Synths and Synthesis MkII: All gear is shit, Hail Satan

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No More Drake > Musician's Lounge > Synths and Synthesis MkII: All gear is shit, Hail Satan

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Assuming I'm a total beginner enticed by the idea of pressing buttons to hear my computer fart, is getting a used Arturia Minilab for what amounts to 80 bucks a good idea?

# ¿ Aug 31, 2014 21:36

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 13, 2024 16:28

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

So I'm trying to learn secrets of robot fart generation on the SQ80 VST linked before in the thread. It's got a somewhat unintutive interface (my envelope release ain't working at all. You'd think one has to do some tweaking of the DCA4, clearly depicted as the final output of the sound, but nope, it's the random rear end unlabeled ENV4 with no particular destination), but it's fun so far.

Working straight off blank INIT, I've noticed all three noise waveforms have a very computer-ish sound, more like the weird noises a 56k dial-up modem does, rather how a proper white noise sounds. Is it how it's supposed to be, or is there a knob to fix it?

This is very important, I cannot die peacefully before I make a convincing helicopter sound.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2014 13:49

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Laserjet 4P posted:

Likely how it's supposed to be; the noise in there is likely a sample instead of a proper analog noise source.

Yeah, I think that's the case - the manual entry for the NOISE3 waveform mentioned a "clangorous, metallic quality". Still, there's an inharmonic loop of blowing steam which worked well enough as a ghetto noise.

I'm currently trying to turn my mostly theoretical knowledge of what particular knobs do into something that doesn't sound like poo poo. I'm going through presets and it's kinda scary in how simple some solutions are that would never cross my mind (detune a piano by an octave and three semitones and you're halfway to a violin sound!). Other than reverse-enginnering the presets, I wonder if there is some sort of resource like this, that is not a patch library per se, but something that gives you an endgoal and some super rough tips on where to begin?

# ¿ Sep 9, 2014 09:22

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

I've bitten the bullet and bought my first synth (Microbrute) and while I've put my extremely limited VST amateur experience to use to figure out the knobs and stuff, I've got two rather basic questions to ask:

1) What's the point of filter's keyboard tracking knob? I mean, I understand what it does, but I don't really get what's the reasoning for its existence. Is this effect trying to emulate the behavior of some particular kind of instrument or something?
2) This one will be really embarrassing - as my robot farts from the sequencer sound different depending on what key I pressed to have it playing, what exactly is the relation between the key I pressed and whatever I recorded into sequence? Does it simply shift the whole thing to begin at what was pressed?

# ¿ Dec 18, 2017 23:38

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Speaking of the Brute family, what was wrong with DrumBrute that nobody really liked it?

# ¿ Jan 16, 2018 15:03

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Just got a volca sample yesterday. So much fun in such a small box!

# ¿ Mar 14, 2018 12:20

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

After toying with it for two days, I'm getting to properly understand my Volca Sample. It was particularly interesting to just run the old patterns after changing the sample bank, with toms suddenly turning into sped up lil jon shouts etc. While for the most part an expected auditory nightmare, it also provided some inspiring ideas for sample mangling.

Speaking of sample mangling, one thing I don't really have a good idea for how to use properly is the pitch envelope. I assume it's probably the equivalent of a filter envelope of a synth and is to be used for same kinds of poo poo (like adding attack transients to random bleep boops), but given sampled sounds usually having a bit more shape to them, I really never found any use for it, unlike the base speed knob which is the first setting I usually start meddling with. What are the most typical uses of it?

# ¿ Mar 16, 2018 09:50

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Finally got my Zoom MS-50G pedal plugged into the Microbrute. It's really cool, if a bit overwhelming with choice. Though I am glad to confirm that with enough delay and reverb any random keypresses sound like a Vangelis song.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2018 12:09

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Goddamn, that Deluge does look incredibly sweet. Glad I'm too broke for major impulse purchases, because daaamn.

# ¿ May 7, 2018 11:05

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

No dude, don't buy no gear! It is poo poo, hail satan! If you're fine with working with DAW, just keep feasting on all the free and/or cheap VSTs that make all sorts of fart noises.

Having said that, you might find this cool little video on emulating John Carpenter sounds inspiring (if you'd actually like to go full Carpenter, you just need to grab a Prophet 5 VST and a bunch of LinnDrum samples and you're like 90% there).

Alternatively, download Dexed (the DX 7 emulator) and try to figure out FM synthesis until your mind breaks and you abandon the whole project crying before you have a chance to spend inordinate amounts of money on this venture.

