ben m
Joined: 15 Sep 2002
Posts: 337
Location: UK |
| Week 4 - Synthesizers 1 |
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Hello again,
ok, so we now have 2 weeks of Synthesizers to get through.
Again, you'll have a number of questions to answer. I would like to set you something practical to try later in the week.
However before I do this, I need to know if you all have or have access to VST compatible hosts (i.e. Cubase, Logic, Sonar etc)
Anyhow, on with the questions.
We'll start off with the basics and then later in the week get a bit more complex:
 Define the following terms within the synthesis discipline;
Oscillators (N)
Filters (D)
Envelopes and Amplifiers (A)
LFOs (M)
Multitimbral (N)
Polyphony (D)
Velocity Zones (A)
ADSR Curves (M)
Unlike the RT questions, I would like reasonably in-depth answers here, but still concise. Again, your own words are preferable to cutting and pasting, although by all means post any useful links here for your fellow students.
Once these are answered (Wed at the latest pref) we can start to delve a little deeper.
Good Luck.
_________________
ben@audiocourses.com |
Mon Mar 24, 2003 9:28 am |
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MIKE_NOSTRADAMUS
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 163
Location: Northfork Recording Studios |
| Define the following terms within the synthesis discipline |
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http://www.muon-software.com/html/softsynths_explained.html
http://www.creativesynth.com/indepth/003_ReaktorSynth/Reaktor_02.html
from Rane
Filter: Any of various electric, electronic, acoustic, or optical devices used to reject signals, vibrations, or radiation of certain frequencies while passing others. Think sieve: pass what you want, reject all else. For audio use the most common electronic filter is a bandpass filter, characterized by three parameters: center frequency, amplitude (or magnitude), and bandwidth. Bandpass filters form the heart of audio graphic equalizers and parametric equalizers.
In our case we need to keep certain unwanted sounds out of our recordings.You may find these on the mixing desk,dual 31 band equalizers
bass boost,. |
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Tue Mar 25, 2003 12:15 am |
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MIKE_NOSTRADAMUS
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 163
Location: Northfork Recording Studios |
| reply for ADSR |
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http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/dec99/articles/synthsecrets.htm
http://www.computermusic.co.uk/tutorial/a_sforbeg/asynth2.asp
http://www.syntiac.com/syntiac_basics1.html
http://www.reasonsound.com/synth.htm basic dictionary
http://jmullan.visi.com/~stan/?topic=glossary
ADSR generators after the four phases. Here's what they do:
Attack: This is the length of time required for the sound to reach its initial maximum volume. Obviously it will be very short for a percussive sound.
Decay: This is what happens immediately after a sound hits its maximum volume level in the attack phase. It's the time taken for the volume to reach a second volume level known as the sustain level.
Sustain: This is not a length of time but a volume level at which the sound sustains after the decay phase. In most sounds is it lower than the attack volume, but it could be the same or even higher. Usually, it's the volume at which a sound plays while a key is being held down. This phase can, theoretically, last forever - or at least until you get tired of holding down the key.
Release: This is the final phase, again measured in time, and is the time it takes the volume to reduce to zero.
Just to confuse matters - but only slightly - a sound does not have to have all four phases. A woodblock, for example only has an attack phase and a decay phase. An organ has an attack phase, a sustain phase and a release phase but no decay phase. As well as ADSR generators, some synths, such as SynC Modular, have an AD (Attack/Decay) generator. |
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Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:37 am |
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Aidan
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 38
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ENVELOPES AND AMPLIFIERS:
The harmonic structure of an instrument changes over time and the way we describe the change is to describe its envelope.Envelope controls on a synthesizer shape the sound by modulating the amplitude and filter settings.An envelope generator normally controls the loudness of a sound and has four parts:Attack,Decay,Sustain & Release.
An Amplifier amplifies or increases the sound generated by an oscillator.It would have a control input to affect the level of amplification and which is driven by an envelope or low frequency oscillator.
