Scott R. Garrigus' DigiFreq - Free music technology news, reviews, tips and techniques!

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I'm not feeling very well this week. Somehow I caught a bad cold. Must be something that's going around. So you probably won't be seeing much of me in the web cam, but I'll still be updating the site. Right now I'm busy sending out the current issue to everyone. That's almost done. Then I'll probably start work on the new Discussion area.

In the meantime, I've got some announcements from Waves, Syntiac, Fender, and J.River for you in News.

PS. If you sent me e-mail recently and you haven't heard back from me yet, it's because I'm going a little slower than usual. Don't worry, though. I'll get back to you by the end of the week. Thanks!

Issue 11 has been published! Here's what you'll find in this issue:

1. Scott's Notes - The DigiFreq web site!
2. DFreqCONTEST - BBE Sonic Maximizer
3. DFreqNEWS - Plextor, MusicMatch, Plasma, Ozone, B4, and more...
4. DFreqDISCUSS - Drum Tracks
5. DFreqFEATURE - Sequencer Techniques (Part 2)
6. DFreqSHAREWARE - ClickFix for CoolEdit, crusher-X
7. DFreqFREEWARE - Digitonix Element, SynFactory
8. DFreqBUYWARE - Cakewalk Home Studio 2002
9. DFreqREVIEWS - BBE Sonic Maximizer
10. DFreqTIP - Extracting the Lead Vocal
11. DFreqFUN - Vintage Synth Explorer
12. DFreqTOPIC - Cakewalk Q&A (Part 4)
13. DFreqNEXT - Let's Talk About Noise!

To read this issue, you need to be a subscriber. If you're not already, just fill in the subscription form at the top of this page. It's free!

Windows XP will soon be here and although I'm not a fan of product activation, I'll still probably being giving the OS a whirl once it hits the market. Well, whenever I upgrade my PC OS, I like to tweak it so that I can customize it for my own needs and get the highest performance out of it as possible. I found a very cool and informative web site that provides all kinds of information about making changes to the new upcoming version of Windows. If you're planning on moving to Windows XP, you'll want to check out this site called TweakXP.com.

Also be sure to check out the new announcements from Sonic Network, Innovative Music Systems, and SONICblue in News.

Because of the raw computer power now available to just about everyone, and the relatively low cost when compared to hardware, many musicians are turning to software synths for the production of sounds and music. Well, if you're into using software synths in your studio, you may be interested in a site I found that provides free banks and patches for many of the popular softsynths out there. The site is called Virtual Plugin Instrument Resources.

And I've got some new announcements from Wenger Corp, miniMusic, and ECI in News.

Someone asked me recently about how they could make their computer a little quieter. In particular, they were having trouble with the cooling fan. I told them about how I had the same problem when I built my current system. The fan that came with the case was outrageously loud. So what did I do? I replaced it with one of the cooling fans available from Quiet PC. It made a huge difference. So anyway, I figured I would share that bit of knowledge with you.

Also, a write-up of the new BBE Sonic Maximizer DirectX plug-in has been added to Reviews.

And there are some announcements from Sound Quest, Native Instruments, and KDS in News.

Sonic Foundry released the 5.0d update for Sound Forge. It fixes a variety of bugs and adds support for ACID 3.0. If you're a registered user, you can download the update for free here.

I also found some more information for those of you interested in the new Windows XP that will be coming around shortly. First, there's a free Windows XP FAQ that you can download over at XPreme Magazine. In addition, Microsoft has put together a list of Web sites that are providing all kinds of information on the new version of Windows. You can find the list here.

And I've got some more product announcements for you from Dan Dean Productions and LinPlug Virtual Instruments in News.

A day of mourning... the United States of America was maliciously attacked today. An act of both cowardice and terrorism. This day will be forever remembered and archived here in the Notes section of DigiFreq. All the DigiFreqers out there, please join me in a moment of prayer for those who lost their lives in today's attacks, and for the families of those victims. God bless.

