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TSUNAMI · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:01 am Post subject:

Just got my paper copy of SOS ... nice review .... now i really can't wait !!!!
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13in Retina MacBook Pro, Quadcore i5 27in 8GB iMac, Logic Studio 9.1, Ableton Live9, Push, Volca Beats, Korg KRONOS 61, Korg Arp odyssey, Roland D50, Yamaha SY85, Moog Sub37, Roland TR8, Roland SP808, Korg NanoPad2, Eventide H9, Presonus 1602, Alesis M1 MkII, Yamaha APX5, Fender Splattercaster, DrumKat DK10, 1000 miles of cable !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

synthguy · Platinum Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 661

ScottB601 · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:37 pm Post subject:

The article in my May Sound on Sound is a great article on the Kronos. Recommended highly. I agree that I've never seen such an extensive article about a new product. I love it when they say that nothing compares and how they explain that the Atom processor is a good choice for this amazing thing.
Now if it would only get here.........ordered a couple weeks ago and, like many of us, I'm going slowly insane waiting for it. Got my K88 for $3549. Not too bad.

Lou · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:51 pm Post subject:

peter_schwartz · Full Member Joined: 14 Jan 2011 Posts: 206

Lou,

You could start by... reading my previous posts in this thread on FM synthesis basics! Mr. Green

And for a really really quick how-to on analog synthesis, here ya go:

All commercial analog synthesizers work on this principle...

OSC---->FILTER---->AMP
^
KEYBD TRIGGER--->ENV

You start out with a sound source: an oscillator. This component provides a pitched tone, and the sound quality of that tone is determined by which waveform shape you select. Sawtooth waves sound bright, buzzy, trumpet-like. Square waves sound hollow. Etc.

Sticking with saw and square waves... if you listened to them on their own, they'd be very bright. To temper that brightness, the output of the oscillator feeds into the input of a low pass filter. Key here is the term "low pass". When you adjust the filter's cutoff control, it will cut off the bright, buzzy highs in the sound and pass the lower frequencies.

The output of the filter feeds into an amplifier. This is not like a stereo system amplifier that boosts a signal to ear-splitting loudness. It's more like a volume control that's normally turned all the way off. Signal will pass through the amp when its volume control receives a "control signal" that causes the volume to get turned up.

The control signal typically comes in the form of an envelope generator. This component outputs a control signal that's triggered by pressing a key, and the signal rises and falls over time. You have control over the rise and fall time via its attack and decay controls, as well as sustain and release controls.

What I described above is the fundamental basis for how all commercial analog synthesizers work. In practice, there are more envelopes and all kinds of other control and sound shaping. Still, the above is the gist of how they all work. And as I mentioned in a previous post, it's also the same principle by which all romplers work too (HD-1), except here, the oscillator takes the form of sample playback.

ScottB601 · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject:

For synthesis basics as well as a few enhancements, you could also check out a video tutorial "Analog Synthesis in a Digital World" by Richard Lainhart at Macprovideo.com. A few books: "Sound Synthesis and Sampling" by Martin Russ; the old standby "Welsh's Synthesizer Cookbook: Synthesizer Programming, Sound Analysis, and Universal Patch Book" by Fred Welsh; "Power Tools for Synthesizer Programming: The Ultimate Reference for Sound Design Book/CD-ROM" by Jim Aiken.

ozy · Guest

and again my two favorites:

look on google for the following two manuals:

a) "fundamentals of music technology: the ARP 2600" by Samuel Ecoff.

It is a complete and VERY SIMPLE expalanation of WHAT every module in a synthesizer is, and what it can do, disguised as a ARP2600 manual

b) "access virus tutorial" by howard scarr.

Both are FREE, both are very well written, both go from very simple sounds to complex architectures,

the "arp 2600" is very classic and straightforward, with big pictures explaining concepts [it's a "semimodular synth for dummies" book]

the other is based on multitimbral, complex modern synth architectures (the access virus series), so it contains elements [non-lpf filters, complex envelopes, etc] which will help you with the m50.

Lou · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:44 pm Post subject:

jimknopf · Platinum Member Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Posts: 3374

EvilDragon · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:07 pm Post subject:

I've read Access Virus tutorial. Amazingly well written! I can only second the recommendation!

X-Trade · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 5:09 pm Post subject:

Lets not forget the Sound On Sound: Synth Secrets series.
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Current Gear: Kronos 61, RADIAS-R, Volca Bass, ESX-1, microKorg, MS2000B, R3, Kaossilator Pro +, MiniKP, AX3000B, nanoKontrol, nanoPad MK II,
Other Mfgrs: Moog Sub37, Roland Boutique JX03, Novation MiniNova, Akai APC40, MOTU MIDI TimePiece 2, ART Pro VLA, Focusrite Saffire Pro 40.
Past Gear: Korg Karma, TR61, Poly800, EA-1, ER-1, ES-1, Kawai K1, Novation ReMote37SL, Boss GT-6B
Software: NI Komplete 10 Ultimate, Arturia V Collection, Ableton Live 9. Apple OSX El Capitan on 15" MacBook Pro

peter_schwartz · Full Member Joined: 14 Jan 2011 Posts: 206

You're welcome Lou.

ScottB601 · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject:

ozy · Guest

ozy · Guest