Direct mp3 download or play: Drone For The End of The World in 1989
I made this sometime in 1989 using several synthesizers. I can’t remember for sure, but I think there is an Oberheim OB-X (four voice), Casio CZ – 101 Digital, a Roland System 100 Model 101, and at least one audio signal generator, probably an Eico 377 with vacuum tubes. At least one outboard effects processor was used, most like my DeltaLab Super Time Line Model 2048. For some reason I chose to record only on cassette tape even though I owned a DAT recorder. Luckily the cassette machine was a fairly decent Denon three head unit and the tape is Maxell UDS-II and Dolby “B” was used. I played the tape on my Sony TC-D5M with Dolby “B” switched on, and the line level signal ran through a Mackie 1402-VLZ mixer. The lows and highs were boosted in the mixer about 3db. The output of the mixer runs to the computer sound card (unfortunately unbalanced line level) though my new high end Mogami cable with Neutrik connectors. I recently upgraded my sound card to the Asus Xonar Essence STX which has quarter inch tip and ring line input and RCA jacks for line out. The sound was captured using VSTHost with one plugin only, LoudMax set to hard limit at -.4 db. The audio during capturing never reached -.4db, so any dynamics in the sound were unaffected and a 16 bit 48 Khz .wav file was made. I then put the .wav file into Adobe Audition and adjusted the amplification (calculated normalization and left/right not locked) to -.34db. I put fades at the beginning and ending (before and after any audible sound) and no other processing. After saving this new file, an MP3 at 320 kilobits per second was made using the LAME encoder with RazorLame. In spite of all this technical jargon, the quality is only fair, with the noise floor being around-45db (more technical jargon) which is considered poor.
As with anything I’ve created that may be more, dare I say, more musical, I’ve become more protective and shy due to my lack of music theory. I will say I created this “piece” originally entitled “Synthesizerdrone Dec. 1989,” (according to the label on the cassette tape) when my mother was suffering from complications of breast cancer and the strongest earthquake (Loma Prieta) that I had ever witnessed happened earlier in October. It is possible those events played a role in the creation of this recording. In addition, there was no thought as to what key or scale in musical terms this should be, and I never actually thought about it until yesterday. There seems to be a lot of G sharp major going on throughout this piece. To prove it, I have provided this link which should open a separate player which has the G Sharp Major Tone at 415.305 Hertz. The tone will not be exactly in tune due to inaccuracies in tape speed and tuning.
Oberheim OB-X
Casio CZ – 101
Roland System 100 Model 101
Eico Model 377 Audio Generator
DeltaLab Super Time Line Model ADM 2048
15 users commented on " Drone For The End of The World in 1989 "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackbackpowerful meditative tool.
I think it’s about time for another Weatherman show on Over The Edge. The one you did using live 365 worked pretty well…could probably just use Skype now…
Excellent. I’d love to hear some more of your ambient experiments. I love listening to your ambient tracks mixed with your family tapes. Have you considered mixing them and putting them on your blog? or on archive.org with the impending over the edge archive? Or how about a new hit single for heavy rotation on MTV?
Why is my comment centered and Travis’ comment is left-justified. I demand answers!
Had the Radio Shack rip-off of that Casio.
On an unrelated topic. David, when you were guesting on OTE a few months ago, you gave a great technical description of why cell-phones don’t work well when calling in to the show. So, I was wondering what is it that other radio shows around the dial handle that problem; since you hear people calling in and talking to deejays all day without that dumb technical problem.
Sounds like a stronger, more intuitive and spiritual version of Onetrix Point Never. I like it!
Cool, David!
Would love to hear more stuff like this.
Also, I second the motion to have you do more stuff with OTE.
You just got to get Don to overcome his frustration about the (inevitable) delay.
I third said motion. You are the prince of technical jargon and I’m pretty sure most of us appreciate it. Musical theory is overrated and nullified by the desire to make good noise. Keep fighting the good fight.
Can we get a schematic on the Wang Time Tunnel?
Thanks for the comments! I’m now checking in after just updating “Street Names Update.”
This kinda sounds like wobbly, was just listening to sagan…
Has Wobbly just been insulted? Or did you mean wobbly?
By pure accident I have the Mackie 12VLZ, and the little, maybe earlier brother of your Sony (PCM-M10).
Facts like this make me strangely happy.
Also I’ve been putting up my old 90’s/00’s music onto Bandcamp – same here, I am very protective because I never was musically educated, just experimented. The singing/song/guitar stuff will stay unreleased though. Far too embarrassed about my voice.
Found some old Minidiscs and was amazed what I could get out of an old Soundblaster Platinum playing with the DSP settings, weird speech plugins, feedback tones, Audiomulch and the like – this was 2000. It sounds strangely modern, all this OneOhTrix and ‘hauntology’.
But dunno if anyone really cares, but it’s therapeutic to put it out there, when I made it there seemed to be no way of ever getting anyone to listen to it. At least now someone *might* enjoy it, whereas before it was sitting on MDs and tapes falling to dust.
Like this ambient piece, second the OneOhTrix and the like. I love this moody kind of drone stuff. More!
fingertrouble, check out the KX Project (http://kxproject.com) software for Creative and Emu soundcards. I installed it on one of my older soundcards and got a whole lot of real time effects. Quite frankly, I probably don’t know what I’m doing, but it does work quite well.
This recording sounds fantastic if played simultaneously with your Thanksgiving 1982 recording.
Happy thanksgiving, Weatherman!
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