How to avoid this sound?

sustain · Post by **sustain** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:10 pm

In regard with working with the Novation X-Station:

I don't exactly know what it is, it sounds different to typical distortion (the slight clipping you might hear is actually from the bad recording, not the patch). The LED doesn't glow bright as to say that it is caused by too much gain. Sometimes when I'm shaping sounds this comes up. I noticed it was more likely to happen when I played together with bass.

Here's an example when I was playing with arp, it happens at the beginning and at the end of this recording.

Listen: http://rapidshare.com/files/64341015/Arp.mp3.html

So what could this be, and how can I avoid it?

Post by **Zamise** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:16 am

The lower frequencies are interacting with the higher frequencies in a bad way it sort of sounds like, like they are canceling each other out in spots to more of neutral medium range sound. Doesn't sound too great on your XStation tho., but on ocassion I've used such an effect sort of like FM LFO type deal, but it doesn't always sound as great if it where an actual LFO or FMing. I'm not 100% positive but I thought I had read somewhere that updating the OS might fix that problem. Do you have the latest OS? Maybe try seeing if you can EQ out some of Gain on the Low Freqs. or change the Low Freqs up into like the 100khz range maybe? Don't know if thats possible on the XStation, but it'll have to be done there since that is where its combining the signals I'm thinking. I know the XStation don't have top of the line D/A converters so you might be stuck with it. I've definatly heard it having some other strange artifacts, more digital sounding though, I kind of like it tho when I hear it, but I think other more analog purists mark it as a negative thing with some of those digital artifacts. Anyway, what I think your getting is difrent, and if I'm thinking what it is, it might be hard to get rid of unless you know exactly whats going on and can adjust those frequencies. Does XStation have a yahoo list for it or a help forum? They'd know how to deal with I bet if so.

sustain · Post by **sustain** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:24 am

Thanks, that fixed it. Yeah I just had to cut the bass/mid frequencies down a bit. That distortion was proportional to how much bass was in the sound.

Yes the X-Station has a three band equalizer and three filter types: High Pass, Low Pass and Notch/Band Pass.

I can adjust the frequencies with these filters but only according to the MIDI values, I.e. 0-127 not 100hz to 20Khz, meaning it's not specific on the LCD.

I tried out what you said, using the cut off, and this is what happened:

Low Pass - distortion with too much bass. EQ fixed it up.

High Pass - High Pass at minimum is the same as Low Pass at maximum, right? Well High pass cleared this up, but even at minimum cutoff the distortion wasn't there anyway! How strange. Know why it happens on one filter and not the other, when virtually there should be no difference?

Thanks I'll check those forums next time also.

Post by **Zamise** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:00 am

Glad you got it figured out. Yeah the filters can remove certain frequencies, actually not letting some pass, in essance itsfiltering

However, HPF & LPF can have distinctly difrence qualities to how they sound when Res & Cut is also applied. HPF with Res & Cut is my fav, but have to watch out sometimes, on digitals they seem to tend to go into an odd distortion too, almost like self res, but instead just sound like doodoo. Have to ride the edge sometimes, get that HPF cutting out all the low end, then I drop the bass back in with with bass boost gain in the EQ and its simply my fav arse kicken sound. Again just in my expeces with what I've owned and used. I'm rambling. A friend of mine has an XStation so I'm just slightly familiar with it, I like its sound, maybe not as great as a Virus, but good enough and fair priced, I'd of got one if my friend hadn't. He loves it.

sustain · Post by **sustain** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:58 am

Thanks for the info.

Do you get what I'm asking though? Why is it that there is distortion on one filter and not the other (if resonance is 0), when either filter's lets all frequencies pass?

I.e, 1. Low pass- Max, as no cutoff, 127. All freq. pass: Bass present and distorts.

2. Change to High pass - Min, as no cutoff, 0. All freq pass: Bass present but not distorted.

Post by **Zamise** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 8:08 am

I think I get what your saying. You got it to stop tho right? HPF & LPFs can be totally difrent and sound totally difrent, but your saying its difrent when they arn't supposed to be doing anything? Maybe your resonance or cutoff, one or then if not then the other is still set defrently? Not sure, sometimes even when they arn't supposed to be filtering sometimes if they are on some part of the sound is still being sent through it, so maybe your still getting a slight affect or artifact from it? Can you record your parts seperately so maybe you can edit the boost or gain on the bass part and not have it affect the high end? I try to keep my low and highs on seperate tracks, that can help sometimes. I'll probably be at my friends place with his XStation this weekend, I'll see if I can duplicate your problem.

Zam

Post by **Zamise** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:59 am

Hey, I checked out my friends XStation today/yesturday and the only way I could get it to duplicate some odd distortion difrences between LPF & HPF was when we turned the Effects on with distortion cranked. Seemed similar but probably not, when the patches were dry we couldn't get it to distort at all. Cause I couldn't duplicate it don't mean anything inparticular tho, I could of been missing something, but I gave it a shot. If I could of had more time on it maybe couldof got it, but didn't so this probably won't help much but thought I'd mention it ya.

sustain · Post by **sustain** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 3:22 am

Thanks for all your help. Overall, I learned that there are many settings which come into play, also including the depth of the filter and Key track. I have to be careful with the effects section, because without it, there was no distortion, like what you said.

Thanks again.