[sdiy] sync sound (Jupiter 8) & Spliff

[Happy Harry]

Howdy all...

I have never heard this song (or band) but the description
of the sound is similar to a factory preset on my E-Mu
Proteus MPS (basically a sampler...) that did work via
a crossfade. Of course equal frequencies in a digital synth
do not beat.

It sounds exactly like a guitar with heavy distortion breaking
into octave feedback after the initial attack is over...

H^) hary


>From: ChristianH <chris at scp.de>
>To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>Subject: Re: [sdiy] sync sound (Jupiter 8)  & Spliff
>Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 12:01:44 +0200
>
>Hi Martin,
>
>I didn't have that particular song in my ear, so I listend to the 85555
>album last night.
>Let me answer with a definite and sincere 'I don't know'. I played that
>song several times, but it leaves me clueless. At times I wasn't even
>sure if it's a synth at all, that effect reminds me of 'pinched harmonics'
>playing style on the guitar (slightly touching the oscillating string
>e.g. an octave above the fretted note, so the fundamental is damped).
>But then, there is definitely something syncing as well, and I think I
>hear Reinhold's CS 80 as well. I'm not sure if guitar synthesizers would
>be able to follow pinched harmonics, without producing glitches from the
>frequency detection.
>
>I considered simple cross fading as well, but probably there would be a
>certain amount of beating, this sounds more as if both pitches are
>coming from the same oscillating source. If the album hadn't been
>released a year too early, this could be done with a DX7 - no problem
>for identical frequencies here.
>
>I played a bit with the Jupiter, and with a traditional sync sweep
>there's a kind of audible rise (there's something similar in 'Damals' as
>well, but I think you're after those long sustained sounds), remotely
>similar to portamento. I never _consciously_ listend to sync sounds
>before, and last night I noticed a distict appearance of each single
>harmonic during the sweep, similar to a hi res filter. At least on the
>JP-8, I didn't compare with other synths.
>
>Although I don't think this relates to that song, I found another way of
>fading in an octave. Set the LPF to high resonance, frequency just below
>the octave harmonic. Then, using the pitch bender (env isn't slow enough
>on the JP-8), rise the cutoff to exactly the harmonic, which is strongly
>emphasized.
>
>I'm not that familiar with the CS 80, but since Reinhold has used it for
>years, I wouldn't be surprised if it's involved in that sound. Maybe
>some skillful playing, something like zero verlocity and then applying
>poly aftertouch on a high note.
>
>regards & sorry for all the non german list members who have no idea
>what we're talking about... :-)
>Christian
>
>P.S.: Some time ago I was thinking if and how those guitar pinched
>harmonics could be done on a synth.
>This probably can't be done well simply with filtering, since it touches
>the oscillating process as well. I think it would require access to the
>basic oscillation feedback loop. Either a self-oscillating filter (maybe
>beefed up with nonlinear feedback to produce more than just a sine, here
>we go again), or even manipulating the reset loop in a VCO core (aftertouch
>controlled narrow notch filter before generating a pulse for resetting
>the saw?). After all, a standard VCO circuit is synced from its own
>signal, why not insert some processing there.
>Did anybody do some research in this area?
>
>
>
>
>On Wed, 24 Oct 2001 13:41:49 +0200 Czech Martin wrote:
>
> > In the 80s there was a band called "Spliff" in Germany, maybe also known
> > in Austria. (they first came up as "Nina Hagen Band", then
> > "Spliff Radio Show"). They only had two hits "Carbonara", "Das Blech"
> > which went to gold. They were too much ahead of their time, that's why.
> >
> > They had strange lyrics but (my opinion) excelent keyboard
> > sound (Reinhold Heil), well, the other instruments were also very
> > good recorded/engineered. Brilliant productions.
> >
> > Anyway, the track "Damals" has a very interesting
> > sync sound (that is: I think that it must be sync).
> > I can only describe it as octave flipping, the tone starts
> > lower and then turns into the octave above, and maybe even higher.
> > Such effects may be also obtained via electro acoustic feedback
> > with a guitar/amplifier.
> >
> > I think it was made with a Jupiter 8.
> > I've been never able to synthesize this sound since it is very hard to
> > analyse for me, so I can not guess into the right direction.
> >
> > Perhaps there are some "sync" experienced people on this list,
> > that could give me a hint. I realize that most people on the list
> > don't know what I'm talking about.
> >
> > http://grodecki.com/SPLIFF/spliff.htm
> >
> >
> > m.c.
>


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