A Note of Introduction from DrachenFire (don't run away yet!)

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by DrachenFire, Jan 18, 2018.

  1. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Greetings, Salutations... and all the rest of that fodrot.:shalom:

    I decided to make this introductory post for two reasons.

    One: It's the 'old school' way of doing things.

    And I can be accused of being 'old school.'

    I come from a distant past which few now remember. A time when the earth was barren. Some still believed it was flat (their cult lives on in the Halls of Congress and Parliament and other unspeakable locales.)

    The whole planet was nought but a steaming, stinking cesspool of non-communication. Dangerous minds thinking individual thoughts. Violating the tenets of the Infinite by being self dependent.

    BEFORE THE INTERNET!

    Yes I am ancient. :guru:
    But we ancients had our own majicks. We called them by the name BBS.

    And with these majicks we could connect with the GODZ.

    And the GODZ gifted us Warez. And we looked upon the Warez. And it was Good. (well... a lot of it was really shitty but...)

    Okay enough already. Anyway back in those days of BBS networks I was a conference moderator (MIDI and audio) on a couple of networks and the Chief Mod for one of the networks. Back then I always required introductions. Not only was it nice to know where someone was coming from, where their head was, but (remember, no search engines) it was nice for folks to know who knew what when problems arose. MIDI was still pretty new stuff. People still spoke of Ad-Lib compatibility. MPU-401 was high tech.
    :woot:
    Old school.

    As for my second reason for introducing myself: It seemed a polite thing to do.

    I know. I know. 'Internet Politeness' is an oxymoron. Humour me.
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    FIRST! A clarification. While I am a NEWBIE MEMBER, I have been around for a long time. I've seen facelifts, feuds, cat fights and yes (cue John Williams wannabe) -------=CAT WARS=-------.

    Basically every time I thought about joining I stepped back and asked myself was there really anything I could contribute? Did this place really need another sarcastic smartass? I decided to quit second guessing myself and this way at least I *can* say something should the spark strike.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is basically just my profile, but what the...

    I go back to the days of hand tuned test oscillators and slicing and dicing little bits of magnetic tape to make music. My first synths I built with a soldering iron.

    In the '70s the same for my first computers. For animatronics initially.

    First commercial unit was a Roland SH-1000. A very odd little beast but far more capable than most thought. Still have a Crumar Bit-1 in the stack. Roland MicroComposer right to my left (still use it sometimes) lessee... coupla Tritons, CS-5. CS-10, MG-1, E-56, TG-33 among lotsa other weird old shit.
    AlphaSyntauri?

    Never really had the ' BIG Must Have' gear, partly because I usually had access to it if I needed it for something in particular so I gravitated towards gear that didn't sound like everyone else. Had a Mini, sold it.
    Still have my original Cakewalk for DOS disks and Roger Powells 'Texture.' Have Cakewalk for Windows Ver1.01 still on a machine. Still gets used on odd occasions. Sometimes just need a Sequencer. Period.

    I've been on both sides of the glass in the studio. Done live sound (still doing) I've done 'the band thing' and I'm over it.

    I've done soundtrack work, stuff for theme parks, planetariums, commercials, all the usual.

    I've worked with a developer of sample libs (so I've seen the Warez issue from both sides of the fence.)

    Been a graphic designer as long or longer than I've been making music. (note: my avatar is NOT my work. Just a bumper sticker I like that fit the occasion ) These days I mostly specialize in CGI (Though I am also one badass photo editor. No filter shortcuts allowed.) In fact I used to make more of my living from CGI than music (pays much better) until the effects houses I dealt with stopped sub-sub-subcontracting and outsourced everything overseas.

    I'm not a FanBoy for any particular flavor of anything, though I work on PC in part because I'm a control freak and I like building a machine that is exactly how I WANT IT! (Are you listening Microsoft? MY MACHINE!) I use Linux for anything I possibly can but not Audio or Graphics (yet).

    I'm not ecstatic about ANY of the big DAWs, so I use what best fits a given project. Don't care about its name or its popularity its age or its gender identity or zodiac sign. Maybe its political affiliation.

    Can't dance so I don't write dance music.

    Tend to mostly compose linearly. Don't do 'beatz' 'n' loopz'. Not downing on anyone who does as long as they do it well.

    I admit I am rather sick of prefabricated crap (of any kind) and I rather resent that every pre-pubescent out there stealing other peoples riffs is declaring them-self a 'PRODUCER".

    I suppose it could be accurate. After all Bulls do PRODUCE manure.

    BUT I have heard GOOD stuff from those various genres so don't brand me a hater. I don't hate much of anything 'just because.'
    On Warez: :scrapbox: I'm all for discussion about how to get it working as well as how to use it once it is. I have no problem with 'try before buy' (hopefully you DO buy) BUT I have little use for 'collectors.' The types who want it just 'because.' If there is never another release I couldn't care less. A 15 year old DAW release has more power than was dreamed of back in 'my day.' And has more of its bugs exterminated. The underplayed downside to Warez (and I know many others here see it as well) is that it begets a mindset of waiting for the new instead of learning what you have. You may be the worlds greatest 'collector' but it's what you DO WITH IT that matters. Period. Just having ten TB of the stuff don't mean shit. As such I have no use for whining, demanding or even speculating about new releases. The politics of 'The Scene' don't belong here. What happens, happens, when it happens.

    Tech talk no prob.

    Well that oughta be more than enough.

    In closing I'd just like to thank SAiNT for making this place possible.


    See Y'all around. :cheers:
     
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  3. Tarkus

    Tarkus Producer

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    That was interesting. I too am from the "old days" just not as far back. Cakewalk 1, 3dStudio for DOS. I still have a Roland MC-4 (in storage)
    Jupiters and Junos and Moog Taurus Pedals. But lots of modern stuff too.
    This place is great, Welcome aboard.
     
