supersaws demo

wavelength · Post by **wavelength** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 3:35 am

This file has expired and is no longer available here. The owner of the topic can re-upload the file, or post a link to an off-site file. <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Genre: Trance <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Uses: wavelength sparC synthesizer copyright © 2003 wavelength devices _____________________________________ here is something i just played live (very rough) into Wavelab, only to show this popular trancy-sawtooth sound from the sparC synth. isn't this fairly close to a "supersaws" sound?

-Stephen

http://www.track0.com/wavelength/

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:13 pm

One point that I would point out, that will be quickly fixable, is the detune. I think you're using a linear detune throughout the entire frequency range, which dosn't work. I've tried it in my max/msp patch, and I get the same results. The higher you go, the more detuned the signal seems to be. So, if you adjust the detune amount using units of semitones, or any other unit that is derived from the difference of frequency of each note, then you can achieve a more equal detune. A detune using an absolute difference, as I can hear from the demo, would mean the higher you go, the more detune you apply. I'm pretty sure you know the math.

Anyhow, you're right, the supersaw is a roland sound, and it's easiest to get it from a roland. Your synth is a different synth, and this just shows how versatile it is.

[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2003-09-26 00:24 ]

wavelength · Post by **wavelength** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 4:06 pm

On 2003-09-25 15:13, kensuguro wrote:
well, you might know that I've tried modeling the "supersaw" sound myself, and as I've found out, the roland supersaw sound is quite different from a "detuned 6 osc saw" sound in its pure form. The roland supersaw has much much more edge in the high end, which I frankly don't know how to achieve. I used distortion in my patch, but roland obviously uses something else.

One point that I would point out, that will be quickly fixable, it the detune. I think you're using a linear detune throughout the entire frequency range, which dosn't work. I've tried it in my max/msp patch, and I get the same results. The higher you go, the more detuned the signal seems to be. So, if you adjust the detune amount using units of semitones, or any other unit that is derived from the difference of frequency of each note, then you can achieve a more equal detune. A detune using an absolute difference, as I can hear from the demo, would mean the higher you go, the more detune you apply. I'm pretty sure you know the math.

But anyhow, I'm just saying this since it's the roland supersaw that you were trying to model. As an instrument that specializes in saw waves, I think it's really good.

I'm also gonna add that I have all repect for your device designing, and I don't want to mean any disrespect. But I'm just going to be honest in that this device has a little more to go in order to become a wavelength branded version of the roland supersaw.

[ This Message was edited by: kensuguro on 2003-09-25 15:28 ]

i just wanted to show that this kind of sound is just one sonic-avenue that the sparC can pull-off (of many).

I guess you haven't actually checked out my sparC... that's cool. I never intended it to be a "supersaw" emulator, it's genesis was actually from wanting to expand on the features of Korg's classic Mono/Poly (this is on my sparC's spec page). I certainly have never ever said that it was a "wavelength branded version of the Roland supersaw". My sparC also does not specifically specialize in saw-waves (as you also mentioned), as each oscillator has the five standard wave-shapes. If it does indeed specialize in any one thing, i would have to say that it is it's unique Mo/Po-like sync/crossmod abilities (+ its other mod effects).

This all said, I found that I could very easily patch-together a sound that fairly resembled a supersaw patch and, though not at all like a JP-8000 in its sonic architecture, the sparC was very capable of pulling off some very trancy leads (but not exclusively, by any means). Btw, I had played a track that I made for a local DJ (that included a supersaw-ish lead from my sparC) in his car and he immediately picked up on "the sound" so it can't be THAT far off.

As per patching "the sound" in a broader sense, a quick Google-search shows that there are many takes on how to achieve something close to this popular sound (without actually using a JP-8000):

http://www.creativesynth.com/columns/00 ... o_101.html

http://www.ampfea.org/pipermail/access- ... 01908.html

http://roland.code404.com/pipermail/nor ... 07269.html

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may98/a ... lavia.html (near the bottom... 14 oscillators!!)

i guess the moral of the story is for one to get an actual JP-8000 if one MUST HAVE THAT EXACT SOUND (and then one can sound like everyone else...)

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:10 pm

aiyaiyai! Sorry for the sour sounding comment. I was like drunk when I wrote it. LOL Man, I can sound really sour at times. Please forgive me of the way I put it.

wavelength · Post by **wavelength** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:19 pm

On 2003-09-26 00:10, kensuguro wrote:
aiyaiyai! Sorry for the sour sounding comment. I was like drunk when I wrote it. LOL Man, I can sound really sour at times. Please forgive me of the way I put it.

no problemo, just didn't want people to think that my sparC is just a wannabe supersaw emulator when it is capable of so much more.

btw, have you tried the idea in the third link from my previous post? with a pulse-width modulated square-wave in the mix? i did this in my uberPLASTIC "synth-strings" patches and it is pretty damn fat (but not at all like a supersaw).

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 11:28 pm

btw, have you tried the idea in the third link from my previous post? with a pulse-width modulated square-wave in the mix? i did this in my uberPLASTIC "synth-strings" patches and it is pretty damn fat (but not at all like a supersaw).

checked it out. very interesting. never knew you could make 2 osc just from subtraction. man, these people and their maths. I should experiment with this some day.