Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[monsterthompson]

The Zen Blades will be much quieter, if not completely quiet. Sounds like a typical 60 cycle hum issue that you're dealing with.

With my series wired Zen Blade bridge PU, I get a bit of notice going direct into my interface if I boost the levels. I’m sure the noise floor is pretty low and I’m gain staging things improperly, or should be using a DI box (cable straight into the interface/recorder). It’s very very quiet, but not dead silent. I doubt it’s 60 cycle hum, but I haven’t analyzed it with much effort.

 

[JES]

View attachment 4376644 View attachment 4376646 View attachment 4376647
Me and my luthier buddy spent a few hours with. A real gem, very resonant and well balanced volume between strings. We where both VERY impressed. The entire body vibrates when playing.
I got it for a steal.

Niiiiiiiice! Beautiful looking bass.

 

[Funky40]

The Zen Blades will be much quieter, if not completely quiet. Sounds like a typical 60 cycle hum issue that you're dealing with.

yeah, Zens.......
I had in fact NO clue about pickups when i ordered my big Blades a few months back.
Now, i know more.
But me thinks, i would not be as happy with the Zens, as i am with the big Blades.
The very high output of the big blades give me some options.
The Zens seem to be tamer, overall.

The noise i have, when i play thru my modular, is insane !......but was part of the charme of that patch when i started it a week ago or so.
There´s ALOTS of hifrequenzy noise. Its not just 60 cycle hum....... I´ll see.
I should make some music, bass thru modular, but putting this hifreq piss into focus..........which i in fact did, when i started that patch. But i lost those great settings while patching further........

 

[JES]

In my experience moving between modular and amps/effects, there is tons of noise. A lot of it has to do with the fact that cases aren’t shielded, power supplies aren’t shielded, and digital modules are noisy. This was the case even with dead silent hum buckets. The Joranalogue Transmit 2 helped a lot in terms of limiting case noise such that I could play at rock band volumes, but at home it has been a lot of vooodoo: making sure everything is on the same circuit and moving modules around in or between cases.

 

[dukeorock]

In my experience moving between modular and amps/effects, there is tons of noise. A lot of it has to do with the fact that cases aren’t shielded, power supplies aren’t shielded, and digital modules are noisy. This was the case even with dead silent hum buckets. The Joranalogue Transmit 2 helped a lot in terms of limiting case noise such that I could play at rock band volumes, but at home it has been a lot of vooodoo: making sure everything is on the same circuit and moving modules around in or between cases.

Those Joranalogue modules are extremely well made. I just have the Filter 8, but have been meaning to get a Transmit and Receive

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

@monsterthompson
Finally watched a few demos of the Bastl Dark Matter. Very interesting concept.
Basically it is sound processing input signals through a « feedback Loop » concept like the no input mixer.
It’s much more « controlled » and « predictable. Not a bad thing at all, just different from the no input mixer where one patch cable can change the reaction of the entire « entity ».

I have no clue how I would use this as a single module. I that even possible???
if used, what modules would complement it…????
No….on second thought……dont answer that……
I bit pricey also…..but I guess all euro stuff is like that.

@emjazz
Any idea what the output impedance is on the Nordy jazz blades?

 

[monsterthompson]

For the metal heads here.
I’m watching this streaming on Night Flight Plus. I’m about 40 minutes in and it’s just getting into the Metallica part. It starts with some good NWOBHM info, including Diamond Head interviews. As it progresses you get some DRI and Laaz Rockit (forgot about them) interviews.

Aural Amphetamine: Metallica and the Dawn Of Thrash https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012IV6MA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_glt_fabc_W32J96K156BWE9KT392M

 

[monsterthompson]

This caught my eyes/ears today
4ms DLD
Users can change the delay time subdivision with no pitch change
Dual Looping Delay

 

[dukeorock]

This caught my eyes/ears today
4ms DLD
Users can change the delay time subdivision with no pitch change
Dual Looping Delay
View attachment 4377447

That was on my radar for a long time. Cool module

 

[JES]

Been eyeing their stereo triggered sampler for my looping/sampling needs.

 

[emjazz]

@monsterthompson
Finally watched a few demos of the Bastl Dark Matter. Very interesting concept.
Basically it is sound processing input signals through a « feedback Loop » concept like the no input mixer.
It’s much more « controlled » and « predictable. Not a bad thing at all, just different from the no input mixer where one patch cable can change the reaction of the entire « entity ».

