How do I design Club Dance music on the Oasys?

[tonecre8]

I'll have to agree with Elvis on this one. Of all the praise that my O gets from people that come to the studio to use it, the drums are not amongst them. But this is slightly off topic...

Kevin nailed it in his first response. You have to be embedded in the culture to make this kind of music. Not only that, you have to love the music to do it successfully. Otherwise the only thing you can do is imitate what you hear.

That said, realistic drum sounds (i.e. BFD) are NOT what you want for this genre.

[elvisjohndowson]

That said, realistic drum sounds (i.e. BFD) are NOT what you want for this genre.

I've nearly completed the BFD2/OASYS tutorial. I bought BFD2 for getting some good acoustic drum sample close to the kick drum in One Republic's acoustic version of Apologize, track 4 on their album.

From what I've discovered, it does take a lot of work just to get one sample right, without going into synthesis. I'm trying to tackle one issue at the time, so I thought I'd first see how I can use and incorporate 3rd party acoustic drum samples first.

Once I've completed this, I'll try to explore routing the drum sample through one of the OASYS's synthesis engines and then re-sample the resulting program output.

What would be useful, at this stage, is to have a point of reference, i.e. a particular dance drum sound that is not available out-of-the-box from the OASYS, and try to recreate that particular sound. I'm willing to document what I find, and probably with a little help from Daz, get it to sound close to the original.

[Stralner]

I know you all get defencive, and try to defend the O, but the O is not setup for this kind of music, strange to me since the O has everything else. I also have so much trouble to make these drums. I found the right ones on vip zone like many other nice things, and these works.
It´s still a problem that Korg is not in to this genre of music in the O at all.
Mostly because it has been build by the old guy´s. Learn from Access virus and make it right. Even there drums are bad, but the basses and the synth sounds are the so cool, and everything is there. Just not the drums, but there produkt is not made for it eighter. Bying an O means getting it all, Korg pleace wake up and do it right.

Dount answer this, just think about it, why can I make Jazz, rock, and so on in 2 min. but this has to take months to do....pleace dount tell me you can not!

[franzlp]

For Dance Music or teeny bopper type genres you don't need an Oasys. The Oasys is a mature instrument for nuances that are subtile and details. A lower end device more than suffices for dance stuff... try an Alesis FUsion. When was the last time you cared about a subtile tremelo of breath of a flute when listening to dance music?

[Ultimate Dj]

The issue, IMO, is that you need to be 'into' the genre to do it properly. You can't fake it. But if you can't do it on the OASYS, you can't do it anywhere.

You need to take time to listen to a lot of that music, ask lots of questions about that genre, go to clubs and then do one or two tracks properly, in my opinion. I'm not a into dance music, but I genuinely believe that, next to jazz, you actually need to be embedded in the culture to be able to do it properly. A fake will be spotted a mile off. But it's possible to get into it, even if it's not your area, and its not an age thing - some of the best dance artists are 80's synth heads who don't admit their age!!!

Kevin.

Exactly! You could not be any more right.!!! I have been listening to dance music for so long I dont remember how long! And thats the only way to learn. LISTEN! repeat what they do. Listen to the detail.
Also in the Oasys theres the Combi called Summer Anthem it was extremely helpful to me to be able to listen to that, solo the drum, the bass, the lead...ect, and learn what they did. You can even go into Track Event Edit and see exactly what drums their playing or what notes of the bass..etc. So I would suggest you check that out.

So Joe, if you have any specific question about dance music, I will gladly help you out. I was exactly in your same position when I first wanted to do the genre. And now I have learned so much about it its incredible. Also I have just tons of the actual Dance music its really not even funny!
So just let me know if you need anything!

pura vida
El Che

[Ultimate Dj]

For Dance Music or teeny bopper type genres you don't need an Oasys. The Oasys is a mature instrument for nuances that are subtile and details. A lower end device more than suffices for dance stuff... try an Alesis FUsion. When was the last time you cared about a subtile tremelo of breath of a flute when listening to dance music?

Dude give it a rest! I don't get why your so addiment on people using the Oasys for stuff other than slow, classical, jazz or Atmospheric music!
If the Oasys wasn't meant for fast dance/trance or Hip Hop music, why are there so many fast synths and Hip Hop/Trance drum kits? Are you just so possessive with your Oasys that you don't want other people to buy it if they could do the same thing with something else? or...wat? I really dont get your problem and its starting to bug me! Why would the Oasys have a AL-1 synth? or any of the other ones? The Oasys' primary strength is that its an Synthesizers! So to say that the Oasys is primary for Subtle and details sounds is just dumb.
If I want to make Dance music on my Oasys, IM GOING TO!!!! and If I want to make Reggaeton with my Oasys, I"M GOING TO!!!!! And if I want to .....well you get the point! so basically BUG OFF! and stop telling people to not make a certian genre on an Oasys just because you could probably make something similiar on something else! ok rant over for now!

pura vida
El Che

[franzlp]

Boy you have made me laugh like you cannot believe. You are one of those guys that love to use the "dumb" word huh? Did I ever say I only liked the jazz and atmospheric music , no... in fact the genre I most like (although not the only one) is progressive rock. A challenging genre I would have to say. I can say synthesis does absolutely take into account the subtilties of sound as it is married to music. To say that that concept is dumb it ridiculous in itself. You listen to Tales of Topographic Oceans by Yes sometime you'll understand something of the idea I am explaining plus you'll appreciate a bt of the master class of syth based music.

