Projects using Martin's new Sync Osc

[k brown]

RevToo, based on a single 'layer' of the Sequential Prophet Rev2.

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[k brown]

theKwad, based on the Vermona PERfourMER II.

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theKwad.fsm

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[k brown]

Chorg Pano/Poly, based on the Korg Mono/Poly. So-called because each of the four VCOs has a Pan control.

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Pano/Poly currently under re-construction.

[k brown]

And IMIJ, based on the Kijimi (which was itself based on the PolyKobal).

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IMIJ_mvs.fsm

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As always, all available hats off to Martin the Vicanek!
(He really deserves some sort of formal title).

UPDATE 1/14: Replaced schematic - one osc's sync (whole point of this post) wasn't connected internally -jeeze Of course it was the one used for the only sync preset.

[BobF]

Hello k brown,

Great work, these really do make Martin's Sync Oscillators shine and I have always thought your gui's to be some of the best I have seen! I really love the way you get everything laid out so nicely.

Later then, BobF.....

[trogluddite]

Hats off to you and to Martin, that's a great collection. They all sound fantastic, and the modulation options particularly are very well chosen, IMHO. I agree with BobF, too; they're all beautifully presented, and I found them very easy to find my way around.

Just as well my new PC has a very big hard drive; the combined productivity of you, Martin, and Spogg is rapidly expanding my VST plugins folder!

[k brown]

Thanks guys.

Except for a few extras here and there, I can't really take credit for the modulation options - they're mostly in slavish imitation of the hardware they're based on (the layouts too, for the most part) . It's certainly true that deep and/or unique mod options are one of the main things that draws me to a project based existing hardware (that and my severe lack of imagination - have always been in awe of Spogg for his originality and inventiveness ).

Next up for some clean sync is my take on the Prophet T8, which I'm going to do a less screen-gobbling single-layer version of. It's simple enough to open two instances if one wants layering, and keyboard splits can be done by most DAWs these days. This also makes it easier to do layering/splitting of any two presets. One of the T8's presets uses a subtle amount of sync to do a pretty realistic acoustic piano - amazing for a two-osc subtractive synth. Apparently John Bowen discovered this by accident.

[k brown]

OK, I lied - next up is actually my fool-hardy run at emulating the Rhodes Chroma. Since the Chroma was actually an ARP project (the company folded before it could be released so it was bought by Fender), I've done the GUI up with ARP-style sliders-per-function, with Chroma color scheme and Odyssey L>R panel section order. Instead of the Chroma's fixed, selectable 'Patches' (different connections between the VCOs/VCFs/VCAs), I've equipped it with patch cables. Doesn't include the arp, sequencer or split and layer functions, since those can done so effectively with most DAWs these days. Just finishing final bug-checks.

It's interesting - I expected that theKwad was going to get the most interest, since it has the most unique structure, but RevToo has been downloaded the most; you just never know.

[k brown]

The Rhodes Chroma was a very interesting instrument that hid it's uniqueness and complexity beneath a UI that was sadly common (for understandable reasons) in those heady last days of the first wave of analog synths and the emergence of digital - a panel full of buttons and a slider (or two, maybe three) to enter data. Especially galling in the case of the Chroma because it's audio signal path was not fixed, but had 16 different configurations; one had to memorize them all or keep a chart always handy! There were a few hardware knob-per-function 'breakout boxes'; one is still being made, I believe.

One could think of the Chroma as a Yamaha CS80-like instrument, but with re-configurable signal paths - two identical synth lines of VCO / VCF/ VCA + two envelopes, in the Chroma's case each line has a dedicated LFO, rather sharing a single one like the CS80. Both instruments had velocity and poly aftertouch. Both had VCOs that produced only Saw and Pulse waves, but in the case of the Chroma, the Saw also responded to PWM (they called it 'Saws').

For my plugin I 'luxed the oscillators so that Saw can crossfade to Peak (actually, 'Peaks', as it too responds to PWM), and Pulse crossfades to Tri. Also, rather than the oscs switching Saw, Pulse, White Noise or Pink Noise, I have a bipolar crossfader for Osc > White Noise or Osc > Pink Noise. Similarly for the Ring Mod, rather than being patched in or not, the oscs crossfade to the Ring Mod.

The Chroma's filters were switchable 2-pole LP or 2-pole HP, here I've done the filters like CS80 - both are HP in series with LP, and LP can toggle to 4-pole. Filter keytrack is given it's own slider, rather than taking up a mod input.

The VCAs have, again like CS80, Sine mixers added; here they can be at-pitch or down one octave.

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As far as the audio path reconfigurations, the Chroma's ads liked to boast that there were 16, but that was a bit of a cheat because one of them was just a single one-osc synthline with double the polyphony; probably not used often and irrelevant for a vst. There were actually only four 'Patches'; all the others were these same four with addition of Sync, Ring Mod or Filter FM. By doing this with patch cables, not only can you see your patch, but one can patch any way one pleases.

Rather than PB and Mod wheels, the Chroma had two bipolar levers that were freely assignable. So here, both PB and Mod wheels are available in the mod drop-downs, and there's a button to convert the Mod Wheel to bipolar.

NOTE: 8/2/20 - Bummer! Couldn't export this to 64-bit because the patch cord system (from SM days) won't work within FS4. So this will need to remain 32-bit until a patch cord module that's FS4 compatible becomes available. I have done a 64-bit version with drop-downs replacing the cables:
https://ln.sync.com/dl/62c9b9f70/bbjdaw ... 9008960004

[BobF]

Hello k brown,

Your new Rhodes Chroma, I do not think there is anything I do not like about it. I like the patching, the sliders, the mod and rate selection, and of course the great presets. You really did a fine job and of course thanks to Martin for his Oscillators and etc.. The only question I do have is how do you ever keep track of all those wires(connections), wow! I get a good headache ever time I try something like this. Again a super job, well done, and cool sounds.

P.S., I think I asked this before but if you ever want a challenge, try the "Micro Korg", synthesizer/vocoder. I can help with the vocoder section.

Later then, BobF.....