TASCAM's CD-A580 Helps Dan Vargas Re-Discover LA PunkThe early Los Angeles punk scene has amassed a lot of publicity over the decades, as have notable figures whose music, art, media, and literature helped shape the influential cultural movement. To help bring the popular ‘70/80s generation music to still more listeners, Producer/Recording Artist Dan Vargas elected to digitize a collection to not only make this music more accessible, but to also preserve the nature of a generation’s artistic endeavors. To help with the process, Vargas employed the versatility found in the TASCAM CD-A580 Cassette Recorder/CD Player/USB Flash Drive Player/Recorder.

Many affiliated fixtures of the ’70/80s LA punk scene remain under-documented and relatively unknown; Dan Vargas is one such artist. Music on Fire is his latest venture. It is a self-released debut LP, written and engineered by Vargas at Safe at Home Studios in Long Beach, CA. The Los Angeles native cut his teeth in the scene’s salad days as a producer / manager working with artists such as Legal Weapon, Odd Squad, Sludge, The Brat, and Cambridge Apostles. He discussed his experience using the TASCAM CD-A580 on his latest initiative—known as the Eddie Ayala Project.

“Renowned East L.A. musician Eddie Ayala passed away in November 2023,” Vargas reports. “Eddie, who was a mainstay as a lead vocalist and frontman (Los Illegals, Orbit, Odd Squad, and Cactus Flower) also had a large unreleased catalog of recordings that he accumulated throughout the years. These recordings existed primarily in cassette format, along with a few CDRs. After his death, I was given access to these recordings in the hope that I could digitize them for Eddie’s loved ones.”

“These cassettes were in all different conditions,” Vargas added, “coming from three sources and stored in different environments. I tried to use a conventional cassette deck, but some of the tapes were weathered and wouldn’t play. I needed a more robust solution and the CD-A580 is an easy and efficient tool for projects such as this. I transferred multiple cassettes and CDRs directly into my workstation and the playback results were great. I used the CD-A580 to transfer 21 cassettes and three CDRs in real time.

This amounts to roughly 120 songs, including rehearsal and studio takes—all of which remained unheard for decades.” Vargas shared his thoughts on the CD-A850’s attributes he found most appealing. “The cassette function of the CD-A580 is exceptional because the sound quality delivered a faithful audio reproduction of the music. Even though some of the tapes were not well kept and over 30 years old, the CD-A580 transport system was able to play, fast forward, and rewind the tapes effortlessly. In some ways, I think the CD-A580 rescued the music that couldn’t be played on a regular cassette deck.

Eddie’s music is his legacy and the CD-A580 brought back the songs that he sang and now the world can hear.”

With many electronic products, questions arise. Hence, responsive and capable support services are crucial for keeping projects on schedule. Vargas shared his experience with TASCAM’s customer support services. “To be honest, the CD-A580 is a very intuitive piece of studio equipment and as a result, I didn’t require any support. I will say, however, that past experience has demonstrated TASCAM stands ready to assist their customers and they have always been very responsive.”

Before turning his attention to the business of the day, Vargas offered these final comments, “The CD-A580 is an incredible tool for use in any home or professional studio’s arsenal. Its audio performance is excellent and it’s a well-made, robust piece of equipment. I experienced nearly effortless transfer of both cassette and CDR content with top-notch A/D converters. Coupled with TASCAM simplicity, this project was all music and no fuss. The CD-A580 was a central fixture throughout the project, and I couldn’t be happier.”

To learn more about Dan Vargas, visit https://musiconfire.space/. A celebration of Life for Eddie Ayala will be held September 22 at the Pacific Island Project in Highland Park, California.The post TASCAM's CD-A580 Helps Dan Vargas Re-Discover LA Punk first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

This Singing Couple is Making It by Diversifying their Business and Writing Great SongsThis week, Ari sits down with Ni/Co, the musical duo of LA-based couple Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones.

AIR Music Tech overhaul TimewARP 2600 AIR Music Tech have re-released TimewARP 2600 with a whole host of new features that bring the ARP 2600's classic sound into the modern era.

