Re: NAMM & the new Plex

[Robert van der Kamp <robnet@wxs.nl>]

"Dennis W. Leas" wrote:

> >What we are doing is quite different. We are toying with mostly 
>uncompressed
> and
> >more suttle sounds in a much wider range, including many low level 
>sounds.
> (Think
> >of decayng audio!). These suttle low-level sounds only use a few bits 
>(say 4 or
> 5)
> >to encode the sample. Ever heared an old 8-bit sampler? Well, this is 
>worse.
> >Try it. Take a  continous sound, feed it through the plex at a very low 
>level,
> crank
> >up the volume and enjoy the low bit rate noise.
>
> Sounds like a good experiment.  I'll try it this week-end.  I have two 
>'plexes
> and I'm particularly interested in seeing if they behave the same.
>
> But before I do, I'll shoot my mouth off :)

Do it afterwards, when the experiment proofed right. ;-)
Better don't do it at all...

>
>
> What I suspect you're hearing is the noisegate opening and closing 
>sporadically
> on the 'plex.  I've ran into this "feature" when I've tried to loop 
>sounds that
> come-up from inaudibility to a decent level and return to inaudibility.  
>I hear
> the gate snap-open and snap-shut rather than a smooth transition from/to
> inaudibility.  Not the effect I was after.

Hmm, didn't know that. Don't have a plex. I'm waiting for the (really 
great) LOOP
software fitted in a modern (preferably true stereo) unit with decent 
audio specs.
The problem is that THE WHOLE PRODUCTION is living *in* the looper. It's
not an effect, it *the* (only) instrument!

>
>
> Now the gate is required for the UNDO feature but it would be nice to 
>defeat it
> sometimes, when you know you not going to UNDO.  (Kim?)

I'm afraid I wil always need UNDO. ;-)

>
>
> A signal that is only 4 or 5 bits in magnitude is REAL quiet.  Perhaps I 
>need to
> find less rowdy places to play or a more polite audience? :)  Kind of a 
>new
> definition for a "two bit place"?

:-) Great definition! Anyway, try with suttle stuff, or stuff that 
:increases in volume.
Or listen how a good quality sound dies out. Decrease the feedback until 
its
nearly quiet and then set the feedback to max and listen to what the plex 
is
doing with the sound. Maybe the gate comes indeed into play before we 
reach that
level.

Robert

>
>
> Good discussion.
>
> Dennis Leas
> -----------------------------
> dennis@mdbs.com