Archive for June, 2010

Trading Hour Changes for Lightsounds Leichhardt, Sydney City and Brisbane.

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

As of July 1, 2010, there will be minor changes to the trading hours of Lightsounds Leichhardt, Sydney City and Brisbane.

These three stores will now close at 5.30pm instead of 6.00pm on weekdays. The weekday opening times remain at 9am, and weekend trading hours remain unchanged.

Lightsounds Leichhardt will continue to remain open until 7pm Thursday nights.

Join us on facebook for updates and giveaways

Mash Up Competition UPDATE

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Quick update, the itunes downloads are available here . Plus we’ve extended the deadline until 31st of August.
As they say on master chef .. Chop Chop ;P

How to enter:
Pick up a copy of Circuit Breaker 2 (release date: June 7th). Entries should be sent to marketing@lightsounds.com or posted on CD to Circuit Breaker Mash Up, P O Box 19, Canterbury, NSW 2193. [You must include your name, email & contact phone number on the CD].

Judges Tips:
Best Produced - The slickest finest track that oozes quality like a fine cognac. Whoever produces the best and brightest sound wins big!
Most Original - The mash-up that has the most unique take on the original tracks. Takes it to another place, another sound, another galaxy.
Tasty Skills – Speaks for itself. Whether scratching tracks, beat matching, looping sections, best use of digital DJ software… whatever. The maddest skills will win the prize!

LISTEN TO A SAMPLE OF THE TRACKS HERE: http://www.myspace.com/circuitbreakercd

Terms & Conditions:
Mash Ups must be between 3 and 5 minutes long. You must choose tracks from the Circuit Breaker 2 CD.  Mash Ups must not contain any copy right samples. Staff of Lightsounds (and its suppliers) are not eligible to enter. Circuit Breaker 2 artists may enter but must not use their own track. Competition available to Australian residents only. Winners will be notified by email or phone 2 week after closing date. Lightsounds accepts no responsibility for lost, stolen or late entries. All entries may be used by Lightsounds for promotional purposes. The decision of the judges is final & binding in all respects, and no correspondence will be entered into. Competition closes 31st August 2010, All entries must be received before this date. Terms & Conditions may be changed without notice, see lightsounds.com.au for updates. E&OE

Wireless Life! Foggers & Bubble Machines

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

Untangle, with Antari’s latest range of wireless effects. Take the reliability of the worlds largest fog machine manufacture Antari and the convenience of wireless technology. All W-series effects feature a W-1  wireless remote with up to 50 metres range (in open areas).. So you can now place your fogger anywhere in a venue and control your fog with a touch of a button… magic?!

For more information check out our range of Antari Special Effects

DJM-2000 Professional Performance DJ Mixer

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

PIONEER DJM-2000 FUTUROLOGY
Professional performance, for the next generation

RRP $3599 (TBC) Available July 2010.
Pre order now at Lightsounds

The DJM-2000 is the perfect mix of creative imagination and technological innovation

5.8-inch multi-touch panel control / Three performance modes / Pro DJ Link for seamless integration with up to four CDJ-2000s/CDJ-900s and two computers / Six INST FX on each channel with rotary control / Advanced Beat Effects / USB-MIDI/Audio Interface / Live Sampler / Link Cue Monitor / Three-band isolator on every channel and effects / High-grade sound design

Take hold of the future with the DJM-2000. This top-level mixer sports a groundbreaking colour LCD, a full-on effects suite, a soundcard and offers complete controller capability. It draws on the best technologies from the trusted DJM-800 and DJM-1000 audio mixers, SVM-1000 AV mixer and EFX-1000 effects unit. Then combines this with cutting-edge futurist thinking. All housed in the one unit: Pioneer’s most advanced audio mixer to date.

So get to grips with six INST effects (Noise, Jet, Zip, HPF, LPF and Crush) and no less than 11 Beat Effects. Choose from three brand-new creative performance modes to suit every set (Frequency Mix, Sidechain Remix and MIDI Mode). Really, four mixer channels and the built-in Pro DJ Link, a six-input local area network (LAN) hub, are just the beginning. Meaning you can connect up to four CDJ-2000/CDJ-900s and two computers running rekordbox™ software, and share music from a single source across all players. All buttons and dials can be mapped via its USB-MIDI / Audio Interface. Enables you to connect to a range of MIDI tools, including DJ software, using a practical MIDI On/Off button. The mixer even sends a ‘Now On Play’ signal to the CDJ-2000, changing the platter’s light colour from white to red for clear identification of its status as a live sound source.

