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My new live setup for synths is a pretty ambitious one and combines several piece of old and new gear and technologies playing in concert to create a symphonic/synth/chiptune rig for live use. I thought it might be helpful to show how I am using this setup for those that might be trying to do something similar. Getting everything to be in sync is probably the #1 challenge when combining different ecosystems like this together without the use of a central laptop/tablet/computer.
This will be done over the course of a few parts and will explain, in detail, what each part of the system does.
DESIGN GOAL. The design goal for the Soundtrack Machine was to assemble a set of hardware systems that will allow one to merge various types of synthesis together: sample and percussion playback; ambient/generative sounds; subtractive, additive, and vector synthesis; orchestral/symphonic sounds; chiptune sounds. It needs to have a master clock feeding several sequencers simultaneously to allow multiple polyphonic and monophonic sequencers. And finally, it needs to be able to interface with external effects, have stereo capability, and have minimal connections to the sub mixer and Front of House.
IMPLEMENTATION. This was done by designating a sequencer as the master clock and converting its clock output to analog for the modular gear. The clock and then synchronize several other sequencers. As it stands now, the Soundtrack Machine can handle 64 voices via MIDI and another 8 voices via CV (control voltage).
THE SOUNDTRACK MACHINE PART 1: MASTER MIDI SEQUENCER AND CLOCK
For the master sequencer and clock I ended up going with the Roland MC-500 from the mid 80s. Although not 'micro' by today's standards, as a stand alone sequencer it's exactly what I need. It works just like a multi track tape recorder, except for MIDI. It also sends and receives a bevvy of MIDI commands and (most importantly for me) MIDI clock. While it can only store MIDI data on four 'tracks', you can merge any amount of MIDI information onto them and bounce down just like you would on a multi track tape. Best of all, it retains the original MIDI track that you recorded on; why this is handy will be explained in the next part.
This will be done over the course of a few parts and will explain, in detail, what each part of the system does.
DESIGN GOAL. The design goal for the Soundtrack Machine was to assemble a set of hardware systems that will allow one to merge various types of synthesis together: sample and percussion playback; ambient/generative sounds; subtractive, additive, and vector synthesis; orchestral/symphonic sounds; chiptune sounds. It needs to have a master clock feeding several sequencers simultaneously to allow multiple polyphonic and monophonic sequencers. And finally, it needs to be able to interface with external effects, have stereo capability, and have minimal connections to the sub mixer and Front of House.
IMPLEMENTATION. This was done by designating a sequencer as the master clock and converting its clock output to analog for the modular gear. The clock and then synchronize several other sequencers. As it stands now, the Soundtrack Machine can handle 64 voices via MIDI and another 8 voices via CV (control voltage).
THE SOUNDTRACK MACHINE PART 1: MASTER MIDI SEQUENCER AND CLOCK
For the master sequencer and clock I ended up going with the Roland MC-500 from the mid 80s. Although not 'micro' by today's standards, as a stand alone sequencer it's exactly what I need. It works just like a multi track tape recorder, except for MIDI. It also sends and receives a bevvy of MIDI commands and (most importantly for me) MIDI clock. While it can only store MIDI data on four 'tracks', you can merge any amount of MIDI information onto them and bounce down just like you would on a multi track tape. Best of all, it retains the original MIDI track that you recorded on; why this is handy will be explained in the next part.
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