Solvent City studio tour

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | November 17, 2010 | 0 likes, 0 dislikes
synth spotting...
"Hello - I make and release electronic music under the artist name Solvent:

http://www.soundcloud.com/solvent

I have been asked a number of times to make a video tour of my studio, so here it is. Sorry for the poor video quality.

As for the soundtrack -- See my previous video demonstration of the MFB Urzwerg sequencing a Roland SH-101 and EHX Memory Boy... well I recorded about an hours' worth of tweaking with that setup, and what you're hearing here is a bunch of sections and loops from that session thrown together rather haphazardly in Ableton. Everything you're hearing is SH-101 and Memory Boy, beside 1 brief loop featuring my 1-of-a-kind Mike Irwin System 700 Phaser clone,which has a CV-in. No post-processing at all, although I guess I did slow down the tempo in Ableton towards the end, but that is the only digital effect here.

Lo-fi electro dub? I particularly like the bit that sounds like it came from the "It Takes Two" loop."

MFB Urzwerg + Roland SH-101 + EHX Memory Boy

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | November 11, 2010

"hello my name is Solvent. here i am making beats with my new MFB Urzwerg analog sequencer.

ch1+2 (chained) Urzwerg CV-Gate-Out to 101 CV-Gate-In (though no VCO, so CV's only affecting sound as per VCF-kbrd-follow)

ch3 Urzwerg CV-out to 101 VCF-CV-In (101 modification)

ch4 Urzwerg CV-out to EHX Exp-Pedal-in (controls delay time)

why does the Memory Boy laugh at me so?"

somebody else's synthesizer

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | November 11, 2010
See if you can ID the synth.
"hello my name is solvent. a friend of mine bought this synthesizer. i'm borrowing it for a project. it used to belong to some guy from cornwall."

Doepfer Regelwerk + MAM ADX-1 + x0xb0x + Roland SH-101 + Moogerfooger MF-101

YouTube via s0LVentCIty

"This Doepfer Regelwerk is currently being auctioned by me on Ebay, ending March 8 2010:

http://tinyurl.com/yj397wm

I created this video mainly to demonstrate this Regelwerk for my auction, but hopefully it will serve a purpose as a demonstration of the Regelwerk's sequencer mode, since there really aren't any good demos of this sequencer available on YouTube.

Just a brief description of how the Regelwerk works in sequencer mode:
- Sequencer uses sliders/buttons #9-24
- 8 tracks, max length 16 steps (Step on/off + Pitch + Velocity)
- Lower buttons 9-15 = Track edit select
- Lower buttons 16-24 = Track on/off (mute/unmute)
- Upper buttons 9-24 = Step on/off
- Step on/off + Pitch transmitted via corresponding CV/Gate channel outputs
- Step on/off + Pitch + Velocity transmitted via Midi Out 1 (midi channel can be set per track)

In this video:

- Midi-output-1 goes to MAM ADX-1
- Track 1 = ADX kick
- Track 2 = ADX snare
- Track 3 = ADX "synth" (lazer type sound)
- Track 4 = Closed HH
- Track 5 = Open HH

- Midi-output-2 sends midi clock to x0xb0x
- x0xb0x audio out into Moogerfooger MF-101
- Track 8 = CV-8 into MF-101 Filter-CV-In

- Track 6 = CV/Gate-6 into SH-101 CV/Gate-In
- Track 7 = CV-7 into SH-101 VCF-CV-In (an SH-101 mod)

Regarding the SH-101 sequence in the latter part of this demo... I realize it's not the greatest, but I wanted to demonstrate creating on-the-fly sequences with the Regelwerk.

- DIN sync output to TR-808 (seen under the MAM & x0x, but not being used in the mix)"

Korg KR-55b drum machine + Korg GR-1 spring reverb + Yamaha CS-5

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Please note: this video is for demonstration purposes only, not meant to be musically interesting.

The two Korg units are currently being auctioned by my on Ebay. Both end on March 8 2010.

KR-55B: http://tinyurl.com/yztbnet

GR-1: http://tinyurl.com/yzytcxx

Here we see/hear all of the sounds, and most of the functions, of the KR-55B in action. The video also serves as perhaps the only decent demonstration available online of the GR-1 stereo gated spring reverb -- it should give you a sense of both the sound, and of how the gate/VCA section works. It's a great sounding spring reverb, and the gate is a really useful and musical feature.

The CS-5 is here for 2 reasons: (1) to demonstrate the trigger-out feature of the KR-55B, (2) to demonstrate the GR-1 effect on synth sounds. BTW, this CS-5 has some significant electronic music history attached to it, to be revealed by me in a future YouTube video... stay tuned!"

via this auction

"My Dadio" Solvent feat. Iris on vocoder

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Iris Amm on vocoder. Music by Solvent, vocals and lyrics by Iris."

Solvent improv#3: techno acid slop x0xb0x + Modcan Super Delay 30a + 808

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Solvent Improv #3 - This will be the last video with this Modcan/808/x0x setup.