Lot's of things to talk about today... first, I have confirmed with the fine folks at Cakewalk that there is indeed a 1.03 update for Sonar in the works, but a release date hasn't been set yet. As soon as it is, you can bet you'll hear it here first.

Also, if you're using Cakewalk's Sonar, you can download a new batch of patches for the DreamStation DXi. Just click here to go grab them.

And lastly, the MIDI Manufacturers Association announced a new music file format called XMF (eXtensible Music Format). XMF is designed for wireless and web-based interactive audio applications. The XMF specification allows existing and complimentary music formats for music and sound generation (such as Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), Standard MIDI Files (SMF), General MIDI (GM), and the Down-Loadable Samples (DLS) formats) to be packaged together in a single, easily managed, web-friendly file for use on a wide variety of playback devices. To find out more, go here.

Also, there are some new announcements from Adventus, Epinoisis Software, and NTONYX in News.

It's almost time, yet again, for another version of Windows to hit the market. Windows XP will soon be here - this October to be exact. You may be wondering whether you should upgrade your audio PC to take advantage of this new technology. Well, before you make the leap, be sure to check out this article called What's the Deal with Windows XP - 10 Things You Need to Know Before you Upgrade.

I also found another cool site that provides an online check for Windows XP. This free tool will test your system to see if it's ready to run the new OS. You can run the test at the PC Pitstop.

Now aren't you glad you visit DigiFreq every day? Who would want to miss out on all this great info? :-)

In this day and age, making music can actually be a scary prospect, especially if that's how you make your living. The Internet and new technologies are growing so fast that the antiquated copyright laws can hardly keep up. I found an interesting article that talks about the current state of copyrights and the Internet. I thought you might be interested. You can read more about it here.

I've also got a bunch of announcements from Gary Garriton, NTONYX, Roland, and more in News.

I've got some great news for everyone! This is something many of you have been waiting for... DigiFreq newsletter back issues are now available for download! This means that if you started reading DigiFreq any time after the first issue made its debut, you can now catch up on all the great tips and techniques you missed out on from the previous issues. Grab them over in Issues.

I've also posted some announcements from iZotope, Algorithmix, and CreamWare over in News.

Wow! Pentium 4 prices are really coming down. Makes me want to build another PC, even though I don't have the money for it at the moment. :-) I purchased the base components for my current system from Aberdeen, Inc. and now they're selling bare bones (you get the case, motherboard, pentium 4 chip, 128 MB RAM, and floppy drive) systems for only $459. Hmmm... my credit card isn't completely maxed out, yet. :-) I'm definitely going to have to think about this.

In the meantime, I've got some more announcements for you from Plextor, Native Instruments, and MusicMatch in News.

If you have a large (or even moderate) number of MIDI devices in your studio, you've no doubt run into the problem of trying to keep track of all the information contained in each device. Having quick and easy control over each device from a central location would be nice too, no? That's where the editor/librarian application comes in. An editor/librarian lets you edit, store, and organize the data for all your studio's MIDI devices using your PC. Midi Quest from Sound Quest is one such program. I did a review of Midi Quest earlier this year for Electronic Musician magazine. Click here to check it out.

And, Cakewalk is announcing a new product today in News.

I've seen a lot of talk about memory limitations in Windows over on the discussion boards and newsgroups. Well, it turns out that if you're using Windows 98 or ME, then yes, there are memory limitations. You can read about them in this article from the Microsoft Support Knowledge Base. If you're running with Windows NT or 2000, though, you aren't subject to the limitations.

Also, some announcements today from SEK'D, Kid Nepro, and Sound Quest in News.

My main recording tool these days is my PC. It is the central piece of equipment in my studio because I use it to record, play, and edit my music, as well as control all the devices in my studio. Suffice it to say, I want to be able to squeeze every bit of performance out of my PC as I can. So I was delighted to find a cool resource on the Web that lists all the startup programs that you can safely remove from your system in order to increase performance. The site is called Start-Up Applications.

