On this thread, we like synthesisers.

[glitch hiker]

I used to own one if that helps.

Albiugh anyone who says they fully understand programming one is a liar

I picked up the arturia dx7 on a license transfer for forty bucks (or pounds to you and me).

It is not easy

I want those late eighties tangerine dream metallic piano tones.

Fun though.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I picked up the arturia dx7 on a license transfer for forty bucks (or pounds to you and me).

It is not easy

I want those late eighties tangerine dream metallic piano tones.

Fun though.

Just use the presets, that’s what most people in the 80’s did

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Or start here:

How to program the DX7 | Articles | Yamaha black boxes online archive

Basics for starters: understanding and applying the concepts of digital 6 operators FM synthesis. From keyboard magazine.

yamahablackboxes.com

And here:

Exploring The Yamaha DX7, Part One | Reverb Machine

When you think of 80s music, some of the sounds that come to mind are sparkly electric pianos, metallic basses and cheesy orchestral elements. Many of these sounds came from one synthesizer: the Yamaha DX7. It was released in 1983, and was the first digital synthesizer to have an impact on...

reverbmachine.com

 

[glitch hiker]

Just use the presets, that’s what most people in the 80’s did

arturia are weird with their presets, they seem to delight in avoiding the really obvious ones. So there isn't that bell you heard in everything, or the Kenny Loggin's Danger Zone bass, nor that Tangerine Dream piano I want.

I don't think it's that hard to figure out, just a question of learning which algorithm to use. But the vst has a ton of extra modulation features.

 

[danski]

Just logged into my Arturia account and I have a couple of free licences for Ableton Live Lite if anybody wants one?

 

[Raheem]

Just logged into my Arturia account and I have a couple of free licences for Ableton Live Lite if anybody wants one?

Ooh. I'd be interested.

 

[glitch hiker]

Comrade synthesists, I need some help.
I'm sure this isnt' a difficult patch to create, but I'm struggling to do something like the ascending effect by Kraftwerk at the start of Hall of Mirrors. It's not a unique sound, to be sure, I've heard it elsewhere. I thought it would be simple to recreate, but for some reason my sound design chops have failed me. Can anyone help?

 

[danski]

Sounds like bit rate reduction/low rate waveform.
Maybe chuck a bit crusher on a triangle wave arpeggio?

 

[a_chap]

Comrade synthesists, I need some help.
I'm sure this isnt' a difficult patch to create, but I'm struggling to do something like the ascending effect by Kraftwerk at the start of Hall of Mirrors. It's not a unique sound, to be sure, I've heard it elsewhere. I thought it would be simple to recreate, but for some reason my sound design chops have failed me. Can anyone help?

One of my very favouritest Kraftwerk tracks.

Best listened to on headphones and very loud. And pretty drunk too. Which is exactly how I first listened to it at Uni.

Memories, memories....

 

[glitch hiker]

Sounds like bit rate reduction/low rate waveform.
Maybe chuck a bit crusher on a triangle wave arpeggio?

not really sure they had access to such a thing back in 76

 

[danski]

not really sure they had access to such a thing back in 76

Ah, true. That’s what it sounds like to me and where I’d mess about first.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Getting the delay right would probably be more important to recreating that sound than getting the exact synth tone.

 

[glitch hiker]

Getting the delay right would probably be more important to recreating that sound than getting the exact synth tone.

Delay is easy enough but if the rise in pitch is a function of an LFO then you would need some means to deal with the fulll cycle of the oscillator, which you don't hear in that sound. Maybe they tuned the LFO to the right speed so that the melody isn't played when it's falling

 

[danski]

Delay is easy enough but if the rise in pitch is a function of an LFO then you would need some means to deal with the fulll cycle of the oscillator, which you don't hear in that sound. Maybe they tuned the LFO to the right speed so that the melody isn't played when it's falling

Saw tooth up.

 

[danski]

not really sure they had access to such a thing back in 76

Sample and hold is the key to this I'm pretty certain.

Try putting a saw tooth up lfo through a sample and hold then the output of that to trigger an oscillator. Or something.
Is responsible for the rising, stepped thing. Can also give the bit crushed feel (not sure if it has here, maybe though).
Not sure how they change the pitch, could just be another lfo set to retrigger a different pitch as they wanted.

Maybe ring mod giving the bitcrushed/digital edge.

 

[danski]

I think you said you were all software but this vid demonstrates the basic principles quite clearly. I got something that wasn't a million miles away from the Kraftwerk track following it

 

[glitch hiker]

I think you said you were all software but this vid demonstrates the basic principles quite clearly. I got something that wasn't a million miles away from the Kraftwerk track following it

Yes I'm a softsynth dude.

Maybe it is SnH, but it seems awfully convoluted to get that outcome. I wouldn't put it past Kraftwerk of course and they did use an ARP iirc.

Personally I can't really get on with modular synthesis. I do have a an ARP 26000 emulation and it's pretty good (made by Cherry Audio, very affordabel), but it's not my cup of tea tbh.

