PreSonus Education

Friend of PreSonus, Christopher Lott, joins us on the blog this week to share some of what he’s learned and discovered in his career! Let’s check out what Chris has to say!

ON RECORDING THE MUSIC OF CHILDREN

By Christopher Lott

Every child is capable of making brilliant, disarming music. If a child is crafting the material, you can bet their songs will be unorthodox and singular creations. On first listen, their music might sound overwhelming, dense, abstract, even avant-garde! The lyrics are often zany and poetic, full of non-sequiturs. One moment might be miraculously melodious, and the next might explode with thorny note clusters, operating outside any “accepted” musical rules of tonality or rhythm. But if you open your ears enough to hear their music, it might just halt your heart.

As musicians, we know that the music reflects the artist’s consciousness. In music, one’s feelings and emotions can’t be hidden, they rise to the surface. Songs are the transcript of our unfiltered hearts in time. And whether it’s a pre-pubescent ode to deodorant (“The Deodorant Song”), a song-suite based on a video game storyline (“’Til Six Am”), or a student rapping the contents of their dream from the night before (“Shark Dream Rap”, these students are expressing how the world feels to them. The complex and stunning music of children is the reflection of their active creative minds: limitless, absorbent and open to surprise.

I have the extreme pleasure of being a music teacher at CHILD, Children’s Institute for Learning Differences in Renton, WA, just outside of Seattle, where I’m cultivating a music program with PreSonus gear. Our students are a unique population – all of them have behavior challenges which has lead them to live much harder lives than most of us can imagine. Some have been expelled from every school they’ve gone to, others lack the social skills to make friends. Many of our students are autistic, non-verbal or have self-confidence issues, anxiety, or lack the emotional regulation skills that make it difficult to function in their public school districts. Our school focuses on helping students connect with their social and emotional centers so they can get back into their public schools and live productive, fulfilling lives.

I find that these students have so much to say, because they’ve experienced so much. They have oceans of thoughts simmering under the surface and are hungry to express their singular worldview. My job is to encourage these students to express themselves through the art of sound.

At CHILD, students learn basic music skills, apply those to their own compositions and then record their music. We are basically a record label, a factory of production, where the output is focused on the student’s art. My hope for them as a music teacher is that they learn to trust their creative intuition, increase their awareness and have them grow a relationship with music that will last a lifetime. I help them transmutate their sonic curiosity and sensory wonder into audio art and act as musical partner in the roller-coaster ride!

PreSonus gear plays a huge part in our creative process. I’ve been using PreSonus since the very first time I’ve ever recorded anything, back in my early twenties recording professionally and haven’t stopped since. I have PreSonus gear in my personal studio for my band, Wall of Ears, and in my work studio at CHILD. I trust PreSonus because not only does the gear sound delicious but it is reliable, affordable and durable.

The ease of Studio One allows students to learn how to act as engineers and producers, recording their own and other student’s material. The students get giddy over overdubs on their sonic experiments, splicing audio to make it seamless, grinning when they hear their voices close mic’d through the headphones. The FaderPort Controller allows them to easily navigate their own sessions with its simple interface and large buttons, great for visual learners. PreSonus’ Education Team is responsive and helpful and works well with our students to create an amazing setting.

I enjoy asking my students about their musical choices.  In a very “free” instrumental coda section from the song “’Til Six Am”, the musician plays a keyboard riff that speeds up over time, building tension, similar to the Jaws theme song. When I asked about the origins of the accelerating melody, he informed me that the notes represent footsteps running up a creaky staircase which leads to an explosive “jump scare” of animatronic teddy bears. He was using melody to create a mimetic soundscape!

In order to assist in the music making process, I need to find out what are their musical interests and meet them where they are at. Do they gravitate towards video game music and playing with different synthesizer sounds? Do they prefer to improvise or create something more structured? What genres do they listen to? I often find myself in the role of enthusiastic producer. If they lean towards hip hop, I’ll start making a beat with them and use multiple takes of rapping to shape a song until the main concept emerges. An example is “I Need You,” where a student is ripping on subjects as wide-ranging as not chewing bubble gum in class to being an astronaut in space.

I find many students to be songbirds, even those with no previous musical training, with melodies and lyrics flossing through their opens brains like wild rivers. I have several natural lead singers, just waiting their whole lives for their backing band. Once the music is playing and they are in front of a microphone, the vocals flow effortlessly. I’ve seen a non-verbal student, normally unable to function more than ten seconds in a conversation, spew vocals over a whole song. It’s amazing to witness the power of music on a daily basis.

In the studio, I’ll set up some vocals mics and we’ll bounce ideas back and forth, until a skeletal foundation for the song exists. I follow their lead, using a guitar or a keyboard to help lay down some progressions or riffs or harmony, to help them achieve their vision. Often times, a song can be created start to finish in one thirty minute session. “Fight Song 2: You’re Extreme” is an example of a song written in one sitting, although it may sound labored over. It’s an extremely poetic punk rock anthem done in two spliced improvised takes with vocal swagger that evokes The Clash. By the time I had figured out a simple chord progression, the student was ready to roll.

As a music teacher, it is all a matter of helping the students find out how to be open to the voice inside. PreSonus makes it easier.

* Please find the CHILD Tapes Vol. 1 Playlist featuring several of the songs created by my students and mentioned in this article. Students’ names have been removed to preserve anonymity. Go ahead and listen to the magic for yourself!

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Check it out! Gregor’s got a new series of videos for new users of Studio One Prime.  He covers everything from installation and setup to basic beatmaking, and even time-stretching and working with Ableton Live.

