nicklewis 3Speak Podcast: Recent Episodes
Nick Lewis
Listen and watch the latest videos from nicklewis. Hosted by 3Speak.tv. The free speech video platform on the HIVE blockchain.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/gpdxqbqjnr
Welcome back to the hive Sound library and I’m kicking off a new series on plug-ins, that will cover those for the iPad and also for the desktop. Ova synth is a new product that is predominantly aimed at ambient music and comes complete with a touchscreen keyboard and synth parameters for sound design. It’s easy to get into, so is great for performing with but can also be automated with its neat physics powered engine. In this video I’ve added a number of “balls” that float around the keyboard, bouncing off the edges of the box, playing notes as the collide with the pads. I can still play notes manually.
Two other plugins were used in this video, they were Fluss and Blackhole, one being a granular/delay effect, also powered by physics and the other a reverb effect.
I shall be featuring these two in their own video and post further down the line. I will update the original AUv3 guide post I created years ago, to act as an index for all of these articles over time.
You can pick up this plugin via this link: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/ova-ambient-synthesizer/id6751897870
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/jujubpfmcc
I was running a workshop recently and one of the synths we had their was the little Korg Volca FM. I don’t own one of my own but the sounds it makes were delightful. Very Chiptune in this instance.
This sample was loaded into Neon, a sample editor for the iPad and that’s what you see here.
Volcas are nice and cheap, small, run on built in batteries and highly recommended.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/gbrhjzeent
This started off on Substack where I asked people to send me their samples or recordings and I’ll transform them into something new.
In this case I took a rhythmic synth sound one of my subscribers sent me and this is what I created using a granular synth. Passing some notes through to the synth and then channeling it out through some effects.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/enzpssrtco
There have been a whole load of great things coming out this year, including a new streaming app for the iPad called Camo studio. I recorded this using the iPad running this software, Loopy Pro (audio host), my iPhone as a camera off to the side feeding irto Camo.
Loopy Pro recently launched version 2 and I’m running that with my Torso T1 connected for the Midi sequencing.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/qdcnldkdyu
Testing an app called Blipvox for uploading audio files converted to video and presented as animated waveforms. I’m wondering if these could then be embedded throughout another post? especially when writing about musical concepts for example?
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/iuazkqzvcv
Testing an app called Blipvox for uploading audio files converted to video and presented as animated waveforms. I’m wondering if these could then be embedded throughout another post? especially when writing about musical concepts for example?
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ivbuavkate
In order to be able to use this downloadable project, you will need an iPad, Loopy Pro probably the beta version for version 2 and the beta for Batallion. Try it, you might at least be able to access the loops. If you don’t have an iPad or Loopy Pro, the raw files are available under a separate folder on the same Google drive folder, you’ll find them there.
All I ask in return from people is of course your upvote or if this is an old post, you can tip the post at a later date. I am hoping to encourage this kind of thing here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1icmmkvV_IZsKzGUVlFGUoKp4vX8IhkBc/view?usp=drivesdk
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/fufzzcgwmz
I’m looking at ideas for new content here and writing about some exciting new plugins that have only just come out, these include Dialekt, Elastic OSC and Waymaker. These are available on iOS and desktop too. I’m going to rekindle my plugin guide that I started ages ago, sharing some video demonstrations like this one and talking about how to build virtual modular systems with these plugins.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/oniisfblhr
Continuing from yesterdays post, I have been exploring the beats that @ale.dri shared with me over the weekend but this time in Loopy Pro v2 (beta) rather than Logic Pro. My previous idea was a more ambient, even melancholic idea, this one is all about Major C! So far have come up with the general bass line.
I explain it all in the video.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/fhdywitwyi
Tonight a conversation between myself, @ale.dri and @harbiter began about collaborating in some way. I enjoyed the videos that @ale.dri has been sharing recently both on the drumming community and the Hive Sound Library. I asked him about creating a track, starting with some of his drum recordings, I could then add some chords on the synths, someone else could add something on top of that and then see where it leads.
So this video is a bit of an idea. I took one of the loops that Ale.dri shared with me via a Google Drive folder I’ve created, Groove 2 as it happens to be called. I loaded it into Logic Pro and then composed some chords within the DAW. I’ve played with some other effects on the drums, just to show what’s possible with stuff like beat chopping etc. I added a little compression too and some filtering on my synths during this performance.
Have taken a cinematic direction on this one and I’m envisaging an acoustic guitar to go with the chords. If anyone is interested in having a go, I can let you know what key and scale it’s in etc.
I’m excited about this experiment!
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/btvrprucsp
Welcome to the first of our sample packs that are being released as part of the Hive Sound Library.
