Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[monsterthompson]

Test of concept seems successful.
1. Black Sequencer (bottom rack) is running a VCO (mid rack, middle) and LPG (top rack, left). That’s going to the Hendriks interface (middle, right) which sends a mono signal out at instrument level.

2. The mono out is going to the OTO BIM delay unit (green box with blue squares). That sends a ping pong stereo signal to the Strymon interface (top, right) which brings the signal back up to Euro level.

3. The stereo signal from the Strymon goes to the Zoia with a reverb patch. That signal routes to the Jumble Henge (top, right) which is a spacial mixer that uses filters to create a sense of sonic depth along with panning L/R.

4. My bass signal is coming from the compressor (big red box) into the Hendriks interface which boosts it to Euro levels. That signal follows the purple cable into a low/center position on the Jumble Henge.

5. The Jumble Henge sends a stereo signal to the Strymon which attenuates the signal to line-level and sends that to my mixer and monitors.

My current rhetorical questions:
1. Do I really want to keep the Erica Delay in the rack given my ability to use the OTO BIM, and the fact I have the Zoia?

2. Since the Euro Zoia doesn’t have stomp switches, does it have a “bypass” mechanism to turn effects on/off, or do I need to build that into each patch?

3. Do I want to keep/install my extra Strymon interface so I can have one more set of stereo in/out options?

All very good “problems” to have.

Overall, I think this a very satisfying arrangement. The computer-free control center has a good variety of high quality sounds, and feels fairly intuitive and comfortable.

 

[Funky40]

@Funky40

for a long time i couldn’t afford anything. then i could.

I know what you´re talking about ! i know both sides myself

1. Do I really want to keep the Erica Delay in the rack given my ability to use the OTO BIM, and the fact I have the Zoia?

The Erica Delay has some special strengths to create glitch
I´ve put small knobs on it, Davies. It makes it way more jammable by hand.
I much liked its special way to glitch, ...and just could not sell it. still have it.
This might not be helpfull for you, oh well.

i´m a sucker for glitching with delays. But in case you´re not, decissions are more simple.

 

[steubig]

@monsterthompson

your stuff looks so tidy.

i’m so ashamed.

 

[monsterthompson]

I know what you´re talking about ! i know both sides myself



The Erica Delay has some special strengths to create glitch
I´ve put small knobs on it, Davies. It makes it way more jammable by hand.
I much liked its special way to glitch, ...and just could not sell it. still have it.
This might not be helpfull for you, oh well.

i´m a sucker for glitching with delays. But in case you´re not, decissions are more simple.

I’m not much of a glitch guy, but I know what you mean It’s a very nice delay, but might not be ideal for my plans. I’m currently toying with a few things that might make it a keeper. If I can dial in enough modulation to give it some “tape” wobble then it’ll likely stay. So far I haven’t found the sweet spot settings for that.

However, I’ve enjoyed the Noise Engineering Versio for reverb, so testing out a delay firmware is in the future (I need to contact tech support because I’m not able to get it to update for some reason, which could be user error).


@steubig Don’t be fooled by that one photo. The mess is real

I played around a bit more tonight, and the hidden gem in the system might be that Jumble Henge. I quite enjoy the flavor it adds.

I was able to get my Miezo into the mix. I think I’ve finally settled on a tuning. I tried BEADG one octave up but the the tension was off and the sound and sustain suffered. I tuned it up to DGCFA# which seems to work well.

 

[dukeorock]

Another simple, dopey little jam on the M8 tracker

 

[JES]

ok, on topic:
New Sonic Arts | Vice - Loop Slicer & Sampler VST AudioUnit Plugin
i had a few hours now with this piece of software, and its really usefull for some things,
several things in fact.
It´s still on sale *right now* / can´t say how much longer. 59£ at sale
Has a demo.

@Funky40: I've got Logic, Bitwig, and Live. Do you feel that Vice adds something that I don't otherwise have? After messing around with longer samples in my Octatrack, it's very clear that I need to "prepare" them. Live samples are fine, of course.

PS -- I have used Granite before and like it.

 

[monsterthompson]

Dreadbox has a polyphonic box coming out this month.
https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/nymphes/
nymphes - Dreadbox Synthesizers
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bns0V_vklSI&feature=emb_title

 

[dukeorock]

Dreadbox has a polyphonic box coming out this month.
nymphes - Dreadbox Synthesizers

It’s got a kinda cool, grainy synth wave kinda sound. Sounds kinda nice…but the Waldorf M really sounds like a Poly I’d like…way more expensive, of course :/

 

[steubig]

the nymphes has been bandied about for a while now. need to look at it again just for grins.

the m is pricey. i’ve read some threads where the developer was very present in a good way.

 

[Funky40]

@Funky40: I've got Logic, Bitwig, and Live. Do you feel that Vice adds something that I don't otherwise have? After messing around with longer samples in my Octatrack, it's very clear that I need to "prepare" them. Live samples are fine, of course.

PS -- I have used Granite before and like it.[/QUOTE

In short: There is a Demo. I think it runs for 20 mins. after that, you need to restart fresh. With a empty sample.
I suggest you run the demo. Which is what i did.
Have "2-3 Demo test sessions" and you get what it does and what its good for, and if you thought it will add something to your way to work.

