Variation on Teardrop – Massive Attack theme in DAW REAPER

Variation on Teardrop - Massive Attack theme in DAW REAPER
Variation on Teardrop – Massive Attack theme in DAW REAPER

Love, love is a verb
Love is a doing word
Fearless on my breath
Gentle impulsion
Shakes me, makes me lighter
Fearless on my breath …

Under the the impression of performing of Teardrop composition of Massive Attack collective on electric keys on Gastronom-Fest ( RU ), I wished to create its variation in DAW REAPER with use of program VST instruments and effects. For this I downloaded from Internet 2 MIDI files with melody notes, combined them, slightly edited and chose the best sounding together instruments. Then with use of reverberation added volume and expression to main instruments and with compression adjusted dynamic range of additional instruments, so that their volume variations would not highlight them too much. Then tracks volume balancing, addition of volume automation for main instruments : they are switched on and off smoothly, this way it has more dynamics and saturation.

… Teardrop on the fire
Fearless on my breath

Night, night after day
Black flowers blossom
Fearless on my breath
Black flowers blossom
Fearless on my breath …

Main instruments in composition are sampler VST synthesizers ESI Piano and DSK Overture with instrument Harpsichord, additional ones are ESI Piano and DSK World Strings with instrument Celtic Harp. + Small changes of sound synthesis parameters, such as built-in effects, filters and other parameters. For drums sounds I used drum-machine DSK DrumZMachineZ, which allows to synthesize sounds the same way, as hardware drums synthesizers do, there are 18 of them presented in program ( among them, for example, there are : Roland TR 808, Acetone Rhythm Ace, Akai XR10, Alessis HR 16, Boss DR55, Korg DD1, Yamaha RX 11 and others ), there is also ability to change their different parameters, creating needed sound. DSK also has sampled drums synthesizers, which allow to generate sounds on base of recorded samples, but with fully electronic generators it is easier to work and create needed sound. You can download project files for DAW REAPER via this link : Variation on Teardrop – Massive Attack theme in DAW REAPER. Onwards I’ll work on creation of next composition, Stay Tuned!

VST instrument DSK Overture and effects ESI Phaser, Reverberation and Chorus and ReaCompressor in DAW REAPER
VST instrument DSK Overture and effects ESI Phaser, Reverberation and Chorus and ReaCompressor in DAW REAPER

… Teardrop on the fire
Fearless on my…

Water is my eye
Most faithful mirror
Fearless on my breath
Teardrop on the fire
Of a confession
Fearless on my breath
Most faithful mirror
Fearless on my breath …

Slightly in more details about instruments, used in Massive Attack’sTeardrop composition creation : ESI Piano – is a piano synthesizer, which allows to change different parameters of sound generation, for example, Sustain and Resonance, as well as to apply built in reverberation for simulation of room, in which instrument plays. DSK Overture – is a sampler instrument, generating sounds of large amount of instruments : wind and strings, among them there are, for example : harp, cello, contrabass, flute, french and english horns, trombone and others. DSK World Strings is also a sampler synthesizer, which presents instruments of different peoples of the world : Celtic harp, dobro, dulcimer, koto, kanun, tar and others. About DSK DrumZ – MachineZ there is also ability to say, that this instrument allows to combine sounds of drums, generated by different synthesizers in one part, and set their position in stereo picture and sound volume level.

… Teardrop on the fire
Fearless on my breath

You stumble in the dark
You stumble in the dark

Massive Attack – is a British group, founded in Bristol in 1988 year by Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy G” Marshall and former participant “Mushroom” Vowles ( “Mush” ). They create electronic music in Trip hop style, for which slow paced rhythm and mainly sad and melancholy mood of compositions are characteristic. Their debut album Blue Lines was released in 1991 year and contains one of the most well known tracks of group Unfinished Sympathy, their third album Mezzanine, containing composition Teardrop, to which this article is devoted, was released in 1998 year. Both albums are considered one of the best in all history of modern music creation; Massive Attack was nominated on and received lots of musical awards, among which there are : MTV Europe Music Awards, Q Awards, Brit Awards and others. Teardrop is one of the most widely know compositions of collective all around the world, it was used in large amount of films and on television; it has lots of variations and remixes, +1 one of which is presented on this page :-) .

