Les Fradkin: News

Advanced is what I do.  I'm working on a new CD with the Ztar.... Stay tuned!

 

Les Fradkin announces the release of his new EP: "Together for The World"

3 stirring themes for bringing the World together.

The featured theme song of Artists for America - a grass roots "Organizing for America" Campaign for 2010. "Together" is featured on the Hart Radiothon presented by John David Hart.

"Together", featuring guest harmony vocals from RRO Entertainment artist Amber Gomez (formerly of Venus In Bluejeans), offers a potent message for today: "Together, we'll all be one one day". You'll be singing along with this "Give Peace A Chance" and "We Are The World" of the 21st Century. This track features Les on Lead Vocals, Rickenbacker 12 string Guitar, Mellotron and Ztar Orchestrations-new for this special wide stereo single mix version. The inventor of Rock Opera, Mark Wirtz, declares: "Bloody brilliant!"

"The Rebirth Of Hope"- the first of two instrumentals on this special EP, features a very emotional theme. Les features on Hammond Organ, lead guitar and Starr Labs Ztar Orchestrations.

"Anthem For All Nations" is a Ztar featured instrumental which was inspired by a Georg Handel Minuet from his Concerto Grosso 6 Opus Number 5. Les' treatment of this piece, which heavily features his Starr Labs Ztar, has been described by Malcolm Campbell: "This is the closing movement of Op.6 No.5, a typically elegant minuet dazzlingly transformed into an anthem of truly Handelian majesty (note the striking evocation of an ethereal choir from 2:45)."

Campbell continues: "Les deploys four Mellotron dubs to create an awesomely ample soundstage recalling the huge musical resources mustered by the maestro himself in the anthems he composed for the wonderfully reverberant acoustics of Westminster Abbey. Full of clever touches, it constantly surprises, and furnishes an object lesson in the skilful use of modern technology to create an illusion of large-scale musical forces — a sleight of hand that brilliantly re-interprets shining compositions sourced from what an eminent writer on the period has termed ‘a fascinating cast of musical magicians'." "Anthem" conjures up a peaceful but stirring feeling... "Together for The World".

On sale now at:

The Les Fradkin Reverb Nation Store

http://www.reverbnation.com/store/artist_183574

On sale now at CD Baby:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/LesFradkin1

And visit the new Les Fradkin Official Merchandise Zazzle Store

http://www.zazzle.com/lesfradkin

Now, you can buy Digital downloads of Les Fradkin's music at the 7Digital Indie Store!

Hear the future of MIDI Guitar.....

Dr. John v. Kampen, an expert writer in electronics, science and music, has just blogged

a new article about me and the Ztar. 

http://my.opera.com/nepmak2000/blog/les-fradkin-man-of-a-thousand-voices-weekend-music

It's time to rock the vote!

Hyper Midi Guitar Now at Apple iTunes!

http://tinyurl.com/yz4o58f

Hyper Midi Guitar Now at CD Baby!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/lesfradkin22

I've got a new CD which will be released this month. 

"Hyper Midi Guitar"

To hear "Sabre Dance" click the link below:

http://www.myspace.com/lesfradkin

This is available NOW! Features covers of songs by guitarists/groups such as Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Dave Edmunds (Love Sculpture), Robert Fripp (King Crimson), Steve Howe (Yes), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Tom Scholz (Boston), Jimi Hendrix, and Pete Townshend (The Who).

Hyper Midi Guitar Track list:

1. Sabre Dance

2. All Along The Watchtower

3. 21st Century Schizoid Man

4. Immigrant Song

5. Situation

6. Layla

7. Roundabout

8. Highway Star

9. More Than A Feeling

10. Pinball Wizard / See Me Feel Me Medley

 

As many of you know, music critics have called

me a one man band. And yes, it's true- I play

all the instruments on this new CD, as I have

many times in the past on most of my recordings.

 

I've always looked for new ways to make electronic

MIDI Guitar a more expressive instrument. As always,

I've strived to take MIDI Guitar to the next level.

 

My newest recording, "Hyper MIDI Guitar" is the

first where I play ALL the guitar and bass parts

from my Starr Labs Ztar. triggering a completely

custom made sample library, which was assembled

for this project. With admirable restraint, I can say

I did not pick up any of my guitars or basses to record

this CD. Enjoy! And stay tuned for the official worldwide

release of "Hyper MIDI Guitar".

It's Antonio Vivaldi's birthday today! And what better way to celebrate than to listen to Les Fradkin's Vivaldi interpretations on his "Baroque Rocks! CD.

 

LES FRADKIN- "Baroque Rocks!" Les' CD which combines the sensibility of Baroque music with the drive of rock! 

