i try to keep my question short:
i am working just with reason 3 and its piano/string refills.
and for mastering i have cool edit pro & ableton lite.
i know i am limited but i want to sound as good as possible inside this limitation…
how do you get a track rompin´ and stompin´ ?
do i have to split my mix into wave track files and then do the final equalizing and compression?
listening to your older rmb tracks (this world is yours) and now to your newest… rolf, you have grown so much. HOW???
you do sound loud and hard but smooth.
if you, rolf, or anyone else want to take a listen to my songs you will realize what i mean.
and maybe you can help… a little.
thanks for oppening the questions section,
chrissie
do you prefer ‘ slice n dice ‘ audio editing or rather one-shot samples triggered from different sampler VSTi (when editing drumz)? Are you collecting grooves of 70s, 80s ? thanks!
@robert: the racks full of gear, the big mixer and the keyboards, synthies, sampler - all had been sold from 1999 to 2005… the one and only thing i miss is the nord modular - just cant get warm with reaktor that much (for now)
@christoper: do anything nearly fulltime for 15 years and you´d better be good there is no magic single book or program or piece of gear that will turn you into a professional over night… not even my tips will do that
@christopher: what you hear on great cds is the combined effort of ten or more highly specialised people… composer, arranger, instrumentalists, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer… you simply cant get there a) alone b) as a hobbyist c) without specialised gear or at least a lot of software
to improve the sound of your music you need to improve your mixing skills… read books (search for Owsinski at amazon - the mixing handbook is great), mix many songs, listen carefully to other peoples work you like, find special tools, make your own library of samples and presets, elaborate an artistical vision…
and one short tip: can you use plugins like waves in your version of reason ? because one big downside of those programs are their build in eqs and compressors…
@robert: i am not sad about using software and only selected hardware… as i said there is nearly none piece of gear i miss… and the big mixer is the least because many years it only was a giant volume knob in the studio… i started mixing “in the box” around 2000 - still using a lot of hardware of course but mixing with pro tools…
what i use now is described in the “weapons” posts and i am honestly very happy with what i have…
the main synthesizer on the RMB albums were the nord lead and a doepfer 404 and later a doepfer a 100 modular system followed by the nord modular…
@boka: some years i used phatmatik pro as a slicer for nearly all loops, percussions and some drums… but i was quite angry that the plug in didnt find the samples anymore when - updating logic - changing HDs - upgrading the computer… so for a year now my music was made without any “slicer”… oh, sometimes somthing small from stylus RMX…
@tomek: no, classic forward has never been released
I would like to know how do you start to write/compose a song? Do you have an idea in your mind or did you just start to program a groove or something and simply adds the other things?
Then I would like to know, what is the most difficult thing on a production. Is it the beat-programming or the mixing or finding some melodies etc.? I always start with a beat programming, but I get really fast impatient, cause it always looks so complex and don’t know what sounds, chords, melodies would be good. And then I have the problem, that in Reason there are no really good sounds. Most of them sounds rubbish and boring. I’m not a fan of programming sounds by myself for hours. Are you?
So, last question. Did you think it is easier to make music, when you are professional in music (playing piano since the age of 6 or something) or did you think everybody can make GOOD music, if he wants?
@rolf
thanks for answering.
guess making music is like living. you have to it. and always try to get better.
but i have another question:
when using a pad chord (for example 4 notes) is it better to put every single pad note on its own mixing channel instead of putting the 4-note-chord into a single mixing channel? or is it all about what i want to “create”?
oh, and no i cannot use any plugins in reason.
thats one of its weaknesses…
but thanks for the mixing book tip. will get it tomorrow.
have bought “mastering audio” and its a good help to get to know for example what treshhold of a combinator does, etc.
@tony: i believe that anybody experimenting in a creative art can have interesting ideas. i also liked to play around with images, movies, 3D creation as a hobby… and in electronic music even a lot of the really great stuff is musically rather simple (speaking of harmonies and complexity) and you can find or create very uncommon sounds easily… but you have to listen carefully and always remeber - even the greatest talent in music dont release everything they do…
the beginning of a new song can be quite anything - a beat programmed, a progression of harmonies, a meldoy, a sound, an abstract idea…. important is to NOT use everything you make… start collecting and listen to snippets after a while…
the most difficult thing is to step back from the details and listen to a song as if you didnt played all tiny elements and tweaked every little sound… often this happens in the mixing process… plus normally you have less experience in mixing than in your instrument/music… so the mixing often seems to be the most difficult thing but i think it really is the evaluation of the own work…
good sounds are very important in electronic music… even more if you are not a genius instrumentalist or singer or composer… in music at least one element should be an absolutely intersting “hook” - and sounds are the easiest way to achieve this if you use electronic gear…
@christopher: splitting notes of chords into different mixing channels ?? well with orchestra you would but i never did that with a synthie pad… maybe i should try once
to my mind reason, fruity loops and garage band are all very nice playgrounds and great for writing songs or experimenting - but if it comes to mixing they all have weaknesses… if you have a mac id give you a tip: get logic - its extremly cheap and you will get 1/2 a studio in one program… plus you can add plug ins later and finally get to a “professional” setup… no need for “pro tools” or big mixing desks in these times…
Thanks for your reply, Rolf! I’d be interested more in your drum editing method since it’s kind of everytime-question how to or how not to start off with drum samples. How do you start your following groove? Do you browse in the oldies / famous grooves folder such as James Brown,The Commodores, The Winstons…etc to get the idea of moment and possibly cut something off to spice up the groove OR you start filling up the grids in the matrix editor and use your previously created sampler instruments?
@boka: the ability to play drums (with a keyboard in my case) is of course dependent on what music you know and like… but usually i dont listen to music before i start playing… but i often take the time to try to shift a single note/hit a bit and listen to the result…
@entropy: some names of instrumental songs are the relicts of the first name ever used when saving - and that is in such an early state of the “song” that the name is rather randomly chosen… however if there are samples or vocals or a basic idea behind the song i try to find a better name
“limestar” was a song for gigs and was meant to be fresh but still a bit “trancey” and therefore a fresh fruit and the shining star…
@4th level: dont know about the tracklist AT ALL for now
Btw, are you still interested in performing live?
