[linux-audio-user] status of ams

[Rob]

On Sunday 07 January 2007 09:47, Fons Adriaensen wrote:
> Dave, do you think there is a place for a softsynth that would
> be modular but with a fixed set of modules, everyhing
> controlled from one window, no patch cables, only 'hardware
> controls' such as sliders and switches, each one assignable to
> MIDI, and of course uncompromising audio quality ?

This is something I had back in my Windows days (can't remember 
the name of it, but it was basically a Moog Rogue style 
2-oscillator synth with MIDI-mappable controls, and it was 
pretty cheap shareware) and I really miss it.  

I've tried to recreate that kind of instrument using the various 
modular synths under Linux.  But the truth is, while I know how 
to tweak filter knobs and stuff on a real synth to get the sound 
I want, I've never been able to recreate that sort of Moog or 
Arp sound that is the whole reason I use simulations of analog 
synths in the first place.  I'm not in it to be the next Walter 
Carlos.  I did my time with electronic music experimentation 
when I used to roll my own DX7 patches, and that's as far as I 
ever want to go with it.  Now I just want to compose, arrange 
and play using a simulation of an electronic instrument with 
which I'm familiar.  (I also would like to figure out a way to 
convert the GUS patches I made 10 years ago when I was most 
productive, the tweaked-out mellotrons and organs and whatnot, 
into soundfonts so I can use them with a Fluidsynth DSSI plugin 
rather than having to set up Timidity as an ALSA and JACK 
client, but that's for another thread.)

Even a nice "mini" or "2600" preset in Pd or ams or Om, which I 
could control using the knobs and sliders on my MIDI controller, 
would probably be enough to get me going again.  Preferably one 
that lets me save its current state so I don't have to take 
screenshots to remember the settings.  I would do it myself but 
like I said, I've tried and failed.

Note: I've spent a little time with Bristol's Mini simulation but 
haven't had time to figure out how to map MIDI controllers to 
its parameters over the last year due to work.  I've also played 
with Zyn, since it seems the closest to what I have in mind, 
though a little more complex, but holy xruns Batman.  It seems 
on this Ubuntu-preloaded laptop I'll have to roll my own kernel 
to get the low-latency stuff in there, and I'm not messing with 
my kernel until my current work project is done.  Still 
irritates me that after all these years we still have to use an 
unofficial patch to get audio output as stable as Windows or the 
Mac.

Rob