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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

1651.0. "MIDI scratch-pad techniques?" by MARVIN::MACHIN () Fri Aug 26 1988 14:42

    This is just to quiz people about how they work on ideas for
    arrangements, new tunes, voicings and the like.
    
    I have an FZ1 which requires a disk each time you turn it on before
    you can do anything worthwhile, so I've compiled a disk of drums,
    bass and piano (with midi channels set up as appripriate) that allows
    me to get started. Then I have a second disk with alternative voices
    (couple of snares, some toms, cymbals, string bass, organ, synths)
    that I can 'exchange' for the default sounds for particular tunes.
    This way I can start making a tune and change voicings without
    worrying about midi assignments. 
    
    Later I can split things up and use sync-to-tape to build up, say,
    an 8+ track tune with more memory-intensive voices.
    
    Do you use a similar 'midi scratch-pad' to try out ideas/arrangements?
    I suppose if you have several SGUs -- particularly synths, which
    don't run out of memory as do samplers -- you don't need as much planning.
    Nevertheless, I wonder if others have teh modern-day equivalent
    to the pencil-and-paper-and-piano approach to songwriting/arranging.
    
    Richard.
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1651.1get it allSUBSYS::ORINAMIGA te amoFri Aug 26 1988 15:4663
Rich,

This is a topic that I have been investigating for some time. Your method
is what I was using when I had an S-50. What I have since done is to buy
enough (is there ever?) SGUs to attempt to have the entire "orchestra"
online at once. After a great deal of research, buying and selling
equipment, shopping around, and reading the mags/rags, I have decided to
purchase one more sampler; the new Ensoniq EPS. The performance features,
expandability, and price point fit in perfectly with my plans. I have not
wanted to attempt any serious projects until the "orchestra" was
complete. I would like to have all of the instruments and f/x online at
once, so that my MC500 or Mac can act as master sequencer. In this way,
using an 8 track recorder, only two tracks (L/R) contain the stereo
instrumental information. The main problem now is going to be having
enough outboard DSPs to get everything mixed perfectly via MIDI.
Fortunately, the cost of good DSPs is dropping rapidly thanx to Alesis
and Digitech. I'm sure that others will follow their lead. Although
this requires a lot of expensive equipment up front, it allows you to
tweek every single note of every instrument before you ever go to tape.
The sync-to-tape method is the other option, allowing you to accomplish
the same thing while reusing the same pieces of equipment for the
different tracks. The tradeoffs are interesting, though. What if...

Instead of laying out $2-3k for a good 8 track recorder, you buy a
Tascam 4 track recorder for say $1k, and spend the other $2k on SGUs?
Sound appealing? (pun intended). Having test driven about 100 different
SGUs in the last year, my choices for favorite equipment for my proposed
system are...

Approx	Equipment
Cost
(New)
-------------------------------------------------------------
$1000	Tascam 234 or 244 4 track cassette deck, DBX built-in
$800	Roland M160 mixer, 16 chs., 4 f/x send/return, no EQ
$800	Roland M208 mixer, 8 chs, EQ, many buses
$700	Roland D110 LA rackmount SGU, 2 stereo mix outs, 6 ind outs
$2300	Roland S550 sampler, 2 stereo mix outs, 8 ind outs
$1800	Ensoniq EPS sampler, expandable, great performance features
$1400	Roland D50 LA keyboard SGU, 2 stereo mix outs
$500	Oberheim Matrix 1000 SGU, rackmount, 6 voice poly, great analog sounds
$1800	Kurzweil 1000PX SGU, piano, strings, etc.
$1800	Kurzweil MIDI board, master controller
$700	Carver 1.5L power amp
$500	near field monitors, JBL, Fostex, etc.
$400	DSP128 multi-fx DSP, or MVII, quadreverb, etc.
$400	Roland SRV2000 reverb
$1500	Roland Mark II sequencer
____
approx $16.5k new


Much of this equipment could be purchased used, on sale, discounted, mail order
etc. For about the price of a decent new car, you can have a fantastic
musical setup. Of course you can substitute in different pieces of equipment
in my list depending on your own preferences. The main idea here is how to
have an orchestra online, with full MIDI network, sequencer, and minimal
tape recorder expense. Later upgrades would probably include more DSPs, mics
and stands for vocals, other instruments such as guitars, etc. My intention
here is just to share my current approach to the whole thing. I earned the
money to pay for all this by years of gigging. Now I've "retired" to enjoy it.

dave
1651.2And on the low-end of things...HPSRAD::NORCROSSFri Aug 26 1988 16:0927
Although I have no special techniques to discuss, the setup that I work
with offers an easy to use "scratch pad". That's what's it's all about -
how to get an easy to use scratch pad without having to resort to
any time consuming techniques.

My scratchpad system consists of a keyboard controller, a sequencer and
a multitimbral SGU.

I press record on any one of 64 tracks of my sequencer, select a MIDI
channel and SGU patch from the controller, and scratch. Then I do the same
for as many scratches as I want to make, while listening to previously
recorded scratches.

An important feature of this system is the dynamic allocation of voices by
the SGU, which presents me with 8 "virtual" instruments and a 63 piece
percussion set, each on a separate MIDI channel - easy to scratch upon
without any setup time. Another important feature is the cut-n-paste
abilities of the sequencer.

I like to think that I work with a MIDI pencil and paper scratchpad.

Controller: MKB-200
Sequencer: Master Tracks Pro
SGU: D-110

/Mitch

1651.3DYO780::SCHAFERBrad ... DTN 433-2408Fri Aug 26 1988 17:547
    I'll normally lay down a semi-interesting drum pattern and then play a
    test riff into the sequencer. 

    Put both on loop forever and go.  I then switch patches on the fly
    (from the SGU front panel or from the seq) and select choices that way. 

-b
1651.4SALSA::MOELLERDECblocks Product SupportMon Aug 29 1988 16:0712
    There's kind of two questions here.. the first Brad addressed..
    the basic setup to get going on a new piece.. the second, how do
    you get sufficient MIDI-driven audio resources to begin recording
    without really sweating the exact perfect voicing..
    
    before I went to MIDI heaven and got the Kword 1000PX, I set up
    two floppies for the Emax.. called 'Bliss' disks.. one has every
    orchestral timbre I could fit, and the other has basic bass/drum/sax/B3
    sounds.  And since I had default MIDI assignments I could just start
    recording trax.. up to the Emax' polyphony limits, of course.
    
    karl
1651.5Instant (S) hit factory.MINDER::KENTI can't Dance to ThatTue Aug 30 1988 13:2114
    
    
    Yep.
    
    I think this also relates to the topic elsewher on studio set up
    and instant availability. I have pre-designated channels and assignment
    for all my TGU's (I'me no sheep). E.g. bass on the TX is always
    channel 11, drums on 11, samples on 1 thru 6, D50 on 16 etc...
    
    This way I usually know where I am and when I load a new song in
    from memory I at least have the right instrument assignments if
    not the correct voicings.
    
    			Paul.