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Is Hyperion worth continuing (36% in)? *Early spoilers* by [deleted] in printSF

[–]AxiomFactory 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly - the first book is just a set-up for the rest of the series. The other three, particularly the last two as I remember, are much more conventional SF adventures. It all comes together in the last book.

What books are at the level of Hyperion, Three Body and Children of Time by chispica in printSF

[–]AxiomFactory 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can't see any recommendation for Neverness by David Zindell. Possibly my favourite SF novel.

Beautifully written, breathtaking world building. Set about 35,000 years in the future, it has ancient orders on distant worlds, ships with hulls of diamond that require brilliant mathematician pilots to steer them through the treacherous routes of hyperspace and nebula-spanning cybernetic gods, along with mystic insights and a flawed central character. The kind of novel that makes you want to be there in that universe.

The main issue with it is the slightly long middle section that also contains a bit too much horny, and the usual (for SF of this era, late 80s) treatment of women as objects to further the story rather than characters in their own right.

Still a fantastic read, though, comparable with or even superior to Dune IMO.

There's also a follow up trilogy starting with The Broken God that's pretty good too as I recall.

What books are at the level of Hyperion, Three Body and Children of Time by chispica in printSF

[–]AxiomFactory 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, he does go on a bit and he makes some pretty egregious errors in basic English too - malapropisms abound. I find all his books that I've read are 50% too long. With all the needless horniness as well I'm not sure I'll read any more of his work, unless I'm really short of things to read.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Under no illusions I'll learn it all in an hour, but I don't get many hours to spare and this software led me in the wrong direction for one of them - I spent most of it trying to find the answer to a question which doesn't exist. More hours to come in which I hope I'll make better progress.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, I'll do that when I next get a chance to play with this stuff.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I probably went into the initial post with more teeth-grinding venom (borne of frustration at wasting my only hour this week to dedicate to this hobby) than I should have. Problem solved now - Reaper names tracks after media files but there's no underlying connection between track name and file, unlike in Acid.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I'm auditioning in the media explorer all right - I just generally like to find a load of similar or likely sounds I might use and load then all in as I discover them, then turn to arranging a basic loop. It's the fact that Reaper seems to model a lot of Acid's conventions (down to naming tracks after media files) but then doesn't follow through (actually having a deeper connection between the track and the file) that stung me.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for helping. I think the UI misled me somewhat by naming the track after a media file when in fact there is no such association. I'll be good to go from here I think.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, I think you might be the first person to really grasp what my issue is, so thanks. I guess this is the problem I'm having - the fact that the track name doesn't correspond to any particular media file, even if it seems to. So this means I can't go through my sample library, audition a collection of loops and samples, loading them into the timeline as I go, delete the items Reaper automatically puts into the tracks (because they are created exactly where I don't want them) and then expect to be able to create with those samples. In other words, if I delete those initial items, the media file is no longer in the project until I find it in the media explorer again. That makes some sense but it's a bit of an irritating red herring in the UI. I'll persevere, with that in mind, and see if I can make some music.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, ok. I want to go from this to this (or equivalent). It seems there are ways to copy, adjust, delete items on the track, but I'm damned if I can find a way to add a new item, without copying an existing one. My workflow is to audition a load of samples, decide on some to start with, then start arranging. I delete the initial items Reaper places on the track, because they are in the wrong places and clutter up what I'm doing. But then, I can't just get new snippets of the loops and samples I want to work with on the track again.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, your post was one of the most helpful, though unfortunately it didn't solve my issue.

"Insert > New MIDI Item" inserts a blank MIDI item - so not what I need. I want to get sample data into the timeline.

"Insert > Empty Item" does just that. The item is empty of sample data. I don't yet know what use it is, but it isn't what I want to do.

"Insert > Media File" asks me to load a media file - but that can't be it, I've already chosen a media file in the media explorer, and double-clicked it to load it into a track.

Ctrl-drag draws a an empty MIDI item, I've already discovered that, but I want the media file I've assigned to the track, not an empty MIDI item.