I’d really like to read sth. about what performing live
means in your case, i.e. what can be accomplished live
and where the limitations are up to…
I’m quite certain I always got the wrong idea about what
actually is done (or not).
Hi Rolf and Hi to everybody!
1. I wanted to know what are the difficulties that can be encountered producing music with another person (Farid) and the reasons that bring you to produce now alone your project and to definitley stop the RMB project?
2. Another question is: why did you use different projects (the main is Waldorff & Staettler) during the time of RMB?
3. Your music was principally heard in Germany and Switzerland. What is needed (except for talent that you already have) to have a launch also in other important countries in the electronic music panorama like Italy, Spain, Russia, Netherlands and UK?
I hope to get answers
Hi, Rolf.
I would not like to hold you from the work, but I ask me what do you hear at the moment for music? I mine you have a lieblings titel at the moment? (which?)
And how it is with HappyMellos - has lately decreased (flowerpot does not count!)
HappyMellos???
Don’t worry, be happy Rolf!!!
@yannick: dont look for side projects or anything from the past… its not good
@cris80: waldorff & staettler was for the progressive non-melodic stuff from that time… no need for such a sorting in 2008… and concerning success in other countries - maybe a blog in an international language will help
Hi Rolf!
I just wonder if the traxx from the RMB album “Evolution” will ever be released? I really like your new stuff too, so keep up the good work!
All the best from Sweden:)
hi rolf, did you produced and released 12″s in the last 10 jears apart from rmb, w&s and rochus?
I can imagine that you did some 12″ during the last 4 years.
thanks
Rolf : What did you use on vocals when u recorded Mission Horizon? I mean pre-amplificatoin (solid-state or tube), microphone, any compression during recording ? Thanks
@boka: my typical recording chain was a 414 into a TLA C1 Tube Compressor with a little compression into the box
later i discovered that the pre of the TLA EQ2 is better and that i like a little boost in the high end (broad Q @ 6-10kHz) while recording
when @ other studios i prefer brauner or big neumanns into API, neve or tube techs, millenia - well they have so many toys there…
if i get naturally recorded vocals via ftp i often use high boost and several compressors daisychained… but i will explore parrallel compression much more now owning the germanium compressors…
Rolf said: “and concerning success in other countries - maybe a blog in an international language will help”
You have already a MySpace that can help to be known around the world.
But what do you think about youtube? I saw many songs uploaded there with just a picture for the video. A link from there to your blog, and you increase your visibility.
hey rolf i want to know something about your songwriting. When i start a song in cubase or something like that i always get the problem that my cpu is not powerful enough to handle all midi tracks and i have to export some parts. i cant imagine the whole song before i start. My question is how do you make/finish a song? my problem is how should i arrange the track and how should i work on a new song. the main problem are the automations or filter effects… i hope you know what i mean;) i would ask in german but i wrote this in english cause maybe someone else want to know
greetings:)
oh and PS:
now i know who wrote the pringles music nice … i knew the original song immediately
so much for the theory although i now its not the most productive way i often start mixing while “songwriting” but i still see my mixing efforts as training an ability i need for my job… and i like to bounce through my hardware to use it on many tracks…
concerning automations i try to use volume automation really late - it often only makes sense if your mix is quite finished…
one tip for filter automation - most of the time i see a part where a filter is automated as a musical part (often 8 or 16 bars long) and bounce it… then i can still change the position of that recorded filtersweep and therefore can change the arrangement but i dont have to hassle with settings… and i often bounce through a hardware compressor to a) generally improve the sound b) restrict the dynamic of the filter sweep
that brings me to a more general tip: try seeing “complicated” settings, modulations, automations etc as a musical part and record it to audio (bounce) if you like it… reducing the vast possibilites of modern DAWs ist often key to concentrate on the more important things like melody, arrangement and the mix… just remember the beatles and their 4 track recordings
oh, and one last thing - dont try to fix problems in the mix that can be solved by canging or even muting parts… remember to keep ONE thing in focus and let the rest work like one rhythm group
I have already wanted to ask about kick drumz (samples) but i try not to flood you with the questions I’m really interested in how you choose kick sample for the song you are working on. Let’s say this is Deep Down Below or the Me&My remix..huuuge kick. How do you create such pumping kick, is there any common method? I mean grabbing a TR sample, eq, compress, possibly transient designer, layer it up with different characteristic kix such as a Linn or Simmons sample… what do you think? This is something that everyone does different way, im juts curious of your method…thanks
Good question, i’m interested in the answer as well. One of the “RMB sound” is the kick drum!
Another short question Rolf: what are those white stands below your PMC monitors? I have been searching for a good desk-stand for a long time, with no success.
@robert: the stands are simple boxes of 22mm wood filled with 7kg of sand. the top and bottom are covered with neopren-foam (like an old mousepad) for further decoupling. simple as it sounds: for perfect decoupling use spring/mass/spring constructions.
i want to buy logic pro 8. if im right its current prize is 470.- Euro.
very fine prize by the way…
does it work on a regular pc or do i have to buy a apple?
what plugins do you recommend?
i do love pad sounds, natural beats, piano and strings a lot…
like “inside garritan steinway” AWESOME SOUND!!!
how much money would i have to spend to get some “okay logic center”.
or does the logic programm include enough fine presets?
always remembering i dont have the possibilities you have moneywise. i guess. im just a poor barman.
fragt hier keiner was auf deutsch?
hey rolf, wie sieht es denn aus mit einem mix aus deinem stil und soundtrack? würde mich echt freuen wenn du dich mal meldest wegen dem track für die hgw seite.
