Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[dukeorock]

This unit (Digitone) is an FM synth with some subtractive synth elements. It's got sequence capabilities. It can make drum sounds and you can sound swap per step so it can appear to have more sequence lanes and sounds than advertised. For example, you could play a kick and a lead in the same sequenced lane assuming they didn't need to trigger on the same step.

Over on the Elektronauts forum, which is a very active forum, there was a thread called (something like)
"Gear Purchases 2019 Hits and Misses"
The biggest 'hit' for many by a large margin was the Digitone. The biggest 'miss' was the Teenage Engineering OP-Z. I've never owned either, so I got no dog in that fight. I have on a couple occasions gone through the demo patterns and presets on the Digitone and just couldn't get even sorta stoked on it, but I've heard tons of great music done one em. Guess you gotta roll up your sleeves and get to programming your own sounds, or maybe buy sound packs that suit your style best to get things started.

 

[lordradish]

As I probably mentioned, I got a Digitakt a few weeks ago, what they say about the Elektron learning curve is true, it's not overly complicated, but it's not intuitive, right out of the box. I'm finding it just takes a lot of repetition to get the instinctive memory to hit functions on the fly, I'm slowly getting there. It is cool that once I get something down, I can do some pretty cool stuff with it - I'm only limited by my drum-rhythmically challenged problem. From what I've read, the Digitone is very similar in workflow to the Digitakt. People seem to love them (my next purchase is gonna be some sorta fancy poly - that's more my thing), but if you go to town on it for a bit, it seems like it would be a pretty cool tool to have.

 

[dukeorock]

As I probably mentioned, I got a Digitakt a few weeks ago, what they say about the Elektron learning curve is true, it's not overly complicated, but it's not intuitive, right out of the box. I'm finding it just takes a lot of repetition to get the instinctive memory to hit functions on the fly, I'm slowly getting there. It is cool that once I get something down, I can do some pretty cool stuff with it - I'm only limited by my drum-rhythmically challenged problem. From what I've read, the Digitone is very similar in workflow to the Digitakt. People seem to love them (my next purchase is gonna be some sorta fancy poly - that's more my thing), but if you go to town on it for a bit, it seems like it would be a pretty cool tool to have.

Hang in there! Once you learn to speak Elektron, it starts to seem very intuitive, oddly enough

 

[lordradish]

Hang in there! Once you learn to speak Elektron, it starts to seem very intuitive, oddly enough

I don't doubt that, one bit!

 

[monsterthompson]

Mutated a few things. Now the Transmutron is functioning as a distortion crossover routed through the DA120. It really opens up the tone varieties available. That's a blessing and a curse since it's easy to get lost in options.

I've encountered my first routing issue with phase in this rig. The Transmutron needs the phase switch flipped to keep the sound full. However, that creates a downstream issue with the Zoia compressor. I built it with a parallel blend, and it is sounding pretty bad with the blend now. I'm assuming I can pop a phase inverter module in the chain, but haven't tried yet.

 

[dukeorock]

Mutated a few things. Now the Transmutron is functioning as a distortion crossover routed through the DA120. It really opens up the tone varieties available. That's a blessing and a curse since it's easy to get lost in options.

I've encountered my first routing issue with phase in this rig. The Transmutron needs the phase switch flipped to keep the sound full. However, that creates a downstream issue with the Zoia compressor. I built it with a parallel blend, and it is sounding pretty bad with the blend now. I'm assuming I can pop a phase inverter module in the chain, but haven't tried yet.

View attachment 3655234

I used google translate to try to read this post in English, but it didn't work :/

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Mutated a few things. Now the Transmutron is functioning as a distortion crossover routed through the DA120. It really opens up the tone varieties available. That's a blessing and a curse since it's easy to get lost in options.

I've encountered my first routing issue with phase in this rig. The Transmutron needs the phase switch flipped to keep the sound full. However, that creates a downstream issue with the Zoia compressor. I built it with a parallel blend, and it is sounding pretty bad with the blend now. I'm assuming I can pop a phase inverter module in the chain, but haven't tried yet.

View attachment 3655234

Jeez....phase inverters should be more on everything!!!!!

Just posted something along those lines in another thread in regards of EQ'ing an EQ can have pretty weird results

 

[monsterthompson]

I used google translate to try to read this post in English, but it didn't work :/

Ha!

Yeah. It's easier to follow if you can play and hear what's happening.

 

[monsterthompson]

Jeez....phase inverters should be more on everything!!!!!

Just posted something along those lines in another thread in regards of EQ'ing an EQ can have pretty weird results

Dude. I'm not looking forward to figuring out Zoia's Buffer delay. Since some it's effects, let's just say a delay, behave like DSP, there is latency in the processing. Other connections, say a dry blend, pass signals without latency. When you run them in parallel there's potential for phase issues.

The designers built in a "buffer" widget to add latency to the signal paths that don't have as much as other signal paths. In theory, this is helpful for realigning parallel signals, but they don't tell you how many units of latency each effect has. Guess I gotta rely on my ears and brain... so I'm screwed

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Dude. I'm not looking forward to figuring out Zoia's Buffer delay. Since some it's effects, let's just say a delay, behave like DSP, there is latency in the processing. Other connections, say a dry blend, pass signals without latency. When you run them in parallel there's potential for phase issues.

The designers built in a "buffer" widget to add latency to the signal paths that don't have as much as other signal paths. In theory, this is helpful for realigning parallel signals, but they don't tell you how many units of latency each effect has. Guess I gotta rely on my ears and brain... so I'm screwed

IMO that freakin sux, they intentionally put latency to prevent phasing???
Am i getting this right???
Just put a freakin phase inverter!!!!!

Calculating latency Sux .....makes my want to punch walls.

