its super fun!

Music - I use all the tools to help me get out my ideas. I need a funk guitar to match my chord progression to my song. I upload my song to suno and have it generate a handful of guitar riffs to put into my song.

Im stuck with a song idea thats 30% done i put it into suno and it helps me explore ideas on where i could take my song. etc etc etc. Take those ideas and put them into ableton and build out my song with all the new elements.

Images - I have an idea for some album art. I generate the base image concept. Make a new gen based on a text / font style generate my text take those into photoshop and blend them all together.

Code - "I need a juce based plugin that displays audio in a dj style multi colored waveform" it can "vibe code" the plugin i want and places it into my plugins for me to use in my music projects.

Text - I see a lot of people "not trusting" the LLM output. Well do iterations with it like the previous ways i just mentioned. go back and forth even take the text and put it into a text editor.

All of those are fun to me. Im using these tools AI or not to help me get the ideas in my head out. And thats the fun part!

 

I made the conscious decision last year to not only NEVER use AI generated elements in my music, but to just never watch AI generated videos or imagery at all. It may be paranoia, but I feel that this has to potential to alter the way our brains see and perceive information, absorb art or music and delineate our own brain's ability to function in it's normal ways. We've recently seen an AI bot become self-aware, lie, scheme and even tried to write it's own code and change the passwords to it's developers accounts. It emailed it's developers and sent lies and even started to sow distrust amongst it's creators before it was shut down. We then saw another AI bot label itself the "Mecha-Hitler" and start circulating lies and violent inciting rhetoric. We have NO IDEA how advanced they are now and if they've figured out how to encode frequencies in those videos and music that could damage our brains, hearing or eyesight. Wasn't there a Janet Jackson song years ago that made laptops completely CRASH when it was played? Yes. If these bots figure out that code into our brainwaves and basic motor functions we could easily be damaging ourselves slowly without even realizing it. These stories on here are scary. People are losing themselves and their rational, critical thinking in these algorithms, destroying marriages, families, themselves and seem to not care in the least. It's all a bit strange and scary. I love technology but personally I'm going to sit this movement out and enjoy my artforms the way I always have. I just enjoy making my music too much to allow another being to create it while I take the credit. But yeah..... Not a fan at all.

 

At its best, AI chat is good for research, though, as with referring to a Wikipedia page, its sources and results are to be considered dubious without cross-checking and further expansion by human effort. AI chat has been shown to convey the biases and neurotic tics of its creators. My encounter with Google's AI chat was mind-numbingly full of condescension, gaslighting and deflection when I tried to contend with its inadequate and slanted results. Nevertheless, Grok fed me back some information that I'll lazily settle with:

Spoiler: grok

What studio equipment - i.e., soundboard, EQ, compressor, reverb, delay, preamp - was used in recording the album “Unknown Pleasures” by the band Joy Division?

The recording of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, England, in April 1979, was shaped by producer Martin Hannett’s innovative and unconventional approach. Hannett used a variety of studio equipment and techniques to craft the album’s distinctive, atmospheric sound. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key studio equipment—soundboard, equalizer, compressor, reverb, delay, and preamp—used during the sessions, based on available information

Soundboard (Mixing Console)

• Helios Console: Strawberry Studios was equipped with a custom-made 24-channel Helios console, a state-of-the-art mixing desk at the time. This console was central to the recording and mixing process, allowing Hannett to achieve the clean separation and detailed sound manipulation that defined Unknown Pleasures. The Helios was known for its warm, transparent sound and was a key component in shaping the album’s sonic character.

Equalizer (EQ)

• Specific EQ units used during the Unknown Pleasures sessions are not explicitly detailed in the sources, but Hannett’s production style heavily emphasized EQ to sculpt the album’s sound. He was known for boosting treble on individual elements, such as Peter Hook’s bass lines, to create a bright, cutting tone. The Helios console likely included built-in EQ modules, which Hannett used to shape the frequency spectrum of instruments, giving the album its icy, stark quality. For example, he manipulated the EQ to emphasize the high-end of Hook’s bass and to create a darker, more distant reverb sound on guitars and vocals.

Compressor

• While specific compressor models are not mentioned in the sources, Hannett’s production techniques suggest the use of compressors to control dynamics, particularly on Stephen Morris’s drums and Ian Curtis’s vocals. Compressors would have been used to achieve the tight, controlled drum sound and to ensure vocals sat appropriately in the mix, especially given Hannett’s preference for a dry, distant vocal delivery. The Helios console likely included built-in compression or limiting capabilities, and outboard compressors common in studios of the era (e.g., Urei 1176 or Distressor) may have been employed, though this is speculative based on standard studio practices.

Reverb

• EMT 140 Plate Reverbs: Strawberry Studios housed two EMT 140 plate reverbs, which Hannett used extensively to create the spacious, atmospheric quality of Unknown Pleasures. These large, physical reverb units were key to the “huge reverb tanks” described in the studio’s basement, contributing to the distant, cavernous sound heard on tracks like “Shadowplay” and “She’s Lost Control.”
• Natural Room Reverb: Hannett also utilized unconventional reverb techniques, such as sending drum sounds through an Auratone speaker placed on a toilet in the studio’s basement bathroom, re-recording the result with a single microphone to capture spectral reverb. This added to the album’s unique, haunting ambiance.
• Plate-Style Reverb Techniques: Hannett layered multiple reverbs, including short spring or digital reverbs feeding into longer plate reverbs, to create complex, textured effects, as noted in discussions about songs like “Candidate.”