@christopher: logic only works on a mac… thats why apple bought it some years ago… but in contrast to the situation ten years ago macs are really competetive computer nowadyas even by price…
concerning logic there are plenty of good sounds/plug ins included… so i would definitaly say that you can start with logic alone… to add plug ins which are significantly better you have to consider the 200-500 EURO category…
for natural drums: superior 2.0 // for great natural piano: garritan steinway (there is a “light version” for 150,- EURO) // for synthetic pads for example absynth 4 or zebra 2 but the logic intern ES2 is great as well
@davis: zur zeit konzentriere ich mich zwecks stilfindung auf uptempo tracks aber einige langsame abgefahrene kommen sicherlich auch wieder aufs ablum
@cris80dr: It is not true, that RMB sound only listen in Germany and Swiss, the good sound come right in your ears, when you at least expect him ;)!!! Im from Bosnia, and I remember, that I tumble the tv station, and I come in VIVA chanel, in this time I hear Redemption, this track I repeat 10 times in day, wow cool song, after that come the Spring, Reality, Break the silence, Shadow, of course Widescreen ,VERY cool songs, but i think RMB’s best ever album is Mission Horizon, it is not a classical techno sound with dum, dum, dum trash, It’s like symphony, and I think with this album RMB becoming popular, Deep Down Below, Horizon, Tribal, Wonders of life, open eyes and more songs from Mission Horizon is amazing, and I must approve my self that I have all original cd’s from RMB :P, ok not all, only I dont have is Gangster and killer songs!!!
Rolf what’s next, I hear Aurora Nostalgia - nice song, like Timberland song ne yo technology, and another songs is work of art, and must say: It’s this songs for your “solo” album??? sorry for my english :D, and I think that you can understand me what I say :)!!! C-ya Pozdrav
@ Slaven: Hello, welcome!
You are right that the good sound come if you expect it. I am from Italy. I knew RMB when I lived in Swiss. And as you told, you listened to RMB via VIVA, that is a german channel. When I talk about the success that RMB can have around the world, I mean a full success like it was in Germany, and that you can turn on your local music channel and expect that a video clip of RMB will pass over there.
@cris80dr:
OK! It’s true what did you just say, but VIVA in this time in Europe had been a most wonted channel :D!!! OK, I think that you also agree with me, that RMB was most popular brand name in techno/trance scene in Europe, but we also agree that era didn’t finish yet, I think that Rolf have an ace up its sleeve :D!!! Aloha
Hey Rolf! What’s up? What have you been working on recently? I have a question i always forgot to ask. When working on different tracks how is the workflow different if you finally want them to be mixed together like the tracks on Widescreen and MH ? cheers, boka
I know this is to much what I want, but I must ask, everybody here know how much Rolf have a incredible big taste in music, he inspire us with great sound, today we have many replica artist, but they are deadly boring!!! I like to hear old stuff like Depeche Mode-Feel the silence, Jan Hammer - Crockett’s Theme from Miami Vice, Paul Okenfiold - Cafe Del Mar, Jimmy Sommerville or Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy in ROLF style :D, Rolf hope that you consider this, if you not It’s OK, you are still genious!!! I know this is to much but worth try :D!
how long did you have to fill up the glasses to get the right notes?
the whole idea is really impressive!!!
(marco beltrami did a soundtrack for “the minus man”, where he did use filled glasses, too. good score, by the way).
as i have said in some comments before… ill buy the album!!!
Except for the glass sounds, and the empty flower pot effect, will you treat us in this upcoming record with some more strange beautiful sounds, like that violin scratch in Spring (for example)?
…that was not a violin in any way… it was a virtually blown (breath controller!) physical modelling sound from the first affordable PM synth yamaha VL1
“das haut einfach so angenehm auf die fresse, da muss man einfach freudig durch die gegend grinsen!!!”
… and again i got some questions about producing music:
do you work with a “goniometer - stereosichtgerät”?
if yes, what do i have to keep in mind while working with it?
do you have any tips or do you know any rules to keep in mind for a final mix? i am aware that i will not sound as you or any other producer BECAUSE i do not have the knowledge an i am not that experienced yet.
just for for example:
on my myspace site is a track “a walk to remember”. i think it is a very good track melody-wise. but i do not get its production right. its still sounds “not ready” (hope my grammar works). maybe you can take a listen and give your opinion…
when you have done your final mix of a track, do you still have to do some mastering? i have read that a well mixed song does not need much mastering…
for example you bassdrum snippets. how did you create them?
equalizing. or did you add more or less bass to them?
i did listen to a lot music the last days and they sound so full of reverb, bass, etc., but they aslo sound so TIGHT and CLEAN.
if i put too much reverb on my tracks everything seems to get lost somewhere (again i am aware that i do not have your equipment, or not the above and beyond equipment, etc. i am using reason 3) but somehow i want to sound towards you.
you did you manage it to sound goo when you did start as RMB?
was ist die grundlage von diesem blog? wir ein anderes, offizielles blog-system benutzt??
ich verstehe nicht, warum ich hier ein foto drin habe, und dazu auch noch ein echtes foto von mir. kann doch garnicht sein!?!?
@christopher: didnt you ask these questions before? i remember answering at least the goniometer part
@timon: dies ist ein ganz normales wordpress blog… ich habe soeben nachgelesen und finde zu den bidlchen folgendes “By default WordPress uses Gravatars — short for Globally Recognized Avatars — for the pictures that show up next to comments. Plugins may override this.”
schau mal hier: en.gravatar.com bestimmt gibts ne möglichkeit das zu löschen oder so…
for all others not understanding german: timon asked why he has a picture above his posts - seems to be a functionality called GRAVATARS…
yes, its a worldpress-blog, i was too stupid to see it by my own (”This blog is proudly driven by WordPress.”)
i had a blog here 1 year ago, so thats where this pic comes from.
ich lach mich mal eben selber aus…
Hi Rolf.
You are electronic dance music legend
Maybe you will so compliant to reply some question.
Do you keep and use some hardware synths these days (expect the DARK ENERGY I think) ?
I especially like your earlier rave tracks.
