Predator Basic Sounds

Link to Demo Software - HERE!

Link to Video - Predator Basic Sounds

I am not 100% sure of predator works on Mac so anyone using mac if they can let me know i would be grateful.

If it doesn't I will find another fixed architecture synth that does and do the necessary parts of the c.ourse on that.

Please leave all feedback for this video in this thread.

thanks

Mark

Greetings again,

I dont have a MAC so i cant test for that. Wish i did though....

I have used predator for a while now and i love it.
I never really jumped into it this much though, as i just tweaked the presets

Again this was a great video, by the time this one started i already knew the way to build a sound. And having used this before it was a quick and easy process to get what i wanted from this.

No issues really, again, just the transition text between sounds, apart from that , perfect.

Cheers

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the feedback, glad you found the videos concise, again the transitions will be done

Mark

Not to shabby, I watched the video thought it was done a little quicker regarding explanations. I watched it again to try make the sounds Mark was making but i could not quite get the acid line right.. But it was fairly close. all and all i think the vedio gives us a greater sense of synthesis and how a the Filter envelope and amp settings apply for different sounds. cool mark thanks

Anthony

Hi Anthony,

Your right, it was a little quicker, i think i even mention that in the video.

This is pretty much a real time example of what should be happening (hopefully) to you guys as you follow the videos, especially by the time
you get to the Predator videos as they will always be last in line so you have done everything twice all ready. Your brain should start top register
the processes and remember them pretty quickly as you are using at least 3 of the learning modes, Audio, Visual and Kinaesthetic

thanks for the feedback,

Mark

P.S however maybe i should slow down a bit when making the videos, i will keep that in mind.

Well Mark i don't think you have to slow down with the videos i guess that with predator being the kind of synth that it is, being a easier synth to use. I reckon as you said in the video these are things that should be drilled into our heads in order to achieve our goals in creating sounds. I mean the type of settings for pads and acid lines etc...

Hi Mark,

A few things about the Predator Video. First off, this one was easy to follow, and to agree with Anthony, you do have to play a little more with the settings to get the Acid sound that Mark played. However, it's easy to get the Acid sound very close to the video. It's a matter of playing with the resonance.

A few things about the video course in your description: It would be wise if the buyers of the video listened through real speakers with a decent audio card. I started listening through normal speakers, and the tutorials on bass left a little to be desired. When I played them on my audio workstation, the sound had no difficulties presenting the bass.

I agree that things were a little "faster" than the previous videos, but as Mark stated in this tutoral "by this time you should be familar with these settings" refering to filters and amp envelopes. Might I suggest then that some instruction on order of playing videos through the tutorial. Then I'm sure we would all be in agreement when we get to the Predator video, that we are familar with the various portions of a that you are describing.

Lastly Mark, in the tutorial on creating bass sounds, you completely omitted the sub oscillator! To me this would be an important part to bring in something "new" without having to go through a huge explanation of what it is and what it does.

Regards,
John

Hi John,

In regards to your comments about users using a decent set of speakers to listen to the course at its best quality, i will definitely put this in the course description when its ready, thanks for that as i assumed most people who are into music production would have, at the least, a semi decent set of monitors but perhaps that's a little near sighted.

In the original email i sent to the beta testers i did explain how i wanted you to watch the videos, in which order etc. When the course if complete and released to the masses the path which should be followed will be very apparent due to file names and numbers.

I deliberately didn't use the bass oscillator as i don't feel they are necessary - yet! and believe that you can get a great bass without them, especially when first starting out in synthesis due to the underlying problems a "sub oscillator" can cause, most notably sub harmonics which can be very difficult to deal with especially when you are a beginner. It will be something which is utilised in further, more advanced videos.

Just as a side note, there are still videos to come in this basic section, the first videos in the course in fact which describe the real basics. The beta testers such as yourself wont necessarily get the videos in sequence as its not how i produce them. I just figured that i would get them out to you with an explanation of paths to follow if there where any needed so as to get the ball moving.

The course is very in-depth and will probably consist of around 50 videos in all so we have hardly scratched the surface. If others feel that they would prefer the videos in actual sequence then this is something I will look at.

Many thanks for feedback John its most helpful and as always will be put in the "black book" of improvements.

thanks

Mark

Hi Mark,

I'm sure most people into music production have a decent sound system, however I only power up my monitors and sub for production. I try to keep that machine as "bare" as possible to prevent software driver conflicts. My usual "computing" is done with a Dell Dimension and Altec Lansing speakers. The bass comes out, but not prominent. For grins after posting I watched the video on my laptop, and there's no audio on the Bass Parts. Like I said, just a few disclaimers for when you release the tutorials to prevent any nagging mails stating "I can't hear anything in the bass part".