VELOCITY ZONES:
Velocity is the rate at which a key is depressed and would be used on a synthesizer to control loudness or other parameters.A zone would be the area where theses controls are stored. |
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Tue Mar 25, 2003 10:13 pm |
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resol69
Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 69
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| Re: Week 4 - Synthesizers 1 |
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quote:
Originally posted by ben m
Hello again,
ok, so we now have 2 weeks of Synthesizers to get through.
Again, you'll have a number of questions to answer. I would like to set you something practical to try later in the week.
However before I do this, I need to know if you all have or have access to VST compatible hosts (i.e. Cubase, Logic, Sonar etc)
Ben,
Pro Tools is comptiable with Emagic Logic Audio VST and
Steinberg Cubase VST. Will that work?
Nancy |
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Wed Mar 26, 2003 8:45 pm |
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resol69
Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 69
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| nancy |
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Define the following terms within the synthesis discipline;
Oscillators (N)
Multitimbral (N)
Oscillators
are the main source of sound in a synthesizer, they generate waveforms. The waveforms are then routed to filters and other modules for modification.
The frequency (pitch) of the oscillator is controlled by voltage levels from devices such as keyboards or other oscillators. Both linear and 1/volt per octave exponential inputs are provided and each can be scaled by panel controls. A manual Range switch selects 5 octaves plus a Low range for modulation frequencies (.05hz to 25hz). A manual Frequency control allows adjustment over one octave. The five waveforms available simultaneously are SINE, TRIANGLE, SAW, RAMP, and PULSE. The width of the PULSE waveform can be modulated by an external source and adjusted manually. A hard sync input is also provided which allows several oscillators to be synchronized to prevent beating. From what I could tell, beating would sound like chorusing or reverb?
Multitimbral
means the synth can play more than one sound at a time. Say a synth was 16-part multitimbral.it could play 16 different sounds simultaneously. For example the synth can simulate 16 different instruments at the same time. You also have individual controls for all 16 parts. |
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Wed Mar 26, 2003 8:55 pm |
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ben m
Joined: 15 Sep 2002
Posts: 337
Location: UK |
| Pro Tools and VSTi |
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quote:
Originally posted by resol69
Ben,
Pro Tools is comptiable with Emagic Logic Audio VST and
Steinberg Cubase VST. Will that work?
Nancy
Hey Nancy,
I'm not 100% sure it will as even though Pro Tools can be driven from another front-end (i.e. Logic), I'm not sure it adheres to the VST protocol. What you need to do is see if your system can run VSTis (VST Instruments) I'm pretty sure that VSTis are not supported in the current versions of PT, but I have a feeling that Digidesign will add this in the next revision.
If you/your studio/your boyfriend have Cubase/Logic/Sonar etc then it could be run on that.
However, if you dont have access to a VST compatible host don't worry, we'll sort something else out.
Alternatively, you may be able to download a free demo of one of the above apps, but it may be a fairly big file that would require a cable connection to prevent you dying from boredom.
Cheers,
ben m
_________________
ben@audiocourses.com |
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Wed Mar 26, 2003 9:19 pm |
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resol69
Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 69
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| VST |
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Hi Ben,
Well, it seems are the studios I know are Pro Tools snobs. The demo versions of Cubase and and Sonar have the save function disabled. I'm assuming we need to save a file and submit it?
These programs are a little pricey to buy. Do you know of something else that would do the same thing that's less expensive?
Thanks,
Nancy |
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Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:36 pm |
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Aidan
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 38
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Nancy
I remembered an article sometime ago in Sound on Sound regarding Pro Tools and VST plug ins and I had a quick look a minute ago.Theres an article in July 2002 of Sound on sound,www.sospubs.co.uk which explains how to do this.Im at work at present so Ive not read the article but it might help you.
Regards
Aidan |
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Thu Mar 27, 2003 4:00 pm |
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