Yaking Cat Music Studios
SynclaWisdom
Title submitted by:
Jane
(last name witheld to protect the sensitive members of our audience)
updated 12/20/99
 
 
 

*Author assumes no responsibility for the information contained herein*


  Nifty Nuggets of Knowledge

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  12/20/99  Regarding FZ's Francesco Zappa:

The "bell-like sounds" were an unfortunate limitation of the Synclavier's FM/Additive synthesis at the time of composition.  Actually, through Resynthesis, recorded samples could be transfered to the 8 bit synthesizer of the Synclavier.  Thus you could have cheap "Poly voices" without the cost of a $30,000 card swap from FM to sampling.  Initially, the only sampling the Synclavier offered was mono sampling that played real time off the hard disk (this was WAY before Nemesys).  In fact, some of the early Synclavier pieces that use mono sampling were painstakenly created by:  1)  Dividing the sequence into portions in which only one note was played at any given time (different sounds were possible, just as long as one note's time value did not interfere with another  2)  Record the output to one track of a multitrack.  3)  Find the next grouping of tracks and repeat.

"Francesco Zappa" doesn't really make me excited.  Although, Zappa was promoting music from a different time.  The Synclavier's FM can be interesting, but time has moved on too far for anyone to really care except out of mere curiosity.  Although, some Synclavier composers swear by it supposedly (i.e. grainy sound used in Rap music!!)


 
  6/01/99

Buttons on the Synclavier's Velocity Keyboard can be "pressed" using 
keystrokes that can be recorded in QuicKey sequences.

The buttons are identified using 10 banks of 16, designated 0-9.  These 
banks are laid out on the keyboard as follows:

0       2       4       6       8
1       3       5       7       9

If you wish to press several buttons in the same bank, it is not 
necessary to re-specify the bank for each button press.  (Whatever bank 
is current, remains so until another bank is specified.)
 

Select bank 0-9 ................................. OPTION-Keypad 0-9
Press upper button 1-8 .......................... OPTION-Qwerty 1-8
Press lower button 1-8 .......................... CONTROL-OPTION-Qwerty 
1-8

To hold a button, include SHIFT with the keystroke.
COMMAND-T releases all held buttons.

Increment Dial by 1 ............................. OPTION-Keypad +
Decrement Dial by 1 ............................. OPTION-Keypad -
Increment Dial by 10 ............................ CONTROL-OPTION-Keypad +
Decrement Dial by 10 ............................ CONTROL-OPTION-Keypad -
Increment Dial by 100 ........................... SHIFT-OPTION-Keypad +
Decrement Dial by 100 ........................... SHIFT-OPTION-Keypad -
Increment Dial by 1000 .......................... SHIFT-CONTROL-OPTION-Keypad +
Decrement Dial by 1000 .......................... SHIFT-CONTROL-OPTION-Keypad -

  5/13/99

Re:  Realistic Orchestral arrangements

First, every Violin multi-sample should be tuned differently.  In a real orchestra, there are no frets or pictures to guide one's fingers.  Every Violin will technically be out of tune with eachother; hence the full sound.  This is easy to reproduce on a Synclavier.  Just tune Violin 1 to 440hz, Violin 2 to 441 hz, Violin 3 to 339hz, etc.

Second, there is more to life than Note On, Note Off.  By using aftertouch, subtle dynamic variations can be achieved.

Third, used of ADSR envelopes can help vary the inital attack of the Violin.

Fourth, use lots of different samples if possible.  This helps reduce phase issues.

Fifth, subtle panning.  Learn how a real orchestra "sits" and pan accordingly.

Sixth, offset the start of various tracks.  A real orchestra has some "ripple" on "beat one".

And finally, play each instrument in individually (go for a 117 piece Symphonic Orchestra!)

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