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The Mighty Thor
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:24 pm
by xthewiddler
Ok, so i know my way around a maelstrom or subtractor fair enough
but everytime i start working with the thor its like.. i can get a cool sound.. but i have no clue sometimes (mostly) whats goin on
if i start a cool sound and i want it to go in a different direction, i cant, cuz i dont know whats happening!
anyone have any tips for the thor, or some easy homemade patches to look at?
all the presets on it are tweaked to fuck!
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:17 am
by futures_untold
read a book called "Computer Music Tutorial" by Curtis Roads.... Everything on the Thor will become clear

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:35 am
by greenseed
theres a few shallow tutorials on the props website
not much there but it helped me understand the basics of it better
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:47 am
by twatty vagitis
There's a new series on the props site called "Thor Demystified", they're up to part 4 atm, link below to part 1.
http://www.propellerheads.se/substance/ ... cle=part19
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:11 am
by xthewiddler
ok nice thanks guys ill check these out!
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:44 pm
by futures_untold
Um, read the manual/help file?
Props do a good job of writing the thing to be clear and concise..
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I think it is possible to break down the thor into different sections to learn about. These are:
the oscillators
the filters
the step sequencer
the mod matrix
the effects.
Oscillators:
Perhaps the most important one to understand is the different types of sound generation in the oscillator section. If you understand why each oscillator type works the way it does, you will have better control over what it does.
Filters & effects:
The filter and effects sections are self explanitory, or at least should be for a man of your bassline creation stature..!!
Step sequencer:
The step sequencer is simply like the matrix/arp device. Use it to control which note is played or to create a cv signal for controlling filter cut-offs etc. Great rhythmic cv modulations can be created within the thor.
Mod Matrix:
To get your head around the mod matrix, experiment and read the bloody manual!
It may also be useful to use another synth like Albino or Z3ta+ to learn to use mod matrixes. They do not have the benifit of rewiring cv cables as reason does.
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:52 pm
by whineo
futures_untold wrote:
It may also be useful to use another synth like Albino or Z3ta+ to learn to use mod matrixes.
true
Its pretty basic routing thats found on all standard synths - they even put little arrows on for you
if you are comfortable with maelstrom you can apply the same concepts - you just need to get used to the different ocsillators

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:50 pm
by grifta
Thor looks long! i think i've used it once since i got reason 4
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:15 pm
by xthewiddler
Grifta wrote:Thor looks long! i think i've used it once since i got reason 4
twice for me, both times equally frustrating
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:07 am
by futures_untold
Thor is one of the reasons why I refuse to use Reason 4 instead of Reason 3/Reaper.... I'd much rather learn Massive, Z3ta+ or Vember Audio Surge than Thor. Those synths are all more powerful and have better GUI's to boot!!!
Fuck Reason 4!
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Sorry, I'm being very negative lol

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:32 am
by xthewiddler
futures_untold wrote:
Fuck Reason 4!
blasphemy!!!
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:49 am
by futures_untold
HA!
I've used Reason since Rebirth my friend, R4 is poo

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:16 am
by stier
I don't get you guys, in my opinion Thor is one of the best sounding software synths I ever encountered, no comparison to all these 08/15 VST Plugins with their uninspired presets.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:28 pm
by futures_untold
^^^^^^I'm just being picky really...
While I realise that Thor is a beast if one learns to program it, I don't really like the GUI.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:11 pm
by twatty vagitis
omg, you can't say Thor looks shit then put up z3ta+ as 1 you actually like the look of.
zetas the shittest lookin synth ive ever seen, and ive used pentagon ffs lol
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:20 pm
by FSTZ1
my vote for crappiest GUI goes to Synth 1
that piece if shit hurts my eyes
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:06 pm
by abZ
futures_untold wrote:Thor is one of the reasons why I refuse to use Reason 4 instead of Reason 3/Reaper.... I'd much rather learn Massive, Z3ta+ or Vember Audio Surge than Thor. Those synths are all more powerful and have better GUI's to boot!!!
Fuck Reason 4!
---------------------------------
Sorry, I'm being very negative lol

They only reason to stick with 3 would be that you wouldn't have to learn the new sequencer. It took me like 2 weeks with 4 and I was even faster with it. But their long awaited updates leave something to be desired... mainly a VST compatible host! So I said fuck it. Ableton is now my prog. Honestly I don't even see the need to rewire Reason up to it, Ableton does everything that Reason does and does it better. Fuck it all together. It's becoming obsolete IMO, especially with the quick ass computers that everyone seems to have these days. The stability of it was pretty much the main thing they hung their hat on.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:32 pm
by xthewiddler
To each his own.
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 12:41 am
by futures_untold
Lol @ FSTZ comment!
I think your right Widdler.
Once we find a production method and work flow that works, we can focus our time on being creative and sketching out our ideas.
R4 was unintuitive for me. R3/Reaper are for some reason like fisherprice my first sequencer..... clunky but easy.
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I actually teach kids how to produce music on computers so I have used many combinations of hardware/software setups.
Garageband & Ejay work well for beginers, Reason & FL for intermediate people, and Reason/DAW's for the dedicated.
I guess what is attractive about Reason, is that it is a virtual studio rack. As a tutor, it is useful to be able to explain production concepts with an easy visual aid to back up my explinations.
Using Reason I can show kids how hardware studios are wired up. The two synths have all the standard controls and the samplers have sample zones much like any hardware sampler would have.
The effects are bread & butter effects. It is useful to be able to demonstrate everything so quickly.
DAW's and programs like Ableton assume a certain amount of music production/studio knowledge for their use. If one is unable to see the wiring of an effects buss, why would it be logical to someone who isn't a seasoned music producer?
Me, I just want to get other people to produce my tunes now. I'll come up with ideas, then do a Dr Dre

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:20 pm
by revere
Thor is a beats and so complex but from gazin over the 4 thor tutorials there I ahve opened my eyes a little more to the wonderdul world of synthesis