Number one, I need a break! As I mentioned in a previous blog, I took a few days just to refresh my ears and break the tedium. My usual process involves more listening than looking at algorithms. Why, aside from the obvious? Thor and DX7 do not handle the same. The settings are so radically different between the two that the ear has to be the ultimate judge when a patch sounds "right." The problem is that the DX7 patches are full of variations, sometimes using completely different algorithms to get the same kinds of sounds. So after repeating the same settings and routings across multiple patches, trying to differentiate between similar-sounding patches, and creating variation among patches that are too similar-sounding, the ear is exhausted. I actually find on some days I need to sit around, turn the brain off, and only passively listen. I also found sitting in a quiet room to be refreshing. I sometimes think I can hear the sonic energy of the day slowly dissipating, fading echoes of all the sounds of the day. I'm constantly surrounded by sound, whether I'm listening to a piano student, engaging in conversation, watching a movie, making a new instrument, trying to keep my kids from killing each other, or even sleeping. I actually have trouble sleeping without a box fan on. Yes, I even require noise to fall asleep! The ears never get a break. So I need some time to clear my head before I listen to new sounds.
Number two: I've learned a few lessons and tricks along the way. Big example is Thor can't reproduce the same feedback loops as the DX7. There are a few options, though. I typically like to route an oscillator to itself, preferably with 0 FM amount and modulating its own pitch. This makes the pitch highly unstable, but it can be partially rectified with keyboard scaling. Also, the effect has to be very subtle. Such a low level can't be effective across the entire keyboard. The effect can also be enhanced by allowing just a little of the self-oscillating signal to leak into the mix rather than strictly using it to modulate another oscillator. This happens because in FM, part of the modulator signal is present in the waveform. You can get closer to a true DX7-style FM sound by mixing the signal of a self-modulated oscillator with the rest of the oscillators, even oscillators that are modified by another.
Number three: Oscillators that modulate the pitch or FM frequency of others create pitch instability and upward shift (downward if using negative values, which we never do). For solution, see Number Two.
Number four: Due to issues with Two and Three, oscillators can mod themselves or each other at such high extremes as to create some characteristically colored noise effects. This is useful for drums and other sound effects related to noise, such as the Train patch.
Number five: The DX7 often includes sets of operators that are almost identical except for subtle detuning. This is modeled after analog detuning and can be replicated using the chorus effect in Thor. Seriously, if it's not necessary to detune pairs of oscillators, why bother? Another approach is taking advantage of the pitch instability of oscillators routed to each other or themselves. I love doing this! But the main idea here is it's not always necessary to use all three oscillators to replicate DX7 patches. If all it takes are two FM oscillators to get the sound you want (or even just one), that opens up the patch for more complexity--such as mixing a percussive bell sound and a pad, or even two completely different timbres. Patches such as the tubular bells, any kind of chime patch, chime/bell patches with flute, strings, and synth pad, are just begging to be tweaked. Every chance you get, look for detuned operators that only serve the purpose of chorusing effects. That will allow for a tight, economical approach to patching which will open you up to new possibilities.
Number six: Use the second filter as a 4th sine oscillator. Avoid using this too often, but don't be afraid to use it when it comes up. Technically, of course, it's possible to add filter 1 as an oscillator as well. I prefer to leave this alone because I may want filter 1 for timbre variation. We tend to associate FM timbres with bright, metallic, cold, digital kinds of sounds, but DX7 presets typically (not stereotypically) are very dark, warm sounds. Feedback loops get a nice analog-like sound. So it's not fair to dwell on the percussive bell and electric piano sounds when there are so many different possibilities. In fact, the DX7 was sold on the idea that its sounds were life-like, more so than analog synths. Unfortunately, with some of the odd routings in pure Thor FM patches, this concept is completely lost and we have to rely on filters to regain some of that warmth. So while using filter 1 is possible, I think it's better to leave it alone. I also don't stress overusing filter 2 as a 4th oscillator because sufficient care should be taken that Thor's resources are used wisely. But I also recognize that many DX7 algorithms leave you with little choice. It's a nice option to have if you need it.
Number seven: In relation to my points about feedback loops, using the shaper is also an option. At issue here is the shaper changes the timbre of all voices summed, which can make for nice guitar distortion. So while this works for some sounds, it doesn't work for all, and care should be taken if using the signal from the shaper as a modulation source.
Number eight: Certain algorithms are best reproduced by splitting them apart and using the sum of the halves to express the full timbre of the original DX7 program. For example if you have this algorithm: A+B:C where A and B are modulators and C is the carrier, you can plug the value of A:C into oscillator 1 and B:C in oscillator 2. This is cool because it allows greater control of FM amounts with your envelopes. The result are often, in my opinion, much richer than the original DX7 and could make for some nice evolving lead and pad sounds.
Those are some of my observations on what has been happening so far. I've resisted the temptation to create variations of these patches. There are just so many possibilities! I do look forward to finishing the next two ROMs, at which point I will refine my current library and create variations on the work that's been done. I really want this to be a good thing, so it really will be fast and furious back to work after I take some time off. I really can't wait!
On to other news...
I've been too content with gigging my computer. That's not likely to stop any time soon with Mainstage having become absolutely critical to what I do playing in a band. But I've gotten too addicted to software samplers for live use.
Here are some drawbacks to soft samplers onstage: Along with processor power used in running a soft sampler, the samples themselves take up a lot of memory. This isn't a problem if your MBP has 4GB RAM installed, but I only have 2GB. Mainstage 2 is decidedly fatter in terms of memory usage than the previous version. Something must change. There are two options here: Create low memory samples and treat them like basic waveforms the same way the big workstations do. Or you can buy a hardware sampler and do the same thing, just take all the number crunching off the computer and have Mainstage do all the patch changes in performance. I've already saved a lot of my resources by moving a lot of what I used to do in Mainstage to Reason. I'm also already putting my sounds to use. While I do like Logic's version of the B3, the FM version I made in Thor isn't half bad. I simply added a Leslie sim to the appropriate channel strip in Mainstage and I'm off and running. I'm thinking now towards doing the same thing, only in a hardware environment.
I took the plunge today and bought a cheap Akai S2000 off eBay today. It's a well-known fact I'm broke, so I'm really careful about these kinds of things. It was a steal! I had to jump on it. So here's the challenge: Develop a library of sounds for a machine with only 32MB of RAM. In a previous life, I thought working under these conditions was totally unacceptable. But the truth is that a good programmer ought to be able to get all the information he needs in a couple of seconds and use the sampling hardware as a synthesizer, molding and shaping the sound the same way anyone else would with a conventional synthesizer. There are certain kinds of sounds I need to produce, and it just can't be done without sampling. So it's a very exciting time. I may be taking the week off next week from designing sounds in Thor, but there will be plenty other work to do.
I also want to say that I'm not without a few secret weapons, at least one which should be here in the next few weeks hopefully. One of those is the Casiotone MT-205. It doesn't have a lot of different sounds on it, but it does have the key sounds you need in a performance or studio setting. To me, that makes it a must-have in a sampling environment.
Eventually I hope to get to some acoustic pianos, electric guitars, and so on. I've got this cheap bass guitar that is very unique-sounding. That thing will work its way into my rig at some point. I also have an extensive collection of bass clarinet sounds I think would be useful. And then there's this pipe organ I really want to get my hands on. All in good time!
I'll blog again after I've done some work. I'm really having fun with this, but it's time for a break. I can't wait for some time off so I can get started on the new patches.
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