questions you are dying to ask but are too scared to b/c of music nerd cred?

[droid]

does any one have any info about jerry lewis the reggae toaster/dj bloke? all i know is the two songs i've heard, rhythm pleasure (with the aggrovators) and burning wire, does he have more, and where can i find it? i've tried looking him up on google, but i just get a million websites about jerry lewis the comdeian.

...and for that matter what is the difference between a toaster and a dj?

A toaster is an electrical appliance that cooks bread - a DJ is a Jamiacan who voices a tune!

Seriously though, - if theres a distinction to make it would be between the first DJ's like Count Machuki, King Stitt and Sir Lord Comic and everyone that came after, its that the early DJs were more like their radio counterparts - sporadically interjecting over the tune with short catchphrases in a relaxed style rather than chanting over every bar...

 

[Freakaholic]

'Double Impact' ..... What should happen is that in the middle of the mix, a 3rd tune should come out of the first 2; and should only exist because of the first 2.

Will this 3rd melody appear, and sound right, only if the keys have been matched?

And how do you guys think it sounds when two basslines are set up this way, esp in DnB/grime/breaks/dubstep-the stuff with the massive bass?

 

[droid]

Will this 3rd melody appear, and sound right, only if the keys have been matched?

And how do you guys think it sounds when two basslines are set up this way, esp in DnB/grime/breaks/dubstep-the stuff with the massive bass?

Youd have to match the key anyway, otherwise itd sound pants.

 

[bassnation]

Youd have to match the key anyway, otherwise itd sound pants.

thats not always true - sometimes you might want a dischordant effect. it can sound trippy and disturbing if done right.

 

[droid]

thats not always true - sometimes you might want a dischordant effect. it can sound trippy and disturbing if done right.

For general mixing yes - In D+B though, two clashing basslines tend not to work - you can push it too a degree, mixing 2 basslines that are far enough apart to make a 3rd note (as mentioned above) but even the most open minded punter tends not to go for full on discordance on the dancefloor (unless its quite subtle)...

 

[dHarry]

I've often wondered - is a way to handle this to roll off the bass on one and the treble on the other to facilitate a long crossfade?

 

[john eden]

I've often wondered - is a way to handle this to roll off the bass on one and the treble on the other to facilitate a long crossfade?

Can you not just do that with the twiddly buttons on the mixer? (I'm well technical, me!)

 

[gabriel]

...and for that matter what is the difference between a toaster and a dj?

nothing, it's just changing terminology. dj has been used consistently since count matchuki and king stitt, toaster was only in fashion for a bit in the 70s/80s (and occasionally still used now)

 

[dHarry]

well how else would you roll off the bass & treble?

 

[droid]

well how else would you roll off the bass & treble?

Well - messing with the EQ's wont put things in key - but it may eliminate most of an out of key sound. It would be unusual for only one element in a tune to be out of key with another tune in the mix though - and the whole idea behind a 'double drop' is to have 2 basslines or melodic riffs playing at the same time.

Personally, I would almost never drop 2 basslines at full EQ together (unless its a deep sub and mid-range mix). My default for 99% of mixes is to always turn the bass down a squeze on the tune Im mixing in. Doubling up on the bass can really swamp the mix.. IMO its better to be a bit more artful and create a new basslines by chopping and EQng the bass you want to keep from each tune into the mix as you roll along...

So - the golden rule is: Get a mixer with good EQ's (total attenuation is watcha want!), and use them!

 

[john eden]

well how else would you roll off the bass & treble?

Ah, I think I must have misunderstood what you were asking.

 

[arcaNa]

...what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

...people have been muttering something in their beards about "run it through some guitar effects boxes or summat, love"...
but i'm a non-techie girly and i really don't know how to do that- what way do i connect the synth, mixer/hd recorder, and effects?

...and is there any way i could get a Korg MS20 and Roland Space Echo to interact?
...if so, how?

*sinks through floor with shame*

 

[bassnation]

For general mixing yes - In D+B though, two clashing basslines tend not to work - you can push it too a degree, mixing 2 basslines that are far enough apart to make a 3rd note (as mentioned above) but even the most open minded punter tends not to go for full on discordance on the dancefloor (unless its quite subtle)...

dnb basslines (or at least the mid-range atrocities that pass for basslines in jungle these days) are a bit different, i agree. thinking more of synths than bass. and even then, if we are talking about subbass, providing you keep it under control, the effect can be interesting. no hard and fast rules for me.

not sure that appreciation of this kind of technique is limited to open-minded punters only. i've heard things like that work well on mainstream house dancefloors. surely people haven't become that closed minded?

 

[bassnation]

...what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

...people have been muttering something in their beards about "run it through some guitar effects boxes or summat, love"...
but i'm a non-techie girly and i really don't know how to do that- what way do i connect the synth, mixer/hd recorder, and effects?

...and is there any way i could get a Korg MS20 and Roland Space Echo to interact?
...if so, how?

