Two notes to launch Torpedo Reload II Featuring twin-channel operation, selectable multi-impedance compatibility and true continuous attenuation, the Torpedo Reload II is said to be Two notes’ most advanced load box to date.

Pitch Innovations Groove Shaper Bundle (Plugin + Expansions)Groove Shaper Bundle Grab the award-winning Groove Shaper Sequencer Plugin + 6 expansion packs for endless rhythm inspiration. Get 1000+ must-have presets for Cinematic, Middle Eastern,... Read More

Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 raises the bar — a little bitEssentials+: £2,750 / €3,189 / $2,899
Studio+: £3,035 / €3,519 / $3,199
uaudio.com
Universal Audio is a fierce champion of the analogue sound and workflows on which its history and reputation are built while also embracing modern digital systems.

READ MORE: “Ultimately, the product is the experience the music maker has when they’re manifesting their creativity”: Bill Putnam Jr on Universal Audio Apollo Constellations

Key to this balancing act is the Apollo range of audio interfaces with its ability to build input channels from accurate models of the most revered microphone preamps and outboard processors in existence. Add in exceptional audio fidelity and it’s clear to see why Apollo enjoys such popularity in project and professional studios alike.
But in deciding to overhaul the Apollo range to Generation 2 status, UA’s designers had to find a way to make improvements to something that’s already close to perfect. We’ve seen how this panned out for the new Apollo Twin X, so let’s now see what’s changed further up the range with the x8 Gen 2.
Image: Press
What’s new, and what’s the same, with the x8?
The new x8 has a slightly lighter finish to its face plate, and a new design for button caps and rotary encoders, although the layout of the panel remains unchanged. This all looks smart, but there’s insufficient contrast between labels and panel, making them hard to read under imperfect lighting or viewing angles. Also, despite being described as having an improved feel, the encoders’ clicking detents feel excessively resistive, closer to a rotary switch.
The x8 connects to a computer via Thunderbolt 3 and so has plenty of bandwidth to handle its 18 inputs and 24 outputs. These break down as eight analogue inputs, ten analogue line outs (two of which are dedicated monitor outs), two front-mounted headphone outs, eight channels of ADAT digital I/O, plus stereo S/PDIF digital I/O with built-in sample rate conversion. Wordclock input and output ensure smooth integration into any existing digital hook-up as master or slave.
The first four of x8’s analogue inputs feature UA’s innovative Unison preamps. These provide a clean, detailed input path if used as-is, but come into their own when used in conjunction with UAD-2 Unison plugins, loaded via the Console mixer software. These mimic classic console preamps, as well as guitar and bass amps, by modifying the response of the analogue preamp whilst also applying digital modelling. This straddling of analogue and digital makes for exceptionally accurate emulations of the hardware.
Image: Press
Unison inputs can operate in mic or line mode, with dedicated rear-panel XLR and jack connectors, respectively. The first two inputs can also handle high-impedance instrument inputs via jack sockets around the front. Choosing the active source is just a case of hitting a button on the unit or in the Console software. This arrangement is perfect, allowing x8 to be fully integrated into the studio patching without limiting connection options.
The remaining four analogue input channels are line only with no Unison support but, like all input channels, can host regular UAD-2 plugins if you wish to apply input conditioning.
Apollo rackmount units have always matched or bettered the audio performance specs of similarly-priced offerings from the likes of Apogee and RME. The Gen 2 rackmounts bring improvements to these specs, raising performance to the level of the flagship Apollo x16. Line and instrument inputs have lower distortion and noise than previously, as have analogue outs. Outputs benefit from an improved, impressive 130 dB of dynamic range.
In practice, these specs manifest as staggeringly accurate audio capture and reproduction, revealing remarkable dynamic depth and spectral detail, and that delivers an exquisite sound stage in which each source is positioned with pinpoint accuracy.
Console. Image: Press
What’s new in Console?
Preamps can be configured via the front panel, where you’ll also find monitor controls for dim, mute, switching to alternate monitors, and activating the built-in talkback mic. Also, meters can switch between showing input and output levels of all analogue channels.
For more detailed configuration and metering, one has to turn to the UA Console software. This too has received an update, and this new version is available to all Apollo users. A refreshed appearance brings Console into line with UA’s Luna DAW, and you can now save and recall up to 128 plugin ‘scenes’, making it easier to manage plugins and settings loaded into the mixer.
When hooked up to a Gen 2 Apollo, Console also provides buttons for triggering the new hardware’s Auto-Gain feature, which monitors an incoming signal and sets an appropriate gain level. Such systems are always helpful, but with just four preamps to manage it’s not as useful here as on interfaces that feature more preamps.
Most importantly, the updated Console now offers built-in monitor and headphone correction powered by Sonarworks’ SoundID. SoundID Reference software is used to download pre-measured response curves for a large selection of headphones or, in conjunction with a supported measurement mic, to measure the response of your monitors and studio. This data is then passed over to the SoundID Apollo Add-On that applies a correction curve via a 24-band EQ running on a small sliver of the hardware’s on-board processing power.
Knowing that ‘what you hear is what you get’ is essential for creating perfectly-balanced mixes, though that knowledge comes at a price. The Sonarworks license and Apollo add-on for just headphone correction are €149, adding stereo speakers brings this to €299, and correction for a multi-channel setup is a hefty €559. If you want a Sonarworks measurement mic on top of this then you can add a further €50.
Apollo Monitor Correction by Sonarworks. Image: Press
How powerful is the Apollo x8 DSP, and what plugins are included?
The absence of an upgrade to Apollo’s DSP chips has caused consternation online, but I’m actually glad that UA stuck with the existing chips. I would not want to pay the premium for upgraded onboard processing power when native power is so abundant and cheap by comparison. Those who are willing to pay for additional DSP oomph can easily add UAD-2 Satellites (or more Apollos) to their rig, after all.
Not that I think many will need this with x8, because its HEXA Core chip is impressively muscular. It provides ample power to host Unison plugins in all four preamps while leaving plenty in store for channel inserts and auxiliary effects (Apollo’s Aux channels make it simple to add reverb etc. to cue mixes). DSP can be used directly in the DAW too, thanks to all UAD-2 plugins coming with ‘wrapped’ versions for VST, AU and AAX – x8 can cope with a large number of these as well.
Just like the Twin X, there’s a choice of two plugin packs. Essentials+ is much the same as previous bundled Apollo packages, consisting of over 20 of UA’s most popular and useful plugins. For an extra £285, the Studio+ option provides over 50 plugins, which is fair value but a considerable add-on to the hardware price. Full package listings are on the x8 product page.
Auto-Gain. Image: Press

