One-Synth-Challenge 29: String Theory - Submissions and gossip

[RuediRena]

Further tips is that since String Theory is pre SynthEdit v2.0, it has the old multicore bug, but a solution for Reaper users is to right-click on load and selecting 'Buggy plugin compatibility mode' which should take care of it.

put a limiter on your master channel because it can deliver massive sound spikes VERY easily!!

Thanks to both of you for your good advice. String Theory is such a strange beast full of unexpected dynamics. Not our favorite synth but indeed a challenge. We are curious about this month's tracks and tricks.

[gorgorgathgorgorgor]

Thanks for the tips V'ger. Yeah, in hindsight I bet I would have been able to reopen my first project if I had thought to remove the dll from the plugin folder as you suggested. Just retested it and I found that in the later project if I disable String Theory before saving it reopens fine.
That said, I kind of enjoyed the process of recording everything first, committing to the sound, and then mixing everything later. Usually I record and mix at the same time - but I've found that I rather like approaching them separately. This has been a great learning opportunity, that's for sure!

just like tape! hooray for the new sample rule...

[IrionDaRonin]

Thanks to both of you for your good advice. String Theory is such a strange beast full of unexpected dynamics.

For calm down the beast and its sudden dynamics, turn off the UGO logo in the center of the synth. No more suddently volumes up, no more peaks, etc. Also less CPU usage.

Anyway all my instances has this feature turned on. Sounds more interesting.
This String Theory sounds like a kind of an organic alive synth when logo is On.

I already finished one track, but i'm making another which i like more.
I don't know which of both i should upload yet.

Good day to all.

[evo2slo]

Definitely agree with IrionDaRonin, much better with the UGO logo on. I was getting some sound spikes that just happened to land on a particular beat that I never planned for but loved the sound of. The unpredictability of this synth is one of it's best qualities I think. It certainly is a wild beast!

just like tape! hooray for the new sample rule...

Gave me the idea for the next contest to borrow a 24-track Studer... not sure that that would be allowed though....

[markheath]

Anyone else experienced crashes with String Theory? I started attempting to record a song last night, but after laying down the first couple of tracks REAPER crashed and took my whole machine down. (hadn't saved either - doh). It's a new PC and my first time using 64 bit Windows so I guess it could be my soundcard or MIDI drivers doing somthing strange.

[V'ger]

Right-click on String Theory load and select 'Buggy plugin compatibility mode' in Reaper. From now on any time you load it that will be its setting.

If a project wont load in Reaper, click the tab in the open dialog window called 'open with FX offline (recovery more)', then open them one by one (shift-click in mixer view is the fastest).

Also use Reaper's excellent (non-interrupting) auto-save feature. Put it to save every 3 minutes and use a separate folder for it so it won't cause a mess.

[markheath]

thanks V'ger, will try the buggy plugin mode. I need to turn auto-save back on (used to have it enabled on my old PC)

[evo2slo]

Reuploaded: evo2slo - Accidental Illumination

Realized there was a problem (missing bass track) with my initial upload so if you've already downloaded it please do so again. Thanks!

[IrionDaRonin]

Contest Song

Song Name: Alba (dawn in spanish, and also, a beatiful name for a girl)
Song Composer: Irion Da Ronin

Equip

OS: Windows XP x32
Memory RAM: 2 GBs DDR
CPU 2,60 MHZ
SoundBlaster Extigy SoundCard
SkullCandy 20-20000 Hz HeadPhones
FL Studio and ASIO4All Drivers

Instances

Synths: 11 instances of String Theory.

• ·1 Synth: Bassline (Thomas Mundt Loudmax, Main host EQ)
  ·1 Synth: Repeater Plucks (P-Deelay, Togu Moog VCF Filter, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, TAL-Reverb 3 and Main host EQ)
  ·1 Synth: Guitar Melodic Plucks (MGTempo Delay, TAL Reverb 3)
  ·1 Synth: Reversive Melodic Plucks (P-Deelay, Togu Moog VCF Filter, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, TAL-Reverb 3 and Main host EQ)
  ·1 Synth: Tiny Plucks (P-Deelay, Togu Moog VCF Filter, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, TAL-Reverb 3 and Main host EQ)

Special Sounds

• ·1 Synth: Voice Choirs (TAL-Reverb 3, Main host EQ)
  ·1 Synth: Alba Ray Light (P-Deelay, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, TAL-Reverb 3, Main host EQ)
  ·1 Synth: Beach Waves FX (Togu Moog VCF Filter, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, Main host EQ)
  
  ·1 Synth: Darbuka Sound Drum (TAL-Reverb 3, IxoxDelay, Thomas Mundt Loudmax)
  ·1 Synth: Darbuka Sound Slaps (TAL-Reverb 3, IxoxDelay, Thomas Mundt Loudmax)
  ·1 Synth: Darbuka Sound Shaker (TAL-Reverb 3, IxoxDelay, Thomas Mundt Loudmax)

Effects

Main Mixer Channel: FluX Stereo Tool, Thomas Mundt Loudmax and Ferric TDS.