# ¿ May 9, 2018 09:00

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Speaking of gear, I've been pondering getting a Yamaha Reface DX, as both babby's first FM synth with a comprehensible interface and something I can play a loving chord on. My impression is that people were initially disappointed with it due to being slightly overpriced on launch and unable to just copypaste patches from DX7, but those who got it closer to the current $300 price tend to like it. Still, I'd like to hear about any goon experiences with it.

# ¿ May 9, 2018 10:55

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Myself, I'm almost ashamed of my preference of hardware.

I mean, I'm just a beginner scrub, but despite all rational reasons pointing to sticking with a DAW and cheap/free VSTs you can use for literally infinite potential, ease of editing and cost-effectiveness. Yet, my nearly-ADHD brain bounced from them hard. Meanwhile, when I bit the bullet and tried out some cheap hardware I found it extremely fun to tinker with my Microbrute and Volca Sample, now matter how much finger twisting and obscure tricks the latter might require. It's a kind of interface preference, really, which is a bit hard to explain, as I'm sure it's objectively more convenient to slap together a beat in Ableton than to gently caress around with Volca. I guess it's some immediacy to each button press and turn of the knob that stroke a chord with me.

Having said that, please don't take this post as enabling unnecessary purchases, Sweet_Joke_Nectar, given how much you already have invested in software and samples. While getting a decent controller for your stuff is probably the best of both worlds by far, if deep down you feel this hype itch to splurge on dumb poo poo that we all know you can try channelling it towards getting some nice, relatively cheap babby's first synth, like a monologue, microbrute, reface or whatever - they won't carry your dream soundtrack on their own, but they'll provide a controlled environment to learn your poo poo, will let you know if you really care about hardware vs software and ultimately double as perfectly serviceable midi keyboards (if lacking a lot of the neat integration a dedicated midi controller might have).

# ¿ May 9, 2018 23:07

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

floatman posted:

If you're thinking about babbys first FM and don't really need the keys, have you tried a volca FM?

I thought about it due to really liking my sample (bought it as a budget drum machine, turned out to be a quirky little groovebox I can fiddle with on a bus), but I got wary of them fitting this fairly complex engine into the volca interface. I mean, with the sample as long as you mess with one part at a time, it's pretty close to WYSIWYG. Meanwhile, the FM has this tiny volca screen that shows one thing at a time and when I saw you have to turn a knob to choose an operator to then turn a knob to choose a parameter to then slide a thing while seeing only one of the information at a time I sighed, feeling I'll never figure this poo poo out past minor tweaking of presets.

Would love to the proved wrong about that though, as I've quite clicked with sample past the initial evening of figuring out the multi-function buttons and stuff!

The thing that piqued my interest in reface was precisely the interface - the ability to display an entire thing - an algorithm, an operator, an envelope - and then gently caress around with its properties feels like the base level of clarity not to be irritatingly obtuse. Then again, it's all kinda gut feelings, I don't really have the kind of cool music shop I could gently caress around with this stuff where I live.

# ¿ May 10, 2018 01:29

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Somehow I'm truly shocked every time I see an OP-1 on a stage.

# ¿ May 16, 2018 12:49

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Jesus, try to at last talk him down to a micro or mini.

Who am I kidding, we all need to get in touchpad with our kojima friends so we can by yourself mint condition used matrixbrutes for half a price.

# ¿ May 18, 2018 18:08

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Volca Beats, if you don't mind soldering a single thing.

Or Volca Sample, if you don't mind it not technically being a drum machine.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2018 07:55

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Arturia: releases Drumbrute
Everyone: yeah, I've sold mine eventually, the sounds were unexceptional and didn't really particularly fit anything I'm doing

Arturia: releases Drumbrute, but smaller
Everyone: does anyone want to buy a liver? I need cash for a new drum machine, quick

# ¿ Jul 20, 2018 08:56

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Yep, you can change that and other possibly useful stuff via secret boot control panel, like having it go up to 600 bpm.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2018 07:50

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Got my Reface DX few weeks ago and am having great time with it. However I wanted to ask if anyone remembers what was the weird quirk/lie with its envelope display exactly - I remember there being something counterintuitive about it, but I cannot find it online.

