Girl Talk, MSTRKRFT, JUSTICE, Daft Punk etc

[BOORADLEY]

ive always wondered, what programs do these cats use to make all their shit? like what is the process? im not really interested in doing it, but have never really known how it is all thrown together? what are they doing on stage when they dj? to do this at home using say a mac, what would one need to do it? how are all the crazy effects made? so many questions! someones gotta shed some light for me!

[fg0d]

One of my subs, who said he's made sample for a lot of 80s synth-pop bands said it's just a Korg and a synthensizer. Some people use frooty loops now in the modern times, but I'd also like to see what these other guys use. Justice FTW.

[onemancult]

i really want to laugh, like, everything inside of me is begging me to laugh, but for some reason, i just can't. there is a tiny whimpering asian child inside of me begging the angelina jolie of my sense of humor to take it home and feed it funny flakes, and i guess i'll have to tell it "Starve."

if we wanna talk specifics right off the bat,

Greg (Girl Talk) uses Ableton Live for both creating his songs and playing out.

I dunno what MSTRKRFT use in-studio, but I've seen them DJ with CDs and

Ableton Live off of laptops.

Justice play out on CD-Js, as far as I know. Anyone ever seen them use vinyl?

In general, you've got an incredible range of tools out there for making electronic music,

split most widely between software and hardware. From there on in, it gets way too deep: synthesizers, software synthesizers, Digital Audio Workstations, drum machines, samplers, sequencers, turntables, and on and on. And on.

There's a recent thread in here on music production, read up. Search back a few pages.

[BOORADLEY]

i really want to laugh, like, everything inside of me is begging me to laugh, but for some reason, i just can't. there is a tiny whimpering asian child inside of me begging the angelina jolie of my sense of humor to take it home and feed it funny flakes, and i guess i'll have to tell it "Starve."

what do you want to laugh about? i dont really see whats so funny?

[onemancult]

just the way you asked all those questions reminded me of an eager child. it was funny in a good-natured way.

[hipset]

does anyone know of any good ableton live resources? i have no clue how to do what i want to do on it.

[yuljo]

There's included tutorials and help files which are a good starting point. I started teaching myself albeton live and I still can't do alot of things I wish I could.

[BOORADLEY]

just the way you asked all those questions reminded me of an eager child. it was funny in a good-natured way.

i see...just wondered thats all.

[JimJones86]

i heard daft punk programs their own synths.

[Etz]

I actually emailed Girl Talk a few months back and he said he uses Adobe Audition and Audiomulch (I believe it's similar to Live).

[BOORADLEY]

well there ya go.

[down4nyhc]

read the interview. he explains what he uses. i didin't really have too much respect for the ableton djing till i saw nick from men, women and children fuck it up thoroughly using ableton and a drum machine.

http://www.lastnightsparty.com/transcriptions/girltalk.html

[Guest jmatsu]

Justice play out on CD-Js, as far as I know. Anyone ever seen them use vinyl?

it's ridiculous, but they used records in japan. maybe a rich promoter paid for the shipping or their excessive luggage fees.

didn't they use vinyl on that one edbangers promo video last year (i could be mistaken)??

[onemancult]

A few months back, maybe that's what he used for Night Ripper? I spoke to Greg much sooner than a few months ago and he said he'd started using Ableton, something

about integrating the live show and albums I dunno.

[collie27]

Daft Punk use and endorse Ableton

http://www.macmusic.org/articles/view.php/lang/en/id/104/

[asuzano]

i've seen justice use vinyl in london and barcelona

[qom]

Yup, saw Justice using vinyl in some video too.

I believe Traktor DJ is a good substitute for Ableton Live if you're gonna DJ with your computer.

[onemancult]

Yup, saw Justice using vinyl in some video too.

I believe Traktor DJ is a good substitute for Ableton Live if you're gonna DJ with your computer.

I'd pick Traktor over Ableton every single time, no questions asked.

Ableton is great for a lot of things, but I think it leaves a lot to be desired

when DJing in the traditional sense. I personally have always used Traktor.

[thelaststarfighter]

the question you asked is quite broad...

Daft Punk use a variety of synths, outboard processors, softsynths, and etc.

Their earlier work was primarily analog stuff, big synths etc.

You'll also hear a technique called 'sidechaining' that Thomas bangalter pioneered

sidechaining is what gives all daft tracks (& MSTRKRFT aswell) that tangible 'PULSE'

I could break it down but its a lengthy explanation.

MSTRKRFT use Abelton Live in live settings, as do Daft.

It's rumored that Daft's coachella preformance last year was entirelly done on Live, it probly was.

As for MSTRKRFT's production work, they use a variety of synths: nord lead, microkorg, moogs, roland processors, mad guitars, etc.

they sequence/arrange with either pro tools or cubase on mac...

heres a pic of their in house studio. yes, that's a NEVE desk:eek:

ok - heres an example of sidechaining... and a track put together on a software sequencer:

http://www.cratethieves.com/outgoing/thombang.mp3

I threw this together on Cubase SX3 in about 45 minutes...

The sample is 'Il Maquelage Lady' which Daft used on "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (chopped to hell).

Synth pad is from FM8, then chopped afterwards, drums, effects, etc. by me aswell.

The 'pulse' feel that everything has is the sidechaining effect in action.

NOTE: i'm not a house/electro producer by any means, so I take no responsibility if you think that track is wack;)

--

A software platform like Cubase allows you to sequence, arrange, record, edit, and do all the major functions in one place. With the right softsynths, vsts, and plugins, you can easily rival thousand dollar studios on just a desktop. The hardware v. software topic is always debatable but if you really look at it objectively, you can accomplish things on both.

if any of ya'll have more questions regarding production or getting started with a software setup... drop me a pm and i'd be happy to help...

[onemancult]

sidechaining isnt' too difficult to explain...

basically, sidechaining is using a compressor to attenuate the volume of a certain sounds in the mix, triggered by other sounds in the mix.

a basic example would be if you have a drum beat and a bassline going, you set it up

so that whenever a bass note is playing, the volume of the beat is automated to lower and allow the bass to shine through, and once that bass note has been played, the beat comes back in and has its own time to shine.

it is a really economical way of mixing dance music, maximizing the quality of your mix without resorting to hours of hair-pulling over the 'perfect' settings for your compressors, FX, volume, etc.

[thelaststarfighter]

hah fair enough.

i just didn't feel like typing that all out...

beyond being economical though, it's more a stylistic choice.

[JimJones86]

how much does ableton live run for?

[JimJones86]

nice track btw

[thelaststarfighter]

thanks.

you can get live 6 for around 500, or lower if you look the right places

[onemancult]

beyond being economical though, it's more a stylistic choice.

definitely, but as far as i know, the earliest reasons for sidechaining compressors

during mixing was for keeping a mix from getting too 'hot' because of overloading the

low end on a track.

bangalter surely took it from neat studio trick to an art, though.

[onemancult]

Anyone on here use Reason?

yeah... but sparingly lately.

[spencer704]

didn't they use vinyl on that one edbangers promo video last year (i could be mistaken)??

was probably serato... i use the same thing... all the tunes on your laptop's harddrive can be played and manipulated via 2 "control records"... you get the exact same feel of mixing actual vinyl, but the convenience of all your tunes in your laptop instead of a heavy record case...

[SENDkylHISPASSWORD]

Serato Vs. Traktor Scratch?

I like the interface and functions of Traktor DJ but Serato must be the indust sandard for some reason?

Can you auto beat match in SSL like you can in Traktor?

[naturaljax]

OMC - you got any tracks of your own we could listen to? I'd be interested...