Make Noise - New Spectraphon Module
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elxsound
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 9378 posts since 18 Aug, 2007 from NYC
Absolutely, hands will be full. I’m really interested in the array creation walkthrough he mentioned, but I have a feeling that might not show up for a couple weeks (or longer). It would be helpful to know the thought process behind keeping the SD card in the back of the module.
And not that I’m knowledgeable about these things, but in the video demos they kept saying FFT, and just as you added that Focus relates to frequency bandwidth, reducing partials to the fundamental. I just forget which direction narrows and which direction expands.
And not that I’m knowledgeable about these things, but in the video demos they kept saying FFT, and just as you added that Focus relates to frequency bandwidth, reducing partials to the fundamental. I just forget which direction narrows and which direction expands.
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Stefken
- KVRAF
- 2417 posts since 9 Nov, 2016
Yep, i don t have the skills to program an editor but i will be looking into those files and maybe i can edit them by hand. But i would be awesome if you could do things like in Iris 2 like cutting out stuff from the spectrogram. And some way to generate them would be awesome too. At only 1024 frames there is a limit to consider though.foosnark wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 9:57 am Something Walker mentioned in the chat that I didn't see in the manual: the arrays are stored on a memory card as small data files that you can save on a computer. Which implies to me that one could also generate new arrays using some other method and transfer themI imagine we will have our hands full just using it normally for a good while though!
Last edited by Stefken on Wed May 31, 2023 10:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Stefken
- KVRAF
- 2417 posts since 9 Nov, 2016
I reckon this being a fully digital module with a good processor, they actually do FFT.
Setting the focus knob to high, strenghtens the focus, narrowing the spectrum to isolated spikes.
Just have a look at the spectra i posted on the previous page:
viewtopic.php?t=596530&start=304
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foosnark
- KVRAF
- 6998 posts since 9 Jan, 2003 from Saint Louis MO
My understanding of FFT is partial (heh) but I know it has an inherent latency, regardless of processing power.
The resynthesis method it uses only cares about actual harmonics rather than arbitrary inharmonic partials or phase. So I speculated, maybe the mention of the Buchla filterbank as inspiration was somewhat more literal than people have been assuming, and the implementation is using a parallel set of bandpass filters with envelope followers. With enough processing power, you can run a lot of them at low latency.
OTOH, Tom Erbe is a hell of a lot more knowledgeable at this stuff than me, so it could be some kind of optimized hybrid FFT thing or wavelets or something else scary from the math department.
The resynthesis method it uses only cares about actual harmonics rather than arbitrary inharmonic partials or phase. So I speculated, maybe the mention of the Buchla filterbank as inspiration was somewhat more literal than people have been assuming, and the implementation is using a parallel set of bandpass filters with envelope followers. With enough processing power, you can run a lot of them at low latency.
OTOH, Tom Erbe is a hell of a lot more knowledgeable at this stuff than me, so it could be some kind of optimized hybrid FFT thing or wavelets or something else scary from the math department.
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ghettosynth
- KVRAF
- 14920 posts since 13 Oct, 2009
Hated that last video. Sorry, but a thread like this needs a debbie downer.
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elxsound
- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 9378 posts since 18 Aug, 2007 from NYC
It does need a Debbie downer. I’m sure some are going to pick this up with some false expectations of what it does, and how to get great results…. Or even just intended results. It’s bound to happen.ghettosynth wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 11:28 am Hated that last video. Sorry, but a thread like this needs a debbie downer.
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Stefken
- KVRAF
- 2417 posts since 9 Nov, 2016
I wasn t too fond of it either. It s not like this module shits gold. You have to work it and it can sound quite harsh and with dominantly high harmonics. Quite different from a subby and rounded Moog.ghettosynth wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 11:28 am Hated that last video. Sorry, but a thread like this needs a debbie downer.
It s a good thing we have an extra sub and first harmonic oscillator to provide some oomph.
But i am a sucker for anything vocodery and timbral and also on a theoritical level this module is pretty unique to have in hardware form.
Something i haven t seen yet from the Buchla 296, is to play frequency bands in a rhythmic way.
But i guess you could manipulate an array to have spectra that have narrow, specific bands and then cycle through them with a clock. Like you would trigger specific bands in a 296. So, i d like to see some creative uses that are hidden.
As mentioned, an interesting patch would also be to use a pitch follower and bring that in as the module doesn t track pitch.
I also wished they brought something more than FM to the two oscillator story. I do like the follow and sync a lot though.
But as a non Buchla connaisseur I find it an interesting study to have Buchla and west coast elements (if not somewhat evolved to current tech) in my rack. As i mentioned I try to get a lot of different synthesis techniques in my rack. Not just for making contempory music (i m better off buying a groovebox then) but also as a study/university synth of sorts where you can have a taste of different synthesis techniques.
(I think i will slowly start a secondary rack as a Behringer rack where i can assemble some stuff like the Arp2500 series. I quite like those modules)
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vurt
- addled muppet weed
- 103429 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
can't believe this is the week my internet then my phone died

im back now woohoo!
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foosnark
- KVRAF
- 6998 posts since 9 Jan, 2003 from Saint Louis MO
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foosnark
- KVRAF
- 6998 posts since 9 Jan, 2003 from Saint Louis MO
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Shabdahbriah
- KVRAF
- 10382 posts since 19 Jun, 2008 from Seattle
I'm not a musician, but I've designed sounds that others use to make music. http://soundcloud.com/obsidiananvil
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Stefken
- KVRAF
- 2417 posts since 9 Nov, 2016
Nice stuff
.
Although I find it s natural tone to be pre-dominantly harsh, It has a lot of different flavors.
Certainly nice for techno. Also nice for EBM basses.
I ll be trying with some ambient tones too when i get it but i don t get my hopes up. If it could do good ambient, we would have seen it by now.

Although I find it s natural tone to be pre-dominantly harsh, It has a lot of different flavors.
Certainly nice for techno. Also nice for EBM basses.
I ll be trying with some ambient tones too when i get it but i don t get my hopes up. If it could do good ambient, we would have seen it by now.