There was so much enthusiasm and energy in that time…
I red some article, where you said that the REDEMTION (and maybe also other tracks from that era) was done on ROLAND JD-990 and D-10 and recorded on Falcon. Is that right please?
i also had a Casio FZ1 Sampler, but, yes, that was it… 1MB sample memory and 8 voices of “hard disc recording” on the falcon…
less polyphony and much less sample memory than any cell phone has today
The main work horses in the later 90s were the JV 1080, JD 990 and the Akai Sampler and editing was quite difficult these days… At the end of the 90s i did a lot with pro tools (stacking of sounds, cutting, editing)
I now only have the Nord Modular G2 and the Dark Energy as external instruments… most of the instruments i had in the 90s (mostly “ROMpler”) are not as good as a better plug in of today… especially if you want to EDIT any sound or create your own…
What software still cant do is real analog. But the doepfer Modularsystem left my studio in 2000 because i thought i could do everything with the clavia nord modular (the first one). (BTW The first song done with the nord modular was even called “modular” by me and later became “Horizon”…) and i wanted to be more productive, too, as a full blown analog modular system is really time consuming - you play half a day (or night) and still havnt recorded anything :))
The little Dark Energy tought me again, that there is a sound quality in great analog instruments that still isnt in software. Most people wont hear the difference on their mp3 players anyway, but it inspires me if an analog sound feels “alive”… But i have tested a lot of new analog boxes and cant say that they are all inspiring… most of them dont sound better than a mediocre plug in to my ears… I think i need to build my own synth
What nowadays software really exels at is using samples… Omnisphere for example sounds really great…
And all those great sample based “acoustic” instruments like the garritan Steinway Piano, Superior Drummer or the East West Orchestra were the backbone of THIRTEEN STORIES…
you done it really great - the early tracks does not sound like comming just from 2 (or 3) digital synthesizers.
You probably did a lot of your own patch programming (maybe you also used some JVseries expansion ROM cards). The early tracks have a bit o Roland sweet taste, but only thing I found a bit familiar is the “dOOOOOH choir”.
btw. did you also some “audio postprocessing/effecting” on Falcon? or just cut and mix the DRY recorded tracks from JD? Its pretty punchy.
So the Horizon was done on clavia Nord modular system? Where did you used the Doepfer A100 modular?
Yes, romplers of that era (early nineties) was a limited, but IMHO also had a character. Machines you wrote (JD, SuperJV) belong to the most editable romplers.
But also IMHO the unlimited (SW) options can be sometimes also really limiting. Just switching trough the patches for hours, etc. and getting still no satisfied. I personaly prefer limited (HW) work. Its more “inpirating” to me. Maybe also the “contact” with instrument. I like more the electronic, but in the “realistic instruments” simulation field, SW probably rulez.
But analog are “living”.
BTW. Rolf, please, do you maybe plan some REMIX contest or possibility in the future?
V-12/Tropyx: I also love the 90-ties electronic music
“”BTW. Rolf, please, do you maybe plan some REMIX contest or possibility in the future”"
a good idea
but what with the last contest
I sat at 3:00 at night and mixed
I want to hear other mixes, if there are any??
Hey Rolf how the situation? I can still hope? or pray for?
the remix project of THIRTEEN STORIES will be finished this summer!
i have some remixes from you that i think about putting onto the release… but its not to late… if you are able to finish your remix in july it will be in time…
06. June 2008 at 16:14
I have one: what happenned to the RMB studio? and where is the signature nord lead
06. June 2008 at 16:26
hi rolf and hi everyone else!
i try to keep my question short:
i am working just with reason 3 and its piano/string refills.
and for mastering i have cool edit pro & ableton lite.
i know i am limited but i want to sound as good as possible inside this limitation…
how do you get a track rompin´ and stompin´ ?
do i have to split my mix into wave track files and then do the final equalizing and compression?
listening to your older rmb tracks (this world is yours) and now to your newest… rolf, you have grown so much. HOW???
you do sound loud and hard but smooth.
if you, rolf, or anyone else want to take a listen to my songs you will realize what i mean.
and maybe you can help… a little.
thanks for oppening the questions section,
chrissie
06. June 2008 at 16:51
Is the song “Classic forward” somewhere avaiable?
06. June 2008 at 17:28
do you prefer ‘ slice n dice ‘ audio editing or rather one-shot samples triggered from different sampler VSTi (when editing drumz)? Are you collecting grooves of 70s, 80s ? thanks!
06. June 2008 at 18:05
@robert: the racks full of gear, the big mixer and the keyboards, synthies, sampler - all had been sold from 1999 to 2005… the one and only thing i miss is the nord modular - just cant get warm with reaktor that much (for now)
@christoper: do anything nearly fulltime for 15 years and you´d better be good
there is no magic single book or program or piece of gear that will turn you into a professional over night… not even my tips will do that 
06. June 2008 at 18:11
I’m sad to hear that
Do you feel comfortable with only the softwares now? for example i always miss a HW mixer, sw summing is somehow “weak”.
Regarding the nords, have you used them (modular, lead) as the main synths on Mission Horizon? a lot of sounds are “nordish” to me on that album.
06. June 2008 at 19:01
@christopher: what you hear on great cds is the combined effort of ten or more highly specialised people… composer, arranger, instrumentalists, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer… you simply cant get there a) alone b) as a hobbyist c) without specialised gear or at least a lot of software
to improve the sound of your music you need to improve your mixing skills… read books (search for Owsinski at amazon - the mixing handbook is great), mix many songs, listen carefully to other peoples work you like, find special tools, make your own library of samples and presets, elaborate an artistical vision…
and one short tip: can you use plugins like waves in your version of reason ? because one big downside of those programs are their build in eqs and compressors…
@robert: i am not sad about using software and only selected hardware… as i said there is nearly none piece of gear i miss… and the big mixer is the least because many years it only was a giant volume knob in the studio… i started mixing “in the box” around 2000 - still using a lot of hardware of course but mixing with pro tools…
what i use now is described in the “weapons” posts and i am honestly very happy with what i have…
the main synthesizer on the RMB albums were the nord lead and a doepfer 404 and later a doepfer a 100 modular system followed by the nord modular…
06. June 2008 at 19:57
Thank you very much Rolf!
