Recording the score for BBC series: The Met

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

BBC one documentary series
The Met: series IV
recording 3 of my fav tracks

Waldorf Microwave XT : 3 sketch tracks : 1 single preset

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Sketching ideas using 1 single preset from the microwave XT over a basic drum track.
Still amazed at how rich and varied can the output of this old giant be."

Once Upon a Grime : Casio CZ-1

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Grime(ish) track using mostly a Casio CZ-1 for all parts

Intro 00:00
Track 03:02"

West of East India : Layering synth and cello

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Layering parts from a Waldorf Microwave XT with a couple of passes on a cello re-recorded through 1/4'' magnetic tape
Clip at the end was filmed on the DLR (arriving at East India station + inside the lighthouse at Trinity Buoy Wharf)

intro 00:00
Final mix at 03:09"

Writing a track for Louis Theroux : Porn's Me Too

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Brief breakdown of approch and writing a 2 minute track for a documentary on the Forbidden America BBC series.
Louis Theroux: Porn's Me Too

Track written and performed practically on just a Casio CZ-1 (a couple of patches from Omnisphere overlayed) + external FX."

Waldorf Q - favourite sounds

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"My favourite presets from a Waldorf Q I recently bought 2nd hand (many are the legacy of previous owners)
Love this synth but I don't think it comes close to the microwave XT

(brief appearance of Gigi, the leopard gecko)"

Wavetables + Waldof: The Untold Story

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Wavetable synthesis + history + examples + quirks on my favourite synth, the MicrowaveXT + other time wasters"

MicrowaveXT + Eventide H3000

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"My desert island kit.
Another 3 new sounds from this box of wonders and my recent surrender to how amazing the good old Ultra-Harmonizer still is."

Matrix 6 paired with a Moog Cluster Flux

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"A few of my favourite sounds (I believe these are the original patches?) on the Oberheim Matrix 6R run through a Moog Moogerfooger.
In my opinion, a match made in heaven."

MicrowaveXT on Tape Loops

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Playing with the artifacts coming from the use of tape loops (such as tape delay and the finite length of recording tape, etc...) to sketch a song idea.

The tape delay here is very close to what you get from a popular piece of kit such as the Roland Space Echo (except this is not varispeed and I didn't block the erase head)"

CASIO CZ-1 : favourite 5 sounds

video upload by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Exploring ideas on a vintage king from the mid 80s.
The flagship of the CZ family, featuring their very own, Phase Distortion Synthesis.
Unjustly nicknamed the poor man's DX, this retro classic is packed with surprises."

Waldorf micro XT : Diving deeper

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Exploring under-the-hood goodies on the microXT: Ring Mod, Modifiers, LFO speed, on-board FX, ...

00:00 - sound 1
01:35 - sound 2
02:46 - sound 3"

Shores of Orion : Waldorf microXT

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"sketching a quick track with just 3 sounds from the Waldorf microXT.
(just keys and mod wheel - no other tweak: cutoff, etc...)

I think the microXT is the most underrated synth ever.
Deffo my desert island synth."

Marantz FM : Volca & cassette

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"1AM improv on a Korg Volca
Most sounds recorded on a Marantz PMD221 then, from cassette tape to ableton (in one go, as this recorder has 3 heads)
Some sounds recorded straight to ableton from the Volca, to play with stereo image (they were also recorded in mono)"

Waldorf microXT on 1/4 inch tape @ half speed

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"recording a single pass on a Waldorf Micro XT (through a Strymon Timeline) into a Sony TC510-2 at 7 1/2 inches per second.
Then playing back at 3 3/4 ips (= the only one in this video)

A few splashes of guitar added (also half speed)
Recorded on old stock BASF 1/4 inch tape and put together in Ableton Live."

SONY TC-D5 pro recording a Waldorf Micro XT

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Experimenting with a compact cassette recorder and a wavetable synth.
3 different sound characters achieved with :

1 - direct recording synth to DAW
2 - recording through the SONY but not using tape (REC+PLAY+PAUSE)
3 - playback the recorded tape onto DAW
+ a mix of 1 and 3 (my favourite)

using a brand new Maxwell tape (type II)
synth : Waldorf micro XT
pedal : Strymon bluesky"

Silent Rain : Therevox, cello and Juno 6

video by Miguel d'Oliveira

"Finally had a chance to write for Therevox on a feature documentary score.

This Ondes Martenot brother thing is a future classic. Beautiful craftsmanship and lovely sound.


Ended up not using the Moog pedal and replaced it with a chorus plug-in.
Played a bit of cello just to add to the grit."

Microwave XT : soundscape machine

Miguel d'Oliveira

"I think the XT is one of the most underrated synths ever.
It rises to pretty much any challenge.
I'm about to format mine so, decided to do 3 quick improvs with some of my favourite sounds.
Of all synths I have, this would be my 'desert-island' piece of gear."

Disinformation: writing a crime doc track

Miguel d'Oliveira

"crime doc track blending synths, cello and electric guitar
plus a little push from a Mu-Tron Biphaser"

Minimoog Voyager, Sequential Prophet 12, and Clavia Nord Stage as well.

Mu-Tron Bi-Phase & The Groundbreaking Story of The Sound of The ‘70s

Miguel d'Oliveira

"First impressions on this amazing fx pedal from the 70s.
Tested with a Roland Super JX, a Roland CR-8000 and a cello."

Additional posts featuring the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase

Mu-Tron: The Groundbreaking Story of The Sound of The ‘70s | A Conversation with Mike Beigel

Reverb

"The Mu-Tron story starts with a synthesizer and includes a plane crash, a chicken-coop visitation from Stevie Wonder, and a downfall beset by a faulty gizmo called, appropriately enough, the Gizmotron. In this extended profile from our upcoming feature film, The Pedal Movie, Mike Beigel gives us his own take on the history of his famous circuitry.

Read more on Reverb"