 

Featuring themes from Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Pachelbel, Mason Williams and Les Fradkin Track Listing: 1. The Myth of El Cid 2. Handel Rocks 3. All The King's Men 4. Spring (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") 5. Summer (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") 6. Autumn (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") 7. Winter (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") 8. Classical Gas 9. Canon In D 10. Air On A G String 11. Baroque and Roll 12. Anthem For All Nations

http://cdbaby.com/cd/lesfradkin20

Native Instruments Reaktor and The Finger
Category: Music
Have just added Native Instruments Reaktor to my sonic arsenal.

Although I've owned the program for years, it seldom saw action till now
since I've lately learned to design my own instruments to do certain jobs for my next CD.

In addition, I bought Tim Exile's Reaktor program- "The Finger". This software gets
some quite unusual MIDI effects, which, when controlled from a Ztar, sound amazing and different from what Tim gets when controlling them from a keyboard.

Ever heard and seen a Starr Labs Ztar? The Ultimate MIDI Guitar Curious? Be in the know and check out the Les Fradkin Video Collection! Featuring "Lift Off"- The Rock Television Winner of the Month!

"Baroque Rocks!", the new Les Fradkin Ztar album, is now available for preview and purchase at amazon.com and Apple iTunes!


It's a blend of Progressive neo classical rock and baroque music featuring Vivaldi, Handel, Bach and new composers. If you like Yngwie Malmsteen, ELO, Vivaldi, Steve Vai and great Baroque music, this is for you. And the main attraction is Les Fradkin and his remarkable Starr Labs Ztar.

STRESS SOLUTION:
Next time job stress has you gnashing your teeth, try listening to Vivaldi, Handel or Bach. These composers are all covered on "Baroque Rocks!" A just released study reveals that listening to music composed during the 17th Century (Baroque Period) can boost your mood!

http://www.amazon.com/Baroque-Rocks/dp/B002BB0VDM/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1243448154&sr=1-10
Amazon.com: Baroque Rocks!: MP3 Downloads: Les Fradkin
Source: www.amazon.com Amazon.com: Baroque Rocks!: MP3 Downloads: Les Fradkin by Les Fradkin


Baroque Rocks! Track Listing:
1. The Myth of El Cid
2. Handel Rocks
3. All The King's Men
4. Spring (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
5. Summer (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
6. Autumn (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
7. Winter (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
8. Classical Gas
9. Canon In D
10. Air On A G String
11. Baroque and Roll
12. Anthem For All Nations

Les Fradkin makes an appearance on TDFZ Radio this Saturday, August 8, 2009. Host Chris Newman will feature his Ztar opus "Summer" from Les' "Baroque Rocks!" CD release.

TDFZ Radio Show:
http://soundfuturesdirect.com/blog Listen to the weekly Tangerine Dream Fans Zone Radio show.
(New shows available each & every Saturday 12 noon GB-BST)

Les Fradkin, the virtuoso of MIDI Guitar,presents "System Crash", from his CD "Reality-The Rock Opera". Les continues to innovate with his self developed Ztar technique which combines two handed tapping, finger picking and Ableton Live Clip triggering control.

This video is long (over 7 minutes). Be patient. Watch the whole thing if you can!

Robert Fripp once remarked in Guitar Player Magazine: "There is a new music to go with this new instrument. Therein lies my interest in the guitar synthesizer. That something entirely new will appear." This COULD be it! Come have a look and listen to the MIDI Guitar sound of the future.

Featuring the amazing sound of the Starr Labs Ztar!

The Ztar can be strummed with string triggers or tapped with one or both hands as seen in this video.

The main lead sound is the M-Tron (Mellotron) Flute and Oboe and the Roland XV-5080 Lead Guitar. Background sounds are from Reason 4, GForce M-Tron, Roland XV-5080 and Arturia Soft Synths.

IMPOSSIBLE FAST ZTAR!

Les Fradkin, the virtuoso of MIDI Guitar, presents "Warp Drive" from his "One Link Between Them" CD featuring his revolutionary new instrument- The Starr Labs Ztar!

Robert Fripp once remarked in Guitar Player Magazine: "There is a new music to go with this new instrument. Therein lies my interest in the guitar synthesizer. That something entirely new will appear." This COULD be it! Come have a look and listen to the MIDI Guitar sound of the future.

This album has received wide acclaim in publications such as Keyboard Magazine and across the Internet.

Les, who is classically trained, is moving at Hyper speed. In this video, he's playing the Starr Labs Ztar MIDI Guitar in a Tangerine Dream and Jean Michel Jarre meets Bach and Vivaldi influenced style on his own composition.

The Ztar can be strummed with string triggers or tapped with one or both hands as seen in this video.

The main lead sound is the Reason Thor and the Logic ES2. Background sounds are from Reason 4, GForce M-Tron, Roland XV-5080 and Arturia Soft Synths. The sounds at the intro are made with Propellerhead Reason.

Take a Journey To The Stars!

Buy "Warp Drive" at Apple iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=276863281&s=143441

LES FRADKIN- "Baroque Rocks!"

Les' new released CD which combines the sensibility of
Baroque music with the drive of rock!


