One Synth Challenge #76: Mantra Evo (Syntax Project Wins!)

[doctorbob]

In addition to boosting those zones (300 - 8k), I've added instruments deliberately to saturate the weakest spots in my spectrum. That felt like an odd thing to do and I have listened to it too much now to really be able to judge it properly

You do right there ... I did exactly the same, added in extra instrumentation to help create a fuller sound, which inevitably will be in that mid to midhi section of the spectrum - once you have a nice warm bass of course!

I doubled up instrument tracks too, using a different patch for each one. So my "strum" like guitar thingy (from 28sec onward) is a pluck/strum sound and also an organ-like sound which gives the illusion of a sustain/decay to the sound.

I also used 5 different bass patches so I could vary the bass sound as required as the overall instrumentation changed (and mine changes a lot eh???).

I did find that using the FerricTDS plugin on the masterFX added some warmth too - quite subtle if you A/B it - but it does help.

BTW - the mix is pretty good, so don't beat yourself up about it. My early OSC's really sucked mixwise ... just go back and listen and you'll hear exactly what I mean [If you can be bothered, of course - my tracks are all very very different - sort of my "signature" for OSC's]

Cheers, and yes, a nice doodle!

dB

[Taron]

AH, I finally checked your update, dB! Thanks for your comments on soundcloud, by the way!
Yeah, your mix now spreads out much nicer! I left you some comments on soundcloud as well, listening carefully to your track. It has a very interesting arc for sure, in terms of story telling. Or I should say: It tells a story. That's something I really love, when music does that.
I still think, it could have a section in there, where you really give it all, I mean, a drumset with proper bottom, a groove with all elements aligned, you know, a moment of clarity and power, right before it drifts back off into the cool relaxed groove you started out with and essentially end it with.
I really dig the song, though. I've already made it a habit to hit [like], when I like something, because I know how good it feels to get a lil' confirmation.

[doctorbob]

I still think, it could have a section in there, where you really give it all, I mean, a drumset with proper bottom, a groove with all elements aligned, you know, a moment of clarity and power, right before it drifts back off into the cool relaxed groove you started out with and essentially end it with.

Hi thanks ... try this one ...

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/333 ... -%20v3.mp3

Better? Check around 2:50s - the tinkly bit has lost it's in your face kick!!

Or this one with the bass in that section up a little, and then the main seq and distorted lead boosted when they come back in for their final flourish!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/333 ... -%20v4.mp3

dB

[Taron]

I think, at the end you just have to remain true to your style. It has a curious and delightful eccentricity about it, which I really wouldn't/shouldn't want to compromise. As it were, you needn't have to boost the bass, because it would probably only muddy it up. You might try adding a careful accent "thump" only on the first beat, or first and fourth, one octave lower than the existing bass with a pure sine of sorts, rather than pushing the 50-100 range. I could imagine that this might provide a bit extra meat, you know.

[Taron]

Ah, try in the intro, just to test it out for yourself the following:
- take empty patch of mantra evo
- mute 2nd osc
- leave 1st osc on sine and reduce the release to like 66% or so, sustain to 75%, decay at full.
- hit each "kick" with A1 (in the intro) and if you wanted to continue doing so, try to stay in that 1st octave, but follow along your tonica!

It's only for you to test it. You might want to hold off with anything like that until you are behind your climax, because that one is so wild that any additional stimulation could totally explode it. So 2:50 and after would probably the best moment to support the kick with something like that! Really adds a great deal of depth and warmth, imho!

[doctorbob]

You might try adding a careful accent "thump" only on the first beat, or first and fourth, one octave lower than the existing bass with a pure sine of sorts, rather than pushing the 50-100 range. I could imagine that this might provide a bit extra meat, you know.

Yup, I hear you there ... I'll try an experiment and see using the first version of the "minus kick" and see what happens. Funnily enough there is a "second" bassline in there ... but it's low and quite "woolly" to the ears (ie little attack perceived). I might even see if that line can be coaxed into providing a thump/hit of sorts ...

I did actually just volume automate the bass track in there ... rather than push the EQ.

Always things to do of course ... have to be careful not to mess it up completely, given I was reasonably happy with it - but that tinkly arp section wasn't quite right ...

Thanks

dB

[pmj_rit]

Hello everyone, after a long absence. I still visit the forum and the soundcloud groups now and then. Still busy with "other things" and not all musical unfortunately. It's great to see OSC is still going strong and inspiring creativity.

Anyway I feel moved to reply to you TheBellows. I believe Sweirk was also made with SynthEdit. It helped me, and others make some very interesting sounds and I learned a lot from using it. Also this whole thing is about free synths and effects. Doubtless there are criticisms that could be made of Swierk, or any of the many other SynthEdit synths around but I don't accept the description of it as a toy.

