One Synth Challenge #73 special: Synthmaster (Jasinski wins!)

[Parduz]

It's like any OSC. You are free to use ANY sound that comes from the synth as long as it's not a sample, or using the input to record something like your voice. That's it So yes, any preset is valid if following that line.

I tried to do a quickie blacklist of of some obvious no no presets (specifically for Player).

We've never allowed samples / recording / input in any OSC - part of the "challenge".

Good luck

... There is 1 patch with sfz in its name 'DR 80's kit SFZ MK' which is certainly from samples.
...
Some have said we're allowed to use any of the 200 factory presets of the free player but this does not appear to be the case.

That one was me. And now that patch is blacklisted, so i was wrong.
I thought that it was allowed 'cause that DR 80's kit SFZ MK is the only drum patch available in the free player, it would have been the same for us as it's factory preset.

As we can't build any drums, and there's not even that option, now i concour:

There may be an abundance of ambient tunes this month

[wagtunes]

Well, so much for me taking my time with this one. Everything just came to me in a flood of tears and paven. Anyway, here's the track info.

Synthmaster OSC Track Overview

DAW – Cubase 7.06

Preset Track and FX List

1) OSC ARP – Custom preset I made for challenge
2) OSC Pad 1 – Custom pad I made for challenge + cubase compressor
3) OSC Lead 1 – Custom lead I made for challenger + cubase compressor
4) DR Dynakick Producer – Factory Preset
5) OSC Noise Snare – Modification of UK Snare removing SFZ files + cubase comp
6) DR Dyna Hi Hat Producer – Factory Preset
7) BAS Juno Style MK – Factory Preset
LED 80s Rock Saw MK – Factory Preset
9) LED Through The Storm 1 – Factory Preset
10) FX Noise Down UK – Factory Preset
11) OSC Pad 2 – Custom pad I made for challenge + Cubase compressor.
12) OSC Lead 2 – Custom lead I made for challenge + Cubase compressor.
13) Bas Funky A MK – Factory Preset.
14) Lead Sync Saw MK – Factory Preset.
15) ST PWM Strings MK – Factory Preset.
16) Lead Parkinsong (I) – Factory Preset.
17) DR Kick Another (I) – Factory Preset.
18) OSC Noise Snare + Cubase compressor, maximizer and limiter.
19) GAT Underwater – Factory Preset.
20) Electric Keys RL – Factory Preset.

Track Length: 2:41

Master Bus used Vladg/Sound's Limiter6, a free 3rd party plugin

And here's the track. It's a lot different from last month's entry.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... ynthmaster

[ontrackp]

This is getting really complicated.

I would propose that all versions of Synthmaster should be allowed to be used, with all of the factory patches, including those that use samples. The only thing that should not be allowed is the use of third party patch libraries, or creating new patches using samples from sample libraries. I know the use of any samples is normally not allowed, but as it's an integral part of the sound design architecture of SM, I think it's fair game for this month.

My logic is that with several versions of SM, all of which have different capabilities, this is never going to be an even playing field. That being said, there is no reason that someone who is limited to the free player and 200 presets will not do a piece that runs circles around songs made with the full version.

The OSC is about creativity and production skills. Many of us have to sit out OSC's because we use Mac's and lots of the synths are PC only -- that's the way the chips fall sometimes. In this case, some participants will be limited to a smaller version of the synth and will just have to do the best they can.

As it's up to all of us to vote how we want, and it can be very arbitrary, it becomes a personal decision to give extra points to someone who did a great job with less, or to someone who created all original patches -- there is no rule about that, so anything goes. Worrying about whether the percussion uses samples or not seems like a waste of creative energy to me. Also, considering the creative quality of the typical OSC entry, I don't believe that someone would automatically win because they happen to own the full version and can make their own sounds.

Trying to split hairs over which versions should be allowed does not make sense when dealing with a device that sounds great even in the most limited version.

At the end of the day, the OSC is about doing great creative work. Let the games begin!

[Mojo42]

Oooooooooookay. I will forget my list of judging criterion. I simply vote high for what I like most now and in the future and then we forget hair splitting at all. Om.

[ontrackp]

Mojo -- huh??? Not sure what your reply means. As indicated in many past OSC's, everyone has their own judging criteria. If part of your criteria is sound making, people who can't make their own sounds will lose out on your scoring. Or you can choose to understand that someone may not have had the opportunity to make their own sounds because of the version they used, and adjust accordingly -- or not. Even though sound design is one of the criteria I traditionally use when scoring OSC, I will not hold it against people who use the free player version. If someone produces a fantastic piece, they will get a 5 no matter which version of SM they use.

Also - what does "Om" mean? Sorry if I'm not up on the latest text phrases, but I'm totally confused, dude.

[bjporter]

This is getting really complicated.
!

