Swam saxo for ambient which one to choose ?

[Deleted User]

I want to add a saxo to my electro ambient style

First question : tenor ? Alto ? Soprano sax ?

rs2000

I'd go for a Tenor Sax because it can go low enough but I guess it's also a matter of taste.

[Deleted User]

Thanks it is also what sax fit better for ambient including dark ambient ? I am not really into sax so I am a noobs for sax sounds.

Gavinski

I would maybe go with the tenor sax - mellow and with a decent enough range. The baritone is fun too if you like a bit of a parp in the low end.

[Deleted User]

@Gavinski said:
I would maybe go with the tenor sax - mellow and with a decent enough range. The baritone is fun too if you like a bit of a parp in the low end.

Thanks so tenor sax seems to be the choice.

NeuM

Go for the SWAM Sax in GeoShred Pro. Same great sound, costs less.

McD

For dark ambient. I’d vote for the baritone. It can play convincing bass lines. It’s the tuba of the saxophones.

Of course, you create a lot of low dark material so maybe you want the sax to cut through. The tenor is the best overall
Range. It can squeak up into the range of a streaming goat and play down near the range of the baritone. So, it’s the most versatile sax.

SWAM adds a growl modulation that can be pretty sinister to all the saxes.

[Deleted User]

@NeuM said:
Go for the SWAM Sax in GeoShred Pro. Same great sound, costs less.

Thanks need to know more on that app

GeoTony

I agree with @NeuM i.e. If money is tight and you’re a GeoShred user the (Geo) Tenor Sax is hard to beat.
If you want more control the SWAM version is the way to go + you can get a bit more range by playing around with the harmonics . You can slide down from the lowest note on both to get an (even) lower note.

[Deleted User]

@McD said:
For dark ambient. I’d vote for the baritone. It can play convincing bass lines. It’s the tuba of the saxophones.

Of course, you create a lot of low dark material so maybe you want the sax to cut through. The tenor is the best overall
Range. It can squeak up into the range of a streaming goat and play down near the range of the baritone. So, it’s the most versatile sax.

SWAM adds a growl modulation that can be pretty sinister to all the saxes.

Thanks very interesting infos, I want to add something more melancholic than purely sinister. Even I ne er play a real saxo so it is not an easy challenge

[Deleted User]

@GeoTony said:
I agree with @NeuM i.e. If money is tight and you’re a GeoShred user the (Geo) Tenor Sax is hard to beat.
If you want more control the SWAM version is the way to go + you can get a bit more range by playing around with the harmonics . You can slide down from the lowest note on both to get an (even) lower note.

I never played on GeoShred.

NeuM

@BerlinFx said:

@GeoTony said:
I agree with @NeuM i.e. If money is tight and you’re a GeoShred user the (Geo) Tenor Sax is hard to beat.
If you want more control the SWAM version is the way to go + you can get a bit more range by playing around with the harmonics . You can slide down from the lowest note on both to get an (even) lower note.

I never played on GeoShred.

Oh? You should definitely try it if you're comfortable using a nontraditional keyboard-like interface. "GeoShred Control" is a free download, but it's just a controller keyboard (no onboard sounds). It can be upgraded to GeoShred Pro, however (which does have all of the upgradable SWAM sounds).

[Deleted User]

@NeuM said:

@BerlinFx said:

@GeoTony said:
I agree with @NeuM i.e. If money is tight and you’re a GeoShred user the (Geo) Tenor Sax is hard to beat.
If you want more control the SWAM version is the way to go + you can get a bit more range by playing around with the harmonics . You can slide down from the lowest note on both to get an (even) lower note.

I never played on GeoShred.

Oh? You should definitely try it if you're comfortable using a nontraditional keyboard-like interface. "GeoShred Control" is a free download, but it's just a controller keyboard (no onboard sounds). It can be upgraded to GeoShred Pro, however (which does have all of the upgradable SWAM sounds).

Thanks yes I need to try how it is different for me. Hopefully I use sometimes Audanika with great pleasure just to play not to record, is it same feeling ?

