probably just mislabeled it.
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Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread
- Thread starter ttasselm
- Start date
probably just mislabeled it.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I forgot to label my label maker :/
I worked in a place once where someone played a prank in which they labeled everything in the office with embossing tape. EVERYTHING.
STAPLE
PENCIL
TELEPHONE
CHAIR
WHEEL
DOORKNOB
DESK
COFFE MUG
FLOOR
NORTH WALL
ETC.
It took an awful lot of effort, and for that we thank him.
Been crazy busy again this week but read about this app and downloaded it, wow! SpaceCraft granular synth. Really cool, think you all will like it!
SpaceCraft Granular Synth by Mark Watt SpaceCraft Granular Synth on the App Store
SpaceCraft Granular Synth by Mark Watt SpaceCraft Granular Synth on the App Store
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
A buddy loaned me his Make Noise 0 Coast semi modular synth to try out...I don’t even sort of know anything about modular synthesis (apart from watching others use them) so I was online all night watching videos and attempting to learn more about em. Came up with a quick slice of robot rock using 9 different patches I made. Kinda like this little machine
Nice!
That box is addictive. I love it. There’s tons of power and options on it. Don’t be fooled by the size.
Dreadbox released a limited run of the Epsilon boxes. They are envelope and distortion, and work with bass/guitar/synth/etc.
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
July. The Dreadbox Medusa ships. Liquidating my Nash JB63, if anyone wants to fund my synth addiction 
...I'll probably sell my Erebus, since it will be quite redundant.
...I'll probably sell my Erebus, since it will be quite redundant.
I visited Three Wave Music this week. They have a mind boggling amount of vintage synths and a nice selection of new stuff as well.
I checked out the 0 Coast and couldn't really get into it. It seems like a piece that needs lots of time to learn. I guess I'm more used to the east coast style or something.
Also checked out the Dreadbox Abyss and loved it. I was sorely tempted to take a dive into the abyss but managed to hold off. I could have spent all day there.
Here is a position of their collection:
I checked out the 0 Coast and couldn't really get into it. It seems like a piece that needs lots of time to learn. I guess I'm more used to the east coast style or something.
Also checked out the Dreadbox Abyss and loved it. I was sorely tempted to take a dive into the abyss but managed to hold off. I could have spent all day there.
Here is a position of their collection:
I'm working on my next performance (scheduled 7/29). The theme is "paralysis." It isn't easy to make something sound like it is frozen.
Conceptually, what I'm starting with is a step sequenced melody. I'm using a 16 step grid and a clock divider (Reaktor VST in Ableton). I'm establishing a drone and an 8-note sequence at 60 BPM using a bell-like MIDI plug-in. From there, I will fade into progressively heavier delay and reverb and pad sounds, using the same sequence, until it turns into a wash of amorphous noise. I'm also running the MIDI out from Ableton to send the same sequence to the 0-Coast, so I can manually tweak its sounds. The 0-Coast audio will route through a Pigtronix Echolution, and into the Nyx so that it goes through the stunning reverb on the Nyx unit (designed by Crazy Tube Circuits). I'll be sending the CV and Gate from the 0-Coast to the second oscillator (OSC-2) on the Dreadbox Nyx, so it will follow the same sequence, but the first oscillator (OSC-1) on the Nyx will be set to drone on a single note.
The thing I'm doing that I could never do on a bass guitar, is toying with the steps in the sequencer. I have pitch, octave, hold, and velocity controls for all 16 steps, but I'm starting with the first 8 slots being a range for each parameter, establishing a familiar pattern. As the piece progresses, I change the range of each parameter, so it will eventually become a 9, 10, or 13, or whatever length loop for a given parameter, which creates an evolving and random, yet familiar feeling sequence. At some point I'll have a 13 step melodic pattern, but a 5 step gate pattern, and various octave selections (or whatever combos I land on).
I'll also start playing with the clock speeds so that things slow down as they "freeze." I wanted to use an LFO to modulate certain reverb and delay parameters, but I'm finding the regular cycle of the LFO creates predictable and seasick pitch shifts. What I really want is randomization, so some echoes to long repeats and others to have short repeats, but without the pitch shifting which comes from turning the control knobs in real time (or using an LFO).
If all goes as planned, I'll be able to return to the initial melodic sequence and fade it back in using an alternate plug-in sound, making it familiar to the opening, but different. My test run of this was decent. I've considered bringing in the looper and my bass, but I don't have a comfortable workflow for that yet.
I know this isn't TalkSynth, but I wanted to share the effects ideas and melodic development concepts. I wish I could play bass in such a way that I could add or subtract sequence steps in real time, and keep time. Wouldn't it blow minds if you could just start going from an 8 note pattern to a 13 note pattern to a 3 note pattern, then back to 8 note pattern, on the fly?