Sorry, just don't use the drums, and the other ones listed. The SFZ note is mainly for people who own Synthmaster.

I'll clarify a bit more. It should be fairly easy if you understand that

[Mojo42]

@wagtunes: Shame on you!!! Damned that is good. Okay now you have got enough time for making patches for us right?

@ontrackp: My reply means that I have spent time in thinking about which judgement criterions would be most objective and most fair and now I can remove at least one point again from this list because it seems that I am the only one who thinks that it really matters.

It is a contest where the synthesizer is the instrument and so I supposed it would be important for judging if one is able to program it or not. At least my logic tells me this, but I also agree to the point that I never would make it to a strictly criterion. I mean if someone is producing an awesome song just with factory presets of course he/she would also get 5 points from me if the song is really mindblowing.

But if I tend rather to 4 or don`t know exactly if I would like to give 4 or 5 maybe the fact if the musician has used factory presets only or have made the patches by himself could affect my decision concerning up or down. Understand now?

Om is a mantra. It means: The vibration of "OM" symbolises the manifestation of God in form. "OM" is the reflection of the absolute reality, it is said to be "Adi Anadi", without beginning or the end and embracing all that exists. The mantra "OM" is the name of God, the vibration of the Supreme.

I often say it if I have nothing to add anymore

Concerning "dude" I have to make "hairsplitting" again: I`m female

[bjporter]

I revised the first post, to clarify on the "blacklist".

If you're using Synthmaster, you can see if you have an SFZ patch or not.

If you're using player, you cannot easily see this, so just don't use the 3 patches I specified.



That will make it easy, and we can all have fun. I wish there was an easier way. In the end, use your best judgement please.Thank you guys

[wagtunes]

It's fascinating how everybody has their own criteria for judging the work of others. For some, it's all about the song. For others, it's the production and what they actually did with the synth. For others it's both.

I try very hard to judge these objectively and not let my personal music preference enter the picture, but it's extremely hard, especially when I hear a track that, to me, is nothing but noise. I always try to find something positive in every piece of music I listen to, whether it's for this contest or to critique the work of others. It's so easy to focus on the negative. Trying to find the good is sometimes very hard. I try to practice it when I can.

At the end of the day, in a contest like this, I think the "majority" will ultimately decide the outcome, meaning those who are more into the mainstream of what the contest is all about. So those in the minority should not have too much an effect on the results, thus the bell curve you pretty much had for the last contest.

You've got a great community here and I think in the end everybody will be honest with their votes and do the "right thing" whatever that is.

Let the fun continue.

[bjporter]

At the end of the day, in a contest like this, I think the "majority" will ultimately decide the outcome, meaning those who are more into the mainstream of what the contest is all about. So those in the minority should not have too much an effect on the results, thus the bell curve you pretty much had for the last contest.

Let the fun continue.

Also: There's always a few people who are voting oddly, maybe strategically to change the outcome, but it simply isn't a statistically sound strategy, unless there are only like 4 or 5 entries.

[doctorbob]

Hi,

PS I don't see those blacklisted items in my list of patches???

I can find one called ... DR 80's Kit SFZ MK but not as Brian said.

The authors appear as
Aiyn Zahev
BIGTONE
Frank Neuman
Insigna (i)
Michael Kastrop
Mr.Shoufuku
Nori Ubukata
Rob Lee
Teoman Pasinlioglu
Ufuk Kevser
Xenos Soundworks
Xenos from KVR

But the presets of course are displayed by instrument type - and I am not sure how I would work out which ones are derived from a sample and which are not.

Confused is this old man!

dB

[ontrackp]

Mojo -- my apologies. My use of the word "dude" was meant to be light hearted and not to mis-characterize your gender! Thank you for the explanation of "Om".

I agree that sound programming is a big part of this -- and in every OSC I've entered I have used almost exclusively sounds that I've programmed. I also include sound programming as a criteria in my personal scoring system. However, this month is going to be an exception to that due to the nature of the SM Player. That's all -- it's not that big a deal, I just thought it was getting a little complicated. It happens that there are still posts coming in with questions about which patches are allowed from which banks, and if everything were allowed, there would be no confusion at all.

[ontrackp]

I always try to find something positive in every piece of music I listen to, whether it's for this contest or to critique the work of others. It's so easy to focus on the negative. Trying to find the good is sometimes very hard. I try to practice it when I can.

+1 Well said!

[mehum]

I just downloaded the free version and am going to give this a spin! Using a limited bank without drums is going to be a challenge. Not here to win prizes so don't mind being nerfed...

[z.prime]

Can I assume that those presets in Full Player are those which show up with an EASY PARAMETER of Wave1Index or Wave2Index??? ... and those which don't are OK?

No, wave index is for the wave scanning, which can use the single-cycle waveforms.