[LAU] Sound Chip as a synthesizer on Linux. Thoughts, ideas?

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Thu, 2014-07-10 at 11:03 -0400, Rob wrote:
> if one doesn't find a way to just network a C64 to do it, which may be
> cheaper

I used the C64 with Speech Basic (or what ever the FLOSS sound sampler
BASIC was named), build the inexpensive sound sample circuit that was
using a joystick port (the circuit diagram and PCB layout were available
for free too) and in 65xx assembler I programmed a MIDI extension for
Speech Basic and than wrote a MIDI sound sampler. I bought a MIDI
interface, but it's also easy to DIY. The sound was produced by SID. The
gear is boxed, theoretical available for me, especially useful books
such as the C64 Intern, but I dislike to search the cartons for the C64
gear.

> I still have a Commodore 64 myself, and while I'm more than happy
> enough with emulation of its sound for the most part, I do recognize
> that analog synthesis does have qualities that simulations of it don't

The sound of the SID is fuller than digital emulations of analog synth
are, but a very, very serious drawback of the SID integrated to the C64
is secondary noise, so the less full sound by emulations of analog synth
IMO is more usable than the SID integrated to the C64, that nearly is
unusable regarding to it's secondary noise. You can't completely filter
out the secondary noise and as soon as it's halfway filtered out, so
that you might be able to use the sound for production, the sound
quality has lost the fuller sound and will be less full than an analog
synth emulation.

JFTR in the 80s the C64 was more expensive than a PC nowadays is and
some good analog synth based on CEM/Curtis chips were not more expensive
than a C64, OTOH sound samplers were very expensive, so the lowest
quality C64 sound sampler I programmed was useful, but IMO it never was
useful to use the C64 as an analog synth. IMO no Linux analog synth
emulation can compare e.g. to my Oberheim Matrix-1000 and even FM
synthesis, e.g. Hexter can't compare to my first generation DX7, but
Linux analog synth emulations are better than using a SID integrated to
the C64.

Using a C64 nowadays isn't worse the hassle and using it as an analog
synth never was worth the hassle.

2 Cents,
Ralf