This pack is called “Around the house” and in fact is mostly around the kitchen. Plates, fridge motors and then some very random samples of me talking down tubes of foil. Having fun recording stuff basically!
Definitely more around the house stuff coming up.
You can download these samples as a zip file and as a Koala project for a number of options. All samples have been normalised a little bit but are yours to play with!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-JuYlEYDs1lxKxW0cPdcGOZtWZZs68ef
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/mnimqirvhz
Good morning folks, welcome to another video, this one is just a quick sneak peek of a project I’m building up in the latest version of Loopy Pro on my iPad which will also be released on the Mac when it’s ready for launch, so this is a public beta, running on TestFlight and I’ve been checking out the new features. The most notable for me is that clips, formerly only supported audio recordings, now support MIDI too.
Here I’ve used a combination of plugins, including Koala which you can see loaded as a side panel, another new feature in this release and I demonstrate clips that are MIDI based and audio based. The drums are playing within Koala which is synced to the host apps (Loopy) clock. This is a nice way of working, in fact there are a load of ways you can use this software.
I shall explore those options in future longer videos where I will talk you through a few features.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/mjmdjdcnpo
A new track idea based on the sounds from one of Koalas new sound packs. I will purchase all of the packs later in the month but this is exciting stuff.
Will be very handy for the Sound Library too.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/jutdsrvlmd
My favourite sampler app just gets better and better with every update they release. Yesterday they unveiled and rolled out, Koalaverse, their library of sample packs. The really funky thing is that each pack comes with a sound toy and this one called Valis generates one shot sound randomly based on a seed number.
in this video I demonstrate how this can be used to create new samples for use in musical projects.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/kdfsqaczyw
First time I’ve really sat down and played with this app was today. Started screen recording and jammed this little number out with the groove box.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/deeddeywsb
I got to a point in the day yesterday where I couldn’t focus on work. I’d developed some form of hatred for my. computer, it was annoying the life out of me and I needed open space, air and it made me think of Wales where we’d recently been.
Plus I’ve a new camera to get to know which had arrived yesterday for doing these YouTube style videos.
I’ve a video on that which I shall post, today as well and there will be others no doubt in the future.
all in all; the new Osmo Action 5 Pro vlogging combo rocks!
Oh, thought doing more videos about Berkshire might be interesting for Hive and to put them on the map.
Sadly the map kept crashing, so I couldn’t tag this with the location. will correct later. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ytcsrsfqjp
I would normally walk around this meadow quite often but so far this year, haven’t really done it all that much. I am making up for it now though. No cows sadly. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/einvkuhtqd
I have been testing my Insta360 X3 in some different situations and exploring new content I can put out there on vlog. Well I talk more about this in the above video.
More adventures coming up local, a bit further afield and a long long long way away. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ezxovjbtte
A little while back I was having a conversation with fellow Hivian @melibee and they supplied me with a vocal sample which I was very impressed by. I’ve finally put a little beat together using it and recorded this video straight from Logic Pro on the iPad. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/tretevnmem
Raising money for a local charity yesterday, this fun race took place on the River Kennet at the Rowbarge Inn. Great fun it was too! Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/stluzszcvr
I’ve slowly been trying out apps on the new iPad especially those that struggled a bit on my old one. GeoShred can best be described as a sort of Linnstrument for the iPad but much much cheaper.
If you’ve not heard of the Linnstrument have a Google. It’s on my wishlist.
GeoShred was designed by the polymath musician and designer Jordan Rudess. He is an avid supporter of the AUv3 format and making music on the iPad as much as he is on the piano, guitar and a wealth of other gear.
GeoShred comes packed with sounds and even backing tracks, which is what I used to create this video.
I triggered off the backing and then attempted to play along to it.
I had fun and that’s the main thing even if my playing might appear to some as being a bit random. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/teukqfnhsh
Harmony bloom is an incredible MIDI sequencer that works on a mathematical principle and can now output across eight different channels, which means it’s possible to play 8 instruments simultaneously. In this example, I’ve only set it up to work with 4.
- Synthmaster 2
- Buttersynth
- Buzz Tone
- Moog Mariana
In the video you see that I am trying out a number of presets whilst tweaking some of the parameters plus I’ve added some effects.
So far I’ve only really scratched the surface and I am eager to try it with some other configurations.
It is possible to change the root key by passing in MIDI to Harmony Bloom itself, so that is something to try out in a future session. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/lnzefhijzu
In today’s musical sketch I setup a chord progression in an AUv3 plugin called Helium, effectively a piano roll sequencer which is mapped to two synths, the first playing block chords and the second arpeggiating them.