NeuM

@BerlinFx said:

@NeuM said:

@BerlinFx said:

@GeoTony said:
I agree with @NeuM i.e. If money is tight and you’re a GeoShred user the (Geo) Tenor Sax is hard to beat.
If you want more control the SWAM version is the way to go + you can get a bit more range by playing around with the harmonics . You can slide down from the lowest note on both to get an (even) lower note.

I never played on GeoShred.

Oh? You should definitely try it if you're comfortable using a nontraditional keyboard-like interface. "GeoShred Control" is a free download, but it's just a controller keyboard (no onboard sounds). It can be upgraded to GeoShred Pro, however (which does have all of the upgradable SWAM sounds).

Thanks yes I need to try how it is different for me. Hopefully I use sometimes Audanika with great pleasure just to play not to record, is it same feeling ?

I don't know. I haven't used Audanika. But I have used GeoShred for years and I like it a lot.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

Agree with the advice above-if you have GeoShred get the tenor. It is a beautiful instrument. If you want a non-GeoShred SWAM, the alto model has the sweetest tones.

GeoTony

@BerlinFx , Audanika is fine for more ambient stuff and works fine with Geo Instruments and SWAM although it is not MPE.
To get finer control I.e. like a real instrument (with all the practice a real instrument involves) with MPE then GeoShred is the way to go… although I am biased 😊

[Deleted User]

@GeoTony said:
@BerlinFx , Audanika is fine for more ambient stuff and works fine with Geo Instruments and SWAM although it is not MPE.
To get finer control I.e. like a real instrument (with all the practice a real instrument involves) with MPE then GeoShred is the way to go… although I am biased 😊

Thanks do you play saxo ? Nice instrument

GeoTony

Only virtual ones @BerlinFx , here’s a SWAM Soprano piece played with GeoShred…

Gavinski

Yeah @BerlinFx, unless you have either an mpe keyboard or a regular keyboard with an expression pedal, geoshred is probably the way to go. You definitely want to be able to play these expressively

[Deleted User]

Really nice music @GeoTony

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

You don't need a MPE controller to play a SWAM instrument. It is monophonic. Any controller with sufficient pitch bend will work.

Gavinski

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
You don't need a MPE controller to play a SWAM instrument. It is monophonic. Any controller with sufficient pitch bend will work.

But it's not just about pitch bend. You also want expression. Though yes you can just use an xy pad or whatever for that. But how will you easily control pitch bend with pitch wheel and simultaneously control expression and play? Hence, you either need an expression pedal or a real or virtual mpe keyboard.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

My understanding is that MPE was created for the purpose of polyphonic pitch bend, which is irrelevant to a monophonic voice.

You can assign a mod wheel or aftertouch to the expression parameters. GeoShred and Velocity KB are both good apps for controlling SWAM models on the ipad screen. I use both. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Animoog or Model 15's Animoog-style keyboard should work just as well as SWAM controllers, but I have never tried them.

Gavinski

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
My understanding is that MPE was created for the purpose of polyphonic pitch bend, which is irrelevant to a monophonic voice.

You can assign a mod wheel or aftertouch to the expression parameters. GeoShred and Velocity KB are both good apps for controlling SWAM models on the ipad screen. I use both. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Animoog or Model 15's Animoog-style keyboard should work just as well as SWAM controllers, but I have never tried them.

Yes - but my point is that using geoshred or something similar will be a much better experience than using a regular keyboard and trying to simultaneously use a pitch bend wheel and mod wheel. Using geoshred - or similar - you can pick notes and do pitch bends easily and instinctively with the right hand, then use the left hand for expression. It’s much better than the former method. Sure other MPE keyboards will allow you to do the same, but geoshred is the handier option since it already has various appropriate sliders etc built in to control various aspects of expression.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@Gavinski said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
My understanding is that MPE was created for the purpose of polyphonic pitch bend, which is irrelevant to a monophonic voice.

You can assign a mod wheel or aftertouch to the expression parameters. GeoShred and Velocity KB are both good apps for controlling SWAM models on the ipad screen. I use both. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Animoog or Model 15's Animoog-style keyboard should work just as well as SWAM controllers, but I have never tried them.

