So much of our enjoyment in life relies on tension and release, and music is no different. This weeks free Ableton Live Rack is designed to help build that tension and release in your music.  I've created a bunch of white noise risers and fallers, sampled some choice sounds from old video games, and created synths that climb and fall many octaves over time.  Many of these sounds have been staples of dance and electronica for years, but more and more, as genres of music mix together, I find these sounds as useful in rock music as they are in anything else.  Experiment with them.  Use them to alert the listener to changes that are approaching, and to smooth out transitions.

Many of these sounds are the exact ones I use in my live performances, and they can work wonders whether entering or leaving a chorus, switching to a new song, or just as something to get the audience to make some noise of their own.  I've added some effects that lend themselves nicely to all this swooshing around.  There's Flanger, Phaser, Reverb, Delay, AutoPan, Bit Crusher and a Beat Repeat that allows you to further destroy the sound.  In the video, I explain how it all works and demonstrate some ways to (over)use the AfroDJMac Noises, Risers, Swooshes Rack.  Use and abuse; enjoy and share.

If you are in the New York City area this Thursday June 30th, I'd love to see you down at Lit Lounge (93 2nd Ave # A  in New York, New York).  I'll be playing early at 8pm and I could use some of you good people on the floor shaking it!  Here is the Facebook event, if nothing else leave me a comment :)

Also, I'd just like to thank all the people who came out to some of the shows this past weekend.  Thrust Clothing put on a great surf contest to help raise money to save the life a young girl.  My Summer threw a great party at Mr. Beery's in Bethpage, NY.  And Dave Drew had the backyard of Bartini's rocking.  Special thanks to Glen and The Boys who played two of those gigs with me and let me use their sound system.  If you haven't checked out Glen and The Boys, their chilled out live reggae, dance, electronica music might just be the Summer vibe you need.