Bass Thumpin' Thursdays

This week is brought to you by the letter O.  For organ.  In modern times this King of Instruments is oft overlooked, whether its the giant pipes found in cathedrals or the electric variety.  From Bach to The Bloody Beetroots, organ keys and their infinite decay and sustain provide an unparalleled intensity in any type of music.

Jon Lord, organist for Deep Purple, is by far one of the most talented musicians to have fingered a Hammond.  Check out this live solo:

And for good measure, here’s Deep Purple’s “Hush,” one of the most distinctive organ songs:

As the organ is sometimes forgotten in the shadows, so are its greatest masters.  Everyone has heard of Jim Morrison, but when it comes to musical talent in The Doors, Ray Manzarek leads the troupe.  Here’s “When the Music’s Over”:

RJD2, a DJ with an ear for blues and soul, embeds organ clips in his crate digging style of hip-hop.  Next on the queue, “Seven Light Years:”

You might not have the time to watch this masterpiece in full, but it is well worth the ten minutes to bask in the glory of the Sidney Town Hall pipe organ as it pumps out Bach’s classic "Tocatta and Fugue in Dm".

And as foreshadowed, from Bach to The Bloody Beetroots (“We Are from Venice”):

--tonotopik

Bass Thumpin Thursday's -- The Live Edition

Its summer.  And what is summer about?  Live music.

First up this week is the newest band the talented, yet underrated, Jack White has joined:  The Dead Weather.  I really do not know what “I Cut Like A Buffalo” means, but this track has a great groove.

Summer is the time for massive electronic music festivals, and this next song goes back to 2004.  Check out this clip of DJ Tiesto headlining with his classic “Lethal Industry,” infused with some good old fashioned live violin.  Electric, of course.

Live shows give artists a chance to shine—while album tracks may be perfectly produced masterpieces, musicians playing live can truly show off their spontaneity, skill, and soul.  Stevie Ray Vaughan truly knew how to do just that, showing off his ability to play a guitar in any way imaginable in "Third Stone from the Sun."  Even when he beats the hell out of his guitar it sounds amazing.

One very good reason to be jealous of professional musicians is how much fun their workplace is.  Imagine going to work every day to be trapped in a cubicle.  Surrounded by low, fake walls, facing your desk.  But, you get to listen to the music you want, on your desk lay two decks and a mixer, and beyond that desk there's a crowd of fans rocking out to flashing strobes.  Plus, if you're in The Bloody Beetroots, you get to wear a venom mask to work.  And drink hard A at work.  Here's the DJ's perspective of Warp.

 --tonotopik

Sidechain Compression Is What Makes the World Go 'Round

For my first post on this blog, I'd like to discuss my obsession with sidechain compression. Its the sound that puts the bounce in my step while walking around the City bearing headphones. Its the musical technique DJs employ to move the floor like a choreographed ocean wave. Its the uncredited cousin of house music's "umm cha umm cha umm cha."

"What exactly is tonotopik talking about", you ask?

Technically, sidechain compression is a production technique. It uses a compressor (device that reduces the volume of an input when it reaches above a set threshold amount) to dynamically effect the output based on the sidechain input. The sidechain input is most usually a bass drum signal. So, whenever the bass drum hits, the compressor reduces the volume of the track being compressed, and as the bass drum releases, the compressor raises the attack level of the track. Usually, the compressor is set to a long attack and short release, never letting the level get to the decay point. The result is the fading in and quick release of the track being compressed.

Non-technically, listen to the following clip (The Bloody Beetroots - Dimmakmmunication) and you'll get it. Pay attention to the organ-like synth at the beginning, and then listen to how it changes when the bass drum enters around 0:44. For a more drastic example, pay attention after "Hey DJ" around 1:35.

By the way, it is my dream to DJ a club and drop this track, watching the crowd go nuts after "Hey DJ."

Another one of my favorites is Autoerotique's remix of Lykke Li- Little Bit. Many different tracks of the song are sidechained, including the bass and a little bit (pun intended) of the vocals. Autoerotique also puts most of the instruments on the syncopated off beats, making it impossible for an engrossed listener to sit still.

Another great track is Purple Haze - Bliksem (Purple Haze is the alterego of Sander van Doorn, master of dark and heavy house music).

And, last, no post on sidechain compression could be complete without the modern classic Deadmau5 - Ghosts N Stuff.