Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[steubig]

Certainly no way on earth I'd see that as virtue signalling.

probably not the right term, but all that came to mind.

sounds like you’ve got a routine/process wired up. (i think that was my main point in there.)

 

[Spectrum]

And lo and behold, the heavens opened up and from the skies came an email from Sweetwater telling me that MY WAVESTATE HAS SHIPPED TODAY. I thought I wasn't going to see it till June, at this point. And it couldn't have happened at a better time... I am in such a creative rut right now. Like, really bad.

Anyone else having a hard time? I'm not so stressed or depressed, here... we're both still working full time, and are healthy, it's just... I don't know. I go up, stand in the big ring of gear (synths and the pedalboard actually make up a 'ring', now), and I'm just like, Sh*t, I don't want to be here. It's frustrating, because I have more time in the world than ever, I don't have to learn other stuff for gigs. Apart from the few bright spots I've had with those collabs with @ugly_bassplayer, I'm really having a hard time feelin' it.

The synth duo was finally taking off, before this, and I want to have a bunch of new stuff ready to go when we finally get going again. GRRRRR. Sorry, had to vent.

Isn't that what they call "option paralysis" or something? I have noticed that when I pile lots of gear in front of myself I don't know where to start and have trouble dreaming stuff up.

My solution has been one of two things: either take a few pieces of equipment out of the house and go somewhere else, like my mom's house or a park or something, and just dive into it. This is easier if it's all battery-powered, of course, but if there's power where I'm going it doesn't need to be. Lately going anywhere public subjects one to shaming, too, so... My other solution is do the same thing at home; just pick out a limited number of items and ignore the rest of the pile. This takes more discipline. Forcing myself to stay away from the damn computer is key, since the computer is the main time-wasting device in my house.

I start out by imagining a tune or a sound in my head and then try to make that sound on my gear. If I get close good, if not, who cares? I'm now fiddling with gear and making sounds and now I can't stop until I've created something cool.

 

[monsterthompson]

Anyone else having a hard time? I'm not so stressed or depressed, here... we're both still working full time, and are healthy, it's just... I don't know. I go up, stand in the big ring of gear (synths and the pedalboard actually make up a 'ring', now), and I'm just like, Sh*t, I don't want to be here. It's frustrating, because I have more time in the world than ever, I don't have to learn other stuff for gigs. Apart from the few bright spots I've had with those collabs with @ugly_bassplayer, I'm really having a hard time feelin' it.

Similar lack of motivation. I'm employed and healthy. Somehow I have less free time than I did, which means I'm screwing around on my phone and/or sleeping more.

What I have found is motivation to learn gear in place of creating. I'm digging in on some of the technical applications, and figuring that I'll apply what I learn when I'm feeling creative again. I hate when I'm on a creative roll and get stopped by technical roadblocks and have to break out a manual. So, I'm trying to get ahead of that curve. It seems to be helping.

 

[Spectrum]

What I have found is motivation to learn gear in place of creating. I'm digging in on some of the technical applications, and figuring that I'll apply what I learn when I'm feeling creative again. I hate when I'm on a creative roll and get stopped by technical roadblocks and have to break out a manual. So, I'm trying to get ahead of that curve. It seems to be helping.

Great idea. I have a few pedals and other equipment that I really should dig into, break out the instructions, RTFM, and really get comfortable with.

 

[monsterthompson]

Great idea. I have a few pedals and other equipment that I really should dig into, break out the instructions, RTFM, and really get comfortable with.

It's a slippery slope back into creativity. Like, I figured how to run my Empress Echo and Reverb via midi from Ableton, so then I started testing it by making loops of automation where the Echo would only come on at certain steps in a sequence. That opened the doors up to creating sequences. At first it was just to verify that it worked as expected, but then it became a game of "what if I try..."

 

[lordradish]

Isn't that what they call "option paralysis" or something? I have noticed that when I pile lots of gear in front of myself I don't know where to start and have trouble dreaming stuff up.

My solution has been one of two things: either take a few pieces of equipment out of the house and go somewhere else, like my mom's house or a park or something, and just dive into it. This is easier if it's all battery-powered, of course, but if there's power where I'm going it doesn't need to be. Lately going anywhere public subjects one to shaming, too, so... My other solution is do the same thing at home; just pick out a limited number of items and ignore the rest of the pile. This takes more discipline. Forcing myself to stay away from the damn computer is key, since the computer is the main time-wasting device in my house.

I start out by imagining a tune or a sound in my head and then try to make that sound on my gear. If I get close good, if not, who cares? I'm now fiddling with gear and making sounds and now I can't stop until I've created something cool.

I thought about the too many opinions thing, but I've more or less had this same setup for at least a year, now. I think it's a rut, exacerbated by the low level anxiety about the pandemic.

 

[lordradish]

Similar lack of motivation. I'm employed and healthy. Somehow I have less free time than I did, which means I'm screwing around on my phone and/or sleeping more.

What I have found is motivation to learn gear in place of creating. I'm digging in on some of the technical applications, and figuring that I'll apply what I learn when I'm feeling creative again. I hate when I'm on a creative roll and get stopped by technical roadblocks and have to break out a manual. So, I'm trying to get ahead of that curve. It seems to be helping.

I've thought of that approach, too. The Wavestate has a bit of a learning curve, so I hope I can focus and go deep into learning that.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

But I do have plenty of ideas for "noise" and utter nuclear destruction of samples though.

Please stand by.

