Track Challenge: Sounds of Mars

The Lounge Mission Briefs
#54

It’s always really cool to see the Digitakt used outside of the expected use-case of a beats machine, (not that it shouldn’t be used as one :wink:). Great work!

2 Likes
#55

Thanks Dave! That’s how I’ve always used it tbh, it just works for me.
Really enjoyed your track too :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like
#56

Here’s my submission :slight_smile:

Didn’t turn out quite as ambient as I expected, but it was quite fun to make.

The unaltered sample is some of the quake on Mars, low rumbling the whole time. There’s a repetitive click and bass (pretty buried) that’s chopped up from the Mars rover. The synth sound is a SCW from the solar winds on Mars that I turned into a synth on the Deluge. Rest of the sounds come from my Nord Drum

[Creatively, I stole this progression from Bill & Miles]

6 Likes
#57

Status report: Octatrack Experiment 1.
Mission Parameter, use one sample from mars.
Confirmed.
Mission parameter, one sample must be unaltered. Use of one unaltered sample from mars meets both criteria. Confirmed.

Second phase. Resampling of additional samples from Mars. Modulated comb filters, panning across two tracks yeild pleasing ambience.

Maintaining theoretical behaviour of sound on Martian surface, keywords: cold, distant, dry.

Addition of further samples. Track count 5. Crossfader to open comb filter LPF on bass drones.

Conclusion. Results did not meet artistic standards. Session not recorded.
Further experiments required.

9 Likes
#58

Status report. Octatrack with Digitone experiment 1a.

Repeated previous steps on tracks 1 to 4 of octatrack.

Used different sample, unaltered. Mission parameters within tolerance. Confirmed.

Addition: 3 voices from digitone. No sequencer.
Infinite envelopes.

No reverbs no delay.
Congruent with keyword: Dry.

Recorded third attempt. Standby for upload.

5 Likes
#59

Mission Complete

I enjoyed this one. I was imagining the machine, totally isolated, so distant. No humans, no animals, no bugs literally nothing alive to watch it as it moves around, carrying out its operations. The vast empty martian surface, the dry cold thin atmosphere. I think the piece still sounds a bit warm, but I really liked the bass drones I was getting so let it be. Recorded live straight from the OT outputs into a Tascam DR05.

13 Likes
#60

My experiment:

Not really ambient, but I’m not good with ambient music, so I add some beat.
I used only the three samples:

I mangled them a little bit but the background pad are the original Rover Fluid Pump from Perseverance.

7 Likes
#61

Wonderful!

2 Likes
#62

Thanks for listening. Glad you liked it.

#63

Welcome to Mars… :sunglasses:
Awesome track!

1 Like
#64

I like the beat on this. :+1: The pads are kinda spooky. :ghost:
Martian ghosts maybe? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
#65

This track is excellent! Brings all the vibes :slight_smile:

I think that little bit of warmth is crucial for setting the mood. Although the Martians might not understand, it makes it palatable for us Earth dwellers

2 Likes
#66

Thanks!

#67

My attempt with Digitakt /8 tracks, 8 samples/ and guitar (mostly ebowed).

5 Likes
#68

What are the limits of “unaltered”?
Can be cut, faded in/out?
No pitch, no filtering, no eq, no fx?

1 Like
#69

My understanding was no cuts, no FX, no manipulations. So that’s what I did.
Quite challenging!

1 Like
#70

How many Samples are there to choose from? I find that you don’t have much choice unless I missed some.

#71

Links are provided in the OP

1 Like
#72

I don’t want to listen yet! :content:
Can the unaltered sample be looped?

#73

Yes, I think so, I looped the Rover Fluid Pump sample as a sort of drone.

2 Likes