One Synth Challenge #81: Oxe FM (z.prime wins!)

[Jazzaria]

Re: using Audacity - got it, didn't realize it was a problem and I'm just more used to doing certain basic things in it. I can see how compression/amplification is easy to do in Reaper, but the only fadeout I'm familiar with (click the end corner of tracks and drag back) always seems way too slow (as in it takes forever for it to convincingly fade). I guess just manually reducing overall volume at the end would do it, but if anyone knows a canned "apply an overall fadeout that takes ~10-15 seconds and sounds convincing" technique like Audacity that would be nice.

Re: the actual music, yeah I do agree with more variety. I wanted to do a whole synth drum beat but that was just a pain to split each little part of the kit to different Oxe instances - I may still try that, or just lighten it up by dropping the snare/using more shaker and having the whole thing modulate around a bit. Probably having the solos pass back and forth more frequently rather than two long ones would make more sense too, that at least should be easy-ish to cut up and do (they were just fun to keep going with - the groove is short and repetitive but very crunchy).

Thanks all, more thoughts welcome.

[MTLE]

Re: using Audacity - got it, didn't realize it was a problem and I'm just more used to doing certain basic things in it. I can see how compression/amplification is easy to do in Reaper, but the only fadeout I'm familiar with (click the end corner of tracks and drag back) always seems way too slow (as in it takes forever for it to convincingly fade). I guess just manually reducing overall volume at the end would do it, but if anyone knows a canned "apply an overall fadeout that takes ~10-15 seconds and sounds convincing" technique like Audacity that would be nice.

The fades in the corner of the media items doesn't work with midi items as far as I know.
Complete explain of DAW specific stuff here is a bit off topic I think. So try this video tutorial that explains very good what you have to do. With these skills you can change all parameter a VST gives to you and most track related parameters, too. It's an exciting technique that I don't wanna miss.

[Jazzaria]

The fades in the corner of the media items doesn't work with midi items as far as I know.

Thanks - good starting points, I figured out doing everything I want in Reaper. Corner fades actually do work with MIDI, and if you right click on the curve you can choose different curves, so that helped. That along with some overall volume automation worked out, I think - though I still miss a "select a region and just fadeout" button. I hear Reaper is pretty scriptable, so maybe when I have time to kill...

Anyway, I updated the track (which unfortunately seems to entail deleting and recreating) and edited my original post (http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 6#p6297936) to reflect no longer depending on Audacity. I also made the solos trade more (the "duel of the flutes" was an afterthought actually, a John Williams pun) and lightened and shortened it a bit, so hopefully it holds interest better (I at least think there's a groove there).

The "proper" thing to do would be to extend the arrangement with other progressions, but that's probably more than I can tackle this month so I may leave it as-is. Still, more feedback welcome, and thanks all!

[MTLE]

The fades in the corner of the media items doesn't work with midi items as far as I know.

Thanks - good starting points, I figured out doing everything I want in Reaper. Corner fades actually do work with MIDI, and if you right click on the curve you can choose different curves, so that helped. ...

Maybe this has changed. When I tried to use this feature it seemed not to work and I never tried again. But I love it on sampled stuff for crossfading items.

[mehum]

Fading midi objects in Reaper actually modifies note velocity, not output gain. So if you have no velocity sensitivity on the track you're fading, nothing will happen

Easiest way for proper master fader (sorry for OT):
Menu: View/Master track (or CTRL-ALT-M)
This displays the master track at the top of the track list.
Then press the Trim button to get to the envelope selection.
Check Volume and a line should appear. You can now automate volume on the master track.
Use Ctrl-Click to add a point where you want your fade to begin and again where it should be done.
Move the last point down and you have a fade out.

Note, if you're new to this, that this technique is possible for almost any parameter in any track, including plugin parameters. Just click the Trim button on any track you want to automate.

[mehum]

I don't think I have ever been done this early, but here we go...

A rather simple and sparse track this time around. I've had this melody on my mind for quite some time. I hope I haven't stolen it from somewhere
Influenced mainly from late 90s, early 00s break beat and hip hop.

Thanks goes to Dee.P.Tree and Mojo42 for listening to my beta versions and providing valuable feedback.

