, and you will be blown away. I know I was,” and my favorite: “it stinks that I have to send these back.” Click here to read the full review that accompanies this video.

For more info on Ceres, visit hear.presonus.com

Hal Leonard  has just released a new edition of their Quick PRO guides:Create Music with Notion—Notation Software for the Busy Musician, by George J. Hess. It’s available now—purchase links are below.  

The structure of Create Music with Notion is a little different than one might expect from a book of its type. Each chapter is designed as a standalone project, and the reader isn’t expected to take them on in a particular order—or even complete them all. Instead, you’re invited to look at each project and choose which ones most closely resemble what you need to do with Notion. There are step-by-step instructions with shortcut or menu reminders for each project using the provided example.

• Chapters 1–3 introduce you to the basics of Notion.
• Chapters 4–6 are primarily aimed at people new to notation software and pop musicians, with an emphasis on guitar.
• Chapters 7–9 are intended for music teachers and students. The chapter on live performance has important implications in both professional and educational settings.
• Chapters 10–12 focus on advanced notation topics used by professionals like arrangers and film composers, but teachers will also find many things of use here.
• Chapter 13 covers Notion for iPad and the interface differences and special features of this powerful app.

“For what I do–composing, arranging, songwriting, handouts–Notion meets 95% of my everyday needs,” says George. “It’s the only one where mouse entry makes sense, mainly because you can add articulations, dynamics, techniques and other entries all at the same time. It feels like working with pencil and paper, but with all of the advantages of a computer, like undo, copy and paste, and so on. There’s still step entry and real-time, too.

“Notion’s shortcuts are incredibly easy to learn and it handles most of the layout for you,” the author continues. “In addition, the sample-based playback is incredible. Anything you enter on the screen affects playback. Slurs trigger different samples, articulations, techniques and dynamics including hairpins are played accurately. The guitar technique library is particularly impressive. And to top it off, Notion for iPad is an excellent product, too, and you can share files between desktop and iOS versions.”

—Chris Swaffer, Product Manager, Notion

About George J. Hess:
An award-winning teacher, George Hess is an associate professor at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore where he teaches technology and professional development courses. He writes a regular column for Music Education Asia, has published numerous papers on music technology pedagogy in international and national journals and regularly presents clinics and workshops throughout the world both in person and online. George is an Apple Distinguished Educator, and is a member of the board of directors for Technology for Music Education (TI:ME), for which he is also a certified instructor. His current research interests include project-based learning, music education in developing countries, distance learning via video conferencing. He also performs regularly as a jazz guitarist. Prior to coming to Singapore he taught jazz, theory and technology at Central Michigan University for ten years. Dr. Hess holds degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and the Berklee College of Music.

• Click here to buy online from the USA
• Click here to buy online from Europe
  

“…and Kindo was his name-o”

It only took a few listens to Buffalo, New York’s The Reign Of Kindo to make me realize I was a jazz-rock fan. It’s important to distinguish them from what a lot of folks call fusion, which seems to err a little more heavily on the jazz side of things—and often the smoooooth jazz side of things.

Not these guys. The Reign of Kindo’s potent formula begins with a distinctly jazz-fueled approach to arrangement, rhythm and chord structure, delivered with urgency and song structures typically associated with rock. As such, they are a must-listen for both rock and jazz fans looking for a refreshing groove that isn’t too far off the beaten path.

Fleet, often busy drumming drives the bulk of the Kindo repertoire—frequently mixed right up in your face, where it belongs. Lead singer Joe Secchiaroli commands a voice that is simultaneously assertive and approachable, and the bulk of their recordings are bathed in wall-to-wall piano. While the bulk of the sonic structure here is vocals, bass, drums, and piano, guest instrumentation livens things up via sax, cello, and… hey, was that a singing saw? Cool.

And they give us a lot to choose from. Musically speaking, The Reign of Kindo’s Nimbit Store offers a couple of full-lengths includingThis is What Happens and Live YouTube Sessions, a couple yuletide EPs and a single. There’s also a ton of apparel options available, and it’s nice to see them breaking out of the “band name on a T-shirt” mold with hoodies, kids’ shirts, and even a classic mesh trucker cap—call it a utility/fashion fusion.

• Click here to visit The Reign of Kindo’s Nimbit Store.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up here for free.

Boston’s Livingston Taylor began his career as a performing songsmith nearly straight out of high school, having first picked up the guitar at a spry 13 years of age. His songwriting (seemingly seasoned straight out of the gate) and personable, relatable stage presence garnered notice from live music fans and critics alike. 1970 saw him land his first record deal, releasing his eponymous debut on the esteemed Capricorn Records. Last year—that’s 44 years later—he released Blue Sky, his 18th.

