Darren's posts with tag: radias
 Well, when was the last time I post about my synths? Seems like a long time. Anyway, here's what's been going on and I felt it calls for some synths porn again. Mypapers interviewed me for having a fetish for collecting synthesizers... audiophile they call it. Well, not in the strict sense. It was, erm... a bit weird always to be in front of the cameras so again, I felt most uneasy. Anyway it went well though I was told that I mentioned too many technical stuffs and they might have to edit it away to make the programme more accessible. Well, we'll see. Not sure when this programme will be out but heard it will be in September... which episode I am not sure either but I will inform close friends of it when the time comes. Features about 80% of my synths collection (can't display all due to space constraints - about 6 synths not in), demonstrations, synths porn, modular synths and theremin (not in photo YET); getting shy, acting stupid, talking funny... and my fat face. Oh well.... Since it's all set up, I thought I might as well do some shots of them, anyway, what are the chances of putting them all together in a small house like mine? So here you go:        More photos will be updated soon (I hope!) Out! 
 Yesterday I had creative block. But today my muse had returned. I did not give much thoughts to this piece... just hit the on button, find some sounds, visit my favourite wurly e-piano sounds on the Radias, hit record with the metronome and build track by track... was a brisk... Here's DAY 12 entry on COMMONTONES:
<<再造>>
"Reconstruction"
Gears: KORG Radias, KORG Kaoss Pad III, Humbucker, Reaktor 5, faulty connections; old vocal samples I've recorded.Today I saw time Coincidentally I was reading Einstein's Dreams I revisited a certain time While sitting in the train cabin reading I love how fate turns and twists around And we are merely pawns of this acoursal palette I saw someone see me in my beads reading Freud And I was non the wiser till now I am so very grateful Today I saw a couple quarelling in public I wonder why the hassle, why bother
 I guess I am dried up already... 11th day, and I am stuck... I actually did 3 reditions... first one didn't sound right, heading no where... dumped... second rendition was crap... dumped... finally settling for this ambient-ish one. Not ace, as I hoped it to be :S but time ran out and I'll have to post so no looking back... bad mix though :( I wish I had more time for this one... So here's DAY 11 of COMMONTONES: <<棉花糖>>
"Nuages de Sucrerie de Coton"Using the KORG Radias again, recorded loop on KP3... added the guitar drone in post... and a little Plogue Bidule synthesis... Picture of my favourite tree at TFP again... lovely healthy leaves...
 This is the entry for DAY 10 on COMMONTONES:
<<夜班車>> "Le Tour de Nuit"
Gears used:
KORG Radias, KORG Kaoss Pad IIIYep, entire track done on the Radias with minimal sound design to enhance the mood of the song, to paint the picture. Building on the simple motive of my previous composition in commontones, I wanted to see if I can re-arrange it using the Radias. This is the first time I am using the Radias seriously. I am beginning to love this synth more. Nothing was sequenced except the drums, which was a pattern which I've recorded and processed heavily. This track was recorded while playing live. A couple of hours was all I had so this was the best I could do.
| | Ok, so what happen when someone who doesn't know how to play the guitar and picked up an electric guitar for the first time and wanted to cut a track for an upcoming production? THIS:
W.K.W Dream[reject] (song number 7)
Supposed to have piano playing live on top, so this is like a backing track during performance. Yep, wanted to compose a track for Wong Kah Wai's Dream, TFP's production during arts festival. But after this track was done, I am having second thoughts so tentatively I've rejected this track myself. I am still a dummy when comes to guitar at the end of the day. Well, and I felt the song was inappropriate in a way. We'll see after tomorrow's meeting and hear what TC have to say to this.
