Josh Abrahams/no s*mplrs

[Rob]

----- Original Message -----
From: Andy Main <mainas at aston.ac.uk>
To: Synth DIY <synth-diy at mailhost.bpa.nl>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 1999 4:40 AM
Subject: Re: Josh Abrahams


> > I found it so odd, in this computer-damned world of ours, that a
> > extremely successful techno artist is using original analogue
> > keyboards(as opposed to modelling synths ie. electribe).
>
> I don't find this odd at all, the fact that many techno artists use
analogue
> synths is the reason why modelling synths (such as my very nice Yamaha
AN1x)
> were made.
>
> Please don't be another snob and say all techno artists do everything with
> samples - we don't.
>
> Andy
>

Not initially we dont! :) BTW, I know many ppl that use ONLY a sampler that
do techno. So, saying that many techno artists use samples is sometimes
close to the truth.. At least that is to say that there are a lot of what
one might call poseurs in the techno scene who spend more money on a sample
library than on their entire rig.
Most of that sort of sample techno sounds like crap anyway and many of us
can tell.
Just listen to all the midi lag when the beat gets over 130 bpm because they
are using ONE sampler and 14 out of 16 voices of polyphony! ;) Sounds like
crap... I know with the Emu Orbit and even some decent samplers you can get
8-15ms of lag. Choke up the midi pipe with controllers, and youre in BIG
trouble.
Most of the ppl just starting out cant hear 20ms of lag, so it sounds good
to them.
Unfortunately, I have tested myself and found that I can notice down to
about 5ms. The blessing/curse of playing electronic drum triggers for a few
years. ;)) Those sounded good for the first year, then I began to hear the
lag in those too, and after a couple of years stopped playing them because
it annoyed me.
10ms of lag is not really a prob at 120bpm industrial, but at 130-150bpm
techno, forget it.

I used to believe in the 'ONE SAMPLER" theory, but all the midi timing
problems i had to fix (esp with lots of controllers) got on my nerves.

Now, I actually bring the gear just so I dont have to worry about the timing
issues. Analog included. Most CV converters have NO timing issues.. I guess
its cuz the micro isnt off processing lookup tables to play rom samples.

Rob




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