Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[steubig]

re sharps and flats: those solutions are good for major scales, nor minor. right?

 

[monsterthompson]

Are you aware of the similar mnemonic/trick for identifying flat keys? I only ask because I learned both shortcuts at the same time; in my nascent music education, they came as a package deal:
The second-to-last flat sign in the key signature is the root name of the (major) key.
E.g., if you see four flats in the key signature -- Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db -- it's the key of Ab, since Ab is sequentially (left to right) the second-to-last flat sign in the key signature.

I did not figure that out yet but that is super helpful. I did notice that the last flat is the name of the next key going counter clockwise, so that trick totally makes sense. Still, something seems more striking (to me, for whatever reason) that going up a fifth means you need to raise the 7th.

 

[monsterthompson]

re sharps and flats: those solutions are good for major scales, nor minor. right?

Clockwise the sharps for minors would be raising the 2nd instead of the 7th for a major.
A minor to E minor adds a sharp raising the F to an F#. E to B raises the C. It gets a little less clear after that because after B you hit F# minor which explains the need to raise the G to G# to keep a whole step.

 

[steubig]

Clockwise the sharps for minors would be raising the 2nd instead of the 7th for a major.
A minor to E minor adds a sharp raising the F to an F#. E to B raises the C. It gets a little less clear after that because after B you hit F# minor which explains the need to raise the G to G# to keep a whole step.

i’m pretty good with theory. the way i out it was my way of pointing out that the “simple mnemonics” aren’t so simple.

 

[monsterthompson]

i’m pretty good with theory. the way i out it was my way of pointing out that the “simple mnemonics” aren’t so simple.

i figured you knew your way around the circle.
i'll recalibrate my sarcasm module.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

i figured you knew your way around the circle.
i'll recalibrate my sarcasm module.

I run the gauntlet of the circle quite often.
There are many ways to approach it.
imo the simpler the better
Because you can easily over complex simple things quite easily with music theory/harmony
It’s the same 12 notes regardless of who you look at it.
They juste have different “roles” or “colors” depending on the key/harmonisation on context

 

[monsterthompson]

I run the gauntlet of the circle quite often.
There are many ways to approach it.
imo the simpler the better
Because you can easily over complex simple things quite easily with music theory/harmony
It’s the same 12 notes regardless of who you look at it.
They juste have different “roles” or “colors” depending on the key/harmonisation on context

I’ve always been a tab guy, even though I could read a little. I’m doing some practice stuff these days that involves sight reading vocal melodies and it’s forcing me to up my game. I was sitting and staring at the page noting that it was in one sharp for G, which makes sense since it’s a metal song in E. I’m practicing some Iron Maiden parts and arranging them with synths and drum loops in Ableton so I can get down to a BPM I can handle. I’m thinking about converting them to ambient tracks with some of the sounds I have going

 

[monsterthompson]

Sometimes the little adjustments have big impacts. I just grabbed a few right-angle patch cables and it keeps my sequencer controls and display more accessible and visible. It’s a bigger relief than I anticipated.

 

[monsterthompson]

Autechre Release 12 New AE_2022ï¼ Albums

A new batch of live sets recorded in Europe and Australia

pitchfork.com

 

[theunknowndude]

Just speaking of my reverb thing, I went down the rabbit hole of lots of YouTube videos (almost reverb fatigue hah) and realised the one pedal I missed having was my old walrus audio slo.
Went to a few sites and didn’t realise they have the fundamental mini series with sliders for a bit cheaper now and as well as just “fundamental reverb” they have “fundamental ambient reverb”. Looks like a serious contender if I can’t find a decently priced used slo on the market here. Pretty much the same modes but “rise” mode is replaced with a “lo fi” sample reduction reverb and the fundamental has less control over the modulation.

 

[VS]

Just speaking of my reverb thing, I went down the rabbit hole of lots of YouTube videos (almost reverb fatigue hah) and realised the one pedal I missed having was my old walrus audio slo.
Went to a few sites and didn’t realise they have the fundamental mini series with sliders for a bit cheaper now and as well as just “fundamental reverb” they have “fundamental ambient reverb”. Looks like a serious contender if I can’t find a decently priced used slo on the market here. Pretty much the same modes but “rise” mode is replaced with a “lo fi” sample reduction reverb and the fundamental has less control over the modulation.

There are quite a few available online that are reasonable. I picked the Slötvå for the three presets and I'm glad I did, I can't imagine NOT having the presets. They've since discontinued the Slötvå but there are plenty available online as well. I'm not really sure why they discontinued the Slötvå and not the Slö, that just seemed strange to me.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

To all the Microfreak users, is there a transpose function in this synth?
haven’t searched the interwebs yet, thought of asking here first.
Using with my band but we are tuned C standard so its a b$&tc to transpose everything
add to the fact a can barley “play” that thing live with a band

 

[monsterthompson]

There is a global menu option that handles that but I can’t recall exactly which one.
… wait. I might be thinking of how it sends midi not how it transposes the keyboard.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

i wonder if it’s a function of how thick the finish is.

i like a thinner finish as i feel it allows the wood to breathe a bit more (sounds better).

thinner finish might be easier to crack?

just spitballing here.

Wrong thread??

 

[steubig]

yes. tried to delete it before anyone caught it.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

@monsterthompson
After interwebs research, the Microfreak doesn’t do transposition by semi tones.

Seems like a must have feature in 2024 imo
and would be an easy implementation in a firmware update.
Seems users have been wanting this for years of Reddit and Arturia forums

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Addendum

Currently looking for another drop in replacement pickup for my squire bronco travel bass.
It’s basically a Fender Stratocaster pickup.
Any suggestions?
Posted on the short scale and bronco thread and I got cricket r generic answers

 

[monsterthompson]

Can’t help with the pickup suggestion

I did notice one of the new baristas at my local spot had bass clef tattoo, so I asked what he played. He plays bass vi and I got some feedback on some gear I was considering, so that’s a win… though not for my pocket book.

 

[Jazz Ad]

To all the Microfreak users, is there a transpose function in this synth?

As said, not doable as of today. You can transpose by octave, change the frequency reference of the A4 or transpose up or down to half a tone. No true +12/-12 semitone transposition.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

As said, not doable as of today. You can transpose by octave, change the frequency reference of the A4 or transpose up or down to half a tone. No true +12/-12 semitone transposition.

Kind of weird such a feature rich synth has a blatant lack of simple transposition.

As said previously, I’m no programmer but it must not be very difficult to implement as a firmware update.