Content Spotlight September 2018 - Zbigniew aka Dziam Bass
Sept 22, 2018 11:00:50 GMT
robertlanger, NightMachines, and 3 more like this
Post by admin on Sept 22, 2018 11:00:50 GMT
Zbigniew from Analogowadusza Blog was one of the first artists to put up videos of his AE Modular system on YouTube. His videos have served as inspiration to many who are either new to the system or where on the fence about buying one.
His Youtube channel "Dziam Bass" features demos of many other fabulous synthesizers and Eurorack modules. So to see him producing so many videos about the AE Modular shows how much he likes this new format.
Here is his very first video which he published on October the 24th 2017, now almost a year ago:
He then went on to produce another 24 videos many featuring a specific module or just a patch that he worked on. This video for example shows how he integrates the AE system with a Dato Duo:
In this video we see an interaction between the AE Modular and a Bastl Microgranny:
We were of course really happy about Zbigniew’s commitment to AE Modular and wanted to know more. So we connected with him on Facebook and asked a few questions.
How did you hear about the modular AE for the first time?
It was in that year when I was looking for some information about DIY projects connected on
breadboard plates, it was about preliminary design for arduino and then I just came across a
kickstarter which just ended successfully, I watched all the demos that Robert recorded and it was the first time I heard about AE Modular.
You have made a lot of videos about the AE Modular system on YouTube, more than for any other equipment, what do you especially like about this system?
Yes, I did it because I like it a lot, many times this system is seen as a lo-fi, which I generally don’t always agree with. It may be different from Eurorack modules but I wanted to show how much you can achieve with it with the emphasis on the sound itself, that's why you have videos like the Oscillator with the Wasp filter etc. Many people do not take into account that the WASP type filter itself is very distinctive and slightly different from the usual ladder filter type such as a the Moog at 12 or 24db and a when applied to a weaker signal it could be compared as lo-fi. Generally, though, I like the whole system, it is small, not expensive, and can teach modular synthesis when you do not have much money for an entire Eurorack system which is expensive. Just with a small system I could already create many great things, it somehow fulfilled my dreams because I've read a lot about modular synths before and I have been watching tutorials for many years but I have not used the Eurorack system. The AE Modular allowed me to think about whether this way of creating music will be good for me. So some people give up because of the cost or difficulty in understanding the whole process. In short it is a very large modular system in a small version, so it is also a great advantage to show in my films.
You present so many different synthesizers in your films, do you have a studio or music Store?
I do not have any store, I'm just a musician and synthesizer enthusiast.
How do you integrate the AE system into your music production workflow?
You know, it depends. You can connect to it via MIDI with the cable to the master module which you get when you buy the complete system. And how you want to use it depends on your workflow. Do you have to support a drone or maybe you want the LFO to be synced with your song through the MIDI. Everything is possible when you develop this system, it grows with you and expands the possibilities of your connections and integrations, but it is not difficult.
Have you thought about integrating AE with Eurorack using the adapter frame?
Yes, I thought about it, but haven’t yet done it. This adapter is a big step in AE Modular - many people have asked me before about how to join this system with Eurorack (a lot of people thought whether I'm a Tangible Waves employee because of all my AE videos). Robert has found the answer by creating this adapter. It's certainly great to add more things to your system, even AE modules. It is worth remembering though, that even when they sound a bit different in your system they can take a completely different form. For example when you guide things from AE to your larger filter or other modulations, all of AE starts to sound different. It's great.
What is your favourite style of music? Would the AE system fit this style?
In general, I deal with widely understood electronica, but I’ve also done Techno, and even House with it, and of course it suits every style. It is not a problem to make a wobble bass that will fit into a dubstep song or maybe an acid bass melody line to a typical Acid House track. It also allows you to explore experimental music and many other genres. There are no restrictions here.
Do you also play live, and if so, how would you integrate the AE Modular module?
I feel free to play but only at home, I do not like live performances, my world is going deep into the recesses of fusion at home.
Besides AE Modular, what is your favourite equipment?
I think it's hard to talk about a favourite. I am devoting every free moment to playing, learning
more about the equipment and many other experiments in the studio. I'm currently using a Eurorack with many different modules together with my AE Modular. I also have a few semi modular synths like Fusebox and Treadstone from Analogue Solutions and the Arturia Minibrute 2. I also have a dark side which favours 12 bit samplers and pro audio equipment. That is why it is difficult to choose a favourite. I just love the whole process from sketch to full musical piece in the studio.
Which module or function would you like to see further in AE Modular?
Supposedly aeBRAIDS and aeCLOUDS are at the project stage, so these are certainly what everyone would like to see here, and I am waiting for them very much. The MultiFX came out recently which raises the system to a new level. I've been waiting for this module for a long time and it looks fascinating. It is possible that greater modulation sources would be great because the system itself is in the phase of the so-called standard where you basically have everything from attenuators after S&H or two filters and sequencer plus the mass of other great modules. I would like to see a kind of sampler here and something that will expand simple melodies to bigger ones. It should also have a waveshaper and a touch controller where you can change the scale and transpose the notes. Maybe a cool quantizer that allows scaling for maximal melodic and granular development.