Also, check out the latest announcements from Ahead Software, Net4Music, SpinAudio, SEK'D, and SONICblue in News.

I just love it when the supply for a product far outweighs the demand because that means I can get that product very cheaply. Case in point: if you're in the market for a new CDRW drive, now is the time to buy one... "Move over, PC price wars: Right now there's an equally intense battle for your dollars on the CD-RW drive front. Though the downward price spiral has been going on for months, competition has heated up as next-generation 20X and 24X CD-RW drives hit the market, forcing vendors to sell off existing inventories." Click here to read the whole article.

Also, Native Instruments and SpinAudio have some new products they want you to hear about. Check out the News.

Because of yesterday's webcam picture showing the compact disc laser lens cleaner, some of you were asking where you could get one. You should be able to find one at most electronics stores. The one I have is from a company called Bib Audio/Video Products Limited. I'm not sure if they have a web site.

If you're wondering how the disc works, here's a quote from the description on the back of the jewel case: A specially designed brush system ensures thorough and reliable cleaning without any harm to the sensitive coated lens. As the Cleaning Disc rotates, the brushes remove unwanted foreign matter by means of a wave action generated by the rotating disc.

It looks like the Sound Blaster Live is going the way of the dinosaurs. Creative has just introduced a new line of sound cards called Sound Blaster Audigy. The specs of this new line look pretty cool though. They've completely redesigned the audio architecture so that these new cards supposedly deliver 24-bit, 96kHz audio with 100dB signal-to-noise ratio. There are four new cards in the line: the Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum eX, Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum, Sound Blaster Audigy MP3+ and Sound Blaster Audigy X-Gamer. I wonder if they'll live up to the hype? For more information, check out the News.

I found an interesting article on the lifespan of CD media. Did you know that different types/brands of CDR discs have different lifespans? The article is written by Fred Langa. Fred does a very good job of covering the different types of discs on the market, and shows which ones last the longest. He also covers the types of damage than can occur to any discs, especially if not stored properly. Click here to check out the article.

And be sure to check the News on a daily basis. If you don't, then you're missing out. For example, if you own Infinity 2.0 from Sound Quest, did you know that there's a free update available?

I've added a new feature to the site called Recommend. This gives you an easy way to tell all your friends about DigiFreq. Although DigiFreq is a free publication, I still need your support in order to make it one of the best music technology newsletters on the Net. This support can come in the form of suggestions, participation, and (most importantly) spreading the word about DigiFreq to all your friends and coworkers. I really appreciate any help that you can provide. Please click here to recommend DigiFreq to a friend today. Thanks!

Whenever I send out an issue of DigiFreq, I get a lot of e-mail with questions and feedback, etc. And I think that's great! I love getting e-mail from my fellow DigiFreqers. :-) One question in particular was about Sonic Foundry's CD Architect. In the current issue, I mentioned that CD Architect is no longer on the market. Many of you wanted to know if there's a viable alternative out there. Well, I haven't really found one yet, but I'm looking into a program called Nero from Ahead Software (www.nero.com). I've heard a lot of good things about it, but I don't know if it's quite as powerful as CD Architect. So, I'm going to get my hands on a copy and post a review in the near future. Maybe even in the next issue of DigiFreq.

In the meantime, there's a lot of news brewing in the music technology world. I've posted announcements from Cakewalk, Sonic Foundry, Aardvark, and Wave Arts. Check them out in News.