I’ve got another video to post in which I explain how this all works. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/pxytphiymn
I’m trying to create daily (or near as dammit) musical sketches with my collection of sequencers, composition tools, instruments and effects. This for me is equivalent to playing a guitar or any other instrument as some musical knowledge is required.
In this one I’m using the Neon sequencer which is great for generative music and what I’d like to do is demonstrate how it’s possible to capture the notes it generates and write them into a piano roll, so that it’s possible to build up more of an arrangement with these ideas in the future. We can do this with AUM or Logic Pro, the latter being better for the task in a lot of cases. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/xuajiqajti
This track was performed and recorded in AUM with two main instruments, one of which was doubled up and they were Axon 3 and Twin 3 respectively. The former being a rhythmic synth and neural drum machine, the latter a beautiful synthesizer with a great interface for manipulating sounds in real time. Twin 3 is developed by Fabfilter and I also make use of their apps for filtering, EQ, delay and compression on the master track. A sound designers dream!
Axon 3 is developed by Audiodamage who produce most of my favourite plugins and this is the latest version of this instrument. I will do a video on it and see how well I can get to know it. I enjoy taking deep dives on these products to squeeze them to the nth degree, as that is often when you get the best results out of them.
The M4 iPad just doesn’t even break a sweat with quite a lot going on and I’m sure it can handle tens times the pressure in CPU usage.
Have a lovely weekend everyone. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/dohbkyfwtn
This video was created entirely on an iPad Pro 2024 model using AUM, Logic Pro and Final Cut. This tablet truly flies! Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/lmsxniaddi
In this video I demonstrate how I took a track from Tracklib.com, split it into 4 tracks for drums, vocal, bass and other. Then demonstrated how you can take a fragment of sound, a sample from one of the tracks to create a new sample based instrument. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zpvutjcder
Koala sampler is fun and seriously powerful. Recording people without their permission is generally frowned upon but not when you turn fragments of their voices into new sounds that could be used in a myriad of creative ways.
Created this entirely on my iPhone including recording my voice, just a screen recording in a quiet room. Works a treat. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wuhgqbdohm
Tardigrain developed by Humbletune, a top notch granular synthesiser that runs standalone or as an AU. It works by taking a sample, the longer the better and plays back smaller fragments of it.. This enables the creation of new sounds and textures which can be further processed..
Anyway watch my video for todays Jam Session!
I’m writing up a longer post on this instrument, to be published at a later date. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/udoikinybh
I’ve lost track of numbering for my videos so thought why not just make a number up lol!! My studio setup now is beginning to solidify, in the sense the heart of the system hasn’t changed for a while, yet hasn’t lost the ability to be extended in good time.
I’m also trying to settle on camera setups for my videos and this works I think. I could do with an overhead view potentially.
Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wiwqnibqka
Hope you are all well? This video is something of a personal breakthrough as I’ve finally been able to connect and solve one of those annoying problems I’ve add for absolutely ages. Let me explain…
I love the Elektron sequencers but the Oxi has some major advantages and indeed differences that are well worth exploring. I was able to daisy chain my instruments together via MIDI but setting up channels, when you have 16 across the Elektron boxes isn’t so simple, especially with the Oxi which is why the company created the Oxi Split
This device has an input that you connect to the Oxi One, three outputs (one a 5 pin and the other TRS) and a 5-pin Through.
On the Oxi you can choose multiple to route midi to three key outputs, each with 16 channels. So it’s highly possible to divide the signals up across the studio with no clashes.
It’s a must have piece of kit. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zswnthkijb
Visual Synthesizer is an app for both iOS, Mac and Windows that enables artists to create stunning audio-visual videos for the web, art installations and so on.
This is a very brief example of what it can do. I need more time, as per usual to get to understand it. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/hcavanwtga
Whilst I do own a dedicated field recorder, I don’t always carry it and so it and on me that I’ve got an equally good field recorder in my pocket my iPhone 15 Pro Max with loads of space on it. Not only that I’ve got possibly the best portable sampler app there is, drum roll - Koala Sampler from Elf Audio.
I love it and it’s easy to grab recordings of birdsong whilst you’re out and about.
That is what I did.
in this video I play my samples back, layer them to create a menagerie of wild birds and then I start to reverse and chop the samples, applying delay and reverb.
It turns very weird and sounds like I was in a jungle. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/uuwnmhhktr
I’ve been playing with the AI music tool this week called Suno AI and as with many of these things you give it a prompt to generate your song.
So for this one I gave it:
Chilwave dance track that evokes the Euphoric feeling of travelling somewhere new for the first time.
