PLEASE, POST YOUR BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE HERE

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Thu May 02, 2002 11:58 am

Please, post a description of what you can offer here, what you can do and what are you able to teach us.

If you do not know much, like me, don’t worry; we are here to study and learn. I repeat: the idea is to study together, that’s the point! And that’s the beauty of it!

Please, friends, keep it plain and don’t use this threat for anything else but describing what you can teach. Don’t ask questions here, use the other open threats already open for this, or open a new one if needed, cos this thread is going to be crucial to choose who is going to OPEN the following threats every Monday, so wee need for it to be intelligible and clear-cut. Thanks for you understanding.

That way, you will know in advance which topic you are going to present, and when… This is great! Cos you can prepare your topic with time, giving to the forum a superb posting and your links to get us started with. These topics could be organized till the end of the year 2002. We are going to do it into the following two weeks or so.

This will give everybody the opportunity to GIVE and TAKE in a relaxed way too. We can choose those with more knowledge, or they can offer themselves. I would prefer the second option though.

What can I do:

I don’t know much.

My knowledge and skilfulness are completely based upon compositional and instrument-playing skills: harmony, counterpoint, rhythms structure, accents, analysis, and the like.

I play Guitarbass, guitar, keyboard and some drum and percussion.

I have little knowledge about “Desktop Digital Studio” matters for the moment.

I’m relatively new to the digital world, and so, to Audio Editing. All I can offer is an active participation and studding much with you.

[ This Message was edited by: Nestor on 2002-05-02 13:00 ]

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Thu May 02, 2002 3:18 pm

Well, I did play guitar once so I did learn music theory to an extend but most of that I forgot as I'm now doing totally digital electronic dance music

So I have a working knowledge of midi and audio, programming drum patterns, programming synths, compression and effects.
But I'm not a master at any of these things so maybe I'm not the best to give an assignment. Then again, I might just be...

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu May 02, 2002 4:30 pm

I've already wrote this in the other thread, here it goes again:

Basic sound generation (physics)
Sound travels (acoustics)
Sound enters ear (the biological ear)
The brain interprets (psycho acoustics)
Then you can go further into congnitive science (musical learning and creativity), or leave that for later cuz that in itself is a pretty big subject.

I've sort of started writing the physics portion, which should be ready in a day or so.

caleb · Post by **caleb** » Thu May 02, 2002 7:39 pm

I can't really offer much, but I guess my skills lie in purely compositional areas.

I do know bits and pieces about all areas, but will probably only be able to contribute here and there to complement someone else's teaching.

Post by **Neil B** » Thu May 02, 2002 11:13 pm

I'm fairly well experienced in midi matters.
I'm also well versed in Cubase midi stuff, obviously related to Pulsar too.
I'm useless on mixing
I'm clueless on effects
I'm finding my feet with audio.
I'm hopeless at programming synths and the whole concept of oscillators, VCA's etc, but I know what a cut off filter does now!
I'm more into composition/tone poems and can play keyboards.
I'm aching to find out how to put a decent techno track together using all the things we'll be learning.
I'll be same as most - I'll gain more than I give, but I'll give all I can.

Zer · Post by **Zer** » Fri May 03, 2002 3:24 am

I´m into sequencer stuff that means logic, cakewalk, samplitude but also into low budget programs like music maker /music studio, tracker programs and a lot of otherthing

I´m also a bit into operating systems ( pc- how to optimize your win) and what you should use or not using your computer as a music machine.

I can offer basic surround authoring as well (not pulsar related).

Eurocide · Post by **Eurocide** » Fri May 03, 2002 4:15 am

I can contribute with 12 years of knowledge in music (dark stuff), sequencing (Cubase), recording and mixing (specialized in really sick sound).

And maybe with some messages from beyond...

Eurocide-HQ.

Retro · Post by **Retro** » Fri May 03, 2002 8:05 pm

I'm a sound engineer so I can probably be of most use in areas such as recording, mixing and audio theory. Most of my contributions will probably be of the hands-on variety because I slept through uni and spent most of my time fiddling in the studio

djevo · Post by **djevo** » Sat May 04, 2002 5:54 am

My story...

I'm a DJ for 6 years now (progressive style) and wanted to start producing.

Ofcourse I bought a Pulsar II card

(more then 1 year ago) and to be honest... I didn't use it more than 10 times..really!

.Why? Because I don't know where to start.

