A few notes on softsynths I've been digging up:
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A few notes on softsynths I've been digging up:
A while ago, as a result of a prolonged customer service saga with Arturia, they gave me a free license for the MiniFreak V softsynth. I finally installed it on my ten-year-old MacBook Pro. It runs, but not well and it takes the CPU to 75% or more. Maybe not a great choice to work with.
Spouse reminded me of LMMS (https://lmms.io ) the open-source DAW. Last time around, I didn't vibe with it because it was so relentlessly focused on VSTs and I wanted to work with hardware instruments and microphones. But since I plan to go all-softsynth next FAWM, and also the app has presumably developed a bit in five years, time to give it another shot.
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Spouse reminded me of LMMS (https://lmms.io ) the open-source DAW. Last time around, I didn't vibe with it because it was so relentlessly focused on VSTs and I wanted to work with hardware instruments and microphones. But since I plan to go all-softsynth next FAWM, and also the app has presumably developed a bit in five years, time to give it another shot.
Aaaand I remember why I don't vibe with LMMS. One look at that screen with the tiny icons, tiny panels and minuscule fonts all clustered into a corner and I'd rather do anything else than learn to use that.
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Aaaand I remember why I don't vibe with LMMS. One look at that screen with the tiny icons, tiny panels and minuscule fonts all clustered into a corner and I'd rather do anything else than learn to use that.
Back to Garageband and focusing on just doing drum tracks and learning basic tings like how to save stuff on the Beatstep and how to make sequences longer. No point in trying to run before I can walk.
Trying to set up a structure that can serve as a fake song mode for my first project as well. -
Back to Garageband and focusing on just doing drum tracks and learning basic tings like how to save stuff on the Beatstep and how to make sequences longer. No point in trying to run before I can walk.
Trying to set up a structure that can serve as a fake song mode for my first project as well.So now that I'm a bit sick and it doesn't really matter what I do, I've decided to mess around a bit and hook the MicroFreak up. Sadly, the fact that GarageBand listens to all MIDI channels means I can't put in a bass part without triggering the software drum machine, but adding higher-pitched pads works.
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So now that I'm a bit sick and it doesn't really matter what I do, I've decided to mess around a bit and hook the MicroFreak up. Sadly, the fact that GarageBand listens to all MIDI channels means I can't put in a bass part without triggering the software drum machine, but adding higher-pitched pads works.
So I'll either have to learn a different DAW that behaves more like a DAW should (GarageBand is great for many things but its limited MIDI capability is a big limitation) OR drag out the hardware synths and go DAWless for my first project. But I sold the drum machine I had that would be the easiest to work with this setup (the DrumBrute).
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So I'll either have to learn a different DAW that behaves more like a DAW should (GarageBand is great for many things but its limited MIDI capability is a big limitation) OR drag out the hardware synths and go DAWless for my first project. But I sold the drum machine I had that would be the easiest to work with this setup (the DrumBrute).
To recap the story of the DrumBrute: when I got it, it was a joy to program and make grooves with, but the sounds from the machine itself didn't spark joy. The sound of the machine was a common topic that people complained about so I accepted that it was a bad-sounding drum machine. When I needed cash in 2024, I sold it. The buyer got back to me, saying the unit had a broken noise chip and was part of a batch that had this problem.
First I'd heard about it. -
To recap the story of the DrumBrute: when I got it, it was a joy to program and make grooves with, but the sounds from the machine itself didn't spark joy. The sound of the machine was a common topic that people complained about so I accepted that it was a bad-sounding drum machine. When I needed cash in 2024, I sold it. The buyer got back to me, saying the unit had a broken noise chip and was part of a batch that had this problem.
First I'd heard about it.I had the buyer send it back to me and took responsibility for getting it fixed. That meant sending it back to Arturia in France, and then sending it back again when the repair broke something else.
When it was finally fixed, it sounded pretty good and I sort of regretted selling it.
