Logbook Spacecruiser Starchaser - Passing Pluto

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 11:48 am

<a name="planetz-file"></a><a href="http://www.spring-of-sound.de/tracks/NB ... .mp3"><img src="/forums/images/listen_icon.gif" border="0" alt=" Song"> Song</a> <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Genre: Electronic <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Uses: see inside copyright © 2002 Neil Buxton, Christian Werner _____________________________________ This is the first transmission from the logbook of the
Spacecruiser „Starchaser".

Other transmissions from our earlier adventures
will be transmitted to our home planet soon.
This transmission will last for
5mins 26secs and is 4.98 Mb in size.

Pluto is cold and barren.
It orbits in the silence of space.
It is so far from our sun that very little light
reaches its surface, and what little light there is gives
no warmth.
It slumbers, almost hibernates on the very edge of our
Solar System.

During one of its long days the silence is broken.
Our craft, with pulsing nuclear drives approaches,
its intention to photograph the surface of the planet
and to use the weak gravitational pull of Pluto to catapult it
into other Solar Systems beyond.

Pluto is disturbed.
The size of the cruiser and its’ proximity to the surface causes an earthquake.
The craft passes, violating the peace of Pluto’s existence and disappears forever into the darkness.
Pluto slumbers once more.
The moment has passed.

We hope you like our first
joint(ad)venture.
Do please let us know.

Crew Information

Chief Scientist Chris Werner:
Pulsar V3.1, Cubase 32/VST 5.1r2
Pulsar Synths: EZ, Three-o-Three
VST Synths: Absynth
Samplers: Kontakt
Cubase Effects: MultiLens, WaveSurround,
OhmBoys, MobilOhm, Compressors, EQ´s
Mixing: Cubase and Pulsar mixers

First Officer Neil B:
Pulsar V3.0, Cubase 32/VST 5.1, Recycle 2.0
Pulsar Synths: EZ Synth Ver 2, Three-o-Three
VST Synths: Triangle II
Other: Roland JV-1080
Cubase Effects: MultiLens, Delays
Mixing: Cubase and Pulsar mixers

[ This Message was edited by: ChrisWerner on 2006-03-01 01:39 ]

John Cooper · Post by **John Cooper** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 12:18 pm

Love that vocalized sound at 1:15 and 1:35.
You get a really excellent combination of textures around 3:30.

Have you ever listened to "node"?
<a href="http://ubl.artistdirect.com/store/artis ... 00.html</a>

It's one of my favorite electronic ambient journey records- all recorded in one take, direct, using a bunch of old analog gear + ring modulated trumpet

Your tune reminds me of some of that, and that's high praise!

p.s. I wonder if Pluto is massive enough to be used as a catapult like that? Just looked it up, and it's only about 1/100th the mass of earth's moon.

-John

paulrmartin · Post by **paulrmartin** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 1:46 pm

Great stuff, Chris!
John, the product at the link is no longer available...

John Cooper · Post by **John Cooper** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:19 pm

Yeah, it's too bad. I think that the Node cd is out of print. I bought it as a UK import in 95 or 96. It was originally on the deviant label. Not sure if they're around anymore.

I'd really like for you guys to hear it. I wonder if something's out of print, if it's ok to put mp3's up?? Probably not

-John

Post by **Neil B** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:23 pm

Thanks for the comparison John.
I saw Node at the EMMA 94 concert in Derby, England. They weren't on the bill but came on after the show witha pile of modulars, synths and mellotrons and improvised for an hour - best part of the show in the end!
I think I have some other Node tracks tucked away somewhere too.
And I geuss you're correct about the gravitational pull!
Neil B

John Cooper · Post by **John Cooper** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:34 pm

Hey Neil,
Man you're lucky to have seen them live! I understand they were quite an experience.

I just found a link to an excerpt of their Terminus cd, recorded live at a train station somewhere

It's at http://www.groove.nl/sound_n.html

Direct link to Real Audio file:
http://www.groove.nl/sfx/3/37450-1.ram

I also found a place where you can still buy their cd's (tho expensive since out of print): http://www.musicselection.com

Cheers,
-John

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 3:29 pm

Hi John and Paul,
you are right with the pull John,maybe the earthquake is a bit heavy. On 3.30 I took our pictures from Pluto.

I must listen to this Node stuff.

Chris

[ This Message was edited by: ChrisWerner on 2002-11-08 15:54 ]

Post by **hubird** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 10:56 am

never heard of Node, but the link gave a beautifull piece of music John, great tip.
And it's nice to hear a real 6/8 timesign!

BTW Chris and Neil, there is this sample cd 'FX Zone' of Masterbits.
264 special sound effects & textures, in 3D animated audio, all hi quality technically and musically spoken.
could be very nice in your project.
cheerz

_________________
Let There Be Music!

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2002-11-09 11:19 ]

borg · Post by **borg** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 12:38 pm

this is truly an excellent track. i have the node album too, and yes, it has the same vibe, which is a good thing.
we all know the skills of chris, but for me personnaly, this collaboration has taken it to a place i like more (maybe more atmos and less arppegiator stuff, i don't know).

thanks for this piece of music

petal · Post by **petal** » Sun Nov 10, 2002 6:26 am

I really like the production of this track - It sounds like there's been put a lot of time into it, all though it feels a little heavy on the left channel. Made me think of an old Pink Floyd track "On Rhe Run" from "The Dark Side Of Moon" in slow motion - I can understand the space-analogy... It's a nice place to be

Cheers!
Thomas

Post by **Neil B** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 2:19 am

Hubird, thanks for the tip on the sample CD - it sounds as if it is worth looking out for.

