Descent (Seismic Gloom)

[seismic1]

In late 2020, I decided that the time had come to move to a 64-bit DAW - EnergyXT2 development seemed to have stopped (although I got a pleasant surprise 18 months later). I installed MuLab 8 on my computer, but at that time Mulab only supported VST2 (officially), so I was unsure whether it was a viable option going forward. Fortunately Mulab 9 supports VST3 and CLAP, as does EXT64, so I am a happy camper.

This was my first project using MuLab, but one thing led to another during that bleak and disheartening winter, and the project was forgotten. I rediscovered it quite recently after a MuLab upgrade, and decided to finish it as the music was 90% complete. I made a few musical/instrumentation changes, and mixed/mastered it.

https://soundcloud.com/whatsisname/descent

Devices and Paraphernalia

Recorded in MuLab 8.6.26
Mixed in MuLab 9.4.12
Mastered in T-Racks 5

MuDrum
Poly Synth
Z3ta+2
Skanner XT
Chromaphone 2
Spitfire LABS
Microtonic
TassMan4
MuVerb
Raum
EQuivocate
Things Texture
Voxengo Tempo Delay
Amplifier
Satin
Linear Phase EQ
Opto Compressor
Vintage Equalizer
Brickwall Limiter

DR - 11

[Allomerus]

Well titled track, although it does also sound grand and uplifting to me. The percussion is lovely Ala Peter Gabriel.
Well done!

[seismic1]

Well titled track, although it does also sound grand and uplifting to me. The percussion is lovely Ala Peter Gabriel.
Well done!

The obvious percussion is MuDrum and microtonic, but the TassMan4 bass sequence is multi-faceted.

Thanks very much for taking the time to listen and comment, John. Glad it was able to cheer you up

[enroe]

Yes - it's impressive how you describe your technical evolution with
Energy and Mulab. In the end, what really counts - for me - is the musical
creativity - and how it sounds: Is the track original? Does “anything” about
it speak to me?

And indeed: this is where you shine. It's an atmospheric track with rhythmic
elements that merge into a strangely expressive whole. Very impressive!

[markkuja]

Enjoyable tune with nice groove. Pleasant ambiance… good mix and sounds.

[seismic1]

Yes - it's impressive how you describe your technical evolution with
Energy and Mulab. In the end, what really counts - for me - is the musical
creativity - and how it sounds: Is the track original? Does “anything” about
it speak to me?

This was my first project in MuLab, so it was a bit of a leap into the dark. I treated it as a test (which is probably why I forgot about it for so long).

And indeed: this is where you shine. It's an atmospheric track with rhythmic
elements that merge into a strangely expressive whole. Very impressive!

The assembly of the rhythmic components was probably the most complex part of putting this piece together.

Thanks very much for taking the time to listen and comment, Andy. Glad you liked it

[ecamburn]

My favorite part of the tune is how unexpected shifts in the chord progression signal such different moods and vibes. It's all very peaceful and somber, but a chord switch here and there take you to completely different places.

The build/transition around 2:00 is lovely

Big change in direction around 5:00. This one really takes you on a journey, with multiple stops along the way.

Interesting to hear about your process.

Really clean, well defined mix.

[Allomerus]

Found something you might need...
https://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/pr ... -watts-rms

[seismic1]

Enjoyable tune with nice groove. Pleasant ambiance… good mix and sounds.

Thanks very much for listening and commenting, Markku. Glad you enjoyed it

[PatchAdamz]

I like how your ideas are evolving into new territory.
The percussion has a nice groove and infectious movement while not intruding on the other parts that slowly build into a soundscape of monumental depth.
Well conceived and implemented!

[seismic1]

My favorite part of the tune is how unexpected shifts in the chord progression signal such different moods and vibes. It's all very peaceful and somber, but a chord switch here and there take you to completely different places.

The build/transition around 2:00 is lovely

I'm not sure that these chordal shifts necessarily suit the traditional "ambient" ethos, but I enjoy dropping them in.

Big change in direction around 5:00. This one really takes you on a journey, with multiple stops along the way.

I wrote this over three years ago, so I can't really remember too much about how I put it together, but I do remember being a little concerned about that change not working. When I came back to the piece in 2024, it seemed a more natural fit to me.

Interesting to hear about your process.

Really clean, well defined mix.

Thanks very much for taking the time to listen and for the great comments, ecamburn. Glad you liked it

[seismic1]

Found something you might need...
https://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/pr ... -watts-rms

Mustn't forget about the neighbours
https://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/pr ... 8411238472

[Allomerus]

Call that loud, I just bought a 2000W speaker for my guitar. It's not seismic though so it probably doesn't have ground shaking effects!

[justin3am]

Excellent work. Parts around the 3min mark reminded me of Laura Palmer's theme from Twin Peaks.
Loved the understated rhythmic elements and as always the sounds are top notch and sit very well together.

Thanks for sharing!

[seismic1]

I like how your ideas are evolving into new territory.
The percussion has a nice groove and infectious movement while not intruding on the other parts that slowly build into a soundscape of monumental depth.
Well conceived and implemented!

This one is over three years old, and was my first track made in MuLab. I wonder how much effect the change of DAW had on my composition. At the time, I thought that the learning curve was quite steep, although looking at it with the benefit of hindsight, I think that was probably not the case. The Mulab implementation of "Racks" was certainly a big help while making this.

A couple of my newer tracks have possibly taken the "new territory" analogy to extreme levels

Thanks very much for the great comments, PatchAdamz. Glad you liked it