Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

Thanks a lot, Neil.  I sure appreciate it.

No, I rarely write anything on staff paper anymore, though I should.  
And you give WAY too much credit by mentioning the word "theory" in 
the same paragraph with my name!  It's been over 25 years since I've 
had any classical training.  That's not to say I don't know my chords 
and the other basics about intervals, etc., but if I've used "theory" 
in my Evolver sequences, I have to admit that it's been sub-
consciously.

Most of the sequence composition is much like a mini version of 
songwriting to me.  That is to say, some of it is very "planned and 
programmed", some is just pure inspiration (otherwise known as 
luck!), and a little bit is experimentation with different things 
once you have a good idea going.  

On average, though, I'd have to say that most of my stuff comes from 
an idea I'll get in my head and start humming.  I'll then usually 
work out the idea and the specific notes on the piano (or sometimes a 
keyboard synth).  Then I'll go to the Evolver and start programming a 
sound (or sounds) and the sequence itself.

It's funny how some of this stuff works out, though.  For example, at 
one point when it first started looking like we were going to be 
close to filling 3 banks worth, I forced myself to cook up some new 
material, just so that we'd have three full banks.  I was trying to 
work out this idea I had on the piano, but it just wasn't happening.  
It seemed to be nothing more than a mediocre dead end.  I finished 
working it out, anyway, even though I didn't think it was that good, 
because I wanted to be able to say, "we have three full banks!"  I 
then programmed the patch and sequence on the Evolver.  WOW!  Without 
changing a note, all of the sudden it simply came alive.  It sounded 
SO cool on the Evolver!  The results can be heard in the mp3 demo, 
and in programs C062-C064, called "The Evolutionary".  Despite the 
fact that it started out being very "forced", I now like that 
sequence better than any others that I programmed.  Strange!  :)

Phew!  Sorry for talking your ear off!


Ski
www.ex5tech.com
EX5Tech Evolver forum:
http://www.ex5tech.com/ex5ubb_cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=23


--- In DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com, "Neil Goldstein" <ngold@c...> 
wrote:
> 
> Love the patch banks, and those are some great sequences, Ski!
> 
> Do you have any tips on how you create those 'musical' lines? Are 
you
> writing out the lines (on staff) before programming on the E? Using 
an
> editor or just the E? 
> 
> How much 'theory' did you apply, or is it mostly experimentation?  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ski_ex5tech [mailto:ex5tech@e...] 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 11:14 PM
> To: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Evolver] Re: Evolutionaries 2003 User Forum Soundset
> 
> Thanks Ravi!  I didn't contribute the majority, though.  I just did 
> Bank C, and a few "fillers" in Bank A and B so that they'd be 
> complete.  I didn't really intend to do an entire bank.  It just 
kind 
> of happened all the sudden.  I actually have about a dozen or 
> so "leftovers"!  Rest assured, though, that ALL patches/sequences 
> submitted by the other twelve authors were all used.