[sdiy] Control Interfaces (was Wakeman)

[jbv]

Rude 66 :

> heh.. and a knob is still both the easiest way to modify data, and also very
> important, you can see in one eye what all your parameters' levels are. one
> close look at an analogue synth and you kinda know what the sound is.
>

Well, this is partly true... As long as data to be modified is ADSR
slope or filter cutoff freq. or FM parameter (in other words : one
parameter at a time), that's true.
But what about granular reverb, granular FFT, VC additive synthesis
and other weird / complex things requiring several parameters to be changed
simultaneously ?
Yesterday (or so) we tend to agree that adding complexity could be a way
to inject new blood into existing synthesis techniques. In that case, are
knobs still efficient ?


Rainer :

> Whatever synthesis you go for, you'll finally come to a point how to enter
> the data in a most user friendly way. Which brings you back to the knobs
> being arranged in a (hopefully) most intuitive way.

> Assuming, that you actually can map the synthesis parameter to terms which
> the average musician understands (I actually doubt that e.g. more people
> would have gotten into deeper understanding of FM if Yamaha delivered the
> DX7 with the Jellinghaus programmer...)

Well, let's put this discussion back on tracks : I'm not searching for a
striking new synthesis (don't have the level / knowledge in maths nor
physics)...
My original approach was : there are quite a few dev. tools (sound, 3D)
available to DIYers these days. So instead of moaning about the lack of
innovation among big synth companies, why not use this list, our knowledges
and experiences, and our enthusiasm as DIYers to brainstorm about new
ways to approach electronic instruments design...


> When searching for a striking new synthesis this is IMO the point which
> has to be kept in mind: how useable is it for the non-technical oriented
> musician?

Good question. And actually could it be that the lack of success of synths
such as the K5000 or FSR1 was due to a lack of useability for non-technicians ?

Does a musician think in terms such as : now I'm going to combine FM
with formant synthesis ?
Hence my suggestion to provide end-users with a set of tools to build rules
for their own musical world (that would combine bits of all existing synthesis
techniques, but users won't care about which technique they use).
Yes, this has more to do with AI (not the Spielberg's movie) and computer
aided design. But the nice thing is that such techniques can escape labs and
are now available to DIYers...

JB