I see the possible win for me in: creating variations of one loop ( i find 1-2 Bar loops perfect. longer will lead in more work, which could become a fun-breaker )
AND: export a slice on the fly to be a own sample.
dealing with files is quite quick ( and imho intuitiv).

playing with the play-parameters is where things begin to take time,....but its finally "music making". ......and it works out just by intuition and feel.
Its own musicality is different than what i found in live or Logics sampler ( new to logic / i mainly jammed with the sampler / but do not remember details).
You need to play some with it, to see and understand the difference.
Can´t comment if other tools from your DAWs could do same or not !


load a loop, set some few slices to different pitch (= changes also speed).
load shorter speech samples ( 1-2-3-4 words in a go) , do same.
try to create different variations, save each one ! do that all just on the fly.
its fun,...is it inspiring you ? is it worth the money just to have it there, ...in case you want to turn to it ? i had to buy it I think it will be a great addition for me

 

[Bob_Ross]

View attachment 4489960

Just the other day the missus and I were having a semi-hypothetical conversation about Just How Soon Could We Really Retire? and in all seriousness she asked "But what would you do with yourself if you were retired? You'd need a whole new hobby!"

Looking at that picture, I think "Modular" would have been a pretty astute response.

 

[monsterthompson]

Just the other day the missus and I were having a semi-hypothetical conversation about Just How Soon Could We Really Retire? and in all seriousness she asked "But what would you do with yourself if you were retired? You'd need a whole new hobby!"

Looking at that picture, I think "Modular" would have been a pretty astute response.

If you find yourself with a larger 401k than you need, it really is a good route to take

@dukeorock No pressure, but the Erica Black Sequencer really is impressive and intuitive. I'm still learning my way around it, but it seems to be a Goldilocks module for me. Tonight I sequenced a single VCO module and routed the main out and the sub out to different VCAs. The higher octave main out went to some stereo reverb and delay, while the sub went to a filter and a mono center channel. The Modulation out on the sequencer was used to control the filter and VCA for the sub signal, while the Gate out on the sequencer controlled the main voice's VCA envelope.

 

[dukeorock]

If you find yourself with a larger 401k than you need, it really is a good route to take

@dukeorock No pressure, but the Erica Black Sequencer really is impressive and intuitive. I'm still learning my way around it, but it seems to be a Goldilocks module for me. Tonight I sequenced a single VCO module and routed the main out and the sub out to different VCAs. The higher octave main out went to some stereo reverb and delay, while the sub went to a filter and a mono center channel. The Modulation out on the sequencer was used to control the filter and VCA for the sub signal, while the Gate out on the sequencer controlled the main voice's VCA envelope.

it looks to be a front runner for me with eurorack sequencing. Tempted more because there are some good sales

 

[monsterthompson]

it looks to be a front runner for me with eurorack sequencing. Tempted more because there are some good sales

I thought the 4 channels would be overkill, and the device size would be a penalty. Having the modulation option certainly frees me up from certain LFO and EG module needs, which offsets the size penalty. The Zoia pairing makes for a real powerhouse combo. I’m not breaking any new ground, but I’m able to get the effects I’m after easily and consistently. If I want a filter to open up on a step to accent it, boom I can automate that. I’ve got a few clicks that seem to be from sharp modulation curves (more like right angles) but I’m figuring out how to attenuate those.

 

[JES]

I’m — for now — committed to the Vector and Octatrack as my sequencers. But in my experience sometimes the bigger modules are the most valuable and important. Current Eurorack prizes miniaturization more than it should.

 

[steubig]

i found this from the make noise fb page

i was entertained.

 

[hieronymous]

I've been quiet but busy - Thanksgiving on Thursday here in the US, but I was setting up a Moogerfooger patch a couple of days before and after - towards the end, I realized I could trigger the Subharmonicon with the envelope from the MF-101 lowpass filter - recorded a bit with my Alembicized Guild - the AleM-85 - as the trigger/accompaniment.



After the fact, I put some MF-104 analog delay on both (long on the synth, short on the bass) and EQ'd the envelope-filtered bass part, and finally have something - it was interesting trying to "play" the envelope/trigger. In the end I spent a LOT of time playing and recording this past week!

Discovered video! Same audio, but with a tiny touch of room - the clack of the strings against the fingerboard.



You can see the Subharmonicon sequencer play button in the bottom left being triggered, then turning off. That's what I was playing towards/against - trying to trigger it faster, but it had its own agenda!

 

[Phe]

Some crazy guy wanted to trade a mint condition OG DOD Gonkulator for my Rainger FX Dwarf Bass so of course I agreed (I made sure he understood that it wasn't a balanced trade, money wise ).
He is happy with the pedal, but (as I suspected) I don't have much use for the pedal.
It is surreal that these things go for over $200.
Does anyone have any ideas where one could use these? I will probably end up selling this, but first I'll try to make it work.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

 

[theunknowndude]

Some crazy guy wanted to trade a mint condition OG DOD Gonkulator for my Rainger FX Dwarf Bass so of course I agreed (I made sure he understood that it wasn't a balanced trade, money wise ).
He is happy with the pedal, but (as I suspected) I don't have much use for the pedal.
It is surreal that these things go for over $200.
Does anyone have any ideas where one could use these? I will probably end up selling this, but first I'll try to make it work.

allegedly black sabbath iron man solo?

to be honest never heard one used in music except as a mess around in the bedroom thing…