Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...

Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #340 on: June 27, 2017, 09:12:26 AM »
Finally got the ADI-2 Pro home... what a device... it's very restricted in it's amount of connectivity, but what it does it does REALLY well... -120dB converters, up to 768kHz (which I'll never use), DSD sampling and playback (which I'll never use)...

What I like about this converter is the sound... I can clearly hear a difference to earlier converters I've had, even RME... the sound is just more open, airy, and transients much clearer... even at 44.1kHz. I'm going to use a patchbay with the analog input since I'm HD recording in layers anyway, that way I get most out of my synths and the converter.

Another aspect I like about it is the Headphone output... it's a high End output, with an additional High Power mode for extreme output... I have no option but to make music in headphones these days, so that is really nice... Someday I'll get a pair of Sennheiser HD-800 to go along with it.

Lastly, the USB functionality is really good. Solid drivers that just WORK, all the way down to 32samples of latency without clicks and pops... it's on par with what a PCIe interface can do.

I'm also down to using only two synths at the moment... P12 and V-Synth XT... two more will be bought later, the first most likely a Novation Peak.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #341 on: June 27, 2017, 11:01:18 AM »
I'm guessing that it is sampling at a much higher sample rate even when you are running at 44.1, also every component in it is high spec. Not that I'm jealous or anything ;)

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #342 on: June 27, 2017, 02:48:03 PM »
I'm guessing that it is sampling at a much higher sample rate even when you are running at 44.1, also every component in it is high spec. Not that I'm jealous or anything ;)

Yup... it's running at insanely high speeds internally... you can even change the type of aliasing filtering it uses internally when it's converting... when it's doing 256 DSD its above 15 megahertz if I remember correctly. and yes... only the best components is used... this actually show that what some people see as "better sound" at higher sampling rates has to do with the quality of the converter... even 44.1 KHz sounds awesome... so much that I have a hard time hearing any difference between 44.1 and 96 KHz... if I hear a difference it's not in the sample conversion directly, it's more likely to be the higher processing rate... I have started to use only plugins for EQ, Dynamics and Reverb/FX, and I can hear a more smooth and open/airy reverb tail on Valhalla Shimmer for example (at 96KHz compared to 44.1KHz)... but sometimes it's hard to tell if it's placebo.

Anyway, I'm going to run at 48KHz (because of some slightly better filtering in the upper frequency spectrum that 44.1KHz does not allow)... everything will be turned into MP3 in the end anyway, so I cannot see the use for 96KHZ (and above) unless I'm composing for a DVD which use the higher sample rate of 96KHz.

My main reason for getting this was of course both the nice AD conversion, but also the DA... I want the best possible listening experience on headphones (HD-800 when I get a pair one day) thus I wanted the Hi End headphone outs as well... and it allready shows with a pair of HD-650 that I have now... playing some Dark Ambient tracks I've heard before on these headphones suddenly had this clear and open sound, with "crystaline" highs... even the tiniest little "click" just jumped out at you.

You could argue if it's worth the price... the ADI-2 Pro is definitely NOT an inexpensive converter box... costing me more than what a Novation Peak would... but I'm happy... and I'm extremely happy to have a box outside of the DAW now... the AIO card (also RME) which I used before had serious noise problems from the video card and mouse etc.

Oh... and one more cool thing I always wanted... an external frequency spectrum meter... the small colour display on the ADI-2 Pro is really crisp and clear, and I can see all sorts of analyzing data in realtime, free from having to use software on the DAW for this... it's always right there in front of me for checking :)

Perfectly happy with this box...
« Last Edit: June 27, 2017, 02:58:20 PM by Razmo »
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dslsynth

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #343 on: June 27, 2017, 02:50:39 PM »
Lucky you, Razmo! It sounds like an awesome converter! . o O ( envy )
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Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #344 on: July 12, 2017, 11:53:42 PM »
Well... the ADI-2 Pro was simply overkill, so I sent it back... I think the ADI-2 sounds just as good (I'm not an infant anymore, I can't hear the difference much :D) ... ordered this today... perfect for my Ambient productions, and it will do reverbs with more than 200 seconds in length, so that should be Ambient Heaven :)
« Last Edit: July 12, 2017, 11:55:15 PM by Razmo »
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Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #345 on: July 13, 2017, 04:49:35 AM »
OOPS! :D
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #346 on: July 13, 2017, 09:19:47 AM »
I'm beginning to find it hard to keep up!

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #347 on: July 13, 2017, 10:15:31 AM »
I'm beginning to find it hard to keep up!

