One-Synth-Challenge: General discussion thread

[J.Ruegg]

I'm assuming we don't know what next month's synth will be until May 1st?

Correct.

But we can guess what it could be, maybe Synth1

[Rahodees]

That's the second time in the last half hour or so I've seen Synth1 mentioned with a wink/smiley etc. I don't know anything about it, what's the joke?

[J.Ruegg]

That's the second time in the last half hour or so I've seen Synth1 mentioned with a wink/smiley etc. I don't know anything about it, what's the joke?

It is/was a recurring joke where we would always guess it would be Synth1, as it was the most popular synth used for OSC rounds. (You can check here https://sites.google.com/site/kvrosc/)
Although in recent years I think Surge has had the most rounds with it.

[FrogsInPants]

I'm assuming we don't know what next month's synth will be until May 1st?

Correct, and it's often not until well into the day.

[SeBaer]

Although in recent years I think Surge has had the most rounds with it.

But Surge hasn't been on in a long time, and it had some major updates in the meantime. *cough*SurgeXT*cough*

[Rahodees]

Oh man, Surge. I am really lucky that just when I started trying out synth stuff I happened to land on Surrealistic as a good toy to start with and at the very same time a competition happened to be created around it. Very tractable! Very motivating!

Very glad Surge wasn't the one I found first, either as a synth or as a contest, lol. (Not saying there's anything wrong, I am just relieved at my good luck!)

I've been making my way through the user guide and a TWO POINT FIVE HOUR LONG tutorial vid about Surge though and, I think I can do something with it soon. Maybe not this month though! We'll see.

My big issue right now with the more contemporary complex synths is I'm the kind of personality who really wants to have a "voice" that comes through in my music*, and I am having a hard time getting any kind of instinct for how to do that on these. I come from the world of "write your music down note for note thinking about music theory as you go" so it's a big translation process for me thinking in terms instead more of sounds and soundscapes transforming over time, know what I mean? Not that I can't compose more traditionally on a complex synth, just that I feel like I'm not using most of what it has to offer until I've broken away from that mindset a little for a while (I will always return, though. It's my first love. Just need to add tools to that belt by letting go for a bit.)

*I like to characterize my "voice" in terms like this: I write music that makes you go "you son of a bitch I can't believe you made me listen to that and I can't believe I liked it."

[schiing]

Oh man, Surge. I am really lucky that just when I started trying out synth stuff I happened to land on Surrealistic as a good toy to start with and at the very same time a competition happened to be created around it. Very tractable! Very motivating!

Very glad Surge wasn't the one I found first, either as a synth or as a contest, lol. (Not saying there's anything wrong, I am just relieved at my good luck!)

I've been making my way through the user guide and a TWO POINT FIVE HOUR LONG tutorial vid about Surge though and, I think I can do something with it soon. Maybe not this month though! We'll see.

My big issue right now with the more contemporary complex synths is I'm the kind of personality who really wants to have a "voice" that comes through in my music*, and I am having a hard time getting any kind of instinct for how to do that on these. I come from the world of "write your music down note for note thinking about music theory as you go" so it's a big translation process for me thinking in terms instead more of sounds and soundscapes transforming over time, know what I mean? Not that I can't compose more traditionally on a complex synth, just that I feel like I'm not using most of what it has to offer until I've broken away from that mindset a little for a while (I will always return, though. It's my first love. Just need to add tools to that belt by letting go for a bit.)

*I like to characterize my "voice" in terms like this: I write music that makes you go "you son of a bitch I can't believe you made me listen to that and I can't believe I liked it."

I sympathize – and I like "simple" synths for pretty much the same reasons.

Often, my take on these more complex synths is to start programming sessions with a pretty simple "chain template" and create a batch of sounds from there. And even though I might initially limit my session to a simple two-oscillator setup with a saw, a square, a single filter and a couple of envelopes and lfo's, by the end I often end up with sounds that are far more complex, utilizing other aspects of the synth.

For me, the beauty of this approach is that my programming evolves naturally (even "organically"??) from a musical point of view, so I don't start fiddling with the finer, more esoteric, sides of the synth until I actually need them.

