VPS Avenger - Sound Design Tricks

[ZaBong69]

Hi,

the VPS Avenger is a synth with a lot of potential, not all of it obvious from reading the manual. How about sharing and collecting some advice about synth programming here?

This is what I discovered in the last few days:

• The init preset comes with reverb and delay already on. If you do not want that, disable the FX, save the preset and set this as the new init under the SYS/CONTENT menu
• Under the PITCH area, you can disable the pitch bend wheel and are free to use pitch bend as a different modulation source than one on pitch
• In addition, you can add more than one pitch envelope with new pitch bend settings, so you can have different pitch curves for different oscillators
• The custom LFO shapes are a great source for really devastating FM-modulations - any form can be used as an FM modulator per oscillator
• By using zones, you can build a drumset using up to 8 different oscillators as sound generators. Avenger makes a great drum synthesizer.
• Modulating EQ frequencies with LFO's can create morphing filter like modulation
• The shaper module has an EQ-only mode that is suited as a per voice EQ with key follow, eliminating unwanted resonances if one wishes to do so
• Each oscillator has its own voice limit - you might want to restrict voices in the bass or sub area more than that in the midrange
• You can load arbitrary waves into the impulse reverb - creating insane soundscapes
• FX sections can be routed into other FX sections and in up to four AUX channels - your DAW can process these outputs separately by effects
• Likewise, the internal drum module has individual outs, like any good drum machine should
• The Arp index can be modulated, for instance by Random - instant note madness
• A little random detuning by the inner ring in the Fine tuning knob goes a long way in simulating the liveliness of analog oscillators
• Likewise, add a few percentage points in the pitch enevelope for creating a bit of analoguish feel

What have you got?

Best,

K

[Julien Unison]

Very nice thread, please people who master this awesome synth, tell us more about your favorite tricks

[ZaBong69]

Here is one from the main Avenger thread: How to do FM modulation with a modulator that is one ore more octaves lower than the main osciallator:

Select one of the FM-waveforms as the OSC waveform, such as FM5 under Factory FM and Organ. Now remove the fundamental and all other harmonics except one of the higher octave ones (2nd, 3rd etc.) in the FFT editor. This way, you now should have an osc sine wave that is actually pitched one or more octaves higher than normal. The osc FM modulator should now act as if it is tuned lower in relation to the OSCs fundamental.

Usually, the octave harmonics of many waveforms each have a lower volume than the real fundamental, so you might want to use gain in the oscillator wave section to get it at the right volume.

[ZaBong69]

Arp + Chorder = Rythmic chord progressions

Remember: You can modulate the tuning of individual voices in the chorder... think about using LFO's (square wave!) and the step sequencers to create interesting automated chord progressions (Min - Min7th - Maj - Min etc.)

[ZaBong69]

Use an identical copy of Osc 1 as Osc 2.

Add a fifth in the chorder module of OSC 1. You can now use two arps, one for Osc 1, another for Osc 2, to create wild chord progressions.

Or: set arp 1 on length 13, arp 2 on length 11, create melodies on both and send both trough a delay = Berlin school sequences without repetitions for 13*11 steps, that is more than 8 bars

[ZaBong69]

For those days when 4 LFO's are not enough:

When you set the OSC vibrato to the lowest value (0.06%), the vibrato can not be heard (I guess, I can't hear that). But you have a new LFO in the mod matrix under OSC/Vibrato. Global means a free running LFO, independent means restart per key press.

8 Oscillators = 8 more LFO's

[ZaBong69]

The impulse reverb is a convolution reverb that can load arbitrary waves - really weird stuff happens when you do not use normal impulse responses, but say a cymbal sound or chord.

The wave used is saved in the preset.

[ZaBong69]

If you really need even more LFOs: looped envs can take LFO duties. Drawing triangles, ramps and squares is easy - sine waves need more practice.

Nobody said that pitch envelopes must target pitch. They can't be free running LFOs, though.

So that's 4+8+8+8 = 36 LFOs then (4 normal, 8 vibrato LFOs, 8 modenvs, 8 pitch envelopes).

[ZaBong69]

Hihats in the drum section sound too robotic when used?

Use a sample & hold (random) LFO or the random parameter to modulate pitch of the drum sample (or sample start, or delay...) to add some organic variations.

Each drum sample can have its own FX routing and make use of send effects. For a nice New York style parallel compression - send them all into a compressor on the send rack.

[Julien Unison]

[C-quence]

Would love to have a Vengeance subforum here at KVR? Does someone know how to arrange this?

[ZaBong69]

Would love to have a Vengeance subforum here at KVR? Does someone know how to arrange this?

Sadly, I don't. Looking at the current input from other Avenger users so far to this little project, I should better have started a "What is the best synth for EDM and Trance" thread instead.

Anyway, mandatory Avenger tip:

Any sample can yield many usable single cycle waveforms, just turn on "Resample", set wavetable fade mode to "Zero" and turn that up until the wave sounds artifact-free. Save for latter use. Using the wavelength - set to 128 or 256 - helps additionally to reduce unwanted high end.

[ZaBong69]

For Sugar Bytes Factory level of modulation madness, set up one LFO just for modulating lots/all of the modulation slots in the modulation matrix.

You all did notice that the matrix can modulate itself like this, right?

[C-quence]

Any sample can yield many usable single cycle waveforms, just turn on "Resample", set wavetable fade mode to "Zero" and turn that up until the wave sounds artifact-free. Save for latter use. Using the wavelength - set to 128 or 256 - helps additionally to reduce unwanted high end.

Sorry, but where can we find wavetable fade mode and the wavelength?

[ZaBong69]

Any sample can yield many usable single cycle waveforms, just turn on "Resample", set wavetable fade mode to "Zero" and turn that up until the wave sounds artifact-free. Save for latter use. Using the wavelength - set to 128 or 256 - helps additionally to reduce unwanted high end.

Sorry, but where can we find wavetable fade mode and the wavelength?

These can be found in the "Wavetable" sub-pane of the "Editor" pane, under the "Index" and "Num waves" knobs on the right.

The lowest knob there is the fade knob - it has three modes, usually "Adapt", but "Zero" makes sure that your wave has zero crossings and hence is smooth. Above that knob, there is a wavelength input field - usually C1 is the content, meaning the length of a C1 note - you can set this field to "Custom" and then set ot to a low value, such as 128 or 256, to get waves with not too much excessive high end.

Btw. many commercial synths use wavetables with a length of 2048. Just set your wave to "Resample", drop a wavetable from, let's say Serum, set the wavelength to 2048, reduce the number of waves - Avenger sound not too smooth when there are too many waves -, and presto - you have a new wavetable to export.