Should I upgrade my old Apollo?
UA’s updates are certainly enough to maintain Apollo’s position in the upper reaches of the audio interface market, but are they sufficient to justify upgrading from an earlier Apollo 8 or x8?
When compared to the Gen.1 x8, the changes are undeniably small, so there isn’t very much to be gained in return for a hefty investment. You could recoup some of the cost by selling your older unit, of course, but that means resisting the temptation of keeping it and doubling your DSP power and I/O count!
The step up from the original Apollo 8 Black (Thunderbolt 2) and Apollo 8 Silver (Firewire) is more significant. The Gen.2 HEXA Core DSP is 50% more powerful than the QUAD Core of those original units, and the increase in audio specs is larger too. That said, whilst the extra DSP will be obvious by dint of all the extra UAD2 plugins it can handle, you will have to listen very hard to hear the benefits of the improved audio specs.
Sonarworks Mic. Image: Austin Cannon
Consider also that the Firewire interface of the Silver Apollos is now obsolete. Users of such Apollos – those, at least, who have not added the Thunderbolt upgrade – may find themselves locked to old computer hardware by this, and may therefore find Gen.2 to be a good opportunity to refresh and modernise.
Given the fact that up to four Apollos of any generation can work in tandem I would expect that, ultimately, existing Apollo users will be more interested in Gen.2 as an expansion to their existing setups than as a replacement for an older Apollo.
How do you improve on near perfection?
The new x8 costs £500 more than the Gen 1 unit at launch – more if going for the Studio+ option. But with inflation biting across the board, it isn’t massively more expensive than its predecessor in real terms.
UA has delivered a boost in audio performance, subtle styling changes and an Auto-Gain feature, along with the opportunity to start or grow a UAD-2 plugin library. This isn’t really sufficient to justify upgrading from a first-gen x8, but does enhance its attractiveness to Apollo newcomers, and for those looking to add more ins/outs and DSP to an existing Apollo system.
It is undeniable that the Gen 2 updates haven’t broken any significant new ground for the Apollo range, but in reality there wasn’t much headroom for improvements. Incremental changes have certainly done no harm though – there’s no doubt that Apollo x8 remains one of the best-sounding, highest-specified and, ultimately, most impressive audio interfaces on the market.