But hey, sometimes I just like to go crazy, modulating every parameter like a madman from the get-go. There are lots of happy, little accidents out there, just waiting for us to chance upon them!

[silverpants]

With a complex synth - I find it hard to put effort into song writing and sound design at the same time. So which to do first? Create some sounds? But they might not fit the song. Write the song? But with which sounds?

I like to get to know one complex synth - then I can use it simply or if I need to make a special complex sound I know how. I chose Surge a while ago because it seemed to offer the most for a freeware synth. I know my way around it now.

With OSC I have to learn a new synth every month! Ha. Oh well, it's a fun challenge. I usually design some sounds first - and then use that to write a song with. But some bits go the other way. It annoys me having to design a patch in the middle of song writing though.

I'm excited to see what May's synth is.

[empphryio]

Surge is just such a better synth than the current OSC ...IMHO. I wouldn't mind at all if it were May's. Would motivate me to learn it better.

[IV!]

I make the first few sounds, one of them leads me somewhere, the rest of the sounds I adjust to this idea. That's how it usually doesn't work for me...

[SeBaer]

Surge is just such a better synth than the current OSC ...IMHO. I wouldn't mind at all if it were May's. Would motivate me to learn it better.

I wouldn't neccessarily say it's better. It's more versatile and complex, for sure. But for someone struggling with decision paralysis that might be a bad thing. From last synth, you could easily get interesting and usable sound, just by fiddling around without giving it tooooo much thought. With Surge, getting good sounds gets more complicated. At least for me.

[rpm]

Hey all, I'm considering going for an OSC with the idea that it could push me to discover Surge better. But it would my first time with OSC. I am also very much into experimental and irregular stuff and don't wanna make an ass of myself. I looked up some submissions and they are pretty nice but much more regular (in terms of sound design and beat) and more techno, trance, etc. I hope it wouldn't be seen as some lame attempt that doesn't fit at all with OSC if I were to do something experimental. I mean, I never know, I can end up with a mellow ambient track as well but I just push myself to try new compositional ideas each time (especially generative, these days). What do you think? Does it sound like I should stay away?

[empphryio]

Hey all, I'm considering going for an OSC with the idea that it could push me to discover Surge better. But it would my first time with OSC. I am also very much into experimental and irregular stuff and don't wanna make an ass of myself. I looked up some submissions and they are pretty nice but much more regular (in terms of sound design and beat) and more techno, trance, etc. I hope it wouldn't be seen as some lame attempt that doesn't fit at all with OSC if I were to do something experimental. I mean, I never know, I can end up with a mellow ambient track as well but I just push myself to try new compositional ideas each time (especially generative, these days). What do you think? Does it sound like I should stay away?

Please enter

[rpm]

Hey all, I'm considering going for an OSC with the idea that it could push me to discover Surge better. But it would my first time with OSC. I am also very much into experimental and irregular stuff and don't wanna make an ass of myself. I looked up some submissions and they are pretty nice but much more regular (in terms of sound design and beat) and more techno, trance, etc. I hope it wouldn't be seen as some lame attempt that doesn't fit at all with OSC if I were to do something experimental. I mean, I never know, I can end up with a mellow ambient track as well but I just push myself to try new compositional ideas each time (especially generative, these days). What do you think? Does it sound like I should stay away?

Please enter

Thank you for the encouragement!

[empphryio]

Hey all, I'm considering going for an OSC with the idea that it could push me to discover Surge better. But it would my first time with OSC. I am also very much into experimental and irregular stuff and don't wanna make an ass of myself. I looked up some submissions and they are pretty nice but much more regular (in terms of sound design and beat) and more techno, trance, etc. I hope it wouldn't be seen as some lame attempt that doesn't fit at all with OSC if I were to do something experimental. I mean, I never know, I can end up with a mellow ambient track as well but I just push myself to try new compositional ideas each time (especially generative, these days). What do you think? Does it sound like I should stay away?

Please enter

Thank you for the encouragement!

I was a tad short... I can't speak for everyone but some of us welcome diverse styles. That doesn't mean you will necessarily place high. No idea. But you may get some good comments and it can be a good way to learn stuff.