Simple Audio Examples

stardust · Post by **stardust** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:08 pm

Well looking to the DSP plugin on scope platform solaris is versatile, but it is no physical modelling synth.

it has - as a DSP plugin - basically a subtractive architecture +FM and besides multi oscs a complete wavetable generatior part.
The key of the pligin is the extremely flexible modulation and modulation of almost any parameter (other synths call that matrix).

So the answer is: If solaris HW is similar build like the plugin you can do a lot of synthesis based on that architecture.

B787 · Post by **B787** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:49 pm

Hi JB

Great NAMM08 show, too bad you were kinda in an isolated place, but the quiet allowed for better sound testing. Looking for the newer more involved sound examples.

cheers

ThreeFingersOfLove · Post by **ThreeFingersOfLove** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:23 am

AM example - Solaris_AM1.wav.

I have tried this on three computers and it doesn't play, maybe something is missing..

Lowpass filter with polymod - http://www.johnbowen.com/WavDemos/Solaris_LP11.wav.

This is digital but very good.

Panning Modulation at audio rates - http://www.johnbowen.com/WavDemos/Solaris_PanMod.wav.

This sound example reminded me, among others, how bad quantized oscillators sound when swept either up or down

I am not asking for the smoothest zip here (the A6 doesn't provide for it either) but maybe some kind of interpolation techniques could work wonders here. This is also apparent in OSC synchronization (especially hard sync). How about when sync is pressed an algorithm interpolates the frequencies of the modulator?

2 filters in parallel - the MiniLP and the OB Notch filters: http://www.johnbowen.com/WavDemos/MiniLP+OBNotch2.wav.

This is well... bright and buzzy. Analog oscillators have less energy in the registers above 2 KHz which is directly responsible for their warmth. A convolution filter at 96Khz would probably do a very good job here, but I am afraid this would be probably too much to ask. I am sure some musicians can find a use for ultra-bright sounds, (does anyone remember how "trashy" the Prophet VS sounded in high frequencies? Trashy is Dave Smith's words, not mine!)

Other than that I just wanted to say that it is very important for a synthesizer (let alone a synthesizer in this price range) to have very good presets in order to convince potential customers. If the Solaris gets sold from dealers worldwide, people would want to go into a store and try the presets and they won't have 3 hours to synthesize something from scratch. Modern and evocative presets that show the instrument's flexibility, what separates it from the rest and not "Moog bass 1".

Yannis

Post by **John Bowen** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:15 am

ThreeFingersOfLove wrote:
Panning Modulation at audio rates - http://www.johnbowen.com/WavDemos/Solaris_PanMod.wav.
This sound example reminded me, among others, how bad quantized oscillators sound when swept either up or down I am not asking for the smoothest zip here (the A6 doesn't provide for it either) but maybe some kind of interpolation techniques could work wonders here. This is also apparent in OSC synchronization (especially hard sync). How about when sync is pressed an algorithm interpolates the frequencies of the modulator?
Yannis

What you are hearing in this example is the fact that I am changing the frequency from the front panel Coarse tuning knob by hand, which is "quantized" because it adjusts in half-step increments. Any frequency sweep that would come from the Modulation Path is not quantized (although there have been requests to provide a quantize processing section, which I'm thinking about now). I should have used an envelope to provide the sweep, so it would have been smoother, however, my prototype does not provide the full range of sweeping 10 octaves that I needed for this example.

john b.

ThreeFingersOfLove · Post by **ThreeFingersOfLove** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:24 am

Any frequency sweep that would come from the Modulation Path is not quantized

I guessed it would adjust in half-tone increments, I am very glad that the transition will be smooth through modulation!

Yannis

fizzydiodes · Post by **fizzydiodes** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:18 am

i think the solaris ' character ' is quite evident even via what demos we have . . . .seems very able to do prophet / ppg / waldorf like stuff ( in a kind of cleaner way ) aswell as all the usual other bits and pieces.I harte to say it but it sounds really waldorf blofeld like ! not a bad thing . . ! from the sonic state demos the wavetable stuff looks much deeper though - waldorfs table sound can be really to odvious for me but i really felt the possibilities with the solaris might open up new ways . . . .The k5000 springs to mind . . . what a beautifull synth and sound , harmonic cascades of shimmering digitalness . . .i think that could be the solaris signature . . . something that sounds like it was made in the 21st century and not 1974 ( analogue emulation and stuff has been done to death and i feel synth makers need to get reaktor and then put it in a hardware synth most days !:) i am pretty sold .

quote="B787"]I have been following this synth for months now, and I guest the anticipation is growing amongst the synth masses for it's eminent release. There have been long hours of reading listening, comparing, guessing , projecting, even making studio space for this new beauty. I have one fundamental question after everything is said. What sounds can I make on the Solaris ?. The demos are pretty good, the sound clear yet organic. John, for me as a film composer and studio musician, can you say that the Solaris can do anything synthesis wise ? , from percussion sounds, to strings (not sampled, rather modeled) ? the basics of synth basses and leads and miscellaneous SFX are covered without doubt. I've always love Philip Glass' work, and love the experimental stuff he has done. Can i do more with the Solaris.

