MOTM

The discussion of a VC EG is interesting. First, the idea of controlling a
sound's envelope with 'velocity' or other 'burst' of performance energy is
fundamental to creating a musical sound. Second, it has RARELY been done in
the history of modular synthesis. After all, touch/velocity sensitivity was
very rare in synthesis before MIDI.

Let me also note that many psychoacoustic investigators have stated firmly
that the *envelope* of a sound contributes more to its unique identifyable
characteristic that any other aspect, even though synthesists tend to be
continue to be more concerned with harmonic content that amplitude contour.

The thing is, simply opening up 4 jacks to control the parameters of an ADSR
doesn't do it 'all' for making a sound natural. We almost need some kind of
intervening scaling module.

For instance, if I add more energy to a sound, depending upon the modelled
medium, I would expect that its attack would shorten, it's decay likewise
(unless the decay were substituting for the sustain, as in a piano), and the
release would lengthen.

This is a crude, choppy, post-Friday-night-martini plea, I guess, for an
interpolating module whereby one could input a simple velocity CV and tailor
its effects on the overall sound coming from the modular.

The fact is, psychoacoustic research has shown that playing 'harder' on
acoustic instruments does more for the envelope of the 'filter' than of the
'VCA'. Playing harder on a xylophone *seems* to make it louder, but in
reality is does more to increase the amount of energy in the higher
frequency areas than changes the actual measured amplitude.

Nighty-nite, all.

Zzzzzzzzzz...

In a message dated 2/11/2000 9:18:53 PM, Ken.Tkacs@... writes:

>The thing is, simply opening up 4 jacks to control the parameters of an
>ADSR
>doesn't do it 'all' for making a sound natural. We almost need some kind
>of
>intervening scaling module.

Actually, I think that's what I just said (except I think the scaling module 
is so important that I'd build it right in to the EG) -- take one input and 
route it to four different reversing attenuators to independently control the 
A, D, R phases of the envelope. I really do think these routing-scaling-pots 
are a good idea.

>This is a crude, choppy, post-Friday-night-martini plea, I guess, for an
>interpolating module whereby one could input a simple velocity CV and tailor
>its effects on the overall sound coming from the modular.

I agree! I may have underemphasized what I consider the important part of my 
proposed 3310 module -- the SINGLE VC A, VC D, VC R, INPUT and the associated 
THREE reversing attenuators. I consider the four unattenuated VC inputs to be 
much less interesting or useful. 

Hey! Pour me one while you're at it!
JB

> From: JWBarlow@...
> I agree! I may have underemphasized what I consider the important part of
my 
> proposed 3310 module -- the SINGLE VC A, VC D, VC R, INPUT and the
associated 
> THREE reversing attenuators. I consider the four unattenuated VC inputs
to be 
> much less interesting or useful. 

This makes perfect sense to me (except the 3310 part).  As I considered all
the recent hub-bub about VC EGs, I could never really make the connection
(any Mr. Obvious fans out there?)  But, John has made it crystal clear to
me here.  One voltage, three reversing attenuators - Yes, I like the sound
of that.  And the idea that you would normal them through individual input
jacks in case you wanted individual CV control to satisfy the masses. 
However, for me, I can see one voltage doing the whole trick (like John
said).

Larry (pouring John a cold drink) Hendry

Great idea! I like this (except as Larry has said, the 3310 specialty chip
seems frightening). Why no VC of Sustain, I wonder?

Here's your martini!

(Larry, whay are you up so late?)

-----Original Message-----
From: JWBarlow@...
To: motm@onelist.com
Sent: 02/11/2000 11:50 PM
Subject: Re: [motm] VC EG: Flogging a Deceased Equine

Take one input
and 
route it to four different reversing attenuators to independently
control the 
A, D, R phases of the envelope.