With my changes to my studio? ... don't try, I hardly can myself :D
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #348 on: July 13, 2017, 10:31:52 AM »
Well... maybe I should explain my new plans (hopefully my last):

I recently had to accept, that I simply end up "dead" in programming music... that is all that copy/paste you have to do in an arrangement... I usually create small loops in layers on top of each other, and when a riff is done, I simply loose all interest in spreading that riff out, and create the arrangement (bridges, pauses etc.)... IF I once in a while get something done that last more than 3 minutes, the last 75% bored me and end up being "so so"... I realize now, that the only way I'm going to get fun from making something to the end, is by PLAYING it all to the end... in one go... that is; jammin' the whole score in one go, sampling the resulting stereo track.

It irritates me that it has taken so long to realize that I'm a performance kind of musician, and not the programming type which I've been for now more than 25 years... but that's just how it is, and now I have to create a specific kind of studio setup to allow me to do just this... and at the same time not get too complicated since limitations always made me fokus better.

So HD recording is out of the question, as this only allow for layering one track at a time... but on the other hand, I can not play all myself at one time... so now MIDI sequencers will be the answer to this... hopefully with time it'll be a hardware sequencer, but until then, my computer will do.

Thus my plan is to use a small format hardware analog mixer, and I've recently ordered one that I know, the Mackie ONYX 1220... this will give me 8 synths connected, 4 mono and 4 stereo which is fine.

The 4 mono synths will be monophonic analogue synths that will be doing basslines, arps and other accompagnement synth loops... the synths has been decided allready... Dreadbox Hades, Erebus, Nyx and the coming Medusa... i like their character, they offer something unique each of them, and they are all hands on with few controls as to not stop the creative flow completely.

The 4 stereo synths will be connected directly to my new Roland motherkeyboard that has four MIDI outs... they will be played live on top of the 4 monosynths that is being sequenced... I will then fade different tracks in and out by moving faders and switching buttons on the mixer directly while performing... much in the way Klaus Shultze is working I guess.

For the ambient music I want to make, I need a pro reverb and delay... the ONYX mixer has two mono sends which fits the PCM92 nicely... it has got 4 "blocks" that can be assigned two by two for each input (L/R)... this will serve all my FX needs in addition to the synths own FX.

Four guitar pedals or other analog FX will be assigned to the inserts of the 4 mono channels on a "per score" basis...

That is basically it... it will also make it easier to make performance videos later for YouTube etc.

The four stereo synths will be V-Synth XT, Prophet 12, PEAK and one more to come (not decided, as it does not exist yet).

More monosynths may be obtained, as they can easily be swapped as "per project" .. they do not need editors or presets or anything...
« Last Edit: July 13, 2017, 10:39:07 AM by Razmo »
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #349 on: July 13, 2017, 10:57:30 AM »
I'm beginning to find it hard to keep up!

With my changes to my studio? ... don't try, I hardly can myself :D

Yep with the changes, it's all too quick for my mind :)

Quote from: Razmo
I recently had to accept, that I simply end up "dead" in programming music... that is all that copy/paste you have to do in an arrangement... I usually create small loops in layers on top of each other, and when a riff is done, I simply loose all interest in spreading that riff out, and create the arrangement (bridges, pauses etc.)... IF I once in a while get something done that last more than 3 minutes, the last 75% bored me and end up being "so so"... I realize now, that the only way I'm going to get fun from making something to the end, is by PLAYING it all to the end... in one go... that is; jammin' the whole score in one go, sampling the resulting stereo track.

I'm exactly the same with me, but that takes planning.

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #350 on: July 13, 2017, 11:27:04 AM »
I recently had to accept, that I simply end up "dead" in programming music... that is all that copy/paste you have to do in an arrangement... I usually create small loops in layers on top of each other, and when a riff is done, I simply loose all interest in spreading that riff out, and create the arrangement (bridges, pauses etc.)... IF I once in a while get something done that last more than 3 minutes, the last 75% bored me and end up being "so so"...
I think that kind of "self-induced boredom" in the creative process is more common than you think... one possible solution to that has always been collaboration.
"Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages." --- Frank Zappa
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #351 on: July 13, 2017, 01:15:04 PM »
Yep that's the solution.

When I lived in London I had loads of people to play with, constantly doing different gigs with different people.

Now I live in the back end of beyond and all I have are hundreds and hundreds of "ideas" saved on disk.

Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #352 on: July 13, 2017, 01:23:09 PM »
I recently had to accept, that I simply end up "dead" in programming music... that is all that copy/paste you have to do in an arrangement... I usually create small loops in layers on top of each other, and when a riff is done, I simply loose all interest in spreading that riff out, and create the arrangement (bridges, pauses etc.)... IF I once in a while get something done that last more than 3 minutes, the last 75% bored me and end up being "so so"...
I think that kind of "self-induced boredom" in the creative process is more common than you think... one possible solution to that has always been collaboration.

