I finally gave this a listen yesterday, and knowing that Actress is big on the Mono, I noticed the string sounds he used on a couple of songs, notably Serpent and Raven.
Serpent:
Raven:
At first I thought these might be samples, but now I’m not so certain.
Actress is just boss! I know that he at least used to use a Yamaha Motif, so it could be that the chords in there is from that. Check out this interview for some more gear spotting.
I think you’re right about the Motif. The strings in “Serpent” sound like it for sure. Bummer, as I’d love to get a couple string patches or experiment with different ways of making them. If anyone has tips, it’d be cool to brainstorm some patches.
I’ll have to check out more from Actress. I’m glad to see more people doing more experimental, non-dance electronic music like he and OPN getting more widespread attention.
+1
It would be amazing to learn how to make good strings on the MNM! Perhaps it’s time for me to read up on how synthesized strings are crafted…
This would be a cool MNM forum “lab” project Accent.
I thought about starting a Science Lab (and maybe still will), but wanted to stir some discussion first. I started working my way through this SOS article: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/May03/articles/synthsecrets49.asp
but then got sidetracked playing with the MNM :).
But I do have a cool string thing going taking a couple ideas from that article, using the V-0 synth, a neighbor reverb track, and tweaking the delay using some of the Karplus Strong synthesis ideas between the two tracks; I’m also playing around with using one filter as a low pass, one as a high based on some of the ideas from that SOS article.
Still lots of work to do, but I’ll try to at least get this track into some kind of demo form and post a clip and settings by the end of the weekend. Probably the most lush thing I’ve gotten from the MNM yet, makes me think of BOC mixed with The Cure.
There is a lot of magic in the FX, I’ve gotta say. I may pick up a used Mono with my tax return just to expand on how cool the FX and midi sequencing are.
Actually, as a Science Lab idea, I’d love to see some efforts to replicate the strings from Aphex Twin’s-“4”. It was the song that made me realize I wanted to make electronic music more than I wanted to just play guitar, and those strings always move me.
Maybe the A4 would be better for this, but I feel like I’ve gotten some glimpses just playing around with the Solina patch.
Thanks for that. Huge fan of actress, NEW is one of those emotional classics. Never would’ve guessed he uses outboard gear or even elektrons. It’s so processed sounding.
Thanks for posting that interview Daisuk. Being a big fan of Actress and a MD/MNM owner, it’s kinda motivating to see the md/mnm being centre in his setup:-)
Speaking of Actress, you should check out an EP he released last year under a different moniker, “Levantis”. The EP is called Believe and it’s really, really good. I’m not really digging the last Actress record, Ghettoville, but the Levantis record is fantastic. Check it out.
Oh, and yes! 4 is an amazing track. Probably one of my favorite Aphex Twin tracks. I always try to put that track on whenever I’m going somewhere exciting where I haven’t been before, gets me in the mood, hehehe.
I know that he at least used to use a Yamaha Motif, so it could be that the chords in there is from that. Check out this interview for some more gear spotting.
