Ambient9 // Semi-Modular DAWless Ambient - Subharmonicon, Melodicer, Nautilus

Semi-Modular DAWless Ambient Setup: Moog Subharmonicon, Vermona Melodicer, Qu-Bit Nautilus, Midas DM16 (Mixer), Tascam DR-40 (recording).

Effects: Qu-Bit Nautilus (Subharmonicon) sending to AUX1 and AUX2, Hologram Microcosm (AUX1 mixer send/return), TC Electronics Hall of Fame into Meris Polymoon (AUX2 mixer send/return).

This is a very different DAWless Ambient performance for me. I've never owned any modular gear before, and I've only recently purchased these few modules. I did a lot of research before settling on these. There are a few more modules coming, but I won't mention them here. I chose these specifically for two reasons. Primarily to enhance the sounds and performance style I'm working towards; but also to get more use out of my semi-module gear. Especially the Moog Subharmonicon, Behringer 2600 Blue Marvin, and Korg MS-20. This one also feels very different to me because I'm having to work out a new video recording position. I'm not sure I like being out of view anymore. I'm used to seeing myself and in this case, I can only see my hands making knob adjustments. That's fine, but it feels a bit weird right now and I still need to get used to it. I'm not sure how it will work out when I combine things with my other gear. I'd like to be able to record as much of my actions during a performance as I can, but I don't see how that will be possible with a more distant and angular perspective.

This one follows my regular process. Sit down with coffee or a beer, come up with an idea, and record it in one take. There's no editing or anything except clipping the beginning and ending crap that isn't part of the improvisation. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera setup in a good place and I bumped it halfway through. I'll have to think harder about how to get things right for myself. I also just faded things out after about twelve minutes or some such. I went on a bit longer, but it really wasn't any different and didn't add to the ambience.

My idea here was to use oscillator one and it's sub-oscillators to create a sense of a drone similar to the part a Taanpura would play in an Indian raga. I was trying for Ma-sa-sa-Sa, but couldn't get the lower octave D for Sa. Sad, but it turned out alright I guess. I could have fiddled with it all day and picked another key for the voice, but I decided just to press on and try again another time. I do love the sound of a droning Taanpura. I guess I really love all drones since I have a passion for the bagpipes too, and I love old-time banjo so much I learned to play it myself. All have an accompanied drone. This first part is played by the Subharmonicon using no other input from any other device. Just the sequencer and pitch knobs on the Subharmonicon itself.

The second oscillator and it's sub-oscillators are tuned together but oscillator two is being pitched by the Vermona Melodicer (1v/oct) and sequenced by it's stochastic generated rhythm. The Melodicer is being "influenced" by the Subharmonicon's trigger output patch-point, and the gate input on the Melodicer is being "influenced" by the Nautilus Sonar output. You can see that the Rhythm 4 input on the Subharmonicon is receiving the gate signal from the Melodicer. This created some really interesting and rather random sequences for the second voice. I'm really inspired by this combination and it's exactly what I wanted out of this setup. LOTS and LOTS of possibilities here. Even if I don't use the Subharmonicon oscillators.

One thing I'm still trying to wrap my head around is how I might get better results from those awesome Moog oscillators by trying to get more into patching the filters. I don't see a way yet to bypass or alter the filter section much, but I need to study it more. The VCF envelope generator is positive if you move it clockwise from top/center and negative counter-clockwise. The patch points and other portions of the VCA/VCF don't give you similar outcomes as a standard ADSR that I'm used to, so I need to work with it more and figure it all out. I think I'm getting slightly better at using them together, but I "feel" like there's still a long way to go.

My final thoughts (right now, without having listened and watch it a 1000 times) are that it worked and I surprised myself with how big and varied a soundscape I could get out of just one synthesizer with two voices. It didn't come out at all like I had expected when I pressed record. Funny how that works sometimes.

#slim_pkns #behringer2600 #dawless