Tools for Drone Advice

[Negative Spectrum]

Hi Guys,

I struggle with creating interesting, textural drones without using synths so I'm asking for some tips on software or techniques that you could offer. Please note, I am not using synths anymore and want to keep it as organic as possible. Thanks.

[Ian Haygreen]

I take field recordings and using both LMMS and Audacity play around with them (I can't tell you exactly what I do since I never make a note of these things - possibly I should - but I muck around with them using different effects until I get something interesting). Recordings from towns and busy roads are best I find since the passing traffic, snatches of conversation, etc, give the end result interesting tonal qualities (especially when buses brake - a nice high pitched squeal). I then use that piece 3 or 4 times to get the end drone/ambient background: each track at different octaves to produce an interesting tonal experience (I hope).

I use my iPhone to take the recordings.

[MetaDronos]

* GRM Evolution plugin. It instantly turns ANY sound into drone. I use it on my industrial field recordings.
* PaulStretch. This is obvious tool for drone work.
* Voxengo Pristine Space and various pad sounds loaded as "impulse responses". Still one of my main methods.

I created various FX chains for making drones from almost any sound input. I can share some of my secrets here ;)

[Negative Spectrum]

I created various FX chains for making drones from almost any sound input. I can share some of my secrets here ;)

I would love to hear them!

[GaryG]

Tonecarvers tcStretch?

http://tonecarver.wordpress.com/tcstretch/

[MetaDronos]

* Reaktor FX: gTranscoder, LisaIII, Travelizer.
* Audiobulb Ambient
* Spirit Canyon Audio impulse responses
* MMultibandGranular

[MetaDronos]

I created various FX chains for making drones from almost any sound input. I can share some of my secrets here ;)

I would love to hear them!

I will elaborate on this in few days. Stay tuned.

[aoVI]

A long delay with high feedback. A long delay with a little less feedback into reverb.

There, that is about all I do in a nutshell. Instant ontol.

[MetaDronos]

Here it is, method for creating drones live using microphone:

Microphone -> Octaver12B -> [ vocoder ] -> Bionic Supa Delay -> Octaver12B -> ValhallaShimmer -> [ noise reduction ] -> [ reverb ]

I use Vocodex as vocoder, Voxengo redunoise as noise reduction and ValhallaRoom as reverb.

Babbling in, drone out ;)

[MetaDronos]

PhotoSounder:

1) Open recording of percussive sound with no reverb. Try to use sound of whispering.

2) Rotate it 90 or 270 degrees.

3) Timestretch it.

4) Optionally use option "Group to nearest semitone"

[MetaDronos]

Tonecarvers tcStretch?

http://tonecarver.wordpress.com/tcstretch/

Its only comparable competitor is TimeFreezer VST/VSTi for $99.
You want drones? Go tcStretch! :rockon:

[Negative Spectrum]

Ok, I've downloaded tcStretch but I'm not entirely sure how to use it..

[GaryG]

It's not a conventional effect that you just place on an existing track, you need to load an wave into it (maybe you can drag and drop to it, never tried...) then monkey around with the controls to stretch etc the wave.