One Synth Challenge #77: Charlatan (Taron wins!)
- KVRAF
- 3205 posts since 17 Apr, 2010 from Slovenia
That will be interesting. The original sound really mimics roughly the sound of a steel guitar (e-guitar) string, while the distortion does to it then what it would do to the real thing. I personally wouldn't call it annihilating, but it is certainly significant.
...well, as long as somebody will let me know then, all will be well, I guess.

- KVRAF
- 2229 posts since 29 Sep, 2011
It's really more of a judgement call on your part. If you want to post the A/B of the effect vs. not, people could chime in. But that rule is a very large gray area open to personal interpretation by each participant, really. Personally, I think adding distortion like you would a guitar is fine but others might not feel the same way. I'm definitely in the liberal use of effects camp, though. 
- KVRAF
- 3205 posts since 17 Apr, 2010 from Slovenia
Cool, that's reassuring, thank you! To me this really only brings out character that Charlatan offers and wouldn't sound the way it does, if it wasn't for this synth.
In my first OSC (#75) I was so scared to alter the sound, that I only super carefully used EQ to clear the path of sounds, not to alter them at all, really. Then I was dumb-founded, when I listened to the other tracks, haha, who ruthlessly pushed and pulled on the sound, yet, it was just fine. SO....in that spirit: Yehawww!
But, again, if people oppose it, just speak up and I'll find an alternative.
In my first OSC (#75) I was so scared to alter the sound, that I only super carefully used EQ to clear the path of sounds, not to alter them at all, really. Then I was dumb-founded, when I listened to the other tracks, haha, who ruthlessly pushed and pulled on the sound, yet, it was just fine. SO....in that spirit: Yehawww!
But, again, if people oppose it, just speak up and I'll find an alternative.
- KVRAF
- 2229 posts since 29 Sep, 2011
*whew* got the last thing done I was working on, just in time... now on to this bangin' Charlatan track... erhm... secretive... muahahaha.
- KVRAF
- 3205 posts since 17 Apr, 2010 from Slovenia
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- KVRian
- 1158 posts since 6 Jan, 2015 from London, England
Charlie: every patch made from scratch.
This is my first OSC entry. Charlatan is a nice-sounding synth but it was a challenge to come up with something I felt was good enough in the 24 hours I had at my disposal.
I put the whole thing together apart from the piano patch yesterday in the park on my Asus T100-TA convertible laptop/tablet using Studio One. So it was a kind of quadruple challenge: OSC in 24 hours,creating all of the patches myself, on a 10" screen.
Apart from Charlatan, all I used was Studio One's Pro EQ, compressor, Mixverb reverb, analog delay, Mixtool for gain control, RedLightDist for a bit of saturation, TriComp for more saturation, and a limiter on the master track. There are 15 tracks in total, each with one instance of Charlatan.
Others have said they're keeping away from EDM this time so, great, here's some EDM.
https://soundcloud.com/garryknight/charlie
This is my first OSC entry. Charlatan is a nice-sounding synth but it was a challenge to come up with something I felt was good enough in the 24 hours I had at my disposal.
I put the whole thing together apart from the piano patch yesterday in the park on my Asus T100-TA convertible laptop/tablet using Studio One. So it was a kind of quadruple challenge: OSC in 24 hours,creating all of the patches myself, on a 10" screen.
Apart from Charlatan, all I used was Studio One's Pro EQ, compressor, Mixverb reverb, analog delay, Mixtool for gain control, RedLightDist for a bit of saturation, TriComp for more saturation, and a limiter on the master track. There are 15 tracks in total, each with one instance of Charlatan.
Others have said they're keeping away from EDM this time so, great, here's some EDM.
https://soundcloud.com/garryknight/charlie
Last edited by garryknight on Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRian
- 1158 posts since 6 Jan, 2015 from London, England
Sorry, double post while editing. Such a newbie! 
Last edited by garryknight on Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRian
- 1158 posts since 6 Jan, 2015 from London, England
Sorry, triple post while editing!!! Why can't I delete posts?
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- KVRist
- 485 posts since 19 Feb, 2011
Ah, I remember Charlatan from the first time round, way back in the depths of OSC history!
If time permits I'll be in this month with something laid back and smooth lounge style
Here's a couple of presets I've made so far
Rhodes https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/252 ... .vstpreset
Vox pad https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/252 ... .vstpreset
If time permits I'll be in this month with something laid back and smooth lounge style
Here's a couple of presets I've made so far
Rhodes https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/252 ... .vstpreset
Vox pad https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/252 ... .vstpreset
- KVRist
- 364 posts since 13 Nov, 2010
My first submission for OSC... Hope you all like... Had a little time between a couple of other tracks today.
This is a little more HipHop Dance hallish...
https://soundcloud.com/viceverser/david ... s251-osc77
The DAW/host... Bitwig Studio
FX used... Bitwig Studio containers, and basic effects EQ (Minimal to not compromise the synth), and Vladg/TDR free plugins... Molot, Limiter 6, Kotelnikov.
how many instances of the synth? x19... I layered the synth instances with slight variations on each and used natural phase from the outputs.