Issue 10 has been published! Here's what you'll find in this issue:

1. Scott's Notes - Smart Loops & Sequencer Techniques
2. DFreqCONTEST - PowerFX
3. DFreqNEWS - AfterBurner, DR-008, SoUnDEnGiNe, Infinity 2, & more
4. DFreqDISCUSS - Creating and Saving Groove Clips
5. DFreqFEATURE - Sequencer Techniques (Part 1)
6. DFreqSHAREWARE - MP3 Collector and GuitarBot
7. DFreqFREEWARE - Burn To The Brim and LoopAZoid 1.22
8. DFreqBUYWARE - Acid DJ 2.0
9. DFreqTOPIC - Cakewalk Q&A (Part 3)
10. DFreqTIP - Eliminating the Lead Vocal
11. DFreqFUN - Song Fight!
12. DFreqCORRECTIONS - Running Sound Forge 5.0 & 4.5 Simultaneously
13. DFreqNEXT - The new DigiFreq Web site (finally!)

To read this issue, you need to be a subscriber. If you're not already, just fill in the subscription form at the top of this page. It's free!

Because of yesterday's webcam picture, many of you were asking what brand of CD-R discs that I use. Well, up until recently I was using the Ricoh Platinum discs, and I still use them on occasion. They've never really given me any problems. But lately I've started using the Mitsui Silver discs. I really like them. Not only because I've found them to be reliable (no coasters yet), but also because if you get the unbranded variety (no labeling on the front), you can pop your own labels on there without having the printing show through. It looks a bit more professional that way.

So what have I been burning lately you ask? Well, that will have to remain a secret for now. But I promise that you'll find out in the near future. :-) Until then, I've posted some SEK'D product info in News.

I've been hard at work on the DigiFreq web site adding new features, one of which you can see right on the home page. It's the new Today's Tip feature! Each day there will be a new tip for you to read. How's that for an incentive to visit the site every day? :-) Not only that, but these tips are not the same as the ones you'll find in the DigiFreq newsletter. So now you've got two great sources of info.

Speaking of info... I've also updated the News today. Fxpansion, Native Instruments, and MultiLoops have some cool product announcements.

I just received my copy of Home Studio 2002 from Cakewalk. I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but from what it shows on the box, it looks like a good bang for your buck product. I'll be posting a review here on the site in the near future. In the meantime, check out today's News.

Amazon.com is having a huge sale on all their books, and you can get all my books at 30% off. That's only $20.96 each! What a deal! Check them out... SONAR Power! * Sound Forge Power! * Cakewalk Power!

Check out the News section I just added to the site. You'll find announcements about new product releases as well as other related music technology information. Be sure to visit the News section and this home page every day for updates!

Thank you so much! You guys and gals are incredible. Because of your support, we were able to push the Amazon.com sales ranking for SONAR Power all the way up to 239 (with 1 being the highest). That's out of a possible 2,000,000 books listed on that site. As I always say, DigiFreqers rule!

Issue 9 is here! Boy, do I have a lot of info for you. Not only that, but I'm giving away a free copy of SONAR XL, and my new SONAR Power book is out! Here's what you'll find in this issue:

1. Scott's Notes - SONAR Power!
2. DFreqCONTEST - SONAR XL
3. DFreqNEWS - $50 Gift, SF Praise, Seagate, mp3PRO, ProRec
4. DFreqDISCUSS - MIDI Channel Changing
5. DFreqTOPIC - Sound Forge Tips & Tweaks
6. DFreqSHAREWARE - Audio Tools and Stereo Enhancer
7. DFreqFREEWARE - Global Audio Control and iBeat
8. DFreqBUYWARE - Magix Audio Cleaning Lab
9. DFreqTOPIC - Cakewalk Q&A (Part 2)
10. DFreqTIP - Modify your Virtual Memory
11. DFreqSTORY - My SONAR Demo Adventure by Louis Zack
12. DFreqREVIEWS - Guitar Method 1 & 2, Teach Me Piano
13. DFreqFUN - Rock School
14. DFreqCORRECTIONS - Cakewalk MIDI Metronome
15. DFreqNEXT - The new DigiFreq Web site

To read this issue, you need to be a subscriber. If you're not already, just click here to get your own FREE subscription to DigiFreq!

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