Renoise has many elements and features don’t it? Looking at the songs from Mutant Breaks, everyone seems to use it in different ways…which is cool. What areas do you excel at in Renoise?
And what do you feel you know nothing about, but would like to learn.
For me
Strengths are: Using modulations for weird FX, Choping/editing vocals, making hardware controllers control parameters, Guru coding for Hardware,
Weaknesses are: Doofers & Phrases - I literally never use these and have no idea how they work or would affect my music.
For me, it’s biggest strengths in comparison to other DAWs are:
step sequencing using keyboard (this one is huge and the biggest reason I use a tracker - nowhere else I can lay down ideas as fast as in this environment)
editing and navigating patterns using keyboard
powerful, easy and quick to use sample editor/sampler
integrated slicer: although missing some features (especially “pitch mode” - playing sample from current position (not just start) or selected slice through the midi keyboard), it is still one of the best and quickest I’ve ever used
very stable audio engine with great and stable support for VST plugins
cool tracker commands (although I use them somewhat less than I used to, especially before it had a slicer)
usable on single monitor setup and smaller (laptop) screens (although version 3 is a step back in this area, with 3.1 being a step in the right direction, but still not as good as 2.8)
Weaknesses for me are:
no piano roll (I know it’s a tracker and most of the time I prefer tracker interface, but for some uses - especially for chords or longer melodies - piano roll would be nice to have)
no linear mode sequencer or at least tracks that can expand through multiple patterns: e.g. when having long melody, you can only make a very long pattern, which means copy&paste the content of other tracks through it… or when making a song with lots of variety, the number of patterns just goes to the sky, because every little variation demands a new pattern.
There seems to be quite a demand for audio tracks, but I don’t miss them that much, actually autoseek feature quite filled the gap for me in this area. I use Logic for this and I doubt Renoise could come close to the features I need in this area any time soon. And it would surely raise the price and make it more complicated and clumsy for sequencing.
I love programming stuff using chop & reverse commands, and converting them to phrases for easy triggering. Making a bass, sampling it and playing around with 0Sxx and 0Bxx is just endless fun IMO. Also I feel like I’m getting quite adept at doing breaks in Renoise. Something I always sucked in my previous DAW life. And finally native DSP’s seem to work better and better for me as I keep on using them. There’s a lot more for sure but these are from the top of my head.
When it comes to weaknesses, I’d say playing/arranging things live. I just feel obliged to program everything. Also automation. Not sure if it’s about Renoise, but I used to automate stuff more when I was using regular DAW’s. Other than that, arrangement is something I feel weak at, and pattern matrix isn’t the most inspiring tool sometimes.
Strength: Glide
Weaknesses: rhythm programming, using too much glide
Ooh, programming beats definitely also isn’t my strong side. I’m just too lazy, or something. I tend to stick with something that works and then create a few variations - just enough to not make it boring (phrases are great for this sort of thing). I do envy the skills of those jazzy breaks maestros that use Renoise, but then … my music is mostly melody based anyway.
Strengths : sound design, meta-device abuse and atmospheres. And tools.
It is psychological thing… because renoise is micro oriented and you cant zoom out i create detailed loops not long sequences. i dont leave spaces and my compositions are usually very “tight”, no pauses, no silence, just a lot of sounds. I dont have this problem with traditional daws where i create long minimalistic beats. I tried to connect redux and reaper but then i cant sequence vsti via tracker view and rewire has its flaws.
I’ve been using Renoise for a long time now and I find it hard to push myself into making use of any of the newish features. Tools and phrases are the two biggest features that I haven’t even touched. I’m basically stuck with somewhat oldschool tracking techniques, but I do know them pretty well.
i’m getting better at arrangement—but to hear that other people have the same problem means it’s a real problem, and not just me! I use a lot of pattern splitting and joining commands to make arrangements, but it can still be rough. i’ll start with one bar at 32 lpb with a length of 40 (hex) and duplicate it 3 times, then merge the four-bar loop, but then i’ve got a 200/512 line pattern. I find that works, but it can be daunting.
I still have a little errant hihat or something hidden somewhere in the song, which can be frustrating, but sometimes it’s kinda cool
I’ve really been focusing on pattern fx commands, especially automation, and global commands. I’ve been using renoise for like 7 years and I FINALLY understand why the inertia parameter on so many native fx is useful—pattern automation! haha!
I recently unplugged any midi controllers and am forcing myslf to enter in automation by hand in fx columns, and it’s really helpful.
I BARELY use phrases, but i see their massive power. I rarely make any complex instruments, but i abuse the shit out of resampling. also, those that know, CDP. CDP. CDP. I’m not a hardcore tool user as I’m weirdly superstitious that too many tools will bloat the software, but CDP IS ESSENTIAL!
I’m also superstitious about doing anything audio-related while rendering a tune. if I get an AIM message, i re-render… lol
EDIT: horizontal arrangement is the only reason i want to do some things in ableton. everyone talks about how ableton has such a fast workflow—but it feels like swimming through creamed corn for me. eugh…
EDITEDIT: this is actually a very inspiring thread. we should go through a list of our weaknesses and find those of us who have strengths in them - and teach each other all these cool new things
strengths - beats…and obviously much more…sample manipulation
weaknesses - easy automation of vsts…really miss cubase ability to just move knobs and bounce and chop
truth, but render selection to sample is the single fastest way i’ve ever resampled anything! I know renoise can do everything i need to be able to do, though i might have to alter my workflow a bit. It’s more a matter of breaking out of self-imposed patterns
truth, but render selection to sample is the single fastest way i’ve ever resampled anything! I know renoise can do everything i need to be able to do, though i might have to alter my workflow a bit. It’s more a matter of breaking out of self-imposed patterns
yea i just wanna super fast automate vst method without the damn instrument automation thing…
I mean automating NI prism for example…aaaaaaaages
getting out of trad daw land paradigm…for sure…just some things need a streamline…
yea i just wanna super fast automate vst method without the damn instrument automation thing…
I mean automating NI prism for example…aaaaaaaages
getting out of trad daw land paradigm…for sure…just some things need a streamline…
If you`ve not seen it, this tool might be of help. I put a grab vst parameter function in it which works on instruments and fx. You click the [G] button with the song stopped, then move the element in the VST GUI that you want to automate, then use the large rotary on the tool gui to do your automation. For instruments you need to have an automation device in the track DSP lane and selected but it is the same principle.
Strengths: I think i have gotten better at drums lately and the mixing and mastering is also improving somewhat. Comparing with earlier tunes i definately hear some improvement in composition and sound in general.
It seems like the more i use Renoise, the more ideas i got and constantly finding new ways and sounds.
Weaknesses: Consistency. Mixing and mastering. I don’t like limiters.
Phrases, especially used for beatmaking and drum fills. So i can work with a 4 LPB pattern setup in the pattern editor and can create 8 LPB, 16 LPB or whatever in the phrase editor for e.g. fast drumfills without changing the LPB in the main pattern. And the abillity for individual phrases for each keyboard note.
Pattern commands.
The samlper and its editing features like it’s own fx and modulation routings for each sample individually.
Bridging: the abillity of using 32 bit VST’s in 64 bit Renoise and vice versa without any issues (much other DAW’s have big issues with internal bridging).
Send channels.
Pattern matrix, very easy to use for copying pattern stuff from previous patterns to a new one.
Meta & fx routing.
Weakness:
Automations: need more features for automation curves, especially e.g. for dragging individual bezier curves would be nice.
Sampler: it’s modulation envelopes, same thing like with the Automations. Dragging individual curves would be nice. And it’s limit of using just 12 sample layers per note.