 

[bmd]

I need someone to tell me how to get sound out of this because I cannot, for the fucking life of me, get a single parp out of the cunting thing. I can get a parp out of the PerFormer with, say, a synth but I don't know where the audio out is on any of these modules. Is there one? Everyone merrily twats on about "Oh I don't bother with a mixer in my setup, I just take it straight out of the modules." Righto. Where is the FUCKING OUTPUT THEN!

Sorry. It's really doing my head in. Behringer 110 and 140 modules. The Doepfer is just a Midi to CV module and the PerFormer is a sequencer that I love like it is my third child. Any help would be gratefully received.

 

[fishfinger]

On the 110, the VCA output (either Low or Hi) is the audio out. The 140 is an envelope generator and LFO (which connects to the modulation inputs on the 110).

 

[bmd]

On the 110, the VCA output (either Low or Hi) is the audio out. The 140 is an envelope generator and LFO (which connects to the modulation inputs on the 110).

Which is what the lead that shows in the middle of the image is coming from. Except no sound is coming from it to my monitors. I have unplugged that lead and plugged it into a synth. Sound. That output? No sound. My head? No hair.

eta: so, really, I need a signal wave coming from the 140, which are the outputs on the right hand side of it, to the 110. I think I'm plugging the 140 into the wrong place on the 110 but as I've actually plugged it into every connection on it I'm not sure where I go next.

 

[fishfinger]

Is the output cable TS or TRS? Try another cable - preferably TS.

 

[bmd]

Is the output cable TS or TRS? Try another cable - preferably TS.

Oh god, you're right, it's the bloody cable isn't it. Christ on a bike. Many thanks. I don't think I actually have one with a 3.5mm jack on it but I'm sure Kenable will.

 

[elbows]

Why dont you feed it into your neutron since you presumably have audio output from that OK?

Watch out for output levels since eurorack signal levels are typically hotter than normal. Thats another reason to start by going via the neutron for example.

 

[elbows]

For example, use the VCA Bias knob to get a continual sound from the neutron, then patch the output from another module into the neutrons VCA in or VCF in (the later if youd like to use the neutron filter on it too for dual filter fun).

 

[Mattym]

Who else has a Volca? I got the keys. Simple but sounds really nice, fuzzy analogue goodness.

The modular, Euroack thing is a rabit hole I don't want to go down, I've got a guitar habit too...

Bump-
I've had the Volca Bass since it came out and done nothing with it until this week, when I've bought this.....

and subsequently the Volca Sample (version 2). I can't seem to load any samples into it though and a quick google tells me it's a problem for a lot of people.

 

[AverageJoe]

I bought a Korg yesterday. Haven't played it yet.

Pic to follow!

 

[SpookyFrank]

Who else has a Volca? I got the keys. Simple but sounds really nice, fuzzy analogue goodness.

The modular, Euroack thing is a rabit hole I don't want to go down, I've got a guitar habit too...

I got the volca drum. It's a real time sink as there's a lot of tweaking of sounds to be done, not ideal for someone who just wants kick snare and hi hat ready to go. The sequencer is great though and with enough tinkering you can get it to play simple melodies as well as drum parts.

 

[AverageJoe]

Didn't realise it was so enormous!

 

[danski]

I got the volca drum. It's a real time sink as there's a lot of tweaking of sounds to be done, not ideal for someone who just wants kick snare and hi hat ready to go. The sequencer is great though and with enough tinkering you can get it to play simple melodies as well as drum parts.

I got a drum quite recently. Love it. Sequencer is fantastic. If only it had a midi out for it.

 

[bmd]

Didn't realise it was so enormous!

View attachment 294727

You can weigh it in at the scrappers for more than you paid I bet. Stainless has gone through the roof.

Anyway! killer b said about 2 years ago that I should post a tune because people just talk shit without actually posting anything. He was right but ULTIMATELY I conquer because here it is, my first ever tune lol. It's 80bpm, so you can take off your dancing shoes right now. I should maybe add that the levels aren't there yet etc but no excuses, it's kinda in the ballpark of what I want it to be.

In case anyone has actually listened to it and is wondering, yes I also have a mix featuring a whale.

What I learned from making this, apart from Everything, is that I was trying to make a tune in a linear fashion. Intro, Verse, Chorus etc and because I couldn't think of whatever came next then I couldn't continue to the next part. With this tune, nearly 9 minutes long so that will have to be chopped down to, say, 5, I just used clips I'd made along the way and then built it from there. Almost the opposite of what I usually did. So yeah, it has given me a lot of confidence to just fuck about and try different things. The most brutal crtitic is the one in your mind and I'm no exception. I think what this way of makjng it allowed me to do was get around that voice by stealth. It was just bits and pieces of noise that I was putting together so there wasn't really anything to criticise. It's funny though, as soon as I put it on here, which is the first place outisde of my room that it has been, I heard it completely differently and it sounded shite but I know that I love it. Go figure.