All this so you can relax and enjoy a unique, progressive and dependable approach to digital DJing – using 24-bit/96 kHz quality sound and the highest grade digital to analogue convertor (DAC), which makes a difference that you can feel. The DJM-2000’s innovation then becomes an engine of your imagination, producing powerful results as effortlessly or as elaborately as you want.

New decade. New dimension.

The CDJ-2000 multi-player just met its match – welcome to the DJM-2000.

Touch panel:
This large (5.8-inch) full colour multi-touch panel is a real first for any DJ mixer, a window through which you can virtually touch the mix. The LCD occupies a central position and is inspired by technology advanced by Pioneer’s SVM-1000 AV mixer. Only here it’s developed further to provide an intuitive hands-on instant-access way of controlling various audio features. These include the mixer’s three main performance modes: Frequency Mix, Sidechain Remix and MIDI Mode.

• Frequency Mix is a hi-res virtual crossfader, split into seven separate frequency bands. So between two channels you can touch and affect the mix with greater precision across the full frequency range.

• Sidechain Remix features a basic synth and is operated via the on-screen grid by X/Y movements. There are four types of oscillator and three effects, including Gate. And the outcome is sidechaining, using one signal to trigger an effects parameter that changes a second signal.

• MIDI Mode functions like a fully assignable MIDI pad, with four different screen options. Providing opportunities for even more creative freedom. From here you can map different MIDI tools and software according to your needs.

• By touching the panel, you can also access the Live Sampler. This allows WAV samples, of up to eight-seconds, to be recorded from the MIC Input or Master Output, mounted on the new CDJs, and looped, scratched or hot-cued, depending on DJing style.

Main effects:
The mixer’s impressive built-in Beat Effects suite is inspired by technology from Pioneer’s EFX-1000, together with isolator EQ technology from the DJM-1000 mixer. Plus, there are new additions like Multi Tap Delay, Gate, and Slip Roll. The latter of which sounds similar to the famous feedback loop, but is quicker to deploy. Beat Effects can be coordinated using the BPM counter, which may be set manually, automatically or tapped.

Simply select from 11 high impact effects (Delay, Multi Tap Delay, Roll, Reverse Roll, Trans, Gate, Echo, Reverb, Slip Roll, Filter and Phaser). Manipulate according to various beat increments and frequency ranges. And engage your effect using the depth pot. The built-in three-band isolator enables you to get even more creative and determine which parts of the frequency (Hi, Mid or Low) you want to affect. There is also a complete kill and a Send/Return button that works a dream with the isolator. Another valuable feature of these effects is that they can be used in conjunction with INST FX. For example, adding white noise to a Slip Roll. This opens avenues to infinite live remixing opportunities.

Inst fx:
The DJM-2000’s INST FX enhance and expand upon effects that were previously available via both the DJM-800 and external EFX units. These include two EFX favourites, the Jet ‘whoosh’ and Zip, which resembles a pitch-shift, as well as Crush from the DJM-800. Then there are new Low and High Pass Filter buttons and a fresh drama-building ‘white noise’ generator. Assign any of the six FX (Noise, Jet, Zip, HPF, LPF and Crush) and play away using the min/max filter knob. With four discrete processors, the chosen effect is individually controllable on all four Channels. Additional fine-tuning of FX is achieved through the Parameter knob, located under the effect buttons. This controls such aspects as resonance of the filters, depth of Crush, and level of Noise, which you can set and forget. Unite INST FX with breakdowns and builds. Create your own undulations from scratch. Or combine with Beat Effects. And you’ve always got killer dancefloor ammunitions close at hand.

full system benefits:
The DJM-2000 is the only professional mixer to fully unleash the integrated innovation and sheer power of the complete ‘2000’ system.The ultimate DJ weapon for total endurance, its built-in Pro DJ Link system presents untold benefits, especially in clubs.

The versatility of this connectivity means DJ changeover times are quicker as transitions become seamless with the new rekordbox™ Link. And DJs performing with software like Ableton Live can use the DJM-2000 as a controller and soundcard, making it easier to set up in the club.

