Here’s Ralf from KRASHKARMA showing us how he uses Automation tracks in Studio One to send MIDI Control Change messages to his Kemper Profiler amp. This allows him to automate his pedal changes, solo volume, and whammy/wah effects—all synchronized to the song since the band plays to a click track. Great stuff, thanks Ralf!

[This just in from Stefan Kengen of 4Sound, in Copenhagen. He produced a great house track in Studio One Professional 2—but the REALLY interesting thing is he did it all using stock Native Plug-ins and bundled loop content. He’s shared the .Song file via DropBox, which you can get by clicking here. Open it in Studio One Professional 2, pick it apart, and learn some of Stefan’s tricks! An added bonus of using Native Plug-Ins and bundled loop content: the filesize is a mere 426k!]

UPDATE 6/15/15—Stefan has created a version of this song that is compatible with Studio One 3. You can get it by clicking here.

Stefan Kengen hard at work

PreSonus: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Stefan. Tell us a little about yourself and your history in the music business.

Stefan Kengen: The pleasure is all mine. I’ve been active in the music industry for over two decades as a sales rep in both retail and wholesale, education, production and songwriting. I co-wrote and produced a bunch of Euro-Dance and Pop albums in the 90’s and early 00’s, but these days it’s more about having fun and helping others realize their musical dreams than the pursuit of personal stardom.

P: How did you first come into contact with Studio One?

SK: When Studio One was initially launched a few people in Denmark raised an eyebrow including myself. Most people went “Really? Another DAW?” But with the advent of version 2, and big stars like Teddy Reilly raving about it, people started giving it a shot and in a very short period of time, Studio One has become a household name around here.

P: What are the primary reasons for this in your opinion?

SK: Besides the obvious focus on more promotion and a very competitive price point, the overarching reason in my view is the ease of use despite the high level of complexity. The work flow is very fast and efficient. I come from Cubase and I felt at home in Studio One immediately. This is not just because the guys behind it are also some of the original Cubase programmers—We have Pro Tools and Logic customers in the store who feel the same way. I think the designers have succeeded in taking the essence of what makes each of the other great DAWs out there good and combined that into one, sleek and elegant package.

But besides that, what continues to blow me away is the sound quality of the audio engine. I know there’s a lot of subjectivity involved, but I can honestly say that my mixes sound much tighter, more leveled and punchier in Studio One than they ever did in any other DAW I have worked with. I think it has a lot to do with the quality of the stock plugs and the 64 bit float summing. Everybody basically needs three types of good-sounding processors: Dynamics, EQ and Reverb. The Studio One Compressor, Pro EQ, Open AIR and Room Reverb all sound absolutely amazing, and even the scaled down versions in the entry-level Studio One Artist-version are very good compared to the competition.

P: You use a lot of RedLight Dist, Pro EQ, automation and side-chaining in your track. Can you talk a little about how you built the mix and what you used?

SK: I made the track to showcase how well the aforementioned important plug-ins, as well as the free content, sound in Studio One. You can talk about something all day long, but in the end a live sound demo in the store makes much more sense to any potential customer. So I make heavy use of the Pro EQ, not just as an individual channel EQ, but also as a master filter. It is so smooth and transparent, that you can make really cool lo/hi cut sweeps and even resonating effects that simply sound awful with most other digital EQ’s. And because it is literally a breeze to automate any parameter in Studio One, it just begs to be played with and taken to the extreme.

It can be difficult in other DAWs to set up side-chaining, but in Studio One it’s very simple and almost self-evident. I love the fact that all the dynamics plugins have a side-chain button and the Studio One (Producer/Professional) Compressor is a real jack of all trades. I can almost always get it to respond in a musical way when doing that typical 4 on 4 ducking effect that is so popular these days. It may seem trivial, but this can be a real pain to get right in other DAWS, unless you add expensive 3rd party compressors. This effect is very obvious on the Bass and Chords tracks in the song, whose side-chained Compressors are triggered by the kick.

It’s great to have a pro level impulse response reverb plug in the form of OpenAIR, but I must admit that the quality of the algorithm based Room Reverb has me picking up my jaw from off of the floor every time I use it. Not only can it do those long, never ending, lush caverns you normally need an expensive Lexicon for, it can also do those real tight, almost undetectable room placements that very few plugins can without sounding like a bad chorus effect. The only thing I sometimes miss in it is some modulation options, but then I think about how easily I can just automate e.g. the ‘Population’ and ‘Plane’ parameters with some random LFO curves and presto! Instant luxury!

