New Nebula Presets – The Console strip Pro

If you have ever wished you could get the API sound on a budget – look no further.
These are deliberately over the top for effect.
Get it here

An Acustica audio’s Nebula user reflective

Once in a while I see a comment on a forum of whether somone should buy ‘another’ program or preset pack and I often have a quiet chuckle. Its as if we in the Nebula world have had a big meal and are well and truly stuffed. ‘Okay no more! There’s no more room in my belly. I have had enough. I don’t need anymore’. Until the next hunger pangs kick in and the next release comes along LOL. Can you ever build a studio with too many hardware options?
A little personal story if I may. Not directed at just a rambling on my obervations. When I arrived in the UK and started my life from scratch I almost cried at the expense of owning tools to allow me to pursue my musical dreams. I almost thought someone had played a joke on me. Back in the day about 2003 I discovered the usual large retailers who sold the usual mass appeal mid priced stuff sold be college graduates. Etcetera, The now defunct Turnkey on Tottenham road, DV247 and so on. But then I realised that in spite of having an M-box, Protools and the Sony Oxford bundle, there was something missing. I had a Rode NTK microphone which was a nice valve mic but was limited in options. I needed a high quality low cut switch and a preamp that gave me some eq options. I did a bit of research and ended up getting the GML 2032 from HHB. I had heard of and read of George Massenburg on various forums and was in awe of his Discography. His music was music I had grown up with. So off I went and got that piece only to discover that it actually would be nice to crank up the input and get a nice warm fuzzy sound once in a while. Well GML won’t give that to you if that’s what you want. So eventually got another one for stereo work but still had the rock sound in my head that was fat, distorted and distinct. I knew I needed more options.

So I got q-clone and it helped with a few options but where was the warmth and distortion. Antares came out with a plugin modelling tubes. Aaah that’s a bit better. But wouldn’t real tubes be even better? Off to a shop called KMR after a lengthy research. Wow what a catalogue. Now we are talking, re-issues of stuff the Beatles recorded on, The Who, The Rolling Stones, all the 80s musicians I had listened to. That sound was now in one place under one roof. So many options, but so out of luck, why? Well none of that stuff was cheap. Forget middle of the road kid, this is the high end. Welcome to the kind of shop that can wreck marriages and cause you to sell your children’s future. You could easily spend 100k in that place and come away with 5 pieces. I could never save nearly enough in a lifetime to own ‘those sounds’ nor could I justify it.

But a little community begun brewing. People like me, frustrated by the high price point if entry into ‘those sounds’, the high cost of plugins that didn’t quite do what the hardware did and a lack of CPU. But a revolution begun with the lab techs at Intel leading the way. Suddenly Giancarlo and company’s skills could be matched by the CPU grunt of a workstation and the third party devs begun to flourish. I discovered a simple website run by a very nice, courteous and refreshingly knowledgable American called Michael Angel. He always replied my e-mails and gave very good explanations for any enquiries I made. I bought all the stuff he produced in a heartbeat. He and the Nebula family understood what we all now know. It actually is possible to get ‘ that sound’ and deliver it over files on the internet and into a computer. It had happened to the CD and now it happened to ‘sounds’. No postage, no waiting, no cash tills. Instant on-demand, virtual cheap studio sounds. But many still don’t appreciate how HUGE this is. Like, dude you can own the sound of a $10 000 eq in your computer for like 1/ 300th of the price.

I stopped crying then about not being able to get ‘that sound’ anymore. I embraced the revolution for what is was. Absolutely Mega! This game has changed.

So when I go to the GS forum and see another member ask in the high end forum – Help me spend 75 k on my studio, what to get? First I chuckle and then I think to myself either you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you are blind to the revolution ( and find fault with the website, the GUI, the documention, the CPU hog etc ) or you simply need to visit another forum errrrrrrr . . . . the Acustica audio one.
I’m laughing all the way to the bank thanks to the community coz I have saved so much and can get comparable results to the big guys – well sorta – just my own skills the dividing factor. So big thanks to guys like Michael, Alex. AITB. Wisecup and the rest.

All of this to say. The revolution only works if you support the guys who started it. I know it may sound odd coming from a developer but I am not saying this for me. I am a late comer. We should honour these guys who had the vision to start it off by buying their products because some of them went into this fulltime. Don’t buy it cause it’s just another tool that you may need. Buy it because it has enabled us all to smile when we push a slider and know that this is our little secret despised by the unitiated. Haters be gone. Buy it because it sounds incredible. Buy it to keep the revolution going forward. Viva democracy in Pro Audio. Being spoilt for choice is a tremendous privilige we must never take for granted because this rev is a double edged sword. It can be tarnished as easily as someone placing a free file of anything on the internet.
Peace
H

Nebula presets emulation list

I get requests once in a while about which hardware was sampled in my online shop. For those wishing to get their heads around what I sampled for Acustica Audio’s Nebula download the PDF list below check it out.

http://www.henryolonga.net/Nebula/Nebulapresets_Emulation_preset_list_04-10-12.pdf

Best wishes
Henry

Two new websites launched.

