Xhun Audio : ResonHeart - mechanical synthesizer - updated to version 1.0.7 (sound design toolkit)

[AnX]

Yes, Yes and yes! !! when Will this be out?

Hi, it's too early to say - as I stated, it's at early dev stage. Not too early, but there's a lot of work to do yet.

The basic idea was "what if electricity was never discovered" (or at least, what if electricity diffusion was not in the plans of the Industrial Revolution) ?

Would it be possible to make a synthesizer (an "audio synthesis device / machine") without using electricity at all?

Think about it as a "dystopian" timeline. What kind of synthesis devices would we have by using only mechanical technologies from the 1850s ? (it's not a typo , not 1950s but 1850s = 170 years ago)

so, this isnt a vst that runs on a computer, its a hardware unit...?

[xhunaudio]

so, this isnt a vst that runs on a computer, its a hardware unit...?

It is a virtual instrument (software), built using the Physical Modeling approach.

Sound is produced by replicating the physics of the instrument. This means it works and sounds like it was built in the real world (using wood, metal, motors, valves) - but it "resides" in the "virtual realm".

[Halonmusic]

I think it sounds interesting.

[xhunaudio]

In a world filled with electronic stuff, EFP represents something different for sure.

In music production, the huge diffusion of devices with an *electronic flavour* it's NOT something bad itself - definitely - but for me, in the Pro-Audio Industry, it would be nice to see *also* something different on the horizon.

For example, specially if you are an Ambient Music producer (or you are involved in the production of other music genres and you're looking for very organic-sounding pads), dealing with a mechanical, natural, acoustic beast like EFP (instead of a more canonical digital or analogue electronic synthesis system) will bring your inspiration to a higher level. Inside EFP, sound is produced by the air itself flowing into ducts and resonators. As I'll explain in the next "episodes" air/turbulence dynamics and *timings* are also fully preserved (the time required by an air jet to fill a resonator having a certain volume), and this makes EFP an alive instrument, the ideal tool to experiment with.

EFP will never replace your horsepower synthesizer for everyday music production, but it could be an original addendum, a new "friend" to musically reach uncommon flavours.

Note :
EFP (Electrons-Free Project) is just a Project name, the final product will have a different name.

[Halonmusic]

[xhunaudio]

Hi,

in the 3rd "episode" I'll talk about the resonator block. There's so much to say, maybe this will require several posts to cover any aspect of it. Let's start with an image :



Each voice of EFP has its exclusive, independent "resonator block". Each resonator block is made of a set of 16 Universal Helmholtz Resonators.

Helmholtz resonators are "hollow bodies" (resembling a sphere in some cases) with only one embouchure/hole and when an air jet is sent inside it, sound is produced by the oscillation of air moving by pressure and depressure (standing waves) at the hole.

"Universal" means that the cylinder length can be adjusted, changing the volume of the body and varying the pitch of the single resonator. In a resonator block, each cylinder length can be automated/modulated.

In addition, each resonator embouchure/hole has its own independent open/close valve. This valve aperture can be automated/modulated.

A full set of 16 Universal Helmholtz Resonators constitute a single "resonator block". An advanced, easy to use system has been developed to let users control each of the 16 + 16 UHR valves (per voice) with just the turn of a single knob.

PS : How the air-oscillation is triggered

When an air jet is sent to the UHR hole/aperture, some amount of time is needed for the air *inside* the resonator to reach the pressure threshold to activate the pressure-depressure oscillation. It's a certain amount of time needed by the air jet to "fill" the resonator volume.

If the internal volume of one resonator is small (= it resonates at higher frequencies), it will require a certain time for the air jet to fill that volume. And, if the internal volume of another resonator is bigger (= it resonates at lower frequencies), it will require more time for the air jet to fill that volume and start the oscillation.

So, in EFP, this aspect is preserved and smaller UHRs will have a lower "response time" (a sort of "mechanical latency" - that has nothing to do with electronic latency itself) than other bigger UHRs. Although this response timing difference if very small, it is measurable and also slightly perceivable.

End of part 1...

[xhunaudio]

Hi,

now I'm going to talk about how the 16 UHR (Universal Helmholtz Resonators) inside a single "resonator block" are involved in the sound generation process.

The UHR Tuning Controls :

By default, the 16 UHR are tuned following the natural "integer" partial multiples of the fundamental. User can adjust (tune or detune) the 16 individual UHRs, to reach any king of "harmonic" or "inharmonic" result.