REAPER ( Rapid Environment for Audio Production, Engineering, and Recording ) – is a Digital Audio Workstation, developed by company Cockos Incorporated from 2004 year. In its creation and advancement main aspects are set on professional functionality and small price, instead of large amount of already completed half-automated instruments and effects, as this is done in lots of other DAWs. Among features of REAPER there are : 64-bits sound processing engine; support of all sampling rates and precisions; support of recording and editing of audio and MIDI on any amount of the tracks; support of MIDI controllers; support of VST, VST3, AU, DX and JS plugins; ability to automate all tracks’ parameters; large amount of already made instruments and effects for sounds and music creation; as well as support of built-in scripting language for audio processing and control of DAW. Program is developed with accounting of wishes of musicians; it is used, for example, by BBC, and by other companies and musicians. It can be used for free in a defined time interval, after this, by license, it should be bought, however its functionality is not limited after testing time period. Current version of DAW works in Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X 10.5 and newer operating systems; Linux is not supported directly, but there is ability to launch REAPER in Wine emulator.

Korg DS-DAC-100 – high-quality USB DAC for stereo sound reproduction with 192 kHz, 24 bits and support of DSD for 320 USD

External USB digital to analogue converter Korg DS-DAC-100
External USB digital to analogue converter Korg DS-DAC-100

Among high-quality USB audio interfaces of Korg there is a Korg DS-DAC-100 – external Digital to Analogue Converter, able to reproduce stereo sound with 192 kHz sampling rate, 24 bits precision and with support of native hardware decoding of DSD signal for 320 USD. Besides maximal frequency and precision it also supports 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 and 176.4 kHz and 16 bits. On its frontal panel there are TRS 1/4″ jack output for headphones, volume control and work and chosen sampling rate indicators. On back panel of device there are : USB 2.0 Type B port for connection to computer and powering, unbalanced RCA left and right outputs, as well as balanced XLR left and right outputs.

External USB digital to analogue converter Korg DS-DAC-100 ( back panel )
External USB digital to analogue converter Korg DS-DAC-100 ( back panel )

Korg DS-DAC-100 supports hardware decoding of DSD sound and PCM signal playback via ASIO 2.0, WDM and Core Audio interfaces in Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X operating systems via specialized drivers. Digital to analogue conversions are handled by Cirrus Logic CS4398 processor with following characteristics : THD+N 0.005%, signal to noise ratio 105 dB and working frequencies range 10 Hz – 40 kHz ( with +- 1 dB deviation ). Linear outputs of device have following characteristics : impedance is 10 kOhms, nominal signal level -6 – +6 dBV; headphones output : 16 Ohms impedance and maximal power 85 + 85 mW with 32 Ohms impedance. Korg DS-DAC-100 draws maximum 2.5 W of energy and 500 mA of current, its sizes are 207 ( width ) x 160 ( depth ) x 60 ( height ) mm and mass is 862 g.

Package contains monitor dynamic headphones PHONON SMB-02 DS-DAC EDITION, Korg DS-DAC-100 can decode in hardware DSD sound with 2.8224 or 5.6448 MHz encoding frequencies. Also in package with Korg DS-DAC-100 digital to analogue converter there are : USB cable, 3 spikes-pins, optical disk with drivers and software, warranty card and user’s guide.

