synths and...

clipperer · Post by **clipperer** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:48 am

.... hey geeks.

i want to build synths and effects and control em and........ things like that

i was lookin' into max/msp , reaktor , virsyn tera
but everytime i start diging deeper i get frustrated extremely fast.
they all seem so tricky..at the moment..
i dont know so much it seems.
so thats why i write here , i wanna ask if i should know scripting etc to program synths ?
what else should know?

any help would be great

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:07 am

without even being a synth builder myself, i can vouch for reaktor. i initially got interested because of the synth building potential but soon realized i'd rather not get that deep into it, and just write the music. however, the huge array of instrument and effects that come with reaktor 5 is absolutely amazing and there are endless synth possibilities without even building anything, especially when you take the user library into account. it's staggering! so i'd say it's quite worth it, and from there you could slowly learn to piece together your own ensembles by learning from others, and using bigger building blocks at first. it's definitely quite complex, but how deep you go is up to you.
The other thing is, as far as designing your own sounds, if you find full blown modular synth design a little too intimidating (as i do), you could always look into the semi-modular stuff like absynth.

all the best,

grb

atomic · Post by **atomic** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:07 am

you may want to look into Tassman it is slightly more friendly and still alows you to "build" things. As for reaktor DAM it is big and scary, I just bought it a few weeksk ago and am totaly overwhelmed.

peace

clipperer · Post by **clipperer** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:15 am

thanx. ill check tassman

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:23 am

...but then again. If you really want to build your own synths and FX - you'd have to expect (and appreciate) it to be complicated. If you just want your bog standard 3 VCO, dual filter, 2 LFO synth - there's plenty made already.

Yep - I bought Reaktor 5... I've not even scratched the surface. The library is so cool and inspiring. If you like something with not-so-low-level modules - go hardware. Try Clavias Modular series. The Micro Modular would be a good starting point. I have the G2 and it's actually quite easy to program. But, yes, it's hardware and might not be what your looking for.

Cheers,
Mikael

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:04 am

When I first tried to get into reaktor (back then it was called generator) I made the mistake of immediately trying to build a masterpiece from scratch.

I recently got Reaktor5 (and electronicInstruments vol2.) and this time, I decided to do the best mod I could think of, that is, I recycled module settings and structural designs to shape something new. I can honestly say that I have no intentions of ever doing a synth, unless I think of something truly genious.

So: My first real instrument in Reaktor is an 8-slot real-time granular sampler with a couple of highly modified effect units strapped on.

it's extremely compact, since it's made for live performance, and I need to be able to get to everything without flipping through pages or scrolling-

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:36 am

it's extremely compact

Looks cool!

/Mikael

clipperer · Post by **clipperer** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:07 am

yye.. looks nice indeed. id like to hear it too...

leonard · Post by **leonard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:47 am

clipperer wrote:.... hey geeks.

i want to build synths and effects and control em and........ things like that

i was lookin' into max/msp , reaktor , virsyn tera
but everytime i start diging deeper i get frustrated extremely fast.
they all seem so tricky..at the moment..
i dont know so much it seems.
so thats why i write here , i wanna ask if i should know scripting etc to program synths ?
what else should know?

any help would be great

First and foremost, you need to know synthesis and analysis techniques (and [pooh] maths *sigh*). music.dsp is good, google will tell you where else you need to go.

Please, DO NOT *buy* any graphical "programming" tools. If plugging together graphical modules is what you want, download PD. Supercollider is great for text based audio programming. Don't be afraid of it. It is exactly the same as PD or MAX/MSP or Reaktor, but uses words instead of pictures to describe what you want it to do. Reaktor will not give you the opportunity to construct your own low level ugens (Unit Generators in SC speak, Externals (?) I think its called in PD, fuck knows what MAX calls it). Although I think the new core architechture in R5 gives you pretty low level access to the synthesis etc. Something to take into consideration with R5 though is, as far as I've become aware, is there is no (complex) fourier analysis.

Before you get into all this though, you need to learn about synthesis. All these tools will be useless if you don't know what they do, or what you want to do with it. At this time, google is indeed your friend.

leonard · Post by **leonard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:52 am

what I meant to get at there, was.....

Theory is the most important thing. The implementation is secondary, if you know what I mean.

zenke · Post by **zenke** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:22 pm

How about looking at the Nord Modular. By that I mean the first version. You can pick them up really cheaply 2nd hand particulary the micro nord and I think they are a great way to not only learn synthesis but also build some great instruments. there are also thousands of patches available to download which you can use but also to learn from.
I know it has no sampling/granular etc but its a thought as a good starting point.
if you go here
http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/
you will find some good workshops.
z

leonard · Post by **leonard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:54 pm

zenke wrote:How about looking at the Nord Modular. By that I mean the first version. You can pick them up really cheaply 2nd hand particulary the micro nord and I think they are a great way to not only learn synthesis but also build some great instruments. there are also thousands of patches available to download which you can use but also to learn from.
I know it has no sampling/granular etc but its a thought as a good starting point.
if you go here
http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/
you will find some good workshops.
z

please dont take this the wrong way. But does that cost money? For me personally (I'm a tight arse, I won't spend money on anything unless its worth it) learning about synthesis and the modular architechtures which accompany it can be done for free, with the "programs" which I outlined above. Live is a different story, because it is a "conglomerator" (read: "everythingtogetherator"), it cant be got for free (unless by unscrupulous means). Sure, you could build something like it in PD or whatever, but who wants to spend 2 years programming something like that in whatever audio library they choose just for the sake of some geek chic?

I've just justified somethingthere, but I'm not sure what.
Where am I?

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:01 pm

so you would actually recommend PD as a starting point for someone who has said that he finds reaktor "tricky"? Surely not?

leonard · Post by **leonard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:29 pm

duplicate 1: I hate dial-up.

leonard · Post by **leonard** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:34 pm

duplicate 2: 10 minutes later.

(I really need to stop being such a tight arse and get a decent connection).

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