Ambience As Ritual- ebook

OP-1
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Hey everyone,

I put together a guide called Ambience as Ritual—a deep dive into ambient sound design, performance, and composition, originally built around the OP–1 Field and OP–XY. That said, the techniques and approaches inside can be used with pretty much any gear, including Elektron machines.

This started out as something I made for myself—just a way to organize thoughts, patches, and creative ideas around making ambient music. But after a while, it felt like something others in the ambient and experimental scene might find useful too. So I cleaned it up, expanded it, and turned it into a proper PDF.

If you’re into sculpting textures, layering evolving drones, or just exploring new workflows for ambient and electronic music, you might get something out of it. Happy to share it with this community.

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:fire::fire::fire::fire::fire:

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:+1::folded_hands: thanks!

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Got it! Thanks.

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Really appreciate you sharing this

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Incredibly generous of you–thanks!

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No problem! Thx!

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:+1::+1: enjoy

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Downloaded, thank you, have only skimmed a little bit and it looks very enlightening! When i have a little more time i will dig in more!

(Working on a flute/electronics piece for a concert in August, will post the link to the live stream once i know it, planning on OP-Z photomatic visuals, OG-1, and OG OPLAB with TS-3, among other kit!)

Gratefully,
psound74

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Hey friends,

The response to my Ambience as Ritual ebook has been beyond anything I expected. I want to sincerely thank everyone who downloaded it, left a tip, or shared a kind word — it’s made me feel incredibly connected to this global ambient and experimental community.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I got started. When I was a beginner, just trying to wrap my head around synths, samplers, sound design, looping, or layering ambient textures — I desperately wished there was a single place where I could learn the key techniques step-by-step.

Instead, like a lot of you, I pieced it together from amazing creators on YouTube, various forum posts, and trial and error over the years. That process was beautiful, but also a bit scattered. Now that I’m semi-retired and have a bit more time to give back, I’ve decided to make the kind of videos I wish I had when I was starting out.

:movie_camera: I’m turning every chapter of the Ambience as Ritual ebook into a full video series, with multiple videos per section. These aren’t just walkthroughs — they’re hands-on tutorials showing exactly how to do things like:
• Build evolving ambient loops on the OP-1 Field and OP–XY
• Craft beautiful pads and drones using simple tools
• Apply tape-style modulation, creative filtering, or randomization techniques
• Set up live performance workflows or generative systems
• Use subtle imperfections to make your music come alive

…and much more.

If you already read the ebook, you’ll know this isn’t just a gear manual — it’s about approaching ambient music as a personal, even spiritual, practice. But the videos will be very beginner-friendly and practical too. You’ll be able to follow along with each patch, technique, and workflow in real time.

I know many of you are advanced users, but I also know a lot of people wish they had a smoother entry into this beautiful world. So if you’ve been looking for a more structured, visual way to dive deep into ambient creation, this is for you.

I’ll post the first videos very soon — and if you’re already subscribed to me on YouTube, you’ll see them pop up. If you’re not yet, now’s a good time to jump in.

Thanks again for the support. Can’t wait to go deeper into this journey with you all.

With love and layers,

John aka Colors in Space

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Hey everyone,

I’m excited to share something I’ve been working on for a while now.

The first video in my new series, Ambience as Ritual, is finally live on YouTube.

This isn’t your typical tutorial series. It’s more like an exploration—diving into how we can use simple sounds, textures, and small tools to create deeper atmospheres. No computers, no fancy plugins. Just curiosity, a bit of limitation, and a focus on how we listen.

In Chapter 1, I’m working with the OP-1 Field, turning raw noise and textures into evolving ambient tones. It’s a simple setup, but that’s the point—seeing how far you can push basic sounds when you approach them with intention.

If you’re into ambient music, sound design, or just enjoy watching the process of sound becoming something more, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

:movie_camera: Watch Chapter 1 here → https://youtu.be/r6cxCdc-CiE?si=aPNwuRIjzl5HHDoy

This is just the beginning. There are more chapters coming, each diving into different ideas—from layering field recordings, to using noise creatively, to performing live ambient sets with minimal gear.

Thanks for being part of this journey.

I’m really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the series.

Talk soon,

John

(Colors in Space)

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