Everything but the sync

It is always interesting talking to other musicians and learning how they approach their music. Yesterday I spent most of the day with the guitarist from my covers band going over our live material.

After some time, the subject got onto sequencing and such, as we both are into using computer technology to record and produce music. He was explaining to me methods of syncing computers and sequencers and effects units so as they all share the same timing source. Now this was something I have toyed with, though due to my unconventional nature of doing things, have decided to stay right away from.

My approach always has been to play my VST instruments live. In fact, none of my works are sequenced using a sequencer program, rather I just load them into a VST host software as needed, and record them live layer upon layer. I guess the results of this approach are that I am getting a human feel to my recording rather than a sequenced machine feel. I know sometimes the timing can be out, but working with loop recording software this can be easily rectified if it is too much of an issue, and as mentioned in previous posts, plugins such as melodyne are great for setting major timing issues straight (even if Acid does tend to crash on contact with melodyne).

If I need to use a instrument which is rhythmical in nature, ( such as an evolving sound or beat based sound ), setting the tempo of the VST host to the recording software tempo usually brings them into sync well enough (even though these are two different computers).

I have also been studying scale structures and jazz chords lately, so some of my new work may seem more inclined to using strange chord shapes . This is an area I have looked into a number of times, but was overwhelmed by the vast possibilities, though this time I think some valuable and usable information has sunk in (even though I may have used these chords and scales previously, now I can actually figure out what I am doing, and hopefully embellish it).

I don't think I'm going to instantly turn Zappaesque, but I might actually achieve some of the strangeness and odd feel that I am looking for in my composing, so lets hope it all works out. Meanwhile I will keep delving into this most interesting area.

Well that's enough rambling for now, I hope I should be able to leave you with something new on my next post.




Ecca