I was fine as well with the order or not getting any videos in order, again something for release so people that are watching can follow your progression through the tutorials.

I'm looking forward to seeing more, you're doing an AWESOME job Mark!

John

Hi John,

I am of the same train of thought as yourself, i have my internet PC, my music production pc and i even have a live set up which i will be using only for live.

Both the music machines never see the internet and never have anything "non" production on them apart form Registration or software updates.

I will be sure to make a point of letting people understand the limitations of watching the videos on a laptop/small system etc.

thanks

MArk

Mark,

So far these vids are great. I dont have predator but I had no problem following along. As with using different synths you just have to tweak a bit more but the sounds are still obtainable. Since I am also using Zebra 2.5 there are minor changes in that synth too. Lp filter seems to behave differently. So the settings are abit different but if you play around you can get damn close if not spot on.

So far I am enjoying your vids. It is fun to follow along with your point of view. I feel the quality of the vids are great. The audio is clear and I dig that you can hear you playing the keyboard in the backround. It just humanizes the whole experence.

I hope this is what you are looking for in terms of reviewing the vids. Sometimes I read what others post and think I did not even notice that. Most of the time as you are explaining I come across some sound I like and want to keep running with it. I think that element of producing a result is where these vids stand out.

Keep them comming.

Matt

Hallo hallo!!!
Great video, although to be honest with you it gets a bit weird/tiring watching the creation of exactly the same sounds using 3 different soft synths. Are these videos going to be sold separetely? I mean will the buyer be able to choose the synth package he wants or not? I mean, yes, you can see how filters or waveforms behave on different synths, but would'n mind learning in depth one of them and finding the differences with other synths in my own time. Sorry, but if we could have an idea of how the 'final' product will be, that would be great.
Another important issue that was raised here is the actual order of videos. What I mean here is the following. When I watch every video, although I've been using the damn things for a while now and know roughly what the amp envelope or filter does, I try to put myself in the place of a total beginner and see if I can keep up or fall back with it. I actually convinced my girlfriend (no music creation experience whatsoever) to sit down and try the Predator video and yes she was successfull with it and yes I had a really hard time afterwards trying to make her stop turning all synth knobs and shouting COOL this and COOL that, but she then started asking questions about what the filter is and how the envelope works etc... Which brings me to my suggestion (sorry if I bored you with my story) which is that I think it is important IMO to watch/comment on the videos in the actual order that they are going to be published in the final product. I think the advantage of that would be that we can actually say for example, hey Mark, you tweaked the release button and it takes longer now for the sound to stop, but this was not sufficiently explained when you were talking about envelopes in your previous vid. I think, in this way, we could all be more helpful, not only concerning individual videos, but with the whole flow of the course. Again, this is just a thought...

Hey Labros,

I understand it may get a bit boring watching the same 4 sounds being created 3 times but i found this to be about right for the actual processes to stick, or at the very least to get the user to gain a fluent understanding of the terminology of basic synthesis.

In future i will explain about the sections more before i supply the videos which i think may help.

This part of the course, called "synthesis - The Basics" is just an overview of the process, just to get the user to be familiar with very basic, BUT essential processes but to no great depth and to let them get their "fingers" dirty.

For instance in the upcoming videos there is a filter section which will cover things like : FILTER TYPES, FILTER PARAMETERS, CONTROLLING FILTER PARAMETERS all in detail and the same will be done with Sound sources etc so as you can see the videos will be getting extremely in depth and nothing will be missed. Also at some point in the course other synths will need to be introduced to show specific types of synthesis but i will let you know about this as we go on.

thanks again for the feedback,

Mark

It was nice to include a non modular synth with the tutorials as i have had predator for awhile now but only ever used presets so it was nice to start from scratch. The videos have done what they needed to which was teach a bit about the basics of synthesis and as said in the videos i am now starting to think of the charecter & properties of a sound that i want to create which is what these are about.

I happen to feel that repeating the same sounds on 3 different synths has helped to drum in that core knowlage which i can only assume was the main purpose of this.

The videos as all others were top quality clear i have to say i have not had any problems trying to decifer the language but then im English so am probably more used to a scottish accent than some of the other beta testers that reside abroad.

thanks for the feedback,

Mark