Ensoniq ESQ-1 soundscape II - Moonwatchers

I still can't get over how good that Kawai SX-240 was... that filter sounded so good. I keep looking through my library of synths and wonder 'can this one get there?' And the answer here was: no. The ESQ has very 'steppy' behavior in the LFOs and envelopes, not very smooth. It does its own thing (well, I might add). It's different. It's good. It's unique. I do enjoy it.
This was one of the hardest videos to make - I was so tired working on it that I almost fell asleep writing it and trying to sync up the video to the audio! I thought it was all correct and I uploaded it and the audio was still not synced up properly! Went back and had to do it again. Sigh... Well, I think it's ok now.
Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb

[@4estral]

I really appreciate all your videos exploring these different synths in your own unique style.

[@MIDERA]

Thanks :)

[@mathumphreys]

And there it is!! You're a champ Midera!!!!

[@MIDERA]

Ha! Well, what do you think? Did it do a good job? I found I quite enjoyed the track. I played a game called “Dungeons!” With my 6 year old and listened to this. Felt like it was really fitting.

[@mathumphreys]

The track is brilliant. What's really amazing is that you were able to get this live using an ESQ1, no one would believe it!

[@MIDERA]

Ha, thanks! I actually fell asleep making this. At the keyboard, lolol. Do you feel it sounds anything like the SX-240?

[@stephenwiley5617]

@@MIDERA Tone is similar. The SX 240 sounds rounder and smoother and generally more pleasant. ESQ1 still fantastic though. That's a tough comparison because I'm not sure there's a synth out there that has the pleasantness of the SX 240. It's just so....pleasing

[@frontline2010]

MIDERA keep up the good work man! I have been following you for years and I love your videos. I have a ESQ-1 SQ80 and a SD1 got them all the same week because they were being sold so cheap I had to get them. I'm starting to work on inde horror film soundtracks and I thought they would go well.

[@MIDERA]

Thanks! And awesome find on the ESQ/SQ80/SD1. SD-1 seems cool, although I’ve never used one. Almost got an SQ80 twice but it just didn’t work out at the time. Good luck on the indie horror film!

[@audioartisan]

Great track, MIDERA!

[@MIDERA]

Thanks!

[@alessandrogolinelli3185]

Fantastico

[@MIDERA]

Thank you :)

[@VisionsMusicGroup]

I've been listening to many of your Soundscape tracks, and man they sound amazing. I have a bunch of synths too I wish I could explore, but I'm trapped under something heavy right now 😁 Maybe someday. As for the audio sync, what I've done for 170+ modular videos so far is at the beginning, I record claps or snaps on the camera mic as well as my audio track, then in DaVinci Resolve, I sync audio by waveform (I do not have Timecode fanciness yet). This has worked for me 99.999% of the time - the 0.001% is my having to nudge the audio 1 frame sometimes; but that's just me being OCD 🤪 Sorry to butt in, but I hope this helps the next time you are sleepy 🙃 Great work here. Very inspirational.

[@MIDERA]

Hey thanks - I do very similar things. HOWEVER, my video cuts out after like 20 minutes due to a self-imposed limitation by the camera industry to keep cameras and camcorders separate on the market. After 4gb, it turns off. I’ve hacked my camera to restart filming, but that means I’ve still lost 1-2 seconds of time and now any connection to that clapping is over :/ so I have to fiddle with it each time! Thanks!!! I hope whatever you’re going through gets better. Life can suck at times.

[@MIDERA]

Also - if you need to chat offline about stuff - let me know. You can find me via my website or via facebook. Life is hard - and sometimes it's good to get it out there. But if not me, hopefully you've got someone you can talk to.

[@VisionsMusicGroup]

@@MIDERA ❤ You are a good soul. Thank you. I didn't mean to imply life is bad; I'm just a 60 y/o man who had plenty of years to do something with my music but waited until I was too tired and crabby to do anything about it 🙃 That thing we call "life" is otherwise pretty good. Just battling existentialism, really. Thank you for your kindness (and amazing music!)

[@MIDERA]

I totally get that. I’m currently in the process to do exactly what you’ve done. In short order, I will be there with the same frustration, in fact, I’ve already wondered what I’ve done with the last 20 years of my life… Some are just luckier than others. So we just need to run along and read a fking good book and accept that we are just small people in a world bigger than humans.

[@VisionsMusicGroup]

@@MIDERA fwiw, the thing about what you have done successfully (from a voyeurs perspective) you have a link to (e.g.) Spotify, and when I click it, there's actually stuff there. Real stuff. Good stuff. Lots of stuff. This is what I'm talking about. For me, whether 1 person listens or 10mil... not 1 can if I do not take that step. I'll do it, eventually. I'm just wondering what's taking me so long... and how much more time do I think I have left, exactly? (dramatic Dminor stab)

[@Ancaja123]

do you feel the Mirage has that same steppy quality? Because interestingly I LOVE the sound of long release filtered pads on the mirage, there's nothing quite like it. It sounds like its breathing

[@MIDERA]

I don’t know. Gonna have to try this out. Might sample a saw wave or something and see… I don’t recall hearing it though.

[@synthebo]

😮😮😮❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@MIDERA]

Thanks 😊

[@jackcimino8822]

If you like steppy envelopes and lfos, the Hydrasynth has a quantize feature for them. You can also do something similar in UVI Falcon.

[@MIDERA]

Hmm, I don’t know if I like steppy envelopes or LFOs per se, but it’s cool the hydrasynth can do it (if you choose to).