I hope you enjoy!
Now, prepare for some cattle shuffle!

mehum - Bovine Riot Squad

https://soundcloud.com/neophile/mehum-bovine-riot-squad

DAW: Reaper 5
OXEs: 23

All patches from scratch, some which can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sw7c0ltl4jjwo ... s.zip?dl=0

Other Plugins:
IVGI x5
MJUCjr x5
Limiter No6
Molot
ReaEq x 9
Pecheneg Tremolo
Sanford Delay
Sanford Reverb x 2
TDR Kotelnikov
SPAN

Project file (featuring colors!):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pw3rr60t4tz9p ... m.RPP?dl=0

[H-man]

Heads up, it seems there is an update for OXE today.

http://www.kvraudio.com/news/oxe-fm-syn ... -mac-31628

Bug fixes are mentioned, off to test it now....

[z.prime]

Heads up, it seems there is an update for OXE today.

http://www.kvraudio.com/news/oxe-fm-syn ... -mac-31628

Bug fixes are mentioned, off to test it now....

Yikes! Swapped to OpenGL... I'll stick with this version for now.

[doctorbob]

**** Track taken down for refurbishment *******

dB

[wagtunes]

Hello everyone. Here's a little conventional ditty composed by me for this challenge. Easy listening, but hopefully uplifting.

All sounds programmed (or heavily modified from a preset) by me. Minimal FX processing as you can see, just ReaEQ to balance up the frequency space, a percussion reverb buss, a backing tracks reverb bus, and then a verb for the crash and and the other for the lead guitar (I needed different timings!)

NastyDLA is used by the doodling synth which burbles away in the background (breaking through every now and then!).

DAW: Reaper 5.1

Track Details.

15 * OXe
15 * ReaEQ
1 * NastyDLAMkII
4 * TAL Reverb MKII

Master track:
TDR VOS SlickEQ
Ferric TDS
Limiter No.6

DR:7 (sorry - I wanted it to be "punchy")

A happy tune for these sad times (My friend knew the merchandising guy very well - a sad loss to us all). I hope you can all enjoy this and be a little uplifted.

dB

https://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/oxeosc

I wish you could have seen the smile on my face as I was listening to this. Love this song. Forget the synth part of it. Love this song.

Okay, here is my criticism purely from an arrangement standpoint.

There are no noticeable dynamics in this. I think it should have started off more mellow and then intensified as it went along adding pieces along the way. Right now, at least to my ears, it's too much on the same volume level and instrument density. It's like everything comes right out of the gate and stays on one plane.

IMO, I think it's the only thing keeping this out of the top 5 this month because the song itself is just drop dead make you smile wonderful. I've listened to it one time and I'm still humming it minutes later and will probably be doing that all day.

Anyway, my 2 cents for whatever they're worth from a guy who can't crack top 10 to save his life. LOL.

[doctorbob]

I wish you could have seen the smile on my face as I was listening to this. Love this song. Forget the synth part of it. Love this song.

Okay, here is my criticism purely from an arrangement standpoint.

There are no noticeable dynamics in this. I think it should have started off more mellow and then intensified as it went along adding pieces along the way. Right now, at least to my ears, it's too much on the same volume level and instrument density. It's like everything comes right out of the gate and stays on one plane.

IMO, I think it's the only thing keeping this out of the top 5 this month because the song itself is just drop dead make you smile wonderful. I've listened to it one time and I'm still humming it minutes later and will probably be doing that all day.

Anyway, my 2 cents for whatever they're worth from a guy who can't crack top 10 to save his life. LOL.

Thanks so much for these kind words. I need to haul myself up to the top 1/3rd - hehe!

You are absolutely right about the dynamics point of view. I made a start by letting others do the melodic lines, but still probably too dense. I do have 4 harmonies and 1 piano part and 2 backing guitar-like parts, so there's plenty of scope to thin it down and build ... I have already done a lot of automation, and worked on the bass and kick quite a lot to help it getting too "bulky" in some parts.

Definitely an "earworm" this time round - I wake up to it!

I spent about a dozen hours getting the tracks done - so many hassles with saving/recalling presets, I just went straight at it solid and froze each track once I had more or less the right sound, and then picked from those for mixing. - Outcome - don't ask for my presets - they don't exist anymore!

Pretty much a work in progress anyway, but I wanted it out there because I just plain like it, warts an' all.

