[sdiy] History of SDIY?

Wed May 30 13:00:46 CEST 2018

I’ll offer you some support, Quincas. I agree.

For me, if you port Serum to an ARM chip and put in in a module, behind a panel, with some knobs, then yes, that process _does_ turn it into a synthesiser. Mutable Instruments was mentioned earlier, and that’s exactly what the Mutable modules are, and that’s perfectly valid. The point at which you do that is the point at which your “software” becomes “firmware”, and many synths have lots of that. And _of course_ it’s a grey area and a fuzzy line - that’s fine too.

“Synthesizer” for me means “hardware synthesiser” because for years that was the only kind. They didn’t say “hardware synth" in 1970 because they didn’t need to. Only _much_ later did software come along that could do the same job as a synthesiser, but a soft synth is still just software. Again, like Quincas, no disrespect intended - I write a lot of software and I’m not going to complain at anyone else for doing the same. But for me, it doesn’t fit the original definition of “synthesiser”.

==================
       Electric Druid
Synth & Stompbox DIY
==================

> On 30 May 2018, at 04:28, Quincas Moreira <quincas at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> There’s no arguing that serum is a synthesizer. But there’s a difference between a synth that runs on a standard PC and one that runs on dedicated hardware. And synth diy has always been about BUILDING physical objects that are dedicated synthesizers. No diss on softsynths at all, they are not inferior, just a different philosophy, one that hasn’t traditionally been associated with the common use of the term SDIY. 
> 
> Quincas “putting his foot in his mouth again” Moreira
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On May 29, 2018, at 10:17 PM, Stephan Vladimir Bugaj <stephan at bugaj.com> wrote:
> 
>> This belief is why so few of us “purely” software folks find their way to this list, sadly 
>> 
>> I hardly see why Serum (predominantly written by two people in their homes) wouldn’t be SDIY, yet many of the Eurorack builders would be 
>> 
>> If you ported Serum to, say, ARM and put it in a box with some knobs on it, it would magically transform from “not a synthesizer” into a synthesizer?
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On May 29, 2018, at 1:05 PM, Quincas Moreira <quincas at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Paula, if you water down the definition too much it becomes meaningless. 99% of people I know, when they think SDIY they think of hardware synths and modules, whether they are analog or digital. To me at least it makes sense to keep ITB and dedicated hardware somewhat separate. Call it Soft Synth DIY if you will :)
>>> Just my 2 c
>>> 
>>> On Tue, May 29, 2018 at 2:57 PM, <paula at synth.net> wrote:
>>> why?
>>> 
>>> if I write a softsynth, and put it in a VST that's not synth DIY? But if I write a softsynth and put it in a chip in a box that is synth DIY?
>>> 
>>> Paula
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 2018-05-29 16:11, Quincas Moreira wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Oh, I would leave soft synths out of it for clarity's sake...
>>>>  
>>>> Software running in a dedicated module or hardware synth, sure :)
>>>> 
>>>> On Tue, May 29, 2018 at 10:05 AM, <paula at synth.net> wrote:
>>>> Fair points Tom.
>>>> 
>>>> Though I'd disagree with the electronotes comment, it only covers analogue synthesis techniques.
>>>> 
>>>> for me SDIY encompasses analogue, digital, hybrid and soft synths, as long as you made it yourself :)
>>>> 
>>>> Paula
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 2018-05-29 15:43, Tom Wiltshire wrote:
>>>> No need to pigeon hole, but if you were (say) writing a book on the
>>>> topic, you'd have to decide what you put in and what you leave out.
>>>> 
>>>> I think the magazines and books give a pretty good idea of what was
>>>> going on through the decades. The Brabani books and R.A. Penfold and
>>>> R.M.Marston have quite a lot to answer for in my case.
>>>> In many ways, Bernie's Electronotes *is* the history of Synth-DIY
>>>> already! Ok, it's only a single source and a single editor, but it
>>>> follows the progress of the field over a long period of time and
>>>> covers pretty much everything sooner or later. I doubt there's a more
>>>> comprehensive overview.
>>>> 
>>>> Tom
>>>> 
>>>> ==================
>>>>        Electric Druid
>>>> Synth & Stompbox DIY
>>>> ==================
>>>> 
>>>> On 29 May 2018, at 13:18, paula at synth.net wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Why classify/pigeon hole "what" SDIY is?
>>>> The world seems obsessed with putting things in boxes, let's not do the same here please
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 2018-05-29 12:36, Rob Kam wrote:
>>>> Unlike for the history of electronic music http://120years.net/, apparently
>>>> there's not much documentation specifically for the history of DIY
>>>> electronic music equipment. I have some questions, if I may.
>>>> How to define SDIY - it's not just exclusively synths, amateurs making
>>>> electronic music circuits as opposed to plugging together ready-made parts?
>>>> When did SDIY begin and how has it developed over the years? Especially
>>>> since the invention of semiconductors but before then should also be
>>>> included. What were the significant moments and who were the pioneers along
>>>> the way?
>>>> Bob Moog sold Theremin kits in the 1950s. Guitar pedals began development in
>>>> the 1960s. Before this there were guitar amplifiers with effects built in,
>>>> and earlier still people used magnetic tape. The PAiA FAQ states that the
>>>> 1970s were busy, the 1980s were quieter, (with the hobbyists being
>>>> distracted by PCs) and that interest picked up again in the 1990s. PAiA has
>>>> been producing synthesizer kits since 1972. Electronotes started in 1972.
>>>> Various magazine articles by authors such as Tim Orr, John Simonton, Don
>>>> Lancaster, Craig Anderton, etc. give some sort of indication. The earliest
>>>> DIY electronic music instrument books seem to be from the early to
>>>> mid-1970s.
>>>> How to distinguish what's SDIY from R&D? Obviously the pioneers and
>>>> inventors like Harald Bode and Kraftwerk had to DIY; does this get ignored?
>>>> Does it begin with the electro-magnetic Helmholtz resonator?
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>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>> -- 
>>>> Quincas Moreira
>>>> Test Pilot at VBrazil Modular
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- 
>>> Quincas Moreira
>>> Test Pilot at VBrazil Modular
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