ooooo a a o48888P"""78 8b. ,p q8 88a 48K 8 ,poo888ooP' ,oo88o o' q. d8b d888b 78888oooo. dP' `888' d8"' `88 `8888888q 48b 48P' `88 `""""8888 Y88 ,8' 88 d88 7 d88P d8P 8oo oo88 V88. `88o. ,o888 88 Y88b Y88. ,8D / / `5488888"' `78b. `"88888'`8o q888 `88m `Y88888P / / 8888 / / \------------------------- 88 8D --------------------------------/ / \ \---------------- o ,d888888 ----------------------------------/ \ \ October `888 888 888 \ \ 1998 888 `"' d8888oo, \ \ 888 `888' Y88P,d888b. dP' `88 51 \ \ 888 q8b 88P 8888'`888 88b,,,,, 88 subscribers \ \ 888888 7b 88' 888' `88 88'`"""78P ---------------\ \ 88 88888b dP ,88. 88; 88, 78b, .,p --------------------\ 7888P 88888P ,8888b. a888. a888 `888888P' ascii by: ZXPKNOBB --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- Table Of Contents ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- Opening: Message From the Editor Letters From Our Readers Columns: In Tune -- Obsidian Dream's "Sorrow's Triumph" Monthly Software Review -- SoftSynths Features: Tracking for the People [Dilvish] Closing Credits: --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- Message From the Editor ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- Welcome all to another issue of Static Line. I must say, this issue means a lot to me. Why? This issue is being sent to 51 readers. You may not consider that a whole lot, but considering I didn't think this project would get this far, that makes me happy. We still need some more columnists though -- e-mail me if your interested. First of all, let me begin by appologizing for this issue being slightly late. It has been a hectic week, and I can't even begin to tell you what midterms are like around here. However, I was able to get this issue out with everything intact. Special thanks to my roomate and my girlfriend who did some last-minute proof reading for me. I didn't have the time to send it out to my assistant editors. This month, Louis reviews a handfull (actually three) softsynths in his Monthly Software Review. Be sure to check that out if you're looking for new samples or a new way to create them. The music of a group called Obsidian Dream gets reviewed this month in In Tune. Yes, we do accept co-op tunes for review. Finally, Dilvish brings us a guest column about writing music for the non-trackers (they exist ya know). Setec will be back next month with the continuation of his percussion mini-series. For now, he's got too much to do -- highly understandable. As always, we like to hear feedback...it helps us tune the magazine to the way you like it. Like a column, let us know why. Dislike a column, we especially wanna know this. --Coplan --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- Letters From Our Readers ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- -=- Letter from Catspaw -=- Coplan, Great job so far on Static Line! Since the demise of Traxweekly (or Traxsemianually, whatever) I've really missed having a periodic emag for the music side of the demoscene. In particular, I really love the way you have the reviews set up. Normally, I eschew any kind of formal reviewing system, as they tend to have the same failing that the Hornet rating system had: they were based from individual opinions, which reflected far too much of that individual's taste. The point/counterpoint method you have going is great, though. You have two people from widely diverse viewpoints, whose biases and preferences are stated up-front. So far, I've found the balance of the two to give a really good impression of what the music's like. Keep it up! --Catspaw/Obsidian Dream catspaw@sprynet.com http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/obsidian/ http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/catspaw/ -=> I am glad that the column turned out well so far. I originally brought SiN into the on-going project so that I would have an easier time. Its amazeing the other advantages of having two columnists on the same column -- and it is much easier for us to bring you quality reviews now. --Coplan --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- In Tune Obsidian Dream's "Sorrow's Triumph" By: Coplan and SiN ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- This month, it appears as though I'm flying solo again. SiN has a lot to do with midterms, and has made an effort to write -- but unfortunately, school has gotten the best of him. I on the other hand am not affected by school. I'm what one would call a "slacker." The tune on the review block this month is a song by not one, not two but three guys: Catspaw (Brandon Bannerman), Dude (Miran Walter) and Dream Scythe (Patrick Hiller). Together, they form a group called Obsidian Dream, and co-op tunes like this are common within the group. A warning about the song: It is a large song, about 3 Megabytes large, and its all IT 2.14 compressed format. This means that if you use any of the Gravis Ultrasounds, you more