06. June 2008 at 20:35
@boka: some years i used phatmatik pro as a slicer for nearly all loops, percussions and some drums… but i was quite angry that the plug in didnt find the samples anymore when - updating logic - changing HDs - upgrading the computer… so for a year now my music was made without any “slicer”… oh, sometimes somthing small from stylus RMX…
@tomek: no, classic forward has never been released
06. June 2008 at 22:03
Rolf, what is going to happen with the never-released RMB tracks? Are you going to release it online (on finetunes maybe)?
07. June 2008 at 01:26
I would like to know how do you start to write/compose a song? Do you have an idea in your mind or did you just start to program a groove or something and simply adds the other things?
Then I would like to know, what is the most difficult thing on a production. Is it the beat-programming or the mixing or finding some melodies etc.? I always start with a beat programming, but I get really fast impatient, cause it always looks so complex and don’t know what sounds, chords, melodies would be good. And then I have the problem, that in Reason there are no really good sounds. Most of them sounds rubbish and boring. I’m not a fan of programming sounds by myself for hours. Are you?
So, last question. Did you think it is easier to make music, when you are professional in music (playing piano since the age of 6 or something) or did you think everybody can make GOOD music, if he wants?
07. June 2008 at 02:05
@rolf
thanks for answering.
guess making music is like living. you have to it. and always try to get better.
but i have another question:
when using a pad chord (for example 4 notes) is it better to put every single pad note on its own mixing channel instead of putting the 4-note-chord into a single mixing channel? or is it all about what i want to “create”?
oh, and no i cannot use any plugins in reason.
thats one of its weaknesses…
but thanks for the mixing book tip. will get it tomorrow.
have bought “mastering audio” and its a good help to get to know for example what treshhold of a combinator does, etc.
07. June 2008 at 11:36
@tony: i believe that anybody experimenting in a creative art can have interesting ideas. i also liked to play around with images, movies, 3D creation as a hobby… and in electronic music even a lot of the really great stuff is musically rather simple (speaking of harmonies and complexity) and you can find or create very uncommon sounds easily… but you have to listen carefully and always remeber - even the greatest talent in music dont release everything they do…
the beginning of a new song can be quite anything - a beat programmed, a progression of harmonies, a meldoy, a sound, an abstract idea…. important is to NOT use everything you make… start collecting and listen to snippets after a while…
the most difficult thing is to step back from the details and listen to a song as if you didnt played all tiny elements and tweaked every little sound… often this happens in the mixing process… plus normally you have less experience in mixing than in your instrument/music… so the mixing often seems to be the most difficult thing but i think it really is the evaluation of the own work…
good sounds are very important in electronic music… even more if you are not a genius instrumentalist or singer or composer… in music at least one element should be an absolutely intersting “hook” - and sounds are the easiest way to achieve this if you use electronic gear…
@christopher: splitting notes of chords into different mixing channels ?? well with orchestra you would but i never did that with a synthie pad… maybe i should try once
to my mind reason, fruity loops and garage band are all very nice playgrounds and great for writing songs or experimenting - but if it comes to mixing they all have weaknesses… if you have a mac id give you a tip: get logic - its extremly cheap and you will get 1/2 a studio in one program… plus you can add plug ins later and finally get to a “professional” setup… no need for “pro tools” or big mixing desks in these times…
07. June 2008 at 15:36
How do you come up with the track names, if it’s not too obvious?
For example “Limestar”.
Ok, maybe it wasn’t ‘your’ idea on this one, but still..?
07. June 2008 at 21:22
Thanks for your reply, Rolf! I’d be interested more in your drum editing method since it’s kind of everytime-question how to or how not to start off with drum samples. How do you start your following groove? Do you browse in the oldies / famous grooves folder such as James Brown,The Commodores, The Winstons…etc to get the idea of moment and possibly cut something off to spice up the groove OR you start filling up the grids in the matrix editor and use your previously created sampler instruments?
08. June 2008 at 13:53
Thank you very much for your answers!
09. June 2008 at 23:08
Will the album contain the songs from you myspace site (Vierfarbillusion, Jupiter Jesus …)?
Once the albums finished, how will i be able to obtain it (online?, shop?)
10. June 2008 at 09:33
@boka: the ability to play drums (with a keyboard in my case) is of course dependent on what music you know and like… but usually i dont listen to music before i start playing… but i often take the time to try to shift a single note/hit a bit and listen to the result…
@entropy: some names of instrumental songs are the relicts of the first name ever used when saving - and that is in such an early state of the “song” that the name is rather randomly chosen… however if there are samples or vocals or a basic idea behind the song i try to find a better name
“limestar” was a song for gigs and was meant to be fresh but still a bit “trancey” and therefore a fresh fruit and the shining star…
@4th level: dont know about the tracklist AT ALL for now
10. June 2008 at 11:19
Ok, thanks! =P
Btw, are you still interested in performing live?
I’d really like to read sth. about what performing live
means in your case, i.e. what can be accomplished live
and where the limitations are up to…
I’m quite certain I always got the wrong idea about what
actually is done (or not).
10. June 2008 at 13:47
Hi Rolf and Hi to everybody!
1. I wanted to know what are the difficulties that can be encountered producing music with another person (Farid) and the reasons that bring you to produce now alone your project and to definitley stop the RMB project?
2. Another question is: why did you use different projects (the main is Waldorff & Staettler) during the time of RMB?
3. Your music was principally heard in Germany and Switzerland. What is needed (except for talent that you already have) to have a launch also in other important countries in the electronic music panorama like Italy, Spain, Russia, Netherlands and UK?
I hope to get answers
10. June 2008 at 14:30
To question 2: Are there any Project you couldn’t find on rmb-music.de? Some noone knows of? I could bet.
