One Synth Challenge #140: Pendulate (exponent1 wins!)

[Shifrin]

Honestly, I don't see your point. I just see people trying to figure out how to make a drum out of something that isn't a drum just because they have been convinced no piece of music should exist without a drum track. And there's the ketchup and mustard we have to glop on everything.

You're free to make a drum-less track

[Wes Kilbride]

Yeah, we're all free to do whatever. Free world, isn't it? But why the special admiration for making drums out of something that's not a drum synth? This is a cultural pressure. I'll be curious to see who wins!

[exponent1]

Honestly, I don't see your point. I just see people trying to figure out how to make a drum out of something that isn't a drum just because they have been convinced no piece of music should exist without a drum track. And there's the ketchup and mustard we have to glop on everything.

No worries at all! You're right, music with or without drums is still great music. It's just that some people(including me) like to compose with some percussive elements in their tracks and it's a bit more work and experimentation with this particular synth, hence the discussion. And this thread is all about discussing techniques about the synth and help each other out, also the submissions, results etc. My apologies since I could not make my point clear to you. Maybe this OSC track will be able to clear my point over why some people(including me) value sound design and physical modelling of real instruments, esp. percussion, strings, pianos, etc. etc. using synths.

This was the winner of OSC #119 using Waverazor and is one of the best tracks that I have ever heard in OSC.

https://soundcloud.com/jasinski/hard-wo ... wave-razor

You're free to make a drum-less track

I might go drum-less this time

[z.prime]

... But why the special admiration for making drums out of something that's not a drum synth? This is a cultural pressure.

No it isn't. It's simple: people like drums, so they try to add them. If you don't like drums or want to make music without, then do it! But I absolutely want percussive elements in most of what I produce -- it's an important part of the genres! It just happens that this can be hard to do, so yes there can be a bit of admiration for getting great percussive sounds... If you were able to program a realistic orchestra, or vocal line by way of automating and/or otherwise adjusting parameters of a simple synthesizer, would that be wrong to do? Would it not be impressive? Should we avoid trying to do something useful because a tool wasn't originally designed for it? We would have very little music if people didn't experiment... or maybe we should just play middle C, in quarter notes for 3 minutes and call it a song...

[Wes Kilbride]

Honestly, I don't see your point. I just see people trying to figure out how to make a drum out of something that isn't a drum just because they have been convinced no piece of music should exist without a drum track. And there's the ketchup and mustard we have to glop on everything.

This was the winner of OSC #119 using Waverazor and is one of the best tracks that I have ever heard in OSC.

https://soundcloud.com/jasinski/hard-wo ... wave-razor

You're free to make a drum-less track

I might go drum-less this time

Well, to each his/her own taste. Frankly, it sounds like generic trailer music for an action movie--full of epic DRUMS and forgettable melodies. I note the cartoon angel kissing another cartoon.

[z.prime]

... full of epic DRUMS ... note the cartoon angel kissing another cartoon.

You sure are the sharpest tack in the room.

[exponent1]

Honestly, I don't see your point. I just see people trying to figure out how to make a drum out of something that isn't a drum just because they have been convinced no piece of music should exist without a drum track. And there's the ketchup and mustard we have to glop on everything.

This was the winner of OSC #119 using Waverazor and is one of the best tracks that I have ever heard in OSC.

https://soundcloud.com/jasinski/hard-wo ... wave-razor

You're free to make a drum-less track

I might go drum-less this time

Well, to each his/her own taste. Frankly, it sounds like generic trailer music for an action movie--full of epic DRUMS and forgettable melodies. I note the cartoon angel kissing another cartoon.

Sure mate. To each his/her/their own. Have a great day/night.

Yeah, we're all free to do whatever. Free world, isn't it? But why the special admiration for making drums out of something that's not a drum synth? This is a cultural pressure. I'll be curious to see who wins!