 

[monsterthompson]

IMO that freakin sux, they intentionally put latency to prevent phasing???
Am i getting this right???
Just put a freakin phase inverter!!!!!

Calculating latency Sux .....makes my want to punch walls.

Not quite. Let's simplify.

The Zoia has a variety of modules used to build signal chains, like little virtual pedals, or plugins, or however you visualize things.
Let's say half of the modules (like a delay effect) have latency component due to the DSP nature of what they do.
The other half of the modules will pass audio without latency, like an analog pedal (say a compressor).

Now if you want to build two parallel chains and mix the audio output you'd have:

• Bass > Delay (with inherent latency)> Mixer
• Bass > Compressor > Mixer

See how I made the top chain longer than the bottom

Based on the above, you get a phase issue since there is 'more" DSP time to the Delay than the Compressor. The designers added a "Buffer" module with the sole purpose of adding enough DSP latency to account for the offset.

Now you have

• Bass > Delay (with inherent latency) > Mixer
• Bass > Compressor + Buffer module > Mixer

See how I made the chains the same length... assuming your monitor/screen allows for this... it probably doesn't look right on phones

This buffer module allows you to rectify any differences in DSP time between multiple parallel processing chains.

Edit - Forgot to mention there is a phase inversion module in the Zoia library, too.
Edit 2 - Forgot to mention that many of the modules, like Delay have a wet/dry blend built in, which should theoretically already account for latency.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Not quite. Let's simplify.

The Zoia has a variety of modules used to build signal chains, like little virtual pedals, or plugins, or however you visualize things.
Let's say half of the modules (like a delay effect) have latency component due to the DSP nature of what they do.
The other half of the modules will pass audio without latency, like an analog pedal (say a compressor).

Now if you want to build two parallel chains and mix the audio output you'd have:

• Bass > Delay (with inherent latency)> Mixer
• Bass > Compressor > Mixer

See how I made the top chain longer than the bottom

Based on the above, you get a phase issue since there is 'more" DSP time to the Delay than the Compressor. The designers added a "Buffer" module with the sole purpose of adding enough DSP latency to account for the offset.

Now you have

• Bass > Delay (with inherent latency) > Mixer
• Bass > Compressor + Buffer module > Mixer

See how I made the chains the same length... assuming your monitor/screen allows for this... it probably doesn't look right on phones

This buffer module allows you to rectify any differences in DSP time between multiple parallel processing chains.

Edit - Forgot to mention there is a phase inversion module in the Zoia library, too.
Edit 2 - Forgot to mention that many of the modules, like Delay have a wet/dry blend built in, which should theoretically already account for latency.

 

[monsterthompson]

Speaking (earlier) about Elektron gear...
Anyone here tried their distortion units? Analog Heat or the Analog Drive pedal?

 

[dukeorock]

Speaking (earlier) about Elektron gear...
Anyone here tried their distortion units? Analog Heat or the Analog Drive pedal?

The Analog Drive pedal is just ok, imo. You probably own a few dirt boxes that are way better. My buddy owns an Analog Heat and those are wonder as the final stage in your hardware setup. Extremely cool, but spendy

 

[monsterthompson]

The Analog Drive pedal is just ok, imo. You probably own a few dirt boxes that are way better. My buddy owns an Analog Heat and those are wonder as the final stage in your hardware setup. Extremely cool, but spendy

Yeah. That pedal seemed unimpressive in the demos they posted. But solo bass vs mix bass don't usually overlap much. Of course I only play solo

Yeah. The heat looks like a lot of money. Glad it delivers.

 

[monsterthompson]

Well. I'm not out at a gig, and my plans for the night got cancelled, so I've been patching.

Oddly enough, my mind is finally starting to adapt to the tools I have, and I'm feeling much more in control of them. I've often felt like I was hunting for sounds, like mining for gold. I've reached a point where it feels more like I've got a workshop and materials, and if I have a vision I can create something. I suppose those "somethings" don't always work well, so it's more of a laboratory than an assembly line, but it's better than prospecting in the hills.

I ran my Medusa through the rig I've been posting pictures of. That synth could be a lot more robust in the deep bass, but it's nice for leads and pads. Running it through my drive pedals, cab sim, and delay has given it some extra life. The DSM OmniCab is a strong tone shaping tool.

 

[Bob_Ross]

A quiet sunny Sunday morning, the missus is off to brunch with a friend so I whipped out the compact pedalboard and did some me-time. Came up with this Fripp&Eno-esque tidbit using the Chase Bliss MOOD, tc electronic Flashback, Montreal Assembly Count To 5, and VFE Klein Bottle...fed by, of all things, a P Bass with flatwounds (!!)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

(once again, apologies for the noisey iPhone Voice Memo recording)

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

A quiet sunny Sunday morning, the missus is off to brunch with a friend so I whipped out the compact pedalboard and did some me-time. Came up with this Fripp&Eno-esque tidbit using the Chase Bliss MOOD, tc electronic Flashback, Montreal Assembly Count To 5, and VFE Klein Bottle...fed by, of all things, a P Bass with flatwounds (!!)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

(once again, apologies for the noisey iPhone Voice Memo recording)

Very dope ambience.

Wanna a kidney in trade for the MOOD??? Or the CT5....??

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Guess I'll be the resident noise maker punk dude with tools I can find and be creative with.



Here's a harsh noise I did this week as a sample loop for the band meant to be further manipulated live.
Only tool used, a mixer with 2 channels patched ins to the outs. 3 layered tracks. No added fx at all. Used headphones out to record.

 

[HotelX]

Very dope ambience.

Wanna a kidney in trade for the MOOD??? Or the CT5....??

Just do as I do and incur massive debt. Then all your gear needs will be answered.