Preview for the next months - Electric Core

Hello fellow Slayers,

So this is my first post trying to encapsulate the last 12 months in order to look how things develop. 

Firstly I thank everybody who did support my Patreon in the past and it was great to see to having at times almost 40 members. We are actually 30 and that is still pretty cool to see.

However, I also must see the reality of being just like most of you having a normal life with things they have to manage. And while I keep on trying to push myself to bring you each month new music, I also feel like that the channel is not really moving forward for quite a while. And before some of you might get confused: No, I will continue doing Patreon. I love the small community here. But I am not gonna lie also: I was hoping to see more progress and growing community and so I am scratching sometimes my head if it is the content or the way of marketing that I don´t do correctly. 

I was also trying to think about what could set me apart from other people out there. I know a few things are definitely different with me. 

I know that I am different when it comes to having gear aqcuisition syndrome (GAS). And the other thing is that I am often sitting for days and sometimes weeks just trying to create weird sounds or trying to find out how certain tones were made. 

All of this things made it into the newer tracks here. Especially the analog equipment that I got over the last 15 months. Most of it is very specific and some of the units are rare and sold out for many years. And the ones that are not are only made by ordering them on demand and that can take months once you get your unit because all of them are handmade. And most of them are import. So it is not easy. 

One of the recent additions was a russian analog synth. And it is the Polivoks. Maybe some of you know that analog synth from that Doom Eternal Behind the scenes video that Mick posted on his Youtube channel.

I don´t know what version of the Polivoks he has, but I found out that there are different versions made throughout the 1980s. And the one I got is one of earliest models that were ever made in history of the Polivoks. And the older versions supposely do sound better I was told? I don´t know..who knows that really?

But what I know is that the guy (from moscow) who sold me the PV is a specialized technician maintaining old analog synths. We had a nice talk and changed also numbers. He helped me also setting up a few things and I can only say that my experience with him was very friendly and almost brother like although we do not know each other at all. But what connects us is the music and love for vintage gear etc. 

Before you may ask or wonder: I mention this simply because of the topic with the Polivoks and not because of anything else that is currently happening in the world right now. Please understand also that I will not engage any discussion here since I would like to keep everything music related.

Having said that, the Polivoks is very unique in tone and has so much personality. When trying to describe its sound I would say that it sounds dirty, overdriven, industrial and big and at times also erratic. Totally worth (for me!). You will not find this sound anywhere. If you want a sound like that, you will find it only in a Polivoks. And not in a Moog or somewhere else.

The one I got has a few modifications that makes it a bit more practical to use for what I intended it. First Dimitri included a midi modification. This is a big plus here since I can program sounds in my daw and automate sounds that will never be possible without it. And I think Micks Version has one too. The other thing is that I can automate the filters in my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). And the old DIN In and ouputs were exchanged with more practical jacks. 

Speaking of erratic devices I also was able to get my hands on some more Metasonix devices such as a R-53 and a very rare F-1. For the R-53 (modular), I had to order a custom made Trogotronic Collier case simply because you should not plug those hungry Metasonix units into cheap housings with weak power supplys. So this Trogo case has on both -12V/+12 V 10K mA. However, then I had to order a replacement tube (which is on the way) since the R53 turns on but the left 12AV7 tube remains cold and dead. But thats how it is with real hardware. It can break. And that is sucks but it is charming.

I see people that engage me from time to time and asking (e.g. discord / Youtube) how I produce all these sounds and what plugins I use. And I often tell them that I don´t use much plugins for these types of sounds here. 

So are plugins not cool or worth? There is no real answer to it. I think plugins have improved a lot since the first time I started using any type of digital algorithm in order to manipluate signals that reach back to 2001. And I still think plugins can do great things. Do they replace hardware these days? I think there are examples where they are getting pretty close with their digital versions, but there are other scenarios where I think plugins simply are lacking of character and depth / sound. They are too clean, too precise and too much sounding the same.

But that doesn´t mean one or the other way is right or wrong. You gotta chose what you have. And also what you like!  If you want to have that characteristic erratic feedback loop type of TX-3 tone or the one from Industria Electric obnoxious chaotic sound devices, then yeah, its pretty useless to do it with plugins. In the end I would say: Use both worlds BUT know the difference. 

And I think that it is a generational thing too. Its like people going into used stores buying second hand vinyls and CDs. Is there a logical reason for that? No..maybe not. Why buying there, since you can listen to the music on Youtube and other streaming plattforms  for free, right? Well, I call it physical interaction with something that is real - And its rewarding moment when you dial in a tone after a couple of hours that makes you excited because it not only kicks ass but IT IS YOUR F*** TONE experience. 

Well, enough talk, here is a short 'work in progres' teaser track that will be released once it is entirely finished. 

Thanks for reading!

Have a nice weekend everybody.

Horns up, 

Alex