Evisma
Better Than You Since 82
Middle America, United States
Joined : 1st Apr 2013 - 12 years ago
Last Online : 4th Apr 2025 - 10 months ago
Comments on Evisma tracks
Other users have posted 640 comments on tracks by Evisma
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Will think hard about MIDI files I might send. I could even send files of some of my drum arrangements. There's so much going on in one track that you could endlessly recycle them to make new arrangements. Yes it's my work but it's my recycling other people's skilful playing so just chop it up a fair bit, make it sound different again.
Download some sort of free ZIP program. There may be one as standard in Windows 8 but need to get a separate one for earlier Windows versions.
Playing percussion controller can be cool. Even if your drumming is only OK, it can be very rewarding to add your natural feeling. And fun too. I've had a full Yamaha electronic kit since 1999 but not used it in years - it's not even set up. I'd always planned to get a better one (eg Roland one, probably costing around $3,500) as the brain (the drum machine and sounds) on my Yamaha is pretty crap, as are the non-responsive pads. But I've got so good at programming and reworking other drummers' great playing that it might be a waste of money as my meagre playing is never going to compete with theirs.
I'll bet you're better at fast stuff than me. I can really only play any instrument fast, smoothly, in time and in the groove in shortish bursts.
Adding your own hits (plus some quantising, for error correction and/or variety) may well be quicker than my method of searching for the right drum groove from MIDI files and layering it with others to sculpt something interesting. But I don't mind the longer route. I have to spend a long time on the sort of stuff I do (I think the amount of work that has gone in is pretty obvious to most people) and lots of that is spent procrastinating whilst listening over and over again plus trying to decide on some sort of structure and then trying out more and more stuff in my attempts to squeeze everything I can out of a piece.
Don't forget that how you make the notes/do the playing is separate to the actual drum sounds that are being triggered/recorded. You need good ones. Danny Carey on some terrible, single-velocity GM MIDI kit still isn't going to sound too good!
"what I need to find are more MIDI kits" Yes - that's what the expansion packs that I buy for EZ and Superior are - more well-recorded different drum kits (plus new MIDI files with each one). There are so many types of snare, kicks, cymbals, toms etc. I feel you can never have too many.
P.S. Just in case you missed them, two tracks of mine with great metal drumming are Debt Black Hole and Lord Of Misrule.
"Don't forget that how you make the notes/do the playing is separate to the actual drum sounds that are being triggered/recorded. You need good ones."
I'm looking at adding the Akai MAX25 to my set-up as a controller for keys, synths, MIDI drums and everything else, and buying MIDI drum bundles to add, just don't know which ones are quality besides EZ and Superior.
I must ask, with how long and detailed most of your comments are, have you ever lost a really long one? Hit Post and it's all just gone, not posted? I have learned the hard way to highlight my comments and right-click-copy before clicking Post.
Later Mr. Trebek
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
But the barge has often passed by your 4 String Isles, delivering leaflets of wisdom, with the occasional joke thrown in for good measure and mental nourishment.
I can't imagine I've helped you too much with your stuff. It's hard online, with only brief pointers and suggestions. Difficult to really explain stuff in any detail. All I can hope for is a few interesting things for you and others to reflect on, though I suppose I have also made software recommendations that people have followed and then enjoyed. But they might have done that later anyway, without my encouragement.
I continue to reply to your replies and write a fair bit in reviews because you're good at your replies and often give me a laugh and the occasional wonderful phrase and image, such as the party barge (my favourite). Sometimes you can help people just by amusing them and/or providing an interesting view on what it is they do. Doesn't have to be anything technical.
I will look and check what I have in the way of easily accessible drum MIDI files. I think I do have a bunch that could just be zipped up and sent. Others may be a lot more difficult and require me to export each individually, and rename it, which would take ages and ages. There's no way to quickly get access to all the excellent EZ MIDI files that you get with the kits, apart from within the program itself. That's probably to stop people sending them to others, especially as they do sell those same files as separate products (see the Toontrack website).
Maybe I could compromise and send a small bunch of interesting grooves (say, 20) that would serve as decent starting points. You could definitely do with more fills.
One drum fill trick if you don't have any proper drum fills: just add different types of delay at the end of the bar (and then turn it off at start of next bar). That can give the drums some nice movement. Similarly, try adding big reverb to just individual snare hits for emphasis.
However, maybe I will just laboriously export a bunch of other MIDI files I recently got as I want to use them in Superior but they're not currently accessible from within Superior. I'm talking about the BFD Eco product I got for Reason - 8 kits that are cut-down versions of the full BFD product plus a whole load of good MIDI files.
