From software to hardware

[Vectorman]

codec_spurk posted the link to this article. It discusses several points that I've been talking about and that makes me wonder what people think a hardware workflow looks like today, whether live, or in the studio?

http://www.monolake.de/interviews/supercomputing.html

This development changed electronic live performance in significant ways. The more operations that a computer in the bedroom studio was able to carry out, the more complex the musical output could be, and the less possible it was to re-create the results live. A straight techno piece made with an Roland TR-808 and some effects and synth washes can be performed as an endlessly varying track for hours. A mid 90s drum&bass track, with all its timestretches, sampling tricks and carefully engineered and well-composed breaks is much harder to produce live, and marks pretty much the end of real live performance in most cases. To reproduce such a complex work one needs a lot of players, unless most parts are pre-recorded. As a result, most live performances became more tape concert-like again, with whole pieces played back triggered by one mouse click and the performer watching the computer doing the work.

I guess if you're making music that only you care about, 909+303=track isn't dead, but if you want to sell records, times have changed and computers have changed the expectations of how EDM should evolve.

I can't help but wonder if eventually, this push towards greater and greater complexity and almost complete reliance on overwrought sonic gimmicks is going to reach a dead-end. It's already to the point that when my other half turns on an electronic music channel in the car, many of the tracks sound to me like music made to be listened to by androids, not human beings. You can only go so far with that before even the most ADD people needing constant over-stimulation are going to feel overwhelmed by the aural assault. Will there be a grunge-rock-like backlash against this stuff in electronic music where people get sick of overdone productions and want to hear something more stripped down again? The pendulum swings and I wouldn't be surprised, but I guess that's a whole other topic for another thread.

[ghettosynth]

codec_spurk posted the link to this article. It discusses several points that I've been talking about and that makes me wonder what people think a hardware workflow looks like today, whether live, or in the studio?

http://www.monolake.de/interviews/supercomputing.html

This development changed electronic live performance in significant ways. The more operations that a computer in the bedroom studio was able to carry out, the more complex the musical output could be, and the less possible it was to re-create the results live. A straight techno piece made with an Roland TR-808 and some effects and synth washes can be performed as an endlessly varying track for hours. A mid 90s drum&bass track, with all its timestretches, sampling tricks and carefully engineered and well-composed breaks is much harder to produce live, and marks pretty much the end of real live performance in most cases. To reproduce such a complex work one needs a lot of players, unless most parts are pre-recorded. As a result, most live performances became more tape concert-like again, with whole pieces played back triggered by one mouse click and the performer watching the computer doing the work.

I guess if you're making music that only you care about, 909+303=track isn't dead, but if you want to sell records, times have changed and computers have changed the expectations of how EDM should evolve.

I can't help but wonder if eventually, this push towards greater and greater complexity and almost complete reliance on overwrought sonic gimmicks is going to reach a dead-end. It's already to the point that when my other half turns on an electronic music channel in the car, many of the tracks sound to me like music made to be listened to by androids, not human beings.

Absolutely, I don't even think that we need to go all the way to androids to question whether tastes cycle, there are precedents in other forms of pop music, multiple times over. Perhaps the most obvious is the contrast between punk rock and predecessors.

You can only go so far with that before even the most ADD people needing constant over-stimulation are going to feel overwhelmed by the aural assault.

Haha, I think you might have just identified why I dislike that music as much as I do and, at the same time, why I really like minimal stuff.

Will there be a grunge-rock-like backlash against this stuff in electronic music where people get sick of overdone productions and want to hear something more stripped down again? The pendulum swings and I wouldn't be surprised, but I guess that's a whole other topic for another thread.

Perhaps, probably even, but, if history teaches us anything, whatever's new won't be exactly like where we've been. Let me say, thanks for responding, and no, this is absolutely a topic for this thread. If there's some sense of where music is going, trends that are resurfacing, then that can provide a framework for understanding instrumentation in that setting.

