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I've been having a lot of fun with my new Fiddlerman 'Noir' bow! I DO like this bow & black hair combination (I think I've said this enough, now 😄)!
Had to file the edge of the frog a little, where my thumb rests against it (nothing new for me) + I always thicken up the edge of the thumb pad near the frog with a couple wraps of a 1/4" strip of black duck tape. Both adjustments make my thumb very happy while I'm practicing!
Spent a lot of time this week learning more about things I can set up when recording in PreSonus, that should make editing and mixing easier.
Before I shut down for the night, and while a few things are still fresh in my mind about the distortion caused by 'clipping'. I took time to read this short article on "The Difference Between Fuzz, Overdrive, and Distortion". The wave shapes were an obvious similarity to 'clipping', but I see these pedals in a different light now.
I want to try the suggestion of turning amp 'gain' down all the way and replacing it with 'overdrive' controls - where I have an Overdrive pedal in a lineup of fx. Hadn't considered this.
Kinda cool about the 'Fuzz' distortion effect history & Lee Hazelwood's recording studio. I've got a soft spot for Hazelwood's "Some Velvet Morning"! I was only 11 when it came out, sang it a lot, but always remembered it as "Phaedra's Song"- named one of my favorite Great Danes, later the last mare I owned & my Daughter named one of her Daughters 'Phaedra'.
So cute.
Yeah, suppose I need to find out what my Galaxy Note 10+ is doing to audio in my video recordings, before I move into PreSonus Studio One.
Going to have to wait - my brain needs processing time...
Where to Begin Recording Your Violin, Viola, Cello? Thread
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I was going to give myself a break, but after watching the Ólafur Arnalds interview (Ólafur Arnalds Thread) I wanted to learn more about his multi-dimentional 'Stratus'. I think maybe I'm better equipped to understand more about plugins and sample libraries, now.
I wanted to go over differences in VST's first.
VST vs VST3 - Differences, Which To Use In 2023 & WHY
Then, for my future reference -
Studio One - How do I add a 3rd party VST to Studio One?
But I have to pause right here - first of all, I can't justify the cost of the Ólafur Arnalds Collection of 4 libraries at Spitfire! Stratus is just one of them - even individually they're still pretty expensive for my little hobby.
I CAN take a closer look - at what they all do & what I can hear from them. The little I've read so far, gives me many new ideas, but it's going to take me more that the time I have today to really go thru them well, so this is a note to myself.
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you wont need anything but VST3 versions
They install automagically...run their setup and theyre there when you open presonus. ive never had to do anything special... its just clicking the setup icon like anything else.
for the stratus type sound without the fancy interface..... presonus grand piano and the NoteFX plugin thats part of your purchase of presonus. includes a note repeater and arpeggiator.
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@elcbk read above... but also check this out. the spitfire originals for 29.00 each and the labs for free... honestly when you have those samples, combine with and arpegiator/note repeater
and then that coupled with your knowledge of music theory now, you can get close to the stratus type sound. Thats a cart way ahead of the horse for you at this point, I get that, since you havent installed and tried presonus yet.. pretty much any of this info is...but i think you compile info then try. thats seems to be your learning style.. so with that..watch this and know its there for when youre ready. 🙂 dont think you have to spend hundreds of dollars to get started. Ive found these free or 29.00 originals sound great and have anything ive needed... except piano playing skillz 😅😐 but i can poke out some chords and melodies so its worked.
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@ABitRusty -
Thanks - I'll remember that!
I'm glad I read the comparison article, but VST3 was so obviously THE choice.
That Stratus does so much more, but I also have a lot of possibilities to consider with combinations of my other little toys.
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@ABitRusty -
Sorry, missed your last post - appreciate the video!
Don't have a lot of time right this minute, but I'm really interested in the 'swarm' concept in music, and mapping improvised samples to MIDI controls (like my keyboard) - if I can do some of my own. Also thought it could influence how I might want to layer tracks, what I might change from track to track as I layer. Beyond looping, relating not only the possibility of mapping my own improvisational sounds to my keyboard controls, but also tweaking the Jordan Hamilton (many Cello track layering/Fiddle Hell) thing so going from 'rich, full sound' to morphing/shifting for a feeling of 'flock self-organization'.