I think AI works best with synth music, kind of obvious I guess but acoustic music, it sounds artefact ridden and weird. Nonetheless still impressive.
Do I like it though? I don’t know. I like to think it has uses in sound design, to be used as a tool.
One suggestion I read was to flip the tracks as samples, slice them up and create your own slant on them, in the way you would with vinyl music perhaps.
Will it take away our jobs? Rolling my eyes at that one! AI isn’t actually AI, it’s nothing more than a buzzword for machine learning at best. Would any of this stuff pass the Turing test? Probably not.
so why are people scared of it?
Let’s debate!!
I need to figure out how to extend this sone and stitch the bits together. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/vfunomoqxh
if you’ve followed me on this platform for any length of time, you will know that I had a kidney transplant in 2008. Earlier this year it was diagnosed that I will need a second transplant within 18 months.
I updated my family and work with the bad news and we started to prepare for either dialysis or that second transplant. Then when I saw my specialist again in March he decided to put me on Dapagliflozin which has been hailed as something of a wonder drug for kidney patients across the globe.
It seems to be paying off, as the results revealed my eGFR has stabilised after a period of decline.
So it looks like the transplant will keep on going for not 18 months but three years or many more.
It is early to tell but so far the signs look bloody good!!!!!! Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/unqkdydwbp
I’m trying the Patterning 3 app out in various DAW host apps and it works beautifully with Loopy Pro. especially if you want to create a set of loops for performing with later as layers or on their own with other musical content. I find this to be a great tool for creating samples for the sound library. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/iyabbxnnlz
Todays AUM jam turned out to be pretty good, writing some melodic content for the Nerd Synth which is inspired by the Nord range of instruments. Neon is a great sequencer and I’m getting my head around it more. Still learning Patterning too. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ftclxfpimk
This is a bit of a rambling video to be honest as I just wanted to try out the new app. I will experiment with it more this week and add it to my AUv3 index that I’m curating for other people making music on their mobile devices. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/cbtomtiduh
Hi folks, hope you are having a nice bank holiday weekend? I was up early this morning and had a little play with Ableton 12 and some MIDI tools I bought the other day, you can get them from:
https://philipmeyer.gumroad.com/l/midi-tools-bundle?layout=profile
Cost $45 and you get a lot for this, well worth every penny, dime or dollar.
I found them to be great for performing/jamming with, in a way that you can imagine the notes in your mind and then quickly sketch them out with these tools. You can set the number of notes, length and it’s possible to select segments of your notes and enact changes on subsets. You can get very creative very quickly and in this demo, I used just one clip and was able to make subtle changes along the way. I have for example, used this to create a number of clips, duplicate, thin out the next section, drop down a semitone or octave and then use follow actions on the clips to start building up the basis of a song. From there it only takes a bit more time to work on other tracks.
Midi Tools sit in the new generative section of the piano roll editor and you can, with a little Max for Live knowledge create your own. I may try this and document my learnings along the way. We shall see!
Just in case you have trouble watching the above video, you can also find this material on my YouTube channel or fancy a bit of Patreon, you can go there too!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/bloczjktiw
It’s been ages since I’ve used AUM on the iPad and used it tonight in conjunction with very good new sequencer called Neon, together with Moog’s Mariana, Eventide Blackhole reverb and Hammerhead the drum machine. Such a great iPad jamming setup, I don’t know why I bother with other pieces of gear sometimes. Hoping to upgrade to an iPad Pro M4 later in the year. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wfgqlwipdx
Last week I updated Logic Pro for iPad and will at some point buy Logic 11 for my Mac but I can do a great deal on the iPad. It’s worth noting that I’m still using an iPad Pro from 2019, it’s not an M chip powered model. So some features don’t work, stem splitting being one of them. That’s a topic I’ll come back to in another video or post.
The new session players, keyboard and bass work nicely though. I chose my own chords for the progression this song and started off using the players to inspire me but what you can then do is convert these to MIDI and do some editing where you need to.
I always believe that if you’re going to use AI or algorithmic tools because I still don’t believe this is AI, use them as a springboard and add your own essence to a track too. Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/cdoyinuilw
nicklewis - RPReplay_Final1715931960.MP4
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/rnzhgmqlkh
After a failed recording, I embarked on recording the session again, managing to memorise the script I had in mind all over again. I delve into my renewed record collection interests and do a bit of sampling. Crafting new beats from the old.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zavcvpyppu
Aiming to create something frequently with my electronic music gear. The Elektron gear, Roland SP404 go well together plus my modular synth is playing a part here too.
