LFOs - what do you like?

[Ingonator]

I like the Step LFO's in Synthmaker. Almost like a mini sequencer.

Do you mean Synthmaster maybe? I like the step LFOs in that too, especially in combination with modulation of the wavetable index.

Besides that i like to have Fade-in, Delay and S&H in LFOs. A noise source as a LFO shape could be helpful too.


Ingo

[Kriminal]

What are you favourite LFOs, how do they work? Tempo-synced? Modulated?

Or do you prefer host automation? Maybe flexible looping envelopes?

I use regular triangles about 90% of time, so please enlighten me on the joys of low-frequency oscillators.

usually just sine waves, tempo synced or random for some cool S+H stuff....with the odd square wave for gated stuff

its got to have a delay, and also the ability to change speed/rate via MW

[Z3R0T0N1N]

that Cableguys midishaper is quite cool. When I was on EnergyXT 1.4 I would always opt for the NicFit MIDI plugins over synths' internal LFOs. There is definitely something to be said for MIDIshaper type plugins. But in the end I think I prefer that the LFO settings can be saved as part of a synth's patch. So my current fav (not on a synth) is on Shortcircuit sampler.
I messed w/ the Surge demo, and if I could afford it, that would have my very favourite LFOs I think.
The short answer would have been to just say the more options the better. When an LFO has all the modelling options that the rest of the synth has, and can be a mod destination as well as a source, then I'm in modulation heaven.

[Xenos]

- audio rate LFO speeds
- exotic LFO shapes. Bonus points if you get to draw or import your own.
- Noise or S&H at audio rates. Great for dirtying things up or to provide a bit of fog/haze to the texture.
- Modulating an LFO with another one (or anything else).
- Having lots of them. At least 5 or 6.
- Taking multisegment envelopes and running them in high-rate loops. Great for chiptunes or creating exotic textures.

[Nielzie]

I like the Step LFO's in Synthmaker. Almost like a mini sequencer.

Do you mean Synthmaster maybe? I like the step LFOs in that too, especially in combination with modulation of the wavetable index.

Could be, but could also not be because Synthmaker has also a very nice step/matrix LFO module

[highkoo]

- audio rate LFO speeds
- exotic LFO shapes. Bonus points if you get to draw or import your own.
- Having lots of them. At least 5 or 6.
- Taking multisegment envelopes and running them in high-rate loops. Great for chiptunes or creating exotic textures.

Yep!
+1 on those!

+1 on phase too although thats another one that seems like it should be kind of standard for anything serious these days.

[MaxC]

I'll second what many have said regarding super high rates and S&H/random shapes, but I'll also make a point of having very sloooow rates. All too often I pull the LFO down to its slowest rate only to find the progression still isn't as gradual as I want it to be. An LFO rate that could range from the infinitesimal, to the infinite, would be rad...

[audiospillage]

I really like delay start time and fade in/fade out LFO parameters, which are seen on so few synths (Roland JV/XV/Fantom, some of the modular VST's

The delay and fade combination can make a big difference. If I remember correctly all my digital hardware (inc. a DX21 FM synth) had these controls. Personally I love a good sine wave LFO and square wave pitch modulation. More interesting chaotic generators to add interest and variation to sounds is something I'd like to see more of.

Do mean chaotic in the sense of truly random, or something that still repeats predictably (either over a time period or based on song position or something)?

I was thinking of chaotic noise generators - not just white/pink noise or sample and hold types. Useful for extreme modulation or to add a little movement to a static sound.

[SciFiArtMan]

I really like delay start time and fade in/fade out LFO parameters...

Absolutely! And this should be standard equipment on all modern synths, I say/hope!

Sure, triangles and sines most of the time, but squares, and variable pulse, and random of all above are quite useful for stepping outside the box too! The more possibilities the better, in my mind! You never know where some unusual feature can and will lead you in sound design!

But let's make LFO delay & attack settings a new synth standard! :)

SFAM

[george]

But let's make LFO delay & attack settings a new synth standard!

This is actually possible on any synth with a mod matrix and 2 sources.

Just assign ENV LFO and ENV ADSR to the destination of choice and there you go, request served

[mystran]

But let's make LFO delay & attack settings a new synth standard!

This is actually possible on any synth with a mod matrix and 2 sources.

Just assign ENV LFO and ENV ADSR to the destination of choice and there you go, request served

Well, yeah I was thinking the same (assuming the ADSR has delay). But I can see how that might not be ideal in all cases... suppose you want 6 LFOs (like someone said) with each having different delay/attack parameters.. that means using 6 ENVs as well.

What I'd be interested know is whether such envelope shaping of LFOs is more common than the use of LFOs and/or envelopes alone. It might make sense to pair the two, somewhat like filters and filter envelopes, such that you could use either alone but wouldn't need any special routing/mod-matrix to do the obvious thing.

[george]

6 LFO + ADSR envelopes? That's a lot of modulation Maybe good for a sound designer, not a player.

LFO Attack could work as Delay using a steep curve. Getting a Decay LFO could be nice but not essential to have.

[mystran]

6 LFO + ADSR envelopes? That's a lot of modulation Maybe good for a sound designer, not a player.

I don't know (or right now even care) what's good for someone.. I was interested in what people (1) use and (2) dream about.

[Kriminal]

6 LFO + ADSR envelopes? That's a lot of modulation Maybe good for a sound designer, not a player.

I don't know (or right now even care) what's good for someone.. I was interested in what people (1) use and (2) dream about.

same thing

whats good for a sound designer is what a sound designer wants
whats good for a player is what a player wants

[Frantz]

What are you favourite LFOs, how do they work? Tempo-synced? Modulated?

Are you building a synth or is this general curiosity?