Coming : MicroMoorg Tutorial

On request from a reader, I'll soon post a more detailed account on how this nice mod was made, with new pics and specs for the various wood panels.

Stay tuned!

Programming Wavesequences on the Wavestation

The Wavesequencing system is possibly the very best feature of the Korg Wavestation and yet is also the most overlooked by players, since programming wavesequences can be somewhat intimidating.

Here’s a simple step-by-step tutorial on how to program wavesequences.

In EDIT PERFORMANCE, choose a Patch.

In EDIT PATCH, press Init to reset the Patch.

Choose an oscillator, then press WAVES to choose the waveform.

On the ROM, waveforms 0 to 31 are wavesequences you can use for a Patch, but not modify.

On the RAM1 and RAM2, you’ll only find wavesequences, which you can alter. When you’re selecting a wavesequence, the WAVESEQ function should appear on the bottom right of the screen.

Please note that alterations to these wavesequences is instantly written to RAM, there’s no need to save and you’d better back up a wavesequence on another slot beforehand.

Press WAVESEQ to enter programming mode for the wavesquence.

If there are already steps in the wavesequence, just press DELETE to get start from scratch.

Then INSERT to add new steps.

By default, the result on the screen should be something like : 

 1 ROM 32 Soft EP 0 0 99 24 24

2 ROM 32 Soft EP 0 0 99 24 24

3 ROM 32 Soft EP 0 0 99 24 24

4 ROM 32 Soft EP 0 0 99 24 24

As you can see, each step is a waveform.

First thing you should do is set up different waveforms for each step.

For instance:

1 ROM 32 Soft EP    0 0 99 24 24

2 ROM 41 Organ 1   0 0 99 24 24

3 ROM 53 MuteGtr1 0 0 99 24 24

4 ROM 32 Sybass1  0 0 99 24 24

 

A bit of explanation for the values here :

 The first 0 (Semi) transposes the pitch (-24 to +24).

The second 0 (Fine) allows for fine pitch tuning.

The 99 (Lev) changes the volume of the waveform.

The 24 (Dur) represents the length of each step (1 to 499... small values produce very rhythmic sequences, big values allow for more evolving sounds)

The last 24 (Xfd) impacts the transition between step, that is the cross-fading (0 will produce little clicks between steps, the transition becoming smoother as you raise the value)

 

Finally on the bottom of the screen :

Loop Dir indicates the way steps are played  : FOR means Forward, B/F means Back&Forth

Repts indicates the number of times the whole wavesequence is repeated (by default, INF for Infinite).

 

That’s the basics of the system.

You should now be able to create your own wavesequences. Have fun!

Photek for President

Now here's a hero of mine, from the late nineties when I would listen to drum&bass all the time.

Then drum&bass stopped moving on, and I lost interest, but Photek is pretty much the only musician of the era I still listen to on a regular basis.

Nice interview about the process.

Test Mode : Big Muff + Mini Q-Tron

Here's some riffs trying out a combination of badass Electro Harmonix pedals.

Download MP3

The oh-so-famous Big Muff Pi (fuzz) and the aforementioned Mini Q-Tron (envelop filter).

Vintage V100 guitar with clean sound at the beginning.

The Big Muff kicks in at 0.05.

The Mini Q-Tron is added at 0.20.

Then I'm switching between Big Muff alone and Big Muff/Q-Tron.

All in all, an outstanding pairing for some fuzzy, warm, nasty tones.

Introducing the Mini Q-Tron

Here's a nice envelop filter pedal I bought yesterday for a ridiculously low price.

It has three different filters, Low Pass, Band Pass and High Pass, modulated with one Drive knob (controlling the width of the filter’s sweep range) and one Q knob (controlling the frequency peak of the filter).

Using the different filter modes, the sound can be beefy and rich, with a warm sweeping texture, or thin and bright, for a funkier tone that cuts through the mix.

I'll post some samples later on, but let's just say now that it's one excellent pedal (well, aren't all EHX pedals?)

The Pursuit of Fortune

Here's something new : an instrumental track written for an upcoming short film.

It's based on "The Fortune Song" off the "Broken Sails" album and showcases the new Gforce M-Tron Pro.

The Pursuit of Fortune by khoral

Quiet, Eh?

Not much happening on the blog this early september, but I'm actually spending a lot of time re-recording and remixing a 2006 album called "Up the River".

I'll try to post more this week.

I haven't talked yet about my new Doepfer Dark Energy and Korg Monotron, for one thing!

So stay tuned.

Big Muff Mania

I'm a huge fan of Electro Harmonix guitar effects, and the classic Big Muff fuzz box is surely one of my favorite for its creamy, grungey, warm tone.

Now here's a most excellent site with a complete history of this great pedal.

Gene McDaniels

Rarely do I post outside material, but this is spectacular. I knew the song from the Walker Brothers, but I don't think I ever heard about Mr McDaniels. I got to check out his work.

Gene McDaniels - Another Tear Falls
- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Photo du Jour

Ah, memories...