GR-55 - Writers Challenge: Preset Bank 4 For September 2015

Started by DreamTheory, September 01, 2015, 03:15:10 PM

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DreamTheory

SUBJECT    GR-55 - Writers Challenge: Preset Bank 4 For September 2015

The Challenge:

1.  One or more of the three factory preset patches must be used.

2.  It can be modified but must retain at least 1 of the original PCM tones -but that tone can be modified thru it's parameters.

3.  Drum/percussion tracks, if desired, may be used from any source in the recording. Other instrumentation (such as bass part or synth pads) is also OK, but must be part of your patch modification (hint: use an assign to switch on the tone you need).

4. Please post a copyright free MP3. 3 1/2 minutes or less.

MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2015 CATEGORIES:
==========================
LEAD:     patch 02-1 Nice Tenor

RHYTHM: patch 02-1 RICH STRINGS

OTHER:   patch 02-1 Seq*Tempo Dly+EG
electric: Epiphone Dot semihollow body, acoustic: mahogany jumbo, recording: Cubase Artist 11 or Tascam DP008

DreamTheory

For this challenge I used the tenor sax, but it does not come in until the middle of the piece. I drenched it in reverb because I wanted it to sound like a street musician.

What I find interesting about the patch is that each note is a separate 'puff' of air in the attack. It sounds realistic for a single note, but a sax player would not play a whole song staccato like that.

I think the sax tones are some of the hardest to use. As a long time fan of Coltrane and Brecker and all such jazz and fusion, I really could not make it work for a lead role in a jazz song, so I just went for an abstract tone picture. I ask listeners to hear the piece in its genre.

The bells are part field recording and part GR-55. So like I always say- feel free to go anywhere you want with this challenge. The rules are less important than exploring your GR-55, and taking a risk (it's not that big of a risk compared to say, rapelling or day trading).
electric: Epiphone Dot semihollow body, acoustic: mahogany jumbo, recording: Cubase Artist 11 or Tascam DP008

Mrchevy

Quote from: Dream_Theory on September 01, 2015, 03:25:19 PM


What I find interesting about the patch is that each note is a separate 'puff' of air in the attack. It sounds realistic for a single note, but a sax player would not play a whole song staccato like that.


You can try an assign to change the attack with the expression pedal for this. Something to experiment with.
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

Tek

Quote from: Dream_Theory on September 01, 2015, 03:25:19 PM
For this challenge I used the tenor sax, but it does not come in until the middle of the piece. I drenched it in reverb because I wanted it to sound like a street musician.

What I find interesting about the patch is that each note is a separate 'puff' of air in the attack. It sounds realistic for a single note, but a sax player would not play a whole song staccato like that.

I think the sax tones are some of the hardest to use. As a long time fan of Coltrane and Brecker and all such jazz and fusion, I really could not make it work for a lead role in a jazz song, so I just went for an abstract tone picture. I ask listeners to hear the piece in its genre.

The bells are part field recording and part GR-55. So like I always say- feel free to go anywhere you want with this challenge. The rules are less important than exploring your GR-55, and taking a risk (it's not that big of a risk compared to say, rapelling or day trading).

Dream Theory, sounds great! I think the moody sax works in it... good job.
I keep threatening to post a song... eventually  ;)

neshel

Other things have much better saxes. Why stick with the 55?

DreamTheory

Quote from: neshel on October 20, 2015, 09:54:19 AM
Other things have much better saxes. Why stick with the 55?

Because I can, because it's there, because it is cheaper, simpler, and easier than other workarounds. The best thing to do would be to work with a real sax player. The reason I love GR-55 is, believe it or not, it's simplicity. One box, not a lot of ugly wires. No line noise or signal loss created by daisy chaining stomp boxes. No cumbersome pedal board.  No closet full of miscellaneous small instruments a rarely use. Can be used with no sound card or mixer, just a laptop. I also like being able to save the exact settings so that if I come back 6 weeks later and punch into a recording, it matches perfectly- something you cannot so easily with knob settings all along the signal chain. I was happy with my el-cheapo Digitech RP pedal's amp models and FX, so to me the GR's models and effects are thrilling. Anything else it can do -like sax- beyond that is gravy. So this is a roundabout answer to your question. Sax is not the greatest strength of GR-55, in fact it is barely useable, but it is in fact useable. Sax is not exactly a mainstay of my GR-55 creations, but it is fun to try. Given that I am not gonna devote time, money, and effort to accumulating and learning other gear, it is reasonable to see how much I can get out of this unit. The point of these witer's challenges is to try to eventually use all of the unit's sounds, as a demonstration and fun exploration.

I am interested in how you make sax sounds that are better (other than becoming or recruiting a sax player). Feel free to post an MP3 to this writer's challenge- the rules are not very strict. Maybe you can help us all sound better! :)
electric: Epiphone Dot semihollow body, acoustic: mahogany jumbo, recording: Cubase Artist 11 or Tascam DP008

neshel

'ware, dude. I'd use the 55 for input, laptop for sound source.

DreamTheory

OK, gotcha, but what is your choice of software sax? I have found a ton of great free soft synths that sound amazing for environmental and space-y music like Astral Dreamer

https://archive.org/details/HGFortuneAstralDreamer

https://archive.org/details/HGFortuneAstralDreamer

https://archive.org/details/HGFortuneAstralDreamer
electric: Epiphone Dot semihollow body, acoustic: mahogany jumbo, recording: Cubase Artist 11 or Tascam DP008

neshel

I don't much bother with other instruments, because they're not what I'm wanting to play. Now if I was writing for ensemble/orchestra, I'd use some high end suite. A friend of mine a few years ago found a pretty nice sounding product (that I forget the name of - it was a hybrid technology) that I still sounds pretty real to me.

Crazystrings

I love the sax on the GR 55.    I have a patch set up so when I bring the pedal down, the tenor turns off and an alto comes in.

I love using 'other instruments' because it takes me out of 'guitar thinking.' 

Fender American Strat 1992 w/GK3
Godin Nylon Multiac SA
Washburn J6 archtop
Taylor 510 Dreadnaught
Taylor  K24ce
Roland GR55
Boss SY-1
And a whole lot of stuff!

whippinpost91850

Same here I have a couple of, regularly used, Sax patches.
I also use, the B3 , strings , flute and ensemble horn patches, all the time

Crazystrings

Thanks to this site, my battery pack is on its way so I can begin using my GR55 Busking. And the tracking adjustments, using guidelines found here, are making using the GR a whole lot more fun.

Right now, I am creating and editing patches to use my Godin Multiac SA. I've created a couple of Asian instruments.....but all the non-guitar tones will get funny looks by people!
Fender American Strat 1992 w/GK3
Godin Nylon Multiac SA
Washburn J6 archtop
Taylor 510 Dreadnaught
Taylor  K24ce
Roland GR55
Boss SY-1
And a whole lot of stuff!