FLOSS Weekly Episode 794: Release Them All with JReleaserThis week Jonathan Bennett and Katherine Druckman chat with Andres Almiray about JReleaser, the Java release automation tool that’s for more than just Java, and more than just releases. What was the original inspiration for the tool? And how does JReleaser help avoid a string of commits trying to fix GitHub Actions? Listen to find out!

– https://andresalmiray.com
– https://github.com/aalmiray
– https://www.linkedin.com/in/aalmiray
– https://jreleaser.org

Did you know you can watch the live recording of the show Right on our YouTube Channel? Have someone you’d like us to interview? Let us know, or contact the guest and have them contact us! Take a look at the schedule here.

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It’s ‘business as usual’ at Live Nation despite DoJ antitrust lawsuit, and 3 other things we learned on the company’s Q2 earnings callLive Nation addressed the antitrust suit, the slowdown in stadium activity, and the impact of the Paris Olympics on its live events
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Fracture Sounds release Epic Grand, a FREE piano library for Kontakt Player
Developer Fracture Sounds has released Epic Grand, a free larger-than-life grand piano library for Kontakt Player. Fracture Sounds is a developer I’m sure most of you know well, but if you’re new, they release some excellent libraries, like the lovely Homestead Piano. More importantly for us, they release some fantastic freebies under the banner of [...]
View post: Fracture Sounds release Epic Grand, a FREE piano library for Kontakt Player

‘This is just the beginning. There’s still so much potential for Afrobeats and Amapiano in the coming years.’MBW's Trailblazers series meets Camillo Doregos and Mark Mac, co-founders of Africa focused management and booking company, DC Talent Agency
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Report reveals Financial, Career Challenges Faced by SongwritersA new report examines the challenges faced by songwriters. "Songwriters Take The Stage" is based on the first-ever survey of over 300 songwriters, providing insights into their needs and offering recommendations for support.
The post Report reveals Financial, Career Challenges Faced by Songwriters appeared first on Hypebot.

Stationhead adds Voice Notes to enhance artist-fan connectionsSocial streaming app Stationhead has added a new way for artists to stay connected fans. With Voice Notes, artists share audio messages, promotions, and more with their superfans directly on their fan channels.
The post Stationhead adds Voice Notes to enhance artist-fan connections appeared first on Hypebot.

Everything artists need to know about free music app TREBELSome music listeners are getting tired of racking up subscription bills every month to hear their favorite bands. The free music app TREBEL offers great benefits to artists and listeners so everyone can enjoy music offline for a change.
The post Everything artists need to know about free music app TREBEL appeared first on Hypebot.

Guitar Center employees discover piles of drugs stuffed inside ampStaff at a Guitar Center store in Lawrenceville, Georgia, made a shocking discovery inside a guitar amplifier earlier this month.
On July 17, employees opened a box that was shipped to the store’s location, only to discover thousands of dollars worth of cocaine and methamphetamine packed into the amplifier inside the delivery.

READ MORE: Late Motörhead leader Lemmy brought back to life using AI 

According to Sgt. Collin Flynn of the Gwinnett County Police via WSB-TV, the drugs were never meant to show up to the store. The package came with an out-of-state shipping address, and the Guitar Center in Lawrenceville was listed as its return address. “It’s extremely rare this happens at any business,” he says.
However, Flynn says this incident is part of a greater and more complex problem surrounding the shipping of various forms of drugs through the United States Postal Service.
“They will often try and make the box appear as real as possible. They’ll attach business logos or business return addresses on the box,” he says.
Last year, a specialist drug enforcement unit in Gwinnett, the county where the Guitar Center in question is located, intercepted 4,500 lbs of drugs sent through postal services. “That equalled about $70 million that had been sent through FedEx or UPS, that officers were able to seize through the help of a K9,” Flynn said.
A representative for Guitar Center says the business has been cooperating with law enforcement since the drugs were discovered. The police do not suspect that anyone at the store was involved in shipping the drugs found.