More to come from Gregor soon!

Want to make some music? Get started with Studio One Prime here.

PreSonus announces the new PM-2 Matched Stereo Pair of Small-Diaphragm Condenser Microphones!

Ideal for stereo recordings of acoustic instruments, drum overheads, ensembles and more, the PreSonus PM-2 stereo microphone set provides the tools you need to create professional results. Each PreSonus PM-2 small-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone is equipped with a ¾” gold-sputtered capsule housed in an ultra-light chassis, making it easier to perfectly position your microphones without fighting gravity. Sold as a sonically matched pair, the PM-2 comes equipped with a stereo bar for XY mic placement. PM-2 microphones can be used together or individually, making them an excellent addition for any home or professional recording environment.

Additionally, the PM-2’s find themselves equally at home as a great affordable option for marching ensemble mallet instrument amplification. A pair of PM-2’s under a marimba, or a single PM-2 under a vibraphone is a great option for the marching ensemble looking for high quality sound in a compact package!

For more information on the PM-2, click here.

It’s that time of year, when marching band is in full swing, and we are happy to provide new resources for how to get the most out of your PreSonus speakers, whether they be the AIR Series, the ULT Series, or the CDL series! Be sure to check out the videos below for Evan’s quick tips on setting them up for the best coverage and power possible!

Get a DAW and Notation software on every computer for one fixed price

Getting the right software for your music department can be daunting but we are pleased to be able to offer an easy and manageable solution for your school or college network. Unlimited music software licenses are now available for both: Studio One 4®, our digital audio workstation (DAW) for electronic music, production and recording; and Notion 6™, our notation and performance application. Both Studio One and Notion are cross platform and can be installed on Windows and Mac.

Wait, unlimited?

Yup, the license is unlimited, meaning you don’t need to worry about exactly how many seats you’ll need or what happens when you add more computers – whether your site has 25 computers or 250. If fact you now don’t need to limit the software to the music department – get it installed on every computer in the school and compose and produce everywhere! Just tell us how many computers you think you will install on initially, and we will create a bespoke license for you.

Continue reading →

Blue Devils, 2019 World Champions!
Photo Credit: Drum Corps International

PreSonus was on site for the 2019 DCI World Championships from August 8-10th at the beautiful Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana! Featuring 3 days of amazing performances by all, PreSonus was on display with many corps!

• Winning their 19th World Championship, the Blue Devils of Concord, CA performed “Ghostlight” utilizing the CDL Series Loudspeakers as front fills, while the Studio Series audio interfaces provided audio output for their software synth setups.
• A complete wall to wall PreSonus drum corps, Phantom Regiment’s StudioLive 64S Ecosystem, coupled with the CDL and ULT loudspeakers brought power and audio flexibility to their 2019 production, “I Am Joan”.
• Another wall to wall PreSonus drum corps, Spirit of Atlanta finished their season with a fantastic performance of “Neon Underground” in semi-finals, utilizing a StudioLive 64S Ecosystem over a long ethernet run to their impressive long distance front ensemble location, and a full compliment of CDL and ULT series loudspeakers.
• With a full compliment of ULT Series loudspeakers and a Series III Ecosystem, the Madison Scouts performed “Majestic”, finishing their season on Friday in semi-finals.
• From Austin, Texas, Genesis Drum & Bugle corps had their best finish yet, finishing 20th in Semi-Finals with their StudioLive 64S Ecosystem.
• Music City Drum Corps marked their second year in World Class competition with a full setup of ULT loudspeakers and a Series III mixing ecosystem
• Longtime PreSonus console users Jersey Surf put their Series III ecosystem to work in their 2019 production, “Fantasea”

PreSonus continues to be a driving force for audio in the marching arts. For more information on PreSonus marching audio solutions, click here!

Yep.

You read that right. Get our award-winning notation software, Notion 6 for FREE when you buy a PreSonus bundle! That’s $150 USD for FREE!

If you have purchased and registered a qualifying PreSonus recording bundle between August 1, 2019, and September 30, 2019, you’re eligible to receive a free copy of Notion 6. Notion 6 will be added to your account automatically upon hardware registration.

The following bundles are included in this promo:

• AudioBox 96 Studio
• AudioBox iTwo Studio
• AudioBox Studio Ultimate Bundle
• ATOM Producer Lab

Perfect for any music technology lab, Notion 6 features easy to use operation, great sounding playback, and Studio One Integration!

Good news: buy an AudioBox after Aug. 1, 2019, and you’ll get 30 days of OBEDIA support… FREE!

OBEDIA, the leading source of live training and support for pro audio software and hardware, wants to help get new users up and running as fast as possible! Buy an AudioBox interface after August 1, 2019, and while supplies last, you’ll receive 30 days of free OBEDIA phone or remote desktop support for Studio One (a $29.90 value).

Simply register your new AudioBox at my.presonus.com, receive a promo code for OBEDIA with instructions for how to redeem, and join the celebration for OBEDIA’s 15th Anniversary.

Qualifying products include:

• AudioBox USB
• AudioBox USB 96
• AudioBox iOne
• AudioBox iTwo
• Any AudioBox bundles that include any the above products

Today, PreSonus Product Specialist Richard Gaspard walks us through how to setup wireless control on our StudioLive Series III Mixing Consoles! This is a particularly handy feature for getting your balance just right, whether its out on the football field, in your auditorium, or in the classroom!

Johnny Geib, a longtime friend of PreSonus and owner of HomeStudioTrainer.com, has created a fantastic masterclass for getting started with ATOM! Check it out to learn how you can put ATOM to use in the classroom, practice room, or anywhere!