Sound-A-Day 15.03.2011

Finally back to the blog!

Dear oh dear oh dear. A week with no sound a day. Actually pretty pissed at myself for having left it so long..

To be fair though, I've not exactly been sitting on my ass doing nothing. Been super busy with so many bits and pieces, that finding an hour or so to make, upload, and waffle on about a sound has been just too much of a stretch.

Still, like the guilty feeling sap that I am, I hope to make it up with presents!!!

A little while back I uploaded a short loop from a synth I'd been working on. One of the things that I had hoped to improve on was the interface, it was a touch confusing. So I started rebuilding that whole thing and went off on a bit of a tangent. Loads of ideas about interfaces and what not.

I ended up making a far simpler version of the synth, same engine etc, but far simpler control layout. I also built a TouchOSC template to go with it and finished off the Reaktor panel in a style matching the Ipad layout.

I think it looks really cool!

Here's a pic of the Reaktor panel..

And here's one of the IPad panel..

The synth is built around a fairly straight forward 303 style engine, and 16 step sequencer. You have control lanes for Note, Octave, Gate, and slide. The synth as you'd expect, has the choice of Square or Saw tooth wave shapes, and a nice rubbery filter, just like a 303. There is also a distortion macro for driving the sound some more. In addition there is a pair of resonant filters, and a frequency modulation effect. These are probably my favourite parts, and lead to some really unusual sounds. Each of these post effects has a dedicated XY controller. There is also a control for each XY which runs the output through a S&H module which steps the output in sync with the master clock.

Here's a little audio clip, straight out of the synth with just a little bit of reverb.

GRID-LOOP-2 by Noisy Neighbour Sound

Of course this synth can make classic Acid line sounds, and not just the unusual sequences like the one above. But I think it's a good demonstration of what else can be done with this ens.

I did encounter several obstacles in making the Ipad interface. Due to limitations on both TouchOSC and Reaktor, I've had to change the way many of the synths functions work, particularly with the sequencer. None the less, I plan on revisiting this in the coming weeks and hopefully re introduce some of the functionality of the original.

I have also begun making an 808 synth drum machine to partner up with this patch. The eventual aim is to have 4 or 5 instruments all running from 1 Ipad interface and Reaktor ensemble for making Acid/electro type stuff in a fast and intuitive way. Will be sure to upload and revise each part as I progress!

Here's a link for the Reaktor Patch and Ipad TouchOSC template.PAD SYNTH

Of course, if you do not have an Ipad, then do not worry, because as well as working really hard on that version, I also tweaked and finished the original!

The interface is still the same web of confusion as before, but honestly, it doesn't take long to figure out. This version has quite a few more features than the Ipad version. As well as everything listed above, there is also a separate automation lane for almost every parameter, with dedicated amount controls. Visual feedback of automation data on the controls, and pattern offset control.

The interface is split across both A and B panel views. A view displays note, gate, and slide information, while B shows Parameter automation, post filters and FM.

Pattern offset is controlled by the scanning boxes at the top of both views, just start clicking about and you'll figure it out!

Reading back through my "description", I cant tell if I have had any success in explaining this patch. Really I'd recommend just clicking around and trying things out. If anyone wants though, send me a message and I'll put together an instruction guide or something to help you out! (Same goes with anything on this blog btw)

Here's a link for this Reaktor patch.. GRID SYNTH

To get the panel elements working the way I wanted them to, has meant that changing them would take quite a while. I will do it at some point, but for now this one doesn't look quite as cool as the Ipad version. Still stay posted for that!

Anyways, sorry for being so behind in keeping this updated. Hope to get it all back up and running over the next few days. Lots of interesting things to show and tell coming up though, a couple more downloads, and maybe even some videos!!!

Sound-A-Day 21.02.2011

Well, I think in all fairness I've been really lucky so far. Without a doubt, my home Internet connection is the worst service I have ever encountered. Connection is intermittent to put it mildly.

Last night was one of those days when connection doesn't stay up for even a minute. Will upload the sound from yesterday today.

So continuing with where I was at last week, making sounds with NI Massive, here's another nice one I thought I would share.

It's still a relatively complex patch but quite different from the previous one. It's using the performer channels to move through wave table positions which creates the chord sequence. Another performer channel controlling the filter cutoff which creates some nice movement in the filter. The noise generator is also running through the filter and gives a little bit of dustiness to the overall timbre.

FOND MEMORY by Noisy Neighbour Sound

The reason I like this one is a bit different from usual I guess. As I said, it's not an especially complex patch or some esoteric production method. But to me it sounds really evocative, although of what I'm not quite sure! I love those moments when you find a synth patch or odd little sound that has enough character that a track almost writes itself around it. I really like when that happens, it's like being a producer and a musician all at once!

