Switching preferred instruments

[popvulture]

Totally. I feel like those negative questions arise out of forgetting what inspired you in the first place, and often all it takes to remember is to just change approach and get excited again.

[rustywire]

I bricked 3 computers in less than as many years, and despite posts on here, i kind of loathe the devices. Want away from them, especially when music-ing. Hardware setups are pricier, but feel particularly exciting and rewarding.

After my catastrophic drive failure last summer, where 3.5 years of work-in-progress data was wiped as if it never happened...my always-there appreciation for tangible, analog mediums has been revitalized.

I got into the digital storage, ITB medium as a departure; to broaden my horizons. Should've been backing up to tape...

[rustywire]

I agree with everything the three of y'all just said. I Feelell fine using a big pedal for just one thing, if it is good at that one thing and I cannot get it done as well for cheaper elsewhere. And limited palettes are often more interesting and exciting. For me, it has become, "Do i need every delay?" Or "Does this pedal do something i can't do elsewhere?" Or even "Do i actually like what it is doing all that much?" Count To 5 was a hyperspecific example, but the jury is still out on whether i am using it in any ways that my Particle and Timebender cannot cover.

My whole 2015 pedal quest started because i was playing bass in a band with two drummers and a singer. I was hoping to fill up a lot of tonal/melodic space, and loops and delays and octave up/down effects could do that, and my old pedals sort of didn't fill me with same inspiration they used to, but I had some of those things for 9, 10, 11 years at that point. But since then, that band and my subsequent post-punk band have both dissolved, and here i am on band three content to try using two or three pedals max, since i went from 0 other melodic instruments to 2 to 3. But also writing alone has changed from a bass endeavor to electronic, so i am tryna reprioritize what i keep whilst not just purging necessary and useful bass gear.

My feelings on the DMM, in a nutshell. Also just about every big box effect & piece of gear I own. Everything has its purpose...sometimes with the added benefit of being equally or more useful, interesting when repurposed. I like the chaotic variables of analog circuits and devices, how no 2 are the same...and their limitations can be exploited in desirable ways. The obstacles don't seem to get in the way of my creative process, instead facilitating it...which is quite the contrast to my experience with ITB digital effects & software.

[popvulture]

...which is quite the contrast to my experience with ITB digital effects & software.

Absolutely. I've run into this problem big time lately—I was pretty resolved to work ITB for synth/drum machine stuff and not fuss too much about acquiring hardware that could be an expensive wormhole. At the end of the day though, I could hardly get any worthwhile work done when I was using a mouse, interfacing with a screen, clicking boxes. I need something simpler—gimme a fucking knob to turn, a button to push. I can do that with a midi controller, but getting one mapped the way you want can also be a prohibitive pain in the ass.

So anyway, yep. Having much more fun with hardware synths, and getting a Vermona DRM1 as soon as I fucking can.

[psychic vampire.]

FWIW, for me, i am going the opposite direction of some people on here. Digital vdelays with emulations, and cheap multi-fx racks. basically looking for the best cost:benefit ratio. Analog delays provide such nice artifacts and sounds, but i can't afford a DMM and haven't been wowed by cheaper analog delays.

Mixed mood today, bad at posting, but i am gonna have a lot of alone zone time in the next two months to really reconsider how i do music. Feeling a lot of what popvulture said, what even is beingb a "musician" as i close in on 30? Fortunately my bullshit life has kept me pretty adjacent to punk and noise and metal scenes, but they aren't always knoen for their strong intergenerational bonds and I refuse to be in a pop punk band.

Popvulture: wanna buy my DRM1? REAAAALLLLY wanna get a tanzbar, personally.

[popvulture]

Ha! Why don't you like it, and what in particular about the Tanzbar seems better? Very curious.

[psychic vampire.]

Ha! Why don't you like it, and what in particular about the Tanzbar seems better? Very curious.

I actually love it. I just have realy wanted to try the Tanzbar, for its extra sounds and its great looking sequencer. In an ideal world I could have bot, but the Beatstep Pro we use to sequence my DRM1 is my partner's and she is about to be out of town for several months and i really want an immediate one box machine that can just tick all the boxes for my solo music, and the Tanzbar does that for half the price of an Analog RYTM and with a more intuitive interface. I suppose i could save up a bit longer and go on ramen for a hot minute/work more and afford to get the TB and keep the DRM1, but there's a Tanzbar on reverb and i have limited delayed gratification. The DRM1 has a phenomenal sounding kick, and a HUGE range of possibilities on every channel, and i know I should keep it. Srsly, the things that kick can do... But it can also be hard to dial in if you just want a quick easy sound, especially on the hats and multi channels. I just love drum machines so much but the Tanzbar has that sequencer and two kick drum channels.

I would definitely not call either one better, they both excel at what they are designed to be.

[popvulture]

Cool, I've been looking at that Beatstep Pro too. Seems really nice that you can use it totally separate from a computer.

The Analog RYTM does look pretty sweet... I haven't messed with one in person though and wonder if it'd be too menu-y. I kinda like the idea of the WYSIWYG, no LED kind of thing.

[psychic vampire.]

For real, if you have questions about the BSP or the Vermona, PM me.