Music Making

[Dusty Chalk]

Wait, those are two completely different things.  Motu M4 is a 4x4 interface, the dbx 286s is a channel strip.  What is it you need, again? 

[Knuckledragger]

In short, I need BOTH.  The M4 is going to become my new interface for Traktor.  I've been using an ancient ESI Gigaport AG since my NI Traktor Audio 6 died ...when was it? last year some time.  You may recall that happening on-air.  NI has discontinued the Audio 6 (not that'd I'd buy another one at this point) outside of their expensive an unnecessary Traktor Scratch vinyl setup.  

The dbx 286s is a new preamp for my beloved EV RE20.  I have been suing a (piece of shit) Behringer Ultragain ...whatever since my Symetrix 528e died a few years ago.  Unfortunately for me, the 286s and M4 have been out of stock for months now.  I am toying with the idea of buying an ART Voice Channel instead of the 286s.  There is no decent equivalent to the M4 in the same price range.

[acidbasement]

A friend and I did a little synth and dance collaboration.

All sounds coming out of the Synthstrom Deluge.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by acidbasement

[Dusty Chalk]

 That's really great!

[Torpedo]

I think this is interesting, inspiring and beautiful

 

[Dusty Chalk]

On 7/7/2021 at 11:28 PM, Knuckledragger said:

In short, I need BOTH.  The M4 is going to become my new interface for Traktor.  I've been using an ancient ESI Gigaport AG since my NI Traktor Audio 6 died ...when was it? last year some time.  You may recall that happening on-air.  NI has discontinued the Audio 6 (not that'd I'd buy another one at this point) outside of their expensive an unnecessary Traktor Scratch vinyl setup.  

The dbx 286s is a new preamp for my beloved EV RE20.  I have been suing a (piece of shit) Behringer Ultragain ...whatever since my Symetrix 528e died a few years ago.  Unfortunately for me, the 286s and M4 have been out of stock for months now.  I am toying with the idea of buying an ART Voice Channel instead of the 286s.  There is no decent equivalent to the M4 in the same price range.

Stumbled across another option for you (potentially -- I don't know all your requirements):  Roland Rubix 44 or 22.

[Torpedo]

Not exactly a video about making music, but about how to make music sounding your own. I'm amazed that some people have such grasp on music

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, Oscar Peterson himself is wild:

 

[Dusty Chalk]

2 hours ago, Torpedo said:

Not exactly a video about making music, but about how to make music sounding your own. I'm amazed that some people have such grasp on music

 

Unholy carp, that's wild!  That person is crazy great, to be able to play a famous piece convincingly in others' styles is...just jaw-dropping.

[Jon L]

On 7/31/2021 at 2:31 AM, Torpedo said:

I think this is interesting, inspiring and beautiful

 

 

3 hours ago, Torpedo said:

Not exactly a video about making music, but about how to make music sounding your own. I'm amazed that some people have such grasp on music

 

I noticed both Nahre Sol and Jimindorothy are Korean musicians.  K-Pop is not all there is...

[Torpedo]

3 hours ago, Dusty Chalk said:

Yeah, Oscar Peterson himself is wild:

 

He's among my very favourites. Top 3 jazz pianists, top 10 pianists, were I able to keep ranks and such anymore.

[robm321]

^Yes, he's up with the best of all time. One of my favorites as well. 

[cutestory]

They told me to stay away from Eurorack. Probably right. But. This. Is. Head. Case.

What's better than overkill? Gigakill.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1656497

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1656633

https://www.modulargrid.net/u/racks/view/1656639

And I'm already out of rack space.

Edited August 12, 2021 by cutestory

[acidbasement]

Holy moly! 

Let me know if you ever need a house-sitter.

[Dusty Chalk]

Ditto.  Can I come over and play?  Will wear a hazmat suit, of course. 

You know, there's a lot of guys who score movies in and near LA with gear like that, have you ever thought about...?  Christophe Beck is in Santa Monica:

https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/score-the-podcast-22862/more-score-synthesizers-and-film-musics-future-13476000

[cutestory]

Yes! Come on over...

