cassanova808 is right, i picked up modular really quickly because i already knew synthesis, i definitely wouldnt recommend it to a complete beginner, unless you are wealthy and have a super quick learning potential.
my son is a physicist and he has absolutely no knowlege of making music other than bass guitar, and in one afternoon i explained the modular to him and he had it nailed, and was suggesting things i could do with it, because he totally understood it from a scientific point of view.
but conversely if you are more a hands on guy, and find it hard to grasp the basics, modular is not going to work for you.
theres so many other awesome options out there. start simple and work up.
Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
well im making music since a few years now. and have gotten into fm with software quite a few times. still im not really considering a modular, for drums. probably a little over the top for me.
what other hardware do you use to fatten your drums?
maybe some analog filters are a good way to thicken up my drums. what kindof filter do you use/can you recommend steevio??the most flexible and easiest to use of all of those is the Nord3, its perfect for percussion, but the sound quality isn't amazing, i always put the sounds through analogue filters to give them warmth and fattness.
what other hardware do you use to fatten your drums?
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
There's quite a few people on here who either own or have used a Machinedrum, I don't have the userwave version and I'm still discovering things about it but here's my opinion thus far:hnrk303 wrote:
besides someone experience with Elektron Machinedrum SPS-1 MK II ???
Don't buy if you want raw analog sounds, this is a digital synthetic machine and that's where it shines. I wasn't overly impressed with the TR section of kicks until I discovered the EFM, now I have settings written down in a notebook where I have discovered kicks I'm well happy with. It's great for 'out there' sounds and stuff that doesn't try to sound like something else, I found my place with it and it's used as a percussion machine, tuned wacky noises and evolving patterns. I actualy use my Korg Triton Studio for kick tracks ( samples loaded in from other stuff )
I also own an old Boss Dr-660 mk2 ( which I really like ) When I turn it on, I'm still liking some of the sounds, great pattern sequencer and nuances for realism ( Squarepusher caned this machine ). That was dead cheap, like £15 or something daft.
I've recently been making raw kicks with this thing: http://www.synapse-audio.com/ekspro.html And I'm seriously fond if it. I don't use the raw sounds though and I resample via certain bits and bobs before dumping them into the Korg.
There's so many choices with drums though that it can leave you with option paralysis. Depends how you look at it I guess. For me, I look at it like this:
1. I want solid 'analog-type' 808/909 kicks. At this point in time, my best in this dept is coming from samples I have either stole off records or cut out of loops as I don't have any analogue drum machines to source from. Secondary kicks are coming off the Machinedrum or software generated.
2. I wanted weird synthetic/twisting percussive sounds ( for me, the Machinedrum fitted that bill perfectly with the parameter locks and crazy noises, the sequencer is great too )
That's pretty much all I imagined I'd need, still going to get something analogue for kicks but I don't know what or when yet. For congas and 'normal' drum sounds, I just use the Triton as those sounds as well as clangy bell like percussion are the best I have come across with what I have to source from.
So really look at it from a 'what do I need' kinda thing. You could for instance, have something like the MD for percussive stuff which wouldn't limit you to 'static' sounds and combine it with a sampler/samples of some sort. ( like an MPC? as mentioned earlier ) In fact, that's pretty much my drum set-up right there although not the MPC, mines the Triton Studio /synth/sampler/sequencer and you are playing drums in via keys not pads.