Capable of fitting into any environment, the DJM-2000 is the perfect partner for the CDJ-2000, and the rack-mount kit makes it easy to install.

REMIX POWERHOUSE:
Integrating software, like Ableton Live, into the mix has never been easier. In fact the DJM-2000 is the perfect marriage of hardware and software for the performing DJ Producer.

The DJM-2000 sends a MIDI clock from the Beat Effects so DJs can literally mix between a rekordbox™ DJ set and performance in software, all in perfect time and on the same computer.

One USB cable gives access to a four-channel soundcard and the entire surface of the DJM-2000 sends MIDI with dedicated Start/Stop controls for your sequencer. The touch-screen MIDI pages offer four layouts, which will easily keep even the most adventurous producers happy for playing out new Ableton tracks.

The CDJ-2000s offer HID control and soundcards for DJ software like Traktor, so the DJM-2000 MIDI pages are free to control your favourite software effects.

rekordbox™ LINK:
rekordbox™ is without doubt the most important tool for making DJs’ lives less stressful. It’s like iTunes for DJs, and literally turns your laptop into an advanced digital rekordbox™.

And now, rekordbox™ connects directly to the DJM-2000 with the groundbreaking new rekordbox™ Link.

It’s our answer to Digital Vinyl Systems and DJ software, but solves all the issues. Connect your laptop with just one LAN cable to the DJM-2000 and the music stored on up to two rekordbox™ laptops can be accessed at the same time on up to four CDJs. There’s no need for soundcards, MIDI controllers and all the rewiring. Not only is it easy for DJs to switch over, but they can even play back to back using the DJM-2000.

Use the DJM-2000 dedicated Cue Link to preview tracks from rekordbox™ without loading a deck.

A major advantage is that when music is played it’s on the CDJs, not in the software, and so processor-intensive effects are processed on reliable hardware.

The DJM-2000 is a professional-level performance mixer built for the world’s most demanding DJs.

Pioneer “Once In A Clubtime Offer”

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Pioneer has introduced a Australian exclusive offer for Bars, Clubs & Restaurants. Purchase a Front of House Hammer pack including 2 x CDJ-2000’s, and 1 x DJM-2000 mixer and receive $700 cash back. Purchase a Side Room Slammer pack including DJM-800 mixer plus 2 x CDJ-900’s HDJ-2000 Headphone & Flightcase and receive $600 cash back.

The Cash Back Offer is only available to registered Australian restaurants and clubs for purchasing the above products from authorised Pioneer DJ Dealers. Promotion runs from June 25 – July 31, 2010. For more details please contact your local authorised Pioneer Dealer

4 EASY Steps to claiming your cash back

  1. Fill in the redemption form
  2. Attach a copy of your receipt
  3. Cut out the barcodes from your Pioneer DJ products purchased and attach to the redemption form
  4. Post to Pioneer DJ Once in a Clubtime Offer, PO Box 8469, Heatherton, Victoria 3202

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: All redemption forms must be received by last mail 30 August 2010. The Pioneer Once In a Clubtime Cash Back Offer is only available to registered Australian restaurants and clubs on purchases made from authorised Pioneer DJ Dealers between 25 June 2010 – 31 July 2010. The CASH BACK offers are only available when you purchase the specified products between the promotional period (25 June – 31 July 2010). All redemption forms must be filled out in full and a copy of the receipts as well as the barcodes from the packaging must be sent with the form when claiming the CASH BACK offer. Redemption forms must be received by last mail 30th August 2010. Redemption forms that do not include the necessary information or are not received by the cutoff date will not be fulfilled. There is only one redemption per customer per offer. Any person providing misleading information or makes any misrepresentation to Pioneer in connection with the CASH BACK offers will not have the offer fulfilled. Pioneer will provide the CASH BACK as a cheque made out to the business name provided and this will be mailed to the address provided. Cheques will be received within 28 days of Pioneer receiving the redemption form.