This isn’t the first time narcotics have appeared alongside music equipment. In 2019, reports circulated of a synthesizer repair engineer who became intoxicated while cleaning a vintage Buchla Model 100 synth from the 60s. The engineer entered a 9-hour LSD trip, which was verified by tests on the synth later on. Talk about high voltage.
Read more music indsutry news. 
The post Guitar Center employees discover piles of drugs stuffed inside amp appeared first on MusicTech.

Moog launch Muse polysynth Moog's latest instrument promises to combine the best features of their classic analogue synths with the benefits of modern digital control. 

Moog Muse boasts “an addictive quality” and is “the future of analogue synthesis”If you’re into synthesizers, you’ve probably seen the Moog Muse already. Teasers from across the internet, from Andrew Huang and Mike Dean clips to leaks on Reddit, have ensured Moog fans are ready for the brand’s latest polyphonic analogue-digital synthesizer. And the Muse is not expected to disappoint.
Once rumoured to be called the Moog Mirror, the Moog Muse “represents a culmination of over five years of dreams, design and passion from Moog’s team,” says the North Carolina company. This instrument is packed with two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) per voice, with eight voices of polyphony on offer. A modulation VCO, dual voltage-controlled filters (VCF) and a stereo voltage-controlled amplifier (VSA) are onboard, too.
Moog Muse. Image: Moog
This analogue architecture draws from classic Moog instruments. The oscillators are derived from the Minimoog Voyager and the filter is, of course, a Moog Ladder filter inspired by early Moog Modular circuits. But there’s a twist.
You can use the Muse’s digital controls to go deeper with this analogue sound engine.
There’s a digital sequencer with 64 steps that allows you to chain sequences, record parameter changes — the opening of a filter, for example — and edit the probability of changes in the sequence. In addition, an arpeggiator and chord memory functions let you build elements of a track with ease.
We’ve got a Moog Muse under review right now, with a full verdict arriving next week. However, so far we can tell you that this is definitely a synth for the 21st century. Moog has chosen not to go all-in on the latest innovations, but instead on what matters most: the sound. And, coupled with its forward-thinking features, the Muse has an addictive quality that keeps you coming back for more.
The Muse’s diffusion delay section is an unexpected highlight, offering instant vibes for the busy, and lots of customisation options for those who want to dig into the settings menu. There are plenty of excellent presets on offer, Muse makes carving out a sound from scratch an intuitive, stimulating, and downright fun experience.
It’s also a tank of a synthesizer. This thing weighs in at almost 15kg and has dimensions of 99 x 42 x 11cm. You’ll probably want to make space in your studio if you’re thinking of buying it. To connect it to your studio, there’s a main left/right TRS output, headphones out, CV In/Out, Clock In/Out, MIDI In/Out/Thru, and USB connectivity.
Moog Muse. Image: Moog
Oh, the price? You can get this from dealers for $3,499. We imagine this will mostly be a purchase for serious synth lovers and studios. But fret not — if you’re looking for the Moog sound with a cheaper price tag, we recently reviewed the Moog Labyrinth, which we recommend at its £599/$599 price tag. The Muse is also likely the company’s logical replacement for the Moog One, which was discontinued last month.
You can listen to the Moog Muse in action in these videos with Lisa Bella Donna and Misha Mansoor.

Find out more at Thomann, Reverb and Moog.
The post Moog Muse boasts “an addictive quality” and is “the future of analogue synthesis” appeared first on MusicTech.

“As a producer, you don’t clock out. Some songs I’ve probably spent 600 hours on” Steve Aoki on making a career in musicSteve Aoki has spoken about his creative processes as a producer and why he believes you should challenge yourself to push boundaries.
The Miami-born superstar DJ and professional cake thrower spoke to DJ Mag about his new album Paragon and said he has “spent like 600 hours” on some of his tracks over the years.

