One Synth Challenge #91: Tyrell N6 v3 by u-he (Taron Wins!)

[doctorbob]

Congrats to all the winners. As usual, skills on show! Thanks to those who liked my new direction and left me comments. However, my meagre placing this time round (ie lower then my usual half way!) seems to tell me to go back to my "roots" and do things more akin with my age - 67 in January, not long to go!

I was going to do a more jazz based one this time, but the synth really doesn't lend itself to this genre - I did start a very modern piece (some would say bleeps and boops and off tempo call/response things!), but it just didn't gel fully (of course, I still have the bare bones for another time eh?). So, a more solid tune with a jazz/blues "influenced" solo in it.

Once again, well done all - was a hard vote.

See y'all over at Digits 2 ...

dB

[Reefius]

It seems like nothing has changed here. Still the same rant from the same person every month because his track ended somewhere at the bottom. And every month he says he's done with OSC. Hilarious

[wagtunes]

It seems like nothing has changed here. Still the same rant from the same person every month because his track ended somewhere at the bottom. And every month he says he's done with OSC. Hilarious

Yeah, well don't worry, you're not gonna have Wagtunes to kick around in these threads anymore.

[Taron]

Congrats to all the winners. As usual, skills on show! Thanks to those who liked my new direction and left me comments. However, my meagre placing this time round (ie lower then my usual half way!) seems to tell me to go back to my "roots" and do things more akin with my age - 67 in January, not long to go!

I was going to do a more jazz based one this time, but the synth really doesn't lend itself to this genre - I did start a very modern piece (some would say bleeps and boops and off tempo call/response things!), but it just didn't gel fully (of course, I still have the bare bones for another time eh?). So, a more solid tune with a jazz/blues "influenced" solo in it.

Once again, well done all - was a hard vote.

See y'all over at Digits 2 ...

dB

Hey Bob, first of all, I'm kinda thrilled to find your generation at the OSC, knowing that you're not alone here. You are bringing a different kind of spirit into the mix that really creates a wonderful spectrum for all of us. Naturally, needless to mention this, you should not shy away from any musical experiment you wish to make. The only trouble that can arise with styles that you can't fully see is a funny kind of phenomenon that reminds me of this one scene with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, I think ( the blind guy and the deaf guy, trying to solve a Rubik's cube...was that a tiny skid in "trading places"? I don't remember exactly, but it wasn't in "see no evil, hear no evil") Anyway... many current styles really have their root in clubs, dancing and so on, which means that it's a big plus, if one knows and enjoys this kind of experience before taking on any of those styles. Sometimes it's even enough to just imagine such a scenario, imagine the core idea of it and transport oneself into this type of culture. This is why I personally have trouble with much of this stuff myself, especially the sort of aggressive techno like dubstep stuff; I just cannot imagine how to enjoy it out there. If I were to find myself in a such a club, I'd be running for the exit, hahaha. But that's just an example.
So..."sticking to your guns" doesn't mean to get stuck. It means: explore with the "tools" you've acquired and go from there, rather than jumping into the "unknown" head first.
You've done some really nice tracks already. Clearly you dare to explore and you're doing a mighty find job at that, too. One thing I've noticed is that you sometimes allow some very crude sounds to be in the center of attention, while you have much more elegant and neatly crafted and mixed sounds in the background.
I would try to put great attention on your leading sounds and how they benefit from effects that could not only make them live lively in the mix, but also elevate them out of the rawness the synth may have.
What I love doing, for example, is to create the sound characteristics of the kind of instrument it wants to be like. It's a delicate process at times, and it often happens that I end up with a different instrument than what I initially wanted, hahaha, but there is a component to the sound that gives it a special character that's not "out of the box" anymore.
In the background you can totally have sounds that could literally be "out of the box", so to say, if they simply serve a complimentary purpose, you know. Most of the time I create all my patches from init, it's just what I do, but I can see how browsing the presets could bring perfectly suitable candidates, too.
The other thing I noticed (besides that I'm writing too much) is that one cannot always rely on the envelopes a synth offers, and that goes specifically for Digits! You can use transient shapers to taper down releases or shave off attack glitches, but in MULab you can also use envelopes to automate levels to help out there.
Some nice delays/echos can help hide ugly ends of sounds as well.
Other than that I can imagine that you know countless tricks of the trade, which show beautifully in many of your songs.
So, yeah... "stick to your guns" when you go conquer new territory, but- above all else- create something you want to hear!

[RichardSemper]

An Excellent critique there from Taron - I agree with all of it - just wish i could be as good at giving advice as that!
doctorbob - I really enjoy your styles, the liveliness you bring to a piece, and would encourage you to keep on experimenting. What i liked about your latest was that you managed to leave enough space for each of the sounds (something i really need to learn myself - i tend to throw everything in then try to make it work)
What Taron says about the rawness of the sounds is key to improving your rankings imo.

