Are there many? I'm hoping to find new ones. Sure, there are plenty that respond with a difference in volume or filter pitch, but I'm looking for something that responds like a piano or a guitar -- playing with a light touch and playing with a heavy touch gives very different sounds.
Other than weighty sample sets, Karplus-Strong synthesis, Pianoteq and the like, and FM linking the modulation index to velocity, there doesn't seem to be much. Most synths just seem to repeating the same waveform over and over, or play a sequence of waveforms that depends on how long a note has been playing, not on how the note was struck.
I guess I'm just looking for something more responsive and alive than what I tend to hear from other people, or am able to coax from my (very limited) collection of (free, cheap) synths.
Still, I dunno... people play harpsichords, organs, and bagpipes, and consider their limitations acceptable: maybe I'm just off base. Maybe I'm just an unregenerate elderly fan and player of acoustic instruments. (Well, I am that -- I've been on KVR longer than some people here have been alive! -- but I also like modular synths.)
Any advice? Do I just need to get better gear and learn to use it better? tia
Truly Touch-Sensitive Synths
-
- KVRist
- 71 posts since 5 Jul, 2011
It really depends on how you patch your synths and what kind of controller you use.
Right now the most common expressive controls you can use are: keyfollow, velocity, pitch bend, modwheel, aftertouch, poly-aftertouch, MPE. Then you can link any CC to a physical controller of choice(a pedal, a knob, a IR beam, light resistor, you name it).
So it’s not definitely about your tools but how you use them. If you are looking for a solution out of the box you should check haaken continuum, roli mpe stuff or the expressiv-e osmose and the software that comes along. Bear in mind that the soft side of these controllers ain’t nothing super fancy but a bunch of presets already mapped to controllers.
Right now the most common expressive controls you can use are: keyfollow, velocity, pitch bend, modwheel, aftertouch, poly-aftertouch, MPE. Then you can link any CC to a physical controller of choice(a pedal, a knob, a IR beam, light resistor, you name it).
So it’s not definitely about your tools but how you use them. If you are looking for a solution out of the box you should check haaken continuum, roli mpe stuff or the expressiv-e osmose and the software that comes along. Bear in mind that the soft side of these controllers ain’t nothing super fancy but a bunch of presets already mapped to controllers.
-
- KVRAF
- 9542 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
Most synths are sensitive, blame the sound designers or better tweak them to your own taste...
-
- KVRAF
- 7503 posts since 14 Nov, 2006 from Ankara, Turkey
This!Tj Shredder wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:42 am Most synths are sensitive, blame the sound designers or better tweak them to your own taste...
Works at KV331 Audio
SynthMaster voted #1 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster One voted #4 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster voted #1 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
SynthMaster One voted #4 in MusicRadar's "Best Synth of 2019" poll
-
- KVRAF
- 2851 posts since 10 Jul, 2008 from Orbit SW US
IMO it is both, the tools And how they are used. It’s also as much or more about the hardware controller. So, basically i agree with previous posts. Get a good controller and either aquire or make expressive patches. Physical modeled really excels for expressiveness, KS or otherwise. Try Chromaphone.
gadgets an gizmos..make noise~crystalawareness.bandcamp.com/ soundcloud.com/crystalawareness Restocked: 5/2026
if this post is edited -it was for punctuation, grammar, or to make it coherent (or make me seem coherent).
if this post is edited -it was for punctuation, grammar, or to make it coherent (or make me seem coherent).
-
- KVRAF
- 9542 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
Maybe the impression of the op comes up because he is only modulating the volume with the velocity?
If you tweak presets you need to know basic psycho-acoustic rules. If we would play an e-piano without treatment, it would sound dead boring. As soon you send it through some sort of drive/distortion you get better expression. Louder sounds need to have more higher partials. You need to either open a filter, or better change the waveforms of your oscillators. For example from triangle to saw...
If you use distortion, there is a huge difference between sending chords into one unit vs. distorting each voice separately...
And of course, if you would use a 1st generation Dx7 as controller, you get only seven different values and 127 is not part of it...
If you tweak presets you need to know basic psycho-acoustic rules. If we would play an e-piano without treatment, it would sound dead boring. As soon you send it through some sort of drive/distortion you get better expression. Louder sounds need to have more higher partials. You need to either open a filter, or better change the waveforms of your oscillators. For example from triangle to saw...
If you use distortion, there is a huge difference between sending chords into one unit vs. distorting each voice separately...
And of course, if you would use a 1st generation Dx7 as controller, you get only seven different values and 127 is not part of it...
-
- KVRAF
- 5632 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
Using aftertouch properly can give you very satisfying results.
Of course poly-aftertouch or MPE raises the bar but any of those may do what you're looking after.
Of course poly-aftertouch or MPE raises the bar but any of those may do what you're looking after.
-
- KVRAF
- 9542 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
Do your synths support MPE now???discoDSP wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:39 am Of course poly-aftertouch or MPE raises the bar but any of those may do what you're looking after.
-
- KVRAF
- 5632 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
Not yet but Corona and Discovery Pro support aftertouch.Tj Shredder wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:04 pmDo your synths support MPE now???discoDSP wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:39 am Of course poly-aftertouch or MPE raises the bar but any of those may do what you're looking after.
-
- KVRAF
- 3735 posts since 17 Sep, 2016
Nailed it!kv331 wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:49 amThis!Tj Shredder wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 7:42 am Most synths are sensitive, blame the sound designers or better tweak them to your own taste...
I particularly noticed that the BigTone soundsets for SynthMaster have many presets that make extensive use of PB, MW, AT, and velocity. So there is a lot of playable expression already in place from this sound designer.
And then I looked around at some other synths that I have which include contributions from BigTone. It seems to be his style to do that. Using the controllers in creative ways can make a synth come alive!
Clearly almost anybody could do this from scratch if they know their synth, but it's nice to have examples out of the box!
Windows 10 and too many plugins
-
- addled muppet weed
- 111238 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
i imagine corona isnt selling much at the moment...discoDSP wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:40 pmNot yet but Corona and Discovery Pro support aftertouch.Tj Shredder wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 6:04 pmDo your synths support MPE now???discoDSP wrote: Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:39 am Of course poly-aftertouch or MPE raises the bar but any of those may do what you're looking after.
-
- KVRAF
- 5632 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
-
Distorted Horizon Distorted Horizon https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=392076 - Banned
- 3878 posts since 17 Jan, 2017 from Planet of cats
And it's a shame since it's quite a nice synth
-
- KVRAF
- 12082 posts since 2 Dec, 2004 from North Wales
I have an Atruria MicroFreak, thats touch sensitive!
I also have an Osomse on order- that looks like it may be one of the most expressive keyboards available.
https://www.expressivee.com/discover-osmose
I also have an Osomse on order- that looks like it may be one of the most expressive keyboards available.
https://www.expressivee.com/discover-osmose
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S88MK3, S1, BWS, Live + PUSH 3, Osmose, RedShift 6 Pro3, Tempera, Syntakt, Digitone II, OP1-F, OPXY, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!