Quantization

I refer herein, despite the illustration, to quantization of the rhythmic, not harmonic, variety.

There is a particular, organic, off-kilter feel that certain tracks have for me which comes from an inspired swerve off the grid. Sometimes it is subtle, and sometimes it is blatant, but can still be used to great effect. I consider Dabrye a masterful grid subverter. I read somewhere that he adds a stretch of silence to the beginning of some of his samples as a way to create that effect. I also love the Robert Babicz track "Sonntag" for this reason. Alog do it too.

I think the feeling that I like in these artists' songs is due to a combination of regularly quantized, equidistant beats and unexpectedly stilted funkiness. The Akai MPC provides rhythmic quantization to a fine enough degree that things can still sound quirked. But I hate the MPC interface. I owned one for a few months and never got comfortable on it. I love me some X0X style interface.

Now don't get me wrong, I can definitely get into some square funk. And I think what Richard Devine has to say here about working with BT is pretty fascinating (but in the end I am not a software guy, not a computer guy... I can just never quite trust that they won't crash on me or eat my disks or digest/corrupt my information).

PS - I truly don't remember where I found the Devine sample and it may be thoroughly illegal for me to be posting it here, I am honestly not sure. If the appropriate authorities complain I will certainly remove it.