One of our favourite record shops has moved, merging two prime locations - Bathurst and Bloor in the iconic and soon to be
gone Honest Ed's building and the cosy Kensington Market shop into one space nestled in the busy and what we call the second centre of Toronto, Spadina and Queen area. We were told that the move was prompted by an up coming end of lease at the Bloor/Bathurst location. There is still quite a bit off work to be done before the new spot gets into full swing, but from what we've seen so far it's gonna be quite the sexy location to go record hunting. Definitely glad they're still around and with a rise globally in vinyl record sales they should be around for a good while. Btw they've got dollar bins! Up and coming producers go get your hands dirty. Sonic Boom is now located at 215 Spadina Ave. Open from 10am to 12am!! http://sonicboommusic.com/ Off Centre instructor Cheldon Paterson (SlowPitch) takes the turntable to uncharted territories Sunday October 12th at the Musideum in Toronto. "The highly cinematic journey will consist of organic sounds, uniquely created by using the turntable as an instrument. The music is further brought to life by numerous filters and effects in tandem with Paterson's hypnotic tribal rhythms." Find out more HERE! For a closer look and study of the world of turntablism we cover everything from fundamental "golden era scratches" to more advanced, musical and experimental turntable manipulation. We offer courses that will satisfy your curiosity and help you get your creativity and execution to the next level. Read more about our turntablism programs HERE. On April 5th, 2014 Splattermonkey joined us for an up close and personal Q&A at Off Centre, breaking down the ins and outs of creating successful and long running DJ nights, the art and joy of digging, and the many things in between that make up a DJs life.
http://www.mixcloud.com/splattermonkey/ https://www.facebook.com/djsplattermonkey https://twitter.com/SplattahMunky As part of our December 2013 Student Night, on the biggest Toronto snow storm in years, special guest Basic Soul Unit blessed a full house of Off Centre students and staff with a thoughtful, modest, and real account of the music industry and his career to date. Reflecting his diverse interest in music, Stuart's house & techno productions can swing from lush and soulful to crunchy and jacking. He has released and remixed music on respected labels such as Nonplus+, Dolly, Philpot, Mathematics, Mule Electronic, Versatile, Ostgut Ton, Créme Organization & New Kanada. The end of 2012 saw the the release of Basic Soul Unit’s first album “Motional Response” on Chicago’s Still Music to great critical acclaim. Hardware Sampling In a stimulating and relaxed class environment you will learn several approaches to sampling and track creation using the iconic Roland SP-505 hardware sampler. The ease of use and inherent limitations of this machine emphasizes the users creativity and maximizes their ideas. All of the methods learned can be applied to multiple platforms. The goal of this 6 session program is to encourage female contribution in a male dominated field and to encourage pure creation and experimentation rather than just technical expertise. Throughout the course you will be exposed to prevalent female producers past and present that have made their mark on the industry. Taught by internationally established music producer Pursuit Grooves who has been making beats for over 15 years. NEW BUILDING: 1ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY
May marks the 1 year anniversary of Off Centre's building purchase! Our new home on Coxwell Ave in Leslieville is a beautifully renovated, intimate DJ & Production environment customized for our cutting edge curriculum. The above pics give you a behind the scenes glimpse at the creation of our new space. Hard to believe, but the school was just an idea in 2004 and will come 10 years true in June of next year. With our steady growth and innovation the face and location of Off Centre has changed over the years, but we continue to stay true to our philosophy, solid roots and educational mandate. We run a professional world class facility in which we foster the creative development of every student that walks through the door. To celebrate our 1st year at Coxwell and for your continuing interest and dedication to the school we'd like to thank you by offering 15% off all registrations between April 16th & May 16th, 2013. COME SEE FOR YOURSELF AT OUR OPEN HOUSE Off Centre's open house is a chance for anyone who's thinking about taking courses, or just curious about what we do to come by, meet instructors, check out our space, and find out exactly what program is right for you. We support the exploration of all genres of music within classroom/lab settings. At the end of the day, our purpose is to help our students translate their creative vision into a finished piece of work. You'll have a chance to experience the intimately designed class setting and get a glimpse of what you'll learn face to face with our seasoned team of professionals. Come experience the studio for yourself, free at our Open House and become a part of the Off Centre family. Next Open House Date: Sat. May 4th, 12 - 1:30pm Above is a special iNSiDEaMiND performance appearance at Toronto's monthly eclectic electronic arts happening "Feast in the East" last month (November 2012). Some rare footage capturing a clip from the impressive improvised stylings of the ever evolving turntable duo. From live movie scores, theatre soundtracks, and television recordings to classical music festivals and indie rock concert halls, iNSiDEaMiND continues to stretch the creative limits and conceptual ideas about what can be accomplished with turntables and electronics.
The live show is an increasingly vital element to any musician's career. However, in the current live electronic environment we see automation, syncing and pre-recordings reducing 'in the moment' artistry and the live element can consequently drift to the background. Since today electronic music includes many varieties and ranges from experimental art music to popular forms such as electronic dance music, ideas about what constitutes a successful live show can vary. With powerful software such as Maschine and Ableton studio creation and work flow are improved dramatically, but what happens in the studio doesn't always translate live. And sometimes it's painfully obvious that those coming from a Producer rather than a DJ background lack the necessary live skills. Computers have given us a definite edge in terms of how quickly and easily we can manipulate music, but it's also made it easier to fake live skill. This being said, things seem to have evolved since the early to mid 2000's. It's no longer okay to just show up with your laptop. Audiences aren't going to embrace artists with open arms just because of a solid track selection and/or pre-recording studio skill. This is evidenced by the recent controversy surrounding big name "DJ miming". It's clear that audiences these days are quite a bit more sophisticated and knowledgeable about what is actually happening 'behind the screens'. Having chops on your instrument isn't the only thing that will entertain audiences nor will it guarantee popular success, but whether rock band, jazz singer, or DJ there's always something positive to be said for those that can step to their gear and rock a show in any setting. This ability to play is perhaps the primary characteristic that sets the "electronic musician" apart from the Producer. As electronic music, its sub genres, and audience matures it'll be interesting to see how the reception of the live show (or lack there of) will change. The turntable was never intended to do more than play records. It was artistry, creativity, and imagination fusing with technology that gave birth to an art form. In much the same way the future of live electronic music will be dictated according to these elements. |