Veracohr

http://www.psynews.org/forums/index.php?showforum=72

Well, it wasn't today, but a couple days ago I finally got my new MOTU Ultralite: I was pretty disappointed in the M-Audio FW410 I got a couple weeks ago, so I returned it and ordered the Ultralite. Much better.

Usually, this is true. But have you used UAD-1 plugins? I've got the 1176LN and LA-2A plugins, and they sound damn good. Of course, it's been ten years since I used a real 1176, and I've never even seen an LA-2A in real life, but they still sound damn good. I keep seeing this thread, and every time I have an urge to post some very silly and ridiculous crap as "tips to produce psytrance". But so far I have restrained myself because I know the poster is only looking for some help. But every time I see a thread asking for very general advice, regardless of the context, my mind immediately goes down the "Turn yourself around three times while balancing a baked turkey on your head, then sing "Amazing Grace" with carrots up your nose" road.

Like one of those "Super Hits of the 80s" CDs?

Funny thing, when I write while I'm drunk, I make the best music evargh. But sometime during the night, malicious aliens come into my house and change the music, so that it's lackluster in the morning. Actually, I tend to get really excited with a new song, especially early on, when I've had a burst of creativity. Then I'll play what I have for someone, and usually get a lukewarm response, and then I hear it how it really is. When I get really into making a song, and lose myself in the process, my objective judgement goes out the window.

What the fuck? Edirol? You've got to be kidding! These salespeople are Dudes. Originally grown for the exclusive use of the Banjo Center corporation, they are now licensed to many sellers of music and pro audio gear. Cultivated on a private island in the South Pacific, each and every Dude goes through a rigorous training sequence in which they learn how to assure the customer that, no matter what it is the customer is looking at, it is the very best thing they could possibly get for the intended purpose. Except, of course, that this more expensive one over here is a little better. A Dude is trained by a master ninja until s/he achieves a nearly supernatural inability to relate to the customer, and any in-born desire to help is carefully ground away. By the time Dude arrives at the store to begin work, s/he has the musical and gear-related knowledge of a banana slug.

I went there, but they only had the display model, which I didn't want. So I ordered it direct from DSI and it got here in two days. I don't know about a bearded guy. I don't pay much attention to Banjo Center Dudes unless I need something from them. They rarely know what they're talking about. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble incorporating the sequencer. Getting help elsewhere...

And some of these:

My day has come. Dave Smith Instruments Poly Evolver Keyboard.

I would say assume they are not. Typically balanced outputs are used in processing gear, not instruments. But if you really want to know, ask Yamaha.

The only things I can say are: 1. it seems a little aimless. Changes come at seemingly random times and adjacent parts don't really seem to relate to each other. Some of the melodies sound a little more like playing around and jamming than a well-thought out melody. 2. Change up the bass pattern, it gets tiresome.

Yes, I did. It's an insulting way of referring to Guitar Center.

I say you nay, I did not. It was just a driver that didn't support my laptop. Well I went to my local Banjo Center to get a PEK. They didn't have it in stock, though, so I ended up having to order it direct from DSI and have it shipped to me. I can't wait! But while I was there I got to play around with their floor model as well as a Prophet-08 they had. Both of them had things happening with the sound that I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to stop. Like the Prophet had a mod evelope controlling the pitch, but I couldn't stop it! I wanted to ask Dude for a manual just so I could get a sound I wanted to hear. Same thing with the PEK -- there was shit happening with the sound that I just couldn't figure out how to stop. Must have an awfully big manual.

A few days ago I got into a downloading frenzy, and went looking for a bunch of free softsynths. I got some, and last night I tried them out. One of them blew me away: http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/download.html I'm not sure how to describe it. It's kind of hard at first, I'm still not used to it. I guess at its core it is a granular and wavetable synth with incredible modulating possibilities. Its got 6 LFOs, modulation matrix, 3 oscillators that can be chosen from synthesized or sampled (wavetable) waveforms. FM, ring modulation, something called "breeding", where you choose two different patches and hit the "breed" button, and it creates a Frankenstein hybrid monster of the two patches. The modulation envelopes can have from 4-9 points. It's got an extensive on-board mixer with delays. If I ever actually figure out how to use the thing, I think it will be incredible. I can't believe this thing is free. There was also another one that is intriguing. It's another that will take a little while to really figure out how to use it. It's called TripleCheese: http://www.u-he.com/TripleCheese/index.html It's described as a "comb synthesizer".

