No Way

[finotti]

This one started as a more electronic composition, but slowly "evolved" to something a bit different. But I hope some might like it.

Here is the MP3 and you can read more about it in its blog entry.

But basically, it was sequenced, recorded, and mixed in Ardour, the synths are Diva and Yoshimi, drums are DrumGizmo (using CrocellKit), and the guitar was the HX Stomp for cleans and tamgamp for solo parts. The plugins used were mostly LSP, x42, OvertoneDSP, and u-he.

I hope you enjoy!

[Michael Willis]

@finotti, your tracks put a smile on my face, and this is no exception. I liked the counterpoint between the synths. I also love how Drum Gizmo can be used to make some very very different styles of music. Did you use any EQ on the crocell kit to get it to fit in well here? Also, I was trying to figure out if you used electric guitar and/or bass, or if those are just synths. I couldn't tell!

[finotti]

@finotti, your tracks put a smile on my face, and this is no exception. I liked the counterpoint between the synths.

Thanks, Michael! The counterpoint is indeed my favorite part as well. One benefit of composing in front of the computer is that it is easy to try lots of different ideas and hear the result immediately.

I also love how Drum Gizmo can be used to make some very very different styles of music. Did you use any EQ on the crocell kit to get it to fit in well here?

I used a lot of EQ. I also separated the room mics per instrument this time: kick, snare, toms, hihat, ride, and other cymbals. So I could control the individual room levels for each one, which I think helped too. (It might make it less realistic, but I get better results, so it's OK with me.)

Also, I was trying to figure out if you used electric guitar and/or bass, or if those are just synths. I couldn't tell!

There are some clean guitars through out, and the solo is also a real guitar. But there is no real bass. The bass sound is from Diva.

Thanks for taking the time to listen!

[glowrak guy]

That song has a Rippingtons vibe to it, and I LOVE The Rippingtons!

[finotti]

That song has a Rippingtons vibe to it, and I LOVE The Rippingtons!

Thanks! I must admit I did not know of them, but after a quick listen in some of their songs, it seemed quite nice. I will try to know them better!

[Tenaba]

Really impressive stuff, with a prog feel and time signatures that I can't keep up with. What did you use for the bass patch? Is that from one of the u-he plugins?

Your solo tone is sick too, like how the pick noise is accentuated at around 3:25. I'm trying to experiment with Tamgamp too, in addition to just Guitarix. Do you have any pointers on getting that sound?

[finotti]

Really impressive stuff, with a prog feel and time signatures that I can't keep up with.

Thanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to listen and your kind words! The section in the middle does have a really odd signature of 15/16.

What did you use for the bass patch? Is that from one of the u-he plugins?

It's u-he's Diva. It's a preset called "MK Bass FM Random", perhaps a little modified.

Your solo tone is sick too, like how the pick noise is accentuated at around 3:25. I'm trying to experiment with Tamgamp too, in addition to just Guitarix. Do you have any pointers on getting that sound?

I've attached a picture of the Tamgamp settings I've used in this recording. I had GuitariX GxTubeScreamer in front of it. (See the other attachment.)

Unfortunately, I do not remember which IR I used, and the choice seems to be gone from Ardour. I think it was a Celestion Creamback 4x12 Closed one.

I hope this helps! And thanks again for checking!

[jeanette_c]

Like it? I love it! What a great piece @finotti ! Thanks a lot for sharing. Is this the new "Prog synth" genre? Great drums, great drum playing/programming and mixing! The bass sound is appetising too: very gnarly and defined. If anything, I'd sometimes like to hear a little subtle sub-bass filling the odd blank space. That's probably just my mainstream mind.
Personally, I'd love it if you came up with some more electro that developes in this direction.

[Basslint]

No way a single person played all this, but you did! Props

[Rainmak3r]

Fantastic track, and very well played! It reminded me a bit of Gamalon, a fusion rock group from the 90s, even though they were more guitar oriented (and your solo definitely fits how they sounded!).

I also love how Drum Gizmo can be used to make some very very different styles of music. Did you use any EQ on the crocell kit to get it to fit in well here?