It WILL get better - cheers, and well done with your placing - I need you rhelp now to drah me up over the halfway mark

Cheers,

dB

[wagtunes]

I wish you could have seen the smile on my face as I was listening to this. Love this song. Forget the synth part of it. Love this song.

Okay, here is my criticism purely from an arrangement standpoint.

There are no noticeable dynamics in this. I think it should have started off more mellow and then intensified as it went along adding pieces along the way. Right now, at least to my ears, it's too much on the same volume level and instrument density. It's like everything comes right out of the gate and stays on one plane.

IMO, I think it's the only thing keeping this out of the top 5 this month because the song itself is just drop dead make you smile wonderful. I've listened to it one time and I'm still humming it minutes later and will probably be doing that all day.

Anyway, my 2 cents for whatever they're worth from a guy who can't crack top 10 to save his life. LOL.

Thanks so much for these kind words. I need to haul myself up to the top 1/3rd - hehe!

You are absolutely right about the dynamics point of view. I made a start by letting others do the melodic lines, but still probably too dense. I do have 4 harmonies and 1 piano part and 2 backing guitar-like parts, so there's plenty of scope to thin it down and build ... I have already done a lot of automation, and worked on the bass and kick quite a lot to help it getting too "bulky" in some parts.

Definitely an "earworm" this time round - I wake up to it!

I spent about a dozen hours getting the tracks done - so many hassles with saving/recalling presets, I just went straight at it solid and froze each track once I had more or less the right sound, and then picked from those for mixing. - Outcome - don't ask for my presets - they don't exist anymore!

Pretty much a work in progress anyway, but I wanted it out there because I just plain like it, warts an' all.

It WILL get better - cheers, and well done with your placing - I need you rhelp now to drah me up over the halfway mark

Cheers,

dB

Well, I don't know how much help I can be to you doc. I think last month was lightning in a bottle. Every once in a while I come up with something catchy and manage not to butcher it. And of course I had tons of help from this community, yourself included. This synth is giving me fits and quite honestly, don't know if I'll even get this track done. The more I work on it, the worse it seems to get.

But I'll be happy to help you any way I can. There is definitely a gem in this month's submission. With the right arrangement, it can definitely crack the top spots.

[mehum]

That was a bit of a hard listen, Bob... I'll be a bit harsh now but I know you can take it.
I agree with wag, the melody is very nice in its simplicity. But the rest just doesn't support it at all and neither the performance or the sound seems to do it justice.
It seems like all the sounds are trying to break through in the harshest way possible making the high mids horribly chaotic.

What I feel the melody cries for is a subtle and emotional performance. In its current form it's sadly close to unlistenable.

I do hope that you, despite your technical problems, revisit this!

Are you on Mac? I've had no problems at all with the Oxe with Reaper 5 in win 7 64. It's strange that it seems to be so buggy for some...

[doctorbob]

[quote="mehum"]
It seems like all the sounds are trying to break through in the harshest way possible making the high mids horribly chaotic.

What I feel the melody cries for is a subtle and emotional performanceI do hope that you, despite your technical problems, revisit this!
quote]

Many thanks. Already had a go ... rendering now ... getting more "listenable2 - I do agree it was rough ... but I needed to get it out there

Cheers,

dB

[wagtunes]

Well, after almost 3 weeks of fighting the incompatibilities with my DAW, I am finally done with the fight. I can't get the hi hat right no matter what I do. This has been the best take so far so I'm keeping it as it is.

Followup to my "hit" from last month. Similar style, different riff and melody. Kind of like the difference between Dennis Coffey's "Taurus" and "Scorpio"

Anyway, hope you like it.

Details below.

Track Details below.

DAW - Cubase 7.0.7

23 tracks of OXE

FX used

Cubase Stereo EQ
TDR Feedback Compressor
Voxengo Marvel GEQ
Cubase Vintage Compressor
Cubase Reverance
Cubase Brickwall Limiter
Cubase Compressor
Voxengo Gliss EQ
Voxengo Curve EQ
Cubase GEQ 30
Cubase Stereo Delay
Cubase Stereo Enhancer
Cubase Multiband Compressor
Cubase Ping Pong Delay
Cubase GEQ 10
Cubase DualFilter
Cubase StepFilter
Ferric TDS

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... sos-osc-81