Are wavetable synths even "musical" at all?

[BertKoor]

We first need to define “musical,” musical and specify the difference.

And then we need to define what a 'wavetable' exactly is (with examples of what often is not named a wavetable but should be considered one, and the reverse) plus come up with a hypothesis why these are deemed unmusical.

Good luck with that. Complete waste of time, but that's KvrAudio anywayzzz.

[BONES]

On my side, I have been wondering whether wavetable synths have ever been "musical" in whatever way intended above. Most of the time wavetable synths sound like badly-adjusted hair clippers.

That's a very broad statement, it will always come down to how you choose to use them. e.g. The most obvious use for a wavetable is to digitally simulate a variable pulse-width analogue oscillator. Like most things we use, wavetable synths can be as musical or unmusical as you want them to be.

One thing that definitely makes them feel unmusical is wading through all the different wavetables to get what you need. Personally, I find very few specific uses for wavetable synths, I'd rather use something more V/A like to get what I'm after, mostly to avoid that hassle of finding the right wavetable. It sucks the life out of me, like wading through 400 presets to find something that works. There's a lot to be said for limiting your options to get things done.

[ghettosynth]

We first need to define “musical,” musical and specify the difference.

And then we need to define what a 'wavetable' exactly is (with examples of what often is not named a wavetable but should be considered one, and the reverse) plus come up with a hypothesis why these are deemed unmusical.

Good luck with that. Complete waste of time, but that's KvrAudio anywayzzz.

Are we talking about coffee tables, end tables, or dining tables. It's hard to wave from an end table.

[Michael L]

We first need to define “musical,” musical and specify the difference.

And then we need to define what a 'wavetable' exactly is (with examples of what often is not named a wavetable but should be considered one, and the reverse)

Are we talking about coffee tables, end tables, or dining tables. It's hard to wave from an end table.

As Bert points out, we need to define if a table is an example of what often is not named a table but should be considered a table, or if it is the reverse and an end table should be considered a coda.

[jancivil]

At first glance at this silly thread, of course my thought was it's the way an instrument is handled makes it 'musical', to whatever extent we'll imbue that with meaning. I wasn't tempted to type about it, it seems so obvious. I mean we could analyze Crosstown Traffic and argue the lead guitar tone is 'more musical' than the kazoo, but this just... misses.

In the movie Annie Hall she has presented some music she did to the Clive - can't remember the last name, big record company executive, played by Paul Simon - Clive Davis character and he does "That was very musical". It was hilarious because this is just so fatuous a thing to say. I got from the context this was some shit people say like that. It has no meaning, it says exactly nothing.

edit; not that 'musical" isn't said all the time meaningfully. Record exect guy: you're not a musician. "That was very nice" doesn't strike a pose.

[nix808]

'musical' can be defined imo
it can mean harmonious or consonant
use it that way if want

[jancivil]

I could/should have stated this more clearly:

the very attribute of music becoming pop, by definition means ...

It means one thing, in itself: more people have been recorded as having bought the record. This is the only fact we can glean from this.

[nix808]

hmm ok
Pop music is no more consonant than classical
a lot of the time I guess
-but I think it can be said that pop music is usually not an experimental
found sound installation though

To apply a harmonious concept to wavetables,
they are more rigidly uniform(the simple ones) than say a cello,
so could be more machine like

I think they do sound less organic,
but certainly wavetables are consonance machines