From one side : DAC is quite good and has good audio characteristics, native hardware DSD sound decoding and high-quality digital and analogue components; but from the other side in technical area it is no better, than even entry and middle level professional studio audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio, Alesis and other companies. Which often are far better, than it in digital and analogue specifications, have much larger amount of output channels, have professional inputs for recording of high-quality audio, MIDI connectors and digital inputs and outputs, as well as loads of other functions, and cost 1.5 – 2 times cheaper, than Korg DS-DAC-100. So, purchasing of this device has no big sense, because human will not be able to hear difference between software sound decoding and playback on professional studio audio interface and its native decoding and playback via Korg DS-DAC-100 – whatever its manufacturer would marketingly say in this respect.

Korg – is a Japanese company, founded in 1962 year in Tokyo, previously it was known under names Keio Gijutsu Kenkyujo Ltd. and Keio Electronic Laboratories. It produces MIDI keyboards and other musical controllers, audio processors, electronic tuners, audio interfaces and other sound equipment. Under Vox brand name it also manufactures electric guitars and amplifiers for them. Currently company is one of the largest world manufacturers of audio devices with rich history of production of high-quality musical instruments, which are used by artists and musicians in studios and on concerts all around the world.

Philips Fidelio X2 – new 50 mm monitor headphones with 5 Hz – 40 kHz, neodymium magnets and THD 0.1% for 280 USD

Monitor headphones Philips Fidelio X2
Monitor headphones Philips Fidelio X2

Company Philips released new professional dynamic monitor headphones Philips Fidelio X2 with 50 mm LMC diaphragms, 5 Hz – 40 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, neodymium magnets, THD 0.1% and open acoustic architecture for 280 USD. Their impedance is 32 Ohms, sensitivity is 100 dB, maximal input power is 500 mW and mass is 380 g. Detachable cable with 3 m length is mounted only to 1 cup, to sound source it connects via 1/8″ mini-jack plug with gold-plated contacts. Additionally it is equipped with special clip, which prevents tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects.

Monitor headphones Philips Fidelio X2 package
Monitor headphones Philips Fidelio X2 package

Headphones Philips Fidelio X2 are not foldable, each cup has only 1 audio emitter, in place of entering into driver cable is additionally reinforced with resin tube for increased durability and wear resistance during bending and tear-off forces application. Cushions have breathing structure and remember form, this, together with soft covering of headband, allows to comfortably listen to the music and sounds during long time. Layered Motion Control diaphragms consist from multiple layers of polymer, sealed together with gel, which together dampen excessive vibration and resonance, which allows to reproduce all sounds frequencies more evenly, especially high ones. Sound emitters of headphones are placed under tilted angle, which allow to reduce amount of sound reflections ( this increases loudness and precision of sounds reproduction, due to the fact, that reflected sound does not come to ears with delay ) and direct it into the ears.

Headband of Philips Fidelio X2 automatically adjusts to listeners with different head sizes and forms; their cups have 2 layers, which decreases resonance amount and increases precision of sounds reproduction. Headphones have no active noise-cancellation function, as some other monitor headphones do, but they have very good external sounds isolation. Their cable is additionally reinforced with cloth braid, which increases wear and breaking resistance, it has no built-in volume control module, microphone and smartphones control button.

Package contains : Philips Fidelio X2 monitor headphones themselves, adapter to 1/4″ jack plug also with gold-plated contacts, clip for wire, warranty card and user’s guide. From one side : headphones are great, they have large diaphragms, wide reproducible audio-frequencies range, neodymium magnets, low THD, good sensitivity and implementation of different techniques for amplitude frequency characteristic evening and resonance vibrations lowering during sound reproduction. From the other side their price is quite big and there is ability to buy much cheaper 50 mm monitor headphones of other manufacturers with close characteristics and even cheaper 40 mm monitor headphones, also providing high quality of sounds and music playback. There is ability to note, that if from device small mass and compactness are needed, then there is ability to look on in-ears headphones, oriented for use during sportive exercises and trainings and everyday compact use, their cable is also often equipped with slider and clip for tangling and clinging to clothes and surrounding objects prevention.

