Monday, December 19, 2005
Roland Jupiter 4 Samples
Title link takes you to a post by premieklovn on VSE with some really nice Jupiter 4 samples. Enjoy.
Elhardt on Synthesis
Elhardt. Some of you may recognize the name. For those of you that do, it might conjure up a number of reactions, some good some bad. : ) He has been the source of a number of controversies and one grand spectacle in the synth world - the Bahn Sage. The Bahn Sage was probably the biggest synth spoof ever. I remember spending weeks with others trying to find more on this mystery synth. A photo showed up on the net and it quickly spread, followed by more, and finally a brochure that had people whipping out their Photoshop skills to analyze in detail. In the end it was a fake; a brilliant hoax.
Now Elhardt has be showcasing his amazing programming skills by conjuring up some of the most realistic acoustic examples of real life instruments with an Alesis ION, Andromeda A6, and MOTM modular. Is it real or is it another hoax like the Sage? Who knows. I'm inclined to believe these samples are real given the attention to detail with the Bahn Sage, and replications of real world instruments by synthesists such as Wendy Carlos in the past, but you never know, do you. His samples are pretty awe inspiring (check out the links to some of my previous posts below for some examples, specifically the realistic drum set).
Another controversial perspective on synthesis from Elhardt? Knobs are not performance controllers. They are used to edit and create sounds. That's it. If you want to control sounds while playing, use the dedicated performance controllers on the synth like the mod wheels and keyboard. : ) I like to play outside of the box myself. Regardless I am impressed by Elhardt, and I do appreciate his dedication to synthesis.
Recently Elhardt sent an email to AH on his perspective on synthesis. I asked him if it would be ok for me to post it and he said yes. Enjoy. Or not. : )
Elhardt on Synthesis:
"Following are all the reasons I like to do realistic emulations of reality.
1) There is nothing interesting about playing samples. Everbody is doing that. Buy a $200 Casio and it does it. The skill of synthesis is completely missing. An artist paints a landscape, he doesn't just snap a photo of it. Sample libraries make everybody sound the same. If everybody synthesized their own acoustic sounds, everybody would have a different style.
2) Sample libraries are so insanely huge and can't even be fully used in real-time. I'd have to spend weeks sifting through 35 Gig of string samples and articulations and go through days of intense sequencer/midi programming to get them to play in a realistic manner. I'd have to use them from a computer with bug-ridden software. Major sample libraries are never complete, and constant updates suck money from you for the rest of your life. It's all going in the wrong direction.
3) I want instruments that play like physically modeled instruments. I just call up one patch and play it expressively in real-time. Simple. I also want to do instruments I can't buy samples of, or create brandnew instruments never heard before.
4) BTW, I have a lot of sample libraries, and some of the instruments suck, sometimes it's just a few notes that suck, sometimes the attacks are too slow and they can't be played fast, there are mistakes made (like clicking noises in garritans trombones, or a mono sample within stereo samples and so on), there's the repetative nature of hearing the sample recording played everytime the note is played, and so on.
5) Synthesis died in the 80's, before anybody ever pushed it to its limits. That is unsatisfying to me. When I first heard Tomita, I thought he was synthesizing virtually everything. Through the years, I found out he was using real instruments, mellotrons, and other acoustic methods in places. I want to do what he didn't. When I do a CD, I want to say I created all those sounds. As synthesists, aren't we supposed to show those snobby acoustic musicians we don't need them or their sounds?
6) Acoustic sounds are complex and hard to synthesize. It demonstrates extreme skill, knowledge of sound, and totoal control over a synthesizer to accomplish the advanced and difficult programming to acheive some of those sounds. It requires coming up with new techniques and tricks which are challenging and have never been done before. We've been hearing awful string patches, corny brass patches, cheesy drum patches for decades now. I want to push subtractive synthesis to its limits to see what it can really do, even if it were for no other reason than to say, "see", it really can be done.
7) Doing spacey synth pads and sequenced bass lines and that stuff is all nice and good, and I create many patches like those myself. But those things are relatively easy to accomplish. They don't force you into extreme patches of a 100 modules or into using a 42 band filter bank and spending weeks to acheive something nobody else can seem to do. You can't do this stuff on a Minimoog or OB-8. So as Matthew pointed out, it's mostly unexplored terrain. And doing something for the first time is more motivating to me than doing things already done.
BTW, my latest Nord violin I believe sounds better than the Synful one over certain ranges of notes. After I make two more passes through the 42 band filter bank refining it, I think I may have a better sounding violin over the entire range. Though it still won't play as smoothy. I'm also back to working on my additive string synth for the winter. The one I started working on before Synful hit the market and took some of the wind out of my sail."