Yes - but my point is that using geoshred or something similar will be a much better experience than using a regular keyboard and trying to simultaneously use a pitch bend wheel and mod wheel. Using geoshred - or similar - you can pick notes and do pitch bends easily and instinctively with the right hand, then use the left hand for expression. It’s much better than the former method. Sure other MPE keyboards will allow you to do the same, but geoshred is the handier option since it already has various appropriate sliders etc built in to control various aspects of expression.

To equal it with hardware would require a Linnstrument or some similar box that costs at least a thousand. Ipad really rules for SWAM controllers.

Gavinski

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@Gavinski said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
My understanding is that MPE was created for the purpose of polyphonic pitch bend, which is irrelevant to a monophonic voice.

You can assign a mod wheel or aftertouch to the expression parameters. GeoShred and Velocity KB are both good apps for controlling SWAM models on the ipad screen. I use both. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Animoog or Model 15's Animoog-style keyboard should work just as well as SWAM controllers, but I have never tried them.

Yes - but my point is that using geoshred or something similar will be a much better experience than using a regular keyboard and trying to simultaneously use a pitch bend wheel and mod wheel. Using geoshred - or similar - you can pick notes and do pitch bends easily and instinctively with the right hand, then use the left hand for expression. It’s much better than the former method. Sure other MPE keyboards will allow you to do the same, but geoshred is the handier option since it already has various appropriate sliders etc built in to control various aspects of expression.

To equal it with hardware would require a Linnstrument or some similar box that costs at least a thousand. Ipad really rules for SWAM controllers.

Definitely!

Gavinski

Or one of those old iPhones with z axis ability - unfortunately a bit too small, really

McD

@BerlinFx said:
Thanks very interesting infos, I want to add something more melancholic than purely sinister. Even I ne er play a real saxo so it is not an easy challenge

For me the saxophone has become emotionally weighed towards the sensual.

For melancholy I prefer the double reeds: oboe, English horn and bassoon. They cry… they make me cry and the person playing one looks like they are in intense pain.

SWAM sells all three and the ContraBassoon in a bundle for only $90. Just kidding. I know your only 18 and have not been given control of your trust fund yet.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@McD said:

@BerlinFx said:
Thanks very interesting infos, I want to add something more melancholic than purely sinister. Even I ne er play a real saxo so it is not an easy challenge

For me the saxophone has become emotionally weighed towards the sensual.

For melancholy I prefer the double reeds: oboe, English horn and bassoon. They cry… they make me cry and the person playing one looks like they are in intense pain.

SWAM sells all three and the ContraBassoon in a bundle for only $90. Just kidding. I know your only 18 and have not been given control of your trust fund yet.

The bassoon is my personal favorite of the SWAM double reeds.

GeoShred offers SWAM oboe, and also NAADA models for duduk, shenai, and nadaswaram (three folk oboes from Armenia and India). The duduk is my favorite of the GS double reeds, but its range is only 1.5 octaves. Also, a real duduk is so compelling that I always feel I'm missing something when I play the modeled version. To me the tenor sax and flute are the best of the GS SWAMs.

One reason I like the SWAM alto sax is because it can be set -- if you want to -- to a very pure tone, almost like an archetype or ideal type of reed instrument, without the emotional baggage. Here is one of my SWAM alto tracks that demonstrates what I mean:

https://brotherthomas1.bandcamp.com/track/raag-kafi-for-swam-alto-sax-and-modular-synth-2

belldu

I spent ages agonising over which Sax I wanted for a recent piece, which wasn't ambient.
I learned a lot about Saxophones, and eventually concluded the Swam Tenor Sax was the one for me. It sounds a 4th below the Alto I think and is capable of a warmer tone. I just 'overdubbed' performance elements like overblow and growl in Cubasis.
I didn't regret the purchase at all, I love it and look forward to using it again.

[Deleted User]

Thanks to all of you I bought GeoShred pro and IAP Swam ténor I love it and the guitars in GeoShred are very good too so many to discover.