What’s the secret of this? Why is it perfect? Why can I determine exactly the tempo 128 of a track? I do have some problems with 125 or 133 for example, but I’m able to determine if the tempo of a song is 128 BPM or not.

What’s the number 128 and why is it a special number? 


128 is the 7th power of 2, therefore the binary representation is 10000000. This looks pretty beautiful, right?

You can also write 128 as 2^(8-1). It’s the same number with the same numbers. It’s a Friedman number. Like 347 = 7^3 + 4.

128 is divisible by 1,2,4,8,16,32,64 and 128. So it’s perfect for 4/4 music. And most House / Electronic music is on a 4/4 scale and thats the reason why a lot of tunes are 128 bpm. 

So, 128 bpm is the perfect tempo. 

It’s a quote by Richie Hawtin. He’s talking the truth.

128 is also a refactorable number. The number of divisors is 8 and 128 is divisible by 8.






Here some other interesting facts about the number 128:

The first original Apple Macintosh personal computer was the Macintosh 128k. And Apple is always magic, you know that;-)




It’s also the atomic number of unbioctium, an element that isn’t discovered yet. How long will this take? The name is pretty simple Un(=100)Bi(=20)Octium(=8). Easy:-)

Back to the music:

In ‘General Midi’, the number of musical instruments is 128. General Midi is a standardised specification for music synthesizers.

And Shakespeare saw the magic of 128 as well. He wrote this Sonnet in 1601. This is magic. No, it’s music. 

Music is magic and 128 is a magic number. Therefore

128 bpm is the perfect tempo, especially in Electronic Dance Music!  


Cheers:-)    Jssst

P.S. Sorry if you're allergic to maths.  I love it so now and then:-)

What is a good master? 

A good master sounds fine. Alright, but does it has to sound well on itself or just relative to other tracks? Because music is relative, right?
And why do people have the intentions to prefer track A above track B, only due to the loudness of track A (in comparison with track B)?
Can the mixer do the master, or do you need an independent engineer?

Lots of question and I don't know the right answer. I think it also depends on other factors. For example the weather or your mood.
What I do know is.. that mastering a tricky thing is. And it can be a pain in the ass, sometimes. Because what you hear depends on multiple factors. I already mentioned two, but the most important is of course the PA / SoundSystem / headphones. What is the power of the system, what frequencies is the range, or better formulated reach?

What sounds will reach you and what feeling does it mean to you?

Every track will sound differently on a different sound system. And the experience of what you hear depends on what track you've heard before or afterwards. A good DJ is able to play a bad track sounding well. Is this true? DJ-ing is art. Do not underestimate this fact..

Mastering is art, too. Okay, maybe it is more a science. Let's call it engineering! It is some kind of physics what you learn(ed) at school. But this is way more fun! And sometimes a real pain in the ass.

In my opinion a good mastered track is a track that sounds fine on every system and important words are loudness but clear, full range but not muddy, dirty but bright but above all clean!

Think of a beautiful naked girl, standing in the snow on a top of the mountain asking you on a sunny day, wanna a beer?

If the answer is yes, then and only then you are a master. Forget about the sounds...


Jssst


P.S. Nice wisdom from Buddha: If the student is ready, the master appears. #Buddha 

Good luck with mastering!


BTW: I remastered my album (10 100) 11 and it is available on Beatport.

                                                                                                        Where am I, now?

I'm typing on my iMac at the moment, so probably I am behind my screen. Yes. But, that was not the answer to my question. Where am I as a Producer and most important as a DJ?


If I'm honest towards myself, I haven't grown as a DJ the last year, if it comes to gigs. Problem! 

Houston, we have a problem. Did I grow as a DJ if it comes to mixing? Yes. If I listen to old mixes, I can conclude that I've grown. That's a good thing!

Around the year 2011, I fully decided to become a successful/professional DJ. This doesn't mean; I'm gonna be rich in terms of money, but to be able to make a living out of music.

What has happened? I've worked hard on it since 2011. Before, I also seriously worked on it. But the last two and a half year, I really worked seriously hard on it. I'm on the right path, but you have to keep on moving to keep your balance.

                                                                             Jssst - Balance (Play Me Album)

I was a Bedroom DJ / Producer and now I am a small DJ, producer, triple label owner, accountant, marketeer and a digital designer. Imagine you're running three labels, it takes a lot of time. But of course you get a lot of things back in return. And I'm not speaking in terms of money. I mean energy, knowledge and pleasure. That's quality time!

All my musical projects (producing, running a label, uploading mixes etc.) takes more than 40 hours a week and then it's only 20-30% on pure music. I mean producing and mixing. The rest of the time is spent behind the screen with thinking/working/branding/administration and so on. 

