Welcome to the Free Music Archive (Beta)

The Happy Valley Band is the Great American Songbook heard through the idiosyncrasies of the machine ear. It is what happens when a computer tries its best to pick out the tunes by ear, writes down what it hears and demands that human performers try to play it. It combines audio separation and computer automated transcription technologies together with a twisted affection for American popular music icons.

In the process of creating the music, the original recordings are first separated into individual instruments and then transcribed by computer automated techniques. Arranging the music is an effort to parse the profusion of computer analysis data into playable form. The Happy Valley Band then plays the mercilessly over-specific computer transcriptions along to the sound of the lone extracted vocal track, offering a new accompaniment to a familiar voice.

Last month The Happy Valley Band squeezed into the studio at WFMU to deliver a set of unusual interpretations on popular music classics. Performing live on Kurt Gottschalk's Miniature Minotaurs Show, the studio quickly became an obstacle course of musical equipment—saxophones, violin, accordion, pianos, guitars, basses and drums, topped off with a Farfisa and a small army of music stands. By the end of the set, the floor was hidden beneath a carpet of loose sheet music, casualties of frantic page turns as the band carefully staggered through a set of classic songs by Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and James Brown rendered in new, unrecognizable forms.

All software and sheet music will soon be available from the band's website. No classic recordings were harmed in the process. The Happy Valley Band is based out of New York, but you can catch them up north this summer at Electric Eclectics Festival.

Tracks to Sync is a monthly mix of music curated with the online video producer in mind.

As more and more people turn to video in the digital era, they are faced with the music licensing hurdles that have hindered many a film. At the same time, the increase in video production offers new opportunities for multimedia collaboration. This series aims to unite producers with musicians who have music to share for these purposes.

The tracks is this mix are available under Creative Commons licenses that allow for "derivative works," like a video (some CC licenses specify "NoDerivatives"), while retaining the parts of copyright that the rightsholders wish to keep. Creative Commons offers a few custom license combinations, and each is hyperlinked to a human-readable license + legal code, i.e. Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, aka "BY-NC-SA". You can read more about the various CC combos here, and check out FMA's HELP & FAQ for more resources.

Before using any Creative Commons music for a project, you need to make sure you follow the track's license in order to avoid copyright infringement. If you're not sure whether your use is pre-cleared by a particular license, it's always a good idea to reach out to the artist directly. Click the "i" button below to view the license along with a URL or email address where you can secure 'more permissions.'

We always love to hear about collaborations inspired by FMA music, so if you use one of these tracks, please post a link to the track page as well as to our Video Showcase. We'll feature our favorite video made using this month's tracks in the next Tracks to Sync!

5. Denmark's Quantum Jazz [quantumjazz.net] released End of Line, their second and final album, via Jamendo under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike license. Jamendo PRO offers a cool way to secure more permissions directly from the group.

6. GaBlé's 2003 netaudio release le sac de l enfer 1 is a recent add from France's Los Emes De Oso netlabel. It's chock full of intriguing lofi folk-hop beats. More music available at gableboulga.com. "humm ok" is CC BY-NC-SA.

7. CBC Radio's technology program Spark first introduced us to Bulgaria's Antony Raijekov (tony.cult.bg). "By the Coast" can be found on Jazz U, a 2003-2006 retrospective [CC BY-NC]

via Bad Panda Records — We're glad to announce our 2nd physical release and introduce you Indian Wells. His first track "Deuce" [mp3] just debuted on XLR8R and was likened to Shlohmo’s lo-fi textures and Actress’ gritty techno mantras.

Debut LP "Night Drops" will be out in june, meanwhile pre-order one of the 100 numbered CDs before they’re gone forever and follow Indian Wells on FB or SNDCLD for more news/mp3s.

Dans l´cul Danku! is a 3 day Festival held at the Sub071 Multipleks squat in Leiden, now on its second edition. Unfortunately Noise Problems couldnt attend but to celebrate and spread the good word we posted last year gigs from Theme of Laura and Les Louise Mitchels that we managed to record amidst all the DIY madness.

In their own speak Dans l´cul fest "is a DIY (do it yourself) and non benefit fest. The only purpose of this fest is to share and meet together in happiness with concerts, infostands, workshops, eat & cafe and whatever. All money done are only to cover general costs as electricity water, food, drinks, materials and cover a maximum gazcosts for the participants (bands, people giving workshops)..."

There were good vibes and good music, good food and good movies!!! It was awesome and indeed happiness was ever present. For the this years edition line-up check out the new site. Theme of Laura is screaming emo-punk from Strasbourg. Les Louise Mitchels are free-rock jazz-punk from Paris. Oh la la! Dans l´cul danku!!!

And I don't care about what the prying eyes can see, i'll keep on walking without pants in the middle of this school of fish that never stop screaming; keep on dancing to not die in a life where death has more place than the laughter of fools. I'll not cry anymore and my hatred torn of my veins, thrown to the sheep, i prefer to live too much until a soon death, rather than die slowly on my shit. One more or less, you can tell about me what you want, soppy, silly, crazy, in the twisted right way or not, I would stay at attention under the banner of fools, flag I will burn before to run into the storm."