January 12, 2024
Trust That Better Days Are Coming
One of my earlier projects I released three years ago today. Here are a few words in relation to that project.
I was born years after the release of the classic Roland D-50 from 1987. It is one of the synthesizers I feel very attached to ever since I bought one. For this project I used an original D-50 from 1987 and a D-05 from 2017. With this I combine the advantages of the modern reissue that has a lot more memory storage (very expensive back in the day) + the additional sequencer and arpeggiator that did not come with the original unit as well as having the feel, control and expression of the classic unit. My D-50 dates from June, 1987. It sounds a little more noisy, gritty, with a little hiss and comes with the funny PCM transition imperfections (although only synthesizer sound generator / structure 1 sounds are generated from the D-50 in this piece). The D-05 comes with Roland’s Digital Circuit Behavior (DCB) technology and I think it sounds exceptionally beautiful. The music is a combination of various sequences from the D-05, randomly generated by the device itself and assisted by a soundscape that is played throughout the whole song by me (all in the key of Bb major). The sequence patterns are set in the lowest tempo (40) possible and the note value of one step is a quarter note. The order is set to RND (random) and around seven of the sixty four steps are filled with notes. This makes it around a change of 5 percent per step for a sound to be triggered. The various sequence patterns include sounds that I thought made a good combination altogether. Some adjusted, some in its original form. Particularly noticeable for many might be ‘Spacious Sweep’ which came with the original presets of the Roland D-50. Sounds are launched into the stereo-field through random automation. I enjoy the randomization that computers and synthesizers can give you. Although prepared, there is no human decision involved as of when the sounds come together. I find something magical in that. To record the sequences, it took about 3 hours in total and I wasn’t in the room when it was recording. I decided to have a microphone placed in the room to capture the audio coming out of the speakers as well and some of that is mixed (in reverse) at given points throughout the piece. The soundscape is an adjusted sound from the two upper tones of the famous preset (11) ‘Fantasia’ (I therefore called the patch ‘Fantasia Only U’. Changes are made particularly in the TVA menu plus an external reverb with a very long tail is added. Lots of seventh chords are used for the soundscape and I tried to let it evolve steadily, but not in a rush. The atmosphere of the music itself is somewhat different from what I usually produce in terms of sound (although I can recognize my playing in the soundscape of the song very much). I enjoy some of the transitions that come in and out during the play. The union of human and machine was an absolute goal and I am glad it worked out fine. I also see this piece as an ode to the Roland D-50 and the build of a bridge between past and present times.
The video below captures the project in both imagery and sound.
Many thanks and have a good weekend!
DG