[raikard233]

Hi Guys, thank you all for the replies, didn't had yet the time to reply, i'll do soon.

[damoog]

mmm.tough one really,personally i went from software back to (analogue synth )hardware but practically its PITA!..although my analogues sound great it doesnt make sense having to recall patches when it is all done automatically with software synths

[raikard233]

Hi guys, finally got some time to reply, i got a lot of nice and useful feedbacks here, i'll try to reply asap to the posts.
Well, i had also time to sell stuff (you can find my thread on the market place if you're interested ) and buy some other things.

In the meantime that i reply to the other posts, here's some stuff that i have and some other that i would like to have choosing between them (under radar stuff you will read ) with your help and advices considering that i don't have the budget to buy all.
I would like to make a priority list on what should be get before other stuff from your point of view as i don't have to get all at once, as you suggested, but piece by piece to find the best compromise and fit to my ideal workflow (live teaking).

My actual hardware setup is:
Arturia Microbrute
Elektron Monomachine Mk2
Yamaha AN200
Midibox SammichSID
A couple of Adam A7
Motu 828 Mk2

Software side i have:
Maschine 2.0 with mk1 controller
Ableton Live 9
Numerology 3 Pro

My goal is to have a both live and studio setup that i can bring with me without needing a cargo for transports, that's why one of my first choice were the elektron stuff, quite small and powerful.
But of course i would like also to add some more studio oriented stuff to sample and use through sampler in gigs.

There are a lot of other gear under my radar actually:
- Elektron Octatack (sampler and sequencer to be used as core live act device)
- Elektron Analog4 (cool sequencer + 4 analog mono synths)
- Elektron Rytm (cool sequencer + 8 analog synths both for drums and other sounds)
- Arturia Minibrute (2 env, noise source, lfo parameters and other features missing on microbrute)
- Korg MS-20 (semimodular cool, but not so portable for gigs, more suitable for studio)
- Modular stuff (flexibility, more suitable for studio than live)
- Access Virus TI/TI2 Rack (digital poly with multiple out)
- Clavia Nord Lead Rack 2/3 (digital poly with multiple out)
- Korg Volca's (analog ultra portable, small)
- Korg Kaoss Pad 3 (sampler and lot of fx, plus portable)
- Jomox T-Resonator (from youtube videos seems a quite powerful mangler)
- Some other multiFX, rack or desktop
- Some other pedal and guitar suited fx's

[ew]

With a MIDI-CV converter, Numerology works fantastically well with a modular. I've been trying to get Jim to do a Windows port for ages...

ew

[raikard233]

@ew:
Yes, Numerology is one of the software that i've not sold becuase i tought that can become useful in a someway with modular stuff.

Guys, about the "under radar" gears, do you see something that i should add before other things?
From my side i see Virus TI2 (found a nice used deal), Octatrack and Rytm.

Yesterday i did a nice jam using Maschine (connected to pc of course, sending midi clock), Monomachine, Microbrute, AN200 (sync not stable here).

I don't know which of the three "Watched" devices would fit better:
- Virus TI2, lot of quality, would replace the AN200
- Octatrack, sampler to replace maschine in live setup (so totally no more pc on live) and drive all other gears.
- Rytm, to have a great drum/sound combo with elektron sequencer (i'm using monomachine since 1 week and i fallen in love with elektron workflow)

Any suggestion?

[UltraJv]

Use a control surface and turn the monitor off? Kinda like Receptor........

[raikard233]

Well i would like to make a computerless setup for live purpose. I'll use a pc just to record.

[pdxindy]

I just brought my new Analog Keys home yesterday and I have the RYTM on order. Figure I will end up adding the Octatrack as central hub/sampler/looper. I was resistant at first to getting multiple devices from one company, but Elektron is rather unique. Everything they make invites exploration.

[tapper mike]

Consider an emu command station. More tricks in that pony then one can shake a stick at.