I've taken a HUGE step... [Archive] - Northern Sound Source

qccowboy

02-13-2008, 04:24 PM

I've taken a HUGE step and actually completely disconnected my old external synths.

Tonight we were supposed to go visit a new house, but then things started going all screwy in the house, lights flickering, computers acting up, battery back-ups beeping like mad. We took this as a message that maybe today was NOT the right day to go look at new houses.

But then, while trying to deal with this problem, we though "hey, maybe it's all these external synths taking up juice and causing problems?" (there were WAY too many things plugged into the wall outlets).

So I decided "screw it" and just started yanking cables and unplugging the whole thing. We basically completely re-wired my computer/moniters/etc...

Well, guess what?

Not 5 minute later, two guys from Hydro are outside working on the transformer... I go out to ask them, and they said there was work to be done on it. THAT was what was causing all the trouble.

So now, all my old synths are disconnected and waiting to be disposed of, and I am now a PURELY Garritan composer. No more Mr. Roland, nor Mr. E-Mu, nor Mr Akai.

And we have re-interpreted this sign as maybe being one that tonight IS the right night to go see new houses! maybe this was one of the first steps in moving my equippment OUT of this house and into a new one!

Wish us luck!

reberclark

02-13-2008, 04:47 PM

Michel,

Congratulations! I took the same step a few months ago and love that my studio is less cluttered and the power demands are much less - all while making the quality better and the work flow more efficient!

Best,
Reber Clark

AlanPerkins

02-13-2008, 05:05 PM

I think that is great news - particularly because I have never owned any of that type of equipment and felt I was lacking. To hear you getting rid of it and becoming purely soft is a good thing

germancomponist

02-13-2008, 05:33 PM

Michel,

this reminds me to the day when I completely disconnected my old external synths. Oh man, it was not easy for me to say "good bye" to them... :)

Today I will never miss this great workflow what I have since I did this! ;)

Gunther

rwayland

02-13-2008, 05:38 PM

Well, sounds like a good move to me. The only use I make of my Roland is now and then as a playback device when listening to Scorch on Sibelius. But even for that, I don't need it. Garritan all the way is my aim. My external synth is almost never turned on!

Richard

reberclark

02-13-2008, 10:29 PM

"Thaumaturgic bezoars in artificial billabongs will save the planet."

I totally agree. Excelsior! (to quote James Thurber)

reberclark

02-13-2008, 10:32 PM

Should we term dumping hardware synths for softsynths "Garritanization?"

Tom_Davis

02-13-2008, 10:57 PM

After reading all of this, I sat back and looked at the work station. I see the amps, theternal sound cards, the video mixers, etc., etc., etc.

I agree that it would be quite efficient to dump about half of it - BUT, I would miss all the pretty multi-colored lights (some 35 of them) that twinkle and blink so esoterically in the dark room.

qccowboy

02-13-2008, 11:03 PM

etLux

02-14-2008, 01:28 AM

Congratulations on the house, Michel, and the move
out to the country.

I, too, long ago unplugged all the hardware and became
100% Garritanized... lol. Rather an extreme case, I no
longer even own a keyboard of any kind.

Perhaps I should do something with all of that hardware,
now sitting idly in a closet; but I don't know what. Boat
anchors come to mind, but I live up in the hills, far from
water...

Best,

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

AlanPerkins

02-14-2008, 02:25 AM

Rather an extreme case, I no
longer even own a keyboard of any kind.

.

So David, how did you type this message then huh?

etLux

02-14-2008, 02:29 AM

So David, how did you type this message then huh?
http://davidsosnowski.com/images/swami-upside-down.jpg

nikolas

02-14-2008, 04:33 AM

Michel,

I wish you all the best in your new house! )(~ Must be fascinating! :D

I'm the exact opposite than you. Don't have any external synth of any kind! :D When I put something analogue in my house, I'll go "HUGE step in the wrong direction!" :D:D:D hehe!

Congratulations and good luck my good friend!

Nickie Fønshauge

02-14-2008, 06:11 AM

A tiny update...

We made a serious offer on a house.

So now, Garritanized 100% and moved out of the city, into a gorgeous little town, about one hour east of Montréal.

