Click here to read the remarks for my final broadcast show
Life to a Beat is a radio show that aired for two and a half years on KZSC Santa Cruz. Based around electronica and modern dance music, Life to a Beat (aka LTAB) features tracks from the beginnings of techno in the late 1980s to the wide variety of electronica that is being produced today. Basically, if it's got a synthesizer in it, there's a chance that it could be played on the show. Life to a Beat previously aired on Mondays from 4-6 PM during the past school year, over the summer from 3-6 PM, and this fall from 5-6 PM. For Winter Quarter 2003, Life to a Beat aired on a new day: Wednesdays, from 12-3 PM. During the last broadcast quarter of Life to a Beat, it aired Mondays from 2-4. Now, Life to a Beat continues as it did before it was on broadcast radio - as a weekly webcast featuring the best in independent electronic music and remixes. At the moment, Life to a Beat live shows and archives are currently offline, as I work on tracking down new sources of music that do not have any issues with being webcast.
Unfortunately, yes. As KZSC is a college radio station, I've been a part of it during my time there. However, as I'm now preparing to graduate, my time at the station must come to an end, as I prepare for life beyond college. KZSC is a college radio station, and as I'm graduating, I will no longer be a part of it. There is a possibility that I may return there someday as a community member, but that's unlikely at this point.
However, don't despair - LTAB is now a webcast! This will be easier on me time-wise, in that I won't need to do as much pre-production on the show, and I can feature a somewhat wider variety of electronica that I wasn't able to feature on the broadcast show. This will also give me a chance to re-air some of my classic mixes, for those of you who didn't get to hear them before. The downside, of course, is that with my current connection, I can only feasibly webcast to 8 people at a time, at any half-decent sound quality... I'm currently looking into ways to get additional bandwidth mirrors - if you have anything to contribute in terms of that, I'd be happy to hear about it.
Electronica, simply put, is music that was largely created with digital instruments and programs, hence electronically. Departing from the pre-computer-age technique of recording acoustic (analog) instruments, in electronica, most of the sounds are derived, or at least sequenced, digitally. Electronica is a broad category, covering a wide variety of subgenres - everything from symphonic electronica (think Switched on Bach), to the popular trance/club/rave styles, to more jazzy styles such as trip-hop and drum-n-bass. For more information on the background behind Techno music, I would recommend the Electronica Primer for information on most of the different subgenres and how they came about. Alternatively, you can check out Ishkur's Interactive Guide to Electronica, which contains music samples for each subgenre (along with more than a little sarcastic dialogue).
Why, I do, of course! I, in this case, represents David Kibrick, aka DJ Dek. I have been interested in, and listening to, electronic music for many years, and am a major enthusiast. I'm not a turntablist per se (for lack of equipment), but I have been known to do digital mixes from time to time. I write electronic music as well, which is available for free online (The Life to a Beat theme song, Temple Mount, is one of my own works, and can be downloaded from the Music link above). For more information on who I am and what I do, you can visit my homepage.
Somewhere? Yes. Available to you online? To an extent. All of my previous webcasts are archived, as well as most of my broadcast shows - wither on CD-R (easy to digitize) or cassette tape (hard to digitize). Unfortunately, due to current space/bandwidth considerations, only the most recent 5 shows are available for download on the site. If you really want a copy of a particular show, drop me a line via the Requests/Comments page, and I can give you further instructions.
Certainly! One of the purposes of Life to a Beat is to promote independent musical acts on the web, including both producers and DJs. If you have a set you'd like to feature, send me a message, and I can give you further information.
Since some of my shows are prepared, and mixed, ahead of time, it is hard to mix in live requests, especially as KZSC's music library is not immediately accessible from the air room, as in commercial stations. If you are interested in hearing a particular song on the show, you can submit a request under the "Requests" link (also used for feedback), and I'll try to track it down and add it to the mix with your dedication. Or, if you like, you can call me up at (831) 459-4036 during my show, and I'll see if I can fit something in.
If you are an artist whose music is hosted electronically im mp3 format, and have it available for full download online, you can use the Feedback page to send me the URL of your music. This is not preferable, however, as I then have to decode the music and burn it to a CD before I can play it on air (at least currently). A much better way is to send a hard copy of your promo or demo CD, along with information about your band, to - ATTN: David Kibrick, KZSC Santa Cruz, Student Music East, UCSC, Santa Cruz, CA 95064. All CDs or URLs that are recieved will be reviewed, and have a very good possibility of being played on the show. Please, only send techno/trance/dance/euro styles of music - I do not usually play downtempo, ambient, or abstract electronica.
Life to a Beat is an Electronica show. As would stand to reason, electronica is the kind of music that is played on the show. In fact, Life to a Beat is one of the few shows on the entire central coast where you can still hear this genre of music. If punk/rock/metal/other type of music that is not electronica is your bag, there are many other radio stations (as well as shows on KZSC) that you will probably like better. Because Life to a Beat has a limited amount of time to showcase this genre of music, requests for other genres cannot be honored, although I am happy to honor requests in the electronica genre.
You can also download the image that was the source for the LTAB Graphics: Northern Lights (154k, 1024x768).What is Life to a Beat?!?
So, Life to a Beat is no longer on KZSC?
What is Electronica?
Who does this show?
Do you have archives of past shows?
I'm a DJ who spins independent electornic music/video game remixes, and I'd like to do a featured/guest mix for LTAB. Is this possible?
Can I make requests on your show?
I'm a representative of a band, how can I get my music played on Life to a Beat?
All this rave music you're playing on your show really sucks! Why don't you play some Slayer instead? (actual caller to LTAB)