READ MORE: Peggy Gou Boiler Room headline set shut down due to overcrowding

“As a producer, you don’t say: ‘OK, I worked from 8 am to 5 pm, I’m clocking out’,” said Aoki. “You don’t clock out, ever. Nope. You’re done when a song is done.”
Elaborating on this approach, Aoki said: “Once I have a challenge to create, my creativity starts flowing, and then my focus starts honing.
“This is how my brain works.”
The Grammy-nominated producer also offered advice to aspiring artists, emphasising the need to stay true to yourself and your style.
“When you’re a young artist, you don’t even know what your f***ing core is. You have to find that sound, you have to find your signature, it takes time. And then when you find it, you can hone in on it and sharpen it and become a warrior, the best warrior on the battlefield.”
Earlier this year, Aoki also published his first graphic novel, the 250-page HiROQUEST Genesis & Double Helix. Aoki said completing the book was a huge task, but one he was able to achieve because of the time he had committed to finishing his records. He also plans to turn HiROQUEST into a TV show in the future.
“I’m a musician and producer and DJ, so this is my natural way to express myself,” he said. “Every one of us, every musician, every creative, we tell stories in our own way.”
Aoki has just concluded Beligum’s EDM festival, Tomorrowland, with a closing set that’s practically become tradition for the festival. Since 2012, he’s played the final set every year except for 2017. “It’s fun, but it’s a heavy responsibility and the highest level of stress,” he says.
“I have to represent the energy of Tomorrowland, this last moment, and to be able to represent that in a big way, it’s a lot of pressure. But I’ll take it every time.”
Read more music news 
The post “As a producer, you don’t clock out. Some songs I’ve probably spent 600 hours on” Steve Aoki on making a career in music appeared first on MusicTech.

Peggy Gou Boiler Room headline set shut down due to overcrowdingA Boiler Room show in Seoul, South Korea, headlined by Peggy Gou was shut down at the weekend due to overcrowding.
Per The Korea Times, emergency services were called to the SFactory on Saturday (27 July) after reports of overcrowding and crowd crush fears, and sent 11 fire engines and 42 firefighters to the venue to assist. While no casualties were reported, five attendees were treated for breathing difficulties.

READ MORE: Martin Garrix, Peggy Gou and Four Tet among 300 artists announced for 2024 Amsterdam Dance Event

An eyewitness reportedly told Mixmag that the show was called off between 12:30AM and 12:40AM, shortly before Peggy Gou was to take the stage.
“The issue is that only so many people would have been able to see Peggy Gou at once,” the person said.
They also said the venue tried to implement a one-way system on staircases around the venue, but the sheer number of people began “cramming” the system, causing a bottleneck into the main room.
Another factor behind the danger of the situation was the heat; “It was 35 degrees outside and humidity level was around 80%, we were in a tropical state. Everyone was sweating, everyone was angry, everyone was struggling,” the witness said.
The event was supposed to be headlined by Peggy Gou, and also featured artists including Elkka, Jyoty and Soichi Terada.
Commenting on the issue on its social media pages, Boiler Room wrote shortly after [via Mixmag]: “During the party we faced crowd-flow issues, causing safety concerns and [leading] to the early closure of the event.”
It added: “Contrary to what has been reported, we sold to the capacity that was instructed by our partner in Seoul and at the time the event ended we were under capacity.”
In the aftermath of the show, Peggy Gou has vowed to organise another “larger” show in Seoul to make up for her cancelled set, with extra risk assessment to be done prior this time.
“Boiler Room has apologised for failing to plan adequately and underestimating the crowd movement within the venue,” she tells Mixmag. “In response, I have asked my team to immediately review the risk assessments for all my future shows and furthermore ensure there is a system in place to guarantee they are being adhered to.”
She adds: “I am relieved no one was hurt and the duty of care towards my audience will always be my number one priority.”

2024/7/27 Peggy Gou の登場を待ちわびる多くの観客がボイラールームの会場に殺到したため、誰も身動きが取れない程の混雑ルームになり、イベントは急遽中止になって残念です Due to too many audiences getting into Boiler Room Seoul, they had to abort the show before Peggy Gou playing nor me pic.twitter.com/Gs3W047wzr
— New Omodaka EP on 2024/6/7(Fri) / Soichi Terada (@fareastrecordin) July 28, 2024

MusicTech has reached out to SFactory for comment.
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