MOTM

Paul Haneberg writes:
>>One idea I've been tossing around for some time is to try to write some sort 
of guidebook on modular synthesis.  I have a friend who is a published author 
who has been giving me tips on the mechanics of getting a book published.  I'd 
like to do something of a collaborative nature with sections devoted to the 
operations of individual modules as well as a large section based on creative 
patching.  Ideally I would like to include a CD with a large variety of samples 
as well.....I would like to hear from some of the other listmembers about what 
they think about this and whether they would be willing to contribute patches 
and sound samples.  I'm willing to share credit and royalties (if there are 
any.)<<

Actually if you look to Wendy Carlos' (and my imitation) Secrets of Synthesis 
record/CD, that could be another alternative to look into.  It's simple to 
speak into a microphone and record synth examples on the spot.  You get to hear 
the examples as you go rather than read about them first and listen to a 
reference CD later.  CD's are cheap and easy to burn and distribute, and they 
can also contain computer documents and pictures as in Wendy's Box Set.

Mike Estee writes:
>>That's a good idea. Most books on audio synthesis start at "what's a 
synthesizer" or are thinly veiled manual's for some manufacturers synth.<<

That seems like about what I've noticed.  And the one thick book I have that 
covers almost every type of synthesis known to man, only briefly tells you what 
they are and sort of how they work, but doesn't actually show or let you hear 
their use in the real world.  Sure it's nice to know what a phase vocoder or a 
waveguide is, but what are they used for and what do they sound like?

Mike Estee writes:
>>I was fantasizing this afternoon about a book where each chapter was a sound 
(for example: doppler train effect, explosion, flute) and the chapter broke 
down the start to finish construction of a patch.<<

jwbarlow writes:
>>This is an interesting idea. The down side is the "encyclopedia of patches" 
concept -- this will quickly lead to an Encyclopedia Britanica size book which 
no one would ever look at (let alone write).<<

That's true because there is almost no end to something like that.  But it 
could be a little more general.  For instance instead of just showing the 
synthesis of a cymbal crash, it could cover metalic sound synthesis techniques 
in general.  Then again, hearing how a cymbal is synthesized could allow one to 
figure out how to synthesize other related sounds like a gong for instance and 
trigger new ideas in their heads about how to do other things as well.


-Elhardt