Then, thanks to the *tuning control* knob/parameter, it is possible to "fade" between the "default harmonic content" and the "adjusted harmonic content" from the user sound designing process. This fading can also be automated using a Contour, Mechanical Swing "LFO" valve, Key Following and Key Velocity assignments.

[xhunaudio]

The UHR Pressure Controls :

As I stated in my previous posts, it is possible to include/exclude the 16 individual UHRs in the sound generation process by opening/closing the aperture holes/embouchures of the single UHRs.

It works similiarly to the way the Tuning Control works, with a difference.

At first, the user / sound designer can set the amount of air that is sent inside the 16 individual UHRs. Then, thanks to the *pressure control* knob/parameter, it is possible to "fade" between 3 states (here, the difference with the tuning control) :

- when the pressure control knob is set to "closed", all resonators embouchures are closed. No air/turbulence flows in, producing... silence

- when the pressure control knob is set to "open" , all resonators embouchures are open. Air/turbulence flows in, producing a lot of sound (and noise)

- when the pressure control knob is set to "middle" , all resonators embouchures are set the exact way the user set them during the sound designing process.

This 3-way fading can also be automated using a *separate* Contour, Mechanical Swing "LFO" valve, Key Following and Key Velocity assignments.

PS : The Pressure Control and Tuning Control Units feature separate Contour, Mechanical Swing "LFO" valve, Key Following and Key Velocity modulation units. The Air/Turbulence Motor/Engine feature a separate Contour modulation unit (plus the Venturi Valve and Air Jet Dispersion controls I mentione in my previos posts).

[xhunaudio]

And, I forgot to mention, the final name of this "EFP - Electrons-Free Project" virtual instrument is : ResonHeart

[perpetual3]

Can’t wait for this!

[xhunaudio]

While some of its interface elements resemble something between an electronic synthesizer and an electromagnetic or pipe organs, the sound designing process in ResonHearth is something unique - there is a sort of learning curve : nothing difficoult to learn, definitely, but it requires some time (reasonably no more than a few minutes) to completely understand how it works and have full familiarity with it.

That's the reason I'm doing of my best to describe how ResonHearth works in the detail - if something is not fully clear or I forgot to clarify any aspect, just ask !

PS : ResonHearth GUI images will follow...

[xhunaudio]

Hi,

here're two additional images, one showing the three "Countour" (envelope) valves response - featuring the same aperture/closure response of a pneumatic solenoid valve (it's most noticeable with very short attack/decay settings - and with a "zoom in", if you want to see it) :



and one image showing the two "Swing" (mechanical LFO) valves response :

[BlackWinny]

Extremely interesting !

I'm fan of the physical modelling synthesis (plural) to recall organic, baroque, old traditional acoustic instruments (and create some which could have exist but never did). The approaches by Nusofting and by AAS, to cite two major examples, are fantastic, and your enter in this universe is a great idea! This world is still almost empty and there is a lot to imagine and to create. Especially in the winds and all the reproductions of air flows in (an on) materials.

Consider me by now as a future user of ResonHearth!


Jacques

[xhunaudio]

I'm fan of the physical modelling synthesis (plural) to recall organic, baroque, old traditional acoustic instruments (and create some which could have exist but never did)...

Hi Jacques , exactly - you got the point - you focused the main aspect which fueled my research.

I would explain also an additional aspect of ResonHeart - I hope I'll be able to explain it fine, since it is a sort of "Inception"-based (the movie) concept.

ResonHeart can be considered from two main point of views.

The first is : ResonHeart is it's a huge, acoustic machine assembled in the *virtual* realm, but responding to the same principles of its (unseen - never built before) hardware counterpart thanks to the physical modeling method - it is built using a specific modeling for each of its physical resonators, motors, valves.

The second is : in ResonHeart, all the physically modeled components I described above (resonators, etc...) are "combined together" to form a physical machine capable of "Modal Synthesis" (a form of physical modeling itself - a very intriguing topic that would require a thread itself) to simulate the basics of physics of other acoustic instruments.

An example to recap (here's the reason why I mentioned the movie "Inception") :

ResonHeart is a virtual instrument, a physical modeling simulation of an original "acoustic machine" featuring a Modal Synthesis architecture, to let this "acoustic machine" to mimic and simulate the basics of other acoustic instruments' physics like cymbals, violins, marimbas, etc.

PS : After reading for the 3rd time what I wrote above, I think it seems comprehensible but if you feel dizzy after reading my post, for any questions I'm here.

[perpetual3]

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