Key features

Thunderbolt 3 audio interface
192 kHz / 24-bit maximum sample rate and bit depth
On-board HEXA Core signal processing (DSP)
4 mic inputs with Unison preamps
8 line inputs
2 instrument inputs
2 monitor line outs
8 additional line outs
2 independent headphone outs
ADAT I/O with S/MUX support for 8 channels at 96 kHz and below, and 4 channels at up-to 192 kHz
S/PDIF coaxial I/O with built in sample rate conversion
Wordclock I/O
Console-grade external PSU
Supports Sonarworks SoundID monitor and headphone calibration via Sonarworks Apollo Add-On

The post Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 raises the bar — a little bit appeared first on MusicTech.

Spitfire Audio capture BBC Radiophonic Workshop Spitfire Audio's new BBC Radiophonic Workshop library provides users with access to the sounds behind classic shows such as Doctor Who, the Goon Show, Blake’s 7, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Living Planet and many more. 

Avicii collaborator says he doesn’t approve of new posthumous release: “He is the only one who knew when his songs were finished”Avicii collaborator Sandro Cavazza has slammed the recent release of Forever Yours, a track the late producer was working on before his death in 2018.
On 14 February, a new version of Avicii’s 2016 track Forever Yours was released under the title Forever Yours – Tim’s 2016 Ibiza Version, featuring Cavazza as a vocalist. However, the Swedish singer-songwriter has since clarified that he never gave consent for the track to be released as a single.

READ MORE: BBC Radiophonic Workshop archive will be made available for the first time for use by musical artists and producers

“Just so you all know. I have not agreed on releasing this as a single,” Cavazza writes in a new Instagram post. “I have only agreed on releasing Tim’s demo version of Forever Yours as a part of a full live album release from Tim’s last show, but since that album wasn’t released today and this is now being portrayed as a single, featuring me, I feel like I need to speak up.”
The musician also shares that he has repeatedly rejected requests from Avicii’s family and record label over the years to drop the “unreleased material” they worked on.

“I have for years now been asked by the family and Pinguettes recordings to release the unreleased material I have done together with Tim and I have consistently said no,” he says. “A lot of you probably wonder why those songs never have come out and the truth is that I don’t want to release any of those songs without Tim being here.”
“He is the only one who knew when his songs were finished and I do and will continue to respect that.”
Cavazza continues: “I therefore wish that Pinguettes recordings, Per Sundin and Tim’s family will respect that decision as well and that they think twice about what the most respectful way to treat Tim’s memory is ‘cause I don’t think this is it.”
Avicii – real name Tim Bergling – was a pioneering figure in the EDM genre. Renowned for hits like Wake Me Up and Levels, the Swedish DJ-producer retired from touring in 2016 at the age of 26, after several years of stress and mental health struggles.

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A post shared by Sandro Cavazza (@sandrocavazza)

The post Avicii collaborator says he doesn’t approve of new posthumous release: “He is the only one who knew when his songs were finished” appeared first on MusicTech.

Could Google NotebookLM help you never read a gear manual again?To RTFM or not to RTFM? While concerns rise about AI‘s impact on the music industry, some creatives like producer Myler Melodies have found AI tools that can aid musicians without threatening their artistry. Powered by Google’s Gemini AI technology, NotebookLM is one resource that could help you make sense of those confusing gear manuals.
First introduced in July 2023, NotebookLM can wade through documents and PDFs on your behalf. That means, if you upload a complex synth manual, it can process all of the information and understand every feature in under a minute. Then you’re free to ask questions, with NotebookLM serving as an all-knowing teacher.

READ MORE: AI training on copyrighted content ruled not “fair use” by US court – how could this impact the music industry?

In a YouTube video, Mylar Melodies shows just how impressive the technology can be. After uploading a 223-page Torso T1 sequencer manual, NotebookLM processes everything within 30 seconds. After processing, he is presented with a summary of what the manual contains, and a prompt to ask any questions.
When Mylar Melodies types in his first question, “How do I set up MIDI channel on the Torso T1?”, NotebookLM provides a response within moments. It provides a simple step-by-step guide, including certain steps in bold to make it even clearer to follow.

