Re: Stylus RMX (was: Re: general question about equipment)

[BreachinThePeace@aol.com]

In a message dated 8/3/2007 6:30:31 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, perboysen@gmail.com writes:

When I bought RMX I had an idea that it would be cool to use on stage 
on a laptop as part of improvised performances. But I soon found out 
it is too CPU demanding and unstable for that. I also felt bit lame 
to use those pre recorded drum sounds live so I thought I would 
either make the drumming by vocal beatboxing or other percussive 
sounds made by flute. But RMX is really good for producing recorded 
music and that's how I use it. I only use it as AU plug-in i Logic 
and in all ways; in "groove mode" as well as in "slice mode". I use 
all kinds of randomizations, both the chaos machine and the buzz. I 
also record and make my own RMX files from sessions with hand drum 
percussionists and myself playing guitar. Especially funky rhythm 
guitar is very creative to have pre-recorded as RMX files when 
working on a studio production and you want to try out those kind of 
patterns. Yes, I drag MIDI patterns ("slice" or "groove mode" type of 
MIDI sequences) from RMX onto dedicated channels in Logic. Quite 
often I use all available eight RMX channels and I bring out the 
audio as multichannel; so each drum comes up on its own channel in 
Logic's mixer. That's because I don't like the library sounds much 
and want to process them with Logic's effects to give it a new touch. 
I think RMX is a genius studio production tool. The feel you get when 
applying a slight amount of randomization to all eight drum tracks is 
something really unique.

I've never "run out of memory" because of RMX. But I must say that 
I'm not sure what you mean by that expression? Maybe that's because 
I'm using Logic, since Logic's sampler works in a way that if RAM is 
getting short it dumps some of the samples and starts streaming them 
from the hard drive instead of keeping it all in the RAM.

That is what I REALLY like about the Loopers Delight list. I can so relate. RMX is a shockingly capable tool. Currently I using it pretty much on almost every piece I am working on. Between it and the Live sequencer program itself I cannot say which I am more addicted to! ;-)

 

"Out of Memory" will occur most often when you are attempting to cache or "capture" too much in the Chaos designer while simultaneously running midi channel exclusive sound menu selections. That, or getting carried away with the Power Filter. RMX can eat RAM for breakfast when it wants to and when it does, it tells you via the "Out of Memory" flag in it's Value Display in the Footer. I spoke with Eric Persing recently and the issue I have with the reappearing "transparent" RMX module is definitely due to intensive RAM consumption. It's all too cool though Per, as you have said and as I am finding out everyday, Stylus is all about working smarter and not harder. It's cool to learn as I go & I certainly am!

 

I recently designed a basic Live 6.0 set template that I call the "RMX Think Tank" I have only used it for a few days and already I have enjoyed tremendous productivity as a result. It requires 9 midi tracks & two audio. I typically start and work from the session view perspective in Live and this is how it's laid out:

 

The first two tracks starting on the left of the screen are audio tracks. Track 1 is for a dedicated audio input from the main Stylus midi track (Track 3) itself. Track 2 is for resampling. Tracks 4 through 11 are the midi tracks used to host 8 of the Stylus midi channels. (I have heard that Stylus can actually do 16 simultaneous, but have not found out yet how) What I have been doing since the "Stylus Think Tank's" inception is using the first 4 of these tracks for Suite Elements, the next 2 tracks host Sound Menu samples and the last two are currently being used for yet two more Suite Elements. In the future however, I can in my crafty little diabolic mind envision those last two tracks being devoted to my self generated imported Rex files. UHMmmWwahhahahaha. ;-)

 

What this Live set format does is allow me to switch between Stylus as a resampled single tracked stereo Groove Module plug in, or by pre-loading files that are dragged into Live's tracks, I can sequence & mix these tracks & their contained beat file variations (enter chaos) to eternity. This being all the while I control both Live's mixer/effects as well as the Stylus mixer/effects via midi remote control to automate the live set as it records to the arrangement view format.

 

If the object is to provide a percussion landscape to improvise over, I am pretty much done. Just pack up the laptop, hit the corresponding midi mapped "play" button on my controller and it's off to the races on stage or in the studio. If I want to add the arrangement set to a present or future composition , I render the arrangement to disc and add it to any session view at anytime.     

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