...idk, the idea seems like fun.
When I think of 'swarm' vs 'flock' self-organization - swarm individuals have more random movement and are attracted/target a point, where flocks sync up (even loosely) & change velocity together. I can see how a String Ensemble relates!
So, I read abstracts & skimmed thru a handful of papers (Improvised Music With Swarms was interesting - not the same concept as modeling off player performance) & also looked at what was available outside of Spitfire. Some plugins are not expensive, but the artist side of me wants to use what I can create myself, where possible.
I only wanted to learn more about what these 'self-organization' algorithms, plugins/libraries actually do/provide. I DON'T want to deal with Spitfire Libraries (and they do have more than swarm piano), because seems I have to first add 'Kontakt' & 'Native Instruments' - even a free version is too much extra software for me.
Spitfire does have this VST3 for free to download & it does NOT require Kontakt!
It was inevitable I'd also find that some folks integrate swarm based music & imagery in videos... keeping in the back of my mind, but I'm not really interested in that kind of emersion - kinda feels too much like a return to the 60's. 😵
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none of the labs and from what ive purchased and seen non of the originals require kontact. They seem to be moving away from kontact. its important to always check the requirements. theres some of their stuff that requires the full kontact which cost $$$. THEN...theres a kontact player which is a free native instruments download.
In some ways the kontact instruments are easier to manage because the instruments that require it fall under the kontact umbrella. meaning. once the player or full version is installed... from within a DAW you just click and drag the icon over to a track, and kontact opens. from there youll just scroll and find what you want and select it.
Havent found a use for the swarm instruments in any irish stuff. Youll need to setup your track BPM and play to a click or metronome because the swarm sound seems tied to whatever tempo you have.
never equated it to any 60s music.. its more ambient or movie/cinematic type stuff to me.
One application of the swarm may be the opening in something like this. Havent tried myself though and im trying to think of an irish trad type application for it. 🙂 Theres an orchestral swarm that cost $$$ if thats your thing.
have you heard anything you think it would work on?
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@elcbk said ..Some plugins are not expensive, but the artist side of me wants to use what I can create myself, where possible.
I think I understand what youre thinking. Ive wrestled with that from time to time. Why use a plugin to generate say.. a drone using the D and A strings of a violin when you could just record yourself pulling a sustaind Double stop. BUT.. I think where maybe the big picture is missing on the thought is theres a bit of arranging that has to go on and that part can quench your artist itch.
one way to look at it
if you had a musical idea for some piece of music and wanted to do an outline you could use those kind of plugins to quickly jot musical ideas down. once captured, if you wanted you could always go back and do more real time recording on real instruments. i think that happens alot..and im playing devils advocate more here than anything. Im sorta feeling that you think youd be cheating yourself by using one. but in some ways it may open up possibilities to actually be more creative than without them.
just a thought.
another good use for virtual instrument and you hit on it when you said ..where possible..
. Instruments you cant play but know would sound good with ones you can.. if youre wanting to create something with them and not use virtual instruments..you either buy that instrument and learn how to play it..further delaying just making something thats in your head...or you hire someone that can play it...or maybe phone a friend.
theyre tools.. or toys depending on whether a job or hobby that add to what you can use to create an idea.
no different than overdrive pedals or reverb or delay. if youre wanting a big cathedral reverb...are you gonna get permission to record in a big church somewhere or just take out your reverb pedal or plugin?
just some thoughts that may help look at it different. maybe help see a way to use them without feeling like youre cutting corners.
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@ABitRusty -
never equated it to any 60s music.. its more ambient or movie/cinematic type stuff to me.
...just seen some use of imagery that feels reminiscent of the psychedelic 60's stuff. I don't need to feel like I'm trippin'. 🙄
I definitely agree with you on 'creativity needing tools' (instrument plugins), but I need to remind myself I won't ever be trying to do a big production, so a little creativity can go a long way for me. ...just hope I can ignore stuff in the PreSonus Store!
As far as effects - think I want to look closer at all my digital/virtual tools I've gathered, see all my delay/echo/reverb options, before I get into Studio One. JUST found I haven't even fully explored ALL my Akai onboard functions!!! A lot more to the Arpeggiator than I thought... didn't know about the 'swing' function, either - plus more! 😲
I also want to target free-time tempo mapping... guess I've settled on Studio One. 😊
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most midi instruments like keyboards have some type of not repeater arpeggiator type thing. I always have thought it would be worth taking a deep dive into learning them better, but never have and juat end up fingering simple chords or melody type stuff.