More experiments coming up when I get the chance.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/syirilunvt
This video needs a little explanation as to how I created this piece of music using the iPad running AUM as the audio host with a selection of AUv3 plugins. I recommend headphone for this to get the full effect. The main instrument in this is Pianoteq 8, a fine piano emulation based on a Steinway that has been sampled from various directions. I am only running the demo at the current time, it still sounds great even without the full fidelity of the paid up version.
I’ve passed it through an echo delay and reverb, sequenced with the physics based Bouncebud by the brilliant developer Cem Olcay and this is driven by two more of his apps brainbud and snakebud. I owe you some further technical explanations for these. They go beyond the traditional step sequencer into more experimental territory.
They can be used to write passages of music, for example you could capture the generative data, write into an arrangement window, edit by hand from there.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/dmrmiubpds
There is something rather special about a favourite instrument or piece of software for crafting music with. AUM on the iPad is and has to be one of the most successful in its field. Together with a bunch of MIDI sequencing plugins, instruments and effects, you can pull off some great ideas.
I will do a bigger video with it soon, as since I last loaded it up there have been a raft of new products and updates.
I’m looking at hooking this up with my hardware to prepare some dare I say it, live performances later in the year.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ezizpwcver
Todays exploration takes in Bitwig Studio and the Note Grid. Apologies for my stuttery bit half way through. I was distracted by something that came up on my other monitor!
We shall explore more of this stuff in future videos.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/gzusnloprf
This app is really interesting and I’ll share this with you in multiple parts. XLN Audio are best known for their app called XO which enables you to find similar samples from across your computer system and then to bring them together in a sequence. The focus being on drum pattern sequences. Their new offering called Life comes in two parts, a mobile app for field recording and the plugin for use with software such as Cubase, Logic, Ableton and so on.
In this video I’ve demonstrated how I can quickly record short samples of sound, my voice in this instance.
later we will pick up on this over on the desktop with Ableton and see how my voice can be turned into something musical. Hard to believe but wait until next week or a bit later to find out more!!
in the meantime Google the app to see some demos 😀
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/gztskabmvx
In todays video I explore chords with the Oxi One sequencer, manipulating the Mimeophon module to come up with interesting delay effects. It’s all about the journey with these things. The Oxi Coral module, my main sound source is a complex beast and I’ve been trying to recreate a sound I came up with some time ago but haven’t since been able to! I came close this session. I must save them, as there are a dozen slots I can save to.
I’m going to take a pause tomorrow on posting, as both today and tomorrow I’ll get time to record some more of these short videos to add to the queue. I like to have a few in my pocket in case I don’t get time to record new ones.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/tvikztzgnb
Good morning one and all! Happy Friday! The modular rack I’ve been building is something of a sound lab and I’ll be expanding it this year. The Oxi One control sequencer remains my favourite device for both sequencing and for playing in real time using its keyboard mode.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/lrmflayfvc
In this video, I explore one of the sound packs I downloaded for the SP recently and the banks of patterns it offers. Lots of fun. I prefer to create my own packs though, more on that another day.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/umblykoxrm
I’ve only recently taken up finger drumming again and when you get going it’s immense fun. A big part of it is selecting the right sounds and placing them on the right pads, so that it all flows with ease. Well has a better chance of doing so!
The samples in this kit were taken from a drum machine on the iPad called FAC Drums, they have a nice quality to them. The originals would have been sampled, so I resembled them I guess.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ishetfpgfd
For this video I had already sequenced some drum patterns and here I’m routing them through the two effects busses that the SP404 provides. I’m playing with reverb, delay and various other effects.
I’ve already got two other recordings lined up for the next two days. I may skip Thursday due to being in London. We shall see but trying to do one of these posts until the end of the month!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/cpnumdudyg
Last night I connected my iPad running Logic Pro and a couple of plugins to record a set of different samples. This is what I created by layering up samples across various pads on the sampler and through a process of resampling down to one pad ended up with this recording.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/sqchnsznsv
e video was only going to be ten minutes long but then I carried on babbling away about this nice easy setup.
The process involves sound design, creating sequences or single shot samples for use later on the Roland SP404 mk2 on their own. Create your own sound packs in a sense and then take the sampler wherever you go to build a myriad of beats out of your readymade samples alongside other material you might have.
it’s a lot of fun and you can keep on curating more.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/eunxtmjjbx
Comments on my earlier post asked if I could do some videos and here you go, part one of many! I talk through my sampling setup I’ve built over Christmas.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zansuncgdw
I shared this video back in September but at the time it didn’t publish for some reason or other. It has been stuck in my publish queue ever since!
