Berlin School Ambient2 // DAWless Ambient Setup - 2600 Blue Marvin, Korg MS-20, FX Pedals, Touche

DAWless Ambient Setup: Behringer 2600 Blue Marvin, Korg MS-20 (mini), KeyStep37 (2600 arpeggio - pattern option), Expressive-E Touche (CV modulation for 2600 filter envelope), Strymon TimeLine into TC Electronics Hall of Fame into Strymon Mobius (2600), Hologram Microcosm into Meris Polymoon (MS-20), Zoom LiveTrak L8 (mixer/recording).

This Ambient Berlin School track was another attempt at learning how to get a nice full sounds of just two analog synthesizers. The Behringer 2600 and the Korg MS-20. I mainly used effects pedals to try to get a full rich sound. I could have added a long droning pad to sit underneath it all, but I'm trying hard to keep things as simple as possible. I'll likely try this again with a different arpeggio and lead, but add the Subharmonicon drone and a pad from the Prophet '08 or Modwave next.

The track consists of a single Berlin School arpeggio from the 2600, which is being driven over MIDI by the Arturia KeyStep37. I played around with different arpeggio setting types on the KeyStep to find one that didn't sound too repetitive to me. Sometimes just up, down, or an up and down pattern is too boring after a short while. I landed on the 'pattern' selection, which gave it enough space from beginning to end of a single round to allow the changes in the filter envelop to overcome the repetitiveness in the sound. I'm considering using a chord mapping and then using the onboard functions in the KeyStep to translate the chord up and down the scale as another option. We'll see if I can make that work in a future video. The second part is a lead played on the MS-20. I used the patch points to implement the modwheel as a way to calm the amplitude of the output so that the Hologram Microcosm didn't get too out of control. I think it turned to to be a nice pad sound with a bit of scintillating, sometimes octave pitch shifting accompaniment to it. I really enjoy it when I can play along with a track live on the keyboard instead of trying to preprogram everything into a sequencer. I'm going to try to do this more and more as I get better; though I am not a keyboard player and I don't know how to play piano.

I also really enjoy using the Expressive-E Touche. I've noticed that most people I've seen use it tend to have a one-to-one setup between the selection on the Touche and the patch for their synthesizer or VST, but I prefer to adapt the synthesizer patch to the default Touche settings most of the time. I haven't explored the MIDI capability much at all, since I tend to use these semi-modular instruments; but if I was to use it more with my Prophet '08, MC-707, or the Roland Boutique synthesizers I would have to adopt MIDI CC messages. That may be the point at which I use more Touche patch to synthesizer patch, one-to-one methodology.

One other thing I'm starting to realize is that I'm starting to settle more on "effects chains". I'm changing which pedals I use, for what, and with what band members less and less frequently over time. I find I really like the Strymon Mobius or the Meris Polymoon at the end of the chain. I also consistently use the chains in the same order, from delay into reverb. I really like the Strymon TimeLine and the Electro-Harmonix delay pedals, but where I expected to love the Strymon BigSky, I find it too difficult to work with and I much prefer the TC Electronic's Hall of Fame. I'm definitely going to buy another used Hall of Fame. It's looking to me like three good reverbs with super long tails is the sweet spot for what I'm working on.

I mentioned in my last video that I've become less interested in collecting more synthesizers, but I still think there are a couple more changes coming. Top of my list are the Soma Cosmos and the Tasty Chips GR-1. Possibly the DittoX4 looper pedal. I have other loopers, but I haven't been happy with them so far and probably need to become more proficient and practice with them more before I decide. I like simplicity and repeatability when it comes to making music, and I just haven't found the combination of granular synthesis, live looping, and modulation as simple and effective as I'd like... yet.

All that said, I want to continue to say that I recognize I still have SO much to learn and I'm really grateful for both the community of help out there and the encouragement I get from those who stop by to listen to what I'm doing and leave a comment. Thank you!

#slim_pkns #behringer2600 #dawless