Most significantly, the response also provides citations. Each citation can be clicked, and show you exactly where the AI technology has sourced the information from the provided PDF. That means that, even if the step doesn’t quite feel clear enough, you can click and find the information it’s watered down.
Unlike other AI chatbots and tools, NotebookLM is grounded, meaning its knowledge is centred entirely around the notes and sources you provide. Due to the “grounded” nature of NotebookLM, the responses will only seek information from the documents you provide, meaning it wont get confused and trawl through every gear manual available on the internet.
“It’s obviously only as clever as the sources,” MylarMelodies explains. “But you can feed multiple documents into it.”
“If you were researching some classic bits of kit, like a DX7, you could put loads of reference manuals into it,” MylarMelodies says. “[It would then be able to use] multiple sources… it’s like ChatGPT, except, unlike ChatGPT, it is limited in its data source to just the documents.”
It also has an Audio Overview option, which essentially generates a podcast for you to listen to if you’d prefer to listen to the information instead. As he waits, MylarMelodies jokingly falls asleep on his chair – but it only takes five minutes to generate 40 minutes of relatively fluid conversation.
The podcast does sound strange – it’s likely been trained on hours of co-hosted shows. The pair of hosts welcome the listener like your standard podcast, with a warm “Hey everyone, welcome back for another deep dive.” The AI even pops in a few “ums”, and has the other host making affirmative “right”s, to make it feel more human. It’s a weird back-and-forth exchange that does manage to uncannily conversational.
There’s even the option to basically ‘call in’ to the show. The ‘join’ option allows you to cut into the chatter and ask a question. When MylarMelodies does this, the pair of hosts even respond saying “It’s great you’re asking questions” and “Yeah, we want this to be fun for you, our listener.”
When introducing NotebookLM back in 2023, Google explained that it aimed to help people navigate the information overload of the internet. “We know people are struggling with the rapid growth of information – it’s everywhere and it’s overwhelming,” the post reads.
“As we’ve been talking with students, professors and knowledge workers, one of the biggest challenges is synthesizing facts and ideas from multiple sources,” it continues. “You often have the sources you want, but it’s time-consuming to make the connections. We started to explore what we could build that would help people make connections faster in the midst of all this data, especially using sources they care most about.”
In other AI music news, a US district court has ruled that using copyrighted material without permission to train AI does not constitute “fair use”, marking a crucial moment in the ongoing legal conversation surrounding AI and copyright.
Read more music production news
 
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After raising $1 billion, fintech Varo closes another $29 million, replaces founder CEOFintech Varo has been hoping to raise a $55 million Series G round but has, so far, closed on $29 million to date, according to a new SEC filing. Varo declined to comment on this new round but the fintech has raised just over $1 billion in funding since its 2015 inception, according to PitchBook.  […]
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Bitfinex Bitcoin long positions reach $5.1B — Is someone buying or hedging?Analysts speculate that the Bitcoin bull run is ready to resume after Bitfinex longs soar to $5.1 billion. Are they mistaken?

Homebrew CPU Gets a Beautiful Rotating Cube Demo[James Sharman] designed and built his own 8-bit computer from scratch using TTL logic chips, including a VGA adapter, and you can watch it run a glorious rotating cube demo in the video below.
The rotating cube is the product of roughly 3,500 lines of custom assembly code and looks fantastic, running at 30 frames per second with shading effects from multiple light sources. Great results considering the computing power of his system is roughly on par with vintage 8-bit home computers, and the graphics capabilities are limited. [James]’s computer uses a tile map instead of a frame buffer, so getting 3D content rendered was a challenge.
The video is about 20 seconds of demo followed by a detailed technical discussion on how exactly one implements everything required for a 3D cube, from basic math to optimization. If a deep dive into that sort of thing is up your alley, give it a watch!
We’ve featured [James]’ fascinating work on his homebrew computer before. Here’s more detail on his custom VGA adapter, and his best shot at making it (kinda) run DOOM.

Krysta Youngs (BTS, TXT, TAEYEON) on songwriting for K-pop artists
Krysta Youngs (BTS, TXT, TAEYEON) shares her tips and perspectives on the world of songwriting for K-pop groups and artists.

