PreSonus Blog

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.

More than just audio interfaces, the AudioBox iOne and iTwo are the heart of a creative workflow aimed at taking your inspirations and turning them into finished songs. Tightly integrating award-winning hardware with powerful software across working environments, watch recording artist The Hitchhiker (Luis Mariani) go from iPad to laptop to finished master—ready for purchase and download by your fans.

Mariani left Venezuela as a political refugee and, now an American citizen, lives and works in Louisiana bayou country, where he put together a band of self-described “good ol’ south Louisiana music scene boys” and makes hard-rocking music with a message.

This webcast will air on March 26, 2015 at noon Pacific time. Click here to register!

We thought you should know that for a limited time—until March 31^st, 2015—music retailers across the US are offering a monster rebate on the StudioLive AI Loudspeakers:

• Buy two, and save $500

• Buy four, save $1000

No matter how you slice it, that’s a savings of $250 a piece for some incredible speakers. The StudioLive AI PAs feature our Active coaxial loudspeaker design, as well as sophisticated networking and DSP. With free PreSonus SL Room Control software, you can configure, tune, and monitor networked StudioLive AI loudspeakers from anywhere in the venue—Click here for a video on that. You can even visually display the room layout on a laptop or iPad!

But the StudioLive AI Loudspeakers aren’t just about brain—there’s a lot of brawn here, too. And when it’s time to put some boom in your room, these speakers offer irresponsibly high power—without the breakup and distortion typically associated with chest-resonating high volume. For more details on the minds behind the StudioLive AI Loudspeakers, click here for an interview with Dave Gunness.

But don’t take it from us. Check out some of these reviews:

• Front of House Online
• Sound and Video Contractor
• ChurchProduction.com
• Live2Play Network

Click here to find a dealer in the USA.

One other thing: if you want some nitty-gritty technical data, help yourself to any of these informative .PDF downloads:

• Download the StudioLive AI Loudspeaker Brochure
• Download StudioLive AI Contractor Documentation
• Download the StudioLive AI Loudspeaker Applications Guide

Abraham Martinez

La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo fue una gran grabación realizada para Danilo Montero en 2014—tan grande, de hecho, que ganó un premio Grammy Latino al Mejor Álbum Cristiano. El álbum en vivo fue mezclado por Abraham Martínez en Studio One Professional 2. (En la foto debajo)

Martínez es ingeniero de audio FOH de tiempo completo trabajando para Marcos Witt, un muy reconocido líder de adoración y músico cristiano en Latino América. Cuando no trabaja con Witt, Martínez pasa su tiempo libre apilando premios Grammy Latinos. El ha obtenido tres galardones en solamente cuatro años:

• 2011 Mejor Álbum Cristiano (En Español) Lenguaje De Amor Alex Campos [CanZion / MV Records]
• 2012 Mejor Álbum Cristiano (En Español) 25 Concierto Conmemorativo Marcos Witt
• 2014 Mejor Álbum Cristiano (En Español) La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo

Hemos tenido la chance de intercambiar algunos e-mails con Abraham para obtener algunos detalles adicionales. Como Abraham ha estado usando Studio One—y otros productos PreSonus—por algunos años hasta la actualidad, este es su primer Grammy Latino obtenido como galardón por un proyecto mezclado en Studio One. Abraham llegó a Studio One de la misma forma que muchos usuarios—a través del hardware PreSonus.

“Antes, cuando grababa más, usaba un preamplificador M80 y un ACP88”, dice Martínez. “Más recientemente he usado un ADL 600 para la grabación de pistas de voz y bajo. También uso una consola digital de mezclas StudioLive por su calidad de sonido y facilidad de uso para el trabajo en nuestra iglesia. Tengo siempre asociado a PreSonus con valor, pero nunca los había considerado como desarrolladores serios de una aplicación DAW hasta que probé Studio One!”

“Ahora uso Studio One exclusivamente para todas mis mezclas en mi estudio de mezclas personal AMmix”. Martínez continúa, “También lo usamos en nuestra iglesia para grabar y mezclar nuestras obras. Lo que me atrajo principalmente hacia Studio One es que el flujo de trabajo es muy intuitivo. Se sintió natural de inmediato, sobre todo para la mezcla. Recuerdo que tuve que volver a mi viejo DAW para terminar un proyecto antiguo y lo comencé a odiar ya que se sentía primitivo en comparación. Lo que me mantuvo trabajando en Studio One, sin embargo, fue su calidad de audio y sus características profesionales. Eso es algo a lo que yo no estaba dispuesto a renunciar”.

“Studio One no defrauda”, afirma Martínez. “Las funciones de edición de percusión y de cuantización son las mejores por lejos. Me encanta que nunca hay problemas con clics y pops y todo permanece perfectamente en fase. La calidad del sonido y facilidad de uso son las fortalezas de Studio One”.

Martínez habla desde la experiencia cuando compara Studio One con otros DAWs y flujos de trabajo.

