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Subject: Re: [motm] Re: Can analogs pass as acoustics? Other thoughts.

From: elhardt@...
Date: 2002-06-28

elle_webb@... writes:

>>What are your goals with reproducing traditional instruments? Some might
question spending a lot of time simulating traditional instruments, because
it's sort of reinventing the wheel.<<

One of them is what you said, about getting more expressiveness and control
than with samples. I wanted to do stuff that the Yamaha VL series of
physical modeling synths don't do. I can also do instruments that I don't
have sample libraries of. And as you said it's an intellectual challenge,
and forces me to look at using effects units in different ways. If I can do
a relatively realistic and acoustic sounding flute or woodwind instrument for
example, then I can also do acoustic sounding instruments that don't exist in
real life using the same techniques. It doesn't take much tweaking to change
my acoutic guitar sounds into an almost endless variety of exotic sounding
string instruments.

>>I'm always interested in why people approach synthesis like they do, not
just what equipment they use.<<

I do more than just emulating acoustic instruments too. I like nice colorful
synth-only sounds too. But they are more interesting to hear when they are
all multi-tracked and in a finished composition. Put up a demo of a
monophonic synth sound and it isn't all too interesting. Put up a demo of a
monophonic synth sound that sounds like a real acoustic instrument, and
suddenly people can identify with it because they know the sound.

-Elhardt