Some previous posts on Elhardt:
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/08/bahn-sage.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/12/alesis-ion-ralistic-drum-kit.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-ion-demos-by-kenneth-elhardt.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-andromeda-a6-and-motm-demos-by.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-andromeda-a6-samples-by-kenneth.html
Now Elhardt has be showcasing his amazing programming skills by conjuring up some of the most realistic acoustic examples of real life instruments with an Alesis ION, Andromeda A6, and MOTM modular. Is it real or is it another hoax like the Sage? Who knows. I'm inclined to believe these samples are real given the attention to detail with the Bahn Sage, and replications of real world instruments by synthesists such as Wendy Carlos in the past, but you never know, do you. His samples are pretty awe inspiring (check out the links to some of my previous posts below for some examples, specifically the realistic drum set).
Another controversial perspective on synthesis from Elhardt? Knobs are not performance controllers. They are used to edit and create sounds. That's it. If you want to control sounds while playing, use the dedicated performance controllers on the synth like the mod wheels and keyboard. : ) I like to play outside of the box myself. Regardless I am impressed by Elhardt, and I do appreciate his dedication to synthesis.
Recently Elhardt sent an email to AH on his perspective on synthesis. I asked him if it would be ok for me to post it and he said yes. Enjoy. Or not. : )
Elhardt on Synthesis:
"Following are all the reasons I like to do realistic emulations of reality.
1) There is nothing interesting about playing samples. Everbody is doing that. Buy a $200 Casio and it does it. The skill of synthesis is completely missing. An artist paints a landscape, he doesn't just snap a photo of it. Sample libraries make everybody sound the same. If everybody synthesized their own acoustic sounds, everybody would have a different style.
2) Sample libraries are so insanely huge and can't even be fully used in real-time. I'd have to spend weeks sifting through 35 Gig of string samples and articulations and go through days of intense sequencer/midi programming to get them to play in a realistic manner. I'd have to use them from a computer with bug-ridden software. Major sample libraries are never complete, and constant updates suck money from you for the rest of your life. It's all going in the wrong direction.
3) I want instruments that play like physically modeled instruments. I just call up one patch and play it expressively in real-time. Simple. I also want to do instruments I can't buy samples of, or create brandnew instruments never heard before.
4) BTW, I have a lot of sample libraries, and some of the instruments suck, sometimes it's just a few notes that suck, sometimes the attacks are too slow and they can't be played fast, there are mistakes made (like clicking noises in garritans trombones, or a mono sample within stereo samples and so on), there's the repetative nature of hearing the sample recording played everytime the note is played, and so on.
5) Synthesis died in the 80's, before anybody ever pushed it to its limits. That is unsatisfying to me. When I first heard Tomita, I thought he was synthesizing virtually everything. Through the years, I found out he was using real instruments, mellotrons, and other acoustic methods in places. I want to do what he didn't. When I do a CD, I want to say I created all those sounds. As synthesists, aren't we supposed to show those snobby acoustic musicians we don't need them or their sounds?
6) Acoustic sounds are complex and hard to synthesize. It demonstrates extreme skill, knowledge of sound, and totoal control over a synthesizer to accomplish the advanced and difficult programming to acheive some of those sounds. It requires coming up with new techniques and tricks which are challenging and have never been done before. We've been hearing awful string patches, corny brass patches, cheesy drum patches for decades now. I want to push subtractive synthesis to its limits to see what it can really do, even if it were for no other reason than to say, "see", it really can be done.
7) Doing spacey synth pads and sequenced bass lines and that stuff is all nice and good, and I create many patches like those myself. But those things are relatively easy to accomplish. They don't force you into extreme patches of a 100 modules or into using a 42 band filter bank and spending weeks to acheive something nobody else can seem to do. You can't do this stuff on a Minimoog or OB-8. So as Matthew pointed out, it's mostly unexplored terrain. And doing something for the first time is more motivating to me than doing things already done.
BTW, my latest Nord violin I believe sounds better than the Synful one over certain ranges of notes. After I make two more passes through the 42 band filter bank refining it, I think I may have a better sounding violin over the entire range. Though it still won't play as smoothy. I'm also back to working on my additive string synth for the winter. The one I started working on before Synful hit the market and took some of the wind out of my sail."
