Ring (and/or Balanced) Modulation for the modulator masses

[Chankgeez]

^Nice.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYvLjW1CwjQ[/youtube]

[lordgalvar]

I want the easel...haha...

someday. Think it might be just right of a synth for me..haha

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, I wouldn't mind an Easel either.

This's apparently from a The Mix interview with Eno:

Recorded at Hansa Studios in 1997 during David Bowie's infamous Berlin interlude, Heroes was a prime example of the Bowie/Eno collaborative process which is still bearing fruit today. Produced by Tony Visconti, Heroes featured Eno working alongside Robert Fripp to create astonishing guitar effects, again using the former's 'Suitcase' synthesiser.

Eno explains: "I was sending the guitar to a ring modulator and doubling the frequency of it, pulsing it, filtering it, all those kinds of things. Fripp himself is very sonically aware, so not everything you hear originates from me, but he would plug into my little synthesiser and I would play around with his sound.

"Ring modulation is a whole subject on its own and people don't use it that much, but I find it fascinating. To be able to pulse something is very interesting. If you put a low-frequency oscillator in one side of the ring modulator and the instrument in the other, the effect is a pulsing effect. If you change the waveform of the pulse that's going in and you make it a square wave, it's a very sharp pulse. If you make it a sine wave, it's a softer pulse. Changing the speed creates another effect. It all adds up to a peculiar, non-musical sound."

I found it here: http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/bria ... html#Bowie

Obivously, that date of "1997" is incorrect. Probably a typo for "1977".

[lordgalvar]

Yea, knowing hyperreal, that was probably published online in 1997 (but recorded in 1977). Thanks for letting me know that hyperreal is back up...I think it went down for a while or something last time I checked...there was an article I read years ago on there and was just talking to a friend about it.

Awesome that it was a synth. I think it goes into our discussion about the other song...probably an EMS...I know Eno used them in Roxy Music. I always wondered what ring mods fripp was using. I figured the timing of it was weird for any kind of stompbox and I guess (never really put much thought into it) live I figured he had some custom monster. He was using more exotic waveforms than we generally do with stompboxes these days (though, it is getting better).

Thanks Chankgeez! (And thanks to Bowie)

On a similar side note...I really like running the sound of a mic'd amp back in as a carrier oscillator...been kinda tossing the idea around in my head to make a switch box that goes from mic + preamp to an external oscillator (and possibly another external osc)...making it a kinda 3 preset ring mod. Should probably just try a ring thing (all this is hypothetical I guess...figuring it would be more useful in a live setting). Should just probably control the frequency instead haha.

[Chankgeez]

Yeah, I actually found it by doing a Google search for Fripp & ring modulator.

You're quite welcome. Anything to expand our understanding of ring modulators… and Fripp… and Eno… and Bowie.

Also, taking suggestions for what to use as a carrier for the Moody Way. Thinking about just using Randy's Revenge oscillator out as a carrier. I need to pick up a TRS cable.

[lordgalvar]

If you have a feedback looper, a stereo pedal (loop one output back to the input), a mixer (same deal), an oscillating fuzz, or an oscillating delay, you could try all those out...

[Chankgeez]

I don't have a feedback looper. I was thinking of using a no-input mixer as the carrier though.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try 'em out when I have a chance.

[Chankgeez]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCja8lc1to[/youtube]

[lordgalvar]

Will watch the video in a bit.

Electro-Faustus makes some cheap oscillators too (60ish)...

[Chankgeez]

And speaking of Electro-Faustus, I'll probably be picking up one of these when they're out:



Which Electro-Faustus describes as " a heavily distorted, gated ring mod that adds theremin types overtones when the Speed/Intensity is turned up."

[Inconuucl]

I want a demo.

[Chankgeez]

On their Facebook, they said a demo's comin'.

[Chankgeez]

I want a demo.

Such a tease:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZsHd85dmtk[/youtube]

[Strange Tales]

Man, I just really don't get ring mods and what they can do. I've never particularly clicked with one either, but I'm constantly dazzled by what people can do with the effect. Fucking ring mods.

[lordgalvar]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzCja8lc1to[/youtube]

I want to kick it with that dude! Awesome!

Tunes are for wimps is right...

I was actually explaining the ring mod (and playing it) to somebody like you are playing the modulation/wave-shaping, not the notes all the time...dude did an awesome job!

Still the greatest effect in the world and I think he was right...maybe 10 people in the world would watch 'til the end.