Here’s somebody explaining how they improvised an entire 40min set with just an iPhone
I Did a Song!
On a side note, this thread has inspired me to actually sit down with my Maschine Mikro Mk2 and start developing various loops I have made into actual arrangements.
A couple of years ago I started getting interested in playing keys and picked up a Novation Launchkey Mini on a whim. I am probably never going to actually learn to play keys, but that got me curious on clip launching, then sampling, then step sequencing, then synths, etc, etc and I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole of collecting gear, mostly the intention of getting me away from sitting in front of a PC as my primary hobby! :D
I kind of went on a bit of a groovebox craze and ended up with a decent chunk of gear, mostly standalone and all pretty cool in their own rights. I have enough stuff to plug various bits together in different combinations, but then life got in the way and I had to put it all aside for a while. Back on track now, so this thread was timely.
- Novation Launchkey Mini
- Akai MPX8
- Akai MPC500 - tricked out with new pads and blacked out buttons
- Maschine Micro MK2
- Novation Circuit
- Korg Electribe 2
- Korg Kaossilator
- Korg Volca Sampler
- Korg Volga Bass
- Korg Volca Beats
- Korg Volca Keys
- Korg Volca FM
- Korg Monotron
- Korg Monotron Delay
- Teenage Engineering PO20 Pocket Operator Arcade
- Teenage Engineering PO28 Pocket Operator Robot
- Arturia Keystep
- 8 Channel Mixer and various Midi related stuff
I realise I did technically ‘publish’ something in the 10 Minute Game Jam thread! The background music in this vid was composed on a Volca Beats and Keys, from memory and tweaked in Ableton with the addition of some additional instruments.
Haha, no. But, no more than a couple of hours jamming around. Probably most of that was faffing around in Ableton!
I finally have some time on my hands, so I’m trying for a new track a week.
EDIT: Hmm, embed doesn’t seem to work for me. Here’s the link.
Really cool track! I like all the frequency juggling and whatnot in the middle section of the song. Interesting and non-obvious harmony. Really good mixing too.
Thanks! The effects on the 303 in the middle were courtesy of the Zoom MS50G MultiStomp Guitar Pedal. It has tons of DSP effects that can be chained together, and one of the best things I’ve purchased this year.
Bought my kiddo a Roland jd-xi last Xmas to play around with and had so much fun myself, I’ve now bought and sold a dozen synths, 5 sequencers, 4 drum machines, oodles of mixers…and I don’t know how to play any of it…but I’m starting.
My lineup:
DSI Rev2
Moog sub phatty
Roland T.R.8S
Squarp Pryamid.
I watch mr tuna on YouTube and dream of that kind of setup. But the wife won’t let me until I learn to play at least a little bit.
The Prophet Rev2 is a beast. One of these days I’m hoping to save up and get one. I’ve loved every demo I’ve heard.
Hey, just on this, I assume you are across VCV Rack and Reaktor Blocks? VCV Rack is free (some 3rd party modules are paid) and has exploded over the last couple of years, and NI released Blocks a while ago as an excellent commercial soft-rack product based on the Reaktor framework. Not sure VCV has VST option yet, but Reaktor Blocks is standalone and VST.
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/blocks/
That faux eurorack VST finally convinced me to upgrade my Komplete to 12. Looking forward to playing around with it this week.
I just cant do software…I dunno why. At one time, I used my Ipad and Cubase and it worked great but now I cant even get into that …I just have to have hardware.
Of course, I’m no musician so if I EVER learn how to play any of it, I might jones for computer stuff.
Finally got a keyboard stand(the brand is Jaspers, and so far it’s excellent). Now I have space for the Monologue and Alpha Juno.
Also got my new song of the week done.
So, is it hard to play the Minilogue being up so high…and over the others…I’m assuming you have to stand to play it…seems waaaay to far to lean in over the other 3.
I only have 2 synths “now” and could see getting a stand like this for those 2 and really need one as I dont have space for some of my other stuff…but worry that reaching up my arms would get tired pretty easily playing the upper synth…is that a concern with that setup?
He probably ‘plays’ the minilogue with one of the main keyboards via midi. Whether he is actually knob twiddling whole doing so depends on what he may be doing at the time.
Yeah, the priority for the stand was access to the various knobs. Previously they were on a flat desk that I had to stand over in order to get a good look at the settings for each synth.
Nice! I really like the overall beat/feel of the middle section there. Well done.
Try doubling the period on that LFO on the chirpy metallic bit, I bet it’d sound good. :D
Or let it bottom out for a little longer… right when it gets to the crunchy bit it bounces and goes straight back up. Leaves me wanting more! :D
I really like that bassline. Very rubbery and bouncy. Once the lead comes in I could see some accompanying chords lifting it up.
By the way, how are y’all getting soundcloud to embed properly? I’m trying to copy the HTML embed code and paste it in the reply, and nothing shows up. Is there a formatting trick I’m missing?
And yeah the track-a-week thing has been good motivation to finish tracks so far(anyone is welcome to join in!). My typical M.O. is to get a 30 second loop that I’m very happy with, feel frustrated, and move on to something else.
For me, the hardest part is building on a loop like that and not feel painted into a corner. In that sense, having a goal to push me to flesh these out has been really nice.
It’s good to know folks are listening, as well.
I will do so eventually. I just need to find the time and learn a lot of stuff I’m really not all that familiar with due to my musical history being more of the “analog” kind. ;)