KVR Audio

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:13 pm

fluffy_little_something wrote:What does free-running mean in the case of a filter? I mean, what does it refer to? Is there something cyclic or time-based about the filter itself as well?

filters don't stop processing oscs in an analogue synth. They don't go in some sort of standby when you lift the keys.

Digital synths usually stop processing voices which are quiet. Analogue synths don't.

fluffy_little_something · Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:57 pm

OK, I just don't really get why that matters with filters (except maybe in terms of CPU usage). With oscillators I understand because I can clearly hear the difference, for instance in Sylenth or Element, when switching free-running mode on and off. There I know more or less what happens with regard to the phase. With filters it is less obvious to me, I mean what does it matter if a quiet voice is filtered or not. Why does it influence the next sounding voice?

When everything is free-running, doesn't that result in an overly inconsistent sound? With some sounds like pads that might be useful, but with others not so much, punchy synth basses for instance, or percussive or pluck sounds.
Ideally one can switch it on and off as needed. Being spoiled now, I don't think I would buy any synth anymore that only has free-running mode

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:36 pm

It matters for self-oscillation, I think.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 12:16 am

there are loads of subtle effects involved. Most notably if and what kind of click you'd get from a short attack envelope.

Ace has free running filters and when some people complained they couldn't get consistent "digital" clicks, we added a filter reset option. Others like it for its less sterile sound.

HunterKiller · Post by **HunterKiller** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:50 am

beely wrote:One monosynth that often gets overlooked is the OB-1

Especially when you hear this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6ucbc9vdcrxns ... 20OB-1.mp3

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:07 pm

Urs wrote:there are loads of subtle effects involved. Most notably if and what kind of click you'd get from a short attack envelope.

Ace has free running filters and when some people complained they couldn't get consistent "digital" clicks, we added a filter reset option. Others like it for its less sterile sound.

I suppose there is no inertia in the digital world (well, I guess latency qualifies)... but it seems like always on has some extra immediacy compared to 'turning everything on' at keypress. I mean that independent of whether the phase is reset or not.

Maybe it is because Env's are generally calculated at control rate not audio rate? Or the bit of smoothing to reduce clicks?

david.beholder · Post by **david.beholder** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:47 am

pdxindy wrote: Maybe it is because Env's are generally calculated at control rate not audio rate? Or the bit of smoothing to reduce clicks?

If Env is not generated at audio rate there should be artifacts and aliasing

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 8:45 am

No aliasing. Just stepping.

david.beholder · Post by **david.beholder** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:10 pm

EvilDragon wrote:No aliasing. Just stepping.

Think about sine and env consisting only of 3 steps - 0%, 50% and 100%. Both of jumps 0->50 and 50->100 would introduce discontinuity of waveform because of steps in the middle of the wave.

I think Urs has mentioned it few months explaining that bad designed software oscillators are clicking on short release.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:21 pm

Yeah except all those steps usually go through a filter which smoothes those steps out...

That's stepping. Not aliasing.

david.beholder · Post by **david.beholder** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:34 pm

EvilDragon wrote:Yeah except all those steps usually go through a filter which smoothes those steps out...

And filter is already working on audio rate, right

EvilDragon wrote:That's stepping. Not aliasing.

Huh?

IncarnateX · Post by **IncarnateX** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 2:51 pm

Bla bla bla. To the chase: U-he rules the software synth world and all other pale in comparison whether they are emulations or not. A pity some U-hes are so CPU expensive but I guess it's the price to pay. However I am not on PC or MAC at all but would love a piece of the cake, so how about making a cpu friendly version of Zebra for iPad, Urs, or even better, make us a cheap but solid analog polysynth in line with minilogue.

Don't waste any more time on the PC/Mac squad, they are spoiled to the bone already. Take a turn and see how it plays out. What ya say Urs?

Cinebient · Post by **Cinebient** » Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:41 pm

IncarnateX wrote:Bla bla bla. To the chase: U-he rules the software synth world and all other pale in comparison whether they are emulations or not. A pity some U-hes are so CPU expensive but I guess it's the price to pay. However I am not on PC or MAC at all but would love a piece of the cake, so how about making a cpu friendly version of Zebra for iPad, Urs, or even better, make us a cheap but solid analog polysynth in line with minilogue.

Don't waste any more time on the PC/Mac squad, they are spoiled to the bone already. Take a turn and see how it plays out. What ya say Urs?

I would like to see an U-he thing too on an iPad as well. Many seems still to see it as a toy but that´s not the case. I still prefer lots of my iOS tools over my plug-ins. Same sound.... faster results....more fun to use..... better UI.
The problem is the market, price and the general app store stupidy!
Maybe some day. What about a multi-touch friendly windows 10 version? Hardware controllers are nice and so but there is so much you can do while interact direct via multi-touch.
I mostly use my macbook just for reverb and sample instruments latley. It just feels not like the future sometimes

u-he rePro in the works