RE: Mini / Multi - Home Recording (FX)?

[MoogProg]

I do very much like the SOUND of your SoundCloud offering. You created a pleasing sonic environment and everything (to me) sounded pretty much crystal clear.
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Hey thanks, Paul! Obviously that "soundcheck" (uhh... perhaps all my SC stuff) is there for 'demonstration purposes only'. Nothing up there is very strong composition-wise.

I have never actually composed a piece solely for SYNTHESIZER before. I mean I have recorded/uploaded snippets (lasting circa 2 x min's max [each]), but not would you would refer to as being a fully blown composition. Some people on You Tube have SYNTH compositions which go on for (say) 45 x min's! lol

^45mins! LOL My username MoogProg harks back younger days, playing ProgRock and composing "epic" instrumentals well beyond the limits of radio-play. LMAO!!! SO while I do resemble that remark, nowadays I cannot bring myself to go beyond 2:30 mins. In fact, I rarely record at all and spend 99% of my time playing for Wiley-Dog who loves music.

Great thread, and thanks for starting this interesting read.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi MP,

Obviously that "soundcheck" (uhh... perhaps all my SC stuff) is there for 'demonstration purposes only'. Nothing up there is very strong composition-wise.

Ok, but some of your uploads sound like they could be the start of something (with a view to expansion).

45mins! LOL My username MoogProg harks back younger days, playing ProgRock and composing "epic" instrumentals well beyond the limits of radio-play. LMAO!!! SO while I do resemble that remark, nowadays I cannot bring myself to go beyond 2:30 mins.

I see now. you have gone from large scale projects to (now) those of a minimal duration.

Paul

[thealien666]

Very nicely done that DP03-Soundcheck, MoogProg.

That's a very good example of a proper recording technique. Just enough effects to "round the edges" and "create a mood" but all in keeping a very clean, well balanced sound.

Thanks for sharing.

Alain.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi AS,

It's totally in 4/4. It was a clip so I didn't bother with silence preceding.

Ok, I stand corrected. It's your composition and so ultimately you will know it far better than anyone else!

I used organ samples combined with the K2600's KB3 tone wheel emulation mode and boosted the percussion/key click in the synth's KDFX onboard effects processor. I also used bass guitar samples for the bass line below the organ part during the solo and throughout the song.

I obviously read the instrumentation incorrectly last night as I thought it said K2600 GUITAR. My wrong, hence the resultant confusion. I also did hear (and forgot to mention) the BASS (line) which enters after the ORGAN track.

The patch for the solo was built from layered guitar samples then processed in KDFX for overdrive. I did play it on the synth and live I've played that organ part in my left hand and the solo in my right hand, which was a bit tricky but it was fun. Here though they were tracked separately for mixing purposes.

So you mean it is possible to play the LH ORGAN and RH SOLO simultaneously (ie in SPLIT mode).

The pads of analog brassy sawtooth synth sounds were multi-sampled into the Kurzweil from my 70's Emu submodule based homebuilt modular.

I did not recognize the BRASS patches. Also, I have zero knowledge/experience with/of KURZWEIL.

I did the vocal. I played the drums. I think that covers it. I've recorded solo this way since the 70's. Its just digital now rather than the four track reel to reel of decades past ( which I still have).

So do you use a DRUM VST now (eg GROOVE AGENT 4 or TOONTRACKS SUPERIOR)? Or still have your KIT set up to play/record please?

That's quite a few INSTRUMENTS (plus VOCALS) you are able to cover!

Cheers,

Paul

[atomicsynth]

HI Paul, answering without all the quotes for expediancy,

I can split the keyboard once in KB3 mode.and load samples into the second layer. The manual says it's unstable to do that when the synth is in tone wheel mode but I make it work. In regular synth mode, 32 layer program mode and in setup mode, 8 zone multitimbral.

I used my Super Classic Ludwig drums I've had since age 10. I like recording with them. When I play solo live I score bass and drums into notation which plays back samples of my own drums and bass samples I load through a software sampler.