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I've gotten physical practicing in, but I've spent WAY more time with my head in music than I had planned this last couple weeks... been feeling compelled to roll with it for a bit.
Wow, I have definitely become a fan of David Bruce...
Geez, between this & the swing exploration blog... how am I supposed to get to sleep tonight!
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liked that video. especially around 14:00 or so with the piano roll animation that looks like a painting. neat
lots of good info
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@ABitRusty -
I've had it in the back of my mind, for quite a while... to make a list of all possible register change scenarios I could make while playing a tune. Jumping from low/high, or low/middle/high (and vice versa), gets real old after a while.
...adding accompaniment into the mix - I'm definitely thinking differently
But, I also think other changes (like tempo & key), maybe even small ones can make a huge impact - make the 'beige belt' colorful.
Anyway, got me thinking!
Stephen Malinowski is fabulous!
His smalin YT Channel has some AMAZING ANIMATED SCORE GRAPHICS... I can see these could spark some ideas that might be incorporated into Unreal Engine!
...I definitely watched too much Disney when I was a kid (probably still do).
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wow..see this is the kind of stuff youtube is good at. thanks for sharing..pretty cool. i wouldnt even know where to beging with something like this. the landscape stuff in unreal is my inner kid playing with lego blocks..this is another level. 🙂
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@ABitRusty -
'Just' (😉) take it a step farther than what we might see in an old cartoon - say make a butterfly moving in the same fashion as a one line melody, up & down in pitch & direction of rhythm. Visualize that butterfly moving to coordinates around you in 4 Dimensional space/time! Map it out!
Now, make a few more bugs (or little fairies) & some floating leaves - assign them their mapped out movement part... wham, Debussy magic all around you! 🤗
...if it was only THAT easy! 🤣
Geez, I love when raindrops stop dead with strobe lighting, but what about rain falling like notes on a piano roll?
Okay, I have to stop or I'll have another night I can't sleep! 😵
I got to play for a friend I haven't seen in quite a while today (electric) - felt GREAT!
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🤣 touche' you got me there..lol 
ill have to explore some the niagra fx. maybe start with happy birthday first though. or silent night or somthing not 40 pages of sheet music long.
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@ABitRusty -
Still have in the back of my mind the way Martin opened Garrett Barry's (the video you shared 227)... but the 'swarm' idea I have in mind is recording several sounds with rhythm & tone effects, summing a couple different group mixes & then mapping to individual midi controls - my Akai mini keyboard.
Kinda like this... BUT 'this' video only shows a 'blanket' type mapping - different pitch, but ALL are the same effect.
Turn Your Voice Into a Keyboard - Studio One.
Anyway, it's a start... guess I better get a mic.
Kinda crazy all the new video content coming out at the 'Studio One Revealed' & 'PreSonus Audio Electronics' YT Channels, but nice to see things/applications I might otherwise miss... did look at Virtual DJ to see if anything interested me - interesting concept.
Too busy trying to get more 'finger-twisters' faster to do any more learning of PreSonus, right now.
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ELCBK said
Still have in the back of my mind the way Martin opened Garrett Barry's (the video you shared 227)... but the 'swarm' idea I have in mind is recording several sounds with rhythm & tone effects, summing a couple different group mixes & then mapping to individual midi controls - my Akai mini keyboard.
Kinda like this... BUT 'this' video only shows a 'blanket' type mapping - different pitch, but ALL are the same effect.
Turn Your Voice Into a Keyboard - Studio One.
Anyway, it's a start... guess I better get a mic.
Kinda crazy all the new video content coming out at the 'Studio One Revealed' & 'PreSonus Audio Electronics' YT Channels, but nice to see things/applications I might otherwise miss... did look at Virtual DJ to see if anything interested me - interesting concept.
Too busy trying to get more 'finger-twisters' faster to do any more learning of PreSonus, right now.
i agree..very interesting things. Id like a month to just play.
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Kevin brought me in a dandelion from outside - FEBRUARY!
