music - tm

"Seven Parts" [mp3 removed -- please listen on Bandcamp]

The Elektron Octatrack uses "parts" to store groups of samples that have been sliced or tweaked in various ways. Each part has a group of patterns that "trig" the samples.
Parts and patterns are stored in banks. The Arranger makes songs using patterns from various banks. This tune could be called "Seven Banks" but the main focus of the exercise was to seamlessly switch among various sample families stored in the parts.
The samples are mostly from live recordings of the SammichSID synth. That is, live in the sense of triggered by the Octatrack's MIDI channels and sampled in real time. Other sounds come from sample chains found on the internet and sliced, and some percussion from the samplv1 and a-fluidsynth synths, playing in Ardour (Linux version).
Playback from the Octatrack was then recorded in Ardour and then mastered (i.e., loudened).
The "tech-house" part at 1:12 is a fanfic nod to Antonelli Electr.

Update: Tweaks to the gain of one Part, and made the antiphonal section at 1:12 fully stereo (setting got lost on the first go); reposted.

"Esperklatsch Variation" [mp3 removed -- please listen on Bandcamp]

Have been using the Elektron Octatrack wrong, which isn't entirely my fault, since the manual does a lousy job of explaining how Parts work. Merlin's guide [pdf] finally straightened me out. So this tune is all done with my new knowledge (as Tai Lopez suggests, it's about the knowledge). Not that anyone would know, since I've been using the PC to cover what I thought were the Elektron device's limitations.
Most of the banks (and Parts) here use sliced single-cycle waveforms, which provides the vintage sequencer sound. Other audio comes from the same grab-bag of recycled material used in "Esperklatsch."
Another development was getting comfortable doing a final mix on Linux, using compressor and limiter plugins from LSP. Had sort of been clinging to the PSP Vintage Warmer on Windows, but now I've cut it loose and am completely Gates-free.
And last, using Audacity to convert to .mp3.

Update: Minor tweaks, reposted.

Discontinued Beatbox by Tom Moody
[embedded player removed]

My latest musical release.
Ardour (Linux DAW) has a bundled synth called a-fluidsynth that uses soundfonts for its audio engine. "Esperklatsch" (psychic gossip?) features soundfonts taken from the original ROM files in the E-Mu SP1200, an '80s/'90s drum machine. Hence, the pseudo hiphop feel of this track.

"Discontinued Beatbox" [mp3 removed -- please listen on Bandcamp]

Made with the Elektron Octatrack, Elektron Machinedrum, and recorded and mixed in Ardour (Linux version). Only the Machinedrum has actually been discontinued but I like the title. This a bricolage song in that it consists of scraps from earlier (mostly modular) synth tunes, and homemade kits cobbled from various instruments. One loop is recent -- the Helm softsynth, recorded in Ableton and transferred to the Octatrack via flash drive. Also in the mix are some SuperKicks by Inspektor Gadjet, downloaded from the Internet.
One problem with the Octatrack is the eight tracks get used up pretty quickly and its a pain to mix them down or use alternate samples via "parameter locks." Having the discontinued Machinedrum was a way to add extra tracks, with the two boxes running in sync via MIDI.

Update: Re: "eight tracks get used up pretty quickly" on the Octatrack. Wrong. I wasn't understanding how "parts" work. An Octatrack guide by Merlin [pdf] explains it much better than the manual.

"Virtual Canapés" [mp3 removed -- please listen on Bandcamp]

Some Elektron Machinedrum beats (mostly mine but there may be a snippet from the device's previous owner, if so, hat tip GYS), with added beats and softsynths recorded and arranged in Ardour (Linux version).
Was happy to find the softsynth Helm, which works very well as a Linux (LV2) plugin.
The Machinedrum "kits" include many "user waves" that I made with cut-up and normalized snippets from earlier, modular synth tracks, transferred to the MD using MIDI sample transfer and converted to 12 bit sound files.