Hardware Production Question

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

Say you were working on a dance track pre computer era on hardware and a synth sound at say 6 points in the track had the filter cut off going down and then up again (back to where it was originally), when recording that track, would an artist have to manually do that cut off effect at each of those 6 moments themselves?

Thanks

[crimsonwarlock]

That depends on if you have a sequencer running for the track (hardware or software) and if the synthesizer in question can be controlled by that sequencer (with either MIDI or CV).

[Creativemind]

That depends on if you have a sequencer running for the track (hardware or software) and if the synthesizer in question can be controlled by that sequencer (with either MIDI or CV).

Ahh good point. So say back in 1990, could the filter cut off be controlled in say Octamed on an Amiga computer?

[selig]

That depends on if you have a sequencer running for the track (hardware or software) and if the synthesizer in question can be controlled by that sequencer (with either MIDI or CV).

Ahh good point. So say back in 1990, could the filter cut off be controlled in say Octamed on an Amiga computer?

Sure! I had a modified Mini Moog with MIDI added (by Moog, of course) around that time and used it for such things because it was controllable from the sequencer (and has an external input).

[Creativemind]

Ahh good point. So say back in 1990, could the filter cut off be controlled in say Octamed on an Amiga computer?

Sure! I had a modified Mini Moog with MIDI added (by Moog, of course) around that time and used it for such things because it was controllable from the sequencer (and has an external input).

Fantastic Giles.

[crimsonwarlock]

Ahh good point. So say back in 1990, could the filter cut off be controlled in say Octamed on an Amiga computer?

Just checked, and indeed OctaMed had MIDI support, but I don't know if that went any further than sequencing notes (I never had an Amiga). Around that time (I think) I was running Cubase on an Atari, which was much more capable than Octamed. Octamed was primarily a tracker, while Cubase was a full-blown MIDI sequencer.

[Creativemind]

Ahh good point. So say back in 1990, could the filter cut off be controlled in say Octamed on an Amiga computer?

Just checked, and indeed OctaMed had MIDI support, but I don't know if that went any further than sequencing notes (I never had an Amiga). Around that time (I think) I was running Cubase on an Atari, which was much more capable than Octamed. Octamed was primarily a tracker, while Cubase was a full-blown MIDI sequencer.

I really meant, was any software back then capable to which I've learned, it was.

[selig]

Just checked, and indeed OctaMed had MIDI support, but I don't know if that went any further than sequencing notes (I never had an Amiga). Around that time (I think) I was running Cubase on an Atari, which was much more capable than Octamed. Octamed was primarily a tracker, while Cubase was a full-blown MIDI sequencer.

I really meant, was any software back then capable to which I've learned, it was.

The first MIDI sequencer I worked with was in 1986 (I released the first all MIDI all digital album to my knowledge), and had features I’d LOVE Reason to have today. Features such as track looping (any length/number of loops), MIDI data list (all sequencer used to have this), and with an update they added cool selection tools such as select every “x” of “y” (simple use, select ever other note or every 3rd note and then change velocity to create accents, or select all down beats and quantize them more than the upbeats, etc).
I also did a lot of parameter control (via MIDI CC) of the synths and especially my two PCM-70s, using them to freeze sounds to create “pads”, loading one in the background while the other played, etc).
In fact I probably used more MIDI control on those early albums than anything later!

[DaveyG]

MIDI data list (all sequencer used to have this),

I also miss the MIDI event list sometimes. Cakewalk had an excellent one. You could thin out controller data and figure out why something wasn't quite doing what you expected, particularly useful if you open a MIDI file generated by something/someone else.

It's still useful today but more with hardware synths that don't always send exactly what the manual says.

[robussc]

My college programming project in the mid-80s was to create a MIDI sequencer on the Atari ST. I even managed to get the dept to buy a CZ-101 as a test device. It was massively over ambitious but also a ton of fun to work on. I think I managed to get it to record and playback a few notes by the end of it. Wish I knew then how to best approach it.

MIDI was an absolute game changer and such a clever implementation.

[motuscott]

We have some seasoned synth warriors here.
Respect

[miyaru]

I still own, and use it sometimes; a Yamaha RM1x sequencer/remixer.

A hardware sequencer with solid performance and list edit indeed!

A love that machine, and although not as handy as software, still usefull.

When PC’s break down, this beauty runs, from ‘96 till now!!!!

[miyaru]

I still own, and use it sometimes; a Yamaha RM1x sequencer/remixer.

A hardware sequencer with solid performance and list edit indeed!

A love that machine, and although not as handy as software, still usefull.

When PC’s break down, this beauty runs, from ‘96 till now!!!!