*sinks through floor with shame*

it sounds like your using hardware - i only use softsynths so i'm not sure i can help, but i use this fx plug-in that comes with the korg classic vst called mde-x. its got things like flangers, phasers, reverb, a million kinds of delay and lots of eq presets - some of which can brighten the sound, or bring up the low-end. its good for adding warmth (or taking it away) to digital sounds. heres a loop i've done using some of these fx:
http://bassnation.uk.net/sound/muffledstep.mp3

you should able to set up a send track in your sequencer where you can apply vst fx the output from your hardware instruments.

and lastly don't worry about asking questions like this - no-one will think any less of you. i'm not very technical myself and don't want to worry about the technical aspects of making music over the actual results, if you know what i mean

 

[droid]

no hard and fast rules for me.

not sure that appreciation of this kind of technique is limited to open-minded punters only. i've heard things like that work well on mainstream house dancefloors. surely people haven't become that closed minded?

Im only thinking of D+B crowds over the last few years... which have definitely grown more close-minded (and thats saying something)...

I agree that theres no hard and fast rules for mixing, but the 2 technical principles of DJng are (as Im sure you know): 1 - have the tunes in time and 2 - Have them in Key... using discordance properly - though effective - can be tricky to pull off and is a fairly advanced technique...

what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

...people have been muttering something in their beards about "run it through some guitar effects boxes or summat, love"...
but i'm a non-techie girly and i really don't know how to do that- what way do i connect the synth, mixer/hd recorder, and effects?

...and is there any way i could get a Korg MS20 and Roland Space Echo to interact?
...if so, how?

If your using hardware you need to either add your effect boxes to the midi chain, or send various channels to an unchained effects unit using the send and returns on your desk.

The simplest way would be, as Bassnation points out, to experiment with softsynths in Logic or VST and use the standard hyperprism/VST plug-ins in a virtual effects chain.

I know this is very vague, but its practically impossible to give decent advice without some idea of your setup...

 

[PeteUM]

...what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

...people have been muttering something in their beards about "run it through some guitar effects boxes or summat, love"...
but i'm a non-techie girly and i really don't know how to do that- what way do i connect the synth, mixer/hd recorder, and effects?

...and is there any way i could get a Korg MS20 and Roland Space Echo to interact?
...if so, how?

*sinks through floor with shame*

I'd be pretty chuffed with myself if I had a Korg MS20 and a Roland Space Echo.

 

[arcaNa]

I'd be pretty chuffed with myself if I had a Korg MS20 and a Roland Space Echo.

sorry, didn't post that up to show off or anyfink!
i got them at a time where people were focusing on "new" gear and so those beauties weren't popular at all- found hidden and unloved in the dusty discount corner...long before the current "retro" nostalgia pushed prices into ridiculous proportions...
so i've had them for a long time, but never had enough time until now to actually learn and use them...

anyway, the MS20 is a bitch to learn- incredibly detailed procedures just to get one little blip or burp...takes months to get your head around!

 

[arcaNa]

...anyway- equipment alone does not great music make...

most peeps i know get by with a laptop and some plugins, still their making absolutely incredible stuff!

 

[geto.blast]

...what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

http://www.midi-classics.com/i/p6703.jpg ... no contest. it will be the last piece of gear i part with.

 

[dHarry]

...what's the best way to "fatten up" a cold digital synth sound and give it more analogue warmth?

try boosting the lower end/rolling some of the little brittle highs, and adding some warm reverb (hello early aphex twin!) makes a huge difference if you've got the option, or a little analog (harmonic) distortion via a guitar pedal. Definitely try some chorus (guitar pedal or digital FX) - it will thicken the sound nicely.

......people have been muttering something in their beards about "run it through some guitar effects boxes or summat, love"...
but i'm a non-techie girly and i really don't know how to do that- what way do i connect the synth, mixer/hd recorder, and effects?

OK - the trad guitarist's way is:

synth audio out--> in[FX pedal]out-->amp/mixer

OR if your mixer's got FX sends/returns, you connect these up to the FX pedal/module (mixer's sends to the FX's in, FX's out to the mixer's returns), then you can connect the synth's out directly to the mixer and "dial in" a given amount of FX on the synth's channel on the mixer (the knob marked FX or whatever, if it's analog)

.........and is there any way i could get a Korg MS20 and Roland Space Echo to interact?
...if so, how?

do you have a space echo? if so you're sorted for ambience & warmth! same connections as the FX pedals above, directly through or via the mixer's FX sends/returns, for the most gorgeously flaky, quavery echoes - screw around with the speeds & feedback for amazing dub fx degrading beautifully with each echo... of course with any FX echo/delay you can route the effected sound back into the pedal for potentially endless feedback echo loops, filtering it on the mixer as you go - this is the big secret of dub production from King Tubby's pioneering mixes!

Do you know the Korg MS20 is analog (solid state electronics, transistors etc), not digital (like 80's Yamaha DX and almost every synth since)? It's a beast of a synth with 2 voices which combine for that thick fat Moog-style upgrade to the original mono-oscillator synths (which chorus can kind of replicate).

.........*sinks through floor with shame*

this is a geek's discussion board, not a music technology forum, now if you'd asked "so has anyone ever heard of Aphex Twin?" or "Coldplay are so cool - they've sampled obscure German act Kraftwerk" you'd have been crucified, but I'm guessing many people around here have no idea about the hardware used to make music. And you should trawl the web, or buy a book, for the basics of instrument & studio setups etc. Or re-read the above & let me know if it makes any sense.