My life is turned upside down.. and I love it. It terrifies me and at the same time exhilarates me.
You went to look at a new house yesterday and you moved to that house today?! :wow: You shure don't waste any time, Monsieur le speedy Cowboy. :cool:

Good luck with the new place. :)

Hopefully this major change in our lives will also inspire me to write more music!
You are at long and much awaited last going to finish Sinfonia Canadensis then?

qccowboy

02-14-2008, 08:16 AM

ok, let me answer the various comments, more or less in order...

first off, if I forget any thanks for the well wishes, I apologise in advance..

And Et Lux ... you ... type with the top of your head?

well, no, we would move in end of june/beginning of july. (it's a conditional sales offer, we need a building inspection first, but I'm pretty sure it's a pure formality).

and YES, I hope it will finally motivate me to finish the Sinfonia Canadensis, and hopefully the viola sonata as well, and finally start the piano sonata, and eventually start the "Symphony: for chamber orchestra", as well as the 3 commissions from my Seattle trip.

Styxx

02-14-2008, 10:33 AM

My wife told me once I either get rid of all the synths and other stuffs or she is going to leave me.

God, I'm gonna miss her ... :D

Nice move Michael! We moved a year ago December from a house I had pretty much was set up in studio wise. But, moving there was no place to put me equipment. Needles to say, we had to build a new studio. As for the synths ...
I left them long time ago but no matter what anyone says, I'm keeping the Monks. ;)

Now as for Garritan ........... ~|

LFO

02-14-2008, 11:07 AM

Congratulations on the changes you are going through. I can relate to what you have described. Moving is one of the scariest yet most exhilarating experiences in life. I hope you find everything you are looking for in your new home!

-Kevin

etLux

02-14-2008, 01:10 PM

And Et Lux ... you ... type with the top of your head?

Er, well, yes. Never got the hang of touch-typing.

Hey, we need to get together a moving party!

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

efiebke

02-14-2008, 02:21 PM

I took a similar course 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to moving to our new home, I purchased GPO (along with a couple of other soft-synths). Also, prior to the move, I had ALL hardware-based sound modules (there are nine sound modules) hooked up to my happy Mackie 24*8 mixing board. SINCE the move to our new and lovely home, my modest audio/video studio has become 100% computer based utilizing an aging Dell Workstation, a newish Apple MacPro and a newish Receptor (by Muse Research). (I consider the Receptor a fancy-dancy computer dedicated to audio soft-synths). The ONLY hardware used is the Mackie 24*8 mixing board which has basically become a glorified monitor-speaker "switchboard" connected to three different pairs of monitor-speakers. I still have all of the hardware-based sound modules, but they are neatly stored in a closet until I get the courage to sell them (if I ever get the courage to sell them).

I do not regret the change. The three computers (including the Receptor) work WONDERFULLY together using Apple's LogicPro 8 as my main sequencer. I hope to consolidate to ONE computer if/when Apple's newest operating system is stable enough to handle all of the software-based orchestral libraries. I'm looking forward to the 64-bit software samplers that can utilize lots and lots of RAM!

Congratulation of your new home!! I wish you a long time of happy memory-making as you live out life in your home!! Also, congrats in your new audio set-up! I hope to hear lots and lots of music from you! :)

Ted

efiebke

02-14-2008, 02:22 PM

I took a similar course 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to moving to our new home, I purchased GPO (along with a couple of other soft-synths). Also, prior to the move, I had ALL hardware-based sound modules (there are nine sound modules) hooked up to my happy Mackie 24*8 mixing board. SINCE the move to our new and lovely home, my modest audio/video studio has become 100% computer based utilizing an aging Dell Workstation, a newish Apple MacPro and a newish Receptor (by Muse Research). (I consider the Receptor a fancy-dancy computer dedicated to audio soft-synths). The ONLY hardware used is the Mackie 24*8 mixing board which has basically become a glorified monitor-speaker "switchboard" connected to three different pairs of monitor-speakers. I still have all of the hardware-based sound modules, but they are neatly stored in a closet until I get the courage to sell them (if I ever get the courage to sell them).

I do not regret the change. The three computers (including the Receptor) work WONDERFULLY together using Apple's LogicPro 8 as my main sequencer. I hope to consolidate to ONE computer if/when Apple's newest operating system is stable enough to handle all of the software-based orchestral libraries. I'm looking forward to the 64-bit software samplers that can utilize lots and lots of RAM!

