Okay, for anyone who's interested, here are some tidbits from the
"They're Making Samplers Wrong" article in the May issue of Keyboard,
featuring some notable IDM/Ambient artists. The focus of the article is
samplers and sampling, and is pretty specific in nature, so there aren't
really any interesting "news" tidbits in the article . . .
Anyway, it starts with a little mini-interview with Thrash of The
Orb, who expresses his dissatisfaction with the state of the art in
sampling technology . . . "Really what you need is a sampler with a desk
inside of it, with full effects and everything, so you could manipulate
sounds into something completely different." He talks a bit about the
samplers they use (Roland S-750, Sequential Prophet 2000 and Studio 440,
Akai S1100) and how they don't edit their samples using computers, but
instead via the front panel of the machine (Gee . . . No wonder he hates
samplers!). He also makes mention of using the sound of an "elephant
blowing out water" taken from a video Alex taped while on vacation, and
also of having used the sound of a horse's sniff and using that as a
hi-hat. His quote that sums up his views on today's equipment is "I
didn't think they were ever that good in the first place."
The next section of the interview is with RDJ, Marg Gage, and the
Hartnoll brothers. James talks about how he was using tape loop samples
until he got a Synclair sampler kit . . . He also divulges that he uses
samplers primarily because the modules he builds have either no MIDI or
very poor MIDI implementation, so he samples 'em for sequencing.
Apparently, he also built a sampler for a college project . . . "When it
worked, II reckon it pissed on just about any manufactured sampler."
Mark Gage says that he triggers his sampler via the Roland
TR-909, and that "Gravitational Arch of 10" was a mistake where he had
sounds for one song being played by the wrong pattern. "Immediately I
turned on the DAT and started screwing around wit the pitch-bend wheel on
the SH-101. Within about an hour and a half I had the track finished
down to DAT."
Orbital tell us a bit about "Chime" by saying that it was "a case
of random sampling with an easy-listening record - just sort of starting
with a bit about two bars long and then honing it down and down and down
until we ended up with a single-shot sound. Then we started making up a
tune from that." They talk about the Enax II as being an adequate enough
primary instrument, regardless of it's "crap little screen".
Oh, yeah . . . RDJ on his equipment secrecy . . . "In this
business, it's kind of a geeky kind of music world where everyone thinks
their success depends upon their secrets of the trade. In actual fact,
it probably doesn't depend on that at all, but I still get chills down my
spine thinking about tellig people about the way I do things, so I don't."
Oh, and Ultramarine? The only things they say that are very
interesting (IMO) are that they center themselves around an Akai S1000
and tend to not do a lot of editing of their sounds.
Anyway, there IS a bit more to most of this, but it's a fairly
small article and this IS supposed to be a summary. Besides, I'm getting
ready to go browsing for effects units at the music store! :)
Orpheus23 - orpheus@knuth.mtsu.edu
1701 Beechwood Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212-5501