Some previous posts on Elhardt:
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/08/bahn-sage.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/12/alesis-ion-ralistic-drum-kit.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-ion-demos-by-kenneth-elhardt.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-andromeda-a6-and-motm-demos-by.html
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2005/11/alesis-andromeda-a6-samples-by-kenneth.html
Sunday, December 18, 2005
TB-303 Package
No title link. I recently posted on the Roland TB-303 Bass Line Chordwheel. echo7even of The Electric Music Box sent the following shot of a TB-303 and all accessories. You can see the chordwheel in the shot. Sounds like he got a killer deal on this package as well. One man's garbage is another's prize. Lucky man.
"HI Matrix,
I just posted a comment about the 303 Chordwheel.. I have all the 303 Accessories.. the guy I bought it from bought it in 1983, brought it home,, HATED it and stashed it in his closet.. I found out about it several years ago but just bought it from him recently.. pretty much brand new.
attached is a pic. the pattern sheets I got arent pictured. he found them in his stack of old synth brochures.
-r"
"HI Matrix,
I just posted a comment about the 303 Chordwheel.. I have all the 303 Accessories.. the guy I bought it from bought it in 1983, brought it home,, HATED it and stashed it in his closet.. I found out about it several years ago but just bought it from him recently.. pretty much brand new.
attached is a pic. the pattern sheets I got arent pictured. he found them in his stack of old synth brochures.
-r"
Roland SH-101 Remake - Holiday Synth Project
Interesting holiday project. Mush has decided to use some of this holiday time to create a new case for his SH-101. The case will be solid oak with a new face-plate. Title link takes you to the thread on VSE with more info and pics. Can't wait to see how this turns out.
The Ambient Ping - Analogue Oil Projectors and Synths
Interesting discussion going on AH regarding analogue oil projectors. David Evans posted a link to "The Ambient Ping." Some amazing visuals. Title link takes you there.
Mystery Modular
Lester Barnes posted this on AH asking if anyone on the list knows what it is. If you do, please share. Title link takes you to more shots.
"From what I've worked out the thing has 6 VCOs with various features, 3
VCA, Noise/S+H, 3EGs with toggles for speed, 2 filters: one is Low pass or band pass with subtle cutoff slope and doesn't self oscillate with reso at max the other is a multimode but without Resonance. It also has a 3 input sum mixer, VC Reverb, VC Echo - with 3 separate echo return times and controls. VC Vowel Filter - Bloody Lovely, Equalizer, inverter Divider, Counter clock. It has a two manual keyboard each with a joystick and the cabinet has two separate keyboard control sections as well as a basic CPU ? There seems to be an input for 'GUIT' guitar ? and a din input marked 'Micro 15'
Patches are made on a 60 x 60 patch matrix and there are ten output faders as destinations on the row E - 5 for Left and 5 for Right -
The most unusual thing and the thing I haven't sussed out yet is the functions of the Sequencer: Its a 3 x 10 analogue sequencer. rows A+B are clocked together but row C can travel at any subdivision of the upper rows clock speed. As you'll see in Picture 3 on the link, at the far right of the cabinet are 4 groups of 4 controls - each group has a Left and Right control and two dials above - - in picture 4 you'll see another 10x10 patch matrix which has something to do with the 10 stages of the the sequencer and L+R outputs of each of these groups of four dial named GC,CY, CC,B and 58 - putting a patch pin into column 4 row 1 produces a beep clocked every time the sequencer passes stage 4 but altering the the voltage on that stage of the sequencer has no effect on the beep. One of the unknown controls above the L+R of GC alters the gate time of the beep - the other seems to alter the pitch - I have no idea what this is for. Row CY has a multi-step dial and toggles .. . ?"
"From what I've worked out the thing has 6 VCOs with various features, 3
VCA, Noise/S+H, 3EGs with toggles for speed, 2 filters: one is Low pass or band pass with subtle cutoff slope and doesn't self oscillate with reso at max the other is a multimode but without Resonance. It also has a 3 input sum mixer, VC Reverb, VC Echo - with 3 separate echo return times and controls. VC Vowel Filter - Bloody Lovely, Equalizer, inverter Divider, Counter clock. It has a two manual keyboard each with a joystick and the cabinet has two separate keyboard control sections as well as a basic CPU ? There seems to be an input for 'GUIT' guitar ? and a din input marked 'Micro 15'
Patches are made on a 60 x 60 patch matrix and there are ten output faders as destinations on the row E - 5 for Left and 5 for Right -
The most unusual thing and the thing I haven't sussed out yet is the functions of the Sequencer: Its a 3 x 10 analogue sequencer. rows A+B are clocked together but row C can travel at any subdivision of the upper rows clock speed. As you'll see in Picture 3 on the link, at the far right of the cabinet are 4 groups of 4 controls - each group has a Left and Right control and two dials above - - in picture 4 you'll see another 10x10 patch matrix which has something to do with the 10 stages of the the sequencer and L+R outputs of each of these groups of four dial named GC,CY, CC,B and 58 - putting a patch pin into column 4 row 1 produces a beep clocked every time the sequencer passes stage 4 but altering the the voltage on that stage of the sequencer has no effect on the beep. One of the unknown controls above the L+R of GC alters the gate time of the beep - the other seems to alter the pitch - I have no idea what this is for. Row CY has a multi-step dial and toggles .. . ?"
