Homecoming

[mal7921]

This was originally posted on my websites blog, but it is about Atari's and also relevant here, so here it is.

Sometimes, the old ways are the best.

Over the last 12 or so years, my music making technology has gone through a shift, from the humble Atari ST running Cubase, through a myriad of PC configurations running Cubase/Nuendo, finally settling on an Apple Mac based setup running Logic Studio, and during that time the sounds available have increased in number, quality, depth and complexity. While this may be a good thing, it is also a bad thing, allowing more creativity through choice, but having so much choice it stifles creativity.

And then there is the comfort thing, you start with a technology setup, get used to it, then you move on and adapt. While some things work the same, other things change and while you can still do what you want to do, the comfort zone has been messed with, but you can get fooled into thinking that you can't go back, because you have something newer and better, so things must also be better for you than they were.

And all the time, something in the back of your mind says "Something is missing, something is not right", but you ignore it as that voice is not that loud, and you have "New toys" to investigate and play with.

So while working on a remix for a friends band, I took a day or 2 away from it to build up a small "Retro" studio system, running an older version of Cubase on an old Atari Falcon computer, something which I intended to be a single keyboard for just messing around on and reminiscing. By day 2, I had a working system and had moved all the MIDI equipment from the iMac setup onto the Atari and was mapping out what instruments were on which ports. I had the keyboard set up and the audio interface connected, in short, the little studio idea had become an Atari based production center. From the moment I powered it on and loaded Cubase Audio, I immediately felt at home, I felt like I did when I used to start up the old ST all those years ago, excited and ready to create something new and different with whatever I had to hand at the time.

Ok, so the Macbook Pro and iMac can run everything "In the box", but there is something about seeing the technology that you are using, being able to touch the controls when you need to change something as simple as the volume. Seeing the display respond to your playing, having something tangible instead of another graphic on a screen already overflowing with graphics and information.

Nice as it is to have things in one place, sometimes the old approach just works better.

There is no real escaping the march of progress though, and although I intend to use the Atari and all the MIDI gear, there are some things that the Macs will always do better, simply because they can bring expensive mastering equipment down to a more manageable cost and complexity. But until those final stages, even now, 17 years after their final demise, the Atari series of computers can still do the job.

[Feedbaxlow]

I can totally relate to this post.
I have been getting slowly more and more confused as to my intention when starting a track and less inspired by my Mac rig and gear. Too many choices and i dread that flat N.I. Battery drum sound and yet another bunch of blah sounds to try coax some life out of.
However when i fire up the Juno 60 and mess with the JSQ-60, (a primitive Roland sequencer from same era) or the Jupiter 8's arpeggiator... i have fun again just monkeying about.
In fact the last track i just recorded the Jupiter's arpeggiator strait into the MAC (since it isn't midi) and built a track around that... best thing I've done in ages.

I'm thinking of getting a OB Xpander but is another complex synth really the answer?
Seems like a 16 step analogue sequencer might be fun or possibly a Machinedrum would be more like it... but i must sell some gear to be able afford that...so OK, i finally just wanted to start a track with the old Atari/Cubase again.
But unfortunately i can't seem to get it to recognize the drives where the Cubase is yet... but if i can, I'll hook up the S1000, Virus, Nord Lead and maybe even the OB Matrix 1000 and let the midi fly without worrying about Nuendo crashing on the bloomin' G5.

[mal7921]

Hi, one thing I used to do was have the TT connected to a Roland D110 and just mess around. One of the results of that was this track which still features the D110 in it somewhere in the string sections.

As it stands at the moment, I work on both the Mac and the Falcon when I get time. Once again I've succumbed to illness so don't really have the strength at the end of the day.

Soon though, soon...