OK so here is a techno/acid improv. Pretty sloppy and boring in several sections, I know... But I uploaded it because I think there are a few really cool sections in here too. It often sounds very busy, like there's a lot going on, but this is really just an 808, x0xb0x, Mbase Kick, and processing via 2 Modcan modules --- the Frequency Shifter, and the SuperDelay. All of those intricate (or sloppy, depending on the section), rubbery bass sounds are coming from the x0xb0x into the Super Delay module, with it's delay time CV-in being modulated by the Modcan sequencer (clocked via 808 trigger). The result sometimes reminds me of Soul Oddity or some of the early Schemetic 12"s (wonder how many people will recognize that obscure reference!?). Anyway, this Super Delay module was inducing some severe gear lust, so I'm almost relieved that they're discontinued - because I definitely cannot afford one.

Those familiar with my music will know that this is not the kind of music that I release. With a few exceptions, I really don't even like techno, so I don't know why I've been cranking out so much stuff like this lately. So far it's just for fun.., we'll see... But this is definitely *not* the kind of material you can expect from my upcoming album (coming out May 2010 on Ghostly).

http://www.solventcity.com
http://www.myspace.com/solventcity"

Solvent improv #2 - Electro Acid w/Modcan, 808, x0xb0x,...

YouTube via s0LVentCIty. part 1 here

"Hi - my name is Jason Amm and I release melodic electro(nica) music under the artist name Solvent, for labels including Ghostly International, Morr Music, and Suction Records.

You can check my music via: solventcity.com
myspace.com/solventcity

Here is video #2. This time, the video is much worse, but the audio was recorded from the mixer, so it's much higher quality. I also think this track is much better... I'm pretty happy with this track myself, and will likely edit it down and release it at some point. Mind, this is only the first 10 minutes of a 45+ minute long improv!

An explanation of the video: I was so immersed in this little jam session, that it didn't even occur to me - before pressing REC on the video camera - that I was still in my pajamas. So what I've blacked out is basically me pulling up my pajamas every 30 seconds. It may look like I've blacked out some of what I'm doing on the gear, but everything on that side of the screen was blocked by me anyways, so not really. That cheesy electricity effect is also there to distract during a section where I enter the frame.

So, sorry about the video... this one's mainly about the music.

OK so here is a melodic electro acid improv. The Doepfer Regelwerk is the master clock, and is sequencing 2 synth parts on the Modcan.

The Regelwerk does have CV/Gates built in (8 of each!), but in this case I used a Midi out into a 4-channel Midi-to-CV module (an MOTM-650, the only non-Modcan module in there). I am muting/un-muting these Modcan parts on the fly via the Regelwerk, which you can't see... But if you look closely at that black Modcan module, you can see the lights blinking to indicate when sequences are start/stopping.

The bass sound is 2 or 3 VCOs, with the Multi-Mode VCF (a killer filter IMO!). I'm doing a lot of tweaking on a dual-mixer module: 1 side is for the VCO levels, the other side is for different outputs from the Multi-Mode VCF - combining LP with BP, Notch, etc gives a lot of diversity to the sound.

The other synth part is 1 VCO + 1 MinWave, into the EMS-style Diode filter.

All of the delay you hear is from the Modcan SuperDelay module, which is probably my favorite module in the whole system... Wow.

The Regelwerk also has DIN-sync out, so that's how the 808 is being synced. x0xb0x sequencer is receiving Regel's MIDI-clock. My x0xb0x is heavily modded, and what you'll notice me doing a lot is switching on/off a mod which keeps the VCA open.

Modcan's sequencer is clocked via an 808 trigger. The main thing that it's doing is sequencing that occasional white noise pattern that comes in occasionally, which was Noise into the Frequency Shifter module, and then some VCF, don't rem which one.

BTW, the Modcan isn't mine, unfortunately! I had it on loan from a guy named Jeff, who makes really nice music under the name Minisystem (myspace.com/minisystem)."

Solvent slow acid improv w/808, x0xb0x, Modcan, Doepfer Regelwerk,...

YouTube via s0LVentCIty.

part 2 here " Hi - my name is Jason Amm and I release melodic electro(nica) music under the artist name Solvent, for labels including Ghostly International, Morr Music, and Suction Records.

You can check my music via:
solventcity.com
myspace.com/solventcity

I just wanted to get something uploaded for now, while I figure out how to use iMovie....

In the future I'll be uploading better videos, with audio from the mixer rather than the camera's built-in mic. I definitely have more-interesting tracks coming up...

OK so here is a slow acid improv. The Doepfer Regelwerk is the master clock, and is sequencing the MAM ADX-1 (high hats) and Jomox MBase-01 (kick). The Regelwerk also has DIN-sync out, so that's how the 808 is being synced. x0xb0x sequencer is receiving Regel's MIDI-clock. The Modcan is strictly being used for processing some 808 sounds.

BTW, the Modcan isn't mine, unfortunately! I had it on loan from a guy named Jeff, who makes really nice music under the name Minisystem (myspace.com/minisystem)."

Solvent "For You" official video
"Official video for "For You" by Solvent, directed by Jaron Albertin, released on the Reline2 DVD."