Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[monsterthompson]

I finally started creatively sequencing the Erica Black Sequencer. I don’t know why it took me so long to arrive here, but it happened. I’ve just been using the Sequencer to play fairly rudimentary parts and occasionally sequencing multiple voices using the four channels it has.

This weekend I finally got around to sending CV in to the sequencer to transpose the running sequence. I’m doing this with my Arturia MicroFreak. For some reason the voltage wasn’t translating correctly, but the Erica has a calibration tool that got things sorted out.

Carrying that momentum I decided to see if I could sequence the sequencer with itself. Sure enough, I can. I built a pattern on channel 1 and then set up a CV on another channel to trigger the transposition of channel 1. Following that I tried using the gate from one channel to trigger the reset function. Success there.

Next I set the gate controlling the reset to have a probability of triggering and that’s where things got interesting. The channel 1 sequence would run and then occasionally interrupt itself and restart depending on the probability used for the gate on another channel.

This is the kind of stuff I can’t think of and play on bass… yet. I like the effect of building a pattern and then restarting it in a place that doesn’t feel like a natural choice (for me). I need to be able to disengage my brain from the act of playing and listen to what’s coming through my headphones. Since it’s on a sequencer, I should be able to slow the entire pattern and attempt to mimic what I sequence.

…it’s probably a bit busy to be ambient, but I don’t know many others I can share this kind of light bulb moment with.

 

[Ritter667]

Rhythmically based progressive drone-ish electro ambient, or something:

I call it "Meta-Poly-Gone Balderdash".

 

[Ritter667]

Rhythmically based progressive drone-ish electro ambient, or something:
View attachment 7360014

I call it "Meta-Poly-Gone Balderdash".

There is also this slower wobblier version:

 

[Spectrum]

…it’s probably a bit busy to be ambient, but I don’t know many others I can share this kind of light bulb moment with.

Slow it down and slur it up in reverb, and Bob's your uncle!

But that thing you're doing with the sequencers sounds like you're describing "generative" music, where it randomly plays itself. I've been playing around with that idea using the sequencers of my Mother 32's in random mode and routing control voltages around, with varying degrees of satisfaction. Nothing that's blown me away so far, but it is fun to just start the machines running on autopilot while I'm busy with something else in the house.

 

[monsterthompson]

Slow it down and slur it up in reverb, and Bob's your uncle!

But that thing you're doing with the sequencers sounds like you're describing "generative" music, where it randomly plays itself. I've been playing around with that idea using the sequencers of my Mother 32's in random mode and routing control voltages around, with varying degrees of satisfaction. Nothing that's blown me away so far, but it is fun to just start the machines running on autopilot while I'm busy with something else in the house.

Yeah. It’s quasi generative. There’s still enough control over the probability that it can create reproducible results that can be nudged. But it is getting me out of my usual comfort zone, and that’s important.

I’m seeing the limits of the sequencer on the horizon. It isn’t bad, but it can only go so far in a certain direction. I’ve been eyeing other sequencers and might end up with one at some point. First I need a few good arguments for why, other than new is neat.

 

[steubig]

@monsterthompson

the five12 vector is pretty great

 

[monsterthompson]

@steubig it is on my list. It’ll probably happen at some point.

 

[theunknowndude]

So haven’t visited here in ages…
My only update is that after months ( well February) I finally got another laptop… downloaded the stuff I had before like pigments and reaper. And have had barely time to turn it on since! Ahhh the joys of being a hobbyist with 4 kids who take up all my time

 

[Ritter667]

Rhythmically based progressive drone-ish electro ambient, or something:
View attachment 7360014

I call it "Meta-Poly-Gone Balderdash".

There is also this slower wobblier version:
View attachment 7360150

Apologize for spam but here's a third, and the final version:

And this is the full title: Meta-Poly-Gone Balderdash - "The Migrating Migraine of a Thousand Headless Mice Heading for the Perpetually Distant Horizon of Absolute Oblivion"

 

[monsterthompson]

Speaking of sequencers

 

[hieronymous]

I turned on my Moog Grandmother for the first time in a while - months if not close to a year. It still works, and I still seem to know how to use it. I wanted to record something with just the Grandmother, no effects, no editing afterwards (other than boosting overall volume). This is a segment from one of my first passes:



There were times when I wasn't sure what was going on - in this video I'm furiously tweaking knobs near the beginning but the sound doesn't change In hindsight I think I was tweaking stuff in the modulation section but the mod control was at zero - oops! I do like some of the sounds, and I do like how the GM is set up. I was just using it as-is, but had some ideas for patching as I was playing. I also kind of like the way the spring reverb gets jostled a little at higher settings (as in more than 3 lol) - felt like a mini Jon Lord! Also felt Sun Ra beaming in...

 

[PhR75]

Multitracked fretless bass, some through the Hardwire DL-8. External reverb and percussion played by a friend.

 

[monsterthompson]

Firmware update for Torso Granular

 

[monsterthompson]

I told myself I was going to play bass today. I don’t know where things went wrong.

 

[monsterthompson]

So I ended up playing no instruments for a while yesterday. I used the Erica Zen Delay to generate feedback with the resonant filter and long repeat/feedback times on short delays. I ran that into a reverb and started getting some interesting textures. Experiments will continue.

 

[Spectrum]

Just dropped:

 

[monsterthompson]

Just dropped:

That’s interesting.
I wonder if the high end crackle and hiss noise is the pedal itself or another part of the signal chain in the demo. It’s a little distracting but can probably be filtered.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Just dropped:

Well… I’m not gonna pretend I wouldn’t use one if it showed up under the Christmas tree, and — especially if you could do footpedal control of the “Atom” parameter — it could be a pretty cool addition to the ambient arsenal.

But I found the intentionally vague descriptions by the voiceover dude rather off putting. The on screen text in that video seemed to offer slightly more plausible explanations for what’s happening.

On a scale of “meh” to “WANT!” I’d give it a “Huh…”

 

[Spectrum]

Well… I’m not gonna pretend I wouldn’t use one if it showed up under the Christmas tree, and — especially if you could do footpedal control of the “Atom” parameter — it could be a pretty cool addition to the ambient arsenal.

But I found the intentionally vague descriptions by the voiceover dude rather off putting. The on screen text in that video seemed to offer slightly more plausible explanations for what’s happening.

On a scale of “meh” to “WANT!” I’d give it a “Huh…”

When it comes to weird pedals I usually just use my ears. The knobs have pointless names. Ideally I'd demo this in a store before buying, but you can't always find weird ones at a local shop.

 

[monsterthompson]

Any of the gang here familiar with the Access Virus models? I’m getting interested but uncertain which model I would hunt down.