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
just to be clear i dont just use the modular for drums, i make alll the sounds with the modular + Voyager. together its just one big techno synthsizer that does absolutely everything at the same time.hNRk wrote:well im making music since a few years now. and have gotten into fm with software quite a few times. still im not really considering a modular, for drums. probably a little over the top for me.
maybe some analog filters are a good way to thicken up my drums. what kindof filter do you use/can you recommend steevio??the most flexible and easiest to use of all of those is the Nord3, its perfect for percussion, but the sound quality isn't amazing, i always put the sounds through analogue filters to give them warmth and fattness.
what other hardware do you use to fatten your drums?
unfortunately the best filters i can recommend are modular filters, theres a huge range of filters available, very accurate copies of most of the great filters that have ever been made.
you can actually just build a modular filterbank which has several filters to process the audio from softsynths / virtual analogues etc.. and not even need any knowlege of modulars at all.
there are simple kits to form the frame to attach the modules to eg.
http://www.analoguehaven.com/tiptopaudi ... endingkit/
and then just buy whatever filter modules you fancy and stick them in.
the best way to research filters is on this forum ;
http://www.muffwiggler.com/
go to the advanced search, and search the Eurorack Modules section and search 'Filters' there's loads of info. or just browse the Eurorack section theres always loads of threads about filters with advice for beginners.
this is easiely the best way to get real quality analogue filters to process your audio. i'm not just saying this because i'm a modular geek, its just simply true.
before i went modular i used 2 x Moogerfooger MF101 filters, but they are expensive, bulky and very much a one-trick pony Low Pass filter, for the same money you could build a small modular filterbank with a multi-mode filter in it, and which could be easily expanded to take 5 or 6 other filters etc.
many people are scared of modular because they think its too complicated and expensive, but it can be as easy and cheap or as complex and expensive as you want it to be.
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
You should probably use the search to find some techniques on kick drums. What you learn from that will apply to snares and just about anything else.hNRk wrote: yeah well i really like experimenting with grooves. and maybe a drummachine is really a little to limiting compared to software sequencing.
the reason i was looking for drummachines was because of the fat sounds of the kicks and snare etc. which i havent found in software so far... may be i used wrong software? any tips there?
Phattening up drums is quite simple really, less is almost always more.
But its one of those things of the learning curve you just have to go through before you know what technique is needed and where.
I tend to do my drums really quickly these days, even if I am not too happy with the sound of each drum in isolation. I know that I can beef up my sounds later and I would rather concentrate on the music. You wouldn't believe how many projects I have that are just overworked drum loops!
Try searching 'Kick drum' and 'Parallel Compression' on the search at the top. You will get loads of ideas from various posts.
A while back I started at page one of the production forum and worked my way through over the course of a few days.
There are some amazing tips on here, you pretty much don't need to look anywhere else.
This is hands down the best production forum on the net.
Have fun!
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
if i can manage to keep my job, i think i'll start my modular in about 6 months time. it just seems like amazing value to me!steevio wrote:many people are scared of modular because they think its too complicated and expensive, but it can be as easy and cheap or as complex and expensive as you want it to be.
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
@steevio
thx for the links. interesting stuff there.
as far as filters are concerned i think ill just run the drums through the filter of the voyager (which i'll buy soon)
ill also try some analog tube amp, or analog distortion
thx at all!
thx for the links. interesting stuff there.
as far as filters are concerned i think ill just run the drums through the filter of the voyager (which i'll buy soon)
ill also try some analog tube amp, or analog distortion
definetley gonna try it!You should probably use the search to find some techniques on kick drums.
thx at all!
Re: Drumsynthesizer // Analog // whatelse??
remember that if you run the drums through the Voyager you wont be able to use the Voyager as a synth really. it will be a very expensive filter.hNRk wrote:@steevio
thx for the links. interesting stuff there.
as far as filters are concerned i think ill just run the drums through the filter of the voyager (which i'll buy soon)
ill also try some analog tube amp, or analog distortion
definetley gonna try it!You should probably use the search to find some techniques on kick drums.
thx at all!
its not impossible of course but it will be very difficult to get a good mix, mixing it in the Voyager and your drums will be in mono. i dont recommend it bro.
also be very careful with analogue/tube distortion... if you get the wrong box you'll be wasting your money. ive bought several guitar tube distortion pedals in recent years for warming up synths, and ive ending up taking them back to the shop because all they did was turn everything to mush.
the only way is to try them out in situ, or be recommended by someone who is using one in the same way you intend.