More essential free VST effect plugins

Ok gang- a new installment on what we've found to be the best free (or nearly free) VST plugins available. This list is incomplete, but will be updated as the list grows. It's divided into types of VST effects, with bundled packages at the end of the list. Included in the list is freeware, donationware, nagware, shareware, etc. but no crippled versions, so they're fully usable without paying a dime... (some work on Macs, some don't)

Reverb:

Ambience VST for Windows 2000/98/ME/XP (awesome reverb sounds but a CPU hog and buggy with multiple instances. Donationware).

FreeverbToo

DaSample GlaceVerb (not a soft-tail reverb, but usable at times)

Anwidasoft DXReverb Light

RoomMachine 844

SIR Impulse Reverb

(for impulses to load of real rooms, etc see here and here)

Reverberate by LiquidSonic

Epicverb

MoVerb - (a little heavy on CPU use)

Delays:

Tal Dub II

Voxengo Tempo Delay

Mykrasound Stereo Echo

Analogic Delay and Bionic Delay

ArcDev Noise Industries ET-200 - Virtual Effect

Other Plugins and Packages:

Jeroen Breebaart Plugin Pack -- includes brickwall compressors, broadcast plugins, Omniverb spatial enhancer, Ferox Tape Simulator, Time machine and SEND spectrum enhancer.

Antress Modern Plugins -- loads of modeled compressors, limiters and preamps available.

Fhromage

How much to record? A CHiTT price list (aka FAQ)

Welcome to the FAQ page!*

Q: How much do you normally charge to record?..............

A: CHiTT is cheap-- that's where it got its name.**

For recording sessions:

We operate on a "trade up" pricing structure. Make an offer, we'll negotiate. Preferred methods of payment include valuable quantities of raw materials, seeds, ammunition, combustibles, dry goods, canned goods, rare items (included but not limited to firearms, memoirs, curiosities, etc), metals (in stockpile quantities), engines, generators, solar panels, machinery, tools, etc...

Even more manageable, if you can provide a "trade up"*** microphone or piece of outboard gear that is not already in our inventory, we'll call it a deal and give you an 8 hour session and mixdown as trade

For live shows including recording:

For the shows that work with our schedule, we ask for a reasonable cut of the bands' gross (e.g. $50 for 3 bands) and food, or "reasonable" trades and food.


*Welcome to the asterisk section!
** In town travel included in deal. Out-of-town pay gas and guarantee safe roof overhead for 3 persons night lodging.
***(out-of-pocket cost $150 or less, or a cool trade)

Greenhorse Live at UW Gardens 11-19-09

Greenhorse, an electro-pop band currently out of Sheridan, WY rolled through Laramie again and played this time in the Union Gardens. Good crowd, good music. The Gardens is a tiled venue, so the tracks are a little reverberant and bright.



Gear used in recording:
Vox: Sennheiser 421
Guitar: Sennheiser e609
All else DI
Channels direct out from Soundcraft GB-4 to Presonus Firestudio.
Some of the VST plugins used for effects: Ambience, GVST Plugins, "SHEPPi" Spatial Enhancer, among others.
Recorded 16 bit 44.1 kHz in Reaper.

Greenhorse Live at UW Gardens 11-19-09 MP3 192 kbs, Free Download

Underground doesn't mean un-noticed

Happy All Hallows Eve from all of us at CHiTT

Be merry. Be Creative. Be Safe. Cheers from Patrick Bateman (Dustin Neal)

Quick update: Matt Wood (Driftwood, Mannequin Rituals, Last Coyote), Danny Capazoli (Notwhole), Dustin Neal (Driftwood, Mannequin Rituals, Basement Dwellars) is working on a collab project headed by Danny Capazoli titled Wake of Sorrow. Several tracks have started the writing process and recordings are getting underway. Stay tuned for progress on this project.

Muses for the mannequins: Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, Caspian: Tertia 2009, Soulaju unreleased album (so good!), Baroness Blue Record.

CHiTT Productions/Molina Soleil/Mannequin Rituals


DIY

or

DIE


Papers The Movie after party, 2009

Wizard D and the Red Carpet Pimpstress on Molina Soleil and Aju's New Release

Featured below is an interview about the much anticipated upcoming release from Molina Soleil and Aju. You heard it here first:



or download it here.

