Softsynth to Radias/HW

XyloSesame · Post by **XyloSesame** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:26 pm

The almighty Search function has failed me... I'm trying to move from softsynths, used in FL, to hardware only for performance, and am pulling out my hair attempting to recreate the sounds on the HW.

We've used the following softsynths: Albino, FLToxic, Arturia CS80V, MiniMogueVA, and Arturia Analog Factory (Moog Mod V).

We've got the following performance HW: Radias, JunoG, Mini MO 6, MPC1000.

I know we won't be able to reproduce the exact sounds from this HW, but a reasonably close sound would be fine. We know our "signature sound" will change as we move to HW, but we don't want to become a completely different band...

My head becomes dizzy tweaking envelopes and filters on the HW for hours on end trying to get that just-right sound; any hints or suggestions? How do others make this transition?

metrosonus · Post by **metrosonus** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:57 pm

I"m assuming you've been using more presets than building your own patches?
but, why not consider a muse recptor? or one of the new VSTi boxes that came out at messe when they are avaible?

if you rely heavily on tweaked presets, that'd be the best soloution if you are just trying to get rid of a PC / laptop.

XyloSesame · Post by **XyloSesame** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:42 pm

We've thought about the Muse products, but would really like to get away from soft as much as possible. We've got a performance lappy and midi keyboard already, our ghetto Muse, and are wanting to jettison the comp altogether, save for recording. Part of the allure of hardware is this process, finding our "sound" in the knobs and limitations (and possibilities) of the hardware. However, with that comes quite a bit of frustration...

We have primarily been using presets and tweaking them to adjust their sound to better fit what we like or need. On occasion, we've started from scratch with an initialized program, but that proved to be quite a time-sucker, and didn't yield results any better than beginning with a preset.

gdh · Post by **gdh** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:46 pm

take a look at the Plugiator - this could replace one of your kybds (MM6 maybe) and it is in the $400 range and now shipping.

slammah2012 · Post by **slammah2012** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 2:12 am

metrosonus wrote:I"m assuming you've been using more presets than building your own patches?
but, why not consider a muse recptor? or one of the new VSTi boxes that came out at messe when they are avaible?

if you rely heavily on tweaked presets, that'd be the best soloution if you are just trying to get rid of a PC / laptop.

None of the Arturia stuff is supported in Receptor........
Thus the Arturia origin Hardware......
Post some examples of your soft synth sounds and how you use them,
and I will offer suggestions for Harware......

my Hardware knowledge lies here in my Synths...
Yamaha CS80 and Alesis Quadra synth

Yamaha CS70M and Ensoniq SQ80

Creamware ASBs

Roland stuff

ArpAxxe

Elka Rhapsody String Machine

Yamaha MM6

Hammond M3

and Korg Radias.......

Each Have their limitations and their Virtues.....

XyloSesame · Post by **XyloSesame** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:00 pm

We just found out that we've landed a NeKo, so quite a bit of this will become moot. However, we'll still need to convert from the softsynths for use on our Juno and Radias...

Linked below are a few samples that will help shed light on the "sound" we established long ago, well before we dreamed of performing live or owning any hardware. Any Radias patch/program suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks.

http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_pads.mp3
http://www.nightingaletheater.com/toxic_and_bass.mp3
http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_bass.mp3

slammah2012 · Post by **slammah2012** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:29 am

XyloSesame wrote:We just found out that we've landed a NeKo, so quite a bit of this will become moot. However, we'll still need to convert from the softsynths for use on our Juno and Radias...

Linked below are a few samples that will help shed light on the "sound" we established long ago, well before we dreamed of performing live or owning any hardware. Any Radias patch/program suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks.

http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_pads.mp3
http://www.nightingaletheater.com/toxic_and_bass.mp3
http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_bass.mp3

http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_pads.mp3
This sounds very Roland like......
You could easily handle the perc Organ stacattos and pads with radias.....
Not too sure about the Random looped "lpf resonance sound"......sounds like a trademark "Roland linear synthesis" type of loop.... could get close with 2 lfo's.....a downward saw lfo on Amplitude and a Random lfo on Filter....

http://www.nightingaletheater.com/toxic_and_bass.mp3
You can do the Mono"Hard sync" on the radias....use the second osc in sync mode and experiment with the tuning....and add a bit of portamento....
second sound sounds just a bit fatter.....try unison with the hard sync and legato the attack by adding a hint of attack on the amplitude....the flutter could be done with a fast lfo on the amplitude....negative or positive amounts....
The last sound is fairly squareish....try square or triangle with a bit of resonance and chorus.....

http://www.nightingaletheater.com/albino_and_bass.mp3
this should be fairly easy with a mono sawtooth wave and portamento...

the cross faded note could be split to a second timbre slightly detuned (flatter in pitch) a slow attack without release...

XyloSesame · Post by **XyloSesame** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 5:31 am

slammah, thanks for taking the time to listen to the samples and offer your opinions; it's much appreciated. I'll try the suggestions as soon as I possibly can...