I didn't describe it as a toy though, i was just questioning what it was. I was basically just wondering if it only looks old and outdated or if it actually is old and outdated.
Now that i made my first synth with it i see that it's more than a toy. Actually i found it quite fun to work with, though i still feel it's a bit outdated and i think i'll wait for a more up to date version to come along before i buy it.

Apologies. That was Taron. You did seem pretty negative though. I'm glad you went on to experiment with it.

I won't trouble you all again for a while. Too much going on.

[Taron]

wowowohh...I said "toy"? Hmmm...possibly, hehe, but I love to play!
But yeah, I was initally super upset about this synth, simply because non of the basics were like basics and one of my favorite instrument group is keys, with which I most often start to get a feel for a synth. Yes, you can fake your way into somewhat staggeringly similar to keys, but well... let's say that was the wrongest possible foot to start with, you know. And thus feature by feature it was one shocking short-coming after another. It took one heck of a deep breathe to say "screw it, let's see what it's got!". And thus I went at it, discovering what was neat about it ("neat" is the wrong word..."fascinating" is better!). Piece by piece I realized just what kind of crazy stuff can come out of this thing, how punchy it can be, if you work it from all angles, how shocking unique sounds would get...and eventually how I could even get some almost conventional sounds out of it, too, but they always have an edge, which is totally fun.

If I were to recommend this one- and I just might-, it would always come with the BIG CAUTION!!! - bring your most adventures mindset and forget at least half of what you know!

Whether or not I called it a toy, this has mutated into the most positive sense of the meaning!

[addon: don't be so uptight about everything, though. My first commercial plugin for Adobe's AfterFX I called "ZbornToy", because I wanted people to go at it with a light heart. I find that the best way to approach anything new!]

[doctorbob]

Hi folks - forgive me, but I have done my usual tinkering after uploading - was expecting to be away on holiday, but have a tooth playing up under a 20 year old crown, so have postponed hols to get some root canal stuff done - they have to drill through the crown to get at the tooth (a 40 minute session - pah!).

But, the good news is that I have a little more time to tweak the track.

So - I have done this ...

The initial keys sound has been volume automated up at each new section added so it doesn't get completely lost.

At around 2:50 secs I have dropped the kick during the little tinkly ARP section, and played with some of the various levels of other things going on at that time. THEN, the biggy - I have changed most of the levels of the many tracks following - you will hear lots more stuff going on which was buried before. To me it has changed the last section quite dramatically.

Hope you like and prefer this new version.

Here's the link again ... sorry to bore you ... but I am very pleased and satisfied by the overall sound of this track and the nice sounds from the synth.

https://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/doctor ... -evo-osc76

[Taron]

Oh sh..that's bizarre. I only ever got crowns after root canals, really. Very unfortunate!
I'll check it out later...too tired now, just wanted to give you my compassion!

[Mojo42]

I have off today ( ) and so I have got the time for trying Mantra Evo. I have to admit that I also have no idea how it works exactly and also not what exactly I`m doing there but: Damned that`s so great fun, really

I really like it a lot and I`m glad that I downloaded and tried it because this Synth will give my tracks a very personal touch and that is actually something I was looking for. I think it`s great for relaxing and joyful experimenting without having a certain goal and just trying to discover all the possibilities. I definitely can need it and I definitely will add it to my permanent Synth collection. So: Big thanks to Alienoiz

I haven`t got enough patches for to share yet, but for the case that someone needs an init bank....

[Taron]

You're really a sweetheart, Yvy!
Today I went again through some of the old OSCs. There were a number of them that looked fantastic and offered such comprehensive controls and all that, but they sounded sterile, dead and cold.
I still would love Evo to gain a little more conventional powers, but for what it's worth, it really does not sound dead or cold; it sounds very much alive and you can get great warmth and fullness with it!

Anyhow, it's a powerful exercise for "letting go!" and that's what I'd advice to anyone, who's about to work with it.

By the way, one of the most stunning synths I came across in the older OSCs has to be the Jupiter Flexoid! Talking about rich character...wow...and the songs you all made blew me away! ...absolutely love the winning piece by keith303!

[TheBellows]

Apologies. That was Taron. You did seem pretty negative though. I'm glad you went on to experiment with it.

I won't trouble you all again for a while. Too much going on.

No trouble, i admit i was a bit shocked how the software presents itself, after all it costs more than excellent software like Redux and Renoise which has incredible GUIs, professional appearance and excellent support. This looks prehistoric, it's not very user friendly and frankly i think it looked like a scam or something close to it, because this guy has been working on it since 1987 and it doesn't look like much has happened since.
That's why i got a negative first impression.

If he had just cleaned up the thing and made it up to date with normal knob behaviour and so on, it would probably have generated a lot more users and money in the pocket for the developer and maybe even he would be able to put the price down too. I believe it would be a win/win situation.

[Taron]

You just had to repeat that quote, didn't you?!

[TheBellows]

You just had to repeat that quote, didn't you?!

Had to make clear who's the culprit.