The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Can anyone offer me any tips for a violin sound (especially envelope 
settings). I am thinking of a solo fiddle, not a string pad. I don't 
expect it to be realistic, just playable in a fun way.

I recall seeing a cello patch which plays beautifully, but it doesn't 
translate well to the upper registers. Now that I have written this 
note, I think I'll study that patch for envelope ideas. Still, 
comments will be welcome.

Thx,

Jerry

Jerry,

>Can anyone offer me any tips for a violin sound (especially envelope
>settings). I am thinking of a solo fiddle, not a string pad. I don't
>expect it to be realistic, just playable in a fun way.

I've never done a fiddle on the AN1x, but I have programmed the sound on 
various synths over the years, and here are some thoughts:
    * If you're starting with a string-patch sort of sound, remove most, if 
not all, of the chorus and detune from the sound.  A real violin has some 
interesting phase relationships going on, but cyclical swirling isn't one 
of them.
    * Violinists/fiddlers use widely varying styles of bowing the 
strings.  I usually start with a very long attack on the notes, with 
velocity modulation added to shorten the attack of both the VCF and 
VCA.  This way, if notes are played softly, they are lightly/slowly bowed, 
while harder notes are quickly bowed.  The amount of modulation varies, 
depending on the player's technique, so you'll need to experiment 
here.  Legato mode may help, too, as the first note of a fast passage often 
has a much longer attack than following notes.
    * Pitch bending is a very important part of solo violining.  Portamento 
may provide the amount you need, but I rely on the pitch and ribbon 
controllers.  I usually set the pitch wheel for +/-12 steps, so that I can 
make those head-for-the-clouds bends at the end of a lick.
    * Solo violin playing relies heavily on vibrato, added in after the 
initial attack.  Some players use delayed vibrato only; others use the 
wheel or ribbon (Z-axis) to add it.
I hope this helps.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions"
www.ashbysolutions.com
CloneWheel Support Group moderator
978.386.7389  voice
978.964.0547 fax
bruce@...

Thanks, Bruce. Good advice as always. Cyclical swirling WAS one of my 
problems, Not appropriately defining the vibrato is still a problem. 
It's just not sweet enough, somehow.  (I have lfo speed and pitch and 
a little VCA modulation on the mod wheel.) I know I need a sine lfo 
of some sort. Do you have a reccomendaton (zero offset, +ve offset 
etc.) 

That ribbon controller is sweet for pitch bends. (Especially those 
old Jean Luc Ponty style "attack" bends) It starts getting "steppy" 
if do an octave so I am doing 3 semitones up and 2 semitones down. I 
am keeping the pitch wheel at octaves for the big swoops. Interesting 
discovery, I am modulating pulse width with the ribbon (X) too. So 
the tones change as I bend into the note. Makes a big difference.

Comments welcome. Thx.

Jerry


--- In AN1x-list@y..., Bruce Wahler <bruce@a...> wrote:
> Jerry,
> 
> >Can anyone offer me any tips for a violin sound (especially 
envelope
> >settings). I am thinking of a solo fiddle, not a string pad. I 
don't
> >expect it to be realistic, just playable in a fun way.
> 
> I've never done a fiddle on the AN1x, but I have programmed the 
sound on 
> various synths over the years, and here are some thoughts:
>     * If you're starting with a string-patch sort of sound, remove 
most, if 
> not all, of the chorus and detune from the sound.  A real violin 
has some 
> interesting phase relationships going on, but cyclical swirling 
isn't one 
> of them.
>     * Violinists/fiddlers use widely varying styles of bowing the 
> strings.  I usually start with a very long attack on the notes, 
with 
> velocity modulation added to shorten the attack of both the VCF and 
> VCA.  This way, if notes are played softly, they are lightly/slowly 
bowed, 
> while harder notes are quickly bowed.  The amount of modulation 
varies, 
> depending on the player's technique, so you'll need to experiment 
> here.  Legato mode may help, too, as the first note of a fast 
passage often 
> has a much longer attack than following notes.
>     * Pitch bending is a very important part of solo violining.  
Portamento 
> may provide the amount you need, but I rely on the pitch and ribbon 
> controllers.  I usually set the pitch wheel for +/-12 steps, so 
that I can 
> make those head-for-the-clouds bends at the end of a lick.
>     * Solo violin playing relies heavily on vibrato, added in after 
the 
> initial attack.  Some players use delayed vibrato only; others use 
the 

> wheel or ribbon (Z-axis) to add it.
> I hope this helps.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> -BW
> 
> --
> Bruce Wahler
> Design Consultant
> Ashby Solutions"
> www.ashbysolutions.com
> CloneWheel Support Group moderator
> 978.386.7389  voice
> 978.964.0547 fax
> bruce@a...