Thanks, Paul, I started drum lessons at 10 and taught myself piano and guitar in my teen years. Focused hard on piano through college.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi AS,

I used my Super Classic Ludwig drums I've had since age 10. I like recording with them.

My first synth was the YAMAHA DX21 which I bought aged 17. I hated FM then and was very inexperienced etc. Ended up getting a KORG M1 2 x years later (as half the world did also!). But then last year (20 x years later!) I started craving the synth back again and so ended up winning one on eBay (in mint condition and for a steal)!

I started drum lessons at 10 and taught myself piano and guitar in my teen years. Focused hard on piano through college

Well hopefully it has all been worth it. I wish I learnt other instruments (I did try BASS and DRUMS but kept getting tendonitos) and so I decided to just keep my head buried inside the PIANO.

Thanks,

Paul

[atomicsynth]

I kind of skipped all the synth trends. I had the Emu and The Memorymoog, but then the k2000 was a hit. I got one. Hated it, immediate buyers remorse and returned it. I regretted returning it but did nothing about it for a long time. Finally 8 years or so ago, bought the used K2600 and went through the huge leaning curve. I don't need any more synths. I thought about the Kurzweil PC3K because I can get an artist discount but it doesn't sample and I've honestly barely scratched the surface of the last OS that brought triple modular processing to the K2600 and am presently interested in the analogs again. So all that and the orchestra scores I do is more than enough. It's been nothing but repairing The Memorymoog for the last two months and ongoing. My home studio is presently a synth repair shop and I'll be glad when it's done.

I had a student in the 80's who had the junior model of the DX7 and I always hated it back then. Yamaha refused to license FM to Kurzweil so other than a few algorythms that are in some ways FM operator lIke, I have no FM experience.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hello,

Here is the MULTIMOOG track again with two adjustments (based upon fellows members feedback):

https://soundcloud.com/monsterjazzlicks ... uay-seaman

I have added a small amount of REVERB (HALL) in CUBASE (at a mere 8%) on the LEAD. It adds a little touch of warmth to the reedy-ness character of the MULTI. I worked on the principle of less is more. You would hardly notice the FX, but when you MUTE it, it is noticeable to the keen ear.

I decided to keep the BASS line DRY.

And also I very slightly lowered the LEVEL of the LEAD line.

Took about 25 x min's to get it how I wanted.

Many thanks,

Paul

[MRNUTTY]

I kind of skipped all the synth trends. I had the Emu and The Memorymoog, but then the k2000 was a hit.

I spent a long time away from synths starting in the 80's when front panel controls colapsed down to a keypad, LED/LCD display and a silkscreen programmers guide on the remaining panel space. So the last synths of the age I experimented with were the OB-8 and the DX7. Then about 10-15 years ago I started to explore the field again. The best place to look, that I remember, is vintagsynth.com. That began a love affair between vintagesynth and ebay. Some of my fav's have been the K2500R/KDFX with it's novel synthesis engine, the EMU 6400 Ultra with a crackin sample library, and the Yamaha EX5R with it's multiple concurrent synthesis engines. In the last year, after I built my studio, I treated myself to finally owning some Moogs again to celebrate my early analog beginnings with PAIA DIY synth's.

[atomicsynth]

I spent a long time away from synths starting in the 80's when front panel controls colapsed down to a keypad, LED/LCD display and a silkscreen programmers guide on the remaining panel space. So the last synths of the age I experimented with were the OB-8 and the DX7. Then about 10-15 years ago I started to explore the field again. The best place to look, that I remember, is vintagsynth.com. That began a love affair between vintagesynth and ebay. Some of my fav's have been the K2500R/KDFX with it's novel synthesis engine, the EMU 6400 Ultra with a crackin sample library, and the Yamaha EX5R with it's multiple concurrent synthesis engines. In the last year, after I built my studio, I treated myself to finally owning some Moogs again to celebrate my early analog beginnings with PAIA DIY synth's.

I can so relate to this because I remember being freaked out over the K-2000 and feeling like I needed to return it immediately, and did because the interface, everything was so discomforting; that and I hated most of the rom. I failed to see then I needed to embrace digital synths and was glad when a bargain used K2600 came my way.

I was drawn to the ES5 too because I felt I needed to learn FM but never did. The Memorymoog and I had become inseparable.

I also remember those PAIA catalogs and thought about it but knew it wouldn't cut it.

I'm glad you got the Moogs you wanted. I'm glad the Emu sub modules came my way because no way I'd be able to get a Moog modular.

In another life, when backline was taken care of for me for a brief time, I was working with and loved the Arp 2600, so much so that when I designed the University's fledgling EM studio, it was built around an Arp 2600 and an Arp sequencer. I used borrowed and provided Model D's also during the 70's and always wanted one, but not to be.

Actually, funny enough, I don't want to spend another dime on music equipment and especially not another synth. Yet here I've been obsessed wth bringing the Memorymoog back into working order and it shows me things really do come full circle.

I still think the Kurzweil was what I needed to progress to most, ultimately. I keep saying I'll dive back in and master triples. I probably never will though. Maybe bit by bit....

Thanks for posting me, MrNutty

[monsterjazzlicks]

Alien,

I don't think that there is a right or wrong answer when it comes to effects. It's like seasoning in a recipe. It all depends on what you want to achieve, and the means to get there. Most often it's a trial and error process until you are satisfied with the results.

Sure, a delay is also a good effect to use with synths. It can even take the place of a reverb with short delay times and some repeats. Again, it all depends on your goal. Does it sound good to YOU, that's the only important thing. The only thing that really matters.

So in the case of the S/H OSC track I made earlier in the week, if I did decide I wanted to use DELAY, then would you just apply it by ear? I suppose I could get a rough marking of the TEMPO but I am not sure how stable/exact the MULTIMOOG S/H RATE is? Although I did not physically alter it at all mid-performance:

http://picosong.com/gLs2/

But to resurface the question regarding "right or wrong", the track would surely sound pretty much awful (unless you were intentionally creating an off the wall timbre so to speak) if the DELAY FEEDBACK was set way out of SYNC with the PULSE of the MULTIMOOG S/H FILTER? So there must be some approximate SETTING(S) (of the DELAY parameters) of which most recordists would reach a consensus upon? For example, in MUSIC you could said:

"you can compose a song using any not and any chord in any time signature!".

While this is of course very true, it is only the PROFESSIONALS who can apply this this statement to their work (eg STRAVINSKY, MILES DAVIS, JOHN WILLIAMS, etc...).

Cheers,

Paul

[MoogProg]

For the S&H track you could try sending the audio through the Carbon Copy, and just dial-in the delay time by ear. I find analog delays are good for this because you can hear the delay time changing in real-time as you turn the knob, and it is fairly easy to hear when it is in time with the music.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi MP,

For the S&H track you could try sending the audio through the Carbon Copy, and just dial-in the delay time by ear. I find analog delays are good for this because you can hear the delay time changing in real-time as you turn the knob, and it is fairly easy to hear when it is in time with the music.

Oh that's great thanks.

I will have to have a look in CUBASE to see if such a VST FX is included. I think all of the factory FX come under the umbrella heading ROOMWORKS.

Much appreciated,

Paul

[monsterjazzlicks]

Alien,

While we're on the subject, here's a good example of what I did recently, and usually what I do.

https://soundcloud.com/thealien666/fun- ... n-minimoog

The third track was the Electric Piano of the Alesis Ion, which is panned more to the left, with medium level reverb but shorter time than on the other tracks, because I wanted to give the impression of a band with the piano player to one side of the stage.

I decided to copy you here and PAN the MULTIMOOG LEAD line slightly to one side (30% to the RIGHT):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg5DmJKwVWk

It is quite subtle but the offsetting helps to give a little separation between the (two) tracks. Again, the novice ear would hardly notice it, but it is very apparent when you A/B the two versions.

Cheers,

Paul

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hello Moog Prog,

There are DELAYS within ROOMWORKS entitled: PING PONG, STEREO and MONO. But I can not specifically locate a CARBON COPY (should such a plug-in exist).

And REVERENCE encompasses only REVERBS it appears.

Best,

Paul