10. June 2008 at 14:33
@Yannick: The Voyager
10. June 2008 at 17:29
I know!
10. June 2008 at 18:16
Hi, Rolf.
I would not like to hold you from the work, but I ask me what do you hear at the moment for music? I mine you have a lieblings titel at the moment? (which?)
And how it is with HappyMellos - has lately decreased (flowerpot does not count!)
HappyMellos???
Don’t worry, be happy Rolf!!!
10. June 2008 at 19:58
@yannick: dont look for side projects or anything from the past… its not good
@cris80: waldorff & staettler was for the progressive non-melodic stuff from that time… no need for such a sorting in 2008… and concerning success in other countries - maybe a blog in an international language will help
11. June 2008 at 23:57
Hi Rolf!
I just wonder if the traxx from the RMB album “Evolution” will ever be released? I really like your new stuff too, so keep up the good work!
All the best from Sweden:)
12. June 2008 at 12:39
@Jonas: Have a look at the official rmb board:
http://www.trance-house.de/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=767
I won’t hold my breath, we’ve seen a lot of throwbacks
concerning this album - so let’s keep our fingers crossed…
12. June 2008 at 17:40
hi rolf, did you produced and released 12″s in the last 10 jears apart from rmb, w&s and rochus?
I can imagine that you did some 12″ during the last 4 years.
thanks
16. June 2008 at 13:10
Rolf : What did you use on vocals when u recorded Mission Horizon? I mean pre-amplificatoin (solid-state or tube), microphone, any compression during recording ? Thanks
16. June 2008 at 15:27
@boka: my typical recording chain was a 414 into a TLA C1 Tube Compressor with a little compression into the box
later i discovered that the pre of the TLA EQ2 is better and that i like a little boost in the high end (broad Q @ 6-10kHz) while recording
when @ other studios i prefer brauner or big neumanns into API, neve or tube techs, millenia - well they have so many toys there…
if i get naturally recorded vocals via ftp i often use high boost and several compressors daisychained… but i will explore parrallel compression much more now owning the germanium compressors…
18. June 2008 at 18:56
Rolf said: “and concerning success in other countries - maybe a blog in an international language will help”
You have already a MySpace that can help to be known around the world.
But what do you think about youtube? I saw many songs uploaded there with just a picture for the video. A link from there to your blog, and you increase your visibility.
18. June 2008 at 22:58
hey rolf i want to know something about your songwriting. When i start a song in cubase or something like that i always get the problem that my cpu is not powerful enough to handle all midi tracks and i have to export some parts. i cant imagine the whole song before i start. My question is how do you make/finish a song? my problem is how should i arrange the track and how should i work on a new song. the main problem are the automations or filter effects… i hope you know what i mean;) i would ask in german but i wrote this in english cause maybe someone else want to know
nice … i knew the original song immediately
greetings:)
oh and PS:
now i know who wrote the pringles music
19. June 2008 at 00:57
@Rolf
Out of curiosity: do you have an all-time-favorite RMB/W&S/… song?
19. June 2008 at 09:09
@quaoar: no :))
@f-andré: there is one tip which could solve your problem - dont mix before the SONG is (nearly) finished… apart from the technical benefits (using bounce/freeze for mixing) you will get much better results if you concentrate your mixing efforts on the finished and best rated songs… not every idea needs to be “produced”
so much for the theory
although i now its not the most productive way i often start mixing while “songwriting” but i still see my mixing efforts as training an ability i need for my job… and i like to bounce through my hardware to use it on many tracks…
concerning automations i try to use volume automation really late - it often only makes sense if your mix is quite finished…
one tip for filter automation - most of the time i see a part where a filter is automated as a musical part (often 8 or 16 bars long) and bounce it… then i can still change the position of that recorded filtersweep and therefore can change the arrangement but i dont have to hassle with settings… and i often bounce through a hardware compressor to a) generally improve the sound b) restrict the dynamic of the filter sweep
that brings me to a more general tip: try seeing “complicated” settings, modulations, automations etc as a musical part and record it to audio (bounce) if you like it… reducing the vast possibilites of modern DAWs ist often key to concentrate on the more important things like melody, arrangement and the mix… just remember the beatles and their 4 track recordings
oh, and one last thing - dont try to fix problems in the mix that can be solved by canging or even muting parts… remember to keep ONE thing in focus and let the rest work like one rhythm group
19. June 2008 at 13:34
I have already wanted to ask about kick drumz (samples) but i try not to flood you with the questions
I’m really interested in how you choose kick sample for the song you are working on. Let’s say this is Deep Down Below or the Me&My remix..huuuge kick. How do you create such pumping kick, is there any common method? I mean grabbing a TR sample, eq, compress, possibly transient designer, layer it up with different characteristic kix such as a Linn or Simmons sample… what do you think? This is something that everyone does different way, im juts curious of your method…thanks
19. June 2008 at 23:19
Good question, i’m interested in the answer as well. One of the “RMB sound” is the kick drum!
Another short question Rolf: what are those white stands below your PMC monitors? I have been searching for a good desk-stand for a long time, with no success.
20. June 2008 at 08:57
drumsamples will be a topic in the near future…
@robert: the stands are simple boxes of 22mm wood filled with 7kg of sand. the top and bottom are covered with neopren-foam (like an old mousepad) for further decoupling. simple as it sounds: for perfect decoupling use spring/mass/spring constructions.
22. June 2008 at 12:30
hi rolf!
i want to buy logic pro 8. if im right its current prize is 470.- Euro.
very fine prize by the way…
does it work on a regular pc or do i have to buy a apple?
what plugins do you recommend?
i do love pad sounds, natural beats, piano and strings a lot…
like “inside garritan steinway” AWESOME SOUND!!!
how much money would i have to spend to get some “okay logic center”.
or does the logic programm include enough fine presets?
always remembering i dont have the possibilities you have moneywise.
i guess. im just a poor barman. 
thanks for making music,
chrissie
23. June 2008 at 02:13
fragt hier keiner was auf deutsch?
hey rolf, wie sieht es denn aus mit einem mix aus deinem stil und soundtrack? würde mich echt freuen wenn du dich mal meldest wegen dem track für die hgw seite.
