TAPE RECORDER AND MODULAR SYNTH SYNCHRONIZATION

I this video, i explain how i synchronize my Tascam 414 multitrack tape recorder with my modular synth. This is a nice trick if you want to make something rhythmic. For this musical piece, i made a drum tape loop on a cassette, and i use it to send beats to my modular synth. The frist part of the video explain how it works, the second part is a little live music performance using this set-up. Enjoy !
00:00 Creative process
02:06 Live performance
◐ GEAR USED ◑
► TASCAM Portastudio 414 -- 4 track tape recorder
► Mutable instruments Ears -- Envelope follower / Gate detector / Signal generator -- mutable-instruments.net/
► Mutable instruments Plaits -- Macro oscillator -- mutable-instruments.net
► Mutable instrument Stages -- "Swiss knife" modular synth eurorack used here as an harmonic oscillator mutable-instruments.net/modul...
► Make Noise Telharmonic -- Multi voice oscillator -- www.makenoisemusic.com/module...
► Make Noise STO -- Sub Harmonic oscillator -- www.makenoisemusic.com/module...
► Montreal assembly Count To 5 --- Compact delay/sampler pedal with 3 main modes which allow pitch delays, random sampling and layered looping -- mtlasm.com/product/count-to-5
► Pladaskelectrisk Fabrikat --- multi-effects processor featuring 16 algorithms focusing on granular synthesis and modified sample playback : www.pladaskelektrisk.com/prod...
◐ FOLLOW ◑
Bandcamp: alpfv.bandcamp.com
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3AUtV...
Instagram: / alastpicturefromvoyager
Facebook: / alastpicturefromvoyager
Itunes: itunes.apple.com/us/artist/14...
#ambient #lofi #tapeloop

[@michaeldabrethren2812]

This is the best thing ive heard inna while, and I just listened deep purple and pink floyd. Very interesting setup as well. Im staying in this channel, Bless!

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you sooo much ! Deep purple and Pink floyd are such an source of inspiration !

[@garaughty]

A brilliant tutorial Vincent !

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks Marti ! I tried to be as clear as possible, seems that's ok ! And happy you liked it.

[@MartenKey]

Love this set up and workflow 👏👏👏

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you ! Finding the right workflow is a journey 😊

[@zamphzibaha]

This sounds amazing, thanks for sharing and explaining it.

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

You'r welcome ! Thanks for your kind words !

[@peterkoval]

really inspiring to see this. thanks for uploading.

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you Peter ! Happy to share some inspiration.

[@tristanbasse]

Génial !

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Merci Tristan ! Le STO fait bien le job !

[@mrwolfsang]

Love what you do man, subscribed!

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏 !

[@NicolasMelis]

sounds great !

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you Nicolas ! 🙏

[@the_washington_monument_am9714]

Fantastic ❤❤❤❤ gonna keep this in mind for when my modular system gets a little bigger❤❤❤❤

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you 🙏🙏! And you can achieve this with other modules than Ears regarding how you want to build your system. Maths from Make noise should work as well. Feel free to share !

[@HolykashChannel]

Awesome!

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you ! 🙏

[@schlaflabor1]

thats really beautiful.....liked and subscribed!

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Glad you enjoyed and thanks for the support ! 🙏

[@wehappyfewmusic]

Interesting setup and sounds awesome 👏

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks for your kind words @wehappyfewmusic !

[@Olivdoliv3]

Nice setup mate !

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks ! I have much fun playing with this set up !

[@Pamberjack_]

Subbed. Very cool.

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks Andrew ! 🙏

[@optoproductions]

Nice, smart patch! Never knew Ears is an envelope follower as well.

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks ! Yes, Ears can do that very well ;-)

[@nielsolivarius9435]

Sounds great!! Is it a specific module that changes the sound from the tapemachine to pulses, or could you technically send it to a synth's sync in?

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thank you ! I use the Mutable Instrument Ears to convert audio pulses to voltage pulses. You can’t send the audio directly to a sync in.

[@kitespongan]

Wicked! Have you ever tried to use the Sync Out on your Portastudio? I guess it needs to be converted from SMPTE or something? ❤

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks ! I would surely try it for an other track ;-) But yes it needs to be converted and i have to find the proper device for this. By the way, the technique is not the same and the clock will propably be "always on" with the Sync out ? So the way of playing with the clock will be different perhaps. Have to try to confirm.

[@whiterottenrabbit]

Awesoem work! Which module is the clock multiplier? In my (very limited) experience with clock multipliers, they need a very stable master clock to compute the multiples. Did you have any issues with that, because I suppose the subtle tape wobble and also the very slight misalignment of the kick drum could disrupt the clock multiplier?

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Yes everything was not very stable everytime at first, but as the track is slow / ambient, and have very few drums, this was not a very important issue. I used Mutable Stages Synch-LFO function as a clock divider / mutiplier. You can see it in details at 1:02
It worked pretty well and after a fine setting of the multipiler factor, I wa able to play the track without clock loss.

[@mothspleen1343]

how did you manage to get the drum tempo to match with the length of the tape loop?
sounds great!

[@alastpicturefromvoyager]

Thanks ! I recorded one kick on track one. Then i counted i my head to find an acurate tempo between the repetions of this kick, and recorded the snare on track two. I had to make 3 or 4 try befor to find the right spot, then the third kick was easy to find. But that was a tricky part !