I also welcome any and all goon-approved recipes for the fattest of donks, it has become my minor obsession as I'm figuring FM out.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2018 12:38

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

https://www.jmtsynth.com/dve1?fbclid=IwAR00h-XdnL-3nLBrhrhhkVoigpkFQZbIRjQVW13vE_vBIJlhYDfaEkyUW1s

I have been left speechless with desire.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2018 12:50

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

So apparently Korg briefly shared a photo with the supposed new volcas on fb!

# ¿ Dec 29, 2018 19:28

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

The volca modular looks like a super fun little thing to tinker with, but gently caress none of the demos that dropped today make it sound any nicer than wailings of a dying robot.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2019 18:28

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Kilometers Davis posted:

I�ve considered that too but I worry it brings me too close to the option paralysis computer tied realm. I�ll dive into some YouTube videos though for sure. Thanks! I mean it would be a ton of fun to own in general.

It's frustrating, annoying way to load samples might be a feature for your kind of brain. Grab yourself a readymade sample pack that's like 4 classic drum machines put together in organized order and there'll be certain amount of effort in reloading all of them before you sink into the rabbit hole of coming up with rando singular extra sounds to cram in.

It is mad fun little thing though.

# ¿ Feb 10, 2019 22:47

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Philthy posted:

This will stop Tim from stealing poo poo for sure.

I misread this as 'stop Uli from stealing poo poo' and got very amused.

# ¿ Apr 4, 2019 01:22

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

I think the canon synthwave drum machine is LinnDrum.

# ¿ May 28, 2019 17:11

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Do you guys know any nice FM synthesis resources?

Everything I can find mostly retreads a very particular slice of introduction to FM, starting with a general overview that amounts to some basic interactions between two operators, ending with three-four examples of basic/classic sounds (piano, brass, pads, etc.) that honestly amount to explaining Yamaha-style envelopes, with the one interesting bit being that the piano is essentially made of two separate sounds. Past that, one is entirely on their own and left to reverse-engineer patches. Ain't there anything in between, nobody sharing their tips, findings and recipes for making the fattest donks, like there's lots for subtractive synthesis?

# ¿ Jun 3, 2019 18:22

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Finally got myself a recorder and holy poo poo, is this the coolest design or what?

(edited it in, awful app rebelled)

Lichtenstein fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Sep 15, 2019

# ¿ Sep 15, 2019 21:50

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Guess what one Mr. Behringer went and trademarked?

# ¿ Nov 24, 2019 00:55

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

It owns, even the built-in speakers are decent enough to be useful. About the only bad thing about it are the touch ribbons - it's not a dealbreaker by any means, they just don't work as well as they thought they would, they make you wish for a knob.

Maybe it's just me being bad (I am admittedly really, really bad), but my idea to learn it a bit better by trying to convert select madFame's DX7 patches to it (recalculate 0-100 range into 0-127, swap some 2-operator stacks for feedback doing the same thing, etc.) failed miserably, it really seems to be a different engine underneath.

# ¿ Nov 12, 2020 02:27

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Martytoof posted:

OK I'm officially "over" menu diving on the Reface DX. Is there a better workflow for patch editing? Not sure if there are knobs or things I can turn on an iPad app and just upload to the keyboard.

The keyboard and sounds are great, but I just can't get into any kind of groove editing one aspect, four buttons at a time.

Jealous of a synth that has all the guts in pushable/pullable/turnable/twistable interface right out front.

e: 1:1 knobs aren't a necessity, the DX just feels really dive-y. I'm not even sure what a happy medium would look like.

Do it on the PC. Sadly, I'm not even joking, that synth is considered to have one of the better FM interfaces. Just go look up how it works on DX7 or Volca FM and cry.

For a quick and dirty solution you might try hooking the Reface to soundmondo so you can first enter the numerical values by hand to what is essentially a nice little spreadsheet and then with the broad picture set, go back to fiddling with knobs (well, touch ribbons) to tweak particular things, like a given operator or envelope or operator balance.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2021 00:32

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 13, 2024 16:28

Lichtenstein: May 31, 2012; It'll make sense, eventually.

Batteries are cool & good, just not an excuse not to include a charger in the package anyway (looking at you, Volcas).

Volca onboard speakers are so hilariously bad it's astounding. Like they literally cannot handle a kick drum, it's past its range. On the other hand, I'm really happy with the built-in speakers on my Reface DX - sure, they're not something you'd want to play a gig with, but they're perfectly usable for doodling or knob-twiddling.

It's nice to be able to gently caress around with a synth in a park.

# ¿ May 14, 2021 11:33

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > No More Drake > Musician's Lounge > Synths and Synthesis MkII: All gear is shit, Hail Satan