I used a lot of EQ. I also separated the room mics per instrument this time: kick, snare, toms, hihat, ride, and other cymbals. So I could control the

By separating you mean you're used the bleed control and set it to something < 100? I did experiment with that a bit to have more control on the different controls, but the more I limited the less natural it sounded (as you pointed out), and minimal changes wouldn't give me the control I needed. Eventually, after talking to a friend, I decided just to live with bleed, and as he suggested try to take advantage of that instead, especially with respect to the room and overhead mics (taking into account you can still shape snare, toms, etc. a bit even like that). What process did you follow here?

[finotti]

Like it? I love it! What a great piece @finotti ! Thanks a lot for sharing.

Thank you so much! It always makes me very happy when someone likes my music!

Is this the new "Prog synth" genre?

I don't know, but I doubt it. It's just I was doing a more electronic composition that became a bit more progressive rock as it developed. That's what I meant by electronic/progressive.

Great drums, great drum playing/programming and mixing! The bass sound is appetising too: very gnarly and defined. If anything, I'd sometimes like to hear a little subtle sub-bass filling the odd blank space. That's probably just my mainstream mind.

I considered adding a bass pad (like Moog Taurus), but thought it would be too much. I might try it at some point.

Personally, I'd love it if you came up with some more electro that developes in this direction.

Thanks! Let's see what the future brings. My next one likely will be more guitar oriented, though. (At least that's the plan for now.)

No way a single person played all this, but you did! Props

Thanks! But the computer played most of it....

Fantastic track, and very well played! It reminded me a bit of Gamalon, a fusion rock group from the 90s, even though they were more guitar oriented (and your solo definitely fits how they sounded!).

Another group I did not know. I will try to learn about them! And thanks for the kind words! I've heard your guitar work, so it's a big compliment coming from you.

By separating you mean you're used the bleed control and set it to something < 100? I did experiment with that a bit to have more control on the different controls, but the more I limited the less natural it sounded (as you pointed out), and minimal changes wouldn't give me the control I needed. Eventually, after talking to a friend, I decided just to live with bleed, and as he suggested try to take advantage of that instead, especially with respect to the room and overhead mics (taking into account you can still shape snare, toms, etc. a bit even like that). What process did you follow here?

What I've done was to have midi filters to select only certain instruments from the drums. These were kick, snare, hihat, ride, (all) toms, and cymbals (overalls, other than hihat and ride). So, each one had their own room and overall, although I did not use the overalls, except for cymbals, of course.

So, for instance, for the snare, I had snare top, snare bottom, and snare room (stereo). So, I could mix each room sound to the sound of the closed mic of the instrument.

But also, there is no bleed (for instance, no kick in the snare mic), since the instruments that were not being recorded did not send any signal to other mics, even with bleed on.

Although this time I've done this using MIDI filters (to filter only the instruments that I wanted), I now made an Ardour template following the idea given by James Peters in the Tchackpoum DG thread. So, now I have a drums MIDI track that feeds 6 midi buses: kick, snare, hihat, ride, toms, and cymbals. Each has its own instance of DrumGizmo, but with XML files that load only the corresponding instrument (to save RAM). Each of these buses then feed audio tracks for their instruments and their corresponding room mics. I've only tested it briefly, but it seems to work and I think will make my life much easier.

This is, indeed, very "unnatural". But I am not very good at mixing, and it makes my life easier.

[oscillator]

Yes that middle part is awesome!!! It started out as something 80s, then came all the prog stuff, it is very fun to listen to it, loads of musical stuff happening! I think the mix is very clear too.

Great!

[finotti]

Yes that middle part is awesome!!! It started out as something 80s, then came all the prog stuff, it is very fun to listen to it, loads of musical stuff happening! I think the mix is very clear too.

Great!

Thanks! I still struggle with mixing, but I think this one is one one my better mixes...

[glowrak guy]

The more I listen, the more great things I hear, first the song overall, then the craftsmanship
of the isolated parts. Whenever the 20 minute album version is ready, it will be a good day

If your guitar work was recorded dry, you could re-process it with 5 or 6 different fx chains,
re-process the drums to match, paste things together, and close in on the 20 minute mark.
Is there a sharp tenor sax playerin your area? 25 minutes?

[folderol]

No going to sleep through this one
Really enjoyed this. A great 'wake up' track. I could also see it supporting a chase scene in a film.