22 Aug
2012
22 Aug
'12
11:12 p.m.
On Wed, Aug 22, 2012 at 12:43:27PM -0400, David Robillard wrote:
Particularly for those who play along with real
instruments, making sure
we have sensible tunability is important.
In fact none of the classical VC synths had anything close to
absolute tuning, in the sense that you could accurately set
them to some frequency without using a frequency counter, or
comparing with another signal. They had to be tuned just like
you tune e.g. a string instrument. And most were notoriously
unstable as well.
Fons can perhaps explain it in detail, but I believe
there are good
reasons why these plugins need to use logarithmic frequency inputs. The
attempts at faithful implementations of the Moog filters in particular.
It is not necessary in order to have the 'moog' sound - the typical
distortion, the way it detunes when overdriven, and the 'noisyness'
(which the plugins don't emulate).
You need the logarithmic control to emulate the 'look and feel',
of a complete analog modular synth, to allow the user to combine
modules in similar ways as could be done on the real thing.
Ciao,
--
FA
A world of exhaustive, reliable metadata would be an utopia.
It's also a pipe-dream, founded on self-delusion, nerd hubris
and hysterically inflated market opportunities. (Cory Doctorow)