Philips – is a company, which were founded in Dutch in 1891 year; now it has 3 large subdivisions, which develop and produce : consumer electronics, medical equipment and lighting devices. At current moment this is one of the largest companies – producers of electronics, in which around 105000 people work in 60 countries of the world. In electronics area it produces wide range of devices : from kitchen appliances to headphones and smartphones. Philips is notable for producing quality devices, providing proper technical information about them without using of large amounts of psychological marketing and for setting of optimal prices for its goods.

ESI U168 XT – new USB audio interface with 96 kHz, 24 bits, dynamic range up to 112 dB and digital S/PDIF connectors

USB audio interface ESI U168XT
USB audio interface ESI U168XT

Company ESI continues to release new interesting sound devices and this time brings mirth with professional USB audio interface U168 XT with support of 96 kHz and 24 bits work mode, dynamic range up to 112 dB and digital S/PDIF inputs and outputs. It has 16 inputs and 8 outputs, which can be used simultaneously; also it supports 44.1, 48 and 88.2 kHz sampling rates. On frontal panel of device there are : 4 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack microphone inputs ( first 2 of them can work in instrumental Hi-Z mode ), switch on and phantom power +48 V plugging buttons, gain control knob and work indicators for each of them. Mono work mode of inputs switches, their work modes indicators and volume control knobs for inputs 1 – 8 and 9 – 16 and outputs 1 – 8 on back panel; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack outputs for monitor headphones, their volume controls, these ports switch on buttons; and power button with indicator.

USB audio interface ESI U168XT ( back panel )
USB audio interface ESI U168XT ( back panel )

On back panel of ESI U168 XT there are : 16th channels MIDI input and output; power adapter +12 V input and USB port for connection to computer; coaxial digital S/PDIF RCA input and output; mixed left and righ TRS 1/4″ jack outputs; 8 linear TRS 1/4″ jack outputs; and 16 more inputs with the same type of connectors. Audio interface performs analogue to digital conversions with 107 dB dynamic range and digital to analogue with 112 dB range, which are very good values for sound devices; its sizes are 45 ( width ) x 14,5 ( depth ) x 4,5 ( height ) cm; it is powered from power line adapter, which is included in the package. Manufacturer does not tell what mass device has, but, presumably, it is around 1 kg. Also, ESI does not tell in which mode inputs and outputs work, it seems, that they work only in unbalanced mode.

ESI U168 XT works in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 operating systems with support of ASIO 2.0, MME, WDM and DirectSound interfaces; as well as in Mac OS X 10.7 and newer with support of Core Audio interface. Through them device interacts with modern DAWs : FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase and others. Audio device will be available for purchase in shops at the end of this Summer.

With device programs Image-Line Deckadance LE and DAW Bitwig 8-Track are supplied. First of them is a DJs’ console and mixer, which can work as stand-alone program and as VST plugin with connection to DAW or other program. Second of them is entry-level DAW, which allow to work with sounds and MIDI notes on up to 8 tracks with ability to record analogue audio and connect different VST instruments and effects. Also it has sounds and presets, selected from professional Bitwig Studio Library, and supports automation and built-in Open Controller Scripting API for advanced control and processing. Bitwig 8-Track is a simplified version of Bitwig Studio and takes 5 GB of disk space, it downloads additional modules from Internet during setup.

Package contains : USB audio interface ESI U168XT itself, USB cable, optical disk with drivers and programs, warranty card and user’s guide. Audio interface is great : it has good digital part, large amount of connectors and parameters controls, as well as MIDI input and output and digital coaxial S/PDIF connectors. Wherein its analogue part is better, than many other audio interfaces of this level have. There is ability to anticipate, that ESI will set optimal price on it and it ‘ll be very competitive among audio interfaces of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland, ESI, M-Audio, Alesis and other companies production.

Company ESI was founded in Germany in 2006 year, mainly it produces audio interfaces, loudspeakers and other sound equipment. Its products are notable for high quality and acceptable prices, currently offices and facilities of company are located in a couple of countries of the world.