Borg - thanks for your comments too - glad you like it.

Petal - I know the Floyd track that you mean - I have good memories of those days.
I'll have to let Chief Scientist Werner answer you regarding it being heavy on one channel, but this is probably due to the fact that the whole of the spacecruiser moves from one channel to the other as it flies past Pluto. I'm sure Chris will be online later.
Regarding the work put into it, I'm not sure that it was a case of how much time was put in, but how it was done.
In the past if I have wanted to compose and play music with someone else it has been a case of setting up together, jamming along for a few hours to get the feel of each other's ideas and techniques, going down the pub for a beer and a talk and so on. It is totally different to work with someone you've never met, never spoken to (except over the internet), never seen, separated by hundreds of miles and so on. As a first project it was very interesting to find the balance in the methods of working but I think that we're getting there. We are both looking forward to future transmissions from the "logbook" in the near future.
First Officer Neil B

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:00 am

Hello Hubird,Borg and Petal.

The f/x CD could be very useful for us, I have to analyse it, but before I use samples I try to program the envisaged sound with a synthesizer,thank you for the hint, anyway.

Borg, the more ambient music style are my roots, I started with such "slow" music before it becomes more complex,faster and weird. The "Starchaser" project brings me back to this roots wich I really enjoy.

I must agree to our First Officer, this track was not a matter of time it was a matter of "when it is done". We tried to take out any pressure of this project, nobody is hunting us.
I´am very sorry about the critical load of your left speaker, Neil plans always such stupid routes, I always say "Once he will guide us through the rings of saturn"- instead around.

Thanks for your reviews,
first scientist Chris.

Post by **Neil B** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:30 am

That is all the thanks that I get. Scientists!!! Always want to pass the blame on to the officers. You've never forgiven me for that little incident at Saturn have you??? I suppose we will have to transmit that back to anyone who is interested now won't we!

Zombie Agent · Post by **Zombie Agent** » Sun Nov 24, 2002 8:21 pm

Hi Chris & Neil
I first listened to this song after returning home on a Sunday night from an insane weekend of partying. Great sounds I love the mood created. I listened to it while going to sleep, it was a nice way to wind down, thanks guys.
cheers ZA

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 4:09 am

I wouldn't change anything: sounds great, each instrument fits another, nice textures, pleasure to listen to! Thanks, Chris & Neil

[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2002-11-25 04:45 ]

Post by **Neil B** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 4:37 am

Hi Zombie Agent - nice to hear from you again. Glad you liked the track. Seems like a good way of winding down after partying.

Thanks Samplaire for your much appreciated comments. We're trying a different method of long distance mixing for the next track so the quality should be better still.
Glad you liked the blend of me & Chris

Neil B

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 4:45 am

If Tangerine Dream went this way...

Now I've listened to it once more and found something: the space texture is too wide (too straight in the face, ie. in the eyes, like it was out of phase). Strange as if it was out of phase it should have dissapeared in mono mode... Perhaps it contains both in phase and out of phase signal? Try to listen to it in mono mode and consider the texter is enough volume or it hides behind the rest parts of the song. For me it is a bit too low voulume (mono) and ok in stereo. The conclusion is I would make the pan sliders a bit to the middle.

But the whole impression remains the same in my head: pleasure to listen to!

P.S.
My ears are very phase sensive and perhaps my opinion is not objective...

[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2002-11-25 05:03 ]

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 6:25 am

Hi ZA, it is good that our music can calm you down, so we found a peaceful and well balanced mood. Thank you for this response.

Samplaire, thank you for the constructive review, I must confess that I didn´t used a correlation or stereo meter to proof this track, but once all Starchaser Tracks are done I will re-master all tracks to the same quality, we (Neil and I) would donate one huge space adventure to Planet Z, with one Starchaser track after the other.
Thank you for the hint to reduce the stereo width, I will try this.
Chris

[ This Message was edited by: ChrisWerner on 2002-11-25 07:35 ]

Nestor · Post by **Nestor** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 11:10 pm

Fantastic! I really enjoyed this one… I was looking at the stars and it matched completely. Of course… my eyes couldn’t reach Pluto… but my imagination could with this lovely piece of music.

Real good! I wouldn’t change anything; I would like rather to listen at it in wave format and with a good monitoring system so to judge with more objectivity. It’s very difficult from here to tell you how to improve anything; I can’t really give you a useful opinion to help in this one. These kinds of atmospheres are real special and I think they are very personal; there is no wrong or right here, they are so intimate…

Something is clear for me, PLEASE, KEEP DOING MUSIC TOGUETHER!!! You are a perfect marriage of skills, I’m not kidding at all!

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Tue Nov 26, 2002 2:26 am

Very nice Nestor, we´ve already begun with the 2nd track and yes, I like the partnership very much. THX for your lovely words.
Chris

[ This Message was edited by: ChrisWerner on 2002-11-26 02:28 ]