I do wonder how many of the units that landed in the hands of synth YouTubers were broken in the same way. -
I had the buyer send it back to me and took responsibility for getting it fixed. That meant sending it back to Arturia in France, and then sending it back again when the repair broke something else.
When it was finally fixed, it sounded pretty good and I sort of regretted selling it.
I do wonder how many of the units that landed in the hands of synth YouTubers were broken in the same way.Anyway, I thought I remembered it having eight holes in the back that were gate inputs but of course they weren't. I'm looking at photos of its ass now and those holes were individual drum outputs.
Anyway, I've only got one drum machine left and it's the Volca Drum, which probably won't be a lot of fun to control from the BeatStep Pro. So… time to learn Reaper, I guess.
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Anyway, I thought I remembered it having eight holes in the back that were gate inputs but of course they weren't. I'm looking at photos of its ass now and those holes were individual drum outputs.
Anyway, I've only got one drum machine left and it's the Volca Drum, which probably won't be a lot of fun to control from the BeatStep Pro. So… time to learn Reaper, I guess.
So… do I chose the 3 1/2 hour tutorial or the 13-minute basic one that is read by an AI voice? Choices, choices.
(The answer is neither, I found one that is the first in a series of shorter tutorials).
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J jwcph@helvede.net shared this topic
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So… do I chose the 3 1/2 hour tutorial or the 13-minute basic one that is read by an AI voice? Choices, choices.
(The answer is neither, I found one that is the first in a series of shorter tutorials).
So this from Adam Steel got me started pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwDcTPn2dvc
Though I do run into some problems. This six-year-old series references an older version of Reaper and is for Windows rather than Mac. Normally, this wouldn't be a big issue but:
1. It's actually pretty different between versions and OSes, and
2. I can't see shit! I haven't figured out any way to set a minimum font size or how to get out of low-contrast dark mode. -
So this from Adam Steel got me started pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwDcTPn2dvc
Though I do run into some problems. This six-year-old series references an older version of Reaper and is for Windows rather than Mac. Normally, this wouldn't be a big issue but:
1. It's actually pretty different between versions and OSes, and
2. I can't see shit! I haven't figured out any way to set a minimum font size or how to get out of low-contrast dark mode.It's not as bad as LMMS in this area, but still pretty bad. So if for example something isn't outputting audio when it was working fine before, I have to pretty much guess at the cause and click areas of the screen that might be the button I need. It's frustrating.
But hey, multiple MIDI channels and MIDI controls! When I do get comfortable with it, I can use the Beatstep Pro to its full potential without mucking around with hardware synths too much.
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It's not as bad as LMMS in this area, but still pretty bad. So if for example something isn't outputting audio when it was working fine before, I have to pretty much guess at the cause and click areas of the screen that might be the button I need. It's frustrating.
But hey, multiple MIDI channels and MIDI controls! When I do get comfortable with it, I can use the Beatstep Pro to its full potential without mucking around with hardware synths too much.
Though it has to be said, once again the trusty old MicroFreak is a winner here. So easy to add into this setup. For a small and cheap synthesizer, this thing just keeps giving.
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Though it has to be said, once again the trusty old MicroFreak is a winner here. So easy to add into this setup. For a small and cheap synthesizer, this thing just keeps giving.
@reinderdijkhuis I'm not very experienced with this stuff but I've been using Reaper for a few months, after Garageband & then Ardour, and I gotta say, it's pretty dang user-friendly
I recommend you check out Kenny Gioia's videos, they're hands down the best, super-easy to follow, extremely comprehensive 
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Though it has to be said, once again the trusty old MicroFreak is a winner here. So easy to add into this setup. For a small and cheap synthesizer, this thing just keeps giving.
