How I structure my free jam (pt.2) // Behind the scenes // Roland MC-707

As promised I also recorded how I structure my free jam from the previous video.
I use the MC-707 for this, as that is the groovebox I have on hand.
I'm using it's ability to store combinations of clips into scenes and thus bring some order in the 'random' clips that I recorded earlier.
All the sound comes out of the MC-707 (I did not even use custom samples).
The reverb is provided by the Source Audio Collider for everything melodic (not on drums + bass)
Recorded straight into Reason via the Behringer XR18 for some mild EQ and compression.
Next stop is the final jam. Which I hope to be recording someday soon!
Chapters :
00:00 Welcome
00:56 First scene
02:34 Don't forget to save
03:09 Fifth scene
04:27 Too much
05:27 Remember to save
06:48 Listen to what I have going
07:10 New direction
08:17 Not every combination works
09:49 Second videoclip starts
10:22 Using the faders
10:56 Trying drum variations
11:26 Save again
12:14 New scene (3-2 already)
13:14 Testing scenes together
13:41 New bassline
14:00 Working with scenes is nice
15:06 Adding rumble to the drums
16:37 Testing more variations
16:59 Taking it down
17:55 New combinations
18:51 Recording a new clip
19:36 Third videoclip starts
20:20 Moving on
21:27 Muting the kick
22:01 Checking how I can fade stuff out
22:16 Checking all scenes
24:00 Changing a drum clip
24:30 Feeling the flow!
Gear used :
➔ Roland MC-707 (all sounds)
➔ Source Audio Collider (reverb on most tracks)
➔ Behringer XR18
➔ Nikon D750 + 85mm lens.
Support me :
If you like this kind of content and want to support me even more (apart from watching this stuff), you can buy me a coffee to make me work harder in the mornings 😁 via www.buymeacoffee.com/montfrooij
Thanks on forehand!
Tags :
#dawless #jamming #rolandmc707

[@krazywabbit]

Sent here from part 1 ( seriously thank you for letting me know) watching and being inspired. Cheers.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Nice to hear!

[@sossomuss]

Thanks for part 2. Follows on very nicely.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Good to hear! Thanks 🙏🏻

[@demonsk]

I bought the mc 707 a few weeks back and loving it. I had to get used to the workflow since I record my synths in a daw which is a very linear way of working. I love your videos, it gives me a great insight of your workflow. Please keep them coming !

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, I totally get you. I forced myself into making at least 50 projects. My brain had to adapt to this way of working. The first few projects were quite frustrating to be honest, but then I adapted and loved 95% of the machine ever since! I will :)

[@rayderrich]

If you turn off the audio for this video you will still know when Peter is in the flow, just follow the finger! Great lessons in here mate.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Hahahahahaha. Yeah, indeed. Or just watch my head moving around (not in this video)

[@marcelduvenage3289]

Hi, thanks for these vids.. I find them interesting and really useful to see behind the scenes and get an idea of how to create tracks from jams etc. I bought my 707 a month or two ago and still getting used to it, I haven't had much time though so very cool to see your work flow.. Thanks so much! Keep jamming

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot! Hope you are having a good time with the 707 :) If you run into anything, hook me up!

[@LuisTorres-qz5kr]

Thanks for this Part 2 of the process you use for the jams, much appreciated! Certainly going to leverage on my setups as I continue to learn the 707.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Appreciate it! Good to hear, let me know if you run into something!

[@Relyick]

Sounds great

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you!

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

i hope that Roland adds a "move" or "nudge" function to clips, copy paste and/or delete is so frustrating, when i just want to push the clip down one row.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes, I agree on that part. Some things are just not 100% smooth. I think you will have this with every machine in one way or another (that there are things that are not 100% smooth) I try not to focus too much on those things, so that the fun wins in my brain.

[@chrisb3389]

It's fun watching your decision making through the process. Loved that granular synth. I need to find that. Also, that type 1 scene changing seems more tedious and less visual than type 2. Good stuff!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot. I never tried type 2, is that better for you?

[@MatusFinchus]

@@tricks-and-tips Type 2 definitely seems more flexible (and easier to use in general). :)

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@MatusFinchus You have to be on pad mute mode to select a new scene in mode 2 right?