Now I'm really curious to hear you make some unforgettable melodies and unique sounds using the unique capabilities that this synth is capable of. Looking forward to your submission!

[Wes Kilbride]

... But why the special admiration for making drums out of something that's not a drum synth? This is a cultural pressure.

No it isn't. It's simple: people like drums, so they try to add them. If you don't like drums or want to make music without, then do it! But I absolutely want percussive elements in most of what I produce -- it's an important part of the genres! It just happens that this can be hard to do, so yes there can be a bit of admiration for getting great percussive sounds... If you were able to program a realistic orchestra, or vocal line by way of automating and/or otherwise adjusting parameters of a simple synthesizer, would that be wrong to do? Would it not be impressive? Should we avoid trying to do something useful because a tool wasn't originally designed for it? We would have very little music if people didn't experiment... or maybe we should just play middle C, in quarter notes for 3 minutes and call it a song...

Technical tricks aren't the same as compositional art. If you don't know that, well....

[Wes Kilbride]

Now I'm really curious to hear you make some unforgettable melodies and unique sounds using the unique capabilities that this synth is capable of. Looking forward to your submission!
[/quote]

Why bother?

[tonedef71]

Now I'm really curious to hear you make some unforgettable melodies and unique sounds using the unique capabilities that this synth is capable of. Looking forward to your submission!

Why bother?

Perhaps being a judge is more up your alley.

Continue to post on the forums here at KVR. Once your KVR post count reaches 41 posts (at the time of this post, your KVR post count is 36), you will then have the opportunity, when the competition closes at the end of the month, to vote up the submissions which you think should place the highest in the OSC 140 contest.

[Spring Goose]

Is Bitwig "resonator bank" (fx) fair game or not?

I think resonator bank isn't a modulation effect. Am i right or wrong? Tbh i'm not exactly certain what resonatorbank is.

[Spring Goose]

edit: I've updated my entry without the "resonator bank" Bitwig effect.

This is my entry

https://soundcloud.com/user-492255322/s ... fRfhadFWTS

10 Pendulates
Biwig FX:
Filter 1
Tool 1
Eq+ 11
Delay 2 4
Reverb 5
Arpeggiator 1
Diatonic Transposer 1
Eq 5 1
Gate 1
Master:
TDR Kotelnikov
Bitwig Tool
W1 Limiter

[ELEX]

Oh, nice, a new track. But...er...it has DRUMS in it ! This won't do at all, I'm afraid. New directive by Wes Kilbride. Only compositional geniuses allowed from now on. And no more drums please. Do stick to the official 'List of Unique Sounds and Capabilities' as not provided by Wes Kilbride !

[exponent1]

Is Bitwig "resonator bank" (fx) fair game or not?

I think resonator bank isn't a modulation effect. Am i right or wrong? Tbh i'm not exactly certain what resonatorbank is.

What are you using the resonantor bank for, as in to achieve what result?

To my knowledge, use of external effects like comb filters, vocoders, resonators, extremely short delays(for karplus strong) etc. are usually not recommended unless it's an integral part of the synth itself (like in Surge). But I might be wrong, maybe the organizers can clarify this.

BTW very cool song you've got there. Welcome to the OSC!

[Spring Goose]

Is Bitwig "resonator bank" (fx) fair game or not?

I think resonator bank isn't a modulation effect. Am i right or wrong? Tbh i'm not exactly certain what resonatorbank is.

What are you using the resonantor bank for, as in to achieve what result?

To my knowledge, use of external effects like comb filters, vocoders, resonators, extremely short delays(for karplus strong) etc. are usually not recommended unless it's an integral part of the synth itself (like in Surge). But I might be wrong, maybe the organizers can clarify this.

BTW very cool song you've got there. Welcome to the OSC!

Thanks!

There's a riser which begins at 1.59 in my song. I think the resonator bank is a filter. Maybe i could do the same with just a low pass filter. It just has the effect of softening the riser.