My wife and I love kayaking. One of our favourite places is right on the Thames within 20 minutes from home. This year we will seek out some other locations between Reading and its source in the Cotswolds or as far as it is viable and navigable.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wwhgrzbtvk
Last week my iPhone 15 landed on my doormat, well the guy did knock and pass it over to me and I've been trying it out as a camera over the past few days. I've got some great photos of the kids for example but I shall share some other photos on my blog soon, as I haven't really been away anywhere with the new device.
This morning I thought to myself that it would be worth trying to record a desktop synth via a direct USB-C connection, which you can now do since Apple have dropped their proprietary lightning lead. Would I be able to do it using the stock camera app?
Low and behold, yes to all of the above. It works best where you can monitor the sound via a headphone connection, which with the Roland S-1 you see here, you can.
I've questions though - Will it work with a dongle, that is connected to a number of hardware instruments or an audio interface for example?
I want to record these little jam sessions to share here and probably elsewhere on the socials.
Thanks for reading, watching and listening!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/heorhqjemj
SourceLGood afternoon everyone or whatever time of day it may be where you are. What I am sharing here is not complete and I intend to do more with it but felt it might be worth sharing some ideas I've had even if they're not complete yet. This is partly because I've been quiet here (again) and I am eager to share things but I quite like to see how other people develop their creative ideas over time.
I am learning how to work with the Visual Synth at the moment for the visualisations and at the same time I am exploring what's possible in terms of sound designs.
Visual Synth by ImaginandoIn many ways is like a set of oscillators for graphical animations that can respond to audio, as it rises and falls in pitch or velocity. There are a gamut of effects presets, mostly created by Perplex On, this link will direct you to their YouTube channel which is packed with great stuff.
I shall of course share the final production, as and when it's a thing.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/jtoxufenza
Good evening everyone!
Great to be back home and to be getting back into some blogging here on good old Hive. How are you all, what have you been up to?
Video uploads in Ecency!I recently learned about the latest updates introduced by Ecency. One of these enhancements includes the option to directly upload videos into your posts by utilising 3speak on the backend. This is something I have been eagerly anticipating (hoping for to be honest) and now we have the opportunity to try it, which is utterly brilliant! Well done Ecency!
I attempted to upload a new video, and it was successfully uploaded. However, the encoding progress is currently stuck at 99.8%.
So in the meantime, using the video gallery feature, I've added an older existing video to the post instead which has worked ok, though I can't preview the video other than look at it's thumbnail with the play icon overlay. I think it would be great to be able to check the video in-situ if possible.
This video demonstrated how to use the Beat Slicer tool in Logic Pro, which is very cool indeed.
Got there in the endAh!! There it is! Encoded fine :-)
Wrong thumbnail for it but this is one I may not have published here before, I can't remember. I love the ability to view the gallery of videos and how you can insert them so easily.
How I plan to use this!I am very excited for this feature, very, very excited in fact because it means I can now do something in Hive that I previously could only do on Substack, where I run a newsletter called Modulations which I would prefer to bring across to Hive fully; that is the ability to embed videos in your content, wherever you want them to go.
A couple of things I can use this for:
- To share my recent jams on the iPad or other devices that I've recorded as videos
- To write more tutorial style posts where I demonstrate through video how certain things work in conjunction with writing
- To re-share videos I've posted on the platform in the past
So here are three more videos from the past, that you may or may not have seen!
I'll leave it at that for now. I'll be back soon with more of the following:
- Photography and video, Cyprus trip
- Samples and other found sounds, including some recorded in Cyprus - Hive sound library to resume!
- My semi-modular setup and where to next? Shame @tdctunes has gone away but can understand his reasons
- Running, yes, actual jogging which I'm tracking through @strava2hive
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/lohuoxev
I have been having a load of fun with the Roland Synth since it landed on my desk last week, still lots to
learn about it as it's packed with features but the sound is just so wonderfully classic. I talk more about it
in this video, so not going to repeat myself here too much.
If you want to learn more about the product, then head over to Roland's website
I sound bunged up in the recording, bad hayfever!!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/jxalpgmp
Good morning to you and I only heard that Logic Pro (and Final Cut) were being launched for the iPad last week. I had no idea at all before that, I was
very excited to hear about this as you can imagine! I've used the desktop version before and thought I should do a quick demo video to
share my excitement. More constructive videos to follow!
Having had a quick play last night, the interface is impressive, they have re-engineered it beautifully for the touch interface, it's easy to open various
panels but just as easy to drill down to the specifics.
It comes with all of the instruments that you'd expect, with many of the desktop synths, redesigned and looking much more interactive than before.
You can of course use alln of the AUv3 plugins you have but the caveat of course is that VSTs won;t work, unless your favourite VSTs have
been released in AUv3 format, many have and I think this will pave the way for more to follow suit.
