MOTM

Just wanted to say thanks for all the comments both on the MOTM board and via 
private mail.  I've been spending more time in the studio and less online, so 
sorry for the delay in responding.

elle_webb@... writes:
>>How do you decide which gear you want to do different sounds on? IE, are 
you using the virtual analogs for more polyphonic stuff, and the modular more 
for solos?<<

Some of it is as you said, polyphonic synths for polyphonic instruments, and 
monophonic for monophonic.  Some of it is also based on features.  The Nord 
Modular has short digital delay modules that I was able to use to for comb 
filtering and getting a complex body resonance type tone.  Sometimes it's 
just whatever synth I happen to be experimenting with at the time.  I was 
trying my breath controller out with my MOTM, so that was where I did the 
flute type sounds.

ixqy@... writes:
>>All of those sounds are just wonderful. I *love* your use of dynamics in 
the violin and cello. To hear music like this (esp. synth based) makes me 
want to smash my car radio knowing the crrr-rap that is broadcasted everyday 
to the masses.<<

The violin and cello use both velocity and a pedal to control volume, 
brightness and nasalness.  As for the music, it was just made up on the fly 
as I was recording.  That allows me to make up something that sounds 
appropriate for the instruments and keeps them within the ranges that they 
sound good in.

jlarryh@... (J. Larry Hendry) writes:
>>Just goes to show that analog emulation of acoustic instruments can indeed 
sound realistic and even better than digital samples in some cases. Sometimes 
to me a digital sample, while realistic sounds "thin" or lacks "body" if 
anyone can relate to that.<<

There are many other problems with digital samples that can make them sound 
rigid, or give away that they are samples rather than the real thing.  That's 
why when Yamaha came out with their VL-1 to VL-70 physical modeling synths, 
it revived my interest in moving away from samples and trying to do it all on 
regular analog synths.  The VL series is good as some instruments and lousy 
at others.  But the ones it's good at have a lot more expression and realism 
in their dymanics, and don't have any of the problems that samples do.

>>Now, what we really need is several full length pieces on CD so we can all 
go buy it.<<

I may have out a Swithed On Back #3 or Well Tempered Clavier #2 with strickly 
Carlos type synth sounds before I do anything with my acoustic type sounds.

anymail@... (geblinkoort) writes:
>>Hi Ken,
Please don't take this as an offence, it is not meant like that. I think you 
made a *very* nice short piece of music. As to the sound, my answer to your 
question 'Can analogs pass as acoustic? You decide'  would have to be: no.
Being a conductor (and player of the violin), I think I know how a violin or 
cello or flute sounds. The guitar sounds good and also the 'wood flute' is 
nice (BTW, I liked your recorder on an earlier demo!). I know that doing 
synthetic strings is very, very difficult and to be honest the violin and the 
cello don't come near the sound of a real one. For me even a sampled violin 
or cello doesn't come near a real one.<<

Actually I was thinking that a violinist a guitar player and a flute player 
would each say that they can tell the difference between their associated 
intruments and my emulations.  That's almost expected.  But when listening to 
instruments they don't play then the opposite might be true.  For instance 
you say you liked my recorder demo.  I hear all kinds of things wrong with it 
and it still needs more work to get it to sound the way I want it.  Strings 
are hard to do and I'm not quite satisfied with all of my sounds in one way 
or another.  The strings are going to get a major overhaul and I'm going to 
be trying some new equipment and techniques for getting the wooden body sound 
as close as possible to some violins and cellos in real recordings I have.  
For instance, I know what a violin sounds like in it's low register, and I 
love that sound and want to try to get as close to it as possible.  I 
currently don't have a separate violin and cello patch.  It's all one 
compromised generic string sound that spans the keyboard.  I need to do each 
separately.

However, I do have a number of string sounds with different tones, though 
they are still somewhat similar, and I can play along with a Vivaldi violin 
concerto and the violin fits in closer than you would think.  If I were to 
replace the real violin with my fake one playing, I'd bet that some people 
(non-violinists) could be fooled.  Keep in mind that the string orchestra 
playing along with it helps cover up some shortcomings.  I may not be able to 
fool all of the people all of the time, but maybe some of the people some of 
the time.  But the goad will always try to get closer and closer.  Going by 
the posts, maybe the answer to the question is: it depends on the instrument 
emulated and the person listening.  And pointing out ahead of time that it's 
all fake might also have something to do with it, because then people will 
examine every sound in detail.

Thanks for the responses.

-Elhardt