Creating some custom wavetables for a patch set for the Novation Summit.
Simple one shot improvisation, straight from the Summit, no other fx or processing.

Summit ambient improvisation

This week's Disquiet Junto was to make a drone using only your voice.

I recorded each of the syllables of the word Amoeba into my old Sony cassette dictaphone using the in-built mic. Then sampled each of these into a track on the Elektron Octatrack, plus a nice inhale I liked and a section of the tape noise.
I then set up a somewhat unpredictable playback system using conditional playback trigs so the samples don't always play. I also performed over the top of this changing fx parameters, sample pitches and levels. Finally everything is run through a master on the Octatrack with a tuned comb filter and huge Dark Reverb, and because it's drone it's also sent through an almost infinite modulated reverb on an Alesis Quadraverb+
Sorry it's 12 minutes long, I'm really not sure how that happened.

More on this 548th weekly Disquiet Junto project — Drone Vox (The Assignment: Make a drone using just your voice.) — at: disquiet.com/0548/

More on the Disquiet Junto at: disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here: tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-pr…ect-0548-drone-vox/

Image by Nevit Dilmen used thanks to a Creative Commons license (cropped, text/color added), according to which this reworking is also available for reuse by the same terms:

creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

commons.wikimedia.org

emptyvessel_Amoebic Dissonance [disquiet0548]

Pack available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/p/kenopsia-for-arturia-pigments/
All sounds straight from Arturia Pigments, including drums/percussion which is a patch based on recordings from inside my old German upright piano.
.
Kenopsia is a neologism coined by John Koenig for “the eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that’s usually bustling with people but is now abandoned and quiet”. The sample pack and the sounds within are a meditation on loss and impermanence. Dedicated to my father who passed away a few years ago, he got me started with all this noise-making and music nonsense, bought me my first synth, taught me to read music and enough electronics to make some noisy boxes and fix things when they went wrong. Dedicated to (my cat) Finnegan’s sister who was killed only a couple of months after they came to live with us and to 2020 and the imposed silence the virus brought to many places.
Dedicated to absent voices, which leave behind something more than silence.


“an emotional afterimage that makes it seem not just empty but hyper-empty, with a total population in the negative, who are so conspicuously absent they glow like neon signs.”

Kenopsia for Arturia Pigments Cinematic Demo

For this week's Junto we were asked to use a field recording:
https://soundcloud.com/disquiet/helsinki-downspout
As soon as I heard it I got a tribal vibe from it, like an indigenous ceremony. I added a field recording of the constant flood of honey bees in the native Renga Renga plants in my garden and the track became a ceremonial mourning for the bees. A few other bits of recorded percussion and edited parts of the 'helsinki-downspout' recording then some synthesised drones were added to give a mournful claustrophobic feel. Let us not lose the bees.
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More on this 581st weekly Disquiet Junto project, Helsinki Downspout (The Assignment: Use a rhythmic field recording as the foundation for a new track), at: https://disquiet.com/0581/

Thanks to Scott Fletcher for having provided the original material. It is used thanks to a Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). Original track at: https://soundcloud.com/disquiet/helsinki-downspout/

More on the Disquiet Junto at: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0581-helsinki-downspout/

Apis::Memoriam - Disquiet0581

A more downtempo, less cinematic demo showing some of the range and scope of the presets included in Kenopsia, a soundpack for Arturia Pigments based entirely on samples.
More details here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Kenopsia Pigments - Downtempo demo

Disquiet Junto 0585 - The Assignment: Fast forward an old track to make a new one.
An abstract ambient track of around 9:30 was the source, from a 4 track EP I made a few years back using only the Reaktor Ensemble “West”, a simple Buchla-inspired instrument made by Icaro Ferre.
I'd usually use a tape machine for this but felt like doing it digitally this time. Sliced the original track in half bar intervals then only kept one out of every 3 to drop the track to just over 3 minutes. Pulled all the remaining slices together and bounced the result, leaving the clicks from slicing as a rhythmic element.
Added a reversed version of this which you can hear panning left and right.
Added some found percussion recorded with various farm machinery on my in-laws property.
Added a few simple tonal elements.
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More on this 585th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Generations (The Assignment: Fast forward an old track to make a new one), at: https://disquiet.com/0585/

More on the Disquiet Junto at: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements here: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0585-f9/

disquiet0585 17.3.23 - F9

The 600th Disquiet Junto challenge.
This week a shared sample pool challenge. The track is based on 7 wonderful samples provided by Marcus Fischer.

