Deepness - A Korg MS-20 and Korg SQ-1 Project

This project has a couple of motivations.
First, the best, worst movie I've ever seen: Aquaman. Saw it in the iMax, sitting at about row 5 - total immersion (no pun here). During the end credits - fantastic music score - I hear what must be a square-wave. You synthesizers sub-reddit folks know EXACTLY what I'm taking about, we simply cannot not hear such things. Anyway, I immediately thought about my Korg MS-20 (naturally). That started me on my way. I also explored using the SQ-1 to voltage control the MS-20's filters and ended up with some fun syncopation to the BPM.
Second, there's this raging debate regarding rack-mount DAW-less vs Hardware+DAW. (I'm definitely the latter). Also, I see so many folks offering pictures of their studios and often see an MS-20 in the photo, which means there's interest in seeing what others are doing with their MS-20s. With the MS-20 being such a fantastic sound producing workhorse I decided to make a 100% Korg MS-20 piece. I used Ableton for audio effects and production.
Sooo, I didn't completely achieve the 100% MS-20 goal. The dry vocals are out of my mouth and the dry drums that come in around :33 are a set from one of the Ableton sets [DMX bust it]. That isn't to say that there aren't MS-20 drums in Deepness, there are. I emulated an classic 808 kit with the MS-20 and used the DMX kit to give me the punch I was looking for. Percentage based let's say it's 90% Korg MS-20. Okay Korg MS-20 folks . . . beat that! :-)
If I get some interest from viewers, I'll put together a "How I Did It" sort of lecture and share what I discovered.
Enjoy!
Ha'Dlbah, leader of the Animal Opera
/ @hadlbah

[@cortical1]

Bounced here from your linked lecture video. Beautiful work! Really nice, unique sounds and great composition.

[@hadlbah]

Thanks! It’s ~90% Korg MS-20/SQ-1 (plus some Ableton effects). I only added a layer of percussion over the MS-20 “808 kit” and some vocals. The all MS-20 challenge was fun and forced my creativity in unexpected directions. I’m glad to hear you appreciate the work.

[@mickmickmickmick]

Sounds great homie. Just picked up both these pieces of equipment so it's cool to find videos that show what they can do together

[@hadlbah]

MickMickMick Glad to hear (no pun intended)! AutomaticGainsay has some good MS-20 how-to vids. Also, I pulled this together a while ago for modulation of the high and low pass filters with the SQ1, when you are ready: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJjYfKqqiZ2Kf7c Welcome Aboard!

[@myrmur]

Oh my god this sounds completely different from any Ms-20 song I heard before. You are a master! I could watch your lectures for hours (actually I will). May you make a lecture about how you designed the sequence which starts at 1:10? Its beautiful... so erratic! Like the moan of a living being

[@hadlbah]

So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Yes, let me take a look tomorrow and see what I can come up with. Thank you for the post. 😊

[@hadlbah]

Good morning Myrmur! (Well it's morning here). I just took a look at the Ableton file that I pulled together for this vid. I'll break this into two aspects - these aspects really describe every synth thing we do: (1)The Synthesized Sound and (2) The Effects. The sound is exactly what I produced in Lecture 2. If you hook up your SQ1 and set your MS20/SQ1 up exactly as demonstrated, you will achieve the patch as synthesized. I made an audio clip of the dry MS20 patch as synthesized. The effects part are all Ableton Live. My effects signal chain: Utility [automated gain and balance]/Breaks Spatializer/Bright & Edgy Master/Ample Space Delay/Short Cut [automate for eventual sidechain]. I bring in one audio clip, then layer two of these audio clips at different tunings (just slightly) and then eventually side chain to the simulated 808 base line from the MS20 to give it the syncopated dodge in and out. Does this help explain? My goal here was to offer a biological feel and groove. Super glad to hear it made a connection with you.

[@mysynthsandstuff6519]

I see ms20 and sq1 and I click

[@hadlbah]

Here is the companion lecture describing the filter modulation heard throughout the piece: Lecture 2: Korg SQ-1 Filter Modulation of Korg's MS-20 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJjYfKqqiZ2Kf7c Perhaps you’ll find it helpful.😊

[@rath6599]

Man you need a bigger audience...

[@hadlbah]

Thanks! Yeah, definitely not doing it for the fame, eh?