Didn't have our normal February blizzard... guess Spring is here!
My main focus today: was to target key changes for some specific effects! Lately, been watching David Bennett Key Change videos that analyze some famous popular songs I like.
Decided it's worth practicing changes with trad tunes, too - with an actual purpose in mind, instead of picking random keys. I tried adding energy to part of a slower-moving tune, by moving upward chromatically. Then tried to kick back part of another tune, that's usually a little crazier - by stepping down. Been avoiding changing by 5ths, just feels too easy.
Used simple tune phrases, but it did mess things up - made playing some trad Irish ornaments difficult, sometimes impossible without shifting.
Fooled around a little more, changing tempo & rhythm, but it's going to take MUCH more work for me to get anything that sounds good. 🤭
STILL NO NAME FOR MY BEAUTIFUL BLUE VIOLIN!!!
...just what I was afraid of - it's gonna end up called 'Blue Violin' if I don't pick something else! 😳
Mazarine is still kinda hangin' around. Electric Blue... just TOO LITERAL!
Tried to to think of something with deeper meaning...
Why Is Krishna BLUE in Color?
Blue is the color of all-inclusiveness.
It is not that their [Shiva, Krishna, Rama, Kali] skin was blue. They were referred to as blue gods because they had a blue aura.
It is the blueness of one’s aura which suddenly makes a person irresistibly attractive.
When someone attains to their highest but chooses to be active in the world, his aura will always be electric blue. Anyone who was dynamic was blue. It is this type of aura which allows you to function in the world in a way that other people think is superhuman.
Interesting article, but idk - I learned a little about the different forms of Kali, but geez she's FIERCE, not quite clicking with the lively, broad range of my new fiddle.
Lively, broad range... Mae West? 😄 Still, Mystique, a blue shape-shifter... play mysti for me? Neytiri... liked Avatar, but no. Roxy Blue... squeeze box - oh yeah, squeeze me all night!
MAEZARINE... blue, with a little Mae West sass?
Oh, WOW - Maezarine is actually a real name!
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OMG! 🤯 ...STILL so much cool stuff to learn about Violin & Electronic music! So fabulous to live in this time of virtual/digital effects - so much to do for FREE!
Okay, trying to curb my enthusiasm, but just saw that Matt Manweiler is doing a workshop at Fiddle Hell, "Make Electronic Music with the Instrument and Computer You Already Have"!
Wow, a workshop on using a modular synth with violin!
"VCV Rack is a software simulator of Eurorack modular synthesizers that runs on your computer."
We'll delve into the fundamentals of integrating your instrument into the modular synthesizer and effects environment using freely available tools in the Eurorack format...
Eurorack simulator, VCV RACK, available at https://vcvrack.com/.
For a sneak peek at what's possible with the violin and Eurorack/VCV Rack, check out this preview
Geez, I didn't even know what 'GRANULAR SYNTHESIS' was - so I had to find out more!
Granular synthesis: a beginner’s guide
(Native Instruments)
...making ambient textures, glitchy sounds & evolving pads with a violin - sounds exciting, right?
Granular synthesis has samples at its heart. It uses the same principle used to power the time-stretching capabilities found in most DAWs by looping miniscule elements of an audio file, known as grains, allowing each to be sustained without altering the pitch.
Granular synthesis is, broadly, the opposite of wavetable synthesis – where a wavetable synth builds on the capabilities of a sampler by stacking multiple waveforms and morphing between them, granular synthesis breaks a sample into pieces, creating additional scope from a sampled sound by dividing it, not multiplying.
What granular and wavetable synthesis have in common is that both come to life with a little modulation and variation. In the case of granular synthesis, this usually involves modulating the position, length or pitch of grains to add variety to a patch. (musicradar.com)
Oh, wow - just saw some cool YT tutorials on making some amazing DRONES!!!
...everything I've been learning recently is coming in handy!
Modular synthesis: the ultimate beginner's guide
So, what exactly is a modular synth? Well - it’s a synthesizer whose components come as individual modules, allowing the user to define the functions and layouts of the system and then define the signal paths for both audio and modulation, through a process known as patching.
2024 April FIDDLE HELL Online Festival Thread
Manweiler Music YT Channel - I see I have a lot to explore here before FIDDLE HELL!
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