Molina Soleil and Aju back at it...

Molina Soleil and Aju returned from one film festival premiere and are back at it emceeing a screening of a film called Homegrown: Hip Life in Ghana. They're also appearing on radio with some heavyweight poets Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets and Queen Godis. For more information on the film, check out www.cafenuba.com.

Papers the Movie rolls out the red carpet

We rolled into Portland, OR this last weekend to attend the premier of Papers the Movie. The sold out theater was a beacon of insight and stirred conversation after the movie was shown. We sat in wonder as we saw Molina Soleil and Aju perform before the movie started and listened carefully as Mannequin Rituals tracks played in the score of the film. It was a creative weekend and a win for all D.I.Y. inspired artists.

Corporate bid for independent artist FAIL

Received by an anonymous musician and user of Sonicbids, re-posted here:

Hi (Sonicbids user),
Last week, we sponsored a free webinar presented by Billboard and BrandWeek about matching independent music with consumer brands like Gap, Jeep, Converse and more.

The music world is changing and our mission at Sonicbids to help our members prepare and take advantage of this new world order. (The good news: independent music is more in demand than ever before.)

You can check out the webinar FREE by clicking here. You can also read a short recap on my blog which you can also use as a forum for the Q&A to continue.
Rock on.

Panos
Founder

Independent music is in demand precisely because it is independent--i.e. not superficially attached to corporate sponsorship just to achieve commercial success. What's this slimy "new world order" aftertaste? No thanks-- independence is freedom, and real freedom, well, that's just plain revolutionary.

Prevew of Asia Jazz Project "Sacred Paths"

For only a limited time, we're releasing a preview of selected songs off the upcoming Asia Jazz Project's "Sacred Paths." The disc features vocalists Molina Soleil and Aju. Check out the previews below, and buy the album below through PayPal.

Rise Mantra

Letters to the Moon Pt 1 (Heart in Motion)

Reflections of the Sun Pt. 3 (Son Como Sangre)

City Night Speak

Sacred Paths

Buy the album using this button below:

Jazz Ensemble and Hip-Hop Fusion Duo to Release Experimental Spoken Word Project

Denver, CO - Asia Jazz Project and Hip-Hop fusion duo Molina Soleil & Aju have joined together to release a unique blend of music--experimental jazz musicianship paired with male and female spoken word vocals. Titled Sacred Paths, the 55-minute project explores themes of life rituals and transformation, love and distance, environmental destruction and human spirituality. Asia Fajardo-Wright’s smooth and buoyant sax style tastefully balances the reflective and influential words of Molina Soleil & Aju.

The album also features the work of seasoned producer and magician Will Ross--an underground music renegade who has recorded and produced dozens of DIY projects, ranging from Hip-Hop to Rock to Bluegrass and now Jazz. On Sacred Paths, Ross flirts with a variety of production styles, from earthy to industrial, creating a distinct mélange of sounds that constantly teeters between concrete and metaphysical realms.

