Tim Swartz at Emu sampled all the Taurae pedals (see what I did there huh, huh) for the Vintage module and I tried all the usual methods for acquiring the pedals after he was done with them, you know, blackmail, Iranian threat moves, compromising pics for Youtube etc... but he wasn't having any of it.

I have no organs left so cannot afford to buy the 3 but I can't wait to use one simply because I haven't heard some decent low end for a while.

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

Quote The Elf:

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Quote Zukan:

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Elf, you're just not sleeping with the right people man.
The janitor at Heathrow was never gonna get you far.......I told you that.

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She uuuuuuused meeeeeee!!

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She?

Oh, ah, okay.....yes.

She it was.



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Samplecraze
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She's here!!!

The New Synth Beagle has been and left me a Taurus 3!

Going to play now - back later...

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

envy.

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I'm All Ears.

Quote Dave B:

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Steve,

Has JJ not ordered a set? I'd have thought that he'd have been up for it.

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ooohh!! News travels fast!

No, the swine! Still uses an Akai + Roland midi pedals.

We've been using some of Hollow Sun's samples on the new album. They work very well...

Steve

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arK music

Edited by arkie-boy (31/03/10 11:08 PM)

Quote arkie-boy:

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We've been using some of Hollow Sun's samples on the new album. They work very well...

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Here I of course mean his Taurus samples - I've had to go into counselling over my addiction to 'Newtron Bomb'



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arK music

Steve, give John a big sloppy kiss from me (tell him it's from 'Ace' - long story) - and Mark as well. And then point out that he really _needs_ to get one of these Taurus 3s!

Elf, it's been over 12 hours now and not a dickie bird. Are you keeping us idiots in suspense or something? Or have the badgers finally become sick of having their bowels shaken and revolted?



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Veni, Vidi, Aesculi
(I came, I saw, I conkered)

Elf, stay in the light, stay in the light.

I fear for him.

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Samplecraze
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Thrrwaaappp, Thrrwapppp, ( record your self saying this, then pitch it down an octave, and THEN slow it down to 1/8th speed)


THAT is the sound of a Dragon hunting for it's Bovine bass fest breakfast.

Sorry, guys - bit of a 'mare day here! I had a great April post for you all too...

More later...

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

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arK music

On a complete side note, I've just realised that 'The Revolting Badgers' would be a great name for a band ....

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Veni, Vidi, Aesculi
(I came, I saw, I conkered)

Quote Dave B:

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On a complete side note, I've just realised that 'The Revolting Badgers' would be a great name for a band ....

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As would be Andy and the Anal Anarchists......

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Samplecraze
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and what would be on the Sett list?

(twiddles thumbs waiting for the Elf to emerge)

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arK music

Phew! I'm back. What a torrid couple of days. I won't bore you with the story, but computers can be a pain for both work AND pleasure!

Anyway, I've had a bit of time now to play with the new Taurus 3 and it's a mixed bag...

Firstly, it sounds incredibly good; easily up to the task of sounding exactly like the Taurus 1 (I spent a long time A/B-ing) and going well beyond. I LOVE the arpeggiator. Word has it the firmware contains a step sequencer too, but I've not dug around for it yet.

The build quality is lovely, with the exception of the row of footswitches, where I miss the chunky design of the T1 - these seem too small (seem to be guitar fx pedal switches?), though they seem tough enough.

Here's the worst of it... Moog's decision to put the socketry flush on the side of the instrument (not even shrouded to protect them) is disasterous IMO - what possessed them to do this?!? Not only does it look ugly with cables and plugs sticking out of the side (which makes it harder to a space for), but I say they are *definitely* going to be trodden on - especially on stage. And ***PLASTIC*** jack sockets for heaven's sake?!! *How* much did this thing cost me?

The (plastic) jacks, power socket and power switch all sit proud of the instrument's body. They'd already dug some holes into the polysterene packing in transit - a tough flight case is not going to be so forgiving. If Moog had seen fit to just recess the socket panel it wouldn't have been so bad.

That's the worst said.

Firmware is still being bug-fixed. I've discovered that the T3 only recognises Program Change messages on MIDI Ch.1 - oops! But the guys at Moog have responded already and are on the case. Big brownie points to Moog for that.

Lastly, for the moment, Moog are keen to point out that you shouldn't pick up the instrument by the pedals or the shiny foot-guard...

