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Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

#5,401
ugly_bassplayer said:
I've done that a million times on ableton.

I use my ears more than the grid. Sometimes the snap to grid sounds cold and quantized.

My 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Snap to grid can be that way. Since the project and the PO32 are set to the same BPM, I only aligned the first transient and then checked the others for wild deviations. Occasionally I’d line something else up every 8 bars or so, but it wasn’t really necessary. I don’t want this to be a super quantized sounding song so I’m trying to observe the deviations to understand how the parts are working, but resisting the OCD urge to lock it all to the grid.
 
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#5,402
monsterthompson said:
Snap to grid can be that way. Since the project and the PO32 are set to the same BPM, I only aligned the first transient and then checked the others for wild deviations. Occasionally I’d line something else up every 8 bars or so, but it wasn’t really necessary. I don’t want this to be a super quantized sounding song so I’m trying to observe the deviations to understand how the parts are working, but resisting the OCD urge to lock it all to the grid.
Click to expand...
Gritty og hip hop trick. ;)

Don't set a tempo for the Ableton set and dont warp or snap to grid. Snap to grid has the disadvantage of having to zoom in freakn small to align stuff (major pet peeve).

Control J, and control E are your best buddies right there doing that.

I do this 99.9% of the time.

Hehe

Dump both tracks and align by ear. At least that's how I've been doing it for years.

Warp samples setting is default off for me.
 
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#5,403
monsterthompson said:
Snap to grid can be that way. Since the project and the PO32 are set to the same BPM, I only aligned the first transient and then checked the others for wild deviations. Occasionally I’d line something else up every 8 bars or so, but it wasn’t really necessary. I don’t want this to be a super quantized sounding song so I’m trying to observe the deviations to understand how the parts are working, but resisting the OCD urge to lock it all to the grid.
Click to expand...
Also a cool trick to check if your loops are good.

Copy/paste in a clip and then loop it.
Do a whole channel with clips. You can then trigger them when recording in any order you want.

Instant "sections" of a song. You gotta count those bars!!!! No looking at the spinning wheel!!!! ;)
 
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#5,404
monsterthompson said:
I was able to sequence drums for an entire track on my PO32 and record it yesterday. One bar at a time. I actually MIDI programmed the drums with a plugin, then chopped up the MIDI sequences by bar, and then gave them all serial numbers. Then I programmed the PO32 based on the MIDI notes for each serial number and it worked.

I'd hit record in Ableton, then press play on the PO32, and record each intro/verse/chorus section in 8 to 16 bar clips. Then, I'd need to open each recording and adjust the clip's placement on the grid based on the first or second transient. It lined up fairly well after that.

Next is to sound design the Medusa synth to lay over it. I've got the MIDI sequences laid out.
Click to expand...

You can sequence like 64 patterns together on the PO32. While holding the pattern button, click each number in order and they will play like that. I've been working on being able to do a full jam on the Pocket Operators, but I do connect the PO32 to my board on occassion for a beat and then catch it in some loopers. That little device is so bada$$
 
#5,405
cosmicevan said:
You can sequence like 64 patterns together on the PO32. While holding the pattern button, click each number in order and they will play like that. I've been working on being able to do a full jam on the Pocket Operators, but I do connect the PO32 to my board on occassion for a beat and then catch it in some loopers. That little device is so bada$$
Click to expand...

Yeah. I felt like stringing 8-16 patterns at a time was enough. I’ve got a button or two that gets a little sticky and doesn’t always respond. I didn’t want to sequence everything and then record it to find out something was wildly off. And then have to fix it.

This was a test run on the first of 3 songs. I’m considering a few other options.
1. Recording only the kicks. Then only snares, then hats and other perc. Then having 3 tracks to manipulate and mix.

2 Build kicks and snares on my 0 Coast and then sequence those.

3. Using a drum plugin. I’m trying to avoid this. I’m thinking that adding bass guitar to the mix of everything electronic could benefit from “real” drum sound.

4. I forgot what 4 was, but it wasn’t as good as 1 through 3.
 
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#5,406
Did a study on audio rate FM on a Mannequins Just Friends module yesterday. Made a bunch of recordings of the results, chopped em up and saved them for this track, which is still mostly an Elektron Model:Cycles. Kinda ‘industrial’ soundtrack, doomy and Euclidean crap :)

 
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#5,408
monsterthompson said:
Yeah. I felt like stringing 8-16 patterns at a time was enough. I’ve got a button or two that gets a little sticky and doesn’t always respond. I didn’t want to sequence everything and then record it to find out something was wildly off. And then have to fix it.

This was a test run on the first of 3 songs. I’m considering a few other options.
1. Recording only the kicks. Then only snares, then hats and other perc. Then having 3 tracks to manipulate and mix.