than likely won't be able to hear it useing IT. If you have a GUS-PNP, you need at least 6MB to listen to the song. Your other alternative is to use MikIT, or Winamp, though I would recommend MikIT. -=- Coplan -=- First of all, let me first start off by complimenting the group on their teamwork. I for one have never been very good with co-ops, let alone a co-op among three people. The tune is very refined -- almost flawless. Based on the song alone, I don't think there was any conflict in method within the trio. The sample selection is quite amazing as well. Of all the samples in the song (there are easily over 40), I would have to say that I only disapprove of some of the kick bass and snare samples. Details, such as sound fluctuation within the same instrument, were not overlooked, as they have loaded 3 or 4 samples relating to the same sample. That much attention to a song should be commended. The song opens with a well orchestrated brawl of string and wind instruments. The first time I heard this song, this really pulled me into the song. A well tempered introduction can make or break a song. After all, many listeners out there may simply choose to judge a song on its opening. Change begins as soon as order 5 when the introduction is faded out completely. Silence, then the piano. If you ever want to use this sort of technique in one of your introductions, be careful. Its not as easy as Obsidian Dream makes it look. A complete fadeout this close to the beginning of the song gets tricky. The important thing is to unify it in some way as these guys have done. Notice how the flute and the cellos act. Remind you of the very beginning? Good, that's their intention. In order 8, we get our first listen of the percussion. They have done something that I have seen before, but I feel isn't done enough, and that is how they used a seperate sample for their drum rolls. You will notice this both in their marching snare and their kettle drum. This is not to say that the simple use of the retrigger command isn't good, because with some instruments it works just fine. However, useing a seperate sample for your drum rolls is the closest to reality you're going to get. While you're listening to this part, also check out how the violins and the flutes interact with each other. They play back and forth, complimenting what the other has just played. Shift to order 18. As many of the instruments fade out here, I would say that this was at one time leading into a truly great transition. Order 19 comes, and I truly thought that's where the transition was going -- but I was wrong. Instead, we have too much closure. It feels to me as though the song is over, especially with that gong and the near silence. To be perfectly honest (and perhaps a little blunt), this transition could have been handled much better. What comes to us in order 21 might as well be a new song. Oh well, moving on. My favorite part of the song starts at order 21. This mellow piano part gets inside you. I was humming this part for hours after I first heard the song -- the sign of a catchy tune. The quality of the piano samples are well demonstrated, and well needed, here. With anything of lesser quality, the section would be far less effective. Notice how the piano is used here: how the chords are worked into the piece, what the low notes do, what the high notes do. Notice how the left hand (the low notes) compliments the right as the right plays the key lead. My roomate was disappointed when the percussion came in at order 24, but I am very satisfied. Not only does the percussion seem to fit well with the piano, but it too is done very well. That shaker tops it here. I won't dwell on it, but the transition between order 34 and order 36 is handled much better. The only thing that I would've liked to have seen is that roll coming in much sooner. This is my next favorite part of the song. The thing that makes this part so unique is the way the strings are handled. Note slides, pizzicato strings, an occasional unpatterned jump of the strings. This is what makes this interesting. The orchestra seems to evolve around you, it develops a personality. That's what you want. By the way, I keep pointing out weak transitions, the transition from order 44 to order 45 is a great example of a well orchestrated transition. The tune is worked up to that transition, it is presented by the decreasing scale of the flute, the few riffs of the snare (very soft) and finally a cymbol crash. Then very nearly complete change. But what ties it together? For one, the fact that there was no break in time. But the thing that really ties it together is something so slight you might overlook it: the violin. All through the last part, the violin was playing a steady D-3, and it still is. Unity. Now let the pianos play around. The best transition of the entire piece is the one from order 53 to order 55. You are dropped through a viscous mass onto the