Remind me as I may forget and am terrible at getting (admin) stuff done, as you've probably realised.
Nearly every suggestion you have given me has been beneficial to the track, and each suggestion is logged to memory as something to watch for or consider with each future track. Crucethus has helped me in the same way, not as often or with as much depth, but to equally constructive and pleasing results. For that I am grateful to you both. Making me think differently.
As for the MIDI files, please don't spend hardly any time doing stuff for it, and I don't really feel right about getting something for free that you paid to have. Not sure if my Virtual Instrument can process it like the kits it has now. The instrument is called Presence. Oh, and I don't have winzip for some reason, so I don't think I can open zipped files, unless I can do it with explorer. I've gotten bundles from Looploft that were zipped and was able to pull them out with explorer, but I'm not sure if it would work the same with MIDI.
Again, please don't feel obligated. Would be cool, but a paramecium doesn't need everything.
I priced Superior Drummer and EZ, looked at expansion bundles. Kinda feel like the most natural way for me to do drums is to have a shit-load of kits that I can use with Presence, and get an 8-12 pad percussion controller. Assigning the kit sounds to the pads and using my hands to do the hits. I feel it would be much more time-effective to do it that way. So what I need to find are more MIDI kits, instead of buying another program. This is a guess. EZ and Superior may blow me away, I just know nothing about them now. The pads seem like a good way to get MY playing into a track while using my limitations to not let it get convoluted.
Any thoughts or ideas on this, let me know. My approach may be quite off.
Thanks again.
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Wayne
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
You're now more of a drum-rich soul though there is still quite a bit of wealth to accumulate. It's great education programming up kits from scratch but I think it's going to be hard to get some really interesting grooves and variations working well. And probably impossible to get to Danny Carey's level doing it by hand. I doubt even he could if he had to program it. He might even be rubbish (perhaps really frustrated by it).
Playing drums involves so many innate nuances and variations ('feel') that I think are difficult to draw on a sequencer grid. That's why I don't bother anymore and generally use the excellent drummers' performances in the thousands of MIDI files I have. Then I modify them a great deal and tailor them to what I want my track to do.
It's not just the timing of the hits that gives the variation - it's all the velocity changes ie how hard each kit piece is hit. And programming up quality fills is particularly hard as there's a lot of complexity in a very short space of time.
I could send you a bunch of alternative groove MIDI files if you like. Get you trying to play along with swung stuff and shuffles and double kick blastbeats, country trainbeats and so on.
I'm crazy about drums and am sort of addicted to having more and more types of acoustic kits. I just think that by combining them I can come up with distinctive drum tracks with interesting character.
Yes, definitely try adding your new-found additional drum control to your older, loop-based tracks. I still use drum loops but am not dependent on them and almost always augment them with acoustic kits.
Yes, your sound quality is improving. I still think you're one element short of some really kickass music. A good singer/songwriter, for instance, and you'd be complete. I'm biased but I don't think my stuff is lacking vocals, though I'd love to work with some in the future (I have in the past, have a few tracks of that online).
I think I just need pro mastering and I've got a whole bunch of stufff nearly ready to go for release online as proper albums. Been selecting tracks for different genre-leaning albums for a couple of years (so: one predominantly electronic, one heavy, one blues etc). More later...
Oh, and "Red Giant To Paramecium" is sort of a joke I never meant to explain. You have helped me quite a bit with my tracks, and this one was made because you mentioned a slower bpm(though I still wound up doubling it). So it is like the narration of a conversation from the more experienced to the lesser experienced, like this:
"Go write a song at 80bpm." said the Teacher To Student.
Red giants are friggin huge, and paramecium is quite wee, so I used them as examples.
If it doesn't make sense, that's fine. It's not important. I just liked the name.
"I could send you a bunch of alternative groove MIDI files if you like."
I am always looking for new ways to do drums, so absolutely! Dropbox holds up to 2 GB on your end, 5.5 GB on mine. Drop whatever you want in there and I'll see it when it happens or shortly after. Just no scrotum pictures please, I have enough of my own.
Thanks for the feedback again, and thanks for the MIDI offer.
Take care.
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
/pmk
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Great that the mix is not too loud so draws people into the groove.
Thing is to keep it paired back if you add more I guess...so every instrument gets its own space and turn in the foreground - less is more :))
Love to hear how this progresses!
Well done my friend.
Maff
Thank you for the kind words!
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Steev
Thanks for the feedback and kind words.