[@MatusFinchus]

That's the one snag, yes. I find it useful as it gives you access to a lot me scenes in one view. Although sometimes it's not always easy remembering which one you want out of the 16. 😆

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@MatusFinchus hahahahahahaha. Yes. I get it. I will stick to mode 1 for now and have direct access to the scenes from any pad mode 😃

[@pierremusic1917]

Do you think there are enough clips to work with to create hour long sets within a single project? Really bummed you can’t switch between projects seamlessly.

[@tricks-and-tips]

If you work like me : no, but with careful planning and great skills : yes. Alex Fain has some great live sets with one 707. Here he explains how he works kzbin.info/www/bejne/joPIk2OYeNSSq7c

[@marcosluisjimenez3194]

Hi, did you set up the pattern up to 128 step to live record? or is there a way to config non fix step in live recording?

[@tricks-and-tips]

The most easy way is to: a. make sure there is a clip (you can hit the step 1 button and it will create a clip for you if there is no clip yet) b. Hold SHIFT + Pattern select button (one of them) c. Now you are in the clip edit menu and you can hold SHIFT and rotate the C1 knob clockwise to move to 128 steps quickly. If you do this a couple of times you can do it super fast. I don't know a way to work non fixed step recording, but maybe I don't understand your question, since the 707 will always record your notes in a clip and a clip has a fixed length. So I think that answer is 'NO'.

[@chrisb3389]

I have another question about your work flow and/or philosophy. I tend to love the tones you use. How do you select your tones? What I mean is this. Do you just happen across tones in experimentation and are changing them pretty often? Or, did you do some sound searching or design and have a standard group of tones you stick with for most projects and only occasionally bring in something new? For me, at times I've gotten bogged down on the never-ending search for and trying of tones, either presets or sound packs. I've seen other producers mention that they separate their sound design/selection from actual writing/arranging, so curious what your process is like.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, good question. This is a thing with the 707. Since you can't really hide presets and the soundpacks are even on a different location in the menu. (one of the things I wish they will implement one day is a better browser with more features) I went through all the presets once and all my soundpacks and made a spreadsheet of everything with 'type', 'rate' and remarks (good for lo-fi etc.etc.). Took me 2 weeks (evenings) or so, but it was totally worth it for me. I did this for all my synths 😁 I have not very often designed sounds for the 707, but usually tweak patches I found to my liking. In general, I like the soundpacks patches much better than the stock patches. So I bought quite a few when they were still cheap. I do store sounds in projects 'if' I find them useful for a specific jam I have in mind and I'm planning to do that for more stuff. Although so far my spreadsheet works just fine :)

[@chrisb3389]

@@tricks-and-tips Good information, thanks. I had a similar experience in the wanting of a better way to save favorites and such. It's kind of weird that the Zenbeats app lets you save favorites, but the 707 doesn't. I agree that many of the sound pack sounds I preferred, so I did the same and grabbed many early on. It's funny, because I also did a Google sheet with sounds in sound packs or presets I liked with similar ratings and notes and such. It got a bit tedious, and I never fully finished the list. I never really got into the thing of recalling sounds from clips on other projects. What I've recently done since the 1.8 update is to save the clips from whichever projects that have cool sounds. I can name the saved clip something that makes sense to my brain, such as 'fat robotic bass' or whatever. Then, in a new project when looking for sounds, I can just load the clip. The plus side of the whole clip loading is that I can hear the sound in a context of how I used it before. That's sometimes more helpful than just a text description in a spreadsheet. The only downside is that I then have to clear the sequence and shorten or lengthen the clip to get it how I want on this project if I want to use that sound. I'd like them to add something with loading save clips similar to when you paste a copied clip within a project, where you can load the sound, the phrase, or all. Then it would almost be a favorites as I'd like.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@chrisb3389 Yeah, so far I have not used that feature (saving clips). I guess I'm good with the spreadsheet so far. But I wil definitely take a look someday.

[@tricks-and-tips]

But you did spark my interest and I'll have a look if I can somehow make a video out of this topic, as it is something that will be both personal and very eye - opening to see how others are doing this!

[@chrisb3389]

@@tricks-and-tips fair warning, but I think there's a slight bug when loading a saved clip. I think it won't play audio at first, and you have to press REC on then off in order to hear it play the clip. I assume they'll correct that with a soon bug fix update.