What does triggering mean in this context?

Hi!

I've read this line from an interview with Robin Guthrie from Cocteau Twins on production techniques for a song they made. I can't really understand though what triggering means in this context. Would someone please help me, because I've tried understand how this works with similar software (Lexicon Native Effects) to the hardware he used (Lexicon PCM 70 and can't get heads or tales of this process:

"A Kissed Out Red Floatboat [the song]

'No synths, it's all guitars and smoke and mirrors. The sort of synthy percussive sound that runs all the way through and is all on its own in the intro is a bunch of filtered delays triggered from the drums. I used a Lexicon PCM70 for this (same with the 'synth' rhythm thing on Blue Bell Knoll).'"

I hope someone can understand what he's doing here. On these both songs (mentioned in the quote) you can hear the technique at work in their respective intros:

Thanks!

Kindly,

Joachim

Hard to say, what they mean with "Trigger the delays". PCM70 doesn't have a "trigger input". 

I can see different ways, but none could explain directly and completely how to achieve that sound: 

- Triggering via MIDI specific PCM70 parameters

- Triggering with the drum sounds or MIDI some gate after the PCM70

- PCM70 preset 1.6 Filtered Delays specially tweaked and the some or one of the drum sounds run through

- Triggering with the drum sounds or MIDI some gate after the PCM70

Don't really have the English or tech skills to understand what you're saying here. Could you elaborate?

- PCM70 preset 1.6 Filtered Delays specially tweaked and the some or one of the drum sounds run through

Really?! There's a preset called filtered delays even?! Cool.

I've been sitting around with a ring modulator and FabFilter Saturn, but I can't get it to work. What do you think we're hearing? Do you know some technique that might achieve the somewhat same result?

This reminds me of this discussion... How to achieve synthy percussive sound from filtered drums?

Yep. You're right. It's the exact same conversation. I must've missed out that you replied, that's why I started another conversation. We can delete that one.

"triggering" is using an audio signal to make something else happen down the line. Perhaps the signal triggers a drum machine to play a different sound in addition to or replacing the original signal. Perhaps the audio is used to open and close a filter, or clamp down harder on a compressor, or whatever.

In this context, "triggering" just means using an audio signal to control a device, either analog or digital.

"triggering" is using an audio signal to make something else happen down the line. Perhaps the signal triggers a drum machine to play a different sound in addition to or replacing the original signal. Perhaps the audio is used to open and close a filter, or clamp down harder on a compressor, or whatever.

 

In this context, "triggering" just means using an audio signal to control a device, either analog or digital.

Ok! Thanks!

It's fair to say that "you will never be able to replicate the Original Magicks," nor that you actually have to.  

"That was Then (Thank God™ ...), this is Now."

In the present day, you just have to "grok" what they actually did to the original stem-sound.  It seems apparent to my ears that "the same sound (or phrase ...) has been variously delayed, then superimposed."  

Today, it should be relatively easy to achieve the same effect by duplicating tracks and ever-so-slightly shifting them in time.  "Easy Peasy."

It's fair to say that "you will never be able to replicate the Original Magicks," nor that you actually have to.  

 

"That was Then (Thank God™ ...), this is Now."

 

In the present day, you just have to "grok" what they actually did to the original stem-sound.  It seems apparent to my ears that "the same sound (or phrase ...) has been variously delayed, then superimposed."  

 

Today, it should be relatively easy to achieve the same effect by duplicating tracks and ever-so-slightly shifting them in time.  "Easy Peasy."

Of course no one can replicate anything exactly, but that's not the point with my post, obviously. A certain technique can be known by several people. I certainly have achieved the same sound as someone else hundreds of times, so I don't really see your point.