But, it works! Remember, it's a slow process. My views, listenings and sales are growing. As well as my discography, and fellow producers on my label. Released this year two albums and some singles and got a lot of future releases planned. 

But the number of gigs remains the same.. Let's grab this motherfucker and shake the devil out of it! Currently, I'm working on it.

Hope to be back soon on this topic, with some exciting news:-)

All the best and don't forget to live the dream.., instead of. Peace!

Jssst

Jssst is Picking 3 Candidates of the 'Next Generation Top DJ's' 

Who will be the #1 DJ  of 2020?? I've done some research and picked 3 talented guys out of the infinite pool of DJ's and Producers. Let's start! The first one is...:

JoeySuki

Real name: Probably Joey and a last name. Probably the same name as his father.

Year of Birth: 1988

Hometown: Tilburg, The Netherlands




Bio: 

It all started for Joeysuki in 2006 when he made is debut on the famous Dutch label Sneakerz, which got big support from DJ’s such as Erick E, Laidback Luke and Sidney Samson. He started in 2007 with producing and got his first releases in 2008. He has done some international tours the last years and is ready to take over the world.

The next candidate for one of future top DJ's  is:

3LAU

Real name: Justin Blau 

Year of Birth: 1991

Hometown: Las Vegas, United States

Bio: 

Justin 3LAU is a musician and producer known primarily for his bootlegs and remixes.
Currently 21 years old, 3LAU began writing at the piano at the young age of four. After picking up guitar, drums, and discovering his voice, it was inevitable that 3LAU would tackle the studio.
While studying Finance at Washington University In St. Louis, 3LAU began to explore dance music in the spring of 2011, quickly developing a dedicated following for his fusion of familiar acapellas with instrumental bangers.
With just a year under his belt, 3LAU has received acclaim from Tiesto, R3hab, Porter Robinson and more. 
2013 is the year he released some tracks on Revealed Recordings, Hardwell's label. Keep an eye on him, he is going like a rocket!

Last, but defo not least:


Julian Jordan

Real name: Jordan Julian (I guess;-)

Year of Birth: 1997

Hometown: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Bio: 

A 16 year old hyper talented Dance Music producer. Recognized by Spinnin' Records as a rare talent at his age, they were keen to release his debut 'Rock Steady' and got picked up by all the Top DJ's right away. After that the massive Oxford followed, a collab with TV Noise. Then Julian took it to a next level, releasing club smasher Kangaroo which he created with no ne other than Sander van Doorn,. And Sander van Doorn, Nicky Romero, Hardwell, Thomas Gold and Diplo are just a handful of DJs currently hammering Julian Jordan's records in the clubs. With this much commotion already being stirred up, we see a bright future ahead and suspect it won't be long before Julian Jordan is a household name. At the moment he's touring around the globe. Keep an eye on this youngster as well!

These are three guys that are high potentials to rule the DJ scene within a couple of years. I wish them good luck and a lot of fun! Will see if they are really in the top 10 of DJ Mag within a couple of years. 

Am I able to predict the future or just an element in the chain of self fulfilling prophecies?

Peace, Jssst

  

One of the leading artists of Jssst Records actually has got a name, it is Noise Vector. He released two tracks on the label and makes really nice Techno. In addition to a lot of producers nowadays, he is still using hardware synths and drum computers. He's got a passion for that. Let's have a conversation with him. Where does he come from and who are his his inspirations?





Real Name: Daniel van Els

Artist Name: Noise Vector ( AKA: DJ Tremor / Dusp2k )

Place of Birth: Kerkrade, The Netherlands.



Jssst: Hi Daniel, nice to have an interview with you. Currently you have released two tracks on the label 'Jssst Records' and both are in the top 10 Beatport Chart of the label. How did you do it and what's your main style?

Noise Vector: I like Detroit/Birmingham/Dub and Tribal Techno. Also Deep house and Chicago. But most important is that it has to sound well, then the genre doesn't matter. 


Jssst: Can you give me some artists that you like?

Noise Vector: I like the 90's. Dave Clarke, Joey Beltram and Jeff Mills for example. Steve Stoll, Luke Slater, Steve Rachmad and Michel de Hey as well. But the list goes on. Also some harder stuff like Chris Liebing, Ben Sims, Gaetano Parisio, Shufflemaster etc. I like it a lot!


Jssst: Can you give me some labels, besides Jssst Records of course, that you do respect?