Turns out the Plasma Drive module doesn't fit all the way to the right in the Mantis case I got, so I had to move it to the center. It looks ridiculous when you're driving a signal through it with the voltage turned up:

[acidbasement]

I built a wheelie desk for my synths etc. Should I paint it synthwave pink/blue/yellow or leave it raw? It's not supposed to look nice.

[Dusty Chalk]

 except pink/blue/yellow/whathaveyou.
Or raw.  I'm not your supervisor, I'm not the boss of you.

[Torpedo]

This is not a "music making" video per se, although has valuable hints about harmonic progressions, substitutions, melody making... IMHO can be of interest for you as it was for me.

 

[Torpedo]

Probably not a "music  making" post but a "music learning" one. Anyway. I'm taking some lessons from a teacher who has a somewhat different approach than my regular one (I feel as a cheating husband). This alternativa teacher is more about ear training and feeling the notes, chords and intervals than a guitar can provide. I need a keyboard that has:

• Its own speakers or at least a "line out" that can be connected to a guitar or audio amplifier. Headphones out is welcome too.
• Some MIDI output so it'd be compatible with a DAW or just Garage Band in a Mac if I could decide what audio interface is the most adequate to my interests. It's an interesting feature but at this point not really a mandatory one.
• It's highly desirable that it has USB output so it could be used as an instrument input device to a Mac if I don't get some MIDI interface. Obviously it's more interesting to me than the MIDI output.
• I don't care much about effects, presets, rhythms and all those "music making" features, although they could be interesting to make loops and patterns that could help to real music making. I have no idea if this could be integrated into a computer not having a MIDI interface. Some advice would be most welcome.
• I'd love that the keys had a "real-piano" feel so just in case I get bored from guitar in the next 10 years, it'd could be an acceptable bridge into a real piano or at least a decent electronic piano.
• I don't "need" the 88 keys of a true piano, but something in the 5+ octaves range would be preferable.
• I'm not going to spend in a learning keyboard more than in a decent guitar or bass, so I won't spend in this more than 500 bucks. Were it "the shit" in this category of instruments, I could go as high as $1000, probably more but only if it's really worth it.

Thanks for any advice.

 

 

[Dusty Chalk]

5 hours ago, Torpedo said:

Probably not a "music  making" post but a "music learning" one. Anyway. I'm taking some lessons from a teacher who has a somewhat different approach than my regular one (I feel as a cheating husband). This alternativa teacher is more about ear training and feeling the notes, chords and intervals than a guitar can provide. I need a keyboard that has:

• Its own speakers or at least a "line out" that can be connected to a guitar or audio amplifier. Headphones out is welcome too.
• Some MIDI output so it'd be compatible with a DAW or just Garage Band in a Mac if I could decide what audio interface is the most adequate to my interests. It's an interesting feature but at this point not really a mandatory one.
• It's highly desirable that it has USB output so it could be used as an instrument input device to a Mac if I don't get some MIDI interface. Obviously it's more interesting to me than the MIDI output.
• I don't care much about effects, presets, rhythms and all those "music making" features, although they could be interesting to make loops and patterns that could help to real music making. I have no idea if this could be integrated into a computer not having a MIDI interface. Some advice would be most welcome.
• I'd love that the keys had a "real-piano" feel so just in case I get bored from guitar in the next 10 years, it'd could be an acceptable bridge into a real piano or at least a decent electronic piano.
• I don't "need" the 88 keys of a true piano, but something in the 5+ octaves range would be preferable.
• I'm not going to spend in a learning keyboard more than in a decent guitar or bass, so I won't spend in this more than 500 bucks. Were it "the shit" in this category of instruments, I could go as high as $1000, probably more but only if it's really worth it.

Thanks for any advice.

