DUB DISCUSSION BOARD

This might may be interesting for all dubbers who like electro-sounds: The Hobnox Audio Tool is a flash program which runs in your webbrowser. The current beta version emulates two drum machines (tr-808, tr-909), two acid synths (tb-303) and an array of stomp-box effects.

It's free and can be used without any software installation (flash player required). Just click this link:
http://www.hobnox.com/index.1056.en.html

A video tutorial can be found on this page:
http://www.hobnox.com/index.1255.html

The disadvantage of the current beta version is that there is no possibility to safe ones creations. This function is promised for the next update though.

In the meantime I would prefer to use the freely available software Rebirth RB-338 which does basically the same thing but has more features. Rebirth is the predecessor of Propellerhead's "Reason". It was released in 1997 and is freeware since 2005. Download here:
http://www.rebirthmuseum.com/

It is a nice find but it falls short with no save function.

just to let people know, you can now record and save things. It takes a long time to encode and save after recording (during which you cant continue making music), but that could just be my internet/computer specs.

Meanwhile another synth "Tonematrix" has been added. It's perfect for programming step sequences however there seems to be no way of changing the sound.

After another year and a half this browser based production environment is still around. But it has moved to the address "audiotool.com" .
You can now also automate your virtual equipment using a midi controller which allows to do live dub mixing.
I had a few hours of fun with this tool. Stringing together 2 synths, a drum machine, a sample player and a few effects I came up with a electro/acid/steppers tune in short time. I messed around with step sequencers which is new to me and proved very inspiring. The track is based on a short and hypnotic four bar loop which serves as starting point for an extended dub ride on my Doepfer pocket control.
I published the track with a public license so everybody can load the environment and start re-dubbing the thing straight away.

You can hear the track here:
http://www.audiotool.com/track/dub_and_run/
To load the environment and continue the journey yourself press the light blue "remix" link to the left on the page.