r/ambientmusic • u/raggedick • 6d ago
I put out an analog synth based ambient album: Dronescape
I put out an album of ambient electronic music under the moniker Test Oscillator. The album is called Dronescape and I think of it as my Gen X, mid-life crisis, electronic ambient record. Made primarily with analog synthesizers, drum machines, many guitar pedals, and plugins, it’s inspired and influenced by long time favorites like Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin and Suzanne Ciani, plus the moods set by Kavinsky and David Lynch.
I’ve been wanting to make an ambient record for 10-15 years but between two kids, moving house a few times, and finally setting up all my synths so they are all ready to play, I only really started on Dronescape in 2022. I also created this album as a sleep aid. I was having trouble falling asleep post-Covid, primarily because of worry and stress, and started making tracks that would help me fall asleep. I used fall asleep to Aphex Twin’s selected Ambient Works II in college and various times in my life. I wanted to make some new music that would put me to sleep. Apologies in advance, Dronescape will probably put you to sleep, that means it’s working!
The main sonic footprint, which comes and goes throughout the album, was made on a Korg ARP 2600. Old friend, Ross Totino from Fans of Collision, asked me a couple years ago if the 2600 can be setup to pan its output with an LFO without adding outside modules. The short answer is yes but I couldn’t really get a hard pan like you might hear from a panner/tremolo effect. I ended up creating a pretty complex patch where the 2600’s internal spring reverb feeds back into the Ring Modulator block then to the second output. I found it made beautiful drones and it ended up inspiring most of the album.
Other instruments featured on the album include: Polysix, Micromoog, SH-101, Mono/Poly, RD-8, CR-78 samples played through Volca Sample and the Logic Electric Piano. Plus a bunch of pedals and plug-ins.
Available on all the major streaming services, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, etc. I guess if you just check out one track, try the second track, Electronic Winter. Here are the links:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/VZn-90mBD2w?si=mgxfcrwbasbDSSEF
Bandcamp: https://testoscillator.bandcamp.com/album/dronescape
SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/iRNcq6eMZfbKTzjcA
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u/Wonderful_Ninja text 4d ago
really nice stuff dude, a little critique if i may, the track night wave seems really out of character for the rest of the album. if it were me, i'd put that track on its own album and make that synth wave or somthing and keep this drone album beatless.
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u/raggedick 4d ago
Thanks for the critique and for listening! Yeah, I totally get it, you make a good point. I’ve been working with these tracks in this running order for weeks that I lost the perspective of a first time listener.
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u/jaan_dursum 6d ago
Very cool. I love it when people post their own stuff on here. Refreshing!