One Synth Challenge #81: Oxe FM (z.prime wins!)

[GaBeRock]

I'm so, so glad I saw this contest. Now I no longer feel GAS for Komplete because having a solid FM synth is turning out to fill most of the sound-synthesis possibilities I hadn't been able to work with before

Also, this thing makes some really sexy kick tones.

[ontrackp]

Additional to normal FX chain each channel has an Input FX Chain and Input configuration to manipulate MIDI in different ways. Right click on the tracks Record Arm shows a different popup menu. There you find MIDI:Input for recieve and also routing parameters. And the menu gives acces to Input FX Chain ...

I think I have it figured out now. I switched everything to be on channel 1. I then discovered that even though I changed the track midi channel to 1, and the input channel to 1 in the record/arm popup menu, the notes already recorded remained playing on channel 4. The notes each have an individual midi channel so it appears you cannot just re-assign a track to a new channel. This seems to have solved my issue. Thanks for all the helpful advice!

[zendorf]

I have almost zero experience with a full FM synth like Oxe, so was hesitant to enter this month's challenge. After some fiddling with it, I am pleasantly surprised with how good it sounds and how easy it is to program. The main issue is how small the GUI is which makes it a bitch to read!

Having a good set of presets makes a great starting point with most of the basics covered. Quite happy with the kick and snare sounds I can coax out of this puppy. Currently having a lot of fun creating a tune for this months OSC, which I have almost finished and am blown away by how good this free little synth is

[Chris-S]

The notes each have an individual midi channel so it appears you cannot just re-assign a track to a new channel.

Select all notes in Midi editor, right-mouse-click : Note channel : 1 - 16.

[Constructed Identity]

So...I am making an ambient song with OXE. Can I submit a thing that mutes the sample tracks in Sonar?
The final will have cool samples, but the contest entry will just be three instances of OXE.

[z.prime]

So 2 versions? Fine as long as the submission has the non-synth tracks muted, I think.

[Dee.P.Tree]

I've downloaded the preset bank from http://ann.sounds.free.fr/ but I can't figure out how to install. I'm on a Mac, so I'm guessing this functionality is not available there? If anyone's done this on a Mac, I'd be curious to know how. I'm on Live 9 (64-bit), btw.

I too tried it later after I posted the link. It's not working for windows also. It says something about .bin file which is not there in oxevst folder. So, I dropped it. Trying with what is available as factory banks, presets shared by kind members to learn and of course exploring the FM synthesis on web.

[Dee.P.Tree]

Ah yeah, I'm on Mac... thanks nonetheless!

Looks like some others in this thread were having issues with Renoise and Oxe... so I'll wait to see if there are any updates in the next few weeks.

Is there a way to contact the developer? It'd be a shame to miss the OSC with such a neat little synth like this..

Please contribute with patches, soundbanks, skins, compositions, donations, bug reports, suggestions or even a “hello” to oxe at oxesoft dot com

[Dee.P.Tree]

How channels do work in oxe..?

I mean to ask whether different channels work in parallel to make more complex sounds.

It shows the same first channel screen as I move from one channel to another. I have made sounds in first channel only as of now.

Or Is it related to MIDI ? I presume that one have to make a patch in same channel which one's midi controller sends signal to.

Thanks for help.

PS: I don't have any midi controller. Everything is made with PC keyboard. So, I am not much familiar with MIDI settings.

[mehum]

Since others have reported problems when using other channels than 1 I'd recommend against it. I think the multitimbrality is most useful if performing live to have plenty of sounds under your fingertips. In any modern daw environment there are other ways to layer by routing midi to different instances and group audio.

[actioncat]

This was all but unusable for me until I followed Taron's advice, now things are coming along quite nicely.

Root of Valerian, I think... maybe some meditation... avoid too much caffeine... maybe eat a banana?

pretty sure it was the banana that did it.

[Jazzaria]

First time submission:
https://soundcloud.com/jazzaria/duel-of-the-flutes

Used 6 instances of Oxe (bass, rhodes, two "flutes", snare, and shaker) and Reaper (which was also used to add a touch of reverb, eq, compression, and fadeout).

[sawsq]

Hi Jazzaria,

Used Audacity to do a bit of amplify/compression and fadeout.

personally, I don't see why it should be much of a problem, but quoting from the rules:

"More Clarification: Audio must not be touched at all once it leaves the DAW (aka after bouncing a track or a stem). For example: One cannot master the audio in another software or service. Also, If you need more performance / CPU a workaround is to freeze all the tracks."

So I guess there is some good reason for it, someone else can explain. I think it might have to do with ruling out any sample mangling.

Anyways, it's not that hard to do the things you say you did in Audacity inside of Reaper instead.

[MTLE]

Hi Jazzaria,

Used Audacity to do a bit of amplify/compression and fadeout.

personally, I don't see why it should be much of a problem, but quoting from the rules:

"More Clarification: Audio must not be touched at all once it leaves the DAW (aka after bouncing a track or a stem). For example: One cannot master the audio in another software or service. Also, If you need more performance / CPU a workaround is to freeze all the tracks."

So I guess there is some good reason for it, someone else can explain. I think it might have to do with ruling out any sample mangling.

Anyways, it's not that hard to do the things you say you did in Audacity inside of Reaper instead.

Right. Its not allowed to do it this way. Audacity works sample based.
This is done really easy in Reaper. Activate in the menu View->Master Track and do fading with volume automation of th master track. Overall compression/amplification is done with plugins in Master Track's FX Chain. Another benefit of this way, you have same work flow like on single tracks.

[mehum]

First time submission:

Welcome to OSC!
I think you have some cool things going on in your track, nice with some good jazzy improv.
I will give you some general advice though, since I fear you won't do so well as far as scoring goes and I hope that doesn't discourage you and you stick around for another round. It's a great learning experience and will without doubt develop you as musician, producer and sound designer whatever your previous experience and knowledge.
With two weeks left to deadline, if you have the time, you might want to go back and improve on the track.
If this was my track I'd first of all look into adding some rhythms and variation to the bass to enhance the jazziness and overall make it a more interesting experience.
I would also think about adding a B-part to break up the sameness that comes from having basically the same riff on the keys all the way through.
A third thing that might be worth thinking about is making the duelling flutes more distinct in sound to make the actual duel more in focus.

Good luck! Always nice with new people and styles in this challenge!