I started off the process with the intention of using only the Elektron Octatrack but quickly ran out of memory trying to load all of the long samples into Flex machines. The parts I did create as still present in the track, particularly a sliced and randomised section you can hear primarily near the end.
Restarting the process in Bitwig I decided to create a few of the tonal drones by playing the percussive sample (which also introduces the track and ends it in dry form) through a tuned comb filter and into a Convolution device with one of the 45 second long tonal samples loaded as the Impulse Response. As a result the transients in the sample strike the impulse response and excite the chord elements. Another of the tonal samples is loaded in a Sampler in granular mode, stretch set arbitrarily slower and 3 voices playing back spaced out sections of the sample. The length of the track (I know, I'm sorry) was set purely by waiting until one long held note on the sampler had fully played through the stretched sample.
From there one of the other samples was cut up and pitched down an octave to produce the slightly glitchy bass line. Other parts from the remaining samples added where I felt they worked in the arrangement.
All parts are created using only the samples.
One additional sample added in the background - a field recording of kids playing.

A big thank you to Marc for the inspiration to take part, as always, a big congratulations on reaching 600 weekly challenges and of course to Marcus Fischer for the wonderful starting point.

More on this 600th weekly Disquiet Junto project, Reaching Out (The Assignment: This is a shared sample project. Rework a set of seven WAV files provided by Marcus Fischer), at: https://disquiet.com/0600/

About the Disquiet Junto: https://disquiet.com/junto/

Subscribe to project announcements: https://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/

Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co: https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0600-reaching-out/

This project’s cover image is a detail of a photo by Marcus Fischer.

disquiet0600 - reaching out

A collaboration with Jogging House, 42 characterful dusty patches for TAL Sampler.
Foresting - to cover an area in forest // in this case to add the energy, calm and peaceful stillness of the forest to your music.
Forest bathing/Shinrin Yoku - the conscious and contemplative practice of being immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. It was developed in Japan during the 1980s, and in 1982 Japan made this form of mobile meditation under the canopy of living forests a part of its national health program. Researchers, primarily in Japan and South Korea, have established a growing body of scientific literature on the diverse health benefits.
The inspiration for the sounds is the love that Boris and I both have for being out in nature and the calm, therapeutic energy we feel when immersed in the forest.
Created with a range of eclectic and interesting hardware synthesis, samplers and fx.

Foresting - Demo2

Foresting - Demo1

Simple dark ambient track featuring a few patches from the upcoming Dystopia sample pack for the TAL Sampler. Best experienced on good headphones or studio monitors. Buy here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Main patch/drone - Somnus
Pads - Dreamstate and IDreamOfForestsAtMidnight
Bass - LowEndTheory
FX - TheMachine and WelcomeToProcessing

Light compression and EQ on master. Distortion/saturation in some areas is deliberate within the DAC section of the Sampler patch.
http://facebook.com/emptyvessel.nz

Somnus - TAL Sampler Dystopia patch demo - purchase link in description

Demo showing some of the dub techno stabs, fx textures and bass sounds in my latest sample pack for the mighty TAL Sampler. https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
All sounds except vocal and drums are from the pack.
80 patches of dark ambient textures, pads and keys, dubby stabs and dirty, sub-heavy dusty basses. If you enjoyed Dystopia then you should enjoy these.

Imperfectionist for TAL Sampler - Dub Techno demo

Some more patches from my Imperfectionist pack for the retro style TAL Sampler. https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Drums from NI Maschine, all other sounds from the pack.
Dark, dusty, gritty fx/textures, pads, subby bass and more.
Buy here - https://sellfy.com/emptyvessel

Imperfectionist for TAL Sampler - Trip Hop

A dark ambient demo to give an idea of some of the glitchy, noisy, crusty pads and fx drones in my sample pack Imperfectionist for the TAL Sampler.
Purchase here https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Imperfectionist for TAL Sampler - Dark Ambient Demo

A quick downtempo demo of some sounds from my ROM sample pack for the TAL Sampler. All sounds using the built-in ROM waveforms embedded in the Sampler. All sounds from TAL Sampler - no additional fx other than light limiting.
Buy here - https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

ROM for TAL Sampler Demo - Chill

Single patch demos of some patches from my preset pack Icarus for Dmitry Sches Thorn available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Most patches are noisy, wonky, randomly glitchy and dirty with a few exceptions. Both cold, glitchy, digital and warm, expansive pads with alot of movement and evolving textures perfect for dark ambient or soundtrack work. A few BOC style key patches and some fx drones.

Artwork uses a piece by Frank Frazetta depicting Icarus' ascent.

Flat Earth Society

Faulty Music Box

Adrift

Tantra (Sanskrit: तन्त्र; literally "loom, weave, system")
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Weave is a 65 preset expansion pack for Tantra showing its ability to introduce a huge range of movement, rhythmic glitches and complex modulated craziness to any kind of audio. Weave's patches make use of all of Tantra's effects and modulators in various combinations from dub delays, vast reverbs, mild enhancement of pad sounds to total destruction of drum loops and everything in between.

The patches are named for their intended use – DruM, PAD, EFX (general effect), FLT (flter) etc. but some great effects can be achieved by 'mis-using' the patches so go crazy and try everything on everything and see what happens.

PAD Flicker

PAD Firefly

Tantra (Sanskrit: तन्त्र; literally "loom, weave, system")

Weave is a 65 preset expansion pack for Tantra showing its ability to introduce a huge range of movement, rhythmic glitches and complex modulated craziness to any kind of audio. Weave's patches make use of all of Tantra's effects and modulators in various combinations from dub delays, vast reverbs, mild enhancement of pad sounds to total destruction of drum loops and everything in between.

