Video posted to YouTube by Elhardt
Link discovered via matrixsynth.com

Here are some experiments I did in trying to mimic the style of Walter/Wendy Carlos’ synthesizer technique and style of timbres. Carlos was using a 1960’s era patchable modular Moog synthesizer with a different architecture than that of the Alesis Andromeda synthesizer. Each one has some advantages and disadvantages over the other but both use analog circuitry.

All I can say is Bravo! As many of my friends can attest to, I’ve listened to a lot of Wendy Carlos over the years. Elhardt has managed to perfect the sound design, arrangement and performance stylings of Carlos. Be sure to check out the Scarlatti piece, too.

I’ve come to the conclusion that if I owned one of these things, I’d waste all my spare time making audio-based video games for it. This clip looks and sounds like a Jeff Minter game.

Video posted to YouTube by pepemogt
Link stolen from Matrixsynth.com.

y=
-(4/pi^2)[x – (pi/2)]^2+1, x from 0 to pi
(4/pi^2)[x-(3pi/2)]^2-1, x from pi to 2pi

After having checked it out in grapher.app myself, and confirmed it did look similar to the Plan B sine, I implemented this as a wave table in Csound. See piecewise.csd.

Piecewise + Plan B Model 15

In this image, I have superimposed Adam’s recommended piecewise function over the Plan B’s Model 15 sine wave. As you can see, their contours are not quite identical, though very, very similar.

After listening to both waves side-by-side, the harmonic distortion in the piecewise sine example is a tad louder, and the frequencies are just slightly off. At least to my ears. However, I consider it to be a wonderful approximation of the Model 15.

Oh, the Irony

Peter Grenader, the principle designer at Plan B, has this written in his bio:

“In 2001 , Peter returned to analog after a 22 year hiatus because he tired of trying to force digital instruments to behave in like manner.”

I’m finding this whole discussion a bit humorous as the three of us are doing exactly this, trying to force digital instruments to sound like analog. In this case, Mr. Grenader’s analog oscillator.

“I wish that I was addressing our community under different circumstances.

Unfortunately an event has occurred that in my opinion warrants a unique approach that ends not only in a solution for the situation that I have found myself in but also takes a fresh look at how we can help better serve our entire community as a whole. I have been robbed of much of my current gear, for both recording and three different live shows.

I will pay anyone either $20,000 US Dollars or my equivalent time as a producer in exchange for the name and address of the perpetrators. This information will be more helpful to me, than just getting my gear back. Over 150k dollars of gear was stolen including my main show computer containing the entire show for This Binary Universe. This is priceless to me, as is my Hartman Neuron and Dave Smith Poly-Evolver…”

– Brian Transeau, a.k.a. BT

BT continues with a partial list of the equipment stolen from his studio, and proposes a non-profit community subscription service where individuals can “thumbprint” their gear to help track future stolen goods. Read more here.

Link via matrixsytnth.

matrixsynth centerfold

The place is filled with photos and videos of synthesizers in action. I visit this site at least a few times a week, as there is almost always something new to look at or read. I’m sure it won’t be long before I start stealing links from Matrixsynth.

“Matrixsynth, simply put is a blog on everything synth. I started the site on July 20th of 2005 as a means of keeping track of all the interesting tidbits I came across in the synthesizer community. I’m a synth hobbyist. I track intersting news, samples, images, trivia and more, including all the manufacturers such as Moog, Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Alesis, Clavia, and Access along with the boutique modular synth shops like MOTM, MacBeth Studios, Cwejman, Doepfer, Analog Soultions, etc.”

– Matrix

I also recommend you visit Matrixsynth’s sister blog Synthwire.