[sdiy] Monosynth features poll

[cheater cheater]

The most important feature of an 80s monosynth is the jwire keyboard.
Please no scanning circuits. Use scanning circuits for something more
appropriate like the buttons on your fridge.

That said, some other stuff would be good too:
-  2 stable oscillators. One oscillator changes footage and one which
changes offset footage from the other one. Definitely need the free
running option, maybe also retrig if you find the panel space for
that. Linear detuning. Make it possible to add noise just before the
resetting comparator, if you do that make the noise sources separate
for each oscillator. Those noise sources don't have to be available
anywhere else, they just have to do this one thing.

- good beefy low pass filter with input and output clipping.

- good 12db high pass. The SY-2 is my favorite for a reason.

- ring mod. Make the 'bypass' option on the oscillators go to the ring
mod carrier instead, and make the output of the VCF stage either mix
with the other ring mod carrier or go to ring mod modulator input.
Bonus if you can make this go to the filter later.

- VCA separate from ring mod.

- patchability ala ms20 without the stupid names and options :)

- one of the VCAs retriggering

- LFOs: have many. Maybe make them switchable to bass oscillators,
they don't have to be that precise. Two normal oscillators + 3 'bass
oscillators' = great, and it doesn't cost that much effort OR space OR
panel space.

- did I mention LP soft clipping on the input and output?

- make sure the VCF does not lose volume with resonance.

- the sub osc is an honest effort. Maybe make one of the LFOs
switchable to subosc of one of the VCOs, so that you save on panel
space and hopefully electronics. I *think* you should be able to mod a
sin LFO to be a sin subosc.

- PW is fun.

- add a convolution reverb. Those are very cheap to do now and
extremely fun on a monosynth.

- don't really need patches. This also detracts from another thing:
Make most of your knobs work as resistors directly, do not go out of
your way to make them work as sources of VC. For some reason this
feels better. I like when my pots make that scratchy sound when my
hand trembles a bit. Same reason why I recommend a J-Wire keyboard.
This makes a huge difference IMO.

- add some good porta options: constant time, constant pitch, off
(full bypass). Hpefully you can make the time VC, that's quite fun.
I'm not sure how those circuits work, though.

- make sure to use a crappy psu and mess up the grounding so that the
crosstalk makes it sound 'better' ;-) OK, this one was only a joke :)

Dave K: What is the 'saw animator'?

Cheers
D.


On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 11:30, Tom Wiltshire <tom at electricdruid.net> wrote:
>
> On 26 Jan 2010, at 02:17, Ian Smith wrote:
>
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> There were other questions involved in this project, but I can't remember
>> them at the moment (should have written them down, yadda, yadda, hate the
>> fact that my compy is dead... again). So here goes:
>>
>> What do you all think is essential in an '80s sounding bass monosynth?
>
> The clue's in the question. Essential 80's monosynths for me; SCI Pro-One,
> Roland SH101.
>
>> 1) number of VCOs
>> 1a) essential waveforms
>
> 2 Oscillators, with Square with PWM and Ramp with Sync. Triangle if
> possible.
>
>> 2) number of LFOs
>
> Definitely agree with Dave Kendal. The single LFO on both these synths is a
> real pain, especially given the internal sequencer on both of them. A couple
> of LFOs are a real bonus.
>
>> 3) Filters
>
> A 12dB state-variable option would be nice, but I looked into various
> circuits for the CEM3320 in my Pro-One, and in the end I never altered it.
> Perhaps dual 12dB SVFs would give you lots of options and 24dB when
> connected in series, but this is a long way beyond the "typical" 80's
> monosynth.
>
>> 4) Envelope Generators
>
> Two of these. One is for 'budget' synths.
>
>> 5) Noise
>
> Not that useful in my opinion. At least, I never seem to use it. A simple
> ring mod would be better, even if it's just a XOR one like the MS20.
>
>> 6) sequencer/arpegiator
>
> If you've got a uP scanning the keyboard, why not?
>
>> 7) Other odd and fun circuits (e.g. Electronotes Timbre Modulator)
>
> Suboscillators. Cheap to do, so why not. Perhaps a chorus, a la 80's
> polysynth (Juno 106/Polysix).
>
>> I have a fair idea of what I want to put together but I really want to see
>> what other people's opinions are.
>
> Can we see your final specification? Like you say, it's interesting to see
> how other people think about this stuff.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom
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