As a formerly FireworX empowered loopist I'd like to post my opinion
on it: It is great! Now, that was the short version. I can't tell
about the presents and everything, since I didn't use them, but where
this unit really rocks is if you want something PRE looper to
seriously mutilate sound and rhythm. That's how I used it, MIDI clock
sync slaved to the looper but before the looper in the audio signal
chain - and it really excelled in that position. I was able to make
delays that would *seamlessly* change the timing from let's say a
quarter note triplet up to a sixteenth note. This "delay time
morphing" I controlled from a MIDI expression pedal. Guess it's
needless to tell how cool it sounds while the sweeping delay time
value passes through all out-of-musical-sync values until it locks in
with a new groove, all while you play rhythmic stuff though the unit.
I used that quite a lot on the album I did with Greek bassist/loopist
Costas Andreou, especially the first track.
Other cool stuff you can do with the FireworX is to make a parallel
signal path where you put a pitch shifter set to any range, I used
mostly octave up or octave down. Then you play through the unit while
modding pitch by a MIDI expression pedal. That's awesome - like
playing two instruments at once, because here and there you find
intervals that sound really cool as a blending by the non pitched and
the pitched signal. A lot more organically sounding that simply
"playing though a fixed pitch shifter". Also used on the Costas album.
Finally, a very cool trick: Using the envelope follower module to
modulate any other parameter of choice. My fav here is to set up an
"infinite delay loop". That means full feedback, no sound will ever
stop. Then you modulate the feedback parameter of the delay module by
the input signal strength, but reversed. This means that if you do not
play anything the sound in the delay line will repeat infinitely
(following the looper tempo, of course) but if you play one note this
note will bring down the feedback as it enters the delay and sort of
"soft substitute" the looping audio.
If you like using these techniques and like having rack mountable
units the FireworX is a box you should get when a chance occurs. I
don't think they make them any more and it doesn't seem probable that
more similar products will be produced in the future, many DIY audio
mutilants are going software and crippling the already rather nisched
market.
I don't work for TC. I sold my old FwX only because I needed money in
an urgent situation. I had learned how this awesome box works so I
would be able to set up my fav patches in software on future laptop
rigs.
Greetings from Sweden
Per Boysen
www.boysen.se
www.perboysen.com
On Sun, Mar 7, 2010 at 9:52 PM, mark francombe <mark@markfrancombe.com> wrote:
> Bugger I forgot to change the subject.. from that old cheat of hitting
> reply... heres a better one
>
> On Sun, Mar 7, 2010 at 9:50 PM, mark francombe <mark@markfrancombe.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> After about 6 months with a TC Fireworx... Im sad to say that we´re not
>> really getting along.. and Im thinking of selling.
>> I dont know, i think the vast amount of sounds possible and available is a
>> bit too much for me!! I upgraded to version 2.0 and all that did was give me
>> more and more.. Ive hardly EVER sat down and made my own sounds.. Even tho
>> that is why I got it. I bought it in an attempt to remove things from the
>> floor (namely a Space Station and the bitrman.. cos of having weird PSU) and
>> it more than made up for is.. but actually all I ever seem to use is a
>> lovely reverb patch, with just the right amount of compression.. lovely...
>> but expensive!!!
>>
>> Unless people here give me some inspirational stories of why its so
>> great.. Im gonna be open for offers... any swapsies anyone?? What do the vg
>> things cost these days?