I Have a Polar. Now What??

[Timo]

"Subtractive synthesis" is what you're looking at with the Virus. You start with a sound (an oscillator, or several), and then filter (similar to EQ) and shape and process it to get the sound you want.

At its most basic, synthesis has three elements: Oscillators, Filters, Amplifiers.

Oscillators are the sound generators. They generate waveforms that you can hear, and are controlled in pitch via the keyboard.
The Filters control the brightness or mellowness of the sound over time.
The Amplifier controls the changes of volume of the sound over time.

Here's a good overall explanation of subtractive synthesis and common synthesizer controls as a whole: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...8/2ansynth.htm

As soon as you get the TI you'll just want to play with the presets as they're excellent and comprehensive. Probably the most tweaked knob on any synthesiser is the "cutoff" knob. It controls the filter, making it bright or mellow. The "resonance" intensifies the frequency of the filters' cutoff at any given time, which makes for nice filter sweeps or sometimes acid-type dance sounds.

After a while it's good to load up an initialised sound and start tweaking to see what affects what. You'll be able to hear what each of the waveforms of the oscillator waveforms sound like (Sine = very dull and bassy, Triangle is dull and quite flute-like, Square sounds like woodwind, like an oboe, but is also great for drum-n-bass type basses, Sawtooth is the brightest sounding waveform and is the staple of trance sounds.)
You'll be able to see how the Amplifier controls can be used to control how fast or slow the attack or release is of a sound (if it fades in gently or immediately, or if it fades out gently or abruptly, etc.)

Check out Howard Scarr's Virus Programming tutorial, too: http://www.zorchmusic.com/hscarr/Vir...al_English.zip

May take you a year to pick up everything, but you should get the basics quickly if you just play around and use your ears. The manual is of course helpful.

[Doc Jones]

Originally Posted by Timo

"As soon as you get the TI you'll just want to play with the presets as they're excellent and comprehensive.

This is a very good suggestion. I have learned a lot about sound design and synthesis by "reverse engineering" presets.

[boborulz]

Originally Posted by Doc Jones

This is a very good suggestion. I have learned a lot about sound design and synthesis by "reverse engineering" presets.

I recommend this! Trawl through the sound design section in these forums also. Have learnt some great things there too.

[fooloof]

some guy from another board just pm'd me offering a straight trade: my Polar for his desktop. What an amazing deal! I can trade a synth with keys for one without! I can't believe he's not asking for some cash to go with it.

[Celestry]

Originally Posted by fooloof

some guy from another board just pm'd me offering a straight trade: my Polar for his desktop. What an amazing deal! I can trade a synth with keys for one without! I can't believe he's not asking for some cash to go with it.

Indeed, this chap is quite a comedian! (^_^)

[djones]

Originally Posted by fooloof

some guy from another board just pm'd me offering a straight trade: my Polar for his desktop. What an amazing deal! I can trade a synth with keys for one without! I can't believe he's not asking for some cash to go with it.

How about a trade for my Virus TI Snow?
No keys either, and on top of that it saves you lots of space and it's mobile.

[Celestry]

Originally Posted by djones

How about a trade for my Virus TI Snow?
No keys either, and on top of that it saves you lots of space and it's mobile.

You're even funnier than the other guy that propositioned him! (^_^) Do you not realise, he was being sarcastic? (^_^)

[Paprika]

Originally Posted by Celestry

Do you not realise, he was being sarcastic? (^_^)

I believe he did realize it before proposing TI Snow

[fooloof]

Originally Posted by Timo

"Subtractive synthesis" is what you're looking at with the Virus. You start with a sound (an oscillator, or several), and then filter (similar to EQ) and shape and process it to get the sound you want.

At its most basic, synthesis has three elements: Oscillators, Filters, Amplifiers.

Oscillators are the sound generators. They generate waveforms that you can hear, and are controlled in pitch via the keyboard.
The Filters control the brightness or mellowness of the sound over time.
The Amplifier controls the changes of volume of the sound over time.

Here's a good overall explanation of subtractive synthesis and common synthesizer controls as a whole: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip...8/2ansynth.htm

As soon as you get the TI you'll just want to play with the presets as they're excellent and comprehensive. Probably the most tweaked knob on any synthesiser is the "cutoff" knob. It controls the filter, making it bright or mellow. The "resonance" intensifies the frequency of the filters' cutoff at any given time, which makes for nice filter sweeps or sometimes acid-type dance sounds.

After a while it's good to load up an initialised sound and start tweaking to see what affects what. You'll be able to hear what each of the waveforms of the oscillator waveforms sound like (Sine = very dull and bassy, Triangle is dull and quite flute-like, Square sounds like woodwind, like an oboe, but is also great for drum-n-bass type basses, Sawtooth is the brightest sounding waveform and is the staple of trance sounds.)
You'll be able to see how the Amplifier controls can be used to control how fast or slow the attack or release is of a sound (if it fades in gently or immediately, or if it fades out gently or abruptly, etc.)

Check out Howard Scarr's Virus Programming tutorial, too: http://www.zorchmusic.com/hscarr/Vir...al_English.zip

May take you a year to pick up everything, but you should get the basics quickly if you just play around and use your ears. The manual is of course helpful.

very succinct and easily digestible. I'm going to copy and paste your reply into an email for myself. Many thanks!!

[billythekid]

You guys misunderstand my point here completely....read the topic... "I Have a Polar. Now What??"....... when i got my TI I was over the MOON! I couldnt stop playing with it, I crawled the net just to find anything on it, i read the manual 3 times. it was my BABY.....on the same note I had ATLEAST messed around with software synths BEFORE making such a purchase...this topic says....."I Have a synth...do my work...make me cool....make me famous...." Sorry man if it worked like that we'd all be Prodigy/Faithless