Synthesis
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pinkosandy
- anonymaus
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:30 am
Synthesis
I'm sure you all know more about synthesis than I do. For the life of me, I can't figure out what kind of oscillator wave(s) John is using on tracks like Episode. Absolutely gorgeous... the quick attack string-like arpeggios at the beginning are so bright. It's probably right in front of my face as I'm noodling around with wavetables, but I thought I'd ask regardless.
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golddust
- anonymaus
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 4:39 pm
Re: Synthesis
Hi, I like trying to figure this stuff out (not to say that I'm actually GOOD at it) so I'll hazard a guess here.
Ok, SO... not sure what you're using and I am not really familiar with wavetable synthesis and putting aside that this may just be a preset AND assuming that Mr Maus used his fancy modular (so subtractive synthesis) I'd say:
This is a fairly pure harmonic wave - Triangle or maybe even a Sine wave - rather than a Sawtooth or Pulse
Run through an "open" filter (cutoff turned way up) but not a lot of resonance (although probably some) - also probably not a lot of the EG on the filter just a bit of positive going for some "bite"/emphasis at the initial trigger. (Could also be a high pass filter rather than low pass since there's not a lot of bass in there.)
EG for the Amplitude - 0 on the attack, short to medium decay, little to no sustain*, high release to get that long tail after the initial bell like tone.
No LFO or other modulation.
There could also be a 2nd oscillator mixed under this, too. If so I don't think it would be detuned significantly (maybe a few cents) but it could be any waveform giving some emphasis/flavor to the first osc.
Maybe I'll try to recreate it when i get home and if I'm way off I'll update this.
*hard to tell since it's played with a "staccato" gate - there doesn't seem to be any need for sustain though
Ok, SO... not sure what you're using and I am not really familiar with wavetable synthesis and putting aside that this may just be a preset AND assuming that Mr Maus used his fancy modular (so subtractive synthesis) I'd say:
This is a fairly pure harmonic wave - Triangle or maybe even a Sine wave - rather than a Sawtooth or Pulse
Run through an "open" filter (cutoff turned way up) but not a lot of resonance (although probably some) - also probably not a lot of the EG on the filter just a bit of positive going for some "bite"/emphasis at the initial trigger. (Could also be a high pass filter rather than low pass since there's not a lot of bass in there.)
EG for the Amplitude - 0 on the attack, short to medium decay, little to no sustain*, high release to get that long tail after the initial bell like tone.
No LFO or other modulation.
There could also be a 2nd oscillator mixed under this, too. If so I don't think it would be detuned significantly (maybe a few cents) but it could be any waveform giving some emphasis/flavor to the first osc.
Maybe I'll try to recreate it when i get home and if I'm way off I'll update this.
*hard to tell since it's played with a "staccato" gate - there doesn't seem to be any need for sustain though
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pinkosandy
- anonymaus
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:30 am
Re: Synthesis
Ah, brilliant! If this doesn't do the trick, the way you've worded it is very informative! For kicks, here's what I was working with:
It's a lovely sound, but not nearly as bright. It's also my first stab at Serum; I'd been using Minimonsta and Oddity before this.
Do you make music?
It's a lovely sound, but not nearly as bright. It's also my first stab at Serum; I'd been using Minimonsta and Oddity before this.
Do you make music?
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golddust
- anonymaus
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 4:39 pm
Re: Synthesis
I finally got a chance to test this tonight - I was wrong on the oscillator waveform after all.
It should be a sawtooth or ramp - not a triangle or sine :limpyroll:
Also no "close" detuning - there may be more than one osc though - maybe at octaves??
The other stuff is relatively accurate - the delay and release are going to vary depending on what you're using so adjust as sounds good
It should be a sawtooth or ramp - not a triangle or sine :limpyroll:
Also no "close" detuning - there may be more than one osc though - maybe at octaves??
The other stuff is relatively accurate - the delay and release are going to vary depending on what you're using so adjust as sounds good