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Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:21 am
by braincell
Well I finally got Scope 5.1. Hope it works well on my machine! Only the 4 DSP version. Miss that sound. My old computer gave out finally and doesn't seem worth trying to fix. It's not fast enough for a lot of new software.

Invalid Activation Key. I hate DRM! Nothing to do now but wait for support.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:18 am
by Nestor
Glad you've got this one Brain, enjoy it and keep making music! :wink:

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:43 am
by braincell
Thanks Nestor. Good to see you again. I'm working on my voice, cello, trumpet, guitar, bass guitar and saxophone (and keyboards). Hope your bass playing is going well.

Can't wait to use this but probably will have to because of the weekend. I do have Scope 4.5 so I know I do qualify for this upgrade I bought. It's frustrating with so much software and so much DRM. Something usually goes wrong with that. I have two different dongles. Steinberg DRM works best.

I tried Windows 8 and gave up because there was just too much DRM stuff to do in order to get all my software back.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:11 pm
by Nestor
I remember one of your songs, long ago, I don't know if you remember it, but I told you your voice was great. You should use it more.

Wow, you've come to play a lots of instruments man... cool :) I only play 3 of them, guitar, bass and keyboard.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:42 am
by braincell
Yes I remember your compliments Nestor.

Other than keyboard, I am a bad player but I hope with enough effects and editing I can fake it. My guitar, a not very expensive Ibanez has been modified with a Sustainiac, a middle SD Hotrails pickup with a separate output and no potentiometer. That output sounds very clean. My luthier surely thinks I'm crazy. He plays old jazz guitar style and makes simple guitars out of pear tree wood. I tune it to the NST which is tuned in 5ths like orchestra strings (except the high string which would break).

Update: I did get an email today but there was a misunderstanding. They said it is not free. Now I had to send in my receipt. Argggg!

Update: They said I'll have the key Monday or Tuesday. At least they emailed me on a Sunday. Don't see why this can't be automated but I'll get it eventually.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 3:12 pm
by Nestor
braincell wrote: Other than keyboard, I am a bad player but I hope with enough effects and editing I can fake it.
That's funny :lol:

When I play saxophone, it is “only” through the keyboard. I have never been good for any wind instrument at all. I cannot play even a whistle the correct way.

A friend of mine, very long time ago, lend me a flugelhorn that he didn’t need for a few months when we were studying music in the conservatory, I wanted to discover these instruments, but I didn’t really got much into it, it was boring to me, and every time I picked it up, it would sound in a different way, so I was fed up and finally gave up on this one. But I love their sound very much!

This is the one I'm talking about:

Image

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 3:45 pm
by dante
Looks like a good one - a Vincent Bach perhaps ?

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:33 am
by braincell
The Flugelhorn has a beautiful sound.

There is a hump you have to get over when initially learning an instrument before it is any fun to play. The most fun I have is playing the saxophone, also I put the most time into it (other than keyboard). I like that it vibrates my head and that it is so physical. I also like the ugly sounds you can make with it. The sax is very harsh though and many people don't appreciate it. I need to find a way to make it more palatable.

I bought the trumpet because I love Jon Hassell. I also bought an Eventide PitchFactor because it's an important part of his sound. I believe he discovered this when working with Brian Eno. He plays trumpet like a conch shell. Trumpet players don't like his sound. They go for a loud clear tone and his is quite the opposite but anyone into ambient music loves it.

Jon Hassell: http://youtu.be/-7IRnin9gF0

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:53 pm
by valis
Don't 'done down' an instrument to make it more palatable, take that tone and exploit it! You'll eventually find people who will want to listen so forget those that don't atm and just refine what you get enjoyment from (what the hippies would say you get 'a vibe' from is good imo!)

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:25 pm
by braincell
Saxophone isn't what you would think of for ambient music but I had some luck using the Eventide PitchFactor on saxophone with 100% wet and I deleted the dry track.

Still working on getting Scope running. It was my fault, I ordered the wrong upgrade but they are refunding the difference.

Seems like they aren't really fluent in English.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:08 pm
by jksuperstar
multiple pitch shifts, together with thick reverb makes a very nice ambient sound!

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:21 am
by valis
I kind of like the sound of sax on its own :wink:

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:22 pm
by dante
Yeah like Lisa Simpson (Terry Harrington) plays it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN1zZNByp8M

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:55 pm
by braincell
Well they promised to refund the difference but forgot to do it. They seem really disorganized often not replying to emails or they reply in broken English. I think this is symptomatic of the way this company has been run. I never really felt they were interested customer satisfaction. For a period back in the Creamware days my s/pdif stopped working. Ralf gave up and stopped responding.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:54 pm
by dante
Sounds like it's time for you to move on. You could get yourself a soundblastard, or why not get Apollo ? You know they have achieved 'no noticeable latency' ... Now that's impressive !! :lol:

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 4:03 pm
by siriusbliss
braincell wrote:Well they promised to refund the difference but forgot to do it. They seem really disorganized often not replying to emails or they reply in broken English. I think this is symptomatic of the way this company has been run. I never really felt they were interested customer satisfaction. For a period back in the Creamware days my s/pdif stopped working. Ralf gave up and stopped responding.
You should just sell everything - unless you're just addicted to having something to complain about, or regret yourself about making any real decisions at all.

Let the rest of the humans on this planet live in the past and move on.

G

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:53 am
by braincell
The VDAT sounds better for some reason. I will be using it without the mixer though. The mixers muffle the sound.

People who only want to hear good things never advance. There is no value in just patting yourself on the back all the time.
dante wrote:Sounds like it's time for you to move on. You could get yourself a soundblastard, or why not get Apollo ? You know they have achieved 'no noticeable latency' ... Now that's impressive !! :lol:
This is nothing more than a high tech lynching of an uppity SC user. I fail to see your reason for personally attacking me when I didn't personally attack you. It is time for you to move on from my thread if I may stoop to your juvenile, condescending tone.

I'm using two soundcards, actually three because two are linked together. I find the Minimax to have outstanding clarity and presence. When I need an analog synth, I will reach for it.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:07 am
by garyb
academy award for sound. used on the newest Anita Baker album for the sound. used by a member of the Motion Picture Academy for the sound, used on Batman Begins for the sound. used by justin Timberlake for the sound.....

lots of people who can afford anything, but like the sound of the Scope mixer...

you don't like it, so i guess you won't use it. vdat does dound pretty good, though.

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:16 am
by dawman
Blue-Footed-Parrots.jpg

Re: Took The Plunge Scope 5.1

Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:53 am
by braincell
Gary,

Take the Minimax and plug it into the mixer. Play it, then unplug it from the mixer and plug it directly into the output. You will hear what I am talking about. Next play a high airy wooden flute sample through Cubase (without SC) and then play it through an SC mixer. This is what I am talking about. It mutes the sound. I don't know about Batman, probably a lot can be restored through expensive mastering.

The Minimax experiment is simple to perform but I don't get any replies from anyone I have suggest it to.