BMI Presents 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival LineupThe annual Key West Songwriters Festival presented by BMI announced today the first details behind the five-day event, set to take place April 30th through May 4th. In its 29th year, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Rams Head Presents will welcome more than 150 BMI creators as the island transforms into Music City. Multi-day offerings of free and ticketed shows will include veteran songwriters to the next big hitmakers as they showcase the artistry behind their songs while also introducing new music to audiences. Additional songwriters will continue to be revealed and schedules will be made available in late March at www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com.The “unparalleled five-day experience for music fans” (Keys News) will feature stripped-down and full-band performances from Nashville’s hit songwriters and local favorites such as Chuck Cannon, Bob DiPiero, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Raul Malo, Lee Thomas Miller, Taylor Phillips, Liz Rose, Jeffrey Steele and Bridgette Tatum. Prominent newcomers like Matt Castillo, Bre Kennedy, Jackson Nance, DJ Smoke and The Kentucky Gentlemen will make their debut. The festival will commence with the official “Sunset Pier Kick Off Party” at the Ocean Key Resort & Spa, on Wednesday (4/30), featuring Dylan Altman, Robert Randolph and Guthrie Trapp. As previously announced, Nate Smith will headline the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Thursday (5/01) with support from Chase Matthew and tickets are available here. The annual free block party at Main Stage Duval Street will be held on Saturday (5/03) with talent to be announced soon.After making their inaugural debut at last year’s festival, “Sunday Songs: Music & Mimosas” at Williams Hall will return on Sunday (5/04) as well as hourly rounds from the Key West Woman’s Club at Hellings Curry Museum and intimate theater showcases at La Te Da. New venues will be on display such as the Marquesa Hotel, The Alamo and Island Dogs while Rams Head Southernmost Bar & Restaurant will be the event’s headquarters. Longstanding popular destination spots throughout the island will return like Key West Theater, Southernmost Resort, Blue Heaven, Dante’s Key West Pool Bar & Restaurant and San Carlos Institute.“We're excited for another year of collaborating with BMI and the amazing venues across the island to highlight the industry’s best songwriting talent,” said Kyle Muehlhauser, owner of the Key West Songwriters Festival and Rams Head Presents.Additional info on Platinum passes and ticketed shows at the Key West Theater and San Carlos Institute will be available here. Proceeds from the five-day event benefit the BMI Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 1985 that supports music education and creation through various grants and scholarships, along with the Michelle Foundation, a Key West-based nonprofit that helps children and families in need. Over the years, the festival has provided a platform for established and emerging songwriters to showcase their work through one-of-a-kind experiences. Notable BMI alums include Luke Combs, Florida Georgia Line, Maren Morris, Jelly Roll, Cole Swindell and more.The 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival is sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Gallagher, HD Radio and Texas Roadhouse. Songwriters will have the opportunity to enjoy the “Lift Off to the Kickoff” event at BNA in Delta’s Sky Club as Delta Air Lines is the official airline for the festival.The post BMI Presents 29th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival Lineup first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Cool WAV Vitality Vol. 10 - Vital100 Presets. 7 Custom Themes. Analog Synthesizers sampled: Sequential Take 5, KORG Minilogue XD. Wavetables used: Cool WAV, *Dash Glitch, Ocean Swift, Producer Hive. Great for Trap, Hip-Hop,... Read More

TuneCore launches new ‘Advanced Trends and Analytics’ dashboard for for self-releasing artistsThe new dashboard features cross-platform performance tracking and real-time engagement metrics, among other functions
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BBC Radiophonic Workshop archive will be made available for the first time for use by musical artists and producersPreviously labelled the “unsung heroes of British electronica”, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop had a pivotal impact on electronic music. Their legacy is everywhere, from the grandiose, whirring sci-fi soundtracks of Hans Zimmer to the pulsing dance tunes of Brian Eno. Now, the BBC has compiled the sound effects unit’s rich archive of experimental sounds and samples into one bundle.
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop archive contains a wealth of samples, ranging from vintage synthesisers, tape loops, as well as iconic sounds crafted by the unit. The 98 presets and 1,087 unique sounds allows you to play with the sounds that helped breathe life into shows like Doctor Who – from crafting the theme song, giving the Daleks a voice and even allowing the TARDIS to take flight.