Featuring themes from Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Pachelbel, Mason Williams and Les Fradkin

Track Listing:
1. The Myth of El Cid
2. Handel Rocks
3. All The King's Men
4. Spring (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
5. Summer (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
6. Autumn (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
7. Winter (from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons")
8. Classical Gas
9. Canon In D
10. Air On A G String
11. Baroque and Roll
12. Anthem For All Nations

http://cdbaby.com/cd/lesfradkin20

Harvey Starr, the inventor of the Starr Labs Ztar, offers a two part brief discussion of the basic features of the Ztar MIDI guitar controller. Covering the basic hardware and connections, the main software features and some of the basic modes of operation.

Part 1:

Part 2:

It's a very special forthcoming Dream Of Peace Special podcast taking place on April 25th. This exclusive show plus all of the TDFZ (Tangerine Dream Fan Zone) music programs are free for everyone to download and enjoy from the TDFZ radio podcast site each and every Saturday from 12 noon (GB-BST), and are all available permanently there for your continued musical enjoyment.

The TDFZ weekly friends music editions expose some of the very best of world electronica currently being produced. Les Fradkin has been featured several times on the program and April 25th has him joining Yoko Ono, Tangerine Dream, Michel Sanchez and others for a special Dream Of Peace Program. Come and join TDFZ and their ongoing musical journey of discovery each weekend with resident dreamer and host Chris Newman.

TDFZ Radio Show site:
http://soundfuturesdirect.com/blog
See it at You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7tMIoKlmkE

For Beatles fans, I've just released a special limited edition 5 song EP
called "The White Single."

5 instrumental versions of White Album songs:
featuring my Starr Labs Ztar and my Fender "Rocky" Stratocaster.

Titles:
Back In The USSR
The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill
Birthday
Savoy Truffle
Good Night

Link for Apple iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=313632622&s=143441
Link for Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/The-White-Single/dp/B0027BI0OI/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1240849167&sr=1-12
Link for CD Baby:
http://www.cdbaby.com/lesfradkin19

Les Fradkin, from the Original Cast of Beatlemania, presents "Orbiter" from his "One Link Between Them" CD.


Robert Fripp once remarked in Guitar Player Magazine: "There is a new music to go with this new instrument. Therein lies my interest in the guitar synthesizer. That something entirely new will appear." This COULD be it! Come have a look and listen to the new MIDI Guitar sound of the future.

This album has received wide acclaim in publications such as Keyboard Magazine and across the Internet.

Les, who is classically trained, is moving at Hyper speed. In this video, he's playing the Starr Labs Ztar MIDI Guitar in a Jean Michel Jarre meets Robert Fripp influenced style on his own composition.

The Ztar can be strummed with string triggers or tapped with one or both hands as seen in this video.

The main lead sound is the Les Fradkin Lead Guitar Sample and the Logic ES2. Background sounds are from an M-Tron, Roland XV-5080 and Arturia Soft Synths. The sounds at the intro are made with The GForce M-Tron Pro and Propellerhead Reason.

Take a Journey To The Stars!

MIDI Guitar.... as you've never seen it before!

Yes, a MIDI Guitar can sound like a guitar, not just a synthesizer.

The Les Fradkin Liberty Video is out!!


This is a cover of the Steve Vai classic guitar instrumental "Liberty" which was originally recorded by Steve Vai on his "Passion & Warfare" album. In this video, Les Fradkin is playing the Starr Labs Ztar MIDI Guitar in his Neo Classical Bach influenced style - two handed tapping of the famous Steve Vai composition with a shred guitar sample with feedback that has to be heard and seen to be believed! Perfectly in sync with 4th of July fireworks.

This video clip was recorded LIVE on July 4, 2008 at Rhyolite National Park in Castle Rock, Colorado at
Les' July 4th live concert.

MIDI Guitar.... as you've never seen it before!


The sound is a shred guitar sample with feedback on aftertouch:


Have fun checking it out and thanks for your continued support!

Les Fradkin, from the Original Cast of Beatlemania, presents "Lift Off" from his "One Link Between Them" CD.

This album has received wide acclaim in publications such as Keyboard Magazine and across the Internet.

Les is moving at Hyper speed. In this video, he's playing the Starr Labs Ztar MIDI Guitar in a Neo Classical Shred meets Bach influenced style on his own composition.

The Ztar can be strummed with string triggers or tapped with one or both hands as seen in this video.

The main lead sound is the Arturia Moog Modular V. Background sounds and sound at the intro are made with Propellerhead Reason.

MIDI Guitar.... as you've never seen it before!

For those of you who might be confused or misled who the original four members of Beatlemania actually were:

Mitch Weisman
Joe Pecorino
Les Fradkin
Justin McNeill

Here's a video excerpt
available at YouTube:

The Les Fradkin Tune Widget is here!



MIDI Guitar like you've never heard it before!

New from You Tube-
Les Fradkin
"A Day At The Beach" Video Promo