[Kevin Nolan]

While I get where franzip is coming from about the ability of the OASYS for music requiring nuances in performance expression - and I'm not into Dance music per say; I believe the OASYS is a killer instrument for Dance music in every conceivable genre, because of:

- Thousands of drum and percussion samples
- Thousands of drum, percussion and rhythm Generated Effects
- Low aliasing filters on the Virtual Analogue synths providing excactly what that music needs
- Stunning Polysix and MS20 emulations.
- Vector synthesis
- Realtime performance controllers

In fact over at www.vintagesynth.org I was recently reading a forum discussion on the questionable quality of emulations by Arturia and others; and where the point was made that Korg's are among the very best Virtual Analog emulations. So with the spontaniety of the P6; the harsh, aggressive edge to the MS20 and lush pads, lead sounds and step sequencers of AL-1; you've got just about every tool for Dance music across every conceivable genre. But as said above, you;ve got to know the music to use the tools properly. Thanks Ultimate DJ for pointing to a useful and valid Combi to analyse.

Is it amazing then that with all of the above; EXs1,2 &3 & Karo Strings make it equally capable for Film Scoring for example; while with Karo and Sharp upcoming pianos along with EXS2 and CX3 will make it a gigging keyboard players dream machine.

[EJ2]

For Dance Music or teeny bopper type genres you don't need an Oasys. The Oasys is a mature instrument for nuances that are subtile and details. A lower end device more than suffices for dance stuff... try an Alesis FUsion. When was the last time you cared about a subtile tremelo of breath of a flute when listening to dance music?

No you don't but, then again, you can put out crap dance music with crap equipment. The freebie MP3 websites are rife with cheap cuts pretending to be great dance songs. Nevertheless, anyone who says you can't produce top quality dance music - trance, electro, jungle, rave,,,,, you name it, then I would say that person doesn't own an OASYS or doesn't know how to use it. Indeed, there are more than enough preset combis in each bank that give testament to the dance genre; and, if they don't turn your crank, you can certainly tweak them to your tastes. Having said that, however, I'm with Kevin. There's a ton of resources to roll your own. Now if you can't do that, then learn.

[Stralner]

No you don't but, then again, you can put out crap dance music with crap equipment. The freebie MP3 websites are rife with cheap cuts pretending to be great dance songs. Nevertheless, anyone who says you can't produce top quality dance music - trance, electro, jungle, rave,,,,, you name it, then I would say that person doesn't own an OASYS or doesn't know how to use it. Indeed, there are more than enough preset combis in each bank that give testament to the dance genre; and, if they don't turn your crank, you can certainly tweak them to your tastes. Having said that, however, I'm with Kevin. There's a ton of resources to roll your own. Now if you can't do that, then learn.[/quote]


Then again why is it I can´t find the drums Gigi D. A, Basshunter, Scooter and others uses in the Oasys at all...Yes I can make them, But why are´nt they there already..It´s like an Oasys without a rock kit or a hiphop kit...it´s still wrong. Most Yamaha produkts has one..why not the Oasys. This kind of drums are sampeled 3 or 4 times on top of the first one, at least korg could have done that.

[master logic]

Being a previous Oasys owner & a 15 year Detroit Techno fan i have to admit that i found the Oasys rather frustrating for making this kind of music. There's something not quite right with the 'feel' of many bass & lead sounds. I would describe them as sounding hollow. The Strings & Pads are incredible & Detroit Techno relies heavily on these elements. The perfect solution was to use a Virus Ti alongside the Oasys. Shame i had to sell everything : ( Filing for bankruptcy in a few weeks too.

Hope you guys are all well though.

[EJ2]

.It´s like an Oasys without a rock kit or a hiphop kit...it´s still wrong.

You've got to be kidding! This time I'll say it - you don't know what you are talking about.

[rbox]

Being a previous Oasys owner & a 15 year Detroit Techno fan i have to admit that i found the Oasys rather frustrating for making this kind of music. There's something not quite right with the 'feel' of many bass & lead sounds. I would describe them as sounding hollow.

Do you speak about the Presets or the basic soundcharacter of AL-1,LAC-1? I have the electribe MX and it can create technosoundstyle's very well,ok it't not high fidelity , only 5 Monoparts but yes it sounding good enough to have fun. What i have seen the AL-1 has a drive and low boost section in combination with a tubeamp sim as an insert effect it doesent sound good enough for this styles?

[Stralner]

.It´s like an Oasys without a rock kit or a hiphop kit...it´s still wrong.

You've got to be kidding! This time I'll say it - you don't know what you are talking about.

Then make the drums in your new combis for the Oasys and we will see if you are right....All I have to do is by a Motiff and I´ll get it...compared to the Oasys...what can I say. I maby not be a Synth programer...but I am no student eighter Erik....By the way Erik what is it with you at the moment...you seem so agresive....unlike you I´ll say.
Take it easy and listen to what people say...Most music is dance today, so make it work for us in the Oasys, Pleace....

[franzlp]

This may be the classic case of not reading the manual. The Oasys as I've said is a mature instrument and you really should not "wing it" . You actually have to sit down and read complexities in the manual. Some people are not confortable with simple stuff like subtractive synthesis now consider that the Oasys introduces several distinct and heavily complex synth methods to achieve its vast palette of sounds. If your not getting what you desire with this instrument then you have just not invested techinically in the synth part of this instrument and perhaps have only invested in the performance part of it. Landing and airliner is not the same as parking your car!