LETTER OF THE MONTH
Apr 1, 2007 12:00 PM
PUCKER UP TO REMIX
I've been reading Remix for about two years now, and it never gets old. It's amazing how much a recording/DJ enthusiast can relate to all of the material in the magazine. I loved the one letter from Eric Mire of Milwaukee in the January issue. I can relate when he explains his obsession with purchasing the newest equipment instead of necessities. He talks about how he wears the same dirty white T-shirts, ripped unfit pants and old tennis shoes. It's true how buying electronic equipment can be addicting.
My favorite part of the magazine is Shop.Talk. It's always interesting to hear what professional DJs think when they go digging for their collection. It surprises me what some guys will pay big bucks for. To me, it's always been about buying the new CD for never more than 20 bucks. Some of these guys will pay as much as $100 for a hard-to-find remix track. Recently, I began listening to house music, and I'm starting to understand the value behind certain records.
It's a shame that such a large number of record stores have gone under, becoming victims of the MP3 as is mentioned by Frank Delgado of the Deftones in “Shop.Talk.” (January 2007). It's true that digital music can't replace record shopping. There's something about spending hours fingering through crates and emptying your last week's check on records. Delgado says, “It's social, it's ritual and it's healthy for young kids to go out and search for stuff instead of being told by the radio what they should listen to.”
I also like Remix's detailed information on equipment and suggestions to get the most bang for your buck. It's good to have opinions from other DJs instead of just the assholes at the local gear shop who just want you to buy their hottest product.
Finally, I like Remix's CD reviews. The writers give good descriptions of the music; things that you normally won't hear from a mainstream review paper. Overall, I look forward to Remix, and when it comes in the mail, I'm quick to read it.
Joshua Hish
Chicago, Ill.
For sending in this month's winning letter, Joshua Hish wins his own M-Audio MidAir 25 (MSRP $249.95) wireless MIDI controller. If you send in the most inspired correspondence next month — or simply the letter we like best — you'll win the Boss MicroBR (MSRP $319.50) Digital Recorder, the world's smallest pro studio. All you have to do is send an e-mail to remixeditorial@remixmag.com. Please include your full mailing address.
FROM THE SUGGESTION BOX
I just wanted to suggest an in-depth interview I would love to see in your magazine. I would love to see a studio interview (with lots of pictures of the studio, please!) with Charlie Clouser (Saw soundtrack composer, ex-Nine Inch Nails member, etc.). He's an amazing guy, remixer, composer and musician. I think it would be a very informative and interesting article for your mag.
I met him once in New Orleans and he gave me a personal tour of the NIN studio. How cool is he for doing that?! He loves to talk about gear. I'm sure he would oblige with an interview. Just a suggestion.
Cameron
Scottsdale, AZ
SUGGESTION BOX, PART DEUX
Love the mag, but I have a suggestion for an article: surround-sound electronic music, the artists that embrace it and the labels that support it. Sure, stereo is more marketable, more widespread, cheaper and easier to produce. But after you've heard a good surround mix, there's no going back. It moves you; it changes the way you hear things. It opens up a whole new dimension to the music and intensifies the experience. More and more people are buying surround-sound systems for their homes. It is such an exhilarating feeling when five speakers are full of 360-degree sound, with a powerful subwoofer taking care of the low end. It's not just about panning sounds around you in a circle; it's about opening up the mix and spreading your instruments around the room to get better range and create a spatial mix. Ever since I picked up the DVD Awaken (Various Artists; Electromatrix, 2001), I was hooked. I see a future in mixing artists in surround sound and in whatever format as they change through the years. Dolby Digital, DTS, 5.1, 6.1, and now MLP Lossless 7.1 is available with the Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats. Imagine that: Uncompressed multichannel music. How good would Boards of Canada sound in DTS-HD Master Audio or Dolby Digital TrueHD? There are so many artists using surround sound on their albums, and it's not getting the attention it deserves. I think a magazine like yours could give a nice boost to this way of mixing and listening to music. Aside from an article, how about a DVD review section in Rotations?
I went to school for audio engineering and have since built a surround-sound project studio with 5.1 Dynaudio BM5A monitors. It sounds incredible! It didn't cost all that much, compared with what professional studios spend. I have a Mac G5, RME DSP Multiface, SPL SMC 2489 surround monitor controller, as well as a StudioComm Bass Manager. I mix my own music and others in surround for free right now. It's mostly a hobby for the time being, as I'm honing my skills, but I will produce some artists and projects over the next few years. It's so inspiring each time I hear of a new album coming out in surround sound. I just picked up BT's This Binary Universe (DTS Entertainment, 2006). All I can say is: wow.
Eric Day
Austin, TX
Good suggestion. Surround sound will only get bigger, and so will our coverage of it. If you missed it, then look up our December 2006 “Got Ya Surrounded” feature about 5.1 mixing and “Awakening Spirits,” about the Awaken DVD online at remixmag.com. As for DVD reviews, we've got those covered in our “Frequencies” section.
WHO LOVES YA, BABY?
I just wanted to say how much I am constantly surprised by the quality of your magazine. I read all of the gear mags, and Remix always packs more knowledge without talking over the heads of its readers. Keep up the good work.
Seth Bass
Burbank, Calif.
HOTEL, MOTEL, HOLIDAY INN
I remember when I bought my first Remix magazine, way before you guys came out with the cool new look. I like the articles and artists you guys feature.
I've been a DJ since back in the late '80s, and things really changed for the DJ! The tools and gear that are out there now is like…wow! Also, DJs are treated like superstars now. I never imagined DJs would be traveling all over the world playing records. It is still a dream of mine to do that. Keeping up with the music now is a task. Thanks to magazines like Remix and Websites, I'm kept in the loop.
I also really like the Remix Hotels you guys put on. I went to the one you had two years ago in Chicago. I always try to make it to the one in South Beach, Miami, as well. I hope you guys keep doing Remix Hotels. The best thing about the Hotels is that they're free! I mean, why not attend? Many people like myself can see, learn and meet others in the DJ and computer-music business. DJing is a hobby for me now, but maybe one day, with some hard work and meeting the right people, I can make it a career.
DJ Hugo Montenegro
Milwaukee, Wis.
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