Sound-A-Day 17.02.2011

Oh well, it happened again. I heard the birds singing outside my windows, realised it's nearly morning and I still haven't uploaded a sound!

Spent most of the day today making some patches in Massive. It's an incredibly powerful synth, and absolutely great sound. You can get pretty good analogue-ish sounds, and even pretty decent string modelling out of it. But really it excels in making super clean digital goodness.

Probably my favourite thing about it is the performer modulation channels. With all the different curves you can choose from, its possible to get some really complex sequences going. There are a couple things that niggle me about it, especially concerning the LFO's and envelopes, but really it sounds mega!

Here's a little looper I made earlier today. It's just a stand alone patch, recorded straight out of the box. The screen shot above should give a pretty good idea of whats going on, better than my usual terrible explanations anyway!

MASSIVE COMB LOOP by Noisy Neighbour Sound

I'm in the middle of making some large sound banks, including some for Massive. I'll be sure to put em up online when they're done for anyone who is interested.

Sound-A-Day 15.02.2011

Wow, what a tiring day!
Been working really hard on a couple things since I got up, and my ears are warn out! But I feel quite accomplished. Made a lot of progress in a track I'm currently midway through and made a lot of headway in debugging another Reaktor patch I'm planning to put up here.

It started out as an idea a friend and I had for a grid style sequenced synth, for fast live improvisation. Similar to a monome interface, and a TB303 in tone. It works out really well, but I decided to ramp it up a couple notches. Have built in some resonant MS20 style filters, and some very gnarly FM too. Just been busy today working on control lanes for all the parameters. I did start this patch a while ago, but ran into some issues I just couldn't get my head around. Sometimes a bit of a break can really help, made a lot of progress today.

The interface is still a little bland perhaps, but here are some pics of it so far,

View A:

View B:

It's pretty nifty so far, a lot of fun to use and surprisingly versatile. The pics don't give away too much, so here's a little loop from it.

GRID-LOOP-1 by Noisy Neighbour Sound

It can sound far more straight up, and less twangy/bendy/weird, but I like the idea of having the possibilities to really mess with the sound contained within the instrument itself. Far easier to navigate. Anyway, should be up and downloadable in a day or so! 

Sound-A-Day 14.02.2011

So, another week, another post.

This ones something a bit different, and a nice thing to try. I've found on of the most fun ways of learning your way round a piece of kit or software is to make a track using nothing else. It's an excellent method of discovering each things strengths and weaknesses.

A while back I got myself a copy of the Arturia ARP2600 emulation, and although I've used it a few times, and really enjoyed it, I haven't really had the time to get deep into it, which is certainly something it deserves. So this evening I figured I'd see what I could get out of it.

One of the really nice things about it is the built in sequencer, means that you can open it up in standalone and get a nice riff looping. And of course, because it's software, you can open more that one instance at a time. So I thought rather than loading it into a host program, why not just open it a load of times in standalone mode?

I managed to built a pretty cool looping pattern of drums and bass line, although it did take a fair few efforts to get everything really tightly synced. Once it was all running nicely though it was brilliant fun to jam about.

Once I'd got all the parts ticking along nicely, I recorded each part and arranged them into a structure in Logic. There's very little else going on, all sounds are from the ARP, with only an additional reverb on the high melody part, and a touch of overall compression.

ARTURIA-ACID by Noisy Neighbour Sound

So hopefully the mix isn't too terrible, still having to rely exclusively on headphones!

I really like this plugin, it has an awesome sound, and really fun to use, relatively CPU light to boot. One thing I think would make a great addition would be, rather than each instance opening separately, that they open within the same program. You would then be able to patch between multiple ARPs, which to be honest, would be amazing!!!

Incidentally, if anyone is interested in remixing the parts, or just fancies playing with the patches, let me know and I will bundle up the patch files for download. Alternatively, if you don't have this particular plugin, I can make a folder of the individual parts in WAV format.

Sound-A-Day 21.01.2011

Well, what a fail today. Having really bad troubles with my eye, got a nasty infection making it pretty painful to look at a monitor for any length of time.

Was really bad yesterday, but today is a bit better, I can see for long enough to upload a sound, blogging through the pain!!

Have managed to get a few hours in, working on this VidSeq Reaktor instrument I mentioned earlier in the week. Getting a few more functions working properly, and designing a bit of an interface. Its more or less there now, so hopefully I can get it finished tomorrow and uploaded on Monday, fingers crossed!

Here's a pic of how its looking so far:

Doesn't give away much Ill admit, so here is another sound from it too.