Congratulation to your new home!! I wish you a long time of happy memory-making as you live out life in your home!! Also, congrats in your new audio set-up! I hope to hear lots and lots of music from you! :)

Ted

efiebke

02-14-2008, 02:22 PM

I took a similar course 2 1/2 years ago. Prior to moving to our new home, I purchased GPO (along with a couple of other soft-synths). Also, prior to the move, I had ALL hardware-based sound modules (there are nine sound modules) hooked up to my happy Mackie 24*8 mixing board. SINCE the move to our new and lovely home, my modest audio/video studio has become 100% computer based utilizing an aging Dell Workstation, a newish Apple MacPro and a newish Receptor (by Muse Research). (I consider the Receptor a fancy-dancy computer dedicated to audio soft-synths). The ONLY hardware used is the Mackie 24*8 mixing board which has basically become a glorified monitor-speaker "switchboard" connected to three different pairs of monitor-speakers. I still have all of the hardware-based sound modules, but they are neatly stored in a closet until I get the courage to sell them (if I ever get the courage to sell them).

I do not regret the change. The three computers (including the Receptor) work WONDERFULLY together using Apple's LogicPro 8 as my main sequencer. I hope to consolidate to ONE computer if/when Apple's newest operating system is stable enough to handle all of the software-based orchestral libraries. I'm looking forward to the 64-bit software samplers that can utilize lots and lots of RAM!

Congratulations to your new home!! I wish you a long time of happy memory-making as you live out life in your home!! Also, congrats in your new audio set-up! I hope to hear lots and lots of music from you! :)

Ted

wst3ae

02-15-2008, 08:53 PM

Am I really the only one?

Not only do I still have two racks of synthesizers remaining, but I also still have an Akai 1000 and an Ensoniq ASR-10 still at arm's reach - though they get very little work these days.

I can't imagine inflicting my ancient silicon collaborators on a landfill, or vica-versa, they are all still quite useful. In fact I find it quite frustrating that we've not been able to put together the funds to build a real studio in our new home because using the old beasts is less than simple.

And then there are the really old synthesizers, the ones without five pin DIN connectors on them... they aren't going anywhere either!!

Guess I shouldn't mention the tape decks<G>!!!

Tom_Davis

02-15-2008, 09:05 PM

[quote=wst3ae;555976]Am I really the only one?
quote]

No, you are definately not the only one - it is fascinating how we become attached to even the oldest equipment, especially if we have had a results using it. I have all the older things, but tend to use them more for the pretty lights than anything else.

germancomponist

02-15-2008, 09:12 PM

wst3ae

02-15-2008, 10:15 PM

No, you are definately not the only one - it is fascinating how we become attached to even the oldest equipment, especially if we have had a results using it. I have all the older things, but tend to use them more for the pretty lights than anything else.

Are we attached because we've had results, or because we know it inside and out and know how to get it to do what we want, or maybe it can actually do some things that can't quite be done with a computer... yet.

I don't know!

Up until maybe three years ago I kept a 1/4" machine handy for quick edits. Undo's are not as easy, but I can still make the edits on tape very quickly, and very accurately.

I'm still not ready to turn them into clean fill<G>..

wst3ae

02-15-2008, 10:16 PM

Smile,

in my cellar, I have an Oberheim Xpander and Matrix 1000, an Yamaha DX7 and TX 802, an EMU Esi 4000, Roland D110, XV 5080, Casio CZ1, VZ1 and a Bit One.

This year I will build me a new studio, and perhaps I will install this old sauriers again... . :)

Gunther

When you are ready to dump the Xpander please keep me in mind!!!! That is probably the only thing left on my synthesizer lust-list. Man those things can do soooo much!

Bill

klassical

02-15-2008, 10:21 PM

germancomponist

02-15-2008, 10:33 PM

Hey Germancomponist - I just read in a music magazine (maybe FutureMusic) that DX7's are "in" again. You might want to check out what they are selling for.

I've got a bunch of stuff in my basement as well. Tx816 (8 Dx7's in a rack mount), a spring reverb, Alesis Compressor, a Teac mixer and 3340 reel-to-reel recoder. I just never find the time to figure out what to do with these things.

I'm using a Kurzweil k2500xs as a keyboard controller. A $7,000 keyboard controller. Lol.

- k

Smile,

in my rack there is an EMU Darwin 8 track harddiskrecorder with the "special effektboard". Do you know what I have payed for this? Lol :)

But sure, no 7.000 $.

Yeah, last year I wanted to sell the EMU Esi 4000turbo, and they said that I will become 150.- €.... :(