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
In utterly straight-faced seriousness, this is damn good for a couple nights' work. Not basic drums at all so I'd be interested if you can describe how you do your drums. Are you starting with different MIDI files or just programming in each and every hit? Are you quantising anything?
This wasn't exactly the sort of 80 BPM groove I had in mind. But it's my mind, so that's hardly surprising. Still pretty busy stuff so I'd like you to try leaving more space, letting notes ring out more (maybe with delay). Doesn't have to be for the whole track. Actually, maybe I'm thinking of something like my track An Early Morning Appointment With God, with its long bass and guitar notes and funky grooves (I think you liked that one).
I will check back for a Blast-Keys version, whatever that is.
Finally, what the hell does this track title mean?
Finally finally, I'm no cotton-pickin TV show host!
"I'd be interested if you can describe how you do your drums. Are you starting with different MIDI files or just programming in each and every hit? Are you quantising anything?"
I start with the kick. Draw in each hit for a couple measures, then duplicate those measures and variate the hits. No MIDI files. I'll use one instrument track for the kick and maybe cymbals or toms, depending on how they sound on that kit, and use another track and instrument for snare and hats. All depends on what sounds best in each kit. Usually no more than three MIDI kits in a track. Everything is drawn, except what is duplicated and changed.
Watched some tutorials last night and learned how to pull tracks into the mastering suite of StudioOne. StudioOne lets you go from basic recording, to mastering, to distribution. It uploads to Nimbit or Soundcloud, Burns CD's or does a digital release.
My stuff is all Demo quality, no better, but this gives me a way to make a demo and I'm pretty excited about it. Don't know what I'll do with it, but I will have it. You stuff is between demo and professionally mastered. Much better sound quality.
I'm thinking of going back to some old ones and doing MIDI drums as well. The control is awesome with the MIDI, as you have said.
Thank you for the boot in the ass when it comes to my drums. Apparently it was needed. Much appreciated.
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
I'll cut it out and upload just the "quality" MIDI drums and piano stuff, since they are the driving force.
In all seriousness, I did this over the past two nights and I feel I'm getting better with the drums, but I over-do it a bit and need to practice some restraint.
I have been focusing more on the panning and giving each part their own space, as Steve and yourself has said.
Thanks for the listen and the feedback. Check back for the Blast-Keys version, coming soon.
Evan
on Red Giant To Paramecium by Evisma
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Yes, your amusing piece about your bottom being smothered with lick after lick could not really be much gayer. Either that or it couldn't be stacked with more dirty double entendres. Does your wife know you're so gay/so into dirty double entendres? I know for a fact that the latter is often cited in divorce proceedings.
I've always wondered why licks, in the bass/guitar world, are so-named. What's the difference between a riff and a lick? Is a lick really just a fill rather than a recognisable full riff?
Any how the hell did it get that name? Ah, I think I have answered my own question through checking an online dictionary I guess it comes from this meaning: "a brief, brisk burst of activity or energy."
I guess my music has a hell of a lot of licks in it. Noodle licks, maybe?
Maybe I shall call an album Noodle Licks.
I have no idea who Mr Trebek is. But I'm quite sure I'm not him and probably never have been.
Do you think you might like to try making some slower, more expansive sort of music? It doesn't have to all be chill - you can still play fast at times. My track Debt Black Hole is at 80 BPM but it gets damn heavy (and goes double time).
Good luck with whatever sort of frantic licks you put into your low end. You work that G string, oh yeah...
In the 50's and 60's, we used lick as a word for punch or beat, as in fist fighting.
Chops is another good one. Origin unknown.
I'll shoot for something slower and composed. Having a lack of inspiration lately, being laid-off kinda gets you down.
Take care.
Evan
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Kenny
Evan
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
1:14-1:36 sounds new and I like it - that's my deep analysis of that. And it gets repeated later, to good effect.
2:08-2:29 is just killer riffs all the way.
Yes, I suppose, now you mention it, your stuff probably is all about 120 BPM. I'd like you to change that.
I have a lot of stuff that's a similar tempo though I like to do double and half time with the drums. So, hip hop turns into d'n'b or fast swing jazz or breakbeat metal. And then drops back down again.
I guess it's not your thing but I'd like to hear you work with some slower tempos eg 80-100BPM and try also some shuffled and swung drums. Maybe a deep blues thing.
Slow tempo plus delay on your bass could be cool and your great sense of melody could really shine in a slower, more spacious track. Maybe then try my favourite trick of doubling the drum tempo, so 80 turns into 160 (you don't have to change sequencer tempo). This will give you some cool variety. You can even play similar stuff in the different sections but they will now sound quite different due to the tempo change (obviously).