VIDSEQ-TEST-LOOP2 by Noisy Neighbour Sound

I think its sounding great, really the type of noise I'm into at the moment, but the audio is just half the fun. Cant wait to get this finished and shared! 

Sound-A-Day 20.01.2011

Wow, pretty late/early uploading this one today, and I'm sure all the thousands of people checking this blog have been waiting on tender hooks, refreshing the page every few seconds. Well, sorry for the delay, here is a new sound!

So this one started out as something from a long time ago. I was working on my live patch in Reaktor, and trying to build a scratch control using a Kaoss Pad. The idea was that touching the XY would make the track slow down, like proper vinyl, and then scratching on the XY would scan through a buffer. It took a lot of work to get working well, a real headache. Finally got it all working, only to discover that I absolutely suck at scratching... ah well.

Still, I opened up the patch recently and turned it into a type of live vinyl effect patch, midi triggered slow downs, reverses etc, so all is not lost! This loop was made by first building a basic loop out of a bunch of glitchy drum sounds, and then automating a few parameters of the "scratch patch"

NICE-LIMP by Noisy Neighbour Sound

I think it has a cool kinda feeling to it. Really limps in a wonky but fun way. It's quite interesting the effect that messing with timing can create move of a groove or drag to something. This loop always feels like one half is dragging the other half a long. Quite a fun effect!

Sound-A-Day 19.01.2011

Woke up this morning to find an unexpected guest in my room. Thought I'd see if they was up for a bit of a collab, and got everything fired up. He zipped about the place, from one piece of gear to another. Eventually ended up on my K station where he stayed for a while, before pooping on it and disappearing out of the window. Lesson learned, Birds are analogue purists.

Here's a pic of the little guy.

Anyway, back on with the task at hand. A sound for today.

I've never had any formal production lessons, only music theory etc. So I'm pretty much self taught with all this stuff. I do from time to time read books and bits n pieces in magazines, and there are always a few "rules" that reappear time and time again, in particular, ordering of effect chains. Never put X before Y, always put A before B and so on.

I'm a massive Zappa fan, have been since I was about 14. One of the things I really like is his really distinct solo guitar tone. I remember finally figuring it out one day, putting the wah after the distortion. The wrong way round by convention, but ultimately interesting and characteristic. So today I decided to go against everything I read in books and put things in completely the wrong order, pay no attention to digital clipping etc, and just see how things come out. (WARNING!! ABRASIVE!!)

HARD-DIST by Noisy Neighbour Sound

I like it, a lot!! Nearly all of the drum sounds are running through one mixer channel, straight into a reverb. This is then running through a Guitar rig patch, then a VERY hard compression, then EQ, and finally a limiter. Most of the levels are hitting the red full on, and i had to bring the channel volume down quite considerably so as to avoid distorting the master bus as well.

The drum sounds are a mixture of Module Drum sounds, and noisy filter snaps from an SH101. The metallic tones are made by hitting two large metal crow bars together. The ambient drone is a little patch from the K station, which has been heavily processed inside Sound forge.

What I found most surprising is just how much effect the reverb has on the level of distortion. Without any this sounds relatively tame, but adding more and more reverb causes the real grittiness, and the tails going through the hard compression make a really satisfying breathing noise effect. I really recommend trying this out, very cool fun!

Sound-A-Day 18.01.2011

YAWN!!  Ugh, really sleepy today, warn out from a long days work, and starting to feel pretty under the weather, bit of flu I think..Ah well, mustn't grumble, time to upload a new sound!

Keeping with the theme of loops, here is another one. Going against all conventional methods and so on and so forth. This one was made in the unusual way of sequencing beats in something called a "sequencer" and then layering additional sounds from these things called "synths" cool eh?

Well, as much as I like to experiment with unusual methods, sometimes the best methods are the conventional ones. The drum sounds are from various different previous experiments, all loaded into Battery and sequenced in the normal manner. The bass sound is a patch made using the "Oki Computer 2" synth in NI Reaktor (one of my absolute favourites, give it a whirl) the side chained ambient noise is another of the sounds I made using the sheet of glass..

MINIMAL-GLITCH by Noisy Neighbour Sound

With this loop, I was mainly concerned with trying to portray a sense of hi tech sheen, glossy coolness and minimal elegance. I like the idea of a room of ultra modern cyborgs dancing very robotic with lasers reflecting off their super shiny frames.

Watched Tron 2 recently, so maybe that's a bit of influence. Disappointing film IMO, but great visuals. I must say as well, I was let down by the Daft Punk soundtrack too. But to be fair, they did have a lot to live up to, considering who did the music for the original!