EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 44, Issue 06 This issue's topics: Hardware questions analog equipment equipment for techno/film scoring (2 messages) Key Midiator and UNIX (2 messages) KLF/ORB synths? PAiA (fwd from EMUSIC-D) (2 messages) Patches for the M1? Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1992 22:22:26 -0400 From: Dana Nibby Subject: analog I'd like to know what would be a good analog synth for use in techno projects... preferably at a cost of approx. $200-$400. Someone mentioned the Juno 160? or some Juno. Oh, and it must be MIDI. Any help would be appreciated. What analog synth will give me the most bang for the buck? Thanks, Dana ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 18:34:30 -0400 From: Dana Nibby Subject: equipment Does anyone have a listing of equipment (drum machines, and synths) used by any of the following bands: J. Saul Kane (Eon, Depth Charge, etc.), the Contagious Records guy (Toxic, NRG+3, Euphoria), LFO, Orbital, Meat Beat Manifesto, Quadrophonia, Moby. Does anyone have a listing of equipment used by other bands of a similar nature? I'd volunteer to compile a list of equipment, but I don't have the time for it. Anyone else want to try it? I just wrote to Consolidated, and they should be mailing me a list of the equipment they use, as well as Meat Beat Manifesto's set-up. I'm interviewing Think Tree this Friday, and hope to get a run down of their equipment as well. Please post to the list, or e-mail me personally if you have any info. Thanks. Dana ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 10:36:11 -0400 From: Dana Nibby Subject: equipment for techno/film scoring I'm posting this again due to the lack of response I got in the summer. I have an Amiga 500 (that can sample in 8-bit and do sequencing), and I'd like to purchase a synthesizer for it, for use in techno projects and maybe some experimental soundscapes. I have about $500-$800 to spend on a *used* synth, and I'm looking for suggestion. I need real techno sounds I can work worth... So far a VFX was suggested, and maybe a Proteus. Can someone tell me something about the Proteus and prices? I've seen Proteus' go for $500-$600 used, but it seems some people think you can only get them for $1000 used. Does this mean that the older model Proteus' are *not* good for techno, or that these people don't know what the hell they're talking about. I'm also looking for a used Boss DR-660 drum machine. Anyone have one for sale? (keep in mind that they go for $375 U.S. brand spanking new) Also, does anyone know what synths/samplers/drum machines are used by the dance band Orbital? I'd particularly like to know what they used on the track 'belfast.' As far as a drum machine, I *think* it's an 808. Anyone know what 808 State uses for synths, now that we're on the subject? Esp. on the track Cubic. Obviously I know what drum machine they use... Pax, Dana ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 17:05:00 GMT From: Eric McCormick <0004775674@MCIMAIL.COM> Subject: Re: equipment for techno/film scoring I don't know what is used by any of the bands that you mentioned, but I think I can give a couple of suggestions. You should be able to find one of the "old" Proteus modules for around $600. It has lots of great synth and percussion sounds that would be good for Techno music. You MUST have a sampler if you are thinking about doing the kind of Techno that I listen to (808 state, Apotheosis, T99, Lords of Acid, Petra & Co, LA Style, 2Unlimited, etc.) Also, I would recommend getting some sort of old Analog (or new Analog, I guess) synth to do some of the cool "fat" and filtery sounds. Hope this helps, +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | _&_ | | / \ | | | | | | | (0)(0) Eric McCormick | | C .---_) | | | |.___| MCI Telecommunications | | | \__/ | | /_____\ 0004775674@MCIMAIL.COM | | /_____/ \ | | / \ | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:05:00 EST From: Robert Depin Subject: Key Midiator and UNIX Hello Everyone, Can someone out there fill me in on UNIX and MIDI ? I'm interested in several things: 1. See several Music languages which use MIDI what interfaces do they support ? 2. I have a key midiator which runs off the the serial port. Could I use this on a PC running UNIX ? 3. Are there any FTP'able MIDI programs which run under UNIX ? (Source or Binary) I work professionally as a computer programmer and wouldn't be to scared by source code or complex procedures to get a MIDI interface functioning - aside from writting device drivers. My reason for such questions is running UNIX on my home computer would be convient for work as well as music purposes. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 12:44:54 EDT From: tjt@BLINK.ATT.COM Subject: re: Key Midiator and UNIX > Can someone out there fill me in on UNIX and MIDI ? I'm interested in > several things: 1. See several Music languages which use MIDI > what interfaces do they support ? Keynote (awk-like language for MIDI, piano-roll-style graphical editor, pop-up menus, user-extensible, entire user interface written in the language) supports any MPU-compatible interface, as well as the Midiator (model MS-114, and I think someone used the MS-103 on an SGI machine). The choice of which Midiator to use depends on how much control you have over the serial ports (i.e. whether you can run the serial port at the MIDI rate or not). Keynote's not free, email me for details. > 3. Are there any FTP'able MIDI programs which run under > UNIX ? (Source or Binary) /pub/midi/software on louie.udel.edu contains lots of things to check out. devmidi.shar.Z is source for a UNIX device driver (runs under SVR3 or SVR4) that can be used by the patch librarian/editor in glib2.tar.Z. ...Tim...tjt@blink.att.com... ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1992 17:14:45 -0400 From: Dana Nibby Subject: KLF/ORB synths? Anyone know what synths the KLF used on the album Chill-Out? (their brilliant ambient album) Anyone know what synths the Orb used on their album Perpetual Dawn? errr... not sure if that is the name of the album. Maybe 'adventures beyond the ultraworld' , esp. on the song "An ever-pulsating growing brain.." Thanks, Dana ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1992 13:42:26 EDT From: "(Joseph D. McMahon)" Subject: PAiA (fwd from EMUSIC-D) Ron Peterson writes: > My experience with PAiA has been good. I recently built one of their > (no longer available) Gnome synthesizers to replace one that had been > stolen. The instructions were easy to follow for the most part. > The transistors were all substitute parts which they included 5 or 6 > slips of paper describing; I had no trouble with the substitutions > and the synth worked the first time I powered it up (well, the first > time after I put good batteries into it anyway.) The sound quality isn't > great but I don't know of anywhere else you could purchase as much > versatility and fun for so little. > Many of thier old kits were aimed towards the electronics experimentor > who wants to learn basic electronic music circuitry and have fun without > spending a lot. They were never meant to offer sound quality of the > same caliber as mass produced equipment. The kits DO offer the potential > to understand a device and be able to modify/customize or repair it. > I'd hate to try repairing todays chip capacitor/custom IC devices. > It's been my experience that understanding the electronics in your > effects and signal processors makes for informed use of them. You > understand what the device can do and how to achieve the results you > want rather than twiddling knobs at random till you get something > that sounds halfway good. > I haven't tried any of their newer kits. > ron@vicorp.com or uunet!vicorp!ron > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1992 14:47:13 EDT From: "(Joseph D. McMahon)" Subject: Re: PAiA kits (fwd) [This is in reply to a message in volume 40, issue 3 of the digest. - JM] Neil Gould writes: > My $.02; > > If you know a lot about electronic design, feel comfortable with PC-Board > layout and construction, and have a good source for parts, you probably > wouldn't be impressed with PAiA kits. > > However, this doesn't describe the typical musician. As was mentioned by > others, the kits are easy to construct, even for a novice. They are also > easy to modify by those with moderate skills. Most of their parts are not > exotic, so performance is mediocre out-of-the-box, but the price is dirt > cheap. > > As for the packaging; this is the largest expense in *any* electronics > project. Connectors, boxes, and mounting hardware easily outstrips the > cost of the rest of the components in most equipment. The price for these > items varies greatly, so it might be a great strategy to leave that part > of the construction up to the end user. After all, if you are building a > number of units into a single rack case, you may be able to cut corners > in packaging by using multi-pin interconnects instead of discreet I/O > for every unit. > > > -- > neil gould + aa330@cleveland.freenet.edu > SysOp: Video Arts Department; Co-SIGop - Audio Arts SIG > Opinions available at discount rates! > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1992 20:13:29 -0400 From: HU CARL Subject: Patches for the M1? Hello! I am looking for new patches for my Korg M1. I have Cakewalk for Windows and Master Tracks Pro for the IBM. Iff anyone cares to share their sysex info with me, I'd be most thankful. Carl Hu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992 12:25:40 -0400 From: Dana Nibby Subject: VFX SD best workstation for the money A number of people have told me that the Ensoniq VFX-SD is the best workstation for the price. (approx. $1000 used is what I can spend) Many have said the M1 has a 'worthless' sequencer, (and only 8 tracks, although I could live with 8 tracks quite nicely) so I've ditched the idea of getting an M1. I just purchased a Boss DR-660 for all my percussion needs. Questions in no particular order: * Is there a Roland or Yamaha contender to the VFX-SD at around the same price? If so, what would make it a better buy than the VFX-SD. (keep in mind that this will be my main and only synth... possibly getting a Juno 106 also. That's it.) * "Buy this module" doesn't help me at all. Since I don't have a synth to begin with. Just an Amiga 500 that I do music with internally (all 8-bit samples) * Can I easily interface my DR-660 to the VFX-SD, or do I need to use my Amiga as a go between. I wanted to use my Amiga for sampling only... I'd like to use the on-board sequencer on the VFX-SD, which is 24(???) tracks. Whoa! :) * I want to use this workstation for techno, and for dark/ambient/noise/ film-scoring material. I need suggestions on what might be the best workstation for me to purchase. Dana ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992 13:34:33 -0400 From: "(Joseph D. McMahon)" Subject: Re: VFX SD best workstation for the money Dana Nibby writes: > A number of people have told me that the Ensoniq VFX-SD is the best > workstation for the price. (approx. $1000 used is what I can spend) And I will as well. The VFXsd is the only synth I have, and I find it quite adequate. I would like to upgrade to an SD-1 in the future for the extra voices though. Take my comments for the prejudiced things that they are about this synth. > * Is there a Roland or Yamaha contender to the VFX-SD at around the > same price? No. Not at that price. > * Can I easily interface my DR-660 to the VFX-SD... I'd need to know more about your intended setup first. Offhand, I'd say you could chain them all in a line (if the Amiga's going to be under MIDI control as well). Tell me a bit more about what you intend. Are the DR-660 and the Amiga going to be used as if they were (logically speaking) modules, or do you, say, want to bang on the DR-660 (assuming it has pads) and record that on the VFXsd? If so, I think this will work: in <--- out VFXsd thru DR-660 thru ---> in Amiga out ---> in This way you can send MIDI back and forth to the VFX (it can handle the fact that you're in a MIDI loop) and can drive the DR-660 and the Amiga. > * I want to use this workstation for techno, and for dark/ambient/noise/ > film-scoring material. I need suggestions on what might be the best > workstation for me to purchase. Well, ambient and soundtrack definitely. There are lots of things waiting to be transformed into nasty noises in there, though I think you'll hit the 21-voice limit pretty quick when doing dense structures. Offloading the drum parts will be a big win, however; that should get you 5 or 6 voices back. You can always sample textures from the VFX and then layer them with other stuff. Adding on an analog synth would be a nice way of rounding out your sound. --- Joe M. ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************