Thank you Zbigniew for your time answering our questions and of course for your fantastic videos!
Thank you for questions, it's great to be a small part of this !!!
Please check out Zbigniew’s other videos on his channel and if you want to ask him any questions, please post them here!
His Youtube channel "Dziam Bass" features demos of many other fabulous synthesizers and Eurorack modules. So to see him producing so many videos about the AE Modular shows how much he likes this new format.
Here is his very first video which he published on October the 24th 2017, now almost a year ago:
He then went on to produce another 24 videos many featuring a specific module or just a patch that he worked on. This video for example shows how he integrates the AE system with a Dato Duo:
In this video we see an interaction between the AE Modular and a Bastl Microgranny:
We were of course really happy about Zbigniew’s commitment to AE Modular and wanted to know more. So we connected with him on Facebook and asked a few questions.
How did you hear about the modular AE for the first time?
It was in that year when I was looking for some information about DIY projects connected on
breadboard plates, it was about preliminary design for arduino and then I just came across a
kickstarter which just ended successfully, I watched all the demos that Robert recorded and it was the first time I heard about AE Modular.
You have made a lot of videos about the AE Modular system on YouTube, more than for any other equipment, what do you especially like about this system?
Yes, I did it because I like it a lot, many times this system is seen as a lo-fi, which I generally don’t always agree with. It may be different from Eurorack modules but I wanted to show how much you can achieve with it with the emphasis on the sound itself, that's why you have videos like the Oscillator with the Wasp filter etc. Many people do not take into account that the WASP type filter itself is very distinctive and slightly different from the usual ladder filter type such as a the Moog at 12 or 24db and a when applied to a weaker signal it could be compared as lo-fi. Generally, though, I like the whole system, it is small, not expensive, and can teach modular synthesis when you do not have much money for an entire Eurorack system which is expensive. Just with a small system I could already create many great things, it somehow fulfilled my dreams because I've read a lot about modular synths before and I have been watching tutorials for many years but I have not used the Eurorack system. The AE Modular allowed me to think about whether this way of creating music will be good for me. So some people give up because of the cost or difficulty in understanding the whole process. In short it is a very large modular system in a small version, so it is also a great advantage to show in my films.
You present so many different synthesizers in your films, do you have a studio or music Store?
I do not have any store, I'm just a musician and synthesizer enthusiast.
How do you integrate the AE system into your music production workflow?
You know, it depends. You can connect to it via MIDI with the cable to the master module which you get when you buy the complete system. And how you want to use it depends on your workflow. Do you have to support a drone or maybe you want the LFO to be synced with your song through the MIDI. Everything is possible when you develop this system, it grows with you and expands the possibilities of your connections and integrations, but it is not difficult.
Have you thought about integrating AE with Eurorack using the adapter frame?
Yes, I thought about it, but haven’t yet done it. This adapter is a big step in AE Modular - many people have asked me before about how to join this system with Eurorack (a lot of people thought whether I'm a Tangible Waves employee because of all my AE videos). Robert has found the answer by creating this adapter. It's certainly great to add more things to your system, even AE modules. It is worth remembering though, that even when they sound a bit different in your system they can take a completely different form. For example when you guide things from AE to your larger filter or other modulations, all of AE starts to sound different. It's great.
What is your favourite style of music? Would the AE system fit this style?
In general, I deal with widely understood electronica, but I’ve also done Techno, and even House with it, and of course it suits every style. It is not a problem to make a wobble bass that will fit into a dubstep song or maybe an acid bass melody line to a typical Acid House track. It also allows you to explore experimental music and many other genres. There are no restrictions here.
Do you also play live, and if so, how would you integrate the AE Modular module?
I feel free to play but only at home, I do not like live performances, my world is going deep into the recesses of fusion at home.
Besides AE Modular, what is your favourite equipment?
I think it's hard to talk about a favourite. I am devoting every free moment to playing, learning
more about the equipment and many other experiments in the studio. I'm currently using a Eurorack with many different modules together with my AE Modular. I also have a few semi modular synths like Fusebox and Treadstone from Analogue Solutions and the Arturia Minibrute 2. I also have a dark side which favours 12 bit samplers and pro audio equipment. That is why it is difficult to choose a favourite. I just love the whole process from sketch to full musical piece in the studio.
Which module or function would you like to see further in AE Modular?
Supposedly aeBRAIDS and aeCLOUDS are at the project stage, so these are certainly what everyone would like to see here, and I am waiting for them very much. The MultiFX came out recently which raises the system to a new level. I've been waiting for this module for a long time and it looks fascinating. It is possible that greater modulation sources would be great because the system itself is in the phase of the so-called standard where you basically have everything from attenuators after S&H or two filters and sequencer plus the mass of other great modules. I would like to see a kind of sampler here and something that will expand simple melodies to bigger ones. It should also have a waveshaper and a touch controller where you can change the scale and transpose the notes. Maybe a cool quantizer that allows scaling for maximal melodic and granular development.
Thank you Zbigniew for your time answering our questions and of course for your fantastic videos!
Thank you for questions, it's great to be a small part of this !!!
Please check out Zbigniew’s other videos on his channel and if you want to ask him any questions, please post them here!
