[sdiy] How Many Oscillators?

[Michael Zacherl]

Hi Michael,

Michael Boracci wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>     I am planning a modular synthesizer and drawing some functional 
> diagrams. 

Since it's great fun I also like doing this. But I experienced that the 
big "pro" for a modular is it's modularity (whoops, how come?).

So my POV is, that things like formfactor, electrical compatibility etc. 
are even more important than deciding _now_ what modules you'll about to 
have. But even then physical things are not limited as they appear to 
be. That's modular fun!
If you don't care how you box looks like your main concern could be 
supply voltages etc.

> In the process I am trying to determine how many oscillators 
> would be practical. I have seen common synthesizers with two and three 
> oscillators each with a few different choices of waveform.

Have a look at VCO made by Oakley, MOTM and synthesizers.com .
They are all great and different.

> In terms of practicality versus sound shaping properties is it 
> unrealistic to design around six or even eight oscillators per voice?

not at all. But I'm sure you're fine if you start with three of them an 
look how things develop.

> I would appreciate any feedback in terms of existing synthesizers out 
> there that I might use as a reference.

Links to the sites mentioned above and more:

http://www.moogarchives.com/
http://www.oakleysound.co.uk/
http://www.synthtech.com/motm.html
http://www.blacet.com/
http://www.synthesizers.com/
http://www.technosaurus.ch/
http://www.modcan.com/page2.html
http://www.cyndustries.com/
http://www.ppg.synth.net/300.htm
http://www.scampers.com/EGRES/index.htm
http://www.buchla.com/
http://www.wiard.com/
http://www.oldtech.com/synth/PolyMod.html
http://www.synthmuseum.com/roland/rolsys70001.html

   HTH, Michael.