Anyone with Motif es rack experience?

[Quad]

Anyone here use the multi mode to get big stabs out of strings, brass etc. if so i was wondering does it work well for you, or rather what i mean does it give it that BIG BIG stab, sort of like dre's watcher or storch or even mannie not to immitate, but in terms of the large feel ive tried it but it seems somewhat flat.

[khameln]

If you want the "big sound", learn to program, tweak, and combine sounds. Then learn some basic mixing.

Just buying a keyboard or module isn't going to get you there. If it did, everybody's tracks would sound as big as the superproducers :) You have to know what you're doing!

[filterayok]

Originally Posted by Quad

Anyone here use the multi mode to get big stabs out of strings, brass etc. if so i was wondering does it work well for you, or rather what i mean does it give it that BIG BIG stab, sort of like dre's watcher or storch or even mannie not to immitate, but in terms of the large feel ive tried it but it seems somewhat flat.

can u post somthing uve tried?? sometimes its about the pitches within the stabs---certain string patches sound better hitting the lower octaves, some stab better higher, same with brass

[Quad]

all the attempts are lame, the brass instruments are subtlely there other wise ive started working with the reason nn-xt as well but i still feel like im coming up short you know? Yall got any other tips.

[amp]

Originally Posted by khameln

If you want the "big sound", learn to program, tweak, and combine sounds. Then learn some basic mixing.

Just buying a keyboard or module isn't going to get you there. If it did, everybody's tracks would sound as big as the superproducers :) You have to know what you're doing!

yeah that may be true, but he didnt ask you that.if you dont know the answer to the question then keep it moving no need to berate the guy.

[deuc647]

Damn people, he is just askin general advice. The hip hop forum is the smallest and has the most smart asses on it. look at all the rest of the forums, they try to help out and us as a small community should try to teach and learn from one another, as for the question, play with attack times and stack different instruments ie strings,horns,pianoes....whatever works, and dont be afraid to EQ. Hope this helps

[khameln]

Telling somebody that learning fundamentals will give them exactly what they need makes you a smart-ass? That makes me sorry I even tried to help... Not even going to dignify that with a response.

One day people will learn the power of the bigger picture...

[Blindside]

Originally Posted by deuc647

Damn people, he is just askin general advice. The hip hop forum is the smallest and has the most smart asses on it. look at all the rest of the forums, they try to help out and us as a small community should try to teach and learn from one another, as for the question, play with attack times and stack different instruments ie strings,horns,pianoes....whatever works, and dont be afraid to EQ. Hope this helps

I couldn't agree more.

Why even come on GS if you're going to be a smartass? I found this place looking for help and very much appreciate all that I've gotten and try to reciprocate that.

Also, attack times are critical. I'm a Reason as well as a Motif Rack user, and at least as far as the NN-XT is concerned, the slightest adjustment in attack can make all the difference in the world. I'm new at the Motif thing and haven't yet gotten it down.

[Blindside]

Originally Posted by khameln

Telling somebody that learning fundamentals will give them exactly what they need makes you a smart-ass? That makes me sorry I even tried to help... Not even going to dignify that with a response.

One day people will learn the power of the bigger picture...

Reading your first post twice, I can see that maybe you weren't trying to be a smartass, but telling someone generally to learn "basic" mixing, and that they have to "actually know what they are doing" comes across a little.......well......


I wasn't neccessarily refering to you anyway, but others that are way worse. It just sucks when you ask a question and someone basically tells you that you don't know shit and that you shouldn't even own the equipment you have. It makes you want to throw in the towel. Plus how are you supposed to learn what you are doing if you don't use the equipment? We've all got to start somewhere.

[Hitz]

Originally Posted by khameln

One day people will learn the power of the bigger picture...

Cats are missing the big picture. It's rediculous to say that you were being a 'smart ass'. How is that? Cause you told the truth?? Dr.Dre is in a multi MILLION dollar facility, and surrounded by incredible staff. Your tracks aren't going to sound like his on a Motif alone lol. Myself being a Motif Rack user also. There are some techniques you could experiment with, such as ADSR adjustments, gated reverbs, layers, and just sound selection in general. Usually the steps consist of giving your future engineer enough to work with (concerning your choice of sounds, layers and light FX) etc. [assuming you are a producer]

Don't underestimate the mixing engineer also. It's a common misconception that 'beetz' are just made to order already bangin' and ready for radio. NOOO. (not saying ANYONE here feels that way) just off of experience this is usually the case.

[OneUp Ent]

I don't think Khameln was raggin the dude. He just put it in the simplest most blunt nature, definately wasn't kind or gentle. but neither is the industry.

I have made some killer patches on the ES. I do everthingin in the song mixer mode, sometimes you have to stack as much as 5-8 different parts. I almost always do it with strings. I tweek the pans/ pitch for the violins, violas, cellos, and basses seperately then add them to a combined sound. Same with horns, trumpets, trombones, sax all get treatments belended and mixed with other patches from other modules and samples I have. It's a lot of work but worth it. I'll post a small sound bite of what I mean in a minute.

[deuc647]

Khameln, im sorry for callin u a smart ass, but everyone had to start somewhere and i can bet you dollars to cents that when u started you asked some newbie questions, hell i think i still do it from time to time. The point is to help out when we can and by sayin know what ur doing isnt too encouraging, experimenting is the key. Hope this cleared things up

[khameln]

Right, but you're saying it like I attacked him... The answer that I gave is exactly the kind of answer that helped me the most when I was just starting out.

Why? Because one of the most important things in learning is realizing that many things are really a lot simpler than you think they are, if you just take the time to learn the fundamentals.

It's funny how people ask for advice due to some fundamental issue, and you tell them to learn the basics (which is some of the most important advice anybody can give), and they take it like you were trying to hurt them in some way... Because that CAN'T be the answer You must just be holding back information to keep them down....

It seems like now, literally every day on this forum there are a million "how do I make this sound" questions due to issues that could be solved by just learning basic layering/eq/mixing/programming/listening fundamentals (and that's not really what this board was created for in the first place). So when someone explains this, they aren't berating anybody. It's just the truth, and the best way to learn.

[Hitz]

Now what will make a good discussion is this.

*Dramatic Orchestra flourish*

What is "The Basics"

[filterayok]

Originally Posted by filterayok

can u post somthing uve tried?? sometimes its about the pitches within the stabs---certain string patches sound better hitting the lower octaves, some stab better higher, same with brass

ahem

[vaesion]

find a big chord you like using like 5 or 6 keys...........record it midi into you computer.........now record it back in as audio.........then change the sound and record the same chord back in again and keep doing this over and over changing the sound and recording.........till ya have like 4 dif string 4 horn types.........pan them all out crazy...........then group them together on a aux channel then add a big reverb to the whole thing. Make sure its a good midi stab.

it works

[vaesion]

and yes it does have a big full sound as a keyboard in its self

if u want ur stab to seem big.........
make everything else seem smaller..........compress everything else in the mix a lil more cut away a lil more on the eq on the other sounds......

leave the stab dynamic

its all an illusion

[JuelzB]

this thread has helped me out on this topic:

Again With the stabs