The RedLight Distortion is another stroke of genius in my view. It’s a really useful coloration tool when you want to add some beef or grit to stale sounds, and it can be made to scream your ears off without sounding digital, unless you want it to. Unlike many other distortion plugs, the RedLight Distortion always sounds very rich and powerful and all of the different distortion algorithms have their uses. I use it on many tracks in the song, with both subtle and more extreme settings. In the build-up towards the outtro I dial in some Ampire, which is also very good at making things messy in a cool way. In Studio One I never have to worry about mono/stereo operation of plugins, and I’ve never experienced any phasing issues either, which can sometimes occur in other DAWS when you get overly creative.

P: Thanks a lot for your input and thanks again for sharing your song and your thoughts on Studio One.

SK: Thanks. Anytime.

Until June 30, we’re offering $200 the purchase of the StudioLive RM16AI in the USA. No rebate forms, no mail-in anything, just money in your wallet. This is a similar offer to the $300-500 off we’re offering on the StudioLive AI Console mixers, which you can learn more about by clicking here.

Make no mistake—because we kinda did. The StudioLive RM16AI is a 32-channel mixer. While it boasts 16 analog XLR inputs on the face, (I bet your face only has 5) there’s another 16 digital inputs available under the hood that allow you to pipe in multi-channel audio from a workstation or laptop. This positions the RM16AI as an exceptional choice for a gigging band that makes heavy use use of backing tracks—a model that is becoming increasingly common. For example, Check out what Startisan has been doing with it:

Of course, since there’s no faders, you also get UC Surface control software (for Mac, Windows, and iPad), Capture 2, QMix AI, and Studio One Artist. The mixer additionaly features monstrous onboard Fat Channel DSP, Wi-Fi and wired networking—plus built-in AVB.  It’s a real powerhouse, despite an inability to adhere to long-established conventions of nomenclature. Click here to learn more about all that good stuff.

But perhaps coolest of ALL, and why this is such a good deal right now—the RM16AI is designed to be elegantly controlled by the StudioLive CS18AI moving fader Ethernet/AVB Control Surface, allowing complete hardware control of all mixer features.

Oh, and the StudioLive RM16AI is also one of Mix Magazine’s “Most Innovative Products of 2014.” We’re flattered and thankful for the recognition.

Click here to find a dealer!

RobScallon over on YouTube just posted this killer video of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” In it, the ode to boogymen is performed backwards and recording—which is then flipped again when the video is run in reverse. The perplexing result is that the song comes out forwards while sounding backwards. If that doesn’t make sense, just watch the video and you’ll get the drift. And watch fast for Studio One!

The first leg of the Best Kept Secret Tour was such a success that we’re bringing it back for another round!

Join us for a FREE full-line demonstration of the WorxAudio by PreSonus loudspeaker family Including Ai-Series contractor systems, powerful X & V-Series line arrays and the subwoofers everyone is talking about. Learn about new AVB connectivity including how our StudioLive AI console mixers control and send audio to AI-series rackmount mixers. Everyone is welcome! Dates, times, location, and registration links follow.

If you’re planning to go to INFOCOMM June 17-19 in Orlando, you can catch this presentation there, too. Register FOR FREE by clicking here.

Sponsor: PreSonus Audio Electronics
Booth: 1259
VIP code: PRE115. 

INFOCOMM, Orlando FL, June 17

INFOCOMM, Orlando FL, June 18

INFOCOMM, Orlando FL, June 19

Groove3 has a great new series chock full of Studio One production tips. This five-video series looks at song construction from the bottom up, starting with drums, moving on to bass and guitars, and finally vocals and polishing the final mix. It’s a must-watch: there’s great stuff in here for newbies and some great refreshers and cool ideas for seasoned vets.

Check out http://www.Groove3.com for more incredible tutorials!

Big congratulations are due to the Notion team—Notion 5 was just recognized in Teach Secondary Magazine‘s April issue. Reviewer Steve Lea states, in part:

“Notion 5 is an ideal package for anyone wanting easy-to-use notation software on a budget. If you are using primarily for teaching score-writing or producing exam coursework then it has more than enough for your needs. And if you don’t need the full functions of the bigger market leaders, then it is a real winner!”

Click here to read the article in full [PDF], or find a copy of Teach Secondary Magazine online or in print.

We’re in Frankfurt for MusikMesse and stopped by the local Apple Store. We were delighted to find Notion installed on iPad demo units in-store. This isn’t the first time Notion has been spotted in an Apple Store—it was included in some wall graphics a while back, coinciding with Esa-Pekka’s Salonen’s Apple advert.

We were really excited to be asked to create a special version of Notion for use in Apple Stores. The iPad has transformed the way many people create music, and it’s made the world of notation much more accessible. And now people around the world can try out composing music in their local Apple Store!

Notion in the Apple Store

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.