Conceptually, what I'm starting with is a step sequenced melody. I'm using a 16 step grid and a clock divider (Reaktor VST in Ableton). I'm establishing a drone and an 8-note sequence at 60 BPM using a bell-like MIDI plug-in. From there, I will fade into progressively heavier delay and reverb and pad sounds, using the same sequence, until it turns into a wash of amorphous noise. I'm also running the MIDI out from Ableton to send the same sequence to the 0-Coast, so I can manually tweak its sounds. The 0-Coast audio will route through a Pigtronix Echolution, and into the Nyx so that it goes through the stunning reverb on the Nyx unit (designed by Crazy Tube Circuits). I'll be sending the CV and Gate from the 0-Coast to the second oscillator (OSC-2) on the Dreadbox Nyx, so it will follow the same sequence, but the first oscillator (OSC-1) on the Nyx will be set to drone on a single note.
The thing I'm doing that I could never do on a bass guitar, is toying with the steps in the sequencer. I have pitch, octave, hold, and velocity controls for all 16 steps, but I'm starting with the first 8 slots being a range for each parameter, establishing a familiar pattern. As the piece progresses, I change the range of each parameter, so it will eventually become a 9, 10, or 13, or whatever length loop for a given parameter, which creates an evolving and random, yet familiar feeling sequence. At some point I'll have a 13 step melodic pattern, but a 5 step gate pattern, and various octave selections (or whatever combos I land on).
I'll also start playing with the clock speeds so that things slow down as they "freeze." I wanted to use an LFO to modulate certain reverb and delay parameters, but I'm finding the regular cycle of the LFO creates predictable and seasick pitch shifts. What I really want is randomization, so some echoes to long repeats and others to have short repeats, but without the pitch shifting which comes from turning the control knobs in real time (or using an LFO).
If all goes as planned, I'll be able to return to the initial melodic sequence and fade it back in using an alternate plug-in sound, making it familiar to the opening, but different. My test run of this was decent. I've considered bringing in the looper and my bass, but I don't have a comfortable workflow for that yet.
I know this isn't TalkSynth, but I wanted to share the effects ideas and melodic development concepts. I wish I could play bass in such a way that I could add or subtract sequence steps in real time, and keep time. Wouldn't it blow minds if you could just start going from an 8 note pattern to a 13 note pattern to a 3 note pattern, then back to 8 note pattern, on the fly?
do you mean the note patterns stay in a constant measure (4/4 or whatever) or that you start doing lines/measures of varying length (3/8, 8/8, 13/8)?
The clock ticks evenly for each row/lane of this (pic below). Each tick moves the sequencer one column over (out of 16 columns max, but smaller range divisions can be created). I will change up the number of columns in each row. So, trying to divide it into 3/8, 8/8, or anything else is kinda tricky. You could define every measure as x/8, but I don’t think that’s quite right. It’s not to a drum pattern, so I’m not terribly concerned. However, I’m not sure how to best notate it, if I had to. For example, if I had 8 pitches and 8 velocities and 8 gates, all starting at once, it could be 8/8 or 4/4 with 1/8th notes. But when it mutates to 9 pitches over 13 gates and 7 velocity values, I’m not sure how I’d count that polyrhythmic pattern.
Edit - pic of sequencer. Not my sequence.
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the reason i wonder is because i practice doing different strings of 8th notes (or whatever) in varying pattern lengths
4, 3, 4, 5, 3 , 7
that sort of thing
4, 3, 4, 5, 3 , 7
that sort of thing
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I haven't seem much discussion about the band/ensemble/project structure in this thread. What is the setting you find yourselves playing in? Solo? Drums and guitar? Bassoon and timpani?
I play synth solo because I am nowhere near ready to play synth with anyone else. Besides it is fun to fit home and experiment.
tbh, i’m not really a post-rock ambient guy; i’m more a post-jazz, semi-noise groove guy.
so, i’ve used effects and different techniques in bands with a dj, singer, guitarist; violin, guitar, drums, me; sax, guitar/laptop, me; percussion, me; drummer/iphone plus me on bass and ipads. i’ve used bass plus effects in third stream mini-concertos where the main band was clarinet, flute, trombone, trumpet, violin, drums, me.
and i’ve done solo, both looping and non.
so…
so, i’ve used effects and different techniques in bands with a dj, singer, guitarist; violin, guitar, drums, me; sax, guitar/laptop, me; percussion, me; drummer/iphone plus me on bass and ipads. i’ve used bass plus effects in third stream mini-concertos where the main band was clarinet, flute, trombone, trumpet, violin, drums, me.
and i’ve done solo, both looping and non.
so…
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
- Disclosures
- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
So far, mainly solo, but I have been jamming with a pal who uses a sampler and a Moog Sub37, plus lap steel guitar. That’s been fun