Just some more suggestions for how to add variety to your stuff and it's all pretty easy and doesn't require buying anything.
"You usually use bass as the river current that the Party-Barge is riding." That's a cool phrase and image. Though I like to think I let the various bass sounds I use really shine from time to time. My track The Wrong Side Of Zero has some good funky lead bass breaks (even though they're played on guitar).
But you know bass generally is an anchoring thing. Too much busyness in the low end interferes with those higher frequency parts.
I shall try to become a Low-End Noodle Master, with you in mind.
2:08-2:29 is the main riff without the leads, the naked rhythm tracks.
This one is actually 90bpm in the DAW, I guess I'm doing double-time. I'll stay away from 120 for a few years, I have enough at that speed already.
"Too much busyness in the low end interferes with those higher frequency parts."
I understand. This will sound intentionally gay.
"My bottom just gets smothered with lick upon lick and you would think I would learn to say no, after all the bad experiences that has come from it. The deeper it goes, the shittier it gets. I try to put something else in it but then it's covered in the same shit too! I'm learning to keep my bottom as empty as I can stand it to be, while keeping something a little meaty in there, just as a personal secret."
Can't fag it up any more than that. I'll never refer to a riff as a lick again!
Take care Mr. Trebek. That's right, I found out who you REALLY are.
Mr. E
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Wayne
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Overall, really crazy, fun, epic track.
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
You may well deserve a PRS as they are very nice. I mostly play the first electric guitar I ever bought - an Epiphone Junior bought for £169 back in 1996. So long ago that Tool hadn't even released Aenima yet!
It's cheap but small and light and has a great feel to me. I'm a lazy bastard so rarely change the strings but will have to now as I broke one tapping all of them repeatedly with my whole palm. So new set it will have to be.
I vaguely admire the Jimi Hendrix attempts with your lefty Squier but you owe yourself a decent, right-handed model (and a good guitar to impress her, haha).
I still don't get your chicken wing greeting thing. Very weird but I'm not bothered.
More later...
You mentioned elsewhere that I never mention your bass parts. The reason for this is that I am more drawn to the guitars, banjos and sitars than the bass in your tracks. You usually use bass as the river current that the Party-Barge is riding.
You may not be Italian or Chinese, but you have some Noodle-Master in you. That is where my attention goes. Second is the drums.
Hope your audio works for you soon. Take care.
Evan
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
I really think you should get yourself one of those 6 string things with the weedy thin strings as you'd no doubt kick ass on it.
0:10 bass is aggressive and quite tribal-sounding with those drums.
0:21 nice melodic riffs that sit nicely (but with a lot of movement) and then go into what sounds like it might be a vocal tune. Easy for any vocals to follow that.
Drums don't sound too busy in this. As said before - much better than the drum loops you used to use as you clearly have much more control now.
2:29 I like the ending and how it winds down, even though it's not perfect.
Sorry that I don't have a great deal to suggest for this one. I liked it but feel it can be better though, short of adding some vocals or instrumentation, I'm not sure how.
"one of those 6 string things with the weedy thin strings"
I have thought about this much lately. I would need a jack-of-all-trades. Good distorted rhythm guitar and the ability to get the tone of some gilmour-esque leads. I'm looking at Ibanez,... mostly because my budget will not allow me to get the PRS Custom24 that I feel I should have.
The lefty Squier is, well,... a Squire. Set an egg timer to re-tune it, bends go everywhere,... even when you're not bending. Left handed means when I play it, it's the reggae upstroke, something I have never bothered to practice, and it needs to be a lead line I didn't write on a righty.
Anyway, thanks for the positivity on the track, though now it has been added to and may now contain objectionable material. Objections are more than welcome. Thanks again.
Evan
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Steve
Though way too much of my stuff has sounded the same. I have about 10 tracks on here at 120bpm, don't know why I never thought to change it in the beginning of each track, just went with it.
Let me know how it it as of 1/2/14, the part I did that you and EA83 suggested needs a guitar present, a good lead line that is not in existence at the moment.
Thanks again for the listen and feedback, and don't be afraid to say "No! Dumbass!! That's not what I meant! Put the C# chorus thing HERE, and the jangling nonsense THERE! LISTEN TO ME!!".
Remember, my friend,... I'm married too. Abuse like that is like water on a duck. Beads up, Rolls off.
Evan
on Cryptic Council by Evisma
Evan
on Twisticles by Evisma
Evan