 

[hieronymous]

I'm enjoying the conversation - I enjoyed a recent divergence into trying to make some more ambient-noise-electronic stuff, it didn't really go anywhere but it inspired me to leave in some amp noise in a more traditional rock track I've been mixing - the guitarist who played it noticed and asked me to take it off, he didn't realize it was an aesthetic decision! I am going to bring it down a teeny bit but I like it being part of the soundworld of the track. (It's under a busy drum break, I see it as another color, maybe I should process it a little bit lol)

Also wanted to say, I only just recently figured out how to get that super-long reverb trail out of my Strymon blueSky - just put the amount on 10!

 

[dukeorock]

I've thought of that approach, too. The Wavestate has a bit of a learning curve, so I hope I can focus and go deep into learning that.

sounds like a fun project!

Since a sold my Cwejman SM-1 for a good chunk of change, I wanted to get something more affordable to take its place. Wound up finding a good deal on a Verbos Complex Oscillator. Shouldn’t be as steep a learning curve as the synth you just got, but I don’t yet know how to take full advantage of Buchla style osc. Looking forward to it

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

I'm enjoying the conversation - I enjoyed a recent divergence into trying to make some more ambient-noise-electronic stuff, it didn't really go anywhere but it inspired me to leave in some amp noise in a more traditional rock track I've been mixing - the guitarist who played it noticed and asked me to take it off, he didn't realize it was an aesthetic decision! I am going to bring it down a teeny bit but I like it being part of the soundworld of the track. (It's under a busy drum break, I see it as another color, maybe I should process it a little bit lol)

Also wanted to say, I only just recently figured out how to get that super-long reverb trail out of my Strymon blueSky - just put the amount on 10!

Leave it dirty!!!!
Already too many "processed" trax put out here in the world.

I say bring back the 70s drums taped with 4 mics!!!!



Edit: by processed I meant too many cleaned up tracks with 234374848 edits per bar with quantize.

 

[hieronymous]

Leave it dirty!!!!
Already too many "processed" trax put out here in the world.

I say bring back the 70s drums taped with 4 mics!!!!

I think I am going to do that! And process it too - the drum break actually precedes a bass break with distortion and phaser, so maybe I'll phase the noise so that it's a precursor to the bass. Then the guitar has a backwards delay into its reemergence so it'll all fit nicely. Nice, that's a fun project for the weekend!

 

[Spectrum]

By the way, if you're already all tired of all the crap on Netflix, check this out, watched it last night:

Okay I just finished that vid, wow, I had no idea that the sounds from Who Are You and R2-D2 came from the same device. My opinion of Pete Townshend just went up a notch, too.

Until the end of the vid I forgot that this is basically a commercial for the 2600's re-reissue by Korg, it's a legit documentary, very nicely done.

 

[lordradish]

Okay I just finished that vid, wow, I had no idea that the sounds from Who Are You and R2-D2 came from the same device. My opinion of Pete Townshend just went up a notch, too.

Until the end of the vid I forgot that this is basically a commercial for the 2600's re-reissue by Korg, it's a legit documentary, very nicely done.

Yeah, it didn't really turn into the commercial until near the end, but even then, it was still pretty interesting. I think Korg did a great job on that reissue, I just wish these didn't cost 4k. Behringer's got one coming out, too, but f those guys.

 

[lordradish]

Okay I just finished that vid, wow, I had no idea that the sounds from Who Are You and R2-D2 came from the same device. My opinion of Pete Townshend just went up a notch, too.

Until the end of the vid I forgot that this is basically a commercial for the 2600's re-reissue by Korg, it's a legit documentary, very nicely done.

I'm pretty sure the arp in Baba O'Reilly is an 2600, too, which still happens to be one of the coolest arps ever.

 

[lordradish]

I'm pretty sure the arp in Baba O'Reilly is an 2600, too, which still happens to be one of the coolest arps ever.

And, apparently, I am wrong on it being the 2600. "it was actually a Lowrey Berkshire home organ"
https://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/the-who39s-baba-o39riley

 

[monsterthompson]

Interesting company making cheap pedals. Anyone know if they’re any good? I heard a short demo of the modulation pedal and it sounded useable.
CNZ
Effects Pedals
Small form. $60
SMD-10 | Modulation Pedal

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Interesting company making cheap pedals. Anyone know if they’re any good? I heard a short demo of the modulation pedal and it sounded useable.
CNZ
Effects Pedals
Small form. $60
SMD-10 | Modulation Pedal

Thx for the heads up. Will check em out.

Currently browsing iPads synth,drums etc...apps. For sampler food and sequencing.
I just got the dm2 drum app made by the guys that use to make Max for Live. It's awesome.

Open to suggestions for any other apps btw.
My favorite set up for sampling is my SP and iPad. Small, simple, very versatile and powerful. Add the dr40 4 track and I got a mini dawless work station.

 

[lordradish]

Thx for the heads up. Will check em out.

Currently browsing iPads synth,drums etc...apps. For sampler food and sequencing.
I just got the dm2 drum app made by the guys that use to make Max for Live. It's awesome.

Open to suggestions for any other apps btw.
My favorite set up for sampling is my SP and iPad. Small, simple, very versatile and powerful. Add the dr40 4 track and I got a mini dawless work station.

The Geoshred Play app is free, for now. Not necessarily sample stuff, just fun to jam out with.

 

[HotelX]

Thx for the heads up. Will check em out.

Currently browsing iPads synth,drums etc...apps. For sampler food and sequencing.
I just got the dm2 drum app made by the guys that use to make Max for Live. It's awesome.

Open to suggestions for any other apps btw.
My favorite set up for sampling is my SP and iPad. Small, simple, very versatile and powerful. Add the dr40 4 track and I got a mini dawless work station.

Ruismaker makes great apps