23. June 2008 at 09:28
@christopher: logic only works on a mac… thats why apple bought it some years ago… but in contrast to the situation ten years ago macs are really competetive computer nowadyas even by price…
concerning logic there are plenty of good sounds/plug ins included… so i would definitaly say that you can start with logic alone… to add plug ins which are significantly better you have to consider the 200-500 EURO category…
for natural drums: superior 2.0 // for great natural piano: garritan steinway (there is a “light version” for 150,- EURO) // for synthetic pads for example absynth 4 or zebra 2 but the logic intern ES2 is great as well
@davis: zur zeit konzentriere ich mich zwecks stilfindung auf uptempo tracks aber einige langsame abgefahrene kommen sicherlich auch wieder aufs ablum
26. June 2008 at 18:37
Rolf what happened to Your friend Farid? is there any future to meet You two together again?
Prost für PODOLSKI :))))
06. July 2008 at 22:53
Hello Rolf!
Where can i find the vocal mix of “Touch The Sky”? That track is so beautiful!
All the best from Sweden
08. July 2008 at 00:44
@cris80dr: It is not true, that RMB sound only listen in Germany and Swiss, the good sound come right in your ears, when you at least expect him ;)!!! Im from Bosnia, and I remember, that I tumble the tv station, and I come in VIVA chanel, in this time I hear Redemption, this track I repeat 10 times in day, wow cool song, after that come the Spring, Reality, Break the silence, Shadow, of course Widescreen ,VERY cool songs, but i think RMB’s best ever album is Mission Horizon, it is not a classical techno sound with dum, dum, dum trash, It’s like symphony, and I think with this album RMB becoming popular, Deep Down Below, Horizon, Tribal, Wonders of life, open eyes and more songs from Mission Horizon is amazing, and I must approve my self that I have all original cd’s from RMB :P, ok not all, only I dont have is Gangster and killer songs!!!
Rolf what’s next, I hear Aurora Nostalgia - nice song, like Timberland song ne yo technology, and another songs is work of art, and must say: It’s this songs for your “solo” album??? sorry for my english :D, and I think that you can understand me what I say :)!!! C-ya Pozdrav
08. July 2008 at 10:56
@ Slaven: Hello, welcome!
You are right that the good sound come if you expect it. I am from Italy. I knew RMB when I lived in Swiss. And as you told, you listened to RMB via VIVA, that is a german channel. When I talk about the success that RMB can have around the world, I mean a full success like it was in Germany, and that you can turn on your local music channel and expect that a video clip of RMB will pass over there.
09. July 2008 at 00:40
I think I can remember a whole bunch of fans from Finland.
16. July 2008 at 22:48
@cris80dr:
OK! It’s true what did you just say, but VIVA in this time in Europe had been a most wonted channel :D!!! OK, I think that you also agree with me, that RMB was most popular brand name in techno/trance scene in Europe, but we also agree that era didn’t finish yet, I think that Rolf have an ace up its sleeve :D!!! Aloha
24. July 2008 at 15:06
Hey Rolf! What’s up? What have you been working on recently? I have a question i always forgot to ask. When working on different tracks how is the workflow different if you finally want them to be mixed together like the tracks on Widescreen and MH ? cheers, boka
10. August 2008 at 01:17
I know this is to much what I want, but I must ask, everybody here know how much Rolf have a incredible big taste in music, he inspire us with great sound, today we have many replica artist, but they are deadly boring!!! I like to hear old stuff like Depeche Mode-Feel the silence, Jan Hammer - Crockett’s Theme from Miami Vice, Paul Okenfiold - Cafe Del Mar, Jimmy Sommerville or Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy in ROLF style :D, Rolf hope that you consider this, if you not It’s OK, you are still genious!!! I know this is to much but worth try :D!
14. August 2008 at 01:07
does anyone know on which cd (if any) I can find “fearless”?
thanks!
14. August 2008 at 10:56
@lilacfairy: You can find it on the “Redemption” maxi CD. You can get it on ebay.
05. October 2008 at 23:40
hi rolf!
how long did you have to fill up the glasses to get the right notes?
the whole idea is really impressive!!!
(marco beltrami did a soundtrack for “the minus man”, where he did use filled glasses, too. good score, by the way).
as i have said in some comments before… ill buy the album!!!
06. October 2008 at 10:55
answered in the glasses 2 post
08. October 2008 at 11:41
Hey Rolf,
Do you plan to do a come back?
Do you plan to release a new album? And if so, when and what style?
10x,
And 10x for making my life better with your music!
08. October 2008 at 12:48
hi madcat, the whole blog is about “footprints of an upcoming record” and the first posts explain a lot maybe…
about the style… a mixture styles of all snippets in this blog might not be too far from the final release…
08. October 2008 at 16:47
Except for the glass sounds, and the empty flower pot effect, will you treat us in this upcoming record with some more strange beautiful sounds, like that violin scratch in Spring (for example)?
08. October 2008 at 20:59
…that was not a violin in any way… it was a virtually blown (breath controller!) physical modelling sound from the first affordable PM synth yamaha VL1
11. October 2008 at 02:30
hi rolf!
first… you have to put “streitross” on the album.
“das haut einfach so angenehm auf die fresse, da muss man einfach freudig durch die gegend grinsen!!!”
