"The Dreadnaught Factor" - Akai MPC X + Behringer 2600 Blue Marvin + ASM Hydrasynth + MINIFREAK...

video upload by Patrick Manderson

"'The Dreadnaught Factor' was recorded live early Saturday morning on January 21st 2023 using a MIDI sequencer, a room full of synthesizers and drum machines. Four analog mixers were used with a rack of outboard effects and mixed stereo. Mixing and automation was controlled by the sequencer directly to the synthesizers. The final reorded required manual muting of the of mixer channels to suppress the noise coming from some of the devices including the Korg Minilogue. The video was taken afterwards.

"The Dreadnaught Factor" was inspired by the box art of an early 80s video game for Intellivision. It featured a number of spaceships on a blue background much like the 2600 Blue Marvin featured in this music. The melody and chord arrangement originated from a short piece I created several years ago and later merged it with a small piece of unfinished music titled "Driod Mischief". I was pleased how the two sounded when arranged in this way. I look forward to finishing "Droid Mischief".

The Hydrasynth plays a few different roles in Dreadnaught, even doubling up with the BassStation adding filter modulations to the bass parts [3:23].

The Korg MS2000 never disappoints when you use its modulation sequencer and its charasmatic digital distortion. Several parts were played, twisting and swirling in the stereo field. Modulated tremolos off-rhythm and hypnotic.

Korg Minilogue XD has so much range - such a wide sweet spot of sound. Especially when you use the digital user oscillators. Resonating plucks and unnatural reverbs works well for my tastes.

The Behringer 2600 Blue Marvin and Model D is featured in the "Droid Mischief" part at [2:58].
The notes were played over MIDI. Volume modulation was controlled with CV from the *Akai Pro MPC X*.
The Model D ran through the inputs of the Roland TR8s for its Phaser effect. The TR8S did nothing else.

There are a few dark pad patches I re-use often on the Oberheim Matrix 1000 playing disonant chords throughout.

The Elektron Analog Rytm MkII provides most of the rhythms. Each of its 12 voices run on its own MIDI channel with a full complement of continuous controllers. Lots of CC modulation was used on some of the voices. The internal sequencer was not used. All notes and automation comes from the *MPC X*.

Arturia's MINIFREAK layered in a few bits throughout and is featured at the very end [6:11]. Macros were modulated from the *MPC X*.

Korg's Radias is 4 part multitimbral. On part #4 I keep a carefully curated drum kit synthesized with noise, sines and filters - mixed with some of the built in drum samples. Part #1 featured a vocal "ah-ha" patch [3:01] using one of the vowel waves, a formant insert effect and careful modulation of its dual filters.

My favorite guitar pluck patch on the Korg EX-8000 makes an appearance.

At the center of it all, the MPC X seemlesssly connects to everything and manages to keep all devices in perfect sync. As mentioned before - meticulous editing of MIDI events is a breeze and very comfortable over long editing sessions. Approximately 21 tracks were used including Control Voltage for the modulars.

Timeline:
00:00 project notes
00:08 introduction
00:33 The Dreadnaught
00:40 JX-08 - melodic pipes
00:58 Minilogue XD - haunted melody
01:22 Hydrasynth
01:43 MS2000 + Prophet REV2 picking up the pace
02:09 EX-8000 transition
02:16 Minilogue - vocal haunts
02:37 2600 Blue Marvin - the derelict
02:58 Model D + Radias - "Droid Mischief"
03:23 Hydrasynth doubling with the Bass Station
03:58 MS2000 + 2600 Blue Marvin - mono lead and accompaniment
04:22 GB4 + compressors + MINIFREAK handling the build up
04:51 Part 2 - "Derelict Adrift"
06:38 end titles"