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Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2003 2:51 pm
by Neil B
This file has expired and is no longer available here. The owner of the topic can re-upload the file, or post a link to an off-site file. <BR><BR><a name="planetz-tag"></a>Genre: Minimalistic Berlin School<BR> <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Uses: See track notes<BR> copyright © 2003 Neil Buxton<BR> _____________________________________<BR><BR> Before It Ends – 7 Minutes 56 Secs: 7.6 MB.

Part 1: Reflection and Remorse (80 BPM) – 4 mins 00 Secs
Part 2: Pleiades Vista (120 BPM) – 2 Mins 20 Secs
Part 3: Acceptance and Inner Peace (80 BPM) – 1 Min 36 Secs

The rest of the crew are dead. Somehow the meteor storm got through the defence shield. There is debris floating all over the inside of the craft, hot shards of metal and meteorite shrapnel, water from ruptured tanks, cables lashing and sparks flying.
It won’t be long now before I’m dead too. I only have what is left in this air tank, and the gauge is broken.
BEFORE IT ENDS, I will have time to look back on my short life, the good and the bad, the joy and the pain.
BEFORE IT ENDS, I know that I will cry, because I am too young to die.
The ship is rotating slowly, a moving hulk that becomes my coffin, destined to carry all our bodies for centuries or longer through the void of space.
BEFORE IT ENDS, I will cry for my husband and children on earth, who I will never see again.
I have loved and served my family and friends, my ship, my country, my species and my planet to the best of my abilities, and now I must become a part of the stars I reached for as a child.
BEFORE IT ENDS, as the ship rotates, I will see the most beautiful of views – the constellation of Pleiades. What better place to die, what better grave to rest, what better ending than the sight of the Pleiades.
When you look through your telescopes, through the light years of space, to the Pleiades, please think of me, a light extinguished amongst the beauty of the stars.
So now I will make my peace BEFORE IT ENDS.

Equipment
Pulsar: Mixers, Mod II Carpet Saws, Mod II Pad Machine, Uknow 007 bass notes in part 2, Sample Player for the choirs.
Cubase: Mixers, all effects (reverb, delay, eq, stereo spread, mastering etc), M-Tron strings, Invader-II for effects, Neon for the sequencing.
“Air Tank Breath” – JV1080 patch sampled and adapted.
Choir Samples courtesy of Spectrasonics “Symphony of Voices”

Notes
Fairly standard minimalistic Berlin School – long slow intro, sequencer section, slow outro.
I’m not entirely happy with this yet, especially on Part 1, so I’d appreciate contributions both positive and negative as usual. I seem to have overcooked the gain on the Mod II Carpet Saws, but even when I re-recorded it, it didn’t sound right once the polyphony went to 7 notes. I wish sometimes that the synths had lights to show when you’ve overdone the output volume/gain! Ears are not always to be trusted! Mind you, I don’t understand the Modulars much anyway.
There are a couple of spikes and glitches that I’ll remove later, care of my central heating thermostat.
Timings and note lengths may seem “out” in parts 1 & 3. I did this on purpose to represent the way time was passing too quickly, then too slowly for the dying astronaut. It’s made it seem a bit laboured at times so I may try something else. Having said that, it does produce the unsettled feel that I was after.
The main objective of this track was to get more into Cubase mixer automation and the Controller Editor. I also wanted to get it as “old, warm analogue” as possible and a bit less “crisp-digital”, but I seemed to have just made it a bit muddy instead. I have no other ambitions for the track. I felt that the best way to research was to develop a track that I could play about with the automation and this was the result. Anyway, I’ve learnt from it so far and perhaps you can improve my learning (again).
I enjoyed pulling the old TD sequencers and mellotron strings out of the cupboard again though :grin:

And “Yes”, the ending is intentional.

So, does anyone like it, but more importantly, what have I done wrong this time please, and is it worth finishing? :grin:

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:16 pm
by hubird
you know me: too much meaning, intentions and feelings involved for my superficial heart, but that doesn't matter, that's just (my) taste.
But you choose a very well balanced set of sounds together, with nice sequencing nowhere going over the top.
Love the M-tron, perfect choice in this context :smile:
And perfect, intimate, mixing, with no abundant reverberation :smile:
cheerz.

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:21 pm
by Neil B
Wow that was quick Huub and Thanks for the comments - I only uploaded 10 minutes ago
Tell me - do you sleep on Planet Z ??? :grin:


_________________
Neil B

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Neil B on 2003-11-24 15:22 ]</font>

Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2003 10:51 pm
by AudioIrony
Firstly I have to say you're your own harshest critic when it comes to your music. This music is a very personal artistic expression. It's not something I can really comment on and say "Oh, I would have done it this way", mainly because I'm not Neil B :grin:

I am intrigued by the consistent theme of space and loneliness in your work and the work you have done with Chris. It's very powerful imagery.

Mix - well it didn't sound muddy to my ears, it sounded quite ethereal and warm. I guess when we imagine what it's like to be in space, we assume it to be cold and harsh, but also beautiful and calm - an inexplicale juxtaposition of essentially conflicting atmosphere and ambience - unless you're about to crash into a sun :smile:

but I digress.. a lot.... I only meant to comment and say that your idea of reducing digital crispness/harshness works because of the underlying emotion that you are conveying... but I'm sure you already knew that.

I found the time disparity you talk about very subtle, it affects you without noticing and I know I wouldn't have commented on that aspect if you hadn't mentioned it in your post.

If your ending is intentional, (which I liked by the way) then this piece is finished.

If you feel that you're not finished with it, then a journey into 5.1 surround with your Cubase SX would be just the ticket to allow you to travel to even farther undiscovered constellations.

Always a pleasure to listen to your music Neil.
Cheers

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:31 pm
by Neil B
Thanks Brett.
Yes I am my own harshest critic, but pleased to be learning all the time.
I haven't got Cubase SX so I'm afraid the surround sound comments went straight over my head.
Thanks for the rest of your comments and taking time to listen and review. I'm pleased that you enjoyed it.
BTW - I notice that you've moved again - to Namphff Minor - be careful - there are some strange folks in that area :grin:

Huub:
quote "And perfect, intimate, mixing, with no abundant reverberation ".
:grin: I understand the little private joke there now. Thanks for your compliment of the voicings. The Mtron sounds awful without any reverb though so that and the pads had about a 40/60 wet/dry reverb mix.
It was good to use the Neon for the sequencing. Nice clean simple notation with little decay. It cuts through the mix nice and with short notes allows you to add more notes for better "movement".
Thanks again

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 5:47 pm
by hubird
yes, I noticed you let the M-tron dry, and I liked that coz the emotive M-tron gets a bit 'lost'in the song, like a volnarable child lonely in a big space.
I even discussed that with a friend who said he missed reverb on the M-tron, and I argued that your decision to not do that probably was intended by you.
Hehe, I'm gonne phone him :smile:

Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2003 7:50 pm
by AudioIrony
On 2003-11-25 14:31, Neil B wrote:

I haven't got Cubase SX so I'm afraid the surround sound comments went straight over my head.

BTW - I notice that you've moved again - to Namphff Minor - be careful - there are some strange folks in that area :grin:
Yeah sorry Neil, misinterpreted your first post and just assumed you had got yourself a copy of SX. I think it was the talk of advanced mixing and automation studies that lead me there. What I was saying though is that this type of music would most definitely benefit from a 5.1 surround mix. Would be awesome in fact.

:grin: The move from Planet CrabStick to Namphff Minor was exhausting. So far I'm the only inhabitant, but you're right - strange people indeed :lol:

Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 4:33 am
by ChrisWerner
Haha Brett, if you need a sherif for your town or something give me a call. Also I can promise that I am strange too.
I agree to the 5.1 for space music, but this will end in much cost, Neil and I haven´t got any 5.1 monitoring. But this would be great, well maybe someday.

I like this track Neil, it´s not crap as you told me but I would have mixed the track a little quiter, on my monitors it is near the edge and start to scrape.
Your sequence are minmal as great. Good to have you on board to Vega.
And I agree the M-Tron don´t needs a reverb.
I really like the breath like sound, it express the space in a very good way.
Well well done, that´s my music.
You are in a great mood for Vega I guess.:grin:

Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2003 6:19 am
by Neil B
Thanks Chris,
After not listening to it for a day or 2 (and after listening to it too much while it was mixed) I find myself liking it a bit more again.
The mix levels - yeas, I agree but it was more a problem with the Mod II carpet saws module that caused most of those problems. They sounded overcooked in places even when trying lower mixes. I promise it won't happen again Chief Scientist