The hardware end of my next synth setup is starting to take shape: I dug out Spouse's #MicroBrute in the hope of making usable bass sounds with it, and on the suggestion of a kind user here, dug out the Alesis SR-16 along with the Zoom R16. Testing them individually before digging out the MIDI hub (Icon, barely ever used before) and adding the BeatStep Pro to the session, which is currently still hooked to the desktop computer.
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The hardware end of my next synth setup is starting to take shape: I dug out Spouse's #MicroBrute in the hope of making usable bass sounds with it, and on the suggestion of a kind user here, dug out the Alesis SR-16 along with the Zoom R16. Testing them individually before digging out the MIDI hub (Icon, barely ever used before) and adding the BeatStep Pro to the session, which is currently still hooked to the desktop computer.
The SR-16 was as I left it, with one output channel broken. That was the reason I didn't initially consider it for this project, but y'know, that still leaves three channels: one for the kick drum and two (left/right) for everything else.
The MicroBrute was all gunged up so I'll have to wash the knobs before doing any more work. No one wants a sticky knob. -
The SR-16 was as I left it, with one output channel broken. That was the reason I didn't initially consider it for this project, but y'know, that still leaves three channels: one for the kick drum and two (left/right) for everything else.
The MicroBrute was all gunged up so I'll have to wash the knobs before doing any more work. No one wants a sticky knob.Dunno why that happened, it was in a bag all the time.
The MicroBrute was also bought second hand and has some bits not working, including the highest key on the keyboard. And the built-in sequencer doesn't appear to work (or we're doing something wrong) but since I'm going to bypass that entirely, it doesn't matter.
The MIDI hub is the one I bought years ago to solve a problem with a previous setup; it took a while to arrive and I ended up not using it for that purpose.
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Dunno why that happened, it was in a bag all the time.
The MicroBrute was also bought second hand and has some bits not working, including the highest key on the keyboard. And the built-in sequencer doesn't appear to work (or we're doing something wrong) but since I'm going to bypass that entirely, it doesn't matter.
The MIDI hub is the one I bought years ago to solve a problem with a previous setup; it took a while to arrive and I ended up not using it for that purpose.
So it would be nice if that finally became useful.
It's been a while since I've used the Zoom R16 as anything other than an interface, but it works well on its own. It's in good shape, and I know what to do with it.
That leaves me with what to choose as the third synth, for pads and arps. My first choice is the MicroFreak, but I have MicroKorg sitting around that I've barely used and I"m tempted to give that a try.
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So it would be nice if that finally became useful.
It's been a while since I've used the Zoom R16 as anything other than an interface, but it works well on its own. It's in good shape, and I know what to do with it.
That leaves me with what to choose as the third synth, for pads and arps. My first choice is the MicroFreak, but I have MicroKorg sitting around that I've barely used and I"m tempted to give that a try.
On the software end, it's gonna be Reaper and I should be ready to use it with the same ease as I use GarageBand now by February. The timeline is basically: October: test the setup and make decisions; November, December: Learn to use Reaper and the BeatStep Pro with this setup; January; record some instrumental DAWless jams: February: FAWM, electronic edition.
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On the software end, it's gonna be Reaper and I should be ready to use it with the same ease as I use GarageBand now by February. The timeline is basically: October: test the setup and make decisions; November, December: Learn to use Reaper and the BeatStep Pro with this setup; January; record some instrumental DAWless jams: February: FAWM, electronic edition.
So far the only money I've spent is on a license for Reaper. It'd be nice if that was it and everything else is covered by equipment Spouse and I already own.
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So far the only money I've spent is on a license for Reaper. It'd be nice if that was it and everything else is covered by equipment Spouse and I already own.
People don't like watching videos to help solve a problem they're having right now (too slow, too unpredictable) but this five-minute video on YouTube told me exactly the things I needed to know to make the Beatstep Pro and the SR16 talk to one another, even though the note chart is a little off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeYGHKVICKY
Basically, the notes on the drum section of the BeatStep Pro aren't organized like on the two other sequencer sections.