Anyway, what's done is done, take it as an experience. It is afterall my first attempt on a guitar with no prior knowledge or training. Basically, I played by ear and loop it through EH2880 and RC20... effected through VF1 and ZebraVCF for different takes... kinda composed on the fly. For the synth parts, it was added in subtley and builds over time (JUNO106, AX60 and Radias). My favourite will have to be the SH101 (in about 03:43 and went on)... basically wanted to keep it as "acoustic" as it can be despite everything being electronic (well, analogue mostly)... have fun listening. Don't kill me if I've played the guitar really badly... It's my first time :P
Instrumentation:
Frigging brandless humbucker
Roland SH101
Roland JUNO106
KORG Radias
AKAI AX60
Looper: EH2880; BOSS RC20
Effects: BOSS VF-1; ZebraVCF
Omitted: Thingamagoop; Effector13 Synth Mangler |
| | Me doodling the night away. Paying tribute to my favourite site ever - MATRIXSYNTH! It's bad editing... but hey, me no graphic geek... so purely for fun and goodness :).
Ignore my bad colouring techniques... |
Compositions I did for a play by Action Theatre called "EVERY THING BUT THE BRAIN". These are just some of it from the 80 cues I have designed (but my effort wasted as they are all either cut or badly treated, anyway I've detached from the show; don't like the compromise). For more info of the description of each track plus photos taken during the composition and design process, do visit HERE. Here are the three songs: EVER AFTERBEDTIME STORIESEINSTEIN'S BRAIN| EverAfter | | | | | | | BedTimeStories | | | | | | | Einstein'sBrain | | | | | |
| | These are pictures taken whilst I compose and design for the play "Everything But The Brain" for Action Theatre. Now showing at the Esplanade Theatre. Here's the demo of three songs which I've picked out to upload (click on the title of the songs to listen):
EVER AFTER
This track, by approach was really simple. I mic'ed up a Hungarian Zither (CITERA) using a contact microphone and it's being fed into the KORG Radias audio in. Using a vocoder preset, I have made it to trigger a synth note (D flat) with a moderate attack and a long release. So everytime I plug a note, it will trigger the synth note. The signal is also routed through it's internal effects with delay and reverb. Another contact microphone was employed to sample the Citera with a BOSS RC-20 and the playback is reversed... This track was recorded live with me improvising on the Citera. (I have no idea how to play it so I just did what I think sound right) You can find a picture of the Citera below...
BEDTIME STORIES
A Plogue Bidule composition using a patch I've designed. The group has a couple of sequencers that triggers the risset bells and sine tones, which was passed through a rebuilder and some effects. Crytal Synths were employed for the generation of the glassy ambient. KORG Radias was used for a base drone...
EINSTEIN'S BRAIN
An abstract of the 10 minute long piece. The piano was from KORG Triton ST88. An improvisation based on the scenic mood was recorded and then reversed and picthed down to underlay the original recording. Another Plogue Bidule patch was designed to sound scape subtley underneath this track...
DISCLAIMER: There are pictures of other synths which was employed for the composition and design of other songs and sounds but I did not include the demo here... It's sad to see the way they treated my music in production... director's call, so what to do :/ |
| | Yummy... From unboxing to setting and hooking up. This synth looks swanky, with wooden side panels (narrow though). The KORG RADIAS... I shot it up and started noodling through its presets (NEAT! But did not like the self plugging vocoder presets of reading "RADIAS"). I am impressed by the versatility. The oscillators are quite flexible, which pretty much says for first impressions: It's a versatile VA synths. The dual filters look the part, but it's not as cut-through as I hope it to be. Rather conservative I must say. This synth, on first impression, sounded warm but hardly phat enough. Well, naturally. In anycase, I shall spend more time with this baby and in time write a short user review.
Due to job commitment, I don't think I will be cutting a demo song on it so soon. But will do so once I have time to noodle on it. Actually, I even thought the adapter looks cool. With an on/off button to it. The sliding frame for the module is simply too cool as well. Man, I can be real shallow. :P |
| | I've decided to keep a photo update of my studio state... to see how it grows over time (or diminish)... so here's some photos of my current studio. I will be upgrading it soon so keeping it for visual posterity...
I have also categorized synths collections in my photo index page... I am a little lazy and see it unnecessary to take out Korg Prophecy, Korg padKONTROL, Oberheim Matrix 1000 and Marion... :S so I have to keep them here...
UPDATES: New stuffs that are way over-due. Doepfer A100 Modular System with all other analogous processors, Radias, etc. |
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