[sdiy] How Many Oscillators?

[Michael Zacherl]

Hi,

dreichert at sympatico.ca wrote:

> Well, that depends on who you are. 
> Three oscillators really is quite plenty for almost anybody

that's true for one voice. I'm in rhythmic stuff for instance - so I'd 
need many more voices simultaneously when playing live (i.e. not 
multitracking).

You mentioned W.Carlos. IIRC Moogs don't have LFOs (as synthesizers.com 
systems don't have nowadays) - so a three VCO modular is sort of limited 
like a Minimoog regarding modulations.

> Really what you should be looking for if a broadened rage of sounds is to 
> include 2 or 3 different filter designs.

Absolutely! Also you might consider something like a fixed filter bank 
later on.

> Look at it this way: using harmonic rich waveforms such as sawtooth or square waves, 
 > adding more oscillators really won't provide you with any more useful 
material
 > with regards to timbre.

Can't agree with that! Many of the nice designs around here allow linear 
FM. Fun just starts with three VCOs.

> It's how that basic harmonic material is then used (i.e., which harmoncs one filters out) 
> that is key to creating a wide range of sounds, and that is why I feel that an expanded 
> choice of filters is more useful than using extra oscillators.

I'm afraid I can't share that either. This is the case with classic 
subtractive synthesis. But since we are talking modular here, virtually 
anything is possible. Take a wavefolding/shaping module and modulate 
that with another VCO. Great fun!
You'll get timbres hard to achieve just with filters.

Just my thoughts,

    ;-) Michael.


> Just mu opinion anyway...
> 
> Cheers,
> Dave
> 
>>From: "Michael Boracci" <mboracci at nfpcomputer.com>
>>Date: 2003/09/26 Fri AM 08:51:38 EST
>>To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
>>Subject: [sdiy] How Many Oscillators?
>>
>>Dear Friends,
>>    I am planning a modular synthesizer and drawing some functional
>>diagrams. In the process I am trying to determine how many oscillators would
>>be practical. I have seen common synthesizers with two and three oscillators
>>each with a few different choices of waveform.
>>
>>In terms of practicality versus sound shaping properties is it unrealistic
>>to design around six or even eight oscillators per voice?
>>
>>I would appreciate any feedback in terms of existing synthesizers out there
>>that I might use as a reference.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Michael
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Dear Friends,
>>     I am planning a modular synthesizer and drawing some functional 
>> diagrams. In the process I am trying to determine how many oscillators 
>> would be practical. I have seen common synthesizers with two and three 
>> oscillators each with a few different choices of waveform.
>>  
>> In terms of practicality versus sound shaping properties is it 
>> unrealistic to design around six or even eight oscillators per voice?
>>  
>> I would appreciate any feedback in terms of existing synthesizers out 
>> there that I might use as a reference.
>>  
>> Thanks,
>> Michael