I want to use it together with cubase but then you first have it installed right so it works well altogether. Also I want to use Reason (the only music program I understand a bit, probably because of the step by step guide) but the same here... you have to connect everything together before it works well.

I've spend several days of installing my computer.. but that's not what I want..... I WANT TO MAKE MUSIC.

Recently i read in this forum that someone doesn't use cubase because it slows him down. Maybe that's my next step.. use the Reason sequencer instead of cubase.. if it's possible to connect them correctly. I'm pretty formilar with computer so that's not the problem.. I'm nor formilar with audio on computers so maybe the lessons here will work.

It's a sad story isn't it.........

[ This Message was edited by: djevo on 2002-05-04 06:55 ]

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Sat May 04, 2002 7:35 am

Hey, djevo, I'm not sure if you'd like to take the time... but can you give us a treat and teach us about how DJ-ing is all about? I've DJ-ed hiphop for about 3 years in the past, but I'm don't think I'm too qualified. It'll be cool if you could tell us about all the club atmosphere, working with big PA systems and what not. That's something many people are interested in I think. Anyway, DJ isn't really a part of all the audio this 'n that, but as a final output form, I think it is very vital and also it is important that people who are uneducated about the scene be informed.

Djevo, or wheoever who wants to give it a try, please do. I'll try to follow up in terms of hiphop/oldschool as they are what I specialize in, but it is important that people find out about the club DJ scene. Don't you think so? So, it could be a starting link, thread, idea, blabber... what ever, but please start the first ring.

DJ-ing is the true context of many of the music being produced by Pulsar, and without an accurate scope, it will be unfruitfull. Sorry for my demanding statement.

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Sat May 04, 2002 1:21 pm

I agree, it's very good to keep in mind the atmosphere and volumes in a club environment if you're making club (dance) music.
I hadn't been to a club or party in quite some time and when I finally did go a few days ago, I was was like "oh yeah, that's how house music sounds at proper volume!"
It completely changes your perception if you listen to a dance track on your monitor/hifi speakers and then hear it on a club system.
I'm still waiting to one time hear one of my own tracks on a big system, that would be really cool.

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Sat May 04, 2002 1:25 pm

And DJEvo, be prepared to finally really start using your Pulsar, because our little study group here starts next monday!

btw. If you're interested I could maybe come round your place sometime (since we're both in the same small country

)and maybe I can help you get up to speed with Pulsar/Cubase. (and you can teach me Reason

)

Valium · Post by **Valium** » Sat May 04, 2002 1:28 pm

My 2 cents I guess are some experience in live dj-sets, theoretical and technical I'm a big duuuh, I just make my tracks by ear and then listen to them on big big setups before I do an act. (just recently started doing sets again after a 3 year stop).

Greetz

eliam · Post by **eliam** » Sat May 04, 2002 6:57 pm

As for myself, I've been trained as a drummer, but I'm no more a drummer. Now I play piano, flute, clarinet, I sing. I've been sequencing tracks for a while and fiddling with samplers to reach a decent level of realism. I guess I can share some useful info about it. I want to produce my records myself, so I'd be glad to gather knowledge about the different steps of production. I'm not into techno music, but rather acoustic-sounding composition and song-writing.
Ken-I'd really like to hear from you about sound synthesis and related stuff.

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Sun May 05, 2002 1:23 pm

I got a personal request.. As I get covered up in my own physics mess, how about a team of people fire up the compo theory section? A simple tutorial of basic chord building that perhaps extends into alternate bass positioning could be a good start(like C major with either I, II, V, or VI as root). And then proceeding to building progressions, etc. Just the real simple stuff really, as it can get very complicated if you take the time to write out the details. Cuz there seems to be quite a few people who are fluent with compo thoery around here.

And then after that we can go into 2 part, 3 part fugue! Now THAT'S useful for trance leads. Hey! Actually, just out of curiosity, can someone who is very FAST with fugue do a quick trance tune that has fugue leads? I just love it when the leads gets it right. Or is that not to be interpreted as fugue?

Almost the same thing to me. But they're just a DRAG to write.. yuck! I always loose my motif somewhere and in the end, come up with an entirely different tune! So fugue freaks, come on!

[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2002-05-05 14:33 ]

caleb · Post by **caleb** » Sun May 05, 2002 7:16 pm

You know I did actually study music theory for some time and I must say, I no longer understand anything you're talking about Kensuguro.