I have no clue how I would use this as a single module. I that even possible???
if used, what modules would complement it…????
No….on second thought……dont answer that……
I bit pricey also…..but I guess all euro stuff is like that.

@emjazz
Any idea what the output impedance is on the Nordy jazz blades?

Not a clue. That'd be a question for the Nordstrand crew.

 

[monsterthompson]

Running some arp exercises with the Miezo and getting adjusted to the fretboard. I’m gonna pull out the looper tonight and start working on a few ideas.

 

[Funky40]

This was the case even with dead silent hum buckets.

ahh, thats interesting.
i use two transformer based out modules from happynerding to go my mixer.
But it seems he is no longer building those.

This caught my eyes/ears today
4ms DLD

DLD is interesting.
But you need to be used to it !
if you are, can it be a nice looper, and its also superb to do some wild glitch.

 

[JES]

ahh, thats interesting.
i use two transformer based out modules from happynerding to go my mixer.

Joranalogue is transformerless but it does the trick. Happy Nerding is great, though.

Uhhhhuhuh. I said “hum buckets”. **** autocorrect.

 

[monsterthompson]

 

[monsterthompson]

If you aren't put off by his style, this is a good watch.
A perspective on gear you own vs. use.

 

[Spectrum]

Sell...gear? All your gear?

I am not understand.

Besides, if he's talking about using software instead of hardware synths, instant dislike for me.

 

[dukeorock]

If you aren't put off by his style, this is a good watch.
A perspective on gear you own vs. use.

That video could’ve easily been 90 seconds long instead of over 12 minutes! The main point was all those midi controllers working in conjunction with the computer weren’t getting him better results than simply working in the computer. I get that, but it’s a lot different than using hardware, THEN recording that into a DAW for final editing and whatnot. I don’t think that’s the same thing as what most of us here seem to do.
I’ve certainly had those thoughts with modular in that the time and money invested churns out very little of the music I put on a record. Heck, I’ve gotten way more music I like out of my $300 Elektron Model:Cycles than my $10k+ eurorack rig, which is why I took a break from eurorack

 

[monsterthompson]

That video could’ve easily been 90 seconds long instead of over 12 minutes! The main point was all those midi controllers working in conjunction with the computer weren’t getting him better results than simply working in the computer. I get that, but it’s a lot different than using hardware, THEN recording that into a DAW for final editing and whatnot. I don’t think that’s the same thing as what most of us here seem to do.
I’ve certainly had those thoughts with modular in that the time and money invested churns out very little of the music I put on a record. Heck, I’ve gotten way more music I like out of my $300 Elektron Model:Cycles than my $10k+ eurorack rig, which is why I took a break from eurorack

Well. He is a content creator and this is his revenue stream, and he had taken a year off. It certainly could’ve been shorter, but I didn’t mind listening over breakfast.

Definitely focused on controllers more than hardware sounds, but I think his point was made. Focus on the things that work for you. Don’t become trapped by your collection, or get into an arms race. Sometimes a fresh start is refreshing.

I’ve had a few moments where I’ve thought my 1 bedroom in Hollywood with a living room that’s also my office, studio, gym, and guest bedroom might be due for an overhaul. I’ve thought about a change of scenery too. He hit on a few points close to home for me, so I was happy to hear him out.

 

[Funky40]

This might qualifie as "Postrock", or might not ? That term was finally new to me / idk
Tell me what you think........

its my Bass thru my modular. 4 Loops recordet in live11. Each 4 bars long.

The sound is basically: my Bass (with the Big blades btw. ) thru LP Filter and also thru BP Filter, then mixed on a crossfader.
Plus the "Nutone" (plankton electronics) as the Overdrive unit. (a mikro tube thingy).
( that "breathing noise" is btw. the pickup and modular noise i told you)

its in fact my nearly first attempts to work with live, and to record audio, other than some 4-5 tests over the last 4-5 years.

the too long;.....
Disclaimer: Its not the music direction i´m usually heading towards.
it was a spontaneous patch i made one week ago or so, tryed to recreate it, since the outcome is very musical to me.
i.e. its simple to create a music without playing much, so its simple for me to stack up more tracks......thats where i ususally would fail *completly* with my production attempts, since i would not remember what *exactly* i played.
So, following this route, seems the perfect attempt for me, to learn to work with ableton live.