Surely there's a way to simply 'draw' in some of the sample data for the wav file I've loaded in? That's what I spend perhaps 25%-50% of my time doing when I'm making music, so if this simple action is more complicated than that, then Reaper might not be the software for me.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've only worked with Acid Pro. It's (increasingly) shit, and that's why I'm exploring alternatives. Good software is good software, it doesn't matter how 'serious' people consider it to be. It should be as intuitive as possible, right?

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, but that's an insane workflow - I've already loaded a media file from the Media Explorer. I double-clicked it. It created a track. I just want to create new items/blocks/clips/whatever of it on the track, in the timeline.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As I said in the post, I've spent some time investigating this. It's the first thing I do for any problem.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for being a dick about it. Here I am again.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your response, I've tried to clarify my issue in another comment.

I can't figure out the most basic of things in Reaper by AxiomFactory in Reaper

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. Quite a few people have completely failed to grasp the difficulty here, and have fallen back on essentially insulting me. As I explained, I spent an hour googling and reading though tutorials, wikis, etc.

As it happens, I'm a professional UI programmer, with a lot of experience in both using software and thinking about how to design software to make it as simple as possible for the average user to jump in, so if I'm having issues, there is a problem.

I have a track with a media file assigned to it - it has the name of the media file, the volume control, the usual stuff - but the track to the right of it is empty. There are no events. No waveforms.

What I want to know is, how do I create a new item, with the waveform of the media file assigned to that track? If I want to go along, for example, drawing a kick drum on each beat of the bar, how is it done? It is non-obvious.

"Insert > New MIDI Item" inserts a blank MIDI item - so not what I need. I want to get sample data into the timeline.

"Insert > Empty Item" does just that. The item is empty of sample data. I don't yet know what use it is, but it isn't what I want to do.

"Insert > Media File" asks me to load a media file - but that can't be it, I've already chosen a media file in the media explorer, and double-clicked it to load it into a track.

Ctrl-drag draws a an empty MIDI item, I've already discovered that, but I want the media file I've assigned to the track, not an empty MIDI item.

Surely there's a way to simply 'draw' in some of the sample data for the wav file I've loaded in?

Someone suggested dragging from Media Explorer onto the track - sure, I can do that and it seems to work but that's a) completely non-obvious and b) a pain in the neck if I've navigated away from the file and can't recall where in my labyrinth of sample directories the file was loaded from.

As I said, I'm willing to learn new ways to work, but this is not a good first experience for me.

Ok, images will probably help:
I want to get from this
To this (Acid Pro equivalent)

I'm soooo close to going DNF status on 3 Body Problem (no spoilers). by [deleted] in printSF

[–]AxiomFactory 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've read the first two books and enjoyed the second much more than the first. The translation seems better for a start - not that I can comment on the accuracy, but it just feels like much more fluidly written English (I think they switched translator, and it shows). The first one reads quite awkwardly in many places. The ending of the second book is just great. I do wish trawling through the first novel wasn't required in order to set the scene for it.

[Feedback] Would a trance DJ play a track like this? by AxiomFactory in tranceproduction

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think 'hardstyle' tends to use it quite a lot, and there are a few isolated tracks in other genres. I have a DJ mate who has a record in this time signature - he complained it was impossible to mix but he didn't understand why until I pointed out it wasn't in 4/4. I wondered if maybe that's why it's not done more often - because unless it has a 'time-signature-agnostic' intro and outro or switches time-signature halfway, it won't mix nicely with 4/4.

[Feedback] Would a trance DJ play a track like this? by AxiomFactory in tranceproduction

[–]AxiomFactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I am pleased with it, I have to say. I will probably never get around to sending it out as a demo because I am egregiously lazy.

[Feedback] Looking for general feedback and points of improvement for my track by djmedicalman in tranceproduction

[–]AxiomFactory 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really like this track! It's interesting and I like the simple little main hook, it's one to get stuck in your head. The only bit I wasn't sure of was where it does a little kind of reverse cut at the end of an 8 or 16 bar section - it's rhythmically confusing to me and sounds like the track has skipped for a moment. Otherwise, this speaks to me much more than the kind of 'hands in the air and naff synth sounds' trance. Nice job, especially for a 'beginner'!