Ozric / Noden Ictus live MIDI setup...

[jpeg]

Does anyone know if Ed uses any hardware sequencer on stage??? Or are all the sequenced stuff just from his synths arpegiators ? (only with the Supernova, without any sequencer, you can run 8 sequences at the same time...which is far enough)

[damien]

at last a question i can help with ... one overlooked tool of the ozric music is or at least was the yamaha mdf2 or maybe the mdf3 .
its a little black box for storing midi files and you can play them off of it like a tape recorder .
I only know as have recognised it at ozric's gigs .
im not attempting to give you the definative answer here , but it will bear some weight in your quest for the truth !

[jpeg]

Thanx Damien...Actually, Merv also seems to use 2 MDF2 in his Eat Static live setup. What a vintage midi piece of gear !!!!

[wob]

Hi Jpeg and Damien

I bought a second hand YAMAHA MDF-3 this summer and it's very nice. I do my sequencing stuff in Cubase and when I'm satisfied I just export the midifile to a floppy disk (floppies rule) and hit play on MDF 3, and voila! Before I used a Roland MC-500mkII sequencer, which some people really like but this setup is much better for me.

These days most people use laptops on stage but I really prefer this device. It's small and reliable and even runs on AA batteries!

Salut

[damien]

i found the screen too dim and trying write names for files took for ever so i end up with weird names like "ag%$^sd " not great for refering too !

[jpeg]

Hi Mr Wob !
I'm thinking about buying an old MC-50 MKII...but I'm afraid to struggle with the tiny screen (Damien ) , as I'm used to work on a Logic/G5 config (which isn't really usable on stage ) ...I'm interested in what are your good and bad experience with the MC-500

Cool to find people to talk about hardware !!!!! ;D

[wob]

Hi

Yes I agree, the screen on the MC 500 had gone all dark, and it got too complicated and unfriendly to work with. The small screens are replaceable though (www.bagse.co.uk/backlights/backlight.php?searchcat=ROLAND&B1=Submit)
The thing with the Roland sequencers is that they need to have the files converted in order to play them. With the YAMAHA MDF series that is not necessary. Just save as either Standard Midi File type 0 or 1, in your DAW. The YAMAHA screen is unlit so good preparation and a small flashlight will come in handy.

When I recently decided to get my old files ,that were made on the Roland, converted it was quite an operation and I really had to find some special information about formatting of floppy disks on XP and some special conversion software from Roland that would allow me to get the files to my computer. I still need to do it for some files. Hope I remember the procedure

[kirk]

Has anybody else noticed that Hawkwinds idea of sequencing these days is for Dave to turn the cd player on ?.

Doesn't get any simpler than that folks.

[jpeg]

Right Kirk
This is from a 2005 Dave Brock interview:

"Also, we had an oscillator audio generator which was used for testing radio waves. When you put that through an echo unit, it used to make all these strange sounds, like (mimics sound of an oscillator audio generator being put through an echo unit).We also used tape loops as well, so we were really experimental. Now, I’ve got three decks, so I copy all my stuff on to disc and then I can play all my synthesizer effects on stage. It’s like doing DJ work really. That’s how far we have advanced now."

[kirk]

One of the things about Static and System 7 that sets them head and shoulders above their peers is that they run it all live. Many other electronic acts just run a DAT through the mixer and bang the odd effect in now and again.

I feel a bit conned if I have paid money and seen this happened, likewise just watching a DJ spin his/her fave tunes. I very rarely enjoy DJ sets because its just some geezer spinning discs, I can do that.. It takes very little skill to match trance up and mix it in. The art of doing it in an interesting and exciting way is something else though...

When I saw Nodens at one gig Joie was making the most outrageuos noises whilst dancing around with a little box, I have absolutly no idea what this box thing was.. it sounded really good anyway.