Name: The Ballad by Modal Electronics
Duration: 29 s
Description: Sound demos from the COBALT8 polyphonic extended virtual-analogue synthesiser

Only One

arctic skyline

An interpretation of:

young grasses -
not yet bent
in any direction

Naviar haiku challenge 608, details here: https://www.naviarrecords.com/haiku-music-challenge

I had an idea of the structure and development of this track quite quickly. Young grass tempted to deviate by sequences entering from either side, temptation resisted, unbent growth represented by a final melody. Decided to use VCV Rack for this one. As I was going to be assembling the elements in a live mix I knew I wouldn't be able to play the final melody and manipulate everything else, hence VCV I was able to assemble the melody as multiple sequenced blocks that are played randomly, leaving my hands free for other things.  There is a lot of subtle modulation in each of the elements some of which had to automated; even using PatchMaster from MindMeld to set up performance macros where one knob controls multiple things I quickly ran out of physical controls; so like the melody I made a few practical compromises in what I manipulated live.  

I set everything up to record live to multiple tracks giving me the freedom to tweak the mix during the mastering stage. Other than EQ, saturation and gentle compression on both individual tracks and the master; the only extra effect I added is a very light touch of K7D - Tape Delay from imaginando on both sequences, the subtle ping-pong echoes integrated them intp the whole.   

The Ballad

Modal Electronics

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