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How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
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Author:  Om_Audio [ Sun Jul 21, 2024 7:35 am ]
Post subject:  How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
How do you appraoch a battle? Do you just pull in samples and see where they take you and work in the SP from the start? Do you have a pretty solid concept just listening to the sample sources before you even turn on the SP? Something different/in-between? I am very interested in what you all have to share.

For me-
I think I am going to try and conceive and listen a lot more before I just dive in and start chopping what is interesting to me (and seeing what comes together and what does not.) I sometimes spend a lot of time in the SP chopping/processing before I even have something coming together. Nothing wrong with that and the journey is fun- but I often just don't find I have enough time to complete a beat or other times to really feel fully stoked and satisfied with what I end up with. I suppose the question is can I be quicker and more focused maybe getting an idea/inspiration just listening to the material more deeply before I even start pulling it into the SP?
Author:  asha c [ Sun Jul 21, 2024 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
I tend to listen through once and then skip back and forth until something catches my ear! I never have a plan as such but the problem I run into sometimes is due to using resample method, it can get messy and theres parts with/without resampled fx! Then I like to just use the drums with as little chopping as possible but I just experiment and see what I feel it needs! I’ll always have like ‘part A’ on a pad that will be like main loop/intro, ‘B’ main loop with drums, ‘C’ as before but variation etc and almost always have like one shots to ‘play live’ over the top with fx, most recently DJDelay! Never do any post production stuff, normally just compressor from the SP on BUS 3 or 4 on mk2
Author:  MicrophonesInt'Trees [ Sun Jul 21, 2024 6:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
I sample in only the samples that tickled my fancy immediately in a gut-reaction style, real-time relative pitching them on the way in with the NTS-1. I then muck about in the SP til I have something I like, during which usually half the samples get discarded. I tend to end up with 3 sections - intro, break down and 'uplifting' end bit...probably a hang-over from my main musical influences - breakbeat hardcore, The Downward Spiral and post-rock. I always use the (hugely not tight) programmer. I used to only participate if there was a drum break to trigger but have now started trying to do single-hit drumbeats anyway, just so I can use the Vinyl Sim compression at its best (coz what's the point of having a 303 otherwise? ROFLZ). I try and use as few sequences as poss, doing ones as long as I can put up with waiting for each pass, because, as there's no song sequencer, I usually get farts when swapping between the patterns. I then record out using MFX13 EQ to a stereo track on the MicroBR (which has a 3-band 'mastering' compressor with presets and Limiter). I then usually transfer to Audacity to normalise and chop out the inevitable sequence swap farts. Done.
Most of the time I feel like it's been tossed off and sounds like crap.

Have got rid of the NTS-1 as the buffer on the "real-time" pitch effect was annoying. Have now got an SP202, again, so workflow will change somewhat.

When I vote it's the same as choosing samples. I listen to the tracks in a row, usually through twice, and pick my gut feeling favourite one. Don't usually like to give explanations therefore.
Author:  Om_Audio [ Mon Jul 22, 2024 1:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
Love the feedback guys really intersting and helpful thanks!
Author:  SLEEPS NUMB [ Wed Jul 24, 2024 3:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
It changes a lot with me, and is always dependent on my setup at the time. Also my lifestyle has changed as much as my rotating SPs. Back when i started participating back in 2009/10. I had a crazy amount of time. I would usually spend like 4 hours a day, and use most the allotted time to craft. These days most of my battle beats are done in 3 or 4 hour chunks in 2 or 3 late hazy night to AM seshes.

Listening time would vary depending on the source material. In my earlier days i would work more like ROTH. I would listen to the material over and over during the chopping process. Anything that would peak my interest, would get sampled. I always I would try grab as much content as possible very long chops cause i never new what i was really going to use. These days i listen to the sample material on my walks to work. Sometimes I know right away the approach other times it takes lots of listens. if i dont have time for music making a will give it more listens to try to make i am still connected.

