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MC-505 Spam
 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-08 07:55 [#02439036]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular



A short "live" recording from the Roland MC-505 super toy.

Ambientdnb


 

offline staz on 2012-08-08 07:58 [#02439037]
Points: 9844 Status: Regular



doesnt sound like dnb but it has a pleasant cozyness to it


 

offline staz on 2012-08-08 08:00 [#02439038]
Points: 9844 Status: Regular



final conclusion: good job! i like it.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-08 08:10 [#02439039]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular



Thank you very much, master staz. I appreciate your
comments. I'm usually wrapped in a blanket with the 505 sat
on my lap. Cozy indeed!


 

offline obara from Utrecht on 2012-08-08 09:34 [#02439040]
Points: 19368 Status: Lurker



fav+


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-08 14:45 [#02439051]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular



cheers ob1


 

offline jnasato from 777gogogo (Japan) on 2012-08-08 14:49 [#02439052]
Points: 3393 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



Nice- the MC-505 sounds brings back memories. My 1st drum
machine sequencer ting. Good times. Fun machine.

Chair+MC-505+Lap=Good Times.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 08:58 [#02439120]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to jnasato: #02439052



I love it so much. Sometimes we just lie there, holding one
another. It's a little inappropriate really. My girlfriend
says she feels neglected and that I love the machine more
than I do her.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-09 09:56 [#02439125]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



Great work, I would never have guessed it was all done on an
MC-505. There is something about just sitting in a chair
with an all-in-one groovebox on your lap, isn't there? My
weapon of choice is an ESX-1.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 10:17 [#02439128]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #02439125



Yep, recorded straight into a Tascam Dr 40. Normalised in
Wavosaur and exported as MP3.

I tried to layer it a bit in Acid Pro with some other loops
(like filtered drum sounds at the break down to create a
build up for the second drop) but it didn't sound as good,
so I left it as is. The high frequencies became less clear
after importing it into acid.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 10:22 [#02439129]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular



The ESX-1 looks like a lot of fun. Our friend Larn recently
purchased one for himself.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-09 11:53 [#02439137]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Portnoy: #02439129 | Show recordbag



They reissued it recently with SD card (original ones used
some god-awful type of memory card that was a swine to track
down). Great machines, get Larn check out the (unofficial)
sample manager software for loading a memory card with
samples, much easier than the built-in way. I will repost if
I can find/remember the name of the software.


 

offline jnasato from 777gogogo (Japan) on 2012-08-09 12:15 [#02439139]
Points: 3393 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



Wha? An updated version has SD card slot and can load
samples?!

I just remembered, here's an MC-505 track of mine from
2001:
Vgs

That track is pretty straight forward, but I had a lot of
tracks that really pushed the limits of the machine (it
would crash, etc.), which I wish I recorded. I have some
earlier tracks recorded to cassette, though.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 13:20 [#02439142]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #02439137



I checked out the ESX-1 SD. Unfortunately Larn got himself
the old one with Smart Media.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 13:21 [#02439143]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to Portnoy: #02439142



The 505 is also burdened with a Smart Media slot.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-09 13:22 [#02439144]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to jnasato: #02439139



Awesome track man. Love it. Very uplifting.

Haven't really pushed the machine that much yet. This song
is quite simple really.

Did your screen eventually die on you?


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-09 18:13 [#02439154]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Portnoy: #02439142 | Show recordbag



My own one is smart media. Fortunately, I tracked down 2 of
the largest cards it'd take for a good price (still way more
than equivalent SD card) just after I got it. Then 6 months
later, I found another 2 in the drawer (4 in total) and I
had no idea where these other ones came from, but basically,
I have more than enough, even if I lose/break a couple.
Particularly as you can use the software to back up the
files with all your patterns and samples onto a PC, so you
essentially have limitless storage.

I considered buying an SD one, just to have a spare machine
as I'd be gutted if mine broke and they were discontinued.
Also, I could keep one in the lounge and another in my
studio. I mainly use it standalone in the lounge, but in the
studio it's good for use as a hands-on X0X-style drum
programmer for Reason. Set it up so you are controlling Kong
with it and it's brilliant for 'Live' tracks where you are
adding/muting parts in real time.

jnasato: We're talking about an SD card ESX-1. SD-enabled
MC-505 you could load samples into would be sweet!


 

offline jnasato from 777gogogo (Japan) on 2012-08-09 18:17 [#02439156]
Points: 3393 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



Thanks, yo. My screen was perfect luckily.

I pushed the machine by having really long loops, so I could
vary the drums more. I also saved my drum and synth
presets. All tracks maxed. At the time, I remember wishing
there were more tracks, aaand then later I realized it
needed a better EQ. I used to use it with an SP-202 and
sonic maximizer. I still have a book with notes on when the
parts turn on and off and tweaks written on napkin in
colored pencil, which have since faded. Haha, I always
thought I'd release those tracks on rephlex or something,
cuz I was really into them at the time. I'm looking forward
to listening to my old tracks again, cuz I haven't heard
most in over 10 years. Nostalgia goldmine!