One may wonder why I ask such questions. When you do not live in Europe or the USA, buying a machine which will require you dishing out close to $9500.00 of your local currency one has to be sure 150% that his/her purchase will indeed deliver on specs. I have no doubt the Solaris is a wonderful machine, maybe the one of most important synthesizer in the 21st century

. If possible for us who will have to pull more(yes ,we have very high customs taxation on these things here) to get one, is it possible in near future, for you John to provide us with a more comprehensive set of audio demos (not complaining about the ones that are there now, they're great) which will showcase a wider range of possibilities of your Solaris synth. We await with great anticipation.

Cheers

[/quote]

stardust · Post by **stardust** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:28 am

Looking to the solaris plugin for the scope platform the Solaris synth will have a wide capability.

It is basically a subtractive architecture including FM capabilities.
From the Oscillator section you have wavetables, analog modelled oscs and obviously some wave snippet oscs.

The filter section is extremely versatile.
Modulation concept is more than flexible.

Regarding the percussive sounds scope version was a bit limited with the SDK availabele there.
here I see the chance for John with the HW synth and its envolope characteristics to be more suitable for percussive sound modelling.

matocaster · Post by **matocaster** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:19 pm

another Solaris demo @ NAMM

http://livefrom.musicplayer.com/clip.as ... 8&ctx=feat

Lennox · Post by **Lennox** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:49 am

Hi everyone, i'm going to pre order the dark version with wood ends. Until it arrives i would like to hear more audio examples. John is it possible to post some more analog style sounds, like a pad or fx. Oh and do you have a foto of the Solaris with vector joystick? would be great thanks you.

p.s. i can't seem to find a website with the Scope version and with good audio examples, anybody?

stardust · Post by **stardust** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:01 am

AFAIK there are some mp3s on Planet Z for the scope plugin

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:47 pm

Lennox wrote:Hi everyone, i'm going to pre order the dark version with wood ends. Until it arrives i would like to hear more audio examples. John is it possible to post some more analog style sounds, like a pad or fx. Oh and do you have a foto of the Solaris with vector joystick? would be great thanks you.

p.s. i can't seem to find a website with the Scope version and with good audio examples, anybody?

Hello Lennox, welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your decision to preorder the Solaris. Many of us here have already preordered as well and anxiously await the day of it's completion.

SepticStudio · Post by **SepticStudio** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:57 am

Hi Lennox,

Welcome to the Club

Howard · Post by **Howard** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:20 am

fizzydiodes wrote:i think the solaris ' character ' is quite evident even via what demos we have . . . .seems very able to do prophet / ppg / waldorf like stuff ( in a kind of cleaner way ) aswell as all the usual other bits and pieces. I hate to say it but it sounds really waldorf blofeld like ! not a bad thing . . !

Fortunately, Solaris doesn't have the character (-cough-) of the Blofeld, which I personally find grating and non-analog. I tried to make some sounds on the Blofeld for Waldorf, but the overall character quickly got on my nerves (apologies to Waldorf - no offence meant), so I had to decline. Solaris (when it arrives) will be in a very different league.

scope4live · Post by **scope4live** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:17 am

Thanks for the tip there Brotha' Man Howard.

If one was to fall for the hype and buy that cute little " set next to your phone " kind of synth, they would probably try to convince themselves of some sort of use since they got suckered.

Synthesizers that are smaller than an Oberheim voice card need good marketing to be sold, they have obviously suceeded in that endeavor, as to criticise this synth usually causes dozens of children to attack you, and say you can't hear, or you suck.

Desktop synthesis,......hmmm. I believe that sums it up pretty well.

Post by **John Bowen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:47 am

Thanks Howard!
(Just to say...Howard did have a few days with the proto Solaris right after NAMM, so he's familiar with the basic sound.)

-jb

John Bowen Synth Design

Simple Audio Examples

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new sound examples please

Re: new sound examples please

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