Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Experimental 1 - Dark and Pink

Click on the play button below to listen:














Over the last few weeks, I've set up a "studio B" in my home which consist of an older Dell notebook computer, a cheap M-Audio USB audio interface, a cheap 2X2 MIDI interface, a little 5 octave keyboard and some nice headphones, and a select number of Soft Synths. This smaller alternative to the main studio has the benefit of being "upstairs" and close to our newborn infant so that late at night I can compose and listen for her waking up, needing a bottle, etc.


I've been quite amazed at what can be accomplished with this small, scaled-down environment, so much so that I feel a little guilty about my huge "Studio A" (see picture in my first blog posting).


Although I have Sonar and Tracktion installed, I've been composing using a DAW program called energyXT almost exlusively on this notebook since it's so much easier on the CPU. And, to be honest, energyXT is such a cool and immediatly environment to work in, it appeals to the "programmer" in me to be able to manipulate "objects" like only this program will do.


So, this track is my first mix from these experiments. It's Dark. The "guitar" sound (from the excellent Manyguitar program) reminds me a bit of David Gilmore, hence the "Pink" in the title. After listening back to it though, I think perhaps I've been watching too many Miami Vice reruns.


Other synths used were Wusikstation (VOX'ed soundset), FM7, and two instances of Atmosphere. Effects are two instances of the free Luxonix LFX-1310. Mixdown was "mastered" and converted to MP3 in Tracktion using Mackie's "Final Mix" mastering plug-in.


Enjoy this 2 minute experimental track, which I call "Dark and Pink".