FX was used as minimal as possible... Compression on drums/Drum Bus (Parallel Compression)... Slight EQ (Again, minimal as possible... I tried to use the band pass on the Synth, and layer to phase cancel muddy frequencies, so as to really challenge myself on this.
And to glue it together, Kotelnikov and Limiter 6 = Compression, and Clipping to bring the snap back.
I could have done more tweaking, but that would have defeated the purpose of the challenge
Cheers... V.
This is a little more HipHop Dance hallish...
https://soundcloud.com/viceverser/david ... s251-osc77
The DAW/host... Bitwig Studio
FX used... Bitwig Studio containers, and basic effects EQ (Minimal to not compromise the synth), and Vladg/TDR free plugins... Molot, Limiter 6, Kotelnikov.
how many instances of the synth? x19... I layered the synth instances with slight variations on each and used natural phase from the outputs.
FX was used as minimal as possible... Compression on drums/Drum Bus (Parallel Compression)... Slight EQ (Again, minimal as possible... I tried to use the band pass on the Synth, and layer to phase cancel muddy frequencies, so as to really challenge myself on this.
And to glue it together, Kotelnikov and Limiter 6 = Compression, and Clipping to bring the snap back.
I could have done more tweaking, but that would have defeated the purpose of the challenge
Cheers... V.
- KVRAF
- 3205 posts since 17 Apr, 2010 from Slovenia
Uh, you should check out the earlier OSCs to get an idea just how far you can go without violating the rules!
I was overly careful the first time around, too. As long as you don't pitch the outgoing signals in any way, almost everything goes (EQ (like crazy), compression, saturation (distortion), delays, reverbs). With something like Charlatan you can achieve a vast spectrum of sounds at an impressive quality. You'll see at the end of the month!
I was overly careful the first time around, too. As long as you don't pitch the outgoing signals in any way, almost everything goes (EQ (like crazy), compression, saturation (distortion), delays, reverbs). With something like Charlatan you can achieve a vast spectrum of sounds at an impressive quality. You'll see at the end of the month!
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- KVRian
- 725 posts since 11 Mar, 2014 from Netherlands
A little update.
Had some technical problems with the plugin on linux, but it seems to be resolved now (thanks @falktx)
Hope I can finish it all in time
Not much mixing/processing going on still trying to put the stuff I hear in my head in my DAW
https://soundcloud.com/rghvdberg/quack-doctor-update
DAW: Ardour4 with Carla-Rack as plugin host for Charlatan 64 bit
FX so far; Calf Reverb, Roomy, Calf Vintage Delay, TAL Dub III, Calf compressor
Had some technical problems with the plugin on linux, but it seems to be resolved now (thanks @falktx)
Hope I can finish it all in time
Not much mixing/processing going on still trying to put the stuff I hear in my head in my DAW
https://soundcloud.com/rghvdberg/quack-doctor-update
DAW: Ardour4 with Carla-Rack as plugin host for Charlatan 64 bit
FX so far; Calf Reverb, Roomy, Calf Vintage Delay, TAL Dub III, Calf compressor
- KVRist
- 364 posts since 13 Nov, 2010
Yeah, I guess they are a little vague on the actual "philosophy" of the challenge... It would be a little more understandable if there was more of "the aim is to..." rather than just "you can't do...".Taron wrote:Uh, you should check out the earlier OSCs to get an idea just how far you can go without violating the rules!
I was overly careful the first time around, too. As long as you don't pitch the outgoing signals in any way, almost everything goes (EQ (like crazy), compression, saturation (distortion), delays, reverbs). With something like Charlatan you can achieve a vast spectrum of sounds at an impressive quality. You'll see at the end of the month!
Thanks tho... I don't expect to win anyway tho, I just don't think the prizes justify more time than i've spent.
Maybe I will be excited by a synth in the future.
?
Cheers... V.
- KVRAF
- 3205 posts since 17 Apr, 2010 from Slovenia
No problem, of course, but I can tell you, Charlatan is quite stunning, when you get into it. Besides, prices? I never even looked at what they were, just knew some exist, but it's really not at all what this is about. At least not to me. I love sound design and being pushed to experiment with such free vsts. It's good fun and a great challenge. Needless to mention the stunning stuff people are creating here!

So, yeah, OSC is the kinda thing you do, because you love doing it, not because of rewards beyond the respect of your peers!
So, yeah, OSC is the kinda thing you do, because you love doing it, not because of rewards beyond the respect of your peers!
- KVRist
- 364 posts since 13 Nov, 2010
If only there was more time in the day... sigh!!!Taron wrote:No problem, of course, but I can tell you, Charlatan is quite stunning, when you get into it. Besides, prices? I never even looked at what they were, just knew some exist, but it's really not at all what this is about. At least not to me. I love sound design and being pushed to experiment with such free vsts. It's good fun and a great challenge. Needless to mention the stunning stuff people are creating here!![]()
So, yeah, OSC is the kinda thing you do, because you love doing it, not because of rewards beyond the respect of your peers!
Good luck to everyone
Cheers... V.

