Hive Sound Library - Syntakt #1 (new workflow journal)

Not so long ago I added an Elektron Syntakt to my studio and decided to set myself a fun task, to create a pattern on it each day. It sits on my desk constantly alongside a Bluebox mixer and to the left of that is my PC setup and general workspace, so it's nice that it can just sit there ready for action at any given moment when an idea pops into my head.

So here we are the first in the series of Syntakt based sounds, just a riff around a single pattern. It's worth pointing out that there are conditionals in there that drive some great randomised events or even the non-playing events as it were that generate space in the music, rhythms are as much about what is not played as is played.

The Syntakt supports 12 tracks, 8 digital and 4 analogue. Here is the rundown on the machines used for this short recording:

• BD Modern Sound for the main bass drum
• SD Vintage Sound for the techno sounding snare drum
• SY Chord sound
• SY Toy
• BD Hard sound, yes I use two bass drums, layers are a great technique
• SY Dual VCO

I've only used half of the sounds.

For some random reason I named the pattern "French", the chord sequence reminds me of the Parisian street musicians I guess.

Listen to today's recording

Play - Link to the recording on NFT Storage

The main tools I use...

This is the generic bit I always add to the bottom of these posts, it's in the template file that I use but I am going to edit it to track my new, ever evolving workflow. Recently it is starting to shift away from iPad and MacBook into more of a "DAW-less" world, modular synths, desktop devices like the Syntakt.

I will therefore be updating the template!

Hoping to get the Modular Cafe guys on board with Hive.

Logic Pro for iPad

I have been using a variety of hosts on the iPadOS platform now for a awhile but there is a new tool on the list, Logic! Yay! So expect it to feature heavily for #hivesoundlibrary posts and videos. I've been loving it, since they launched the iPad version.

Audiodamage/OtherDesertCities

A tape delay machine that can be used in various different ways. In this instance I used it to produce a delay effect, that I can slow down and speed up just by adjusting the spool speed of the tape. This is one I'd like to a deep dive on but right now, since it's a new tool in my toolbox, I need some time to write up notes on it's features, how I plan to use them for my productions.

Audioshare to upload to NFT Storage

The app I use for exploring the files I've saved to my iPad, playing them back and then sharing to online services. Very useful app that all iPad musicians should own.

Listen to the audio recording IPFS

About the Hive Sound Library

How to download the samples?

You'll need to access via the desktop version of Chrome. If you see a play transport that looks like this

You can click on the vertical elipsis to reveal a download link but on some other browsers, it's not always presented this way.

Having downloaded the file, it will probably just be called download.wav, which is a bit annoying but you can of course rename it as you wish. It would be far better if we could retain the original filename - I am looking at way of improving this, if at all possible.

Will these be minted as NFTs?

The files uploaded to NFT storage are all assigned with a CID and it's possible to programmatically mint them onto one of a few blockchains, I think Polygon is one of them and that is the way I'll probably go with it.

How often will the library be updated?

In theory, daily, that is the aim. I tend to post no more than two posts a day and for these, I would post one a day. However when other people join the project, you can of course post one each a day and gradually this process will gain momentum. We could later introduce run curation posts. If you've been following me in the past you may know that I've written some #followfriday posts much like #steevc is famous for! Contributors to the #hivesoundlibrary will be featured in those posts when I start them up again.

Can other people add to the library?

Eventually yes, not just yet but please let me know if this interests you. I might invite some people to begine with.

Will there be a community of it's own?

Probably not, Blocktunes works well for us.

What sort of sounds are we looking for?

Here are a few suggestions:

• Electronic sounds derived from synths, drum machines, chord progressions, sequenced or composed, samples maybe but have to be our own creations, not from existing sample libraries. Otherwise copyright becomes a huge problem.
• Accoustic instruments, guitar licks, riffs, chord progressions
• Found sounds, one of my favourite things and this is where samples are ok. Makes drums out of old pots and pans, record and boom!
• Sounds of nature
• Sounds of the city
• Exotic sounds

Tagging posts

All posts will be tagged with #hivesoundlibrary so that we can find stuff again

Useful tools, apps and the things I use for creating these sounds/loops/seqeunces etc

• NFTUp for uploading files to NFT.storage
• AUM
• Logic Pro for iPad
• Cubasis 3
• Other desert cities by Audiodamage - the tape delay effect I love plus many more
• Sunrizer synth
• Playbeat 3
• Audioshare
• Rymdigare
• Piano Motifs
• Copperhead
• Ason 2
• FAC Drumkit
• Atom 2

I'll add to this list with each post, lots of great apps

Posted using BlockTunes