2 Build kicks and snares on my 0 Coast and then sequence those.

3. Using a drum plugin. I’m trying to avoid this. I’m thinking that adding bass guitar to the mix of everything electronic could benefit from “real” drum sound.

4. I forgot what 4 was, but it wasn’t as good as 1 through 3.
Click to expand...
That PO-33 looks cool. How easy is it to get going?
Again, CAD $$ in the dump so....no buying.
 
#5,409
ugly_bassplayer said:
That PO-33 looks cool. How easy is it to get going?
Again, CAD $$ in the dump so....no buying.
Click to expand...
It isn't bad. I have't tried the Tonic software. The built in sounds are good. I assume you mean PO32. Really simple. Limited range of adjustments, but a few effects you can build into the sequences. Sounds are fairly good.
 
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#5,410
All machines\samplers using Smart Media cards are now banned from my « studio ». I had a 303 for a while and was browsing for fun with the idea of maybe bouncing samples from sampler to sampler.

The hardware keeps going up to RIDICULOUS prices. A beat to crap 202 for 300$....!!!!!

And the cards have quadrupled in price!!!!!!!!!!!To think I had like six 32mb cards when I had my 303.

80$ for a 32mb card. NO F*&K WAY!!!!! Where are these LO Fi hipster kids getting the $$ for this. It just boggles my cave man brain.

(Punches wall with pic of hipsters on it)

Edit: a huge hand of applause to Ableton for making all downloads of sounds and instruments only functional on Live 10.

Ok, now back to happy.
:)
 
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#5,411
ugly_bassplayer said:
That PO-33 looks cool. How easy is it to get going?
Again, CAD $$ in the dump so....no buying.
Click to expand...

the PO-30's are more feature packed and pricey than some other models in the series. Some of the earlier models can be had relatively cheap. PO-12 is a drum machine too and about 1/2 the price of the PO-32 (@monsterthompson you mentioned Tonic SOFTWARE???? DO TELL, I thought you can only use pocket operators as standalone devices).

PO-32 can handle a LOT of programming, but to @monsterthompson 's point programming 30something step sequences are not the best w these devices so I[m not sure if all that functionality is needed/useful.
 
#5,412
cosmicevan said:
the PO-30's are more feature packed and pricey than some other models in the series. Some of the earlier models can be had relatively cheap. PO-12 is a drum machine too and about 1/2 the price of the PO-32 (@monsterthompson you mentioned Tonic SOFTWARE???? DO TELL, I thought you can only use pocket operators as standalone devices).

PO-32 can handle a LOT of programming, but to @monsterthompson 's point programming 30something step sequences are not the best w these devices so I[m not sure if all that functionality is needed/useful.
Click to expand...

PO32is called the MicroTonic because it relates to the MicroTonic software (vst)
Cuckoo gets into the nit and the grit at about the 34 minute mark.


The software.
Microtonic

TE sells a bundle of the unit and vst.
 
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#5,418
Did some synth recording over the last few days. I tried using various effects in the chain. The Zoia has been doing some delay & reverb stuff. I'll post something once I'm to a point where I can. It's sounding nice. Its a good, clean, digital delay. I've been using the Edison pre amp from Night Owl, which adds a dash of tube compression and color.

The thing I've been most surprised by is the Germ Warfare. It seems subtle when I'm dialing in the settings, but when I listen back it is super obvious. This little bit of germanium drive and EQ really changes the sound in a sparse mix.

I'm also toying with using the Nyx, Medusa, or 0 Coast. The Nyx was too thick of an analog sound. The Medusa's analog settings weren't what I was after, though the digital oscillators were closer to the mark. The 0 Coast with minimal wave folding generates a nice deep bass. I didn't think the 0 Coast would be the unit I wanted to use, but it seems to be playing best with the PO32 drums.
 
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#5,419
monsterthompson said:
Did some synth recording over the last few days. I tried using various effects in the chain. The Zoia has been doing some delay & reverb stuff. I'll post something once I'm to a point where I can. It's sounding nice. Its a good, clean, digital delay. I've been using the Edison pre amp from Night Owl, which adds a dash of tube compression and color.

The thing I've been most surprised by is the Germ Warfare. It seems subtle when I'm dialing in the settings, but when I listen back it is super obvious. This little bit of germanium drive and EQ really changes the sound in a sparse mix.

I'm also toying with using the Nyx, Medusa, or 0 Coast. The Nyx was too thick of an analog sound. The Medusa's analog settings weren't what I was after, though the digital oscillators were closer to the mark. The 0 Coast with minimal wave folding generates a nice deep bass. I didn't think the 0 Coast would be the unit I wanted to use, but it seems to be playing best with the PO32 drums.
Click to expand...
I like insect warfare better than germ warfare. :)

 
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