The patches are named for their intended use – DruM, PAD, EFX (general effect), FLT (flter) etc. but some great effects can be achieved by 'mis-using' the patches so go crazy and try everything on everything and see what happens.

PAD Dirty Dub Seq

EFX Ever Decreasing Rectangles

DRM Cat Scratch 2

Somnus - 50 presets for Unfiltered Audio Sandman Pro.
All sounds are dry and clean sources, all fx, glitches, 'edits', ambience, reverb and the tape-stop at the end are Sandman Pro.
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Somnus - Demo 1

Somnus: 50 patches for Unfiltered Audio Sandman Pro
2 instances of Absynth, 2 tracks of Novation Bass Station 2.
All ambience, fx, edits, glitches etc. from Somnus.
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Somnus - Demo 2

First demo of a few patches from Entropy for TAL Sampler
64 patches: Long (very long in some cases) evolving pads, drones, noise and FX beds suitable for soundtrack work, dark ambient etc. https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Entropy for TAL Sampler - Demo 1

Some of the nicer key and pad patches with a couple of FX/drone layers in parts. The patches in the pack vary from gently dusty and characterful with slight wonkiness to quite broken, digital, glitchy and disturbing.
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Drums from the Elektron Machinedrum.

Entropy for TAL Sampler - Demo 2

A clean improvisation with Native Instruments 'The Gentleman' processed through Unfiltered Audio BYOME. From my pack 'Synergy' for BYOME& Triad.
Available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
A recent obsession with Dictaphones and crusty old wonky tape loops and an enduring passion for vintage samplers has led to an attempt to replicate at least some of their pleasing artifacts using BYOME.

Synergy - Piano - AtticVerb

Novation Bass Station 2 arp into a worn out VHS simulator patch in Unfiltered Audio BYOME. Patch from my pack - Synergy, available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Synergy - You Betta Max - Rental VHS Sim

Patch from my pack - Synergy for Unfiltered Audio BYOME, available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Simple notes into cascading modal synthesis 'glass strikes' in BYOME

Synergy - Weinglas Percussionator Complex

Patch from my pack - Synergy for Unfiltered Audio BYOME, available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Put in stabs, BYOME munch stabs.

Synergy - Stab Muncher

Patch from - Synergy for Unfiltered Audio BYOME, available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Simple saw pads in Absynth eroded and pitch-shifted with huge ambience.

Synergy - Erosion

Demo 2 for my preset pack Pathogen for Dmitry Sches Thorn
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
64 presets based heavily around original samples, used to create the wavetables, harmonic filter shapes and also imported into the Noise Oscillator to be used both as audio layers and to frequency modulate Oscillator 3. Wide-ranging and suitable for dark, glitchy genres and soundtrack work.

Pathogen Demo 2

WIP snippets of patches from the imminent Ghosts for TAL Sampler
60(ish) deep, cinematic, dystopian sounds full of imperfection, ghosts and dust.
Available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

PAD Compression Artifact

PAD At The Mountains Of Madness

Aftermath is 32 presets for Dmitry Sches Thorn
Mainly keys and pads, from cold digital to warm and lush, evolving and complex, fully exploring Thorn's ample range.
Available from https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/

Aftermath for Dmitry Sches Thorn Patch Selection

A patch selection from the new SleepSystem - 32 preset pack for Kilohearts Phase Plant. Utilising a pool of original sample content both in the sample playback module and to create a set of new wavetables, SleepSystem explores some of the scope for evolving, complex pads, keys and FX within Phase Plant. Warm, expansive and noisy to cold, digital and glitchy. Available here: https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/
Patches in time order:
FX-End of Days
PAD-Lament
PAD-Fractal & KEY-BlueBox
PAD-Elysium
PAD-Phasis2
PAD-Peacock Dreams
PAD-Catacombs
PAD-Sleep System
PAD-Obsolescence
PAD-Phasis
PAD-Flow
PAD-Rapid Eye Movement
PAD-SleepSystem
PAD-Digital Age
BAS-KapnKrunch

SleepSystem - PhasePlant - PatchSelection

https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz/p/tal-sampler-presets-kenopsia/
Kenopsia is based around 1Gb of original samples created with synthesis and diverse field recordings processed with a range of original fx chains, analogue tape and vintage hardware samplers. The result is 48 expressive, complex melancholic sounds suitable for soundtrack work, dark ambient or a range of dark genres like techno, D&B and IDM.

All sounds in the demo are straight from TAL Sampler with no other fx, light mastering with native fx in Studio 1.

Kenopsia for TAL Sampler

In search of imperfection.
Professional sound design for manufacturers and composers
Consultant & Sound Designer for:
Novation, Native Instruments, Arturia, Unfiltered Audio, KiloHearts and more.
https://store.emptyvessel.co.nz

emptyvessel

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