Science Lab Challenge, December 2017 : SPS-1

Elektronauts Science Lab
#1

Create a track exploiting just one of GND machines as a sound source: SN, NS or IM

Rules and Restrictions

  • This Science Lab Challenge is open to anyone with a Machinedrum SPS-1
  • Each scientist may submit one track that uses each of the GND machines (3 tracks in total)
  • The tracks will use just 1 kit (e.g. 16 GND-NS machines) and a maximum of 64 steps (1 pattern on mk2, 2 patterns on mk1)
  • All the CTR machines and Master effects are allowed to be used
  • Strictly no UW functionality is allowed (there will potentially be sampling and resampling focussed challenges in future Labs)
  • The track length should be roughly 2 minutes
  • Song mode or pattern jam is allowed
  • All audio must come from the Machinedrum SPS-1 exclusively (you can route the outputs into an INP machine)
  • No post-production is allowed. The track must be recorded live and direct
  • No plug-ins, editing, external midi cc or other means of affecting the audio is allowed
  • Except for normalizing no mastering of the audio is allowed

Submitting your track

  • Post the audio to your Soundcloud (ask a participating elektronaut to share on their account if you don’t have one)
  • Make it clear in the track title the Lab Challenge and which particular GND machine the audio is using
  • Share a link in this thread and it will be added to the Science Lab Challenge, December 2017 : SPS-1 submissions playlist, included in this post below

Winners

  • Science
  • Ears

Timeline

  • Infinity

9 Likes
The Machinedrum is my Anti-GAS
Would there be interest in some MD science lab?
#2

Good stuff, (moss)man!

#4

ta, knocked up in a hasty couple of hours to get the ball rolling, forgot to use the CTR-AL machine i had inserted when recording…

#5

Happens to the best of us

1 Like
#6

this science lab seems about as popular as a Charles Cohen debate

1 Like
#7

I’d suggest sampling the default settings of the Machines and offering them as samples to users of:

DT
OT
AR
And- potentially the MnM

So that it’s open to more people?

4 Likes
#8

I’m in.

1 Like
#9

It’s a nice notion but they’re all different beasts and would be more interesting utilising, say, the rytm noise gen rather than a sample.

Feel free to get another science lab going tho, hence me labelling this one sps1

3 Likes
#10

Hi Nauts I’m on the Science Lab too…. good luck to everybody

3 Likes
#11

im in,and im on…but to be honest…Damn @waftlord your tracks are really killing it!! IMHO
i listen to my experiments,and i listen to yours,and im ashamed not to post…but even to listen to mine again… :smiley:
i think they are really good!
and mines should get better…much better…
but i have time still,and wont give up until i come up with something…

1 Like
#12

hey @cyanescens thanks a lot, but if it wasn’t for yourself pushing for a science lab resurrection and @elektrobot7 suggesting using only GNDs i would never have approached using my MD like this.

in doing so i’ve learnt loads of different approaches and really enhanced my use of song mode.
(couldn’t use any CTR-AL machines when recording those as they kept resetting during step changes within the song, i’ve now realised that’s cos it was muted and can now get completely wild during song recording. Also i have mk1 and only used 32 steps for those tracks, if i duplicated the pattern and p locked the other 32 steps in a different manner i could of had an alternative palette of sound to cut to within the song, all ace stuff i’ve learnt in retrospect from taking part in this)

it’s such a FIRE machine and exploration through these science labs really takes you out of your usual comfort zones to discover new things.

already thinking about potential future lab ideas… “Cowbell :cb: Frenzy” is a working title…

3 Likes
#13

Hm. This makes me want to get my hands on a MD again. Second-hand prices are still a bit silly though; anyone selling a non-UW or MkI model for cheap?

1 Like
#14

(In France, I see some mk2 UW+ for 700€ !! Insane price…)

1 Like
#15

I will soon be on it too! SN is one of my favorite machines - I hardly have any kit without at least one. Intrigued by the possibilities of using only SN machines :slight_smile:️

1 Like
#16

Those are great prices. However, based on that you’d expect a non-UW, non-+Drive mkI to go for something like €350-€450.

#17

I’m having fun with the sine machine lab so far. So many ways to change the waveshape with the md. Using individual outs and bringing it back through the inputs permits shaping with the filter after altering the sine into a more harmonic rich waveform has taught me some nice tricks. Still working towards a track.

5 Likes
#18

Hadn’t considered routing the waveforms out then back in. Things could definitely get quite rich or squeaky thin.
Excited to hear!

#19

I stayed close to following all the rules. Three 1-bar patterns, but I used more than one kit. The additional kits use all the same machines on the same tracks. I just didn’t feel like setting up the parameter changes in a copy-paste-function+classic round robin.

6 Likes
#20

@StinkyBeat this beat stinks, in a good way.

4 Likes
#21

@waftlord could remember today…your GND SN track reminds me at D’incise ‎– Cendre Et Poudre
Great stuff IMHO.
And the GND IM reminds me at music under a Norman Mclaren film(but cant remember witch)when ilisten to your IM track now i see dots appear: )