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-10 02:06 [#02439179]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #02439154



Ideally, syncing the 505 and the ESX-1 together could create
fun results. Synth and sampler love. I'm recording some fun
stuff on the Tascam, thinking it would be cool to mangled
and sequence it in something like the ESX-1

jnsato: The built in EQ is indeed not very amazing. But not
shit either. As with all the effects. I like the delay, does
most I can think of to do with delay. Sometimes when my
patterns are very long and I start using the step sequencer,
things get a little wonky.

The patch editor also requires a calm conidition of the
machine otherwise values start jumping around. I find ways
around this. And for some reason, I find it is better to use
tones 3 and 4, rather 1 or 2. Haven't gone as far as
combinig 3 or more. Yet.


 

offline Portnoy on 2012-08-10 03:17 [#02439180]
Points: 1491 Status: Regular | Followup to Portnoy: #02439179



*when using tones 1 or 2 and I move the sliders and nobs to
change values....the slightest touch would make it go to
maximum value or something. Sometimes it just gets stuck on
a value. Lukily it only happens on occassion. Kind of
annoying when you haven't saved in a while. When modifying
tones 3 or 4 however, this doesn't seem to happen. I think
it is a combination of events that lead to this instance.
Not quite sure what it is. She's a fickle bitch for sure but
I love her.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-11 21:40 [#02439260]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to Ceri JC: #02439137 | Show recordbag



Found the ESX organiser I was talking about. Well worth using.


 

offline larn from PLANET E (United Kingdom) on 2012-08-11 22:33 [#02439266]
Points: 5473 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



Man, i've hardly had time to work on my Esx, just don't have
the space or time :(((


 

offline larn from PLANET E (United Kingdom) on 2012-08-11 22:41 [#02439268]
Points: 5473 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



...although, I have worked out something really nice on the
esx-1, there is a way to jam with some looped samples making
it sound glitchy, then automatically snap the values back to
0 or false on every 2nd or 4th bar, so you don't loose your
original settings

it's a nice machine, i just feel that it's better to make
some 8bar loops on a computer, then load them up and jam
it.



 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-12 21:03 [#02439311]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to larn: #02439268 | Show recordbag



I must respectfully disagree, for me it's so much more than
just a way of playing back pre-made loops (although it can
do that too). :)

Do you find using it to layer lots of loops that way that
you run out of sample memory? One of reason I kept loops to
a minimum when I was learning it was to allow for lots more
(short) samples.

I mainly tend to only use a handful of loops (often drum
breaks loaded into the slice, for early DnB styles). Most
sounds on mine are single hits (for the drums), simple
single instrument notes and raw waveforms (for the pitched
parts) and samples of chord hits (played as single hits on
the drum parts).

Have you got any videos or mp3s of tracks done on your ESX?


 

offline larn from PLANET E (United Kingdom) on 2012-08-13 01:02 [#02439323]
Points: 5473 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



I've honestly not used it that much so I'm sure I can do a
lot more when I get the time to explore it.so far I've only
used it to play my own loops taken from tracks I made a
while ago, so I sort of play one loop after another and then
try to mangle them, I haven't recorded anything yet and I've
not had issues with memory , but I can see how that would
become a problem. I was looking for adapter that could be
used with an SD card, I think there is a patent on this but
the company has not produced it yet.

Maybe you can help me with a few tips For sequencing and
slicing etc,


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2012-08-13 19:56 [#02439345]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag



If you're mangling existing loops that way, I would suggest

looking at this part of this video

From the part I linked to up till 5.26 should be what you're

after.

It shows two good tricks;
One is to switch samples on a part (so make 2 or 3
variations on a loop on your PC, load as samples next to
each other on the ESX and then use the jog wheel to cut
between them during playback.

The second I only learnt recently (from that video), which
allows you to change the slice being played back mid
playback. By resampling this, you can overcome the ESX's
lack of slice selection in sliced sample playback.
Essentially, it becomes a poor man's Recycle/Dr.Rex and lets

you cut up breakbeats etc. on the ESX, rather than having to

do it on the PC.

Another good trick I found for mangling, is to choose 3 fx
units that work well together, but audibly alter the sound
on their own. Then send sounds to be mangled to FX-1. In the

fx section, manually tap the button controlling the FX chain

in time to the beat. You will change the FX routing in real

time, whilst it's playing back.

RE: Memory, I think rather than an adaptor, it'd be cheaper

(and possibly more reliable) to get a couple of the old
smart media cards that it takes and just use them as a way
to get .esx files off the PC.


 


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