go through the presets. himalaya wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2024 12:23 pm There's a lot of confusion here. TalPha is not as simple as some would think. Patrick has extended the features to make it much more flexible than the original, and I know that by doing so, this synth has some magic sauce.
The original doesn't have oscillator hard-sync nor waveform detune. The original is a single DCO + sub osc. TalPha has the same core design but Patrick added osc hard-sync and the ability to detune between the two sets of waveforms (each vertical waveform selection column can be detuned against each other). This isn't a simplistic single DCO oscillator synth, since it can provide all manner of poly-synth sounds right here. Then, add the sub-oscillator and all of a sudden you get some monster basses and leads, or whatever you desire with two detuned waves + a sub. Then, if this isn't phat/big enough, add some unison and all of a sudden that single DCO is left behind in a distant galaxy. With careful use, you can get some huge sounds, not least some very deep atmospheric pads that a single DCO + sub synth could never create. For example, try these presets:
Pad - Etheric Dreams in Blue (and its variants)
Pad - Deeper Emotion
Soundscapes - Sustain Me in this Dream
etc...
The magic for me is in the combination of the extra Juno-exclusive and maybe 'exotic' waveforms ('exotic' for a vintage synth) mixed with hard-sync, mixed with the multi-stage envelope and the super cool velocity modes. This can give some super beautiful sounds, that are very easy to make.
The waveforms + hard sync.
Normally, when it comes to hard-sync, the methodology is to use it with an envelope for that classic, rich sweep, be it a lead (big mod amount long decay) or a bass (less mod amount, shorter decay). But here, this synth somehow invites me to use it in a different way to how I’d normally use it in other synths and by doing so it provides some very cool sounds. This actually answers the question some people asked in this thread: 'why oh why another simplistic emulation'? For me, it is because the workflow is different which gives different results. The proof is in this combination of some of the ‘exotic’ DCO waveforms plus hard-sync. Try the following presets to hear what I mean. This definitely isn't a single DCO synth:
Almost PPG
Alphax Poly
Newtone
If you like new 'colours' and are not fixated on another 'phat' Minimoog bass, or another OBX pad, or more Jupiter-8 poly-warmth, etc, than you will find a very vibrant palette of sounds in those DCO waveforms + hard sync.
Velocity.
The way velocity works in this synth also provides some beautiful results. I know… ‘velocity’, what is there to get hyped about when it comes to ‘velocity’? Well, here it somehow leads to some unexpended results. Again, I’d be making a sound without velocity (for vintage analog sounds I often prefer patches without velocity) and then I’d switch into one of the two velocity modes…and…all of a sudden I'd get a new, and very beautiful sound! Somehow the velocity modes 'pull' the base values down and reveal different timbres. And again, the actual workflow of this synth lead me to discovery of new sounds. This is very valuable, I’d say.
Check out these very dynamic presets that focus on velocity , which if you are a player, you might like a lot:
Liquid Keys
Midnight Keys
Moon Teardrops
Physical Modelarium
The multi-stage envelope.
The multi-stage envelope is also super cool. We take complex envelopes for granted in most 'Uber' synths that do-it-all. But again, here we have apparently a simplistic single DCO synth and yet this envelope helps to refine and actually create many sounds! It can add precise articulation to the sound, be it with snappy attacks, clicky decays, and sculpted faded swells. Yup, it's just one envelope, but it's all I needed on a synth like this.
Check out preset:
‘Found in the Attic’ for a very cool snappy, clicky attack that is followed by uniform sustain. This makes it sound almost like some Hammond organ with that characteristic percussive attack.
'Harpsichord - static’ is another example where this envelope helps to shape the sound, which otherwise would lack that specific ‘pluck’.
For a more contemporary sound, try this chord stab for a super fast attack that is made with the extra envelope stages: 'Minor Triad - Attack Sizzler'.
There are synths that look simple and yet pack a lot of punch, synths like Strobe2, RayBlaster, etc. and Tal Alpha belongs to this group. Overall, the feature set and the workflow provide some startling results and push TalPha well beyond what the original Juno 2 could do. This stays in my 'favourites' plugin folder.