Just in case you may have missed my movements in the last few weeks, I have just launched a new website to sell my book and another for my nebula presets.

My books new website is easy to follow as it is the title of the book…..Blood, sweat and treason

My nebula presets website is equally easy to find. Get your nebula programs and presets here and say hello to a new way of mixing…..Nebula Presets

Enjoy.

Another free Nebula preset – Valve preamp

Right guys – this one is pretty special IMHO. That’s all I am going to say really. Smooth tubes – gorgeous mid range.

Sampled at high resolution – Provided at 96 khz – enjoy and if you like it let me know.

Why all the free stuff one might ask – what’s the catch you may think. Simply put – my Father is very generous and has taught me to be the same. I am patron of a charity that I support in Zimbabwe. I have been accepted as a third party provider for Acustica and my soon to be released commercial libraries will help support the charity. It also allows me to practice the art of sampling which has a learning curve. Watch this space. More freebies coming as usual.

Henry

Get it HERE

Free Mastering tools for Q-clone


PLEASE NOTE THAT I NOW HAVE A NEW SHOP FOR ALL MY PRESETS AND ANY OLD POSTS REFERRING TO MY OLD SHOP ARE NOW DEFUNCTAll my presets are now here

Been busy again and added a few free Q-clone presets for your professional use all for FREEEEEEEE!!!!! These are mainly good for adding presence in the high end to tracks. Some do subtle things like add ‘zip’ or ‘fizz’ as I call it while some tighten things a little. Most are easy to hear so experiment with diferent sources. These are really aimed at full mixes as if you add too many in your mix it can get a little too hard – if you have dull stuff then go for it!!!!

Get the package here – Henry_Olonga _Mastering_tools.zip

Also Check out my free Nebula Distortion presets that add that analog glow to tracks to help get rid of ‘digititus’.

Power Distortion

Henry Olonga’s Commercial libraries for Q-clone

Have fun!!!

My first audio book reading for Premiere Radio

I was asked to do a book reading of a story for Premiere Christian radio here the UK to help young people have access to the ancient truths of biblical revelation . Its a new take on the life of Joseph. For those interested in hearing this retired sad cricketer reading please set aside 30 minutes and listen to it here.

yhwhbook.com/index.php

Our Zimbabwe 2011 is finally here!!!

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The Live performance is from a few years ago and is not on the single but for your listening pleasure. If you can ignore the bum notes. It was recorded to DSD.

BUY OUR ZIMBABWE now using PAYPAL for only £ 1 [wp_eStore_fancy:product_id:19:end]

This is a 124 MB download.

BUY The Original OUR ZIMBABWE now using PAYPAL for only £ 3 [wp_eStore_fancy:product_id:16:end]

This is a 33 MB download.

Please do not use a download accelerator as this will only cause problems on your end.

I am very excited to release this new version of Our Zimbabwe ten years after the original version captured the hearts of many patriotic Zimbabweans. A lot of hard work went into producing this single and this time around I had the privilege of working with a very talented producer Andy Wright. The mastering was handled by the wonderful skills of Michael Angel a man who did this for no reward but just to lend a helping hand along the way. Thanks to them for doing a sterling job. Andrew Baird had some rehashed arrangement work, Bruce Izzett made an appearance playing the organ and James Watson played electric guitar and ebow.
You will find three files in the download. A flac file which is a 24 bit studio quality file for audiophiles that requires compatible hardware/ software. I recommend Korg’s free Audiogate software if you do not have high end hardware or software and it will use the built in sound card of your computer. I have also included a CD quality mp3 file and finally a sing along file. The Karaoke file is something that many people have been asking me about for years so I have included this so that people can use it to sing at parties, functions etc. please note that it is a mono file and is not suitable for high quality production. Any commercial use is not permitted but I can supply a commercial license on request with a high quality stereo file.
The original version of our Zimbabwe is still available to purchase in mp3 format in my my web store and the skills of Andrew Baird will lead to my releasing some more material in the coming months that I worked on with him recently. Please keep checking my website for updates and follow me on Twitter and Facebook if you wish.
Thanks so much for supporting me by buying my music. Best wishes and please kindly recommend my music to others. God Bless you.
Henry Olonga

Our Zimbawe 2011 full info with website links PDF

Music rollout begins this week

My long worked on projects are almost there and I will begin the rollout starting tomorrow with Our Zimbabwe

A painting I am working on



I know this doesn’t look like much as I haven’t done his head but it will completed soon. The outgoing headmaster of Wrekin College in Telford has kindly commisioned me to do his portrait. Should be done by July. Time oh time where art thou? There is always a challenge as an artist to capture the imagination of a client.

Whether it is producing music, writing a story or painting a portrait the challenge remains to balance your ability, your vision and their desires. Not an easy thing to do and when they happen to be a close friend you always want to give your best. As they say – the customer is always right. Thanks for trusting me Mr Drew. Peace