Rounding out the talent on Sacred Paths are musicians Antwon Owens and Luis Chavez on percussion and Lewis Mitchell Neeff on keys. The first printing of Sacred Paths will be released independently by the Wyoming-based arts collective CHiTT Productions, which has been supporting independent musicians since 2005. Sacred Paths will be available for purchase on CD Baby and Itunes.

~~~~~

Molina Soleil & Aju are pure fusion. The genre-bending duo blends cultures, languages, and artistic styles, pairing masculine and feminine energies, fire and water. In addition to Sacred Paths, Molina Soleil & Aju are slated to release a full-length Hip-Hop fusion album with DJ Icewater in November 2009 titled Soulaju.

www.myspace.com/soulaju

www.sonicbids.com/soulaju

Asia Jazz Project features the eclectic sound of Asia Fajardo-Wright. Ms. Fajardo-Wright is a 25-year old saxophonist and composer who draws inspiration from her work as a traditional Aztec dancer. Sacred Paths is her first album release. Asia is also set to release another album this fall with her Latin/Reggae group Mono Verde.

www.myspace.com/asiajazz

Papers Premiere!

Save the date and don't forget to buy your tickets for the Papers Premiere on Saturday, Sept. 26th, 7pm at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, OR!!

Tickets for the Papers Premiere and Papers After Party are now available for purchase online at: http://papersthemovie.com/

Come kick it with CHiTT, Mannequin Rituals, and Molina Soleil & Aju!

Support underground art and music! We hope to see you there.

CHiTT Moving Forward

Chilling on the coast with dear friends, the sound of waves rushing in the background. Under the council of sacred grandmothers. Never underestimate power of donated time, love, good energy, and endless creative potential to bring you to places you never expected.

Con paz,

CHiTT

More Summer Inspiration from CHiTT

CHiTT's Summer Inspiration

MyAmerica

Benefit CD to raise money for film by and about immigrant youth

“My America” CD release: July 4, 2009

CHiTT Productions has produced a benefit CD for Papers― a forthcoming full-length documentary by and about undocumented youth.

The CD, titled “My America,” is an independent music compilation. It features the work of emcees, spoken word artists, DJs and musicians from communities across the U.S., including the Bay Area, Denver, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Harlem.

This diverse collection of poetry and music addresses race, gender, and social class issues, challenging dominant notions of immigration, democracy and citizenship. All proceeds will go the making and distribution of Papers, which will begin screening in U.S. cities in September, 2009.

Papers is a story about undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal status. Currently, there are about two million undocumented children who were born outside the U.S. but raised in this country.

Graham Street Productions is producing the film in partnership with Film Action Oregon. They are working in collaboration with youth who want to tell their stories and community organizations around the country who are working to change immigration policy on behalf of these young people. Youth are actively involved in all aspects of the production.

For more information about Papers, visit www.papersthemovie.com.

Supporters can purchase the CD and make tax deductible donations on the website. Individuals, schools, and organizations interested in co-hosting a screening of the film can also contact Graham Street Productions via the website.

Download MP3 album here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?24cttgihdey

Download compressed files, unzip, and upload music files to media player
Download includes high-res jpg images of front and back cover + press release

***SUPPORT THE FILM***
Make a tax-deductible donation for the mp3 download or order a hard copy via pay pal here:

http://www.papersthemovie.com/donations/index.html

Hard copies can be ordered at http://www.papersthemovie.com/myamerica.html

Chitt releases benefit CD for Documentary

CHiTT Productions has finalized the "My America, Papers Documentary Benefit CD", and is rolling full speed with the release of the album. Molina Soleil has put together an amazing lineup of artists that tell the story of freedom, strength, activism, and political poetry like few artists can. Featured are E.G. Baily, Molina Soleil, and Mannequin Rituals, along with DJ Icewater and other amazing artists. The album will support the independant documantary "Papers" a tale of undocumented youth in America, Produced by Graham Street Productions.

Check back for mpre info on a FREE download of the album, plus info on how to support the film and purchase the limited edition album.

Redbush on KOCA Radio

Ok, so this has been posted before, but with a link to the premix preview that wasn't meant to be made public, so we're re-posting with a proper link this time.

Redbush, aka Mr. V, hailing from little ol' Laramie WY, rolled into low-power FM KOCA radio and delivered a solid performance that ranks as one of the best that no one ever heard. Luckily, all was captured to digital for posterity, and released to the public for free here:



Redbush live on KOCA radio
MP3 192 kbps

Redbush/Mr. V recently played their "last" show in Laramie, but the rumor mill has it that they might be back for a few more shows before the name dies for good. Let's hope so.

In other news, CHiTT recently worked with Rx Bandits on a live show in Laramie WY (link available upon request only at this time), and interfaced with a video crew to record one of the last Spangler/ Mr. V shows at the ramshackle "Hickey House" under the viaduct. When that project gets completed, we'll update with links...

Papers Documentary

Check out the trailer for the upcoming documentary Papers by Graham Street Productions, a "story about undocumented youth and the choices they must make as they become adults without legal status" -- featuring music by Mannequin Rituals and Molina Soleil, produced by CHiTT Productions.





CHiTT is currently finalizing a CD compilation to promote the film, featuring work by Molina Soliel and Aju, Tru Ruts, and other selected artists. Check back for more details.