Weekend project - String Ensemble emu

[3ee]

( https://app.box.com/s/z4o17dd1kfb3c4gq20yz obsolete demo, don't listen )

here's an update: https://app.box.com/s/ngqy0mpitnezjjex9jb2

here's another "better" update: https://app.box.com/s/wv6urra3nmq43frg5als

Zebra never lets us down!
Wish me luck!

and... released: http://3ee-sounddesign.blogspot.com/201 ... sizer.html

quick audio demo going through some performance control combinations:
https://app.box.com/s/06vxx0oytddl0dyruh6r

[Sendy]

I don't get it. String machine emulation?

[3ee]

No more phase drift with polyphony and osc phase resets as it should with polyphony which results in an inportant DDO emulation aspect.... which seemed impossible to do with Zebra... until now it seems.

I thought this would be a pretty big deal announce since many tryed before!

added: what you were hearing was not pitch tracking by kb.
I forced the osc self hardsync to be perfectly tracked via kb instead.

[Sendy]

Ahh, I had a look at the waveforms to see if they were phase locked in polyphony but I couldn't really tell - the saw's transients didn't appear to be all lined up like you'd expect to see. Maybe thay're locked but a constant amount dephased?

[Sendy]

In fact, the phase of phase locked polyphony could be an interesting field of study. Typically you see all octaves stacked literally on top of eachother, causing peaks to coincide and raising the crest factor. Perhaps if each voice of polyphony could be locked, but slightly out of phase with the previous voice, you could get a nice raspy tone and lower the crest factor somewhat?

[Sendy]

added: what you were hearing was not pitch tracking by kb.
I forced the osc self hardsync to be perfectly tracked via kb instead.

Nice. Anything involving sync has my interest Especially if it's not making the usual pew-pew effects with it. Because sometimes we're not firing our lazar!

[3ee]

In fact, the phase of phase locked polyphony could be an interesting field of study. Typically you see all octaves stacked literally on top of eachother, causing peaks to coincide and raising the crest factor. Perhaps if each voice of polyphony could be locked, but slightly out of phase with the previous voice, you could get a nice raspy tone and lower the crest factor somewhat?

Exactly my guess what's happening here: the osc phase parameter has a pretty important impact when hardsync is on.
So basically, the phase was quickly tuned to a "semi-random" value... maybe that's why it doesn't align as expected atm. Also, I agree, could lead to some string machine prototypes just by messing with phase.

Atm, some MMaps need to be precisely finetuned and you'll get an even tighter effect.
+ some other small but important stuff I still need to figure out. But so far, this is the 1st time I got really close to DDO emulation! we'll see!

[david.beholder]

Subscribing to the thread

[3ee]

OK... had enough, going to sleep, hopefully will finish this weekend.

Made good progress!

phase finetuned to "half" with polyphony (although Zebra still forcing some random phase start when polyphony stretches beyond an octave (seems different than normal tho, more towards the set phase so that's good)... at least I got rid of polyphony drift)
keyboard goes into low range (except one note )

still need to emulate some real waves, finish the ensemble effect and finetune the whole thing.

[Howard]

Looking forward to that, 3ee.

[3ee]

been pinpin' a delay module for a sweet chorus effect before but it seems that the best thing to use here is a Comb module. use 2 with separate LFOs and you get something instantly lovable~

Expected the osc superwave mode to be the best choice when modulating the detune... but it seems that the Comb get closer to the ensemble effect. Plus, the oscs are phased together so the dual (or other multi-wave modes) sound different even if diffused-spread.

[3ee]

Quick tip when finetuning to exact values with the ModMapper for example.

Sometime, the ModMapper isn't precise enough to get "between the values" but luckily that's still possible without wasting extra precious modulation slots within the mod matrix.

so... finetune with 1st ModMapper (modulation set within the mod matrix so you'll have the "via" mod)
Select the 2nd ModMapper for the "via" slot to further finetune values. (give a relatively small mod about for precise values such as 2)

[3ee]

progress so far...

1st you're listening: 2 oscs, then 3 and finally 1. (it takes little CPU to play)
https://app.box.com/s/ngqy0mpitnezjjex9jb2

Still need to model the waves, study more of the BBD chorus ensemble flavors and behaviors to better finetune the ensemble effect, envelopes and paraphony and typical filtering and effects... also need to figure out best use of the XY control assignment.

Wasn't able to finish this weekend but hopefully sooner than later, no need to rush any half-backed stuff.

So, let me know what you think it sounds so far and if you happen to have some pointers to some original waves and some info on the bbd ensemble chorus and any other aspect.

[3ee]

OK, I think I hit the jackpot with the ensemble effect!
It's much smoother now and the "static" phase drift is now rich and warm... more alive/shimmery.

I got to make a Zebrify (edit: not Zebralette) effect patch too when finished.

[3ee]

Finally, found some waves to model:
http://www.wutierson.com/en/news/101-st ... ne-project

update on the DDO behavior vs Zebra's way of phasing notes.

So, the polyphony drift is gone and the DDO is known to function as it should but playing notes within the same octave.
Just found out that the DDO behavior in Zebra persists outside a single octave, the only thing to note is that you must avoid playing the same note on different octave.

So for example if you play: C4, G4, E5, B5, D6, F#6 and A6 polyphony, the DDO behavior is intact.