Gripe of the day: synthesis

[steevio]

i think we could easily go off on a tangent about synths and samplers here, but really we cant just say synths and samplers, its way too simplistic. there is no generic synth or sampler, there is a huge variance in virtually every aspect of each depending on the architecture, quality and design.

i know for a fact that i can do things with my modular synthesiser that no sampler is capable of, and likewise there are things which any sampler can do that are impossible with my kit,
most samplers are literally just synths with the capablity of using any waveform as a starting point, but equally i could buy a sampling module that is capable of providing exactly that if i wanted to go down that route, infact i'm always only one module away from that, but i chose not to go there.

its totally down to personal taste. i like working with simple building blocks and being in control of the complexity as it developes, others prefer to start with more complex material in the first place.

[pafufta816]

steevio: i agree with you on one point. working with waveforms and wavelets, the most basic units of sound, gives way to limitless possiblity. it's fun for me to just brainstorm about synthesis. but what i propose is that sampling IS synthesis. there is an extremely fine line between the two. i rarely sample real instruments, i actually rely on samples that are now nearly 20 years old, just things that i can find on the internet. i take these samples, and using audacity and LADSPA, i can filter and process the sounds to my hearts content. this is a sampling based technique, but the only difference is that while i choose each step of process, in synthesis you are given a limited number of choices (dependent on the soft/hardwares capabilities and versatility). here's a good example:

let's say you have Synth A, which routes audio in the following steps; VCO -> OSC -> LP Filter -> Output.

just using audacity i can replicate the entire series, albeit with different tools. one example of how my software sampling technique might work to create similar results. we replace the VCO with the sampling rate, to change the pitch of the sample you simply adjust the KHz sampling rate. the OSC is the sample itself, it is a soundsource. after determining the pitch (VCO) of the given sample (OSC) i can then route that audio through a filter. the difference from a hardware modular setup and my software setup is that the software is more time consuming, but i can control each small detail every step of the way. my method is a non realtime implementation of my understanding of sound synthesis, and as such i use the same problem solving and creative mindset for either.

a few things that are helpful. if the synth software has a randomize feature, try hitting it a few times. get an idea of the range of tone and color possible. after you find a sound you enjoy, remember this, recording it will be another layer to the synth sound. an unprocessed sound output from a synth can sound great, but it's how you mix and record that determines many qualities in the end product.

examples, for a bassline synth i generally follow this procedure... record the bass sound, in your audio editor make a copy of it. name one "high bassline" and the other "low bassline". i take high bassline and run it through a high pass filter, add some resonance, possibly some reverb. i take the low bassline and run it through a low pass filter, 200hz or less, compress it slightly. this is because i don't want the bassline to have midrange, i generally have problems with mixes sounding "crowded" when there is too much midrange. i also do nearly the same thing to my bass drum sounds that i described above. also remember to mix low frequencies in mono, not stereo, to avoid phasing problems.

the end result sounds a bit different than the pure sampled synth. my goal is to make sure that the synth and drum sounds aren't clashing with eachother or obscuring any key elements in my mix (like the bassline or percussion).

[steevio]

in synthesis you are given a limited number of choices (dependent on the soft/hardwares capabilities and versatility). here's a good example:

let's say you have Synth A, which routes audio in the following steps; VCO -> OSC -> LP Filter -> Output.

i dont doubt or argue against the power of sampling, but the above representation of synthesis is way way too simplistic, i know its just an example but unfortunately it's what most people think synthesis is, and is the reason many people only scratch the surface of its potential. this is mostly down to the fixed architecture of most synthesisers which rely on a basic subractive model. (btw i think you might have meant VCO > VCF > VCA which is the basic model)

(a VCO is an Osc)

in my modular synthesiser i have no such limited number of choices, in fact i have an almost infinite number of choices, i'm not going to bang on about it, because its too complex an issue, ive almost given up trying explain it several times on this forum.
it wont be long before most of the software synths available will have all of the functionality of a modular minus the knobage, and this will inevitibaly filter into the sampling software further blurring the boundaries between synths and samplers.

i can see a future where kit is valued purely on its interface / knob count / interconnectivity.
fixed architecture will be seen as inferior and basic no matter whether we are talking synths or samplers.

[oblioblioblio]

just barging in here having not read enough of the previous topics, so forgive me if i step on toes.

I agree that synthesis has some limitations, that is why I find it appealing, but I also find that to be it's strength, it makes it more of a personal relationship that you cultivate over time, rather than simply selecting possiblities from an infinite number and exploring them at surface level.

I completely agree that the above description of syntehsis is way too limiting, any synthesiser can go way way way beyond that. With software, Reaktor and MaxMSP can really go deep. And for me personallly, physical electronic modules astound me with their possiblities, I've more or less given up listening to music now other than what my machines make. Make of that what you will.