OK... here's the reality: *every* roadie that ever handles a T3 is going to pick it up by the pedals and/or the foot-guard. That's the reality. Try picking it up any other way and it's like trying to retrieve a tiddly-wink from a glass table-top! The correct thing to do was to design the instrument so it CAN be picked up by the pedals and/or guard - that's design by humans for use by humans.

OK, main gripes aside... I'm delighted with the way it plays and sounds. Some of the new presets are really good (with the notable exception of the signature 'Taurus 3' preset, set in pride of place at position A1, which is a strangely uninspiring and, IMO, utterly unusable patch).

The 'Taurus 1' preset is currently detuned too far, but, again, the Moog guys are aware, know what's happened, have responded, and are on the case. Back off the 'beat' control and it's spot on.

It looks really lovely with its glowing (and pulsing!) orange controls. Mmmm... Baaaaaaasssssssssss.... Slurpy slurp.

I bet the street are already tired of hearing me play 'Clocks'...

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Quote The Elf:

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I bet the street are already tired of hearing me play 'Clocks'...

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You too, eh? You have to be quite nifty with the Transpose switch on that one - hands required.

Well I quite like the TIII preset, with glide on it reminds of B-Movie soundtracks - which I'm into but most probably aren't. However I do wish it was selected with glide off, I think that would be more useable for most people. The nice thing is most of the problems - including the ROM presets - a) are fixable with a firmware update and b) will actually be fixed with a firmware update (take note Roland). Also Amos is adding as many features as possible that are requested (I'm full of requests me).

Not sure if the step sequencer made this release - either that or I need a new Read Me to find it because I haven't seen it yet.

I'm going to try one guy's suggestion of right angle audio and MIDI jacks and rubber stops for the jack sockets to stop dust. That's about all you can do.

Right, back to 'Clocks'...

PS. No roadie is ever getting near these - I will do my own de-rig thank you very much - even if I get mega famous.

Edited by Mr Arkadin (03/04/10 10:47 AM)

bit of a kludge but how about making a set of your own wooden end cheeks, with cut outs to accommodate the sockets....

then you can choose the wood to your own tastes.... a nice lacquered piece of stained flame maple could be pretty.... ;-)

you can make them as deep as you like really, so you can protect plugs as well in live use...

seems silly to have to do such diy at this price level, but it's at least a fix.


i'd also add it to the feature request list.... to offer them as an upgrade perhaps... and make them retrofit-able


or lend me the unit and i'll make them for you ;-)


might take a while though




Edited by idris y draig (03/04/10 12:58 PM)

Quote idris y draig:

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bit of a kludge but how about making a set of your own wooden end cheeks, with cut outs to accommodate the sockets....

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I'm not sure how achievable that would be as you would have to move the connectors (they may be on one board) and also you'd be left with a ncie gaping hole to fill.

However I did have an idea about having handle cut-outs in new wooden end cheeks so that it could be lifted easier.

Well apart from the fact the Elf may not want to spoil the aesthetics of his new Totally Original Yift (c'mon guys - I had to work at that) there is probably the small matter of warranty invalidation.

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

Quote idris y draig:

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bit of a kludge but how about making a set of your own wooden end cheeks, with cut outs to accommodate the sockets...

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My thoughts are running along similar lines, but not on the side. There's a whole swathe of smooth, flat back panel, with a nice little channel in which to tuck away a few sockets.

After that it would just need a blanking panel for the side leg.

I know a man with the skills...

I'll let the warranty period expire, then I think a visit to Mr. Sparks and his sonic screwdriver could well be in order.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Quote Mr Arkadin:

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However I did have an idea about having handle cut-outs in new wooden end cheeks so that it could be lifted easier.

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Clever! I LIKE that idea - a LOT!

Going to be some activity around the rear of my Taurus 3 in 12 months time I suspect!

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Elfness,

I've done the side panel wood end cheeks thing a few times, notably on a Multi Track and an OB 8 (looked like porn if I may be bold).

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

hmmm I had in mind using the fixing points for the end panels, and cutting slots in the wood.... where the sockets are... no removal of sockets required, and simply replacing the screws of the end panels with longer ones through the wood...


it also inherently provides handles if you place identical cut outs on both ends...




and shouldn't really invalidate the warranty.... but you might want to double check with moog.

you shouldn't even need to remove the end panels themselves.... simply add the wooden end cheek on the outside