The Cygnus Limelight M@ preset appreciation thread

Piing

Axe-Master
Anything related to that factory preset goes here: preset modifications, recordings, live covers, tips and tricks, rush issues...

I will start by sharing a backing track. It is based on a MIDI file that I found on the web

I cannot attach the WAV file because it is too large. I have uploaded to Soundcloud and to Mega


https://mega.nz/file/0jYnjIrb#Qfcff0UGKFVKuDraThyIGim4O3sKlovr3fpYqSYT_A0

I attach the Cakewalk Bandlab project here. It is using the following VST instruments:

BFD3
Sonic Reality Neil Peart Drums Vol. 1 kit for BFD
Spectrasonics Omnisphere

Channel 1: Trilian "Fingered - Studio Bass Bridge"
Channel 2: Trilian "Studio Bass All Slide Down" (for the short slide at the beginning)
Channel 3: "Classic PWM Polysynth + MXR Phase 90 FX"

And some Waves VSTs for mastering

Let me know how it sounds there. I appreciate any criticism, to learn how to improve it
 

Attachments

  • Cakewalk_BackingTrack 2020_05_23a.zip
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karaoke-version.com has a custom multi-track for limelight. I have purchased several tracks from them, but not this one because I have realized that most of their backing tracks are just a normal MIDI file where they only add real guitars and vocals. Mute all guitars and the vocals, and you'll just hear GM instruments.

And the MIDI files that they use are no special ones. I have perfectly synced their audio backing tracks with publicly available MIDI files
 
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I saved his current tone match as a cab and inserted it into my preset. I went back and forth between the song and my guitar into my CLR and they are identical. Amazing work as always! M@ is a genius!
 
Jammit had multitracks of the whole Moving Pictures Album with Tab. Check out Crammit which took over when the owner of Jammit skipped town. There are separate tracks for just vox, bass, guitar (sometimes 2 guitar parts), keys, and drums. Say you open the Tom Sawyer Guitar file. You will have a mixer with two guitar tracks (you can switch between tab and score), mute the rest of the mix to learn parts, or mute the guitars and play along. Jammit was a great program. Luckily, one pissed off purchaser created an app that recreates Jammit.
 
It's seriously so good. The Limelight patch and the Petrucci Rig patch are two of my favorites to throw on a jam track and go nuts with.
 
One modification I made to the preset (that I'm sure someone else could do better than I) was to add a parallel delay with a hold (activated by a control switch) followed by an octave up pitch block, to (sort of) recreate that high pitch squeal that continues on after the solo through the chorus that follows.
 
One modification I made to the preset (that I'm sure someone else could do better than I) was to add a parallel delay with a hold (activated by a control switch) followed by an octave up pitch block, to (sort of) recreate that high pitch squeal that continues on after the solo through the chorus that follows.
So @Admin M@, how do you handle the solo trailing note when you're playing?
 
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve used M@’s Limelight as the basis for my primary practice & tracking patches since the days of the Ultra, with different cabs, FX, etc. The new Cygnus version is a complete joy, and I’m so happy with its evolution.

Watching its goodness being appreciated by the Fractal community at large has been a little like seeing director Stanley Kubrick being discovered by generation after new generation. He’s been one of my two lifelong heroes since 1968 (the other is Todd Rundgren!) and I get a kick out of his legendary status growing with the passage of time.

I can’t help grinning every time I see a new acolyte singing Limelight’s praises … play on, dudes. And all hail @M’s lasting gifts to each of us.
 
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Are you guys playing the solo note by note? I find some passages quite abstract and surrealist o_O

I do enjoy listening it withing the context of the song and the Rush concept, but when I try to play it note by note it clashes with my narrowed playing mindset 😅
 
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karaoke-version.com has a custom multi-track for limelight. I have purchased several tracks from them, but not this one because I have realized that most of their backing tracks are just a normal MIDI file where they only add real guitars and vocals. Mute all guitars and the vocals, and you'll just hear GM instruments.

And the MIDI files that they use are no special ones. I have perfectly synced their audio backing tracks with publicly available MIDI files
Re: karaoke-version.com multi-tracks. A few years ago I bought a bunch for a project, they seem to have LOTS that are way higher quality (not all generic GM instruments). Not sure how/where they source all their material, but in general I found that newer, more recent songs have the pro treatment, while older classic rock standards (songs that we would have shared midi files for back in 1995 such as Limelight) tend to be just like you describe.
 
Modern songs can probably easily export multritrack sessions with vocals removed, where digging out the master tapes (if they still exist) for classic songs is a lot of work (and therefore extra cost). I'm sure modern contracts have karaoke built into them at set terms too, where older contracts getting karaoke rights to a song might be a whole new negotiation.
 
Jammit had multitracks of the whole Moving Pictures Album with Tab. Check out Crammit which took over when the owner of Jammit skipped town. There are separate tracks for just vox, bass, guitar (sometimes 2 guitar parts), keys, and drums. Say you open the Tom Sawyer Guitar file. You will have a mixer with two guitar tracks (you can switch between tab and score), mute the rest of the mix to learn parts, or mute the guitars and play along. Jammit was a great program. Luckily, one pissed off purchaser created an app that recreates Jammit.
This is great news. I had several Jammit songs that were just going to waste.
 
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