I would say yes to that... but I am extremely bad in collaborating because I'm VERY personal as an artist... I simply loose interest in the project, if the collaborating artist does something to the project that I would have done otherwise... very selfish ... I know... but that's just not changeable... so I'm afraid that I'm on my own here :/
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Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #353 on: July 13, 2017, 01:25:08 PM »
I guess I'd have to add, that I'm born with High Functional Autism... which is probably part of the collaboration problem, cause I really do fine (and best) when I do things on my own... that's just how I am :)
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Shaw

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #354 on: July 13, 2017, 01:27:18 PM »
Now I live in the back end of beyond and all I have are hundreds and hundreds of "ideas" saved on disk.
That's what the internet is for... collaborate with other folks and never have to leave BFE (or wherever you are).
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #355 on: July 13, 2017, 01:29:02 PM »
I guess I'd have to add, that I'm born with High Functional Autism... which is probably part of the collaboration problem, cause I really do fine (and best) when I do things on my own... that's just how I am :)
Understood.  Then collaborate with yourself.  What I mean is, record some ideas and stop when it gets interesting / before you get bored.  Move on to something else.  Come back to it a week later, record some more, stop before you get bored... etc.
"Classical musicians go to the conservatories, rock´n roll musicians go to the garages." --- Frank Zappa
| Linnstrument | Suhr Custom Modern | Mayones Jaba Custom | Godin Multiac Nylon | Roland TD-50 | Synergy Guitar Amps | Eventide Effects Galore |

Razmo

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #356 on: July 13, 2017, 01:34:36 PM »
I guess I'd have to add, that I'm born with High Functional Autism... which is probably part of the collaboration problem, cause I really do fine (and best) when I do things on my own... that's just how I am :)
Understood.  Then collaborate with yourself.  What I mean is, record some ideas and stop when it gets interesting / before you get bored.  Move on to something else.  Come back to it a week later, record some more, stop before you get bored... etc.

Sometimes it's really hard to collaborate even with myself :D ... I see what you mean, and I'll write that behind me ear... but surely... it'll be darn hard to do, if I'm all up'n'into it! :D
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #357 on: July 13, 2017, 02:42:02 PM »
Then collaborate with yourself.

That's actually a really good idea, if you're not able to collaborate with others or choose to not collaborate with anyone. The key strategy here involves being able to treat what you've already done as if someone else did it, so that you're either not becoming too attached to something that might keep you from moving forward or not too immersed within a certain framework that keeps you from gaining a fresh view on what you've already done.

You could also, in addition to that, approach people you trust and ask them for feedback.

Another approach would be to ask yourself why you get bored. Is the process too easy? Too hard? Are there not enough challenges to keep your attention? Are there too many? Is what you're aiming for really what you wanna do or just something you enjoy as a genre while you would be better at something else? In other words: are you playing to your strengths?

And roughly related to that: Does it have to be a bad thing that you mostly end up being convinced only by parts or pieces that last up to 3 minutes? Couldn't you turn that into a form, like working on musical vignettes?

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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #358 on: July 13, 2017, 03:27:56 PM »
Understood.  Then collaborate with yourself.  What I mean is, record some ideas and stop when it gets interesting / before you get bored.  Move on to something else.  Come back to it a week later, record some more, stop before you get bored... etc.

Basically the same problem as with writing and/or designing: distance is needed before one can evaluate and edit the work.
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Re: Razmo's Gear Rant Thread...
« Reply #359 on: July 13, 2017, 04:13:26 PM »
Understood.  Then collaborate with yourself.  What I mean is, record some ideas and stop when it gets interesting / before you get bored.  Move on to something else.  Come back to it a week later, record some more, stop before you get bored... etc.

Basically the same problem as with writing and/or designing: distance is needed before one can evaluate and edit the work.

Right. Editing and publishing is in fact the professional field where I learned the most about collaborating with myself. Well that and actual teamwork, be it professional or artistic.

And there's of course a reason why Eno's and Schmidt's "Oblique Strategies" have been so successful. A source that could be considered as well in this case. (I know this reference might seem a bit trite these days, but I still know people who find the "Oblique Strategies" very helpful or even come up with new ones, like the Ableton trainer who does the "Sonic Bloom" website. It's also not like all of these cards have become well-known clichés by now. So there are still quite a few cards in that collection that should be able to catch you off guard.)