cheers JD, much appreciated.
i have found the ultimate twisted bassline tool:
the Machinedrum's EFM bassdrum. that thing is wild with extra twist on the side, in so many ways.
after resetting the MD to factory settings, i have rediscovered the joys of internal-synthesis-only, for track creation. basically the MD is handling drums and basslines, with the OT doing synths and some drum loop re-sequencing on the side.
something i noticed with the MD EQ section.
the gain is all the way up on every single kit.
possibly this is to make the signal hit the dynamix hard enough to get an appreciable response.
but i don't really understand the dynamix and that is the one thing on the MD i don't actually use.
so i went through and set all the starter kits to neutral gain of 0 in the Master Effects EQ section.
maybe it is my imagination but the device is sounding about twice as cool as before.
can't believe it took six years to figure this out.
while i was there, went through the kits Master EQ and gave a slight push to the lows, a slight attenuation back on the highs, as i often find that the audio signal coming from the MD somehow has a slightly extra helping of 'tops'.
and a bit of the PG PQ add into the mix for a slightly liquid rubbery sound to the mix of each kit.
after reducing the EQ gain down to zero neutral, when listening on the headphones, i seem to detect an ever-so-slight noise floor just barely there.
as everyone knows, Elektron gear is well-liked for its high gain output and the lack of noise in the mix.
well, i have reduced the loudness factor, and found liquid basslines twisting out from the EFM kit members and also other different drums.
requires a lot of 'practice' to make the sounds and tones work..
time i guess... well, i think more an ability to hear the potential of the sounds,
in relation to groove construction.
i used to worry about getting perfect tuning with the drum synthesizers being used as bass synths, but i read something that someone wrote on the forum here,
essentially saying that the tuning of drums is a very different thing compared to guitars or clarinets.
it isn't exact and it isn't meant to be.
it is meant to be an inexact science, and the combination of 'noise' element, in all its facets, timbres, and contexts, makes a strong case for reducing the overarching imperative that other instrument players have, that of getting the tuning right before starting a jam session or a recording.
it is actually the implied dissonance in the multi resonating centres of percussion that makes it more enjoyable for the listening.
audio listeners and audiences are actually pre-prepared to quite happily accept drum kits that although 'tuned' by their owner, are tuned to a much different and organic "out in the field" aesthetic.
so anyway, that made me feel great about using the Machinedrum as a twisted bassline tool with the Octatrack. the combination is quite mystifyingly awesome. kind of an exotic tribal experience as these two devices work it.
