Re: intro and newbie questions - drone recipe #1

["Michael LaMeyer" <m.lameyer@verizon.net>]

I think there are a number of approaches, but one approach that
seems to come easily to me is the following:

1) set a delay line to longer delay times such as 1 second or
more

2)  set the output mix from the delay to 50-100% wet (delayed)
signal (go ahead and experiment with this)

3) crank up the feedback setting on the delay (if you can
control the feedback in realtime via MIDI or knobs or something,
that leads to some very wonderful techniques, see comments
below)

4) feed some tone source (an overdriven guitar tone or synth pad
tone works well, but lots of other things work too, or are at
least interesting; if you use more purcussive, short decay-type
tones, try shorter delay times) and somehow sweep the volume of
this tone slowly from low to high and back down again using a
volume knob or volume pedal or MIDI control or whatever.

5) WATCH THE FEEDBACK SETTING!!  If you set it too high, the
tone will keep building and building up.  Sometimes this is
painful, and it tends to scare pets and family.  If you set it
too low, the tone will fade out too soon.  You should be able to
find somewhere in between that sustains the delay tone almost
indefinitely, or fades out very slowly, and if you can control
the feedback setting in real time, you'll find you can overdub
and fade out parts more or less as you want, and after your eyes
boggle a bit you'll be on the looping trail in no time, as this
is one of the fundamental looping tricks.  Weeee!!

6) Enjoy!

Mike

P.S. an ebow can be used to good effect with a guitar using this
technique (and sometimes without), that's been done a lot but I
think it's fun, and a perceptable amplitude attack time on a
synth tone can also serve here, although I find it more dynamic
and expressive to control the volume in real time

----- Original Message -----
From: "whining elitist bastard" <rekluse@replic.net>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2001 12:49 AM
Subject: intro and newbie questions


> Greetings all,
>
> I'm just beginning to get into the world of sound exploration,
and I'm
> looking for a little advice and direction. Mainly I'm curious
how to go
> about creating the drones and washing feedback noize I hear in
some of my
> favorite music. (dvoa, not breathing, aube, etc...)
>
> Are loud walls of noise more a product of the gear, the sound
source, the
> technique? Are most drones simply looping samples? When I hear
a beat or a
> melody, I can imagine how it was constructed, but not so with
these other
> musical elements that I love...
>
> any advice appreciated..
>
> -matt
>
> http://technosnob.com
> AIM: t3chn0sn0b
>
>
>