… and again i got some questions about producing music:
do you work with a “goniometer - stereosichtgerät”?
if yes, what do i have to keep in mind while working with it?
do you have any tips or do you know any rules to keep in mind for a final mix? i am aware that i will not sound as you or any other producer BECAUSE i do not have the knowledge an i am not that experienced yet.
just for for example:
on my myspace site is a track “a walk to remember”. i think it is a very good track melody-wise. but i do not get its production right. its still sounds “not ready” (hope my grammar works). maybe you can take a listen and give your opinion…
when you have done your final mix of a track, do you still have to do some mastering? i have read that a well mixed song does not need much mastering…
for example you bassdrum snippets. how did you create them?
equalizing. or did you add more or less bass to them?
i did listen to a lot music the last days and they sound so full of reverb, bass, etc., but they aslo sound so TIGHT and CLEAN.
if i put too much reverb on my tracks everything seems to get lost somewhere (again i am aware that i do not have your equipment, or not the above and beyond equipment, etc. i am using reason 3) but somehow i want to sound towards you.
you did you manage it to sound goo when you did start as RMB?
thanks for the help AND YOUR MUSIC!!!
respectfully,
chrissie
23. December 2008 at 16:00
was ist die grundlage von diesem blog? wir ein anderes, offizielles blog-system benutzt??
ich verstehe nicht, warum ich hier ein foto drin habe, und dazu auch noch ein echtes foto von mir. kann doch garnicht sein!?!?
24. December 2008 at 13:08
@christopher: didnt you ask these questions before? i remember answering at least the goniometer part
@timon: dies ist ein ganz normales wordpress blog… ich habe soeben nachgelesen und finde zu den bidlchen folgendes “By default WordPress uses Gravatars — short for Globally Recognized Avatars — for the pictures that show up next to comments. Plugins may override this.”
schau mal hier: en.gravatar.com bestimmt gibts ne möglichkeit das zu löschen oder so…
for all others not understanding german: timon asked why he has a picture above his posts - seems to be a functionality called GRAVATARS…
30. December 2008 at 14:28
Hi Rolf !
If Martin Weisz would ask you to make a full soundtrack for his movies in future , will u agree with that ?
30. December 2008 at 20:05
yes, its a worldpress-blog, i was too stupid to see it by my own (”This blog is proudly driven by WordPress.”)
i had a blog here 1 year ago, so thats where this pic comes from.
ich lach mich mal eben selber aus…
guten rutsch!
09. June 2010 at 11:34
Hi Rolf.
You are electronic dance music legend
Maybe you will so compliant to reply some question.
Do you keep and use some hardware synths these days (expect the DARK ENERGY I think) ?
I especially like your earlier rave tracks.
There was so much enthusiasm and energy in that time…
I red some article, where you said that the REDEMTION (and maybe also other tracks from that era) was done on ROLAND JD-990 and D-10 and recorded on Falcon. Is that right please?
15. June 2010 at 08:49
Hi Andre,
i also had a Casio FZ1 Sampler, but, yes, that was it… 1MB sample memory and 8 voices of “hard disc recording” on the falcon…
less polyphony and much less sample memory than any cell phone has today
The main work horses in the later 90s were the JV 1080, JD 990 and the Akai Sampler and editing was quite difficult these days… At the end of the 90s i did a lot with pro tools (stacking of sounds, cutting, editing)
I now only have the Nord Modular G2 and the Dark Energy as external instruments… most of the instruments i had in the 90s (mostly “ROMpler”) are not as good as a better plug in of today… especially if you want to EDIT any sound or create your own…
What software still cant do is real analog. But the doepfer Modularsystem left my studio in 2000 because i thought i could do everything with the clavia nord modular (the first one). (BTW The first song done with the nord modular was even called “modular” by me and later became “Horizon”…) and i wanted to be more productive, too, as a full blown analog modular system is really time consuming - you play half a day (or night) and still havnt recorded anything :))
The little Dark Energy tought me again, that there is a sound quality in great analog instruments that still isnt in software. Most people wont hear the difference on their mp3 players anyway, but it inspires me if an analog sound feels “alive”… But i have tested a lot of new analog boxes and cant say that they are all inspiring… most of them dont sound better than a mediocre plug in to my ears… I think i need to build my own synth
What nowadays software really exels at is using samples… Omnisphere for example sounds really great…
And all those great sample based “acoustic” instruments like the garritan Steinway Piano, Superior Drummer or the East West Orchestra were the backbone of THIRTEEN STORIES…
16. June 2010 at 08:06
90’s music was much better imho
23. June 2010 at 09:05
thank you very much Rolf for the answer.
you done it really great - the early tracks does not sound like comming just from 2 (or 3) digital synthesizers.
You probably did a lot of your own patch programming (maybe you also used some JVseries expansion ROM cards). The early tracks have a bit o Roland sweet taste, but only thing I found a bit familiar is the “dOOOOOH choir”.
btw. did you also some “audio postprocessing/effecting” on Falcon? or just cut and mix the DRY recorded tracks from JD? Its pretty punchy.
So the Horizon was done on clavia Nord modular system? Where did you used the Doepfer A100 modular?
Yes, romplers of that era (early nineties) was a limited, but IMHO also had a character. Machines you wrote (JD, SuperJV) belong to the most editable romplers.
But also IMHO the unlimited (SW) options can be sometimes also really limiting. Just switching trough the patches for hours, etc. and getting still no satisfied. I personaly prefer limited (HW) work. Its more “inpirating” to me. Maybe also the “contact” with instrument. I like more the electronic, but in the “realistic instruments” simulation field, SW probably rulez.
But analog are “living”.
BTW. Rolf, please, do you maybe plan some REMIX contest or possibility in the future?
V-12/Tropyx: I also love the 90-ties electronic music
23. June 2010 at 21:31
“”BTW. Rolf, please, do you maybe plan some REMIX contest or possibility in the future”"
a good idea
but what with the last contest
I sat at 3:00 at night and mixed
I want to hear other mixes, if there are any??
Hey Rolf how the situation? I can still hope? or pray for?
24. June 2010 at 10:38
the remix project of THIRTEEN STORIES will be finished this summer!
i have some remixes from you that i think about putting onto the release… but its not to late… if you are able to finish your remix in july it will be in time…
24. June 2010 at 21:51
OK
my dream come true.
with big masters on a release
I find great
as a bonus Track in MP3?
or vote for the best?
unimportant
important, that new material comes summer.
Stay tuned ;