MSF Quirky Synth Contest idea

[werzel]

I am playing with the idea of creating a contest for MSF users where the participants would create a monosynth with 'interesting' limitations/ capabilities. I would be willing to offer up a 50 Melda point prize to the winner if there is enough interest/ participation.

The initial rules are:
- Monosynth
- 4 waveforms max. Cannot be standard sine, saw, triangle, square, but CAN be minor variations of them. (no wavetables)
- must use only 2 envelopes (an ADSR and one with only Attack and Release)
- if an LFO is used, it should just have one shape
- Instrument panel must have at least one control with an unintuitive name/ label
- other than the wavetable restriction, there are no 'behind-the-scenes' restrictions
- all entries must be 'editable' for educational purposes

Does this sound like something that you would like to be a part of?
What questions do you have?
Thanks,
Werzel

[operator]

I am playing with the idea of creating a contest for MSF users where the participants would create a monosynth with 'interesting' limitations

This sounds like a really fun idea. (I love limitations in a design process , couldn´t life without them. )

If I may be allowed, I would even propose an idea:

Maybe the limitation could be only in the final control of the sound... Maybe the synth/preset only has a few or even only one knob. So that the participant would create a one-knob-synth (or two-knob... or more). The result would be a one purpose sound (like a sample from a sample library) only more flexible. Imagine turning one knob an it sounds like optimus prime morphing into airplane mode. Or maybe a simple sound that is really finetuned e.g. a TB-303 Acid-line with an opening filter with the most fine-tuned filter-resonance combination and FX that morph in and out throughout the knobs range.

(normally I´m not the biggest fan of One-Knob-VSTs, but in general people like those simple things... and BTW, I think creating them is much more fun then using them.)

This way the results of the contest could be valuable for MSF... they may even then be implemented into MSF as One-Knob Sound Library. In my opinion, if every participant really concentrates on one or maybe two presets/sounds, the resluts could be of very high quality.

Of course the resulting presets must be open-source and every user should be able to look into the edit screen! Especially when they are being implemented into MSF they should remain editable for musicians who use them for their projects (e.g. change note sequence in TB-303 acid line or add or remove FX...)

First MSF then MXXX... Maybe with one preset challange per MSF and MXXX we could even cover all the already existing one-knob FX e.g. waves one knob series, sausage fattener, etc... we would take over the one-knob market over night.


Of course the original idea of werzel is also very intresting... and I would try to participate (if I find some spare time) under the given rules from the OP.

[werzel]

I like your idea and reserve the right to revive it if this one proves to be popular and entertaining.

I've also added the editable provision because I would want it to double as an educational tool for other MSF users.

[operator]

I like your idea and reserve the right

Of course...

I've also added the editable provision because I would want it to double as an educational tool for other MSF users.

Well thought through, I can only agree. This is important for me too.

[operator]

- Instrument panel must have at least one control with an unintuitive name/ label

[Faiky]

Sounds good , what are Melda points?

[werzel]

50 Melda points are worth 50€ in the Melda store.

[LaNonchalance]

Count me in!