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Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

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Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#61

Post by klodolph »

AlecSchueler wrote: post #47
raffraffraff wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the real competition. I'm not a Mac head but the one Mac in my house that will runs MacOS is connected to my Yamaha piano and runs Garageband. Is there any other software that works as simply as this, on any other platform?

Simple in what way? It's a difficult question to answer because in my mind pretty much any software synth on Linux is just plug and play, but I'm guessing there's a technical gap that I'm overlooking due to familiarity. What complications do you run into outside of garage band, or you imagine you would run into?

Garage Band is also a DAW; you can record both MIDI and audio tracks. Big library of things like drum loops and basslines you can drop into your project. Big library of sounds, including acoustic instruments, orchestral instruments, drums, world instruments. Good selection of effects. Easy to browse presets.

I have at various points in my life used Garage Band, Logic, or various Linux software.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#62

Post by QuadmasterXLII »

AlecSchueler wrote: post #47
raffraffraff wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the real competition. I'm not a Mac head but the one Mac in my house that will runs MacOS is connected to my Yamaha piano and runs Garageband. Is there any other software that works as simply as this, on any other platform?

Simple in what way? It's a difficult question to answer because in my mind pretty much any software synth on Linux is just plug and play, but I'm guessing there's a technical gap that I'm overlooking due to familiarity. What complications do you run into outside of garage band, or you imagine you would run into?

They might just be old like me- I crashed into ubuntu studio’s ALSA and Jack config like a brick wall in 2012 and never recovered.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#63

Post by MomsAVoxell »

I recently started a small synthesiser project, specifically to teach myself some SIMD:

https://github.com/seclorum/simdsynth

Its an 8-voice polyphonic synth with 1 oscillator per voice, a filter, an LFO, and EG's for the Osc and Filter.

I've been extremely happy with the performance I'm getting, running on the Raspberry Pi - in both Monome and Zynthian systems!

Monome and Zynthian are both game-changers for FOSS audio hackers. I have both running side by side and they are just a pure inspiration for audio exploration. It's very rewarding also, to be able to put my own code alongside all the other great stuff from both communities.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#64

Post by klodolph »

QuadmasterXLII wrote: post #62
AlecSchueler wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Simple in what way? It's a difficult question to answer because in my mind pretty much any software synth on Linux is just plug and play, but I'm guessing there's a technical gap that I'm overlooking due to familiarity. What complications do you run into outside of garage band, or you imagine you would run into?

They might just be old like me- I crashed into ubuntu studio’s ALSA and Jack config like a brick wall in 2012 and never recovered.

I also remember dealing with a nightmare of PulseAudio problems. It took me a long, long time to warm up to PulseAudio after experiencing how bad it was around 2010.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#65

Post by MomsAVoxell »

nottorp wrote: post #54

Silly layman question: where is the actual sound generation done? Because I don't see the Raspberry Pi as free of electrical noise... (Still have memories of trying to find the usