Composition Challenge #3 "Chord Fun"

Fretwired

steamabacus said:

SX

That's an upgrade for me! On my old computer I had Cubase VST 3.7!!

There's a reason why I've got the 'Steam Abacus' handle.

I started out on VST back in the 1990s. I recently upgraded to the latest version and am regretting it. Too processor intensive and too many features I don't need and won't use.

There's a famous electronic musican who still uses an early version of VST on an ancient PC. He finds the limitations boost his creativity .. can't remember his name. He's English though ...

steamabacus

SX does more than enough for me - all I really want is a multi-track recorder with some fx for mixing (compression, reverb, delay, eq). What I noticed when doing the challenge track was that my processor was getting a little taxed by the end of the mixing. Addictive drums takes a fair bit of processor but the one that was really eating it up was Amplitube3 (free version). I'd used it for amp modelling on the bass. What I did was 'print' the bass tone as an audio mixdown and then used that, allowing me to disable Amplitube3 and free up the processor.

I'd agree that limitations stimulate creativity. I remember reading a quote from Brian Eno about working with Bowie. Eno said his role was to create the 'frame' and Bowie's was to 'splash the paint around' inside that framework - the limitations imposed by Eno allowing Bowie to be free and spontaneous within that limited canvas.

Antique_Guitars

@Basher just send it through anyway it can be uploaded anyway.

Adam_MD

steamabacus;295452" said:

SX does more than enough for me - all I really want is a multi-track recorder with some fx for mixing (compression, reverb, delay, eq). What I noticed when doing the challenge track was that my processor was getting a little taxed by the end of the mixing. Addictive drums takes a fair bit of processor but the one that was really eating it up was Amplitube3 (free version). I'd used it for amp modelling on the bass. What I did was 'print' the bass tone as an audio mixdown and then used that, allowing me to disable Amplitube3 and free up the processor.<</div>

I use Ableton and when I have the drums and guitars the way I want them I can 'freeze' those tracks so they don't take anymore processor power away when I finish the rest of it. If I need to re edit something I can un freeze them. Does Cubase have a feature like that? I've only ever used Ableton, Pro Tools and Logic before.

steamabacus

Adam_MD said:

steamabacus;295452" said:

SX does more than enough for me - all I really want is a multi-track recorder with some fx for mixing (compression, reverb, delay, eq). What I noticed when doing the challenge track was that my processor was getting a little taxed by the end of the mixing. Addictive drums takes a fair bit of processor but the one that was really eating it up was Amplitube3 (free version). I'd used it for amp modelling on the bass. What I did was 'print' the bass tone as an audio mixdown and then used that, allowing me to disable Amplitube3 and free up the processor.<</div>

I use Ableton and when I have the drums and guitars the way I want them I can 'freeze' those tracks so they don't take anymore processor power away when I finish the rest of it. If I need to re edit something I can un freeze them. Does Cubase have a feature like that? I've only ever used Ableton, Pro Tools and Logic before.

Well, you could mix those tracks down to a stereo audio track and then mute the original tracks. Maybe disable the non-active plug-ins as well. I think most DAWs will do pretty much anything you want these days. It's just a case of how much studying do you want to do to learn the intricacies and how much processor power/memory do you have.

Fretwired

steamabacus said:

. What I did was 'print' the bass tone as an audio mixdown and then used that, allowing me to disable Amplitube3 and free up the processor.

I still do that even though the newer versions have some additional functionality .. allows me to duplicate the track and double track it or add some effects. I like taking a bland drum track, copying it and applying some distortion and then mixing the original distorted tone and then adding EQ to create something edgy.

daveww

Bashed entry tickety-boo by me. More the merrier edit Basher not Bashed lol

xSkarloey

No objections at all to Basher's song getting a late pass.

Antique_Guitars

@Basher the people have spoken, submit track please

TTony

Just like to point out that I only entered 'cos @Antique_Guitars told me to!!

Mine was unfinished, but as finished as it was going to get in the time.

Great incentive to be creative though, and to try playing stuff that I wouldn't otherwise play.  What's next??

Antique_Guitars

I'd just like to say I am a bullying bastard, so people please do as your told and play the game. :P

Antique_Guitars

@TTony can you send me a pic for your track please.

TTony

Ok - I did embed one, but I'll send it separately too.

Basher

OK. Thanks for the kindness folks. Have just emailed it over. I'm not proud of it but think it's nice to take part.

Just wanted to publicly thank @Antique_Guitars for organising these challenges. They are the best thing about the forum IMO. Love anything that gets us actually playing music.

That was one thing I noticed, back in the Radar days. The electronic/tech forums were much more active in terms of people generating music whereas the guitar people seemed to prefer talking about drive pedal stacking order and other such minutiae. Much as I love a bit of the old minutiae, I do like to try and record something every now and again so thanks! 

mellowsun

+1 for Basher to submit his track!

steamabacus

Basher said:

Just wanted to publicly thank @Antique_Guitars for organising these challenges. They are the best thing about the forum IMO. Love anything that gets us actually playing music.

That was one thing I noticed, back in the Radar days. The electronic/tech forums were much more active in terms of people generating music whereas the guitar people seemed to prefer talking about drive pedal stacking order and other such minutiae. Much as I love a bit of the old minutiae, I do like to try and record something every now and again so thanks! 

Hear hear!

=D>

Basher

Sorry. Forgot to mention that I don't want to be included in the voting.
I'm not for one second suggesting that I'd get any votes, but it would be deeply unfair on the off-chance that I did pick up one or two points as these should be shared between those who got the task in on time.

I'm just happy to have got the closure from submitting it! 

Antique_Guitars

@Basher check your email

Basher

@Antique_Guitars Sorry. My mistake. Have resent.

Antique_Guitars

Unless anyone has major objections I will allow people to vote for Bashers track, at the end of the day this is a friendly community and a nice bit of friendly competition is a good thing.

I will stress however that I will be rigid with the deadlines from now on, we have had a few challenges now so hopefully people will get the hang of the process.


:P