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Subject: why a CS does sound like a CS?

From: "Max Fazio" <faxiomas@...>
Date: 2006-01-20

Hi guys
I was intrigued by the article of Kevin Lightner posted by Matrix into his blog about "why a moog sounds like a moog"

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2006/01/why-moog-sounds-like-moog.html

It shows clearly that, beyond the plain waves and filters with their drift a certain amount of "jitter" or intermodulation noise takes a role in defining "that" sound; in the article kevin explains it derives from the very low voltages used in the moog machines... could that be also a factor with CS synthesizers, I don't know..
But there comes the question: why a CS sounds like a CS?
My guesses go to :

1.Filters: I think there is a particular response which is far from being the perfeect response you can get from a SVF type thing; moreover I noted a minimum amount of intermodulation so that a very low noise appears at mid cutoffs

2.VCOs: aside from the fact the special waves are intentional, I've seen that , in terms of harmonics there is a little enhancement on the 4F and 5F harmonic, this is , I think , more noticeable when the two VCO are mixed and slightly detuned; moreover I think that the WSC circuit gives out a certain amount of noise into the signal

3.Ringmodulator : the sine is very rich , I analysed it and discovered 9 more significative harmonics , especially of the odd type , this enriches the sound a lot.

Obviously mine are only speculations...what do you think about the most significative things influencing the CS sound?
Max


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