EXODUS - Album release

jo92346 · February 2023

It's done. There were lot of titles changes to better fit the story behind the music.

You can find it first in my Bandcamp (lossless 48-24) and soon on the other platforms in lossless 96-32 if they support it.

In the Bandcamp lyrics you can read the story that each track illustrate.

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dasgoods · March 2023

Hey, this is a really good concept for an LP.

My favourite track is 'Plotting the Course'

jo92346 · March 2023

Thank you @dasgoods
jason I’m really grateful 🙏🙏🙏

LinearLineman · March 2023

Listened only part way so far. Full of mystery, Joseph. Kim impressed with how you seamlessly meld synth sounds with acoustics. I’m a big fan of that and you do it well.

Can we have a bit of an explainer on how you get such a good sound? Kim inaginining it’s a combination of iO
S and desktop.

Excellent work, as always, mate. Thx for sharing.

jo92346 · March 2023

@LinearLineman thank you.
It’s mostly Nanostudio and audiolayer.
I use the MacBook for soundpaint (In this album the solo flute and 2 pianos)
I really don’t do anything special from technical point of view. No automation no bus routing no fancy tech.

The mix is always simple: I think of it as if I was recording an orchestra with 4 mics. If I want the first violins to sound less loud I just play softer. If I want the piano to sound super loud, I just move it virtually closer to the mic and leave it here (slider up and not automated. The piano can’t move in the real world: if it needs to be softer later I. The music I will play it super soft)

The master is always super basic : cutting anything below 20, enhancing above 10k, and slightly adjusting in between. Plus a very gentle compressor and limiter.

LinearLineman · March 2023

That’s wonderful. You’re a true iOS ambassador.

jo92346 · March 2023

Thank you @LinearLineman . Giving up the big workstation and TB of samples in Kontakt when I discovered NS2 on iPad was, I think, a good creative move for me. The touchscreen and Apple Pencil work really great.

As an exemple my strings are not as realistic as my Kontakt libraries, but now I don’t think they were that realistic in Kontakt in the first place. The technical limitations of the iPad forced me to simplify which in the end sounds more organic.

NS2 is an extension of my « musical brain », from the paper to the music the process is super « fluid ». It’s hard to describe.

I’d add that, to me, the writing of the music I have in my head is the most important part of the process. That is what takes me most of my time when working on my music. The first recording is usually quick and boring. Then, adjusting and changing the score while actually listening to the real sound is another part of the process that takes time and that I enjoy. Because once the first recording is done the result is never exactly what it sounded In my head (sometimes because of transcription errors, Sometimes because the final sound gives me new ideas) .

ReneAsologuitar · March 2023

Truly tranquil music, my friend!!!
And I love the artwork.
You are so creative and very musical, I am a big fan.
Thanks for sharing this beauty, @jo92346 !
Rene

McD · March 2023

@jo92346 said:
It’s mostly Nanostudio and audiolayer.

I think what you've built in AudioLayer is pretty epic given the quality of your instruments on these tracks. I remember the instrument set that a forum member built in Nanostudio 2 using the sampler features of the Obsidian synth.

Whenever we git into this area of "instrument" building the idea of sharing is problematic. I've been visiting PianoBook and
I wish we had a similar project going for AudioLayer instrument format. DecentSampler has a wealth of good free products
with an emphasis on artisanal recorded sound sets to avoid IP issues.

What intrigues me is that out of the 47 threads/discussions you have posted 43 are Creations and that's in 6 months. Your description of your process and your skills as a "live" performer make a huge difference in terms of productivity. Studio musicians survive by cultivating these skills of getting good music in fewer takes.

jo92346 · March 2023

@McD said:

What intrigues me is that out of the 47 threads/discussions you have posted 43 are Creations and that's in 6 months. Your description of your process and your skills as a "live" performer make a huge difference in terms of productivity. Studio musicians survive by cultivating these skills of getting good music in fewer takes.

It's all I do of my life. I don't go out, I don't do basically anything but music.
When I have music in my head, it HAS to go, I have no choice but making the music, if I don't, my levels of being frustrated, upset and restless go trough the roof and I start behaving weird (according to people witnessing this shit) and being an monumental asshole (according to the same people).
Sometimes, I have no music in my head, and life gets miserable, I vent my frustration on the xbox.

I already have another album ready to be published, but I need trained ears to check for something that bothers me.

LinearLineman · March 2023

Yeah, I’ve given up on relating the authenticity of the instruments to their viability in real time. It just doesn’t matter to me anymore. If a sound does the job why should I care what “realistic” means? Especially in this digital world of ours.

I listened all the way through. It’s very consistent. I continue to admire the integration of “real” sounds with synthetics. I particularly liked Into The Unknown and particularly the ending, it was truly evocative.

Maybe you’ll go full nano on the next album. Excellent stuff and thanks for sharing, Joseph.

jo92346 · March 2023

@LinearLineman thank you for listening. I love soundpaint too much to go full NS2 yet... I'm spamming their mail with ! request everyday for IOS support, maybe they'll get bored of it and make an iOS version....

I'm quite happy for once with Into the unknown. The draft didn't change much but the new end fits the pictures in my head much better.