I'm really proud of myself that I've managed to forget all about those rules and guides and am just composing.

Then again, maybe I'm actually in desperate need of a theory refresher course.

Hmmmmm.

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Sun May 05, 2002 8:30 pm

On 2002-05-05 20:16, caleb wrote:

I'm really proud of myself that I've managed to forget all about those rules and guides and am just composing.

Then again, maybe I'm actually in desperate need of a theory refresher course.

Right with you Caleb

-The learning must be done,and assimilated fully, then the unlearning can begin!

I always got in to trouble (in my classical days) for swinging Bach Inventions, hey, Ken - but I suppose the well-tempered clavier is a good place to start
http://www.bachcentral.com/midiindex.html

Reading would have to be gone into first, as so much music is done by ear or GUI

Worth it though - music is a beautiful language to unlearn

Woops, got OT.
I can offer mostly experience in many styles of music on many different instruments, live, theatre, or film. Also been coaxing computers to spit out music since Atari days, but that ain't a forte

[ This Message was edited by: wayne on 2002-05-05 21:37 ]

dblbass · Post by **dblbass** » Mon May 06, 2002 10:10 pm

Charlie Parker said (I paraphrase)

"learn all the technical and theory shit you can , then forget it all and just play!"

more or less the same goes for composing, I am sure

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Tue May 07, 2002 4:51 am

Charlie's right, you need very good oversight and lots of freak experience, but the problem is that one day you'll keep freaking

With good background, you can make very complex stuff which sounds very simple. Simple, so that it's easy listening, but complex, so that no one will get bored. That's why I still like the Beatles. They make music which sounds so simple, but it is definately not. Some one else once said that "intelligence is the ability to explain complex matter in a simple way". A professor could explain very complex matter, but what if he looses the clue? Study/knowledge needs to serve a goal, and may not become a goal on it's own. As the unions would say, never loose contact with the base

Oh well, here's my limited background:
I have very good understanding of midi (sysex, remote,...). I started off a midi control group on yahoo about a year ago but no one asks me questions or throws in problems. A pitty, as it would get me thinking more about that subject.

I know most functions of Cubase VST, although the Interactive Phase Synthesiser is still a bit of a mistery to me. It's kind of a pattern based arpeggiator/modulator. I know Fruityloops by mind, Acid and SoundForge too. Reason is coming more clear, Rebirth lies here somewhere too. I tried most free VST plugins.

I know what effects do, and most editing parameters I know what they do sound like and what they physically do with the sound. Vocoding is still a little try-and-error, sampling and synthesis goes quite well. I can kinda think of a sound and create it, although I'm learning still lots.

I got more out of my Pentium 90MHz than my friends out of their havier machines. I like playing around with settings, I like to tweak and get good performance out of my machine. I setup computers for friends who work in pc bizz, they say I do it better. Now, my pc's knowledge has become a backup for my job, if once aviation let's me down... I have good knowledge of Win9x and XP, and some basics of DOS. Which still comes in handy in some emergency situations. I do not program, I know the practical side of things.

I nearly know what chords are, don't ask me about progressions. I do have a deep maths education, also physics has little or no secrets to me. But I lack the intelligence to explain everything about that clearly to you guys, although I understand algoritms and logaritms. My final project at school covered acoustic isolation. I studied maths/(bio)chemistry/physics.

Before that, I studied Latin/Greek, and my job has gotten me deeper into different languages, I now speak Dutch/Flemmish, French, English and some German. I can read Spanish and Portugese.

I think that's about it... I will contribute with a midi essay once 3.1 has been released, I don't know what might have changed in 3.1 so I'm on hold for the moment.

Always happy to help looking for solutions, that's where I learn lots of. Throw in your problems, if they interest me or I know a little about it, I'll help you looking for a solution. That's my high school, the internet's my books.

Happy Pulsaring,

at0mic.

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Tue May 07, 2002 5:15 am

Wow! I'm freaking out!

I studied composition, theory and Harmony. Studied classical singing too(!) Learning about how to do a Bach chorale harmonic analysis opened up a lot of musical doors for me but I have to say that LISTENING was my best teacher. Hindemith, Stravinsky, Bartòk, Frank Zappa, Progressive Rock and (drum roll....) the Beatles(!) were very educational especially once I had understood the principles of theory and harmony.

So I guess I could contribute in that direction...