mellow strings from the beginning. First the workup, in this case it was a whole array of stringed instruments with an increase in volume. Second, the fadeout. Just as those instruments are about to die, a crescendo cymbol, and suddenly, the strings form into something recognizable. Sound simple? This time it is. This is not a difficult transition style to master. So why do I make such a big deal of it? Because no one uses it. Simplicity is sometimes what we need. This brings us to the final segment of the song. Lets spice up the chorus a bit and throw some rock in there. It's effective, though it leaves something to be desired. I felt like I had just finished a game of Final Fantasy. Don't get me wrong, I do very much like the ending segment. However, the percussion here is not nearly as clean as it was elsewhere. Remember how I mentioned the seperate drum roll sample? Well, here it didn't need to be used for a drum roll that was less than a second long, but it was used several times. The same effect could have been done much more realistically with the note delay command and severe volume changes. The ending itself was very well done and very dramatic. Thats what I like to see. Well, its been a while now, I think its about time I wrap up. This is to date one of my favorite songs. It is probably one of the best songs I have officially reviewed for Trax Weekly or Static Line. This is a must-have, even if you don't traditionally like orchestra tunes. Well, until next month. --Coplan Listening Info: Coplan: IT 2.14 useing default Interwave drivers; Koss Standard Headphones and his home stereo. Song Information: Title: "Sorrow's Triumph" Author: Obsidian Dream (Catspaw, Dude, Dream Scythe) Filename (unzipped): striumph.it File Size: 3.05 Meg Source: ftp://ftp.scene.org <--exact directory not known "In Tune" is a regular column dedicated to the review of original and singular works by fellow trackers. It is to be used as a tool to expand your listening and writing horizons, but should not be used as a general rating system. SiN and Coplan's opinions are not the opinions of the Static Line Staff. If you have heard a song you would like to recommend (either your own, or another person's), we can be contacted through e-mail useing the addresses found in the closing notes. Please do not send files attached to e-mail without first contacting us. Thank you! --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- Montly Software Review SoftSynths By: Louis Gorenfeld ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- Intro: Softsynths are perfect for the tracker without (or even with, if you only have one) a serious synthesizer. They allow you to make samples from nothing except that one program and if you're lazy, you can even sequence a pattern or so to stick into one of your songs. Review : Stomper If you only have room for one softsynth, this is the one to have. It started as a simple drum synthesizer, but can also produce deep bass sounds, 303ish sounds (yeah, like we don't have enough of those), sound effects, tape stops and your typical sweeping synth sounds. Its ability to use any WAV file as a waveform for an oscillator means you can make custom waveforms using a wave editor like cooledit, and if you want to get crazy, a text editor too. In addition, it allows for a seemingly unlimited amount of oscillators (I tried up to 46 oscill- ators), and the unintimidating interface makes it good for people new to softsynths. Stomper is my most used softsynth. Sequencer : No Realtime : No Oscillators : Infinate Waveforms : Sine, Saw, Square, Triangle, WAV + noise Envelopes : 2 (Frequency Curve, Amplitude Curve) Special FX : None Exports : WAV, RAW Ease of Use : Very easy Platform : Win95 Rating : 4/4 Review : Orangator This synth sounds great after you get used to the scary-looking interface. It can produce complex instruments such as xylophones, nice pads, and even good hihats and rides! It even has what it calls a phat sound generator so that with only a little tweaking you can make rich sounding samples. It comes with numerous sample setting files there for you to study and mess around with (which is the best way to learn to use this synth). As far as filters are concerned, there are plenty. Orangator has a resonance filter, 2 average filters (one with resonance, the other without) and a high/low cutoff filter. However, the program is not perfect. It's not the greatest at basses, low drum noises or most natural sounding inst- ruments and it's slow at rendering the samples. But even with these small downsides, this is one of the best softsynths you will come across. Sequencer : Yes Realtime : Togglable, needs fast CPU Oscillators : Ten Waveforms : 3 Sines, 2 Saws, Square, Triangle, 2 Noises, Custom and up to 2 seperate WAV's Envelopes : 4 (3 ASDR, 1 Graphical) Special FX : Overdrive, Chorus, Flanger, Feedback, Reverb, Harmonics Exports : WAV, XI, RAW Ease of Use : Hard