Not super-exciting, but today I got an M-Audio FireWire 410, firewire audio interface. Another piece toward being able to play live. Not that I actually expect any clubs or anywhere would want me to play, but a man can dream, right? I was originally going to get the Focusrite Saffire, which has the exact same features (minus the optical S/PDIF). At that price range, I don't imagine there's a huge quality difference between manufacturers, but I thought Focusrite might have been a little better than M-Audio (not that I have a problem with M-Audio). But I changed my mind at the last minute because the M-Audio came with Ableton Live Lite 6, an EXTREMELY limited version of Live. Live is a program I've wanted to try for a long time, so I chose the M-Audio for it. I got pretty frustrated after 4 or 5 re-installs in a row, with the interface still not being seen. But I went and downloaded an updated driver version and it worked fine. I think the one in the box was old enough that it didn't support Intel Macs. Recorded a little bit of guitar, using the on-board preamp and then using the preamp on my mixer and going into the line input on the 410. The line input was way too hot, but I think that may have partly been from me using a balanced cable from my mixer, when the 410's line inputs are unbalanced. That's my only gripe with it so far, is that all the line inputs and outputs are unbalanced. I guess they had to cut corners somewhere--it otherwise seems to be a pretty solid piece of gear, and came with quite a bit of software (Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools M-Powered, and a collection of loops in Rex, Acid WAV and AIFF) for the price. Oh yeah, and it has a power-on LED bright enough that I think it may have awoken some people in Siberia. Sorry, folks.

Hence, my desire to build a hardware clone!

Ah, thanks. Never have seen the TV series, just the movie.

I downloaded some of the tracks that Flying Rhino Records has available on their site (some great music there!), and something took me by surprise. One of the songs is "The Wizard" (Koxbox Remix), by Slinky Wizard. The song starts out with a sample, in which some guy says some stuff, including "fire walk with me". Does anyone know where this sample comes from? Before this, the only time I had ever heard the phrase "fire walk with me" was from the movie by that name (which is a Twin Peaks prequel, and one of my favorite movies), but in the movie it is only spoken once by a girl, as far as I can remember. I did a Google search, but only came up with two different songs named "Fire Walk With Me", and a book, aside from the movie. Not that I spent hours searching for it. And while I'm on the subject, that Slinky Wizard stuff is awesome!

I downloaded a schematic for a 303 a while ago. A few more years of school, and hopefully I'll be able to make my own clone. At least from a sound standpoint--I don't think the schematic covers the sequencer part of the 303.

I don't know if there was really just one, but possibly Energy 52's "Cafe Del Mar", or Paul Van Dyk's "Words".

Where did you hear they changed the knobs? The website says nothing.

I was about to not believe you, then I went and looked up Cubase. Wow, I had no idea it was so much. That's more than DP (what I use), but it probably has better softsynths and bundled effects. I was sort of excited when I upgraded from my old version of DP to the one I have now, because it included softsynths, but they more or less blow.

Done: http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/ You're welcome.

When was the last time you performed a sacrifice to appease the MIDI gods? They don't take shit from nobody...

I use my first (and so far only) keyboard, a Roland XP-10. It's not so great as a controller, all it has is two sliders that don't work very smoothly and a pitch/mod joystick. Pretty soon I plan on getting one of those really small M-Audio ones to complement my new laptop. All those cheap controllers are supposed to be more or less low build quality, but for I'm going for portability. I really want a controller with good knobs, but hopefully within a few months I should be able to get a PEK, so I'll use that as my main studio controller. Although after about 9 years of being used to the joystick, I expect I'll be initially frustrated with having separate pitch and mod wheels.