One Synth Challenge #128: OB-Xd from discoDSP (mmGhost wins!)

[ThePresent]

Hi, are you sure these are freeware? Ferox could be if it’s the old version, but Saturn, is it the Fabfilter product? Better replace it with a free saturator like Klanghelm IVGI, it’s free

Being my first time, I was afraid of doing this kind of errors so I spent some time on the osc site and this forum trying to understand the rules well

Okay mate, you did well!
I’ll check the Saturn for myself, seems like an interesting thing

[Local Man]

Here is my submission. I hope I am not too late (it's still October here in Los Angeles).

https://soundcloud.com/user-44872685/th ... whats-left

I really like OBXD, so I've been eyeing this thread with envy all month. Like always though I just couldn't find the time. But yesterday I got a wild urge and just powered through it. It's a little rushed and there are definitely some things I'd liked to have developed more but oh well. I'm just glad to have been able to get something out for once.

Also, I should add that I did make liberal use of presets on this one, tweaking significantly to taste however. OBXD is a pretty bread and butter synth so I didn't feel the need to reinvent the wheel too much in terms of sound design.

Logic Pro X
OBXD x 35 (though you only ever hear 7 at the same time)
Logic Channel EQ x 34
Logic Space Designer x 9
Logic Echo x 3
Logic Console EQ x 1
Airwindows ADClip x 4
Vacuumsound ADT x 2
VladG Molot x 1
VladG Limiter No 6 x 1

[Local Man]

<Double post>
Quoted instead of edited like a damned fool. I need sleep

[SoloHeisbeer]

Bit late to the game but here is my submission:

https://soundcloud.com/soloheisbeer/sol ... er-smoking
Ableton Live 10
OBX: 8 Instances

Ableton native plugins:
Utility
EQ Eight
Auto pan
Pitch (Midi effect)
Arpeggiator (Midi effect)
Compressor
Delay
Auto Filter

[ilmai]

Wait, http://onesynthchallenge.org/ has the version of Peter's track with the lyrics sample?

[] Peter:H []

Wait, http://onesynthchallenge.org/ has the version of Peter's track with the lyrics sample?

Damn.. sorry guys, me doing stupid things which resulted in a broken link for the OSC version.
Please use this one: https://soundcloud.com/p-e-t-e-r-h/pete ... a-caliente

Thanks for your patience
] Peter:H [

[ilmai]

Damn.. sorry guys, me doing stupid things which resulted in a broken link for the OSC version.
Please use this one: https://soundcloud.com/p-e-t-e-r-h/pete ... a-caliente

No worries, thanks for posting the correct version

[mclstr]

Wow! Great compositions.

While working on my composition, I often found myself using effects to almost replace the sound of the synth.
The OBX needs this stuff to overcome the limitations of the design.

I could get some amazing sounds with addition of filter effects, wave shapers, phase modulations, resonators, ... but then realized that I was altering the sound of the synth too much and had to leave a lot of it out because of the rules.

I may be wrong, but I thought I heard some sounds on some tracks that were borderline breaking the rules about sound mangling. I heard sounds that had maybe a touch of Karplus-Stong synthesis character (some combination effects are capable of this when there is more effect than synth). I heard some waveshaping/distortion/saturated, etc... which is supposed to be against the rules.

Great sounds, but is it allowed?

I ain't pointing fingers though:-)

[RichardSemper]

I have not yet listened to all tracks, but as ever, if anyone has any issues about an entry please send me and brian a pm and we will of course look into it.

[Taron]