Roland TB-303 Bass Line Chrodwheel
Now this is something I've never seen before. A chordwheel for the TB-303. Title link takes you to the acution for this. Image and text saved below for when the auction dissapears. Click the image for a larger version.
"The ULTIMATE TB-303 rarity!!
I've not seen one of these for sale on ebay before. This particular one stayed behind when the original Roland TB-303 Bass Line (bought for around £100 from London Rock shop) was sold on in 1985 for £50! It has spent the last 20 years packed away in some music equipment documents.
This is the one to have to complete your set.
The top rarity, rarer than the TB-303 pattern data sheets that Roland issued at the time.
Go for it!"
"The ULTIMATE TB-303 rarity!!
I've not seen one of these for sale on ebay before. This particular one stayed behind when the original Roland TB-303 Bass Line (bought for around £100 from London Rock shop) was sold on in 1985 for £50! It has spent the last 20 years packed away in some music equipment documents.
This is the one to have to complete your set.
The top rarity, rarer than the TB-303 pattern data sheets that Roland issued at the time.
Go for it!"
Korg EX-mas Shot and Sample
Thought this was a nice X-mas shot of a Korg EX-800 (desktop Poly-800) up for sale. Title link takes you to an mp3 posted in the auction. As usual, I have no affiliation, just like the shot.
Carbon111 on Analog Industries Gear P*rn Friday
Title link takes you to Analog Industries post. Cool to see Carbon111 featured.
Synth Books
No title link. With the recent book posts for Essential Retro and Real World Digital Audio, I thought I should put up a list of synth books. A friend of mine joined the Amazon affiliate program and started putting up book ads in posts where he reviewed the particular book. I actually liked the look of the ads because they include a small snapshot of the book. So, I figure why not. I joined and added a few of my favorites to the right pane (just scroll down and look for the books on the right). I also found one I hadn't heard of before called "Quick Guide to Analog Synthesis." Anyone know if this one is any good?
BTW, if you know of any others I should add to the list on the right, please post them in the comments below and I'll put them up. I checked Amazon for A-Z of Analog Synthesis but surprisingly it wasn't there. BTW, I don't want to limit the list to just ads, so if you have any links for synth books not on Amazon or other, send them my way. I just think it would be cool to have a list of all synth books on the right. And yes the Amazon ones are ads, no trickery there on my part. And obviously, if you are interested in picking up one or more of these books, feel free to support my site by ordering through one of these links. : )
Update via Peter Forrest in the comments below : )
"Hi all - very nice to be a toilet stalwart! I'm Peter Forrest, writer of the A-Z books. Sorry, but Amazon demanded such a ridiculous price to stock my books that I won't do it through them. Luckily you can buy them direct through me if you want :o) The easiest way is to email me at pforrest@vemia.co.uk, and I'll send you the details. I also still have some copies of the Synthesizer Museum books (and videos if anyone wants a nice retro original vintage 90s etc. etc. version of Bob Moog's speech and a bunch of incredible synths)."
BTW, if you know of any others I should add to the list on the right, please post them in the comments below and I'll put them up. I checked Amazon for A-Z of Analog Synthesis but surprisingly it wasn't there. BTW, I don't want to limit the list to just ads, so if you have any links for synth books not on Amazon or other, send them my way. I just think it would be cool to have a list of all synth books on the right. And yes the Amazon ones are ads, no trickery there on my part. And obviously, if you are interested in picking up one or more of these books, feel free to support my site by ordering through one of these links. : )
Update via Peter Forrest in the comments below : )
"Hi all - very nice to be a toilet stalwart! I'm Peter Forrest, writer of the A-Z books. Sorry, but Amazon demanded such a ridiculous price to stock my books that I won't do it through them. Luckily you can buy them direct through me if you want :o) The easiest way is to email me at pforrest@vemia.co.uk, and I'll send you the details. I also still have some copies of the Synthesizer Museum books (and videos if anyone wants a nice retro original vintage 90s etc. etc. version of Bob Moog's speech and a bunch of incredible synths)."
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© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