Enter the Crane laptop stand

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Crane DJ Laptop Stand : Patented Crane technology

The CRANE Stand is fully adjustable and can be used with many different DJ devices such as CDJ’s, keyboards, MIDI devices, projectors and laptops. Constructed from high-grade aluminum, the Crane Stand folds to approximately 1″ thick, making it lightweight and portable for traveling. With no assembly or loose parts to misplace, the Crane Stand is a useful tool for the performer on the go. Mr Miyagi would be proud!!


key features

- lightweight, high-grade aluminum construction
- folds flat to a 1″ thickness
- adjustable angle controls
- durable black anodized coating
- fully self-contained, no loose parts or hardware needed
- works with any size laptops, most CDJs/controllers, and more
- weighs less than 3.5 lbs
- includes nylon carrying bag

Available from Lightsound (July 2010) Click Here for special pre-order price

Akai APC20 Lands in Aus

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010



Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.

Ableton Live software is a powerful, flexible environment for creating, performing, and producing music. This unique software demands an equally unique control instrument. Akai Professional and Ableton are proud to present the APC20 compact professional Ableton Live performance controller. The APC20 transforms your Ableton Live experience from constructing tracks on a computer to fluid, musical creation. The second model in the APC series, the APC20 offers a smaller footprint than the APC40, enabling musicians to more easily create a personalized setup with multiple APCs, effects controllers, and other devices.

The APC20 is the link between human and computer that perfectly balances analytical parameter control with creative expression. Whether you are an electronic music artist and Live is your canvas, a DJ using Live to mix or remix tracks, or a more traditional musician using Live on stage or in the studio, you will find the APC20 to the intuitive, powerful instrument that directly links your inspiration with Ableton Live. Available June 2010 Buy it here

INSTANT PERFORMANCE
Because Akai Professional and Ableton designed the APC20 specifically for Ableton Live, you don’t need to map its controls to talk to the software. Just connect your laptop to the APC20 via USB and you’re ready to make magic. The APC20 is plug and play, so you don’t need to install drivers. First-time setup is literally three steps: load the included Ableton Live software, plug in and power up your APC20, and select the APC20 as Ableton Live’s controller. That’s it. No mapping, no setup, no hassles.

The APC20 comes pre-mapped for instant use with Ableton Live software, so if you’re new to it, you’ll find using the APC20 to be easy to get around on. And if you’re an experienced Live user, you’ll be happy to note that you can custom-map every single button and fader on the APC20 to completely customize the controls for the way you like to work.

VISUAL FEEDBACK
The APC20 talks directly to Ableton Live, and Live talks directly to the APC20. This bidirectional communication makes the APC20 an advanced controller in that it can receive feedback from the software and display it on its Clip Launch matrix. The Clip Matrix gives you an instant view of clip status: what’s loaded, what’s playing, and what’s being recorded. Each state displays in the grid in a different color so you can get a quick picture of clip state. You can shift your clip focus and get an overview of the clips you have loaded for your set.


PROFESSIONAL CONSTRUCTION

Ableton selected Akai Professional as its partner in developing the APC20 because of Akai Pro’s leadership position in great-feeling controllers that are rock solid, rugged, and precise. From the legendary MPC series that changed the way music is made to the industry-standard MPD and MPK controllers, Akai Professional is revered by musicians, DJs, and producers everywhere for creating the feel that powers their creativity. The APC20 is built with a rugged, metal chassis and slip-proof rubber detailing. There’s no flimsy plastic here. Faders are solid and precise for pinpoint performance.

CREATIVE CONTROL
The APC20 comes with Ableton Live Akai Professional APC Edition software, which is fully functional for performance and production. Owners of the standalone edition of Ableton Live 8 can also work seamlessly with the APC20. Live 8 has full support for the APC20.

The APC20 also enables special clip-status views and feedback that only the APC20′s matrix can display. The matrix is not limited to only 40 clips: you can scroll and shift, enabling you to access, control, and perform with an unlimited number of cells.

The APC20 has nine faders, which you can assign to volume control, pan, sends, and a choice of three user-mapped modes. You have even more control power with special controls including Tap Tempo, Tempo Nudge, record enables, and solo/cues. A new User Mode enables you to use the Clip Launch buttons to control instruments and the Drum Rack.

Designed in partnership with Ableton, the APC20 is the ideal controller for performers who like to perform in a small amount of space for maximum portability. It’s also perfect for players who want to combine multiple controllers in their setup thanks to its small footprint. Don’t settle for cheap, plastic imitations. From the company whose name is synonymous with the word production, the APC20 is the serious choice.

Available June 2010 – Buy it here

DB Opera Digital Series

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

DB technologies Opera Digital series now available CLICK HERE for more info