[Guenon]

Whose turn to draw a prize btw? Taron took Zebra (yay!), is Jasinski still next? I hope it's not me who everyone's waiting for, haha.

[doctorbob]

Wow! Thanks Richard and Taron. I will take this on board ...

My current "lead" sound is not completely to my liking, although a sound close to my heart as it's a bit like the old Far(t)fisa organ we used to have in one of my "bands" in the early 70's - I did electronic intros, FOH mixing (crude in those days for penniless bands!). The set started in darkness with my "ambient" piece playing (done on a EMS Synthi-A), and as the piece "evolved as rhythms were injected" the band members came on stage to "take over" part of the piece until they were all on stage and then "kablam!", they started. Very much Caravan styled (The "Canterbury Sound"), but with Floyd, Gong etc. influences as well. We even had a flute from the organist at times! We liked to experiment with odd time signatures (in part to weird out those who tried to dance - hehe - every now and then they would "hop" to get back onto a beat - oh how we giggled!). In those days when we played support the main band often let us use their PA, which was great and "sharing" - supported Caravan twice - big thrill that - twice!

Oh oh, I ramble. Must try to get my piece done but I have to go away for a week to look after my mum- she's 92 and not 100% - also the wind blew some fencing over, so it's digging out old posts and concrete, and putting up new stuff - hope my poor old back stays the course! Might have a few days when I get back - it's a 6 hour drive as well before I start.

Tonight am going to see my daughter in "Acorn Antiques - The Musical" - she's got a lead role, so should be fun to see. Makes a change from playing in the pit!

Thanks again for the comments and advice - will try better next time - hehe (can I say that at 67?).

dB

[Guenon]

I have to go away for a week to look after my mum- she's 92 and not 100%

Wow - for sure: mum, 92, will take priority over osc, 92 !

[Taron]

Something must be going right, though! Greetings and our collective best wishes to her!
...always have a look for the 5 biological laws of nature to avoid letting some professionals rob her and you of years to come!

As for Jasinski, haven't seen him ask for anything, yet?

[doctorbob]

Yup, for sure I need to sort things! She can't do it herself. Lives on her own still. Her dad lived to 102 (born 1897 and lived to 2000 - ie lived EVERY day of the 1900's!), her grandma was 101, her gt grandpa was 107, and her gt gt grandpa was 109 - so at 67, I'm still quite young!

I do fund dubbywubby stuff hard to get my head around, although, in some strange masochistic way, I sort of like some of it - more especially when done with street dance styles. It's just a bit far from what I "know". I started out listening to 45 rpms (ya know, records!) in the 50's - remember Cliff and "Living Doll", Russ Conway and "China Tea" (a strange piano thing - he had one short finger!!). Rock and Roll was still up there, and heard a lot when I lived for 4 years in Malta (mid-50's) as there was quite an American influence there with the Suez/Med crisis going on - my dad was Lt. Comm. in the RN (served alongside Prince Philip one time - "Phil the Greek"!!) . Spent a lot of time clearing the Suez Canal - well, coordinating/directing others to do it so to speak!. I lost him when he was 65, so a long time ago now. His grandfather was cook to the Officers Mess on HMS Victory 1 - (the "real one") - but long after Nelsons time.

Maybe I should do a "sea faring" ditty one time - yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

dB

[Taron]

Consider my reaction a collection of "wows", please! ...oddly, my father died at the same age of 65, too, and he was born 1923.
Anyway, a fun ditty could be something, too! If you were to hear what I'm doing right now, hmmm...it sounds like it's on high seas, too, somehow. All I can tell you is that Digits has some pretty unexpected qualities- at least as far as I'm concerned.

[doctorbob]

Ta Taron! I have found that this synth can be very "noisy", a lot of seaside sounds, often when you don't want them - a high noise floor sometimes - I tried gating the track when the main sound wasn't playing, so at least the noise did not interfere with the other layered sounds - don't always want colouration of the sound (in the audio/physics sense).

Oh well, got to get ready for the theatre now ... looking forward to it.

dB

[mmGhost]

Whose turn to draw a prize btw? Taron took Zebra (yay!), is Jasinski still next? I hope it's not me who everyone's waiting for, haha.

hope you guys aren't waiting on me...?

Any chance U-He willing to give out more Zebra licenses? j/k... ish

[z.prime]

Whose turn to draw a prize btw? Taron took Zebra (yay!), is Jasinski still next? I hope it's not me who everyone's waiting for, haha.

hope you guys aren't waiting on me...?

Any chance U-He willing to give out more Zebra licenses? j/k... ish

No, I think Jasinski is the man, but the u-he freebie is used up. However, I might be willing to donate a u-he prize. However, it would have to be to Guenon, so I can install some spyware and stalk him more easily... Did I say that out loud again? Argh...

[Guenon]

I might be willing to donate a u-he prize. However, it would have to be to Guenon, so I can install some spyware and stalk him more easily... Did I say that out loud again? Argh...

Haha!