Blog

Altering the timbre

January 11, 2020 3 Min Read

0 0

That’s one of the most important tools to use next the pairing waveform step. We have Oscillator Sync, Amplitude Modulation, Frequency Modulation, and few Analog Four synth options.

I would like to talk a bit about Analog Four’s saving and organizing features. The Analog Four doesn’t save these options with the “Preset” – like Unison, Voices options etc. You should instead organize and save ideas by Kits. This is if you want to keep all the settings details. The other option is if you make a printed paper-sheet for patch config with A4 options, voices config, and effects settings.

Oscillator Sync Explained:

You can find oscillator sync and amplitude modulation on the oscillators options page.

SMD (Sync Mode) enables oscillator sync between the two oscillators, either Osc2 synchronized to Osc1, Osc1 to Osc2, or Metal Sync where both oscillators reset each other in a special manner.
> This can alter the timbre and give you a new range of timbre/tone. Try and see what you can do with it

SNC (Sync Amount) sets how hard the synced oscillator will lock to the syncing oscillator’s frequency. Maximum value gives the so-called “hard sync” with the strongest sync sound. Lower values give “soft sync” where the synced oscillator can also lock to subharmonics of the syncing oscillator. (value zero = no sync)
> This can also alter the timbre and give you a new range of timbre/tone. Try and feel what you can do with this.

Unique waveforms can be created with the oscillator sync which are often very rich in harmonics. These extra harmonics can be very useful in subtractive synthesis because it gives a lot of content to the filter, paired with its behavior with LFO or Envelope amount and ADSR it can give a new sonic territory to explore.

Amplitude Modulation explained:

Bell tones can be achieved with AM (paired with peak filter)
Quote: Ess from Elektronauts (aka Simon)

From the Manual:
AM1 (Osc1 AM) engages Amplitude Modulation on Oscillator 1, which means that it’s signal is switched on/off (multiplied) by the pulse wave of Oscillator. This introduces new harmonics with frequencies being the sum and difference frequencies of the harmonics of the two oscillators. The result is related to ring modulation and can give metallic, hollow, or disharmonic sound qualities. Note that the waveform and pulse width of Oscillator 2 also affects the result, even if that oscillator is not heard.

OSC2 on a Square Waveform can be done by going into the Oscillators options (Click twice on OSC2) activate AM1 because OSC2 Square will modulate OSC1. Now listen to how OSC1 timbre can get altered by using the TUN parameter first. Then try different settings with FIN & DET. You should also experiment with PW, SPD, PWM and LEVEL settings too.

Keep in mind:
AM1, is doing amplitude modulation on OSC1 from the pulse wave of OSC2 AM2 is doing amplitude modulation on OSC2 from the pulse wave of OSC1

Go further with the AMBER Patch Explanation

Frequency Modulation explained:

Frequency modulation can give you a range of metallic sounds and with the A4 “metallic sync” too.
Quote: Ess from Elektronauts (aka Simon)

Start by reserving your OSC1 for Feedback oscillator mode. (thanks Cuckoo for that tip, I do that all the time now because of you)

Basically we’ll set the LFO2 on destination : oscillator 2 frequency modulation (FM2) use the triangle for the oscillator2 waveform and the sinewave waveform for the shape of the LFO2 in WAV. For FM you have to use in MUL parameter with the Tuning fork icon in the LFO page with the following range of speeds (512, 1k, 2k the highest). You can also make good use of the fades curves (FAD)

You have to stay in multiples of 16 in SPD to stay correct chromatically with the keys. You can also modulate Pitch Modulation as the destination, but Frequency Modulation is certainly the most obvious. Start to modulate DEP the depth of the modulation with small amount will get higher and higher. Listen and feel how the timbre/tone is altered and also try in it in different octave. (SPD:32 and MUL:1k is a good starting point)

You can try to set it to OFF in oscillators menu by using the Drift option