KVR Audio

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 1:59 am

I've put a fair amount of effort into making my synths more expressive as I find velocity to be the coolest and most useful modulation source. And with the Modulation Matrix you can assign it to almost any useful parameter.

Architeuthis · Post by **Architeuthis** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 4:32 am

hardwired wrote:Well perhaps you didn't really understand my advice. Since you know it is a instrument, it would make sense to search in the Quick Instrument Links. Right?? So when you click on the Quick Instrument links, just scroll down til you find Spectra. Simple anyone can sort this out.

Yes, it just didn't cross my mind to use it at the time.

1-2-Many wrote:Here's a clip of the D-50 "Pressure Me Lead" in action on a project.

D50 Lead

Somehow I just feel this is a bit cheesy. I've heard very expressive synths in my time and this doesn't live up to a legendary status. It's good, yes, but the expression seems one dimensional.

Pouckypluysch · Post by **Pouckypluysch** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:42 am

Architeuthis wrote:Somehow I just feel this is a bit cheesy.

The drums certainly are. Wow.
I know, I know, the example wasn't about the drums... But still...

steffe · Post by **steffe** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 8:56 am

I would mention the GForce/Ohmforce synth (Symptohm, Minimonsta, Oddity) and of course Zebra 2.

best

OMU · Post by **OMU** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:05 am

Talking about expressive synths, SteamPipe 2 in Reaktor5 is great and Sculpture in Logic 7 is too. But Synful Orchestra is very very expressive when played with the delay for expression parameter active.
That being said, I would so much like that Yamaha make a plugin version of their VL 2 synth. It is still better than what we have at this moment. It's all about that breath controller, you just can't beat that.

kevink · Post by **kevink** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 10:15 am

I find physical modelling synths to be, as a class, the most expressive soft synths. That includes Reaktor SteamPipe and Sculpture, just mentioned, Tassman and its derivatives (Lounge Lizard, String Studio), and less commercial stuff from ziokiller, ugo, et. al.

Timfonie · Post by **Timfonie** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 11:33 am

1-2-Many wrote:Here's a clip of the D-50 "Pressure Me Lead" in action on a project.
D50 Lead

Aha! Sounds familiar this style! When I listened to this clip I recognised it must be yours, remembering one of your Blue demo songs (Thru the Blue).

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:49 pm

How about CS80V, modelled on one of the most expressive analogue polysynths?

CS80 · Post by **CS80** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 3:52 pm

Tera also.

1-2-Many · Post by **1-2-Many** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:39 pm

Like Ian and a few others said a few pages back, if the synth can recieve modulation controllers (velocity, pressure, mod wheel, PB) and has decent routing options, the expressiveness is mostly in the preset programming (and playing

).

Architeuthis · Post by **Architeuthis** » Mon May 01, 2006 3:38 am

http://www.argitoth.com/files/crazy.mp3

Hey Dubbyah, is that expressive enough for you? it was created in surge with one sustained note. This thing gets crazier and crazier...

1-2-Many · Post by **1-2-Many** » Mon May 01, 2006 3:59 am

Expressive in the sense that it evokes an emotion, general mood, or frame of mind - NO, unless chaotic is what you were after.

Expressive - 3 : effectively conveying meaning or feeling. <an expressive look> <expressive line drawings>
(Merriam-Webster)

Architeuthis · Post by **Architeuthis** » Mon May 01, 2006 5:38 am

Of course this isn't what he was looking for. But on the other hand it is expressive in the sense that it's morphing all over the place. I don't think your dictionary definition of "expressive" actually covers that. The D50 lead example isn't about the emotion it evokes but the morphing of the sound.

kevink · Post by **kevink** » Mon May 01, 2006 7:55 am

Morphing all over the place is expressive? Well, maybe. I guess I'm an old-school musician who learned to actually play various instruments with my hands and (in the case of the sax) mouth. For me an expressive synth is one which translates what we coldly call "gestural information" from keyboard/guitar/wind controllers into nuanced sounds in such a way as to allow a musician to *express* various moods. There's a bit more to that than just accepting modulation parameters from MIDI controllers. Some modulations are best done as linear functions of the controller value, but most accoustic instruments respond non-linearly in various ways. Some synths (and please don't ask me for an example) do allow for non-linear modulation by controllers, but it's not the general rule. The nice thing about physical modelling synths is that they provide the sorts of non-linearity to which players of traditional instruments are accustomed.

ianweb123 · Post by **ianweb123** » Mon May 01, 2006 8:44 am

IMO, this doesn't morph anywhere but I would say that this was expressive..
semper_dolens

most expressive synth??