Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

----- Original Message -----
Fra: Bruce Wahler <bruce@...>
Til: <AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sendt: 10. mars 2001 16:10
Emne: Re: SV: SV: [AN1x-list] FM synthesis (long post)


> Jim,
>
> >I still need to wrap my head around the syncing of vc01 and vc02, why one
> >would chose one over the other for master-slave..
>
> In principle, it doesn't matter which wave is the slave for syncing, but in
> practice, once a VCO is selected, the waveforms of the two VCOs can be
> pruned to include only the most musically useful ones. It may simplify the
> design, which usually translates into a cost savings.
>
> >One thing especially...when some of the algorithms have an option called
> >"fixed" does that effectively turn the option off...out of the picture?
>
> Fixed doesn't turn syncing off; it just fixes the frequency of the slave
> oscillator. If we look at how syncing works, the master oscillator 'says,'
> "Look, the slave oscillator can do anything it likes, frequency-wise, but
> every time I reach the start of my waveform (0 degrees), I'm going to force
> the slave back to 0 degrees, too."

This last statement of your helped enormously! That helped me alot in understanding the point in master-slave syncing. I probably will have some more questions once I play with the synth some more with this in mind...thank you!

>This is a kind of modulation, and like
> other modulation types, results in a wave that has frequency components of
> both the carrier and modulator. IMHO, fixed-frequency syncing is less
> musically interesting than variable-frequency syncing, just like a sine
> wave is less musically interesting than a sawtooth -- but that's a
> generalization. Both sines and fixed syncing have their use, musically.
>
> >I assume you've been here longer, and know about the list...but for the
> >short time I've been here I have seen mail form other novices and I can't
> >believe they would want to miss out on this kind of good explanation of
> >theory, about one of the central modules.
>
> Actually, I've only been on the list for about 2 1/2 weeks. My advantages
> are: a) I'm an electrical engineer whose specialty is analog electronics;

I'm not an engineer, but have an AS degree in electronics. It has been a while but I have gone through analogue circuits, transistor theory, (I found multiple voltage sources in a DC circuit the WORST! in figuring out voltage drops at different points) digital theory, and built an 8080 based microprocesser with EEPROM input that
we burned for lab exercises. Made a digital wave generator. I understand clocking in digital (did all those exercises with latching, etc.) etc. But for I haven't got enough knowledge about the modules in synths to help me so much. I have a huge desire to
hook up an oscilliscope to the synth...I have a feeling if I could see the different sections on the scope it would help me a lot. Bu I don't really want to take the cover off. :-)

> and b) I was fortunate enough to go to a college in the mid-70s where I had
> access to a Minimoog, a Putney VCS3, and a Buchla. The access to
> non-programmed, analog synths means that I had to learn how to do things
> from scratch, rather than depend on a library of sounds created by the
> manufacturer. A pain in the butt then; a clear advantage now. When I
> first got the AN1x, I spent a week of, "Wow! You mean you can sync the
> VCOs to LFO1, and still have VCO2 left over???" and such.
>
> >I certainly can take it off line...but isn't the purpose of this list to
> >discuss exactly this kind of thing? Have most of the people here already
> >been through this?

Just my experience (hopefull we'll get feedback from the list if this has been run into the ground) in these kinds of groups is that new folk join all the time, and a lot of the folks even that have been here for a while probably have some holes in their knowledge. I am on a VS880 (roland hard disk recorder) group, have been for a few years, and with things of this complexity have almost never seen even the list oldies complain. I could be wrong, just thought, if this isn't on topic...what is?

Let us know if we are out of line list!

Thanks for the help!

Jim
James R. Acker
jacker@... listen to my music at.....
==============================================================
My first CD "Tabasco Road" can be heard at http://www.connectpoint.com/acker
(With thanks to Mike Jones for hosting it)
My current songs can be now heard at my site: http://home.sol.no/~jacker/

>
> A good question for the group: Was my explanation to Jim useful to others,
> or was it a case of, "Oh no! Not another round of synth theory!" I'm a
> relative newbie here, so a poll might be in order.
>
> >(by the way..any idea of the number of listers?)
>
> ~400
>
>
> Regards,
>
> -BW
>
> --
> Bruce Wahler
> Design Consultant
> Ashby Solutions"
> www.ashbysolutions.com
> CloneWheel Support Group moderator
> 978.386.7389 voice
> 978.776.0096 fax
> bruce@...
>
>
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