I'll do research later, but here are some pointers:

• MIDI is now largely USB.  If you have old gear, it might still use the old DIN plug, but essentially what you're asking for in the 2nd and 3rd bullets is the same thing.  There are still some modules that use DIN, but at this point, unless it has some features that you desire, I would avoid those.
• 88 keys vs. 76 keys vs. 61 keys -- 76 is much easier to come by than 88, but they're common enough that I wouldn't go less than 61.
• "real-piano feel" -- what you sound like you're looking for is weighted or at least semi-weighted keys.  Fatar keyboards are the best (often advertised as a feature), but will make the keyboard more expensive.
• Its own sound vs. MIDI controller -- a lot of musicians (myself included) use mostly DAW plugins to make their sound, so all we need is a MIDI controller.  Even the free versions of Cubase come with synthesizers built-in, which are quite functional.  I don't use them, but only because I'm more familiar with the Arturia set of synthesizer emulations.
  
  That said, I'm not recommending it, but just something to be wary of -- don't accidentally buy a MIDI controller and then wonder where the sound holes are -- there aren't any.  However if you feel comfortable running your MIDI-controller->computer->speakers, you probably already have the latter 2/3, you just need the MIDI controller and software.  It is my understanding that GarageBand is the free equivalent of Logic Pro, but I don't know if it comes with any sound-generating plugins.  Free ones do exist, but I don't trust things I don't pay for.

If you just want to start out with piano sounds, and build up your timbral palette with plugins, I would recommend a digital piano.  Something like this:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RecitalPro--alesis-recital-pro-88-key-hammer-action-digital-piano

[Torpedo]

Thank you very much, Dusty. That's the kind of keyboard I'm looking for. I don't know Alesis as a brand, so I was looking at Yamaha, Korg or Casio in that price range. Hadn't heard of Fatar before. It's great knowing that the infamous DIN MIDI connector is not a standard anymore. I don't have a MIDI/ADC controller card, in my Mac the only DAW software I've tried so far is Garage Band. It comes with a few instruments included. The App (in the old version my MBP supports) has a tiny keyboard which you can play note-by-note with the mouse, which has been my ear-training tool for a couple of weeks. I'd need the keyboard to play chords, but it's very convenient it has its own speakers or at least headphone out.

Have you tried that keyboard, do you like the feel of the keys?

[grawk]

Casio makes some pretty good digital pianos in that price range, and it's possible to find a kawai, roland, or yamaha digital piano under a grand if you find someone who's had head trauma...

[HiWire]

I might get a Yamaha MODX8 later on... looks well-suited for my needs (a bit pricy, though).

 

[Dusty Chalk]

On 7/28/2022 at 2:45 AM, Torpedo said:

Thank you very much, Dusty. That's the kind of keyboard I'm looking for. I don't know Alesis as a brand, so I was looking at Yamaha, Korg or Casio in that price range. Hadn't heard of Fatar before. It's great knowing that the infamous DIN MIDI connector is not a standard anymore. I don't have a MIDI/ADC controller card, in my Mac the only DAW software I've tried so far is Garage Band. It comes with a few instruments included. The App (in the old version my MBP supports) has a tiny keyboard which you can play note-by-note with the mouse, which has been my ear-training tool for a couple of weeks. I'd need the keyboard to play chords, but it's very convenient it has its own speakers or at least headphone out.

Have you tried that keyboard, do you like the feel of the keys?

I have not, I have not played any besides the one I have.  But that's a good point, you should -- if at all possible, go try play one in person.

(I have a ginormous beast of a keyboard controller that I inherited for free, the Akai Professional MPK88.  Honestly, I would not recommend it, it's not a good beginner's keyboard.  And most of my others are "synth action" / non-weighted.)

Yamaha and Casio totally dominate the digital piano market, and for a good reason.  I think the hard part would be deciding on which one, but I think you're perfectly good choosing just from those two brands.  I happen to be happy with all of my Alesis gear, and I found that one on a page of best MIDI controllers, and it was the only one with built-in sound, but I agree that you should stick with digital pianos, that way you get what you want straight out of the box.

Something else I noticed is that some digital pianos come without a built-in stand, so if you're comparing standless pianos with pianos with built-in stand, I would add the cost of a good stand to the ones without, or just stick with ones with built-in stands.

Sorry for the long delay in replying, I had an interview today.  It went well, I think.