  4. [​IMG]

    Old school? Old school? That's luxury that is.
     
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  5. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Thanks for the welcome!:thanks:

    It's kinda funny re; the old gear. I just saw a guy desperately looking for an old Korg 03 symphony. Didn't know anyone even remembered them. (yep, a coupla those too.) And there's the QX21. For a midi sequencer they make great doorstops (even when they were NEW.)

    As to more modern stuff: Computers and software yes, hardware about the only thing new in years is an Arturia minilab 'cuz I got sick of a larger controller on the desk when all I was using it for was knobs for programming. And a new digital piano.

    Also I noticed a thread here about music styles etc where the 'dinosaurs' are 40. Wait 20 years guys. It's only the beginning and at the rate things move forward today, the young guys might be fossils at 25!:crazy:
     
  6. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Old school? Old school? That's luxury that is.

    Luxury is when you HAVE the old stuff but you can AFFORD the NEW stuff!
     
  7. electriclash

    electriclash Guest

    Post the sound
     
  8. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Welcome young friend, sadly enough I don't have as that much experience as you have, but luckily enough we already had electricity when I was born. [​IMG] We always appreciate WWI heroes in the forum. [​IMG] Sorry, :mates:, I hope you're to mature to get easily pissed off. Have mercy with a younger fellow.
    Thank God a mature new member, no offense kids, but it seems you're beyond your trolling times. So, nice to meet you. :wink:
     
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  9. Herr Durr

    Herr Durr Guest

    Greetings old stick... some of us are not so far behind... but whack 'em when they need it..

    and post some interesting sounds past ( or present) if you've a mind to... :yes:
     
  10. Willkommen new friend.
     
  11. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Thank-you all for the kind welcome!:hug:

    @No Avenger : No I'm not easily offended by such things. Now if you were making fun of my brunches with Willy Shakespeare, wellllll...

    Actually the number one thing that pisses me off is STUPIDITY. Including my own. Ignorance can be cured but stupidity needs to be drowned. If ignorance and stubborness had a love child it could be called stupidity (and would have an excellent chance of getting elected to high public office.)

    As to the Troll Kiddies; well there is an old saying:

    'It is better to remain silent and be thought the fool than to speak and remove all doubt.'

    Some folks might oughta take that to heart.:wink:

    Hell I actually need a little help on something but it involves a software bit by some guys who sound a lot like FAR TOO FAR (don't want a search for them to end up here) and I am reluctant to post it for fear I'd be handing over the keys to let the trolls out of the dungeon AGAIN! Anything related to THOSE guys seems to bring out the hoards and makes even sometimes sensible people crazy. I don't want to be responsible for starting another ten page Trollstock.
    :trashing:
    @Herr Durr : If I come up with something I like I'll post it, but it likely won't be too soon. Currently much of my time is spent taking care of an elderly parent so what time I have tends to be in little chunks. Enough to read a few posts, but not enough to really get 'into my groove' so to speak music or graphics wise. Have been recording whenever I manage time to sit down at the piano, just in case something good pops out.
    My older stuff is still all on tape and I need to set up to copy it all over while there's still a little oxide left on the reels. And a lot of it was 'work for hire' so I don't own the rights to post it. I'll come up with something...eventually.

    @superliquidsunshine : Hopefully you will still feel that way after I've been here a while!:bow:
     
  12. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    Great introduction ))

    Veteran here too, I guess younger because I only used BBS during my first weeks with a 28K modem. Then internet ate everything. I feel you in other things like breaking my ass recording with the maximum quality cassettes with my double deck (Dolby B and so on).

    Not a musician but a music lover geek. I did some "noise" with Fasttracker II back in the day, then I just didn't discover that they were advanced things like DAWS and VSTis, sample libs, etc until like 10 years later lol.

    Yes, sad thing. But probably it was for the best, otherwise I wouldn't have done things like working, sports, hugging girls, hangovers and so on..

    Welcome aboard
     
  13. taskforce

    taskforce Audiosexual

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    Welcome :)
    That was some impressively comprehensive introduction. I guess you will find that there more peeps closer to your age than you initially thought hehehe...
    Cheers
     
  14. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Xupito Said:

    "Great introduction"

    Thanks!

    "I only used BBS during my first weeks with a 28K modem. "

    My first was a 2400. the step up to 14,400 seemed BLAZING!


    "But probably it was for the best, otherwise I wouldn't have done things like working, sports, hugging girls, hangovers and so on.."

    Well at least you have your priorities in order!:wink:
     
  15. DrachenFire

    DrachenFire Producer

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    Lessee...What time is it...YEP that's where I am!
    Wellllll, I know it's rather long-winded but... I wanted to get it out of the way in the beginning so I wouldn't have to clutter up someone elses thread with background info. I could have left out the silly schtick and made it shorter but I AM a sarcastic smartass and that needed known as well. Besides without the humour It could too easily be taken as a pompous 'looky what all I done did' type of thing, when all I wanted was for folks to know that I hadn't just fallen off the truck.

    I know there are older types around here, remember I've been lurking here for years!:) That's part of the 'why' for my long intro. My smartass ways could be taken ALL wrong if folks thought I was some grade school kid who just stole his first copy of Fruity Loops!:dj:
     
  16. TheMountain

    TheMountain Member

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    Wow! Now that's how you jog the old memberberries! Old hardware and software from my yoot that I'd long forgoten. Some Brilliant quotes there too! Thanks, I'm nicking them to tell to my kids.
    Welcome Sir.
     
  17. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    Good one :rofl:

    We will get along just fine....
     
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