Having performed around 80 shows per year in that timespan, he’s really played any type of gig you can imagine, from coffee shops to large festivals to opera houses, landing a couple of Billboard charting-hits along the way: “I Will Be in Love with You,” and “First Time Love.” And it’s that breadth of experience (well, okay, and also his songs) that landed him the coolest gig he’s ever had: that of Professor at Berklee College of Music—a post he’s held since 1989.

His discography, most of which is available via his Nimbit store, is peppered with a couple best-of collections, a covers record, and also a sort of self-cover record. Good Friends finds Livingston taking some of his more familiar tunes into decidedly jazzier territory—great for established fans that enjoy a new spin on the familiar. Furthermore—and we don’t see this too often at Nimbit—he has distilled his Berklee teachings down into a good ol’-fashioned book, “Stage Performance,” which is also available for sale.

• Click here to visit Livingston’s Nimbit Store.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up here for free.

Here’s a great video that came to us from L.A. producer/songwriter/engineer AG! She’s made the jump over to Studio One from Pro Tools and Logic—and she’s also using a couple Sceptre monitors and the ADL 700 preamp.

AG has worked with Natalie Imbruglia, and done music production for TV shows including Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy. Check it out!

Thanks AG!

The SL-AVB-MIX card for StudioLive AI console mixers is coming soon!

This will allow you to connect a StudioLive AI console mixer at front of house to a StudioLive RM rackmount mixer onstage, allowing you to use it as a stage box—eliminating the need for an obnoxious, heavy snake. Ray is happy to show you how to hook it all up, as well as answer some frequently asked questions.

And, until April 30—if you buy a StudioLive RM or StudioLive AI mixer, we’ll add the option card FREE! Click here for more details on that.

We expect the SL-AVB-MIX card to be available early to mid April, 2015.

PreSonus Artist and good friend Vigilante (AKA Big Brother 84) recently launched the worldwide We Are One tour,  And as if that’s not enough to keep him busy, he also just announced this remix contest, which (so far) is offering prizes from PreSonus, Keith McMillen Instruments, Waldorf, MeldaProduction, and many more!

Complete, official rules are linked below, but here’s the short, unofficial rules:

• Download the stems
• Remix the track
• Submit by e-mail before April 10, 2015

Have fun!

Click here to get the stems and read the full rules.

Click here to visit the official Facebook group.

You know—for kids!

Steve Roslonek of SteveSongs has been
 writing and performing his award-winning
 music for kids and families for fifteen years, as both a touring and recording balladeer and children’s TV host. In that time, Steve has won numerous prestigious awards including two Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, a NAPPA Honor, two iParenting Media Awards, and a Kidscreen nomination for Best Children’s TV Host. He’s also released a ton of kids-first recordings that are silly and educational in equal parts.

Like much kid-targeted media, there’s a heavy leaning toward funny animal themes here—lots of bugs, rabbits, ducks, dogs, and even a rock’n’roll werewolf—all trumpeting 101-level life lessons on the merits of vegetables and tooth-brushing. For a music-purchasing grown-up who normally might feel like they are merely enduring a children’s record, there are occasional nods to popular songs that in-the-know adults will enjoy a knowing laugh from. A smart move on Steve’s part, and it’s what establishes him as a purveyor of family entertainment as opposed to children’s entertainment. Add to that his sincerely inspired wordplay, (rhyming “Canteloupe” with “can of soap,” never would have occurred to me) and there really is something for everyone.

A broad majority of Steve’s SteveSongs songs feature Steve on lead vocals and guitar, surrounded not only by a bang-up world-class band, but also a shout-along gaggle of enthusiastic rugrats. Mostly folky-acoustic and always squeaky clean, there’s a diverse array of instrumentation and musical themes here that dally with rock territory while never getting any heavier than, say, Paul Simon’s Graceland.

Steve’s Nimbit profile offers no fewer than eight full-length albums available in both MP3 and CD, as well as softcover and hardcover editions of Shape Song Swingalong, a DVD, and t-shirts available in various flavors of small. Steve’s pretty good about keeping his tour schedule up-to-date as well. Check it out so you and the cubs can contribute to The Shape Song in person sometime, and maybe hitch a ride home in Dan’s Orangutan Van.

Except that hitchhiking is never safe, kids, so don’t.

• Click here to visit Steve’s Nimbit Store.
• Interested in Nimbit? Sign up here for free.