Issue 28

Well, it’s that time again. November is here and this issue is the last issue of 2008. The holidays are just around the corner. I personally cannot wait. We have decided to end this year with a bit of a bang. We have partnered up with Nettwerk Records to give away 5 copies of Andy Hunter’s CD Colour and a copy of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed with Ben Stein. Only catch is, you have to take our end of the year survey. That’s not too much now is it?

It’s been about 5 years since our last survey and much about Tastyfresh.com has changed. We are very interested in your opinion of us and the direction that you think we should go in. When we last performed a survey, we had just barely started the magazine. We didn’t have a podcast. Reviews were just something that was nice to have rather than a staffed department. We also didn’t put on shows. Things certainly have changed at this site, and there is no doubt in my mind that we will be changing again over the next five years. This is why this survey is so important.

If you are producing dance music and have compared your tracks to industry anthems, you may have noticed that on your first try your material doesn’t sound as “big” as your favorite producer’s last hit.  Mastering is an important part of taking your tracks to the next level.  You’ll find top artists like Eric Prydz, Loco Dice, Umek, Valentino Kanzanyani, Deadmau5, Dirtysouth, Robbie Rivera, Richie Hawtin, Henrik B, Adam Beyer, to name a few, have all used mastering engineers on their record labels and productions.  It is safe to assume that having a second set of ears on your project is the best method for finishing pro level tracks.  For years mastering engineers have been behind some of your favorite vinyl records, and now behind many digital labels as well.  Many producers have also been successful in mastering their own music.  The list of tools is growing for the accomplished studio musician as well as for the home producer.

Earlier this month, Native Instruments released their newest iteration of their DJ product, Traktor Pro.  They have traded the name “DJ Studio” from the product for “Pro” and their reasoning behind the change is that this is a new product and Pro quality.  To differentiate between their fully software based solution and their DVS (Digital Vinyl Solution), they still append the name Scratch to the DVS version of Traktor Pro.  So now we have two new products from Native Instruments, Traktor Pro and Traktor Scratch Pro.  The only difference between the two is one is controllable with Digital Vinyl.  Both are midi controllable, and both allow you to mix either “inside the box” or “outside the box” to a separate mixer.  Both also allow you to record your mixes, use internal effects, filters, and EQs, and send or receive midi clock data.

Here’s a thought. As Christian DJs, we are witnesses to others about our faith in Jesus Christ. This is regardless of what your position on evangelism is. One thing is certain; there are days when we are going to succeed as a witness in this area and other days where we fall flat on our faces as hypocrites. It might seem a bit trite, but the reality is that when we focus on God’s basic commandments and apply them in our lives as guidelines to live by when we’re out at a club as either a patron or a performer, we can limit the degree to which we might fall. It is these Ten Commandments that God gave Moses to help guide his people and even thousands of years later, they still hold true.