Back then Most of the first two days would all be listening/chopping/layering. I was obsessed with making sure everything sounded different so most of the week was all sound design. Once i got drum sounds I liked then I would resample a beat or sample a drum sequence using the sp sequencers to another sp. most of the time I would make several loops (as i got better at drums) before that just a few simple loops. Resample resample resample in the most laborious way but would would end up with a bunch of puzzle pieces to get together. once I got all the colors mix would normally jam live over the loops onto another sp's pad. then master by resampling the end track hella times thru different effects and too much vinyl sim. This is how i built my first workflow.

I bounced out for a bit and started using an mpc one and elektron, and found a lot of different sound design/chopping strategies that i brought back to my work flow working with the SP-404 MKII. But never loved the sound or the lack of mark button chopping. Now i use both in tandem for best in both worlds and it hella speeds up my workflow, so i am able to be faster when i need to be. I use the skipback feature a lot instead of resample. The time stretching, 16 levels, mute pads. I also use combinations of all the different sequencing options together. I swap sounds/patterns/resampled sequencers back and forth. I kind hate the effects and lack of lofi/long mode on the mkii so i bounce pretty much all samples to 303 at some point. I also use the external resample 303 TRICK to build up parts of my song then resample more free hand playing on top. I do most my drum sequences on the MKII. When i start forming most the song I use pretty much my old sp mastering recipes and will free hand my effects before the final vinyl sim bounce.

Listening wise. I struggle cause i appreciate all the different styles and end up over thinking my votes. Once i vote. I try to do a full on breakdown of each participant.
Author:  Om_Audio [ Sat Jul 27, 2024 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
Just starting BB380- I listened through and while I didn't get very specific idea I did stick to 1 beat and 5 other things- 2 or 3 melodic/harmonic and 2 or 3 atmospheric/non musical. So while I didn't listen over and over I did listen more intently and kept options to only 6 pretty short smaples.

I am just about to bring them into SP and usually do as much as I can in 1 bank. I think this lends itself to exploring and working w everything at once and also really critical for live performing to tape.

Do you have any preferences/methods when it comes to pad banks? Multiple/just one/etc?
Author:  MicrophonesInt'Trees [ Sat Jul 27, 2024 11:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
Re: banks etc. I spose it'll be different depending on what SP one is using. I'm 303, so drums and quick sounds go on banks A&B recorded as 'Long', since memory is relatively limited, and the rest on C&D.

Re: 380. I have the samples I'm going to work with. I started with one of the synth pads almost by random (detuned and reversed) and then it was mostly the ones I could get in tune/time with that or each other that got selected - most things were sampled into the 202 and if they couldn't be made to fit or I didn't like them, they were not resampled into the 303 or were tried in the 303 but got rejected and deleted.
I'm just starting to sketch out sequences using the pattern sequencer and editing the samples for such as required. I have nearly all 32 pads filled up - about 12 of them with 3 of the breaks and variations/chops of such and the rest are music/vox/sounds. By the end of it, some of them will get deleted and not used tho. As I say, now it's just a case of trying out different sequences and hammering out an arrangement. Currently looks like my usual 3 sections :roll: :lol: .
Author:  asha c [ Sun Jul 28, 2024 10:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: How do you approach a battle/new beat on the SP?
I try and keep 2 whole banks free. 1 for samples/chops/drums and then another for the resampled ‘parts’ in order i want to sequence them, i do get what ROTH mentioned though with the odd click or non smooth transition between ‘sections’ when using this method, tried mute groups on mk2 but that doesnt eliminate it! Its usually a kick sneaking in from the previous ‘part/pad’

In terms of voting i listen as they come in and then listen to every one again once poll’s up! I tend to lean towards entries that make me think ‘damn i wish I hadve made mine like that’ but also atmosphere is something that tends to sway me! An entry that evokes imagery and/or emotional connection!
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