Simulation Vs Real Things

[J.D. McEachin]

On Fri, 25 Jul 1997, Paul Maddox wrote:

> >Mmmmh... Things are not so simple and straightforward, i think.
> >
> >One of the best advantage of computer simulation of analog modular is,
> >IMHO, that it can emulate the real thing PLUS offer numerous added
> >features.
> >
> 
> but do they?

If not now, then soon.  Digital technology is developing at a torrid 
pace, while analog, as it applies to us, isn't.


> >	- storing patches
> >	- storing any kind of parameters (including frequency shift and the
> >like)
> >and being able to recall / reproduce them from session to session
> 
> Yes, what this does is make it EASY to recall patches, A friend of 
> mine had a 50 module 100m system, and a 20 module digisound system,
> he could reprogramme both in a bout 3 mins...

Based on my experience, I seriously doubt he was able to repeat anything 
with complex modulation of pitch tracking in a well-tempered scale.  It 
sometimes takes me 20 minutes to get a filter with several mod sources to 
track over a one octave range.  Sometimes I can't get my Arp 2600 to 
repeat itself when just pulling out a jack & reinserting it (it's 
amazing how much a bad connection can affect modulation strength).

Of course, most modular heads I know are into atonal music, and with good
reason, given modulars' inherent hostility towards tonality. 


> The idea of haveing Memories for synths is nothing new, it IS a good
> idea, but it does also limit the creativity of the musician.
> I beleive that the sound is as much a part of the music as the music
> itself, with the advent of patches/memories, all of a sudden everyone
> who has a roland JX8P used the choir sound, the same string sound,
> I feel that patches Limit the musician, not liberate him.. how many 
> times when anyone here has written a peice of music have they used
> a string sound?.. and how many times have you just grabbed the same
> one you've used a dozen times already?

Patch memories may be an invitation to laziness, but I fail to see how 
your or anybody else's laziness limits my creativity.  Patch memories 
allow me to spend years developing a pallette of timbres, which I can 
quickly pick and choose from during the composition process.  I know 
several modular heads who have adapted this process, by recording large 
chunks of modular tweaking to DAT, then later transferring bits to their 
hard disk or sampler, to be time-stretched, pitch-shifted, and mixed 
together.  Not as flexible as patches in some ways, but also having some 
advantages.


> >	- editing waveforms / envelope slopes in real time
> 
> DO they?.. all of computer simulation stuff, will NOT do anything
> real time, only the frequency shift, ie tone from keyboard, it
> takes too long for a PC to calculate what effect a change in decay
> rate has an a VCF with resosnance applied...

Moore's Law.  Give it a few years.


> >	- using other types of events / data than VC control to drive synth
> >modules
> 
> Ever heard a VCO being modulated with itself through an FM input 
> summed with a CV from a sequencer and have the PW change by the
> ouput wave of another VCo whilst they are synced to each other?
> the BEAUTY of analog synth and patch leads, is that ANY lead can be
> plugged into ANY socket, Not just CV's..

Again, the only limitation is CPU power.


> >I'm sure that brainstorming a little more on the subject would allow us
> >to come
> >up with tons of new weird & exciting ideas. The main purpose being to
> >blur the
> >frontier between analog & digital, events & data, etc.
> >
> 
> I agree, but I dont think keyboard manufacters are bothered by this,
> they just want sell a new gimic that sounds like a Minimoog, but
> has a new style of synthesis..

Most keyboard manufacturers just want to sell 100,000 units of whatever 
people will buy, and people tend to buy what they're familar with.

I just wish they'd spend some money on UI R&D.  The completely tactile UI 
is a modular's biggest advantage over a simulation.  But give VR another 
10 years, and it may be a different story...

JDM