[sdiy] Wakeman

[jbv]

>
>
> > The problem with analogue is that the old oscillator -> filter -> amp
> > signal chain has been done to death.

Well, yes and no.
IMHO, bringing this "old" substractive synthesis technique
to new contexts might open new horizons...
For instance, I'm thinking of granular synthesis. I guess one
factor that lets us think that there's much left to discover with
the vco->vcf->vca signal chain is its relative simplicity.
In the late 60's / early 70's, this kind of synth sounds were
strange & unheard enough to be considered as a rich instrumental
technique.
But ears have been educated and listening habits have evolved and
have become more complex. I really think that in the context of
granular synthesis (which means more complexity in the signal
chain), lots of new things can be done, like blurring the frontier
between a simple sound and a more complex sound structure /
pattern.

Another idea (already exposed in another recent thread) is to
stop considering each synthesis technique as a closed world.
Thanks to DSPs and uCs, "mixed" or "hybrids" techniques
can be developped these days, even on a DIY basis...

> > Then again I know someone with a Kyma system, which might be able to do it
> > a bit more quickly.
>
> Yeah, one very cool piece of kit.  A tad expensive though.  I know someone
> who is starting here in October who has a Kyma system.  Be interesting to
> see it in action.
>

Yes the Kyma is an option. I for one still have an IRCAM ISPW
board running on a NeXT cube, and although it was designed in the
early 90's, this system still allows me to test some (weird) ideas,
especially in the context of mixed synthesis techniques, for instance :
VC granular reverb, VC granular FFT, VC Sheppard tones FFT,
VC sheppard tones reverb...

One important thing to consider is that splitting several DSP function
available on a Kyma into separate modules to be include into a
modular among other traditional VC analog modules can be a way
to expand these DSP techniques and give them new perspectives...

Well, I'm writing this at light speed, but you see my point...

JB