My friend Francis Preve, tech author and electronica producer / remix artist, has a new title out on Backbeat Books assembling a broad range of production tips, tutorials, and anecdotes from artists. (He’s pictured here, though that’s not actually his pool.) You may know Fran’s writing from Keyboard; for The Remixer’s Bible, he’s assembled Keyboard’s best club production tutorials, the best of the Dance Mix column, and tips and anecdotes from BT, Armand Van Helden, Thunderpuss, and others.
The most interesting decision for the book, though, is to include remixable music from Gabriel & Dresden, Coldcut, Meat Beat Manifesto, and Jacinta on the CD-ROM in Ableton Live 5/6 format. I like the hands-on approach there; will be curious to hear what remixing readers cook up.
I haven’t seen the book in the flesh yet, but I know a lot of what’s in it, and it should be easily worth the absurdly low pricetag Backbeat put on it:
Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
Fran’s other projects include “working on some new original dance tracks, kibbutzing with Josh Gabriel (of Gabriel & Dresden fame), and continuing to lay the groundwork for that dance label [I] keep talking about.” You can find his sound design in the instrument racks in Live 6, too — more on that later. But here’s the interesting part:
Fran says he’s “putting finishing touches on his patches for a secret new product from Korg“.
Reeeeeally? Knowing Fran, I’m guessing this is software, though I’d love a cute new Korg synth to keep around the place. I’ll just sit here and drool and wait, I guess.
So, other Keyboard writers want to brag about your projects? Jim? Craig? Steve? Mike? Ernie? Can you reveal any secret projects in the process?