Why bother about fidelity to the originals

[Theo Verelst]

Taking a random software synth or rompler-like setup should maybe be just as fun as trying to get high fidelity sounds from specialised plugins or hardware, one might think. It's such a nice thought: the upramp of computer power doubling each 1.8 years and the immense amount of memory and drive space almost make an average leprechaun certain that the future of digital audio in just about any computer is very bright indeed. Mac Donkey might forget though, there's a reason certain instruments sound good, either naturally like a grand piano in a decent hall or through production and effects, such as a cp70 with wonderful chorus or well adjusted Rhodes on a proper amp, mic, and whatever makes a studio recording sound the way it does.

 

The alternate take of some software doing sample reproduction and some digital effect simulation, as many people intrinsically or in a sense explicitly pay more than some attention to, can possibly be satisfactory but it seems to me very few "new takes" on popular keyboard sounds have emerged from the "features" of software synthesis on the PC, in general, which should lead investigative souls on the path of a search for fidelity, true to original instruments more likely, more credible than just adjusting and loading more software instruments.

 

My search path led to results where existing high quality instruments plus certain effects sound realistic, and from that point on playable and musically potentially useful.

 

T.

[Dr Mike Metlay]

I'd tend to agree, Theo, because what I do has very little need for complete verisimilitude.

 

As I have said in multiple places, the Mellotron is one of my favorite keyboards of all time, for its sound... but I would never, ever own a real one, not even if it was given to me. (I'd sell it like a shot just to get it out of my hair.) I am always on the lookout for Mellotron software that has the best selection of tapes and the most player-friendly user interface, not so I can play it dry but so I can use it as a sound source for processing and creation of new sounds that only hint at the original in most cases.

 

I own pretty much all of the Mellotron emulations out there, both for Mac and iOS -- including some of the larger and more involved megasynths that contain significant Mellotron content (Omnisphere, Falcon). The vast majority of them sit untouched, because 99% of the sounds I want can be created with M-Tron Pro on the Mac and either Thumbjam or Synthmaster Player on the iPad, run through a ton of processing and taking advantage of that software's ability to really screw with the basic sounds.

 

My absolute favorite Mellotron flute is on the original 32-bit Alchemy Mobile on iOS, run through Audio Damage Eos reverb to smooth the sound of patch-change glitches. (Because of its extreme sonic flexibility and ease of use, Alchemy Mobile is my favorite iOS app and I keep multiple old iPads in storage just to make absolutely sure I will always have it to use.) Does it sound completely vintage? Hell no. Does it do what it needs to do for my music, beautifully? Hell yes.

[AROIOS]

Taking a random software synth or rompler-like setup should maybe be just as fun as trying to get high fidelity sounds from specialised plugins or hardware, one might think.

T.

 

You are absolutely right. Fart sounds in 24bit/96khz are still fart sounds.

 

Some of my observations:

1) Most people are conformists who follow fads. When Romplers/FM are in fashion, they sell their analog gear; when farting sounds are in fashion, they buy them back.

 

2) Most people are too lazy/ignorant to make good use of the gear they have. Folks like Eric Persing and John Lehmkuhl can take a GS/XG module and produce sounds that make us drool.

 

3) Sample programmers today have obscene disregard for computing resources,.

 

With that said, there are many situations where large samples and heavy computing overhead can be justified. Keyscape and U-he synths come to mind. (Despite the irony that "Crystal Rhodes" in Keyscape takes up a million times more space than the original samples in JD800 because Eric has to get around Roland's IP on a 30 year old sound engine.

 

To save this post from falling into another shouting contest, why don't we take it in a productive direction and share/demonstrate interesting sounds created with some easily accessible synths?

[Losendoskeys]

I've found that the Kronos Mellotron patches are excellent but I also use the Roland Keys of the 60s/70s versions because sometimes less is more.

I also have the "boutique" Mellotron M4000D which I bought in preference to an original, as you say, it has problems - though I'd still like a Mk2!

[Steve Nathan]

what I do has very little need for complete verisimilitude.

[KuruPrionz]

I've never cared if anything "sounds like it is supposed to sound", that is an absurd and intangible concept.

 

"It sounds just like the sound of that one Hammond through a Leslie in that exact room, mic'ed by those exact mics, with those exact tubes and speakers in it at that exact point of tube and speaker wear with exactly that amount of slight corrosion in specific tube sockets run through this exact mic pre to this exact tape deck using this exact cable and with the heads exactly this minute amount out of calibration using this exact reel of tape."

 

Goodie, and... so what?

 

I went to a blues jam a long time ago and some guy said to me "Your 335 sounds more like a Strat than my Strat" and I said "No, your Strat sounds more like a 335 than my 335 does." Then we both laughed, what ya gonna do?

[Theo Verelst]

My reason for finding a path that leads to inside sounds is my dismay with a lot of secondary sound quality. As it has appeared to me, except for synthesizer sounds, realistic produced sounds are the only things coming out of my studio path setup right.

 

T

[KuruPrionz]

My reason for finding a path that leads to inside sounds is my dismay with a lot of secondary sound quality. As it has appeared to me, except for synthesizer sounds, realistic produced sounds are the only things coming out of my studio path setup right.

 

T

 

I recently bought the Soniccouture Array Mbira plugin and it sounds very good. Large tines making wood resonate, full and complex. One of my favorite plugins ever.

 

As to does it sound like the actual instrument would sound if I had it? I have no idea but the tones make me happy so I'm good.

[Theo Verelst]

If the demo is representative of the sound I'm not interested, I mostly dig mature instruments, not toys.