Channels: Main Host EQ in almost all channels.
Free Effects Used: TAL-Reverb III, Togu Moog VCF Filter, IxoxDelay, P-Deelay, MGTempo Delay, Thomas Mundt Loudmax, Flux Stereo Tool and Ferric TDS.
Built-In Synth Effect used: Delay, Arpeggiator, and Metalizer.

Explanation

11 String Theory synths mixed with free effects in a structured song.
Used Main Host EQ in mostly of channels.
Automations: LowpassFilter, Channel volumes (I made a crossface between Repeater Plucks and Guitar Melodic Plucks) and Channel Panoramics.
Flux Stereo Tool, Thomas Mundt Loudmax and Ferric TDS in the main Mixer Channel.
An ambient-soundtrack 4:02 minutes length song for relax and imagine, made in 11 hours.

Notes

Well, there are some great sound ideas which i will explain in detail.
The voice choir was easy to do, just turning down to 0% the dry output in the reverb and turn up 25% the wet signal, with a long tail reverb.
The Alba Ray Light is the trumpet sound, when the dawn is showing from the east, so i wanted to make a warm sound hitting your face, which starts on left in the panoramic. (I was looking to the south)
The beach waves in the shore were made with noise oscillators and some of built-in delay, and also, for more effectivity, a band pass filter in the output.
The darbuka was made with noise oscillator mostly and playing String Theory in percussive mode.

It was funny and a bit hard to make those sounds from a plucky style synth.
I didn't have too many problems in my low equip this time compared with Tyrell. It made remember when i made Falling Asleep. Some peaks, but i could manage them.
Also, i wanted to make the song small in length, because that night in the beach, was intense but passed quickly.

The song

• It was a precious and epic night in that beach. 24th June, San Juan holiday. Where people goes to pass a complete night in the beach with friends and familiars.
  I could count more than 500 persons surrounding me and filling the whole coast. Maybe more, who knows?
  I really enjoyed the music which came from the stall, behind of us.
  
  People were dancing, talking, laughing, giving love to others...
  
  I remember a little precious blonde girl playing around the bonfire. I could see the happyness in her eyes.
  I smiled...
  
  The most part of the nocturnal party was intense. I really had fun. But it passed quick.
  
  While the night was passing by, i walked down closer to the shore, looking to the south. The breeze was fresh.
  I was staring to the sky, watching some shinning stars and the horizont.
  
  And for first time in my life, i felt something bigger than all of us.
  I was fully aware of everything around me and connected with the whole world through the wind, the wave sounds, the music behind of me, while all others were still having fun.
  
  All this at same time. That feeling was so beautiful...
  
  Finally, the night was ending, and the first alba ray light showed from the east.
  I felt the warmness of the sunshine slowly on my face.
  
  And the sky turned red, orange, pink, lavender, light blue.
  The water looked like cobalt.
  And the shore reflected the sun like a silver mirror.
  
  I smiled again, and i thought "How lucky we are to be alive and feel this kind of moments in life..."

If there is any problem with the song, just let me know, as usually.
I'm finishing my second entry and also another demo-track for UGO, so i will upload this second entry (which i like much more than this) in a week.

Good luck everyone and i hope you all can be teleported into that night

[McPanic]

Contest Entry:
Song has no actual name, I named it kvr_osc_29
http://soundcloud.com/joe-mcpanic/mcpanic-kvr-osc-29

Host:
energyXT 2.6 beta

Synths:
12 x String Theory 1.5

FX:
2 x Ambience (Reverb)
2 x BLOCKFISH (Compressor)
1 x FilterONE (Filter)
6 x reacomp-standalone (Compressor)
built-in EQ on almost every track

No sampler, no bouncing

[bzur]

Hi, I've submitted my entry for this kvr osc 29.

Track name is "home", and it's been made in Cubase Studio 4, with:
- 9x String Theory instances,
- Cubase EQ and Comp (insert),
- Tal Dub II and Tal Reverb II (send),
- Melda DC blocker (in order to suppress unwanted DC components coming from TAL Dub II), Ferric tds and TLs Maximizer on master bus.

Hope you like it

[Lunatic_Machinist]

Reuploaded: evo2slo - Accidental Illumination

Realized there was a problem (missing bass track) with my initial upload so if you've already downloaded it please do so again. Thanks!

beautiful, really like the melodies and percussion. luv' this. a keeper.

first time going through the submissions, does sound different and all very lovely. makes me wanna drop the university stuff and bake something stringy, too. aww, heck, let's just download the thing and hear it.

[evo2slo]

beautiful, really like the melodies and percussion. luv' this. a keeper.

first time going through the submissions, does sound different and all very lovely. makes me wanna drop the university stuff and bake something stringy, too. aww, heck, let's just download the thing and hear it.

So glad you enjoyed my track! Yes, you've got the right idea, download it and give it a try. I really dug your song for the Xils contest and would love to hear whatever plucky goodness emerges from your String Theory experimentation. University can wait!

[Lunatic_Machinist]

University can wait!

hehe, ain't sure how good of an idea is that, I've made her wait quite long already. but things like this contest might be a good motivation for getting finally over with it and plunge into summer.

I already had string theory, to my surprise, and it does sound quite lovely, if a bit limited timbre-wise. we'll see, we'll see.

[V'ger]

- Cubase Comp

Tsk tsk..