violin pizzicato emulation

[Cochise]

Since some days I'm trying to achieve a violin pizzicato sound (high notes) by modular.
While I've some interesting result as for the attack and noise part of the sound, I can't find any osc combination suiting the body sound.

Any suggestion?

Does any patch emulating this kind of sound has been already made?

[astroman]

yes it has - it's called Python (by Paul Van der Valk) and it's tremendously complex
of course what your're after is only a small part of what it can do
John Bowen made a neat synth plugin (Python Pro) from this patch as a coop with Paul

sound sources are 2 2OP FM-Osc plus noise plus feedback
the feedback part is capable to kind of fake the resonating body

cheers, Tom

[chriskorff]

It makes for pretty dry reading, but this might come in handy:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Aug01/a ... rets28.asp

There's no specific mention of piz violins there, but adjusting filter and amp envelopes to suit may get you the desired result.

Cheers!

Chris

[astroman]

nice article Chris
I'd like to extend the bottomline

There are other factors, but these eight give you a good idea why you can not create authentic-sounding acoustic guitar patches using analogue subtractive synthesis. This is one occasion when only digital technology will do!

a tiny little bit - add ... but eventually fail in results...
the wood's action is this dynamic system is so complex, that I have not even a glimpse of an idea how this could be implemented.

Btw I just aquired an acoustic guitar (steel strings) today - a no-brainer for less than 150 Euro.
Of course it's a plywood top (and there were better ones in the shop) but for the amount asked it sounded just amazing - let's say within it's bounds, but in no way like a compromise.
The Shop is a relatively quiet location and the impression of the instrument almost flawless, but at home it revealed it's weak spots in a much more detailed way.

It's 'competitors' were 2 instruments in the 400 Euro range and 1 for 800 - a real apples versus oranges contest
each of these 3 instruments had such an individual response, that it's hard to even describe the difference.
Not because there wasn't any, but because the variety in sound had no common denominator.
As mentioned - individuals...

[dawman]

I use samples for the accuracy but one can get close full body resonance using 2 seperate Pulse Oscillators and a Triangle.
As long as the Triangle Osc is an octave higher than the Pulse Oscillators.
Below is an Oscillator made for that but it's not from Modular.

Subtractive synthesis can do Pizzacattos fairly well, but only because of the ADSR application for the attack & release segments.
Real string sounds like legato and marcato are unnatainable IMHO.
But that's why we have samples. DSP & Physically modeled app's for.

[Cochise]

Lot of inputs thank you.

Sorry, I didn't have the time to read SoS' article yet; I hope I'll do it tomorrow; thx chriskorff.

I had forgotten the Phyton patch.. I've loaded it again today...
Well, I was already experimenting with FM in the past days, but in the range of the sound I'm looking for, all was sounding almost too glassy... Today I added some filter and stuff, and it's really going better (the image of the patch i'm up to is attached). Still there's space for improvements.
Yes Tom, wood response is a wide matter..

Thx Jimmy I'll try a pulse/pulse/triangle combination as soon as possible. What is the effect of the shape control?

[astroman]

...Yes Tom, wood response is a wide matter..

...just can't resist to add that I really, really love it

sorry for the ot, Tom

[Cochise]

...Yes Tom, wood response is a wide matter..

...just can't resist to add that I really, really love it

sorry for the ot, Tom

I should need an acoustic guitar too. I've sold mine years ago. It was a slim body, red fir tables, made in Italy, with a piezo pickup embedded in the bridge and active circuitry inside the case. It was nice sounding, but not very confortable to play due to an excessively high action. I sold it to a maker of stringed instruments. He heavily modified its neck and mounted nylon strings on it. Then he sold it to someone.