Downsides - subscriptions, more subs yes but it's £49 per annum, which I think is decent. You will need at least an A12 Bionic processor based iPad,
which may annoy some people. Luckily mine is the base model in terms of the specs. I have to say so far, it is smooth and glitch free. I do
hope to upgrade my iPad later this year though.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/vkyelbty
This avenue of hanging baskets formed part of Funchal's Flower Festival. It was beautiful, the flowers used were mainly gerberas bound together in spherical baskets. Very clever. Enjoy the video!
All filmed with the Insta360 x3 camera.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zowmvsai
I’ve got a lot of videos to share, most of them are just walkthroughs, no fancy piece to camera or anything like that. I don’t cope with heat that well, I can walk for miles and feel totally fine but I look like a sweaty bloke basically. So whilst using the Insta360 for recording, I ensure that the edit is pointing in the direction that I am walking!
Tina, my wife, she has no trouble with the sun at all and so she gets to appear in the videos more than me, haha!
There are some wonderful pieces of art around town and lots of lovely hanging baskets, made up of Gerbera flowers. Had we come earlier we would have witnessed the Madeiranese people dressed in colourful costumes, there are some girls in beautiful dresses walking around chatting to people about the festival. Madeira is known as the “Flower Island” for good reason, the colours here are rich and vibrant. Witness the lot through polarised glassed and the hues and vibrant, punchy as a glass of Poncha (the local rum).
There are a number of concerts taking place and there are plenty of displays scattered around the city and further afield across Madeira.
Weather is gorgeous.
Wish you were here (as they say)!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/fdcdwjny
Pangbourne has become a favourite of ours and we often walk along the Thames here, its such a lovely spot. It was he first place where we tested out the
Insta360 x3 and I loved the moment we bumped into the guys having a day out on their boat. They mention a YouTube channel or two. This is the
moment we decide to get serious about video. YouTube? 3speak? Cast.gardenI cannot decide
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/isdqbsbw
Every now and then I stumble upon an app that blows my socks off and this one isn't even new, it's been around for a decade or so but has been
updated frequently over the years. The most recent update was about a week or so ago. I love this app, I've been exploring it for awhile
now and it's very powerful.
In this video I am using the iOS version but you can find it on numerous other platforms from Android to Windows. I got mine for the iPad, iPhone
and the Mac too. I can write music from my phone and continue work on projects on my bigger machines later.
Get it from App Store
I've also got Alexander's Fractal Bits
I think this app will play an important part of my #hivesoundlibrary project.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/tmfvumzi
I'm always on the lookout for great music plugins and this one is rather unique. It was created by musician Jordan Rudess for the iPad and iPhone as a playable electronic instrument with extraordinary modelling Here is a quick demo. Will share more soon.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/qsgslznw
In this video I talk about Cubasis on iPadOS and how I use it to create audio loops, as well as complete tracks. It's easy to set the number of bars you want to export as a WAV, FLAC or M4A file.
I used Cubasis own built in synth for this recortding and will introduce you to more in upcoming videos.
The recorded loop can be found here on IPFS:
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/hymckknt
This is a very quick glimpse into something I've been exploring recently for music composition. It's called Supercollider and they describe it as:
SuperCollider is an audio server, programming language, and IDE for sound synthesis and algorithmic composition.
In this quick demo I have hooked it up to Logic to play a couple of synths programmatically. Will work out some kind of series to delve into it properly soon.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wezkarxe
I have just been getting into Renoise, the Tracker software for Mac/Windows/Linux and this is my first creation with it. Where will this track go next?
What other ideas will I come up with? So far I love it. it's a great workflow for building tracks with. Rather than working horizontally. trackers work on a vertical principle and it's possible to enter notes data together with instrument/FX parameter data in the way you would with a spreadsheet. You have to try it for yourself really!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ycryvvzj
Hello folks, hope you’re having a nice week? It’s been a busy one for us here in rainy Berkshire and as such I’ve been hankering down to exploring a few things in sound design, which is one of the key topics behind this Substack.
I have been working on not just my sound design ideas, as presented in the video at the top but also how to record videos effectively. It’s all a learning curve!
OBS is a great piece of software which people tend to use for online streaming channels but it’s also just as good for recording video sessions. There was a bit of a setup process, especially with sound management on the Mac, I used the built in mic and camera for voice recording and my presentation. I hope to improve on these, adding an external microphone and using my Sony A7R3. I’ve plenty of options to try!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/egumrlko
A very quick look at the iPad app and plugin this morning using a sound pack from Electronisounds by Dean Daughters. It’s powerful and more importantly smashing fun. I played with it as a standalone in the above video and used both it’s powerful AI to automatically chop and dice with a little bit of manual intervention too. It’s intuitive and I love the “disintegration” feature I used at the end to gradually break it down to a simpler loop and stop to close of the video.
