Month: July 2005 (Page 2 of 4)

I had no problems at all with this interface in Windows XP. Sonar just profiled the device and away we go. I initially thought I would never use the SPDIF inputs but then I got the Roland Fantom, which has digital audio out. Apart from being lower in volume, I figure it has got to be better, right? So I feed the Fantom digital out into the SPDIF on the Delta-66 card.

Since moving to a Windows 7 64-bit workstation, I have had some issues. Occasionally I’ll hit the playback or record in SONAR, and instead of getting sound I’ll get silence. I’ve learned to hit the stop button pretty quickly when this happens, because if I don’t I’ll get a pulsing pile of digital rhythmic feedback noise on my electrodes. 

I suspect the Win64 drivers from M-Audio are to blame. It happens whether I select ASIO or WDM/Kernel streaming mode, and is not affected by buffer sizing.

If M-Audio don’t produce updated drivers that solve the proble, then at some point, I am going to have to switch to a different vendor. Probably Echo Layla 3G.

Serial# 011114

This has some truly excellent sounds, both synthesized and drum kits. I originally purchased it to replace what I thought was an ailing Korg M1. Until Addictive Drums came along, it was my main source of standard drum kit sounds..

Serial# 043388

The Korg M1 was our first real “workstation” keyboard. Actually, some might say that it was the first true “workstation” keyboard available on the market. Man, when I heard what this could do in the store I knew I had to have it, because it would take our music to the next level. I think it did. Suddenly we could use sequencing and drum samples, and our overdubbed sketches turned into pretty nice well-rounded demos.

Serial# 107

I saw a press release from Wendler on the Harmony Central web site and curiously followed the manufacturer’s link, and got very intrigued by the bass guitars.

I emailed Dave Wendler with some questions about price and finish options, and he replied promptly. He explained that he used a variety of woods and could shape the neck profile to fit my specifications, which pleased me. I measured up the neck on my trusty Ibanez Roadster which has great playability.

We settled on a tung-oiled mahogany neck, with pao ferro fingerboard. Dave kept me informed of construction progress, with photographs of the instrument in various stages.

You can read more about Wendler’s passive Magnetic/Piezo pickup system on their web site. In tone, it tends to be very dark and deep. I find that plucking the strings with my right hand up the fingerboard – just like a real upright – gives the best results.

Technically this was my 40th birthday present, but experts disagree as to whether it was this or the VK-8.

You can hear it in action on the track A Sample Of One:

In June 2021 I sold this bass to a nice gentleman from Massachusetts who I hope will play it more than I did.

Carvin BK5 Bass

This instrument was built from a kitset from Carvin, hence the lack of a brand name decal. But it is effectively a Carvin B5.

I don’t use the active electronics much, for some reason I get better results with passive plus outboard amp modellers.

Here’s an mp3 of me playing a riff from Porcupine Tree and demonstrating the different sounds you get from blending the pickups and changing the coil tap on the HB2.

2019 Update: I have to confess I have modified the bass to be passive, and to feed each of the pickups to Left and Right of a stereo output socket. By default, a mono cord will get the output from the neck pickup. I’ve had a lot of success recently recording in stereo and processing the signals separately.

Serial# ZT32559

This is my latest acquisition, and it freaking rocks. When it arrived I did what I swore I would never do and went back and re-recorded Listen using the VK-8 as the “hammond organ”. It sounds awesome now.

I believe this has version 2.0 OS in it. I’m not risking uploading a new version into it – it sounds just fine the way it is.