“Encontré mi flujo de trabajo mucho más rápido y fluido en Studio One, a diferencia de Nuendo, con el que he trabajado anteriormente por muchos años. Hace poco hice una comparación trabajando completamente ‘en la caja’ (Computadora) con Studio One contra mi sistema híbrido hardware/software —y honestamente puedo decir que las diferencias fueron mínimas. Ahora me siento completamente cómodo trabajando ‘en la caja’ cuando tengo que hacerlo!”

“No puedo esperar ver que tiene Studio One en las tiendas para nosotros en la versión 3”

Mire el video “Dios es Amor” de Danilo Montero a continuación:

Chicago’s Don Conoscenti is a musician’s musician through-and-through who enjoyed a supportive musical upbringing. While now best known as a decorated singer/songwriter in acoustic circles—he’s a winner of the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriting Competition and was a National Academy of Songwriters’ Acoustic Artist of the Year finalist—fact is the guy cut his teeth by learning drums before learning guitar, and established his acoustic claim after many years spent as a “die-hard rocker.” Never one to be bound by the limits of genre loyalty, Don is also an accomplished flautist and vocalist.

His “few rules” mentality also applies to his approach to the guitar—he’s the only guitarist I’ve ever seen use multiple capos on a guitar, including partial capos. If you’re a guitar player, good luck trying to figure out how to play his songs just by listening to them. For you he released the hilariously titled Capo Abuse and Guitar Techniques video.

Don’s rock’n’roll beginnings have proven a major asset in his ability to stand apart in an ocean of acoustic-driven songwriters. The rockin’ influences in Don’s work aren’t worn on his sleeve, but instead bubble up through the cracks in a much more subtle manner than is typically associated with rock music. So far, he’s nine self-released albums into his career.

On his latest release. High Desert Sessions, Don turned to PreSonus Studio One to make the entire record on his own. Of the experience, he says, “Thanks to recording software like PreSonus’ Studio One Professional, I can now produce, track, orchestrate, mix, master and immediately upload the finished product to Soundcloud and my Nimbit Store, which then allows me to sell it through my website and social media pages within minutes of mastering. It wasn’t easy to learn how to do all that, but there’s a lot to love about the end result of that process. Thanks for listening and look for a summer 2015 release featuring some heavy hitting guest artists including Ellis Paul and Grammy-winning artists Paul Buckmaster, Bill Miller and Lloyd Maines.”

Demo versions of the High Desert Sessions are available now on his Nimbit store.

Abraham Martinez in his studio

La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo was a big record for Danilo Montero in 2014—so big, in fact, that it won a Latin Grammy for Best Christian Album. The live album was mixed by Abraham Martinez, pictured above, in Studio One Professional 2.

Martinez is a full time FOH audio engineer for Marcos Witt, a well known worship leader and music artist in Latin America. When not working with Witt, Martinez spends his spare time rackin’ up Latin Grammys. He’s collected three in only four years:

• 2011 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) Lenguaje De Amor Alex Campos [CanZion / MV Records]
• 2012 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) 25 Concierto Conmemorativo Marcos Witt
• 2014 Best Christian Album (Spanish Language) La Carta Perfecta – En Vivo

We had the chance for an e-mail exchange with Abraham to get some additional details. While Abraham has been using Studio One—and other PreSonus gear—for a couple of years now, this is his first Latin Grammy award for a project mixed in Studio One. Abraham came into the Studio One fold the same way many users do—via PreSonus hardware.

“Back when I recorded more, I used an an M80 preamp and ACP88,” says Martinez. “More recently I’ve used an ADL 600 for tracking vocals and bass. I also use a StudioLive mixer for its audio quality and ease of use for work on our church campus. I have always associated PreSonus with value, but had never considered them a serious DAW developer until I tried Studio One!

“Now I use Studio One for exclusively for all of my mixes in my personal mixing studio, AMmix,” Martinez continues. “We also use it at our church to to record and mix our plays. The main thing that drew me toward Studio One was it’s incredibly intuitive workflow. It felt natural immediately, especially for mixing. I remember having to go back to my old DAW to finish an older project and hating it as it felt primitive in comparison. What kept me working in Studio One however, was its audio quality and professional features. That is something I just wasn’t willing to give up.

“Studio One doesn’t disappoint,” Martinez asserts. “The drum editing and quantization features are the best by far. I love that there are never problems with clicks and pops and everything stays perfectly in phase. Audio quality and ease of use are Studio One’s strengths.

Martinez speaks from experience when comparing Studio One to other DAWs and workflows.

“I found my workflow to be much faster and fluid in Studio One, as apposed to Nuendo, which I worked on before for many years. I recently did a comparison of working completely ‘in the box’ with Studio One against my hybrid hardware/software setup—and I can honestly say that the differences were minimal. I now feel completely comfortable working completely in the box when I have to!”

“I can’t wait to see what Studio One has in store for us in version 3,” he muses.

Watch the video for Danilo Montero’s “Dios de Amor” below:

Rick’s band Phat Hat took the StudioLive RM32AI digital mixer out for a gig at Baton Rouge’s Varsity Theatre. The gig went great! Rick explains why.

For more on the StudioLive RM32AI, click here.

We’ve released an update to Universal Control AI and UC Surface for the StudioLive RM mixers.

Click here for the full change log, download links, and update instructions.