READ MORE: Qrion: “My process is to first sit down in a chair and think about a specific moment – a memory, sound, or smell”

The gang helped soundtrack The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Quatermass and the Pit, and plenty of samples tap into the unit’s love of eerie, unnerving sci-fi. Mark Ayres’ The Top of the Stairs captures a dark, creeping tension, while James Malpas’ Secret Tunnel sample emits a sense of discovery, brighter synths pulsing with curiosity.
The library will also contain recordings from a variety of microphones, as well as the EMT turntable and Rogers loudspeakers made especially for the BBC. There’s also the Maida Vale plate and spring reverbs, modular synthesizers, tape machines, EMS Vocoder, Echo chamber, Roland Vocoder SVC-350 and Eventide H-3000.

While the bundle boasts ample archival offerings, there’s also a slew of newer performances and samples to patch-up older recordings; remaining members of the Workshop such as Dick Mills, Mark Ayres, Glynis Jones have all stepped into the studio yet again to clean up old recordings. There’s also some new collaborators involved, such as ex-The Prodigy drummer Kieron Pepper.
While the original recordings were hand-crafted, Spitfire Audio’s Solar engine will allow even more ways to tweak and manipulate the original samples. Speaking about the new, digital potential of the bundle, composer, sound designer and Radiophonic Workshop archivist Mark Ayres hopes that the bundle will inspire the next generation of electronic musicians.
“As a kid born in the 1960s, I realised there was a department at the BBC that was purely for making bonkers noises. It blew my mind!” he says. “I’m the youngest member of the core Radiophonic Workshop – and I’m 64! We’re not going to be around forever.”
“It was really important to leave a creative tool, inspired by our work, for other people to use going forward,” he continues. “I hope we’ve made an instrument that will inspire future generations.”

Spitfire Audio’s Head of Recording, Harry Wilson has also said that he hopes the bundle will inspire future generations. Just like the forward-thinking unit, the new digital bundle should be perfect for creating even more unique, innovative sounds.
“We’re not just looking back at what the members were doing way back when,” he explains. “We’re projecting a strand of their work into the future and saying: if the Workshop was engaged with a similar process now, what would it sound like?”
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop archive is currently available at an introductory offer of £119.00 until 17th March.
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“It was like six in the morning…”: How Ian James produced the beat for Doechii’s Denial Is A RiverThis year, Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal was crowned Best Rap Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. The mixtape also saw Doechii herself being nominated for Best New Artist, as well as Nissan Altima earning a nomination nod for Best Rap Performance. However, Denial Is A River has proven to be the stand-out track of the bunch, amassing over 132 million streams on Spotify at the time of writing.
Back in October, producer Ian James took to YouTube to explain how he coined the track’s beat. Inspired by the sound of MF DOOM, James’ first version of the beat was created in 2022 by fluke. It was a last-minute panic, pieced together just to upload something for his followers. “It was like 6:00 in the morning… I’m scrambling through my record collection, trying to find drum breaks to chop up, trying to find samples,” he recalled.

READ MORE: It looks like Spotify lossless audio is coming later this year

He’d set himself a goal to post a new beat every day, and he’d realised he’d forgotten to make something that day. Luckily, he came across a vinyl of Paul Nice’s 5 Fingers Of Death. “I was going through it, and I was like ‘ooo, this has some drums, this has some a sample I can chop up,” he said. “So, I’m making the beat… and I’m super tired. [Eventually,] I’m like man, this beat’s not finished, but I’m just kind of stuck.”

The original beat is called MF DOOM Type Beat – Golden, and can still be found on his YouTube. Despite James not being fully satisfied, it gained traction online. With thousands of people loving the beat, James felt like he was on to a winner. “So, I pitched it around!” he explained.
Walking through the beat, he explains that the original beat was created from a single stab from a sample. Unfortunately, label didn’t have much time to clear the original sample – but it was a quick fix, as James just tweaked one chord. “Luckily, all I had to do was replay one chord and then just pitch it back around!” he said.

Elsewhere, he points out more Paul Nice samples – like the opening vocal snippet of “hey, I thought it was all over.” There’s also another vocal chop right as the beat drops to heighten the “impact”, in James’ words, as well as scratch splices, horn samples, and vocals with added delay.
Throughout, James is adamant that the beat is “simple.” Besides the samples, there’s kick drums, snares and hi-hats, and a simple bassline. “You don’t need to do anything crazy!” he insisted. “You don’t have to have all these layers, it just has to have a vibe… don’t overthink it.”

The post “It was like six in the morning…”: How Ian James produced the beat for Doechii’s Denial Is A River appeared first on MusicTech.