Yeah, I think, it's funny, because especially the OB-Xd has enough quality to allow very successful use of it even without any effects alteration aside from mix related EQ help and the usual delays and reverbs, if the style asks for it. There are other synths, which urgently need mangling in order to sound passable, but this one is quite well balanced for its nature. Granted, one may not love its nature, like I'm not a big fan of the filters, while they do a decent bread-and-butter job for low- and hipass. However, I was amazed how far I did get without any effects noodling in my first two experiments.
Once people resort to using 40+ instances, you can tell that somehow there was a "rage against the machine", hahaha, like leaving no sound un-layered and a general sense that somehow they couldn't find satisfaction with what a single instance could provide to them.
At the end of the day, though, it's just awesome that we all make music and share it here, providing a great deal of inspiration and awe, for that matter. While one can meet the rules of the challenge, some seem to care less about the synth and more about squeezing it into their DAW habits, while others explore the synth for what it is and yet others simply want to make music with it. Hard to really know where to draw the line...but either case offers valuable revelations in all production aspects and I wouldn't want to miss any piece of it.
The context of a competition can create plenty of sour moments, of course, but I advice everyone- just like I have to remind myself at times- that this is about us, sharing our passion and skills and knowing that we are being heard along with receiving the occasional advice and the invaluably motivating feedback (as far as I'm concerned... I luv it! ).
Also, don't let yourself be pulled off course by what you recognize in others as a failure of adhering to the rules. Stay true to yourself and what you believe this challenge means so that you know you'll have met it properly!
After I got scolded for having used "Boogex" (which I love), many, many months ago, I simply stopped doing that, because I saw the deceptive deformation of the source signal, rendering it more or less irrelevant what synth produced those input waves, pffff... ...but I am a little bit sad about that limitation. I still do the occasional reverb drenching and don't shy away from lightly modulated reverb tails (abstract chamber rules!), but I know this doesn't compromise the synth's character and true potential from being recognized.
Kudos to all the masters out there, who you could give a door bell and they'd make an excellent dubstep out of it, hahaha! ...I come to just kick back and enjoy their craftiness.

[mclstr]

I know I love "FX Grid/Poly Grid", but chose to use it only once and in a very limited way for OSC challenges.
All you would need is a VCO (or two) and "FX Grid" could take care of everything else and do all matter of synthesis.
But that isn't right for OSC.

I really don't have problem with anyone breaking the rules if that's what they want to do.
I enjoy the challenge and the limitations of the challenge.

[] Peter:H []

While working on my composition, I often found myself using effects to almost replace the sound of the synth.
The OBX needs this stuff to overcome the limitations of the design.

I could get some amazing sounds with addition of filter effects, wave shapers, phase modulations, resonators, ... but then realized that I was altering the sound of the synth too much and had to leave a lot of it out because of the rules.

I may be wrong, but I thought I heard some sounds on some tracks that were borderline breaking the rules about sound mangling. I heard sounds that had maybe a touch of Karplus-Stong synthesis character (some combination effects are capable of this when there is more effect than synth). I heard some waveshaping/distortion/saturated, etc... which is supposed to be against the rules.

Great sounds, but is it allowed?

I ain't pointing fingers though:-)

Had some questions in the past about "Distortion". The outcome was that the rules allow "gentle" Distortion and therefore a Distortion FX on the plugin list is not by default prohibited.
I can understand your problem, becuase it was mine as well - who can judge what is "gentle" and what is not?
I have proposed to do a "Fixed Set of FX" month, where not only the Synth but also the set of FX is given. Second idea - there was discussions about a "No FX at all" month. But there was no big support for both ideas at all... though it would level the playing field or reduce the challenge to its core "One Synth"..

For my current track: I have used many EQs, even some in the FB-Path of Delays. I have used a number of Saturation FX but only the "gentle" setting Hope that is okay.

Beste Regards
] Peter:H [

[Darksynth FX]

Voted.

[mclstr]

I voted.

[Taron]

Had some questions in the past about "Distortion". The outcome was that the rules allow "gentle" Distortion and therefore a Distortion FX on the plugin list is not by default prohibited.
I can understand your problem, becuase it was mine as well - who can judge what is "gentle" and what is not?
I have proposed to do a "Fixed Set of FX" month, where not only the Synth but also the set of FX is given. Second idea - there was discussions about a "No FX at all" month. But there was no big support for both ideas at all... though it would level the playing field or reduce the challenge to its core "One Synth"..

For my current track: I have used many EQs, even some in the FB-Path of Delays. I have used a number of Saturation FX but only the "gentle" setting Hope that is okay.

Beste Regards
] Peter:H [

I find it interesting to explore "fixed set of FX" as well, if they were wholesome enough. "No FX at all" runs the risk of simply sucking the fun out of the process, because it would be exhausting to try getting a decent mix and also the fact that it ends up having no relation to "real life" anymore, regarding the production exercise that every OSC round represents.
Maybe we should put together some potential lists for "fixed FX"?!