Fairlight-CMI

No problem — s'a great clip for sure.  Thanks!

--- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, "dvdborn" <dvdborn@...> wrote:
>
> Oops, meant to address this to Matthew Weiner.
> Sorry about that.
> 
> David
> 
> 
> --- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, "dvdborn" <dvdborn@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Laurence,
> > 
> > Here's a nice clip where you can see Page R in action:
> > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afkAcPirz9U
> > 
> > Best,
> > David
> > http://dvdborn.blogspot.com
> > 
> > 
> > --- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, "matthew_weiner_2000"
<matthew.weiner@> 
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Laurence, thank you — that was helpful to hear.  I've actually tried
> > > some of the things you suggest with...mixed success.  I would def.
> > > agree that the monophonic and velocity things are big — it adds
to the
> > > robotic feel of the thing.  
> > > 
> > > I don't know if you're familiar with the program, but
Reason—with its
> > > pattern-based Redrum drum machine emulator and Matrix
> > > Modulator—strikes me as being a system that SHOULD do a fairly
decent
> > > job of reproducing the Fairlight composition process.  But still I
> > > don't get it exactly — things I do seem to plod repeatedly where
most
> > > Fairlight sequences seem to be in a constant state of change.  
> > > 
> > > Lastly, I'm replying to this response of yours, as part of me
wonders
> > > how much of the artiest IIx stuff I've been hearing—JJ
Jezcalik's work
> > > with Trevor Horn comes to mind—was done on MCL as opposed to
Page R. 
> > > There's just this hyperattentive level of detail on some of
those records.
> > > 
> > > Any further thoughts?  Part of me thinks that hearing a
multitrack of
> > > some of this stuff (a la Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey" but with all
> > > Fairlight) would really help.  As would seeing this thing for
myself,
> > > though where that would happen is anybody's guess...
> > > 
> > > --- In Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com, Laurence Shields <mercybox@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > It's not a stupid question at all. First, the Series II and
IIx had
> > > three sequencers, Page 9, MCL, and Page R. There was no way to
"sync"
> > > any of the sequencers together (apart from multi-tracking one to
tape,
> > > then loading and syncing the other). If you think about it, it
> > > wouldn't make much sense anyway, as the Fairlight could only play 8
> > > voices altogether. Having those voices shared between two sequencers
> > > at once would be of limited value. 
> > > > 
> > > > Page R, as has been said, is a rhythmic composition page. You
have 8
> > > monophonic lines that you can repeat, transpose, and so forth.
You use
> > > patterns to represent, say, parts of a song, and then you can
arrange
> > > them in different orders to make up that song. Really, just think
> > > glorified drum machine and you've basically got it.
> > > > 
> > > > Page 9 (or Keyboard Sequencer) is altogether different. It is a
> > > straight record and overdub page. It's basically useful as a
> > > scratchpad for recording a performance but there are no editing
> > > features of any kind. No quantize either(!). You can overdub lines
> > > with another sound in the Fairlight's memory and change the
tempo and
> > > such but that's about it. You play it in, it plays it back.
That's it.
> > > It does have a facilty for importing MCL sequences, for easy
playback.
> > > > 
> > > > MCL (or Music Composition Language) is also quite different. It
> > > doesn't using the music keyboard at all. Commands and note
events are
> > > step-entered from the QWERTY keyboard using codes for pitch, length,
> > > velocity, controllers and so on. Unless you are experienced,
composing
> > > a song in this way takes a pretty long time. However, you can
achieve
> > > results that are not possible with the other sequencers. I think
many
> > > power users in the early 80s must've used this quite a bit on
records.
> > > Incidently, this is the only one of the sequencers in which you can
> > > record and play back controller data that has not been assigned
to one
> > > of the Fairlight's physical controls, if that makes any sense. :-)
> > > > 
> > > > By the way, the Series III is totally different in many, many
ways.
> > > Not only do you have 16 voices, but you have another sequencer,
CAPS,
> > > that is a bit more modern and supports polyphonic recording and
such.
> > > I would imagine that many people used that.
> > > > 
> > > > Hope that helps.
> > > > 
> > > > Laurence
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > ----- Original Message ----
> > > > From: Andrew <taoist.hermit1@>
> > > > To: Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, October 4, 2006 5:46:47 AM
> > > > Subject: Re: [Fairlight-CMI]Re: Page R — What Made It So
Unique and
> > > How Can I Emulate It?
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > I hope this isn't a stupid question.  I don't have a Fairlight so
> > > I'm just 
> > > > on this list for gathering information.
> > > > 
> > > > As I recall (from many years ago :D), the Series II had Page R
as a
> > > rhythm 
> > > > programmer, but also Page 9 as a sequencer.  I would have expected
> > > if that 
> > > > was the case that Page R would usually be used for rhythm
events - 
> > > > percussive stuff - and Page 9 for note sequences.
> > > > 
> > > > But that doesn't seem to be what's being said here, which
refers to
> > > Page R 
> > > > being used for rhythmic note sequences.  Is this because - as many
> > > people 
> > > > complained at the time - there wasn't a way to link Page R and
Page
> > > 9?  I 
> > > > always assumed (dangerous, I know) that Fairlight would fix
that with a 
> > > > software update, or sort it with the Series III, but it doesn't
> > > sound that 
> > > > way from what's being said.  So I'm curious about Page 9 and
why people 
> > > > didn't use it for sequencing.
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > >  
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > >
> > >
> >
>