[sdiy] Synth DIY beginner

[Scott Gravenhorst]

harrybissell <harrybissell at prodigy.net> wrote:
>HI Troy...
>
>Troy Gray wrote:
>
>> Yeah the one's on paia just sounded like sounds I have on my 
>cheap Casio keyboard. I'm looking for more like moogish bass. 
>Something that will provide really raunchy bass lines 
>
>that would be a monosynth...
>
>> but will be able to create some nice etheral synthesizer strings.
>
>and that would be a polysynth....   (usually you get one or the
>other...)
>
>> Something that would be good for an Art rock setting that's 
>more musical sounding. But I still think I'll get the Fatman. > 
>Also I'm interested in making this thing modular. Would it be 
>that difficult to convert? 
>
>well I see you have Mssr. Gravenhorst on the line, so he'd answer the
>conversion question.
>The PAiA gear tends to be very 'purpose built' ie. there is usually not
>a single resistor that is
>not strictly necessary for the circuit function.  You could 'modularize'
>it but it might take a lot
>of components added.

To modularize the FatMan, there isn't all that much added components.  However, once you start that
process you see where a little thing here and there makes things nicer.  The mixer, for example,
could use more channels.  Also, just modularizing the FatMan doesn't give you enough to play with,
I mean, you can patch it like a FatMan...  So it's good to add modules to it.  That requires more
components for sure.  A third VCO is nice, PWM, ring modulator, noise, waveshapers, etc.  Then
there's modulation sources; LFO, ADSR, AR, etc. that are required to do more interesting things
with it.

>I started with a PAiA 2720 (1974) and by the time I had it all working
>the way I wanted it
>to, I was quite an accomplished designer.  So buying a cheap kit and
>hacking to your hearts
>content is strongly recommended in my book.

I can't agree more.  Now, if I just had some money...

>I might also suggest EFM (Electronics for Music) synthesizer 'kits'
>(also available as PCB
>only).  They are not for strict beginners... the documents do not offer
>the (hand-holding)
>step by step directions... but the end result is good cheap modules. 
>There is an online forum
>on Yahoogroups where you could get help.  A Moog Ladder filter would
>help a lot in getting
>the fat bass you crave. I've have just about every board by now...  They
>are similar to PAiA
>in being simple, you can hack them to make them more sophisticated.
>
>Also, check out Ken Stone's boards (CGS-Synth)... I cannot say enough
>NICE things
>about his work. The boards are small, beautiful, and have every pad and
>hole that I would
>desire for hacking (extra space on his boards often is filled with a
>playpen area for mods).
>The prices are very reasonable. I have the Metalshop wavefolder and the
>digital waveform
>board...
>
>H^) harry
>
>>
>>
>> --- Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net> wrote:
>> >banana_8_ape at herzeleid.net wrote:
>> >>I appreciate the info to get me started. I found a wealth of
>> >>information. The Fatman seems just what I need to start, but I
>> >>listened to the sound samples and it doesn't really sound that
>> >>good. Were they just bad samples or is that what I'll have to
>> >>expect from it?
>> >
>> >I'm not sure what you mean by "not that good".
>> >
>> >I think it's difficult to use sound samples to show what a synth
>> >does.  If done well (i.e., no clipping or noise) they show what
>> >one set of settings does, but not the entire dynamic range of
>> >what the instrument will do.
>> >
>> >If you're referring to the sounds on my site, they are some bass
>> >sounds that I converted to sound fonts and don't represent all
>> >of what the instrument does.  They also may not be the best
>> >quality samples.  They are there for a "rough idea" of perhaps
>> >more "natural" sounds and not crunchy electronic sounds.  So
>> >these bass samples may be rather boring.  The main purpose of
>> >those sounds was to replace the use of a U-110 rompler for bass.
>> >I don't use a lot of real "synthy electronic" bass sounds.
>> >
>> >If they are sounds on the PAiA site, I don't know because I've
>> >never heard them.  Perhaps you can tell me what sounds exactly
>> >you refer to, I can listen and then give a better opinion.
>> >
>> >What I can say is that the FatMan is capable of Moogish and ARPish
>> >sounds given a patch that looks like the FatMan.  Namely 2 VCOs
>> >mixed and sent to a VCF controlled largely by an A(S)R and then a
>> >VCA controlled largely by an ADSR.
>> >
>> >There are many sounds, like the phasing between two closely tuned
>> >VCOs or filter sweeps, or a plethora of other things we play with
>> >that are probably not represented, possibly because these are
>> >"been there done that" sounds that may not be of general interest
>> >even though they sound very nice.
>> >
>> >Perhaps also I should have asked what it is you want to do with
>> >a synth.  If you are making noise-scape stuff, clicks and pops with
>> >random pitch bloops and bleeps and noise, the FatMan is a very poor
>> >choice.  If, however, you do more melodic music, it will work quite
>> >well.
>> >
>> >>--- Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net> wrote:
>> >>>banana_8_ape at herzeleid.net wrote:
>> >>>>I've been making guitar fx boxes for about 3 years and I'm
>> >>>>wanting to get into synths. Does anyone have any good advice of
>> >>>>where I could start.
>> >>>
>> >>>PAiA FatMan (MIDI triggered analog synthesizer).
>> >>>
>> >>>For more info, go to:
>> >>>
>> >>>http://home1.gte.net/res0658s/fatman/FatManProsAndCons.html
>> >>>
>> >>>and
>> >>>
>> >>>www.paia.com
>> >
>> >=========================================================
>> >- When merit is no longer rewarded, excellence fades.
>> >- Hydrogen is pointless without solar.
>> >- Good or bad, that which gets rewarded, gets done.
>> >- What good are laws that only lawyers understand?
>> >- The media's credibility should always be questioned.
>> >- Governments do nothing well, save collect taxes.
>> >
>> >-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
>> >-- Linux Rex         | RedWebMail by RedStarWare
>> >-- FatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/FatMan/
>> >-- NonFatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/electronics/
>

=========================================================  
- Where merit is not rewarded, excellence fades.
- Hydrogen is pointless without solar.
- Good or bad, that which gets rewarded, gets done.
- What good are laws that only lawyers understand?
- The media's credibility should always be questioned.
- Governments do nothing well, save collect taxes.

-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
-- Linux Rex         | RedWebMail by RedStarWare
-- FatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/FatMan/
-- NonFatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/electronics/