The real power will be when used in AUM, the mixing app on the iPadOS platform, there we could have multiple things going on and feed the output into some compression perhaps and definitely reverb. Layering on top some whirling synth pads etc etc etc.
The sky is the limit!
Audiomodern have delivered once again. I shall perhaps do a roundup for paid subscribers at some point. Shorter posts like this will always be free, whereas those that take me a week to prep, write and edit will be different :-)
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/pkfpdflt
Good evening and welcome to today's late night session where I take another VCV patch for a spin, this one is very dependent on sequencers, most of these perfromances are because then I can tweak. Transposing sequences up and down octaves. Increasing and decreasing reverb delay and a bunch of other things. Then sometimes just leaving the rack to run on it's own and play. A wealth of possibilities each and every time!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/ynnknmvf
The Moog Mavis is most definitely a hardware synth I am looking at buying. It's form factor is small compared to most but it has a really big sound, which is what you'd expect from Moog.
In the meantime, I built a software version of it, using some tips I found online via the brilliant Omri Cohen, so a lot of this is credit to Omri.
In this video I demonstrate what it's capable of, some very deep, gritty bass sounds which certainly bear a resemblance to the Moog.
VCV is a great product, watch out for more. I've got another video queued up but I am going to save that for tomorrow or Sunday.
Shoutout to @tdctunes, as we were talking about VCV the other day :-)
P.S. Hoping to earn enough Hive/HBD to buy a decent condenser Mic with so that I can chat with you on future videos, so you see a miming version of me on the video lol!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/uxjrclgx
In this video I demonstrate how you can take one musical concept and create it using a modular synth, in this case MiRack on the iPad but you could easily do much the same thing in VCV which is available on the Mac and possibly other OSes. I am starting off with a varied hi-hat sound which isn't just the same sound repeating over and over but something a little bit more interesting. It uses a Bernoulli Gate, 3 of them to be precise, to randomly switch between different drum modules. Each of these modules is a hi-hat of some kind, taken from a dozen famous drum machines. Bernoulli Gates could be used in various different ways and I will explore this in later videos.
What is a Bernoulli Gate though?
Daniel Bernoulli was a Swiss Mathematician who was best remembered for his work with what became known as fluid mechanics, a branch of mathematics that would essentially detemine outcomes based on variable inputs. So a Bernoulli gate accepts a voltage input and randomly detemines either an A or B outcome. You can influence which of the two is more likely, hence in the application of drum patterns, you can create some more "human" performances. Which is what this little experiment sets out to explore.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/wjvaybec
Spacecraft is a granular synthesiser with a great deal of control. Last night I had a play and recorded it.
Its a lot of fun and after awhile you get to find your way around any sample that you've load into it. Still need more time with it
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/masjzmbe
This little video taken on my iphone just moments ago from my office. I could hear a commotion outside and when I looked out could see dozens of birds darting back and forth. One of which landed on my windowsil, close enough to observe properly. They must have all been young fledgling Blue Tits on their first flight from the nest.
There were three on the sill just after i took this.
I love this time of the year.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/vsiyrvnq
Last night I had fun constructing some clips and patches in Drambo. I put this video together this morning after just a few minutes of messing around. Such a cool app.
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/vvoxvcqo
Drambo has just been updated in a big way but I'm totally new to the app. Over the past few days I've been having a tinker on both my iPhone and the iPad, the latter is definitely easier to work with than the former.
Here is a little jam!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/agzpxigy
I've long been exploring music creation of all sorts over the years. Since 2020 when i upgraded my iPad I stumbled upon the power of Audio Units the iOS platform for music generation, sound design and so on.
yesterday i came across this amazing app, so here is a little jam!
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/zbdnqlha
We have visited the Isle of Wight a lot over the past few years as some friends of ours moved there and it was during 2020 just after the country opened up a little bit, we went to stay for a few days.THey had just moved to Niton, a very pretty little village. Not far down the road is Freshwater Bay and that is where most of this video was filmed. Some parts were filmed in Ventnor, some over Niton towards the end. Music is by Ian Post and is called "New Land".
Thanks for watching and I look forward to sharing more videos with you again soon :-)
https://3speak.tv/watch?v=nicklewis/yoqytohn
This is a video I made in Spetember last year without any music at all. Just some footage taken from my Mavic Mini 2.
The location is Talland Bay in Cornwall, a beautiful place, well worth a visit!