Noise Vector: I like Reload, Musicman, BUSH, Tresor, Drumcode, Primevil, Hydraulix, 100% Pure, R&S, Nervous, Strictly Rhythm, Groove On and the list goes on. Too many to mention here, but these are very important to me.


Jssst: Where does it all come from, how did you get involved with music?

Noise Vector: I started at a pretty young age. I think I was twelve when I started to experiment in Screamtracker. Beside that I also started to play Vinyl. Until 2008 I didn't do quite a lot with music because I didn't have the money and the time to work on it. But in 2008, I became obsessed again with music via Youtube. I met Simon Stokes (http://www.youtube.com/user/siedgey)  via the internet and started to produce music again. I also started to build my own studio. 
  

                                                                                                            Simon Stokes

Jssst: Alright, is there anything more you want to tell me?

Noise Vector: I'd like to tell tell that the real medium for music is and will be vinyl. That's the real thing!


Jssst: Okay, but we are a digital label;-) No, we do like vinyl as well! Thank you for having a nice chat with you and I wish you good luck and hope that you will release more tracks in the future on the label and last but not least have fun!


Noise Vector: Thank you, it was a pleasure. Cheers!
Jssst: Cheers!

    

                                                                           Noise Vector - Decompressed (Jssst Records)           

                                                                                              Download available here.

Hey yo, we're back again! New life, new start! We all have grown a lil bit further… I hope so. I think Spring is really one of the best seasons. Actually every season can be pretty cool or hot, if you prefer? But, Spring is magic! Maybe it's about the transition. Like a DJ who's spinning tracks. Song are important but the transitions may be more important.

If I'm talking about transitions, I immediately think of one track and that isn't a techno tune. But this one is not between two different tracks, but it in the track itself. There are of course transitions in the song as well as you might know.  I mean a song written by John Frusciante and Anthony Kiedis.  In that song there's one magical transition. Here's the track: 

Do you know what I had in mind?

It's about 2 minutes and 42 seconds. Truly Magic!! in my opinion... Yeah I like that one!! 

Now we have Spring! One of the best memories I've had regarding Spring and a brand new track where renewal is the right word. A track written by Burial and he has reinvented himself very clearly that season, okay with some help of Four Tet (Great producer as well). Also the title tells the story: Nova aka New. Great track:

Really love this one! Enjoy the season. It is the best one. Okay, maybe it is more about the transition...


Peace,
Jssst 



Btw, my new album is now in stores! I called her 'White' and the first track is… of course 'Spring'. 

Enjoy!

So, I decided to start  a label. Really nice! Hard work, takes a lot of time, doesn't pay the rent but it is fun! Besides mailing, promo, selecting tunes, listening, listening one more time, making Youtube vids, Youtube friends, haters;-) creating art works, upload everything and upload it one more time. I still can say it is FUN!

So, I'd like to introduce some artists of Jssst Records and their tracks:

Jssst Records 002  by Arno Burmania:

It is a very good catchy techno tune, I like it a lot. Arno could eat Techno for breakfast and that's only the start of the day. He's doing a radio show (Live From The Loft) as well and he has played on the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2011. I heard some other tracks by him and I can say that he's a talented guy. Keep an eye on him!

Jssst Records 003  by Steve Mos:




A very deep melodic Techno tune that reminds of some work done by the legend from London, Max Cooper. He has released some Trance/Progressive tunes and now he has reinvented himself with a more laid-back deeper style. And that's what we like! Talented guy as well. Steve is an active DJ in Montreal's underground scene and will release more tracks in the future.

Jssst Records 004 by Cloud_pilot:

A bit old skoolish (but in the GOOD way!) Heavily influenced by 'Acid House'. I also heard some other tracks and he's got a very distinctive and so good style! Influences come from the late 80's and Acid. Talented for sure. He's done some DJ gigs as well. More releases by him will follow!










Alright, these are the first three artists besides me that will represent Jssst Records. Artists that follow their heart and do what they have to do. Building frequencies, translate that into music and feed the world in a good way! 

Stay (de)tuned,

 Joost aka Jssst. 

@jssstrecords

The year is almost gone. Time flies, especially 2k12. That year went pretty fast. 2k13 will go faster!


Last year was pretty cool for me as ‘Jssst’ the DJ and Youtube Producer. I’ve had different milestones in 2k12, where I dreamt of a couple of years ago. I’ll name you a few: 


I’ve had my first gig on the radio, my first gig in a club and my very first official release!


Some stats: 

100 uploads on Youtube.

10 000 followers on Twitter.

100 000 Total video views on Youtube.

I’m proud of that, thank you!