Platform : Win95 Rating : 4/4 Review : Defractor This synth is for making screechy acidy sounds. Nothing else, really. While it comes with bass sounds, it doesn't come close to sounding bassy. There are no filtering capabilities to speak of, which further limits you. It can do a 'noise' waveform, but it's not real noise: it just loops two little spikes and sounds more like a buzz. If a harsh, menacing sound is what you're after you should check this out, but for anything else no amount of waveforms can save this sad synth. Sequencer : No Realtime : No Oscillators : Two Waveforms : Sine, 2 Squares, Saw, Triangular, 4 Teeth, Circular, Noise, RAW waveforms Envelopes : 2 (Attack/Decay) Special FX : Overdrive Exports : WAV, XI, RAW Ease of Use : Easy Platform : Win95 Rating : 2/4 -Louis Gorenfeld --=--=-- --=--=------=--=------=--=---- Tracking for the People By: Dilvish ----=--=------=--=------=--=-- This month, I want to share a few ideas about creating music that anybody can listen to. A lot of times, trackers get caught up in loyalties to certain trackers (IT, or FT2 for example) and don't consider making music that the general public can listen to on a car stereo. A big part of your potential audience has never even heard of MODs. Why? Because they all live in the dark ages of CD's cassettes, and top40 radio, of course. So how can you open yourself to new opportunities? Do you think you'll never achieve any kind of fame because you can only go so far in the tracking community? The age of loneliness has long passed. Today there are many formats that you can use to get your music to the people. It's not hard to convert tracked music to WAV, and from there, the sky is the limit. Many musicians are throwing together webpages with music in MP3, Real Audio, and Liquid audio formats - just to name a few - as well as their native tracked format. This is a very exciting trend with very real possibilities. It's not too dificult to make the right connections, and expose a whole new audience to your music. There are other benefits to breaking out of the traditional tracker formats. You know those 20 meg multi-sampled grand piano sets, and multi-sampled orchestra pits that were always way too huge to use in your latest release? Sample size becomes irrelevent when you start thinking about CD or MP3. Neither do the number of NNA's you use. Feel free to go hog wild and break all the rules. You know that great guitar riff you've been working on? Strap on, plug in, and record it. Pull that 30 seccond riff into your favorite editor, and layer it with astral effects, and a heavy chorous. Hell, why not track a synth riff and layer that with some outrageously huge effect? Play with delay and filter sweeps... add character with timbre dynamics, and break out of your shell. Tracking has no walls. No limits. You are free to do whatever you want with your music, and you are free to distribute it any way you want. Break the barriers, and sell your new CD on the web, and enlighten a whole new audience. The world is ours to entertain. Let's make some noise. - Dilvish Note: Dilvish recently came out of a mental hospital, and his views and oppinions do not reflect the rest of the universe. He thinks that limits are silly, and that rules were meant to be bent and broken. He thinks that everybody has the power to shape the world, and cause global change - especially musicians. He also thinks that a bigger audience gives you more influence. What a nutcase. peace, baby. ;) --=--=-- ----=--=------=--=------=--=------=--=------=--=------=--=------=--=------ Editor: Coplan / D. Travis North / coplan@thunder.temple.edu Assistant Editors: Ranger Rick / Ben Reed / ranger@ironweb.com Subliminal / Matt Friedly / sub@plazma.net Web Manager: Dilvish / Eric Hamilton / dilvie@kosmic.org Columnists: Coplan / D. Travis North / coplan@thunder.temple.edu Dilvish / Eric Hamilton / dilvie@kosmic.org Louis Gorenfeld / gorenfeld@vrone.net SiN / Ian Haskin / ian.h@sympatico.ca Staff Writers: Acell / Jamie LeSouef / jlesouef@melbpc.org.au Darkheart / Zach Heitling / darkhart@san.rr.com Setec / Jesper Pederson / setecjp@hotmail.com Technical Support: Draggy / Nicolas St. Pierre / draggy@kosmic.org To subscribe to the Static Line mailing list, send an e-mail message to "majordomo@kosmic.org" with "subscribe static_line" in the message text. You will then be asked to confirm your addition to the mailing list. To unsubscribe from the mailing list, send an e-mail message to "majordomo@kosmic.org" with "unsubscribe static_line" in the message text. Your subscription will then be removed. If you would like to contribute an article to Static Line, be aware that we will format your article with two spaces at the beginning and one space at the end of each line. Please void foul language and high ascii characters. Contributions should be mailed to Coplan (coplan@thunder.temple.edu). See you next month! -eof---=------=--=------=--=--