I've been away from blogging for a while for different reasons. One reason is that my MBP is fixed and I've resumed using it. Partly due to that is the distraction (ironically) of having a computer that works so well--maybe too well. Another reason hand-in-hand with the distraction is not being able to keep focused on programming. Some of the tasks are too repetitive and mind-numbing. I think what happens is I get used to hearing these patches. Even with the DX7, many of these patches are simply variations of others more or less complicated. Thor fails at accurate representation of them. My tendency is to rebuild each patch from the beginning rather than recycling similar patches. It's good for practice. But it's frustrating when working through 6 different guitar patches and they all start to sound the same.
The way to combat this problem for me is to stop relying on the visual part of the software, shut off my brain, and listen while making adjustments. That helps me come up with unique-sounding patches that may not necessarily have been what I was going for but still sound great. For example, I came up with a guitar patch while attempting to model a DX7 patch in a series of guitar patches. I decided I liked what I'd come up with even though it didn't sound exactly like the DX7. Mine was rough and edgy compared to the mellow DX7. The next DX7 patch was rough and edgy, however. I started out modeling that sound and then tweaked some of the FM and routing amounts to mellow it out. So those two are opposite their DX7 counterparts. But so what? Now I have some interesting guitar patches.
I realized at that point I had to get away, effectively giving my ears a vacation. I was ahead of schedule at the time. I'd love to have kept going, but it was just too much. And I did continue with other work--I programmed some pipe organ patches for the Korg T2 at church and spent another entire day programming the new version of Mainstage (Rewire compatible so I can go live with my Reason instruments). But as of last night, it's back to work. After this blog, I'll have only 11 patches to go before I get to my halfway point.
So here we go.
In FM8, I'm looking at Harp 2. In comparison with Harp 1, there's much more op detuning here. My first instinct is to use chorus, but I think I have a better way for our purposes. Op A has a feedback loop. The approximate ratios are 3:3:1 for the first stack. I'm thinking ahead to how I'm going to create this in Thor, so my first impression is that I'll have to use two FM pairs for this part. The ratios for the second stack are 3:2:1. This is making me nervous. I'm used to converting filter 2 into a 4th sine oscillator, but this is typically done as a sub oscillator, a fundamental, or an octave. I don't see an easier way. Filter 2 will have to be at the top of the chain. Otherwise, ignoring the detuning issues, I expect this to be a fairly easy patch.
One little note: Unlike my prior modus operandus, I want the detuning aspect of sound design as a central idea of this patch.
In FM8, I can see that Op A serves as the percussive, attack transient for this patch. I've already made up my mind that this stack will need two oscillators due to Op A's feedback loop. So I'm starting with Osc. 1 with FM amount all the way down to 0, carrier 3. The routing for this is standard procedure by now, though this one will have a little more kick. The router allows for two scaling options, so I'm taking it. In the 3rd router section, set Osc1 as source, Osc1 pitch, Scale 1 Key Note (full range), Scale 2 Mod Envelope. This is necessary because in a true feedback loop, the effects are heard proportionally to the level of the signal. As the level drops off, the signal returns to a sine wave. Scaling amounts should be 100 for KeyNote and 91 for ModEnv. I set MG D 65.3 ms. Osc1 amount is 44. While this works nicely, my ears want to hear a little bit richer sound than a simple sine wave. Change the osc1 mod to 3, amt 4. I can use FM amt to enhance this attack, so route MG to osc1 FM amt, amount 47. That will give you a nice percussion sound.
So Osc1 will mod Osc2 FM Frequency--in this case there's no way around it because of the feedback loop. So what we need to do first is make sure that Osc2 already has the kind of sound we want. It needs to have a nice acoustic guitar sound--a bit on the mellow side. Set the ratio 3:1 for that classic FM guitar sound. You could route MG to Osc2 FM amt, but I don't think that's necessary--and not really what I'm going for. There is a difference between Op B and Op C envelopes, but not enough for me to be concerned. The FM amount should be just enough to work, so I set this for 8.
Now route Osc1 to Osc2 FM frequency. This could be scaled with KeyNote and/or Mod envelope. This time, however, I want to take advantage of the pitch instability caused by routing oscillators to each other. Simply turn up the amount to 25.
We want something similar to happen in our second stack, except this time we want a more "core" harp sound.
First we need a 4th oscillator. Route osc. 2 to filter 2. Additionally you can route osc. 1 here as well. Here's the tricky part: The filter has to be tuned an octave+5th above the fundamental. I start this by tuning to the fundamental and working up from there. The following settings should be automatic by now: Cutoff 260 Hz, Res 127, env/vel 0, kbd 127. Now, just by doing simple math and multiplying our fundamental frequency 260 Hz by 3, you should have the correct tuning frequency for the filter: 780 Hz. The problem now is that Thor doesn't allow tuning this precise. One click too low sounds grossly out of tune while one click too high sounds like an overused chorus effect. We don't have much of a choice, do we? I say go with the higher frequency: 815 Hz. We have to take some comfort in that this is only a small component of our sound. Everything is important, of course, no matter how small or subtle. And since detuning is a big part of this patch, this one "flaw" might actually help us.
Route Filter 2 to Osc. 3 FM Frequency, amount 11, scale with MG, amount 54. The idea is balancing the modulation effect with scaling to produce a subtle percussive brightness to the sound. Ideally this would sound a bit more like a xylophone, but all we have is all we have. Osc3 is 2:1. Set the FM amount to 2. Route MG to osc. 3 fm amount, amount 50.
At this point we're really finished. I made a few tweaks here and there. For one, I have all 3 oscillators routed to filter 1, balance favoring oscillator 2, and 1+2 level way down in relation to osc. 3. I have a LPF on filter 1 to take a little of the edge off the sound. I want to be true to the harp timbre, so a lot of added chorus isn't going to help anything.
So there you go! Another patch using a 4th oscillator and some very subtle routings. Enjoy!
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