Okay, my radio gig wasn’t that good. But I did it and I was nervous, but that’s a good thing. And I made mistakes, but I’ve learned from that. Besides it was the very first time I played ‘The Pioneers CDj’s’ and all live on the radio. So, I jizzled in my pants but with 'Cojones'!

Okay, the gigs were mostly on Monday. Not really prime time, but perfect to work on your skills. And I’ve become a better DJ, last year. 

Alright, I’m not signed to a huge label. But you have to start somewhere and I’m proud of a release on Delude Records.

In 2k13 I will focus on two things. More gigs and I will work on my new label called ‘Jssst Records’. The good thing is that 2k13 will start with a brand new release by me on my new label. On the first of January, my track is in stores! And the year will go fast! More artists are going to release tracks and maybe you, as well.

Because dreams can become plans and plans reality.

But don’t waste your time, because relative to your whole life, a year in the future is shorter than a year in the past. 2k13 will go fast!

Merry X-masss,  live the dream..

Jssst 

P.S. Here I have a x-mass gift 4 u:-)

Enjoy! 

Money!! 

I wanna be filthy rich! Yeah that's what I want to be.. In one of my first blogs I wrote that it isn't about money. That's true, but money is important. I'm not making music for money. I make music, because I want to. But.. money is also important! Unfortunately, I got bills, as well. Just like you.. 

So, I better combine those facts: 

  
'I need to make music and  

I need money'. 

Solution: Make music and sell it. Easy! Yeah, right.. 

No, that's not the case. I know from experience that most people will not download on iTunes and also won't check me out on Spotify. Alright, you go to a real 'Jssst' gig with all your friends and family and buy a ticket. Okay, but where and when is it? 

I know from my own experiences that is also pretty hard to get a gig, and when I do have a gig. In most cases people won't pay for a ticket. It is a free gig!! So, I can't make money with it... 

Okay, but how the freaking hell am I suposed to pay my bills? 

Solution: Get a proper job. 

I have, actually I got two jobs. And I like that work. The first job is a worker/trainer in a warehouse (where originally the name 'House' comes from;-). The second one is sharing my knowledge about math to students. 

Both jobs pay my bills.    

But I want to combine those jobs. What will we get? Sharing 'House' music to people. Better known as a DJ. 

I am a DJ! Yeah!! 

But I'm still in learning proces. 

Some day that will pay my bills! 

I hope. Or the worst case scenario will become real. That would be the mad professor who's counting everything, always in the warehouse... dancing on his beats in his twisted mind. 

But hey, he's able to pay the rent.. 

Peace out! 

Jssst 


iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jssst/id429253460?uo=4 

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/artist/3C3q5LbC3ROZaFbTr2DzKE 

Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/#search?query=jssst&facets%5B0%5D=fieldType%253Arelease 


@jssst 

 (10 100) 11 WTF! 

I'm gonna write something about my
latest album called '(10 100 ) 11'. What the hell does that stand for? Actually,
it is binary. I make Electronic Music and that is made
with computers. And computers only understand computer language. Basically you
can bring everything to zeros and ones. 10100 is binary for 20. If you combine
20 and 11, you'll get 2011 and not 31. Cause 31 is the sum, but we're not at
school. This is Jssst University, it's different! So, we have 2011 and that's the
year I made the album. All tunes are written in 2011. 

Binary, that's pretty cool!! How
does that work? 

Each digit stands for the power of
2. 

Binary:  Normal: 
0                   0 
1                    2^0 = 1 
00                0 
01                 1 
11                  2^1 + 2^0 = 3 
011               3 
111                2^2 + 2^1 +2^0 = 7
... 
… 
... 
10100          2^4 + 0 + 2^2 + 0 + 0 = 16 + 4 = 20 

QED. 

The first track of my album is
called Playa Den Bossa. It's in Ibiza, great place. One of the best Discoteques
is called Space and it is in Playa Den Bossa. In 2011 I arrived in Ibiza, for
the second time,  and I thought I had booked a hotel in front of Space. At least
I was there in 2009, and I thought I had the same hotel. But what did I see?
That hotel was totally changed, it was very posh looking. It is better known as Ushuaia, now.
A hotel for the rich and famous with regular performances of well known
DJ's. Great place! 

My hotel was a few meters away
from this place (You can see my hotel at 00:47 in the video:-). I booked a 1 person room but it has the biggest balcony with sea view and a view on Ushuaia. So, that was perfect!! 

I had a great holiday. Went
clubbing pretty hard, met nice persons and chilled at the pool. Briliant
holiday! Next year, I'm there for sure as well. 

Track 1 of '(10 100) 11' : Jssst -
Playa Den Bossa (BBQ edit). 

Enjoy! 
Jssst.