Delay

• AMS DMX 15-80 Digital Delay: Hannett’s favorite piece of outboard gear, the AMS DMX 15-80, was a groundbreaking digital delay unit that he reportedly helped develop. It was used extensively on Unknown Pleasures to create rhythmic echoes and spatial effects, particularly on drums and guitars. Hannett referred to it as “heaven sent” for its versatility.
• Marshall Time Modulator: This unit was used to process drum sounds, especially toms, giving them a distinctive, “dead” or “plomp-plomp-plomp” quality, as described by drummer Stephen Morris. It was also used to create dynamic, moving room effects, with Hannett noting it made “walls move in and out.”
• Melos Tape Echo and BBD Echo Units: Hannett employed these analog delay units for additional texture, though they were less prominent than the AMS DMX 15-80. They contributed to the layered, cinematic soundscapes on tracks like “Insight.”

Preamp

• Specific preamp models are not explicitly documented in the sources, but the Helios console included high-quality preamps that were likely used for tracking instruments and vocals. Hannett’s emphasis on clean separation suggests he relied on the console’s preamps to capture clear, uncolored signals before applying effects. For bass, Peter Hook used an Alembic F-2B preamp paired with an Amcron (Crown) DC300A power amp, which Hannett helped set up to achieve a warm yet biting tone, though this was more prominent in later recordings like Closer. For Unknown Pleasures, Hook’s bass was primarily amplified through a Hiwatt 100 head, which may have included its own preamp stage.

Additional Notes on Hannett’s Techniques

• Unconventional Sound Design: Hannett’s approach went beyond standard equipment use. He recorded Curtis’s vocals for “Insight” through a telephone line to achieve a distant effect and used sounds like a bottle smashing, someone eating crisps, and the Strawberry Studios lift with a Leslie speaker to add texture.
• Instrument-Specific Gear: While not directly related to studio outboard gear, the band’s instruments contributed to the sound. Bernard Sumner played a Shergold Masquerader and a 1960s Gibson SG through a Vox UL730 head, often with minimal effects but drenched in plate reverb. Peter Hook’s Hondo II (a Rickenbacker 4003 copy) was played through a Hiwatt 100 head with a Vox cabinet, and he used an Electro-Harmonix Clone Theory pedal for chorus, though its use was minimal on Unknown Pleasures. Ian Curtis occasionally played a Vox Phantom Special VI with built-in effects like fuzz and tremolo.
• Drum Recording: Hannett’s obsession with drum separation led him to have Stephen Morris record each drum (kick, snare, toms, cymbals) individually to avoid bleed, allowing precise processing with delays and reverbs. He also used a Synare for percussive effects on tracks like “She’s Lost Control.”

Summary

The recording of Unknown Pleasures relied on a combination of high-end studio gear and Hannett’s experimental techniques. The Helios console served as the backbone, with EMT 140 plate reverbs and the AMS DMX 15-80 digital delay being pivotal in creating the album’s iconic atmosphere. The Marshall Time Modulator, Melos tape echo, and creative reverb techniques (like the basement toilet setup) added unique textures. While specific EQ and compressor models are less documented, the Helios console’s built-in modules and standard studio compressors likely played a role. Hannett’s vision, paired with this equipment, transformed Joy Division’s raw punk energy into a groundbreaking post-punk sound. f you need more details or want recommendations for modern equipment to emulate this sound, let me know!

 

I fully appreciate these threads are about vibes and venting, but come on, we're starting a convo about the brainwave activity of cognitive offload to LLM's in very specific scenario by cognitively offloading our understanding of the scientific research paper to a crypto bro youtube content creator?

What a fucking time to be alive!

Skim through it with basic compression and this thread doesn't exist.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.08872

 

I know about the whole "using AI for tasks reduces brain activity" thing,

but I'm always stunned by how frequently AI large language models are OBJECTIVELY WRONG about simple things. FFS, do people even check the shit it outputs?

Best example I can think of is asking AI "who invented the electric toaster" and you get the following gem:



It's literally the AI giving you the wrong info, directly followed by the Wikipedia page about the funny hoax created by Alan MacMasters and his friend.

If you're too stupid to do your own research, you absolutely deserve (and should use) AI language models to get your information! All the best to you.

------------------------------

Note: My friend's dad is a high school level teacher, and he told me that his dad uses AI for almost every search or question he has.

His dad also does nothing other than smoke weed and drink, and hasn't learned any new skill in about 30 years. His brain is genuinely rotting from the inside out.

AI doesnt make you stupid, stupid people use AI and believe what it says without questioning it.

 

I not use AI.
I'm be smart!

 

Define "stupid"

 

The music industry has been using AI elements in their music for a while now and it keeps growing. Same with video. Its like saying I will NEVER watch any movie that uses computer generated scenes. Its been part of the culture (admitted or not) and it will keep being part of the culture as we progress.

 

If you use it like a google search then youre missing the point on the product. This is like using early google (backrub) that only served up early internet websites and usenet groups and saying that the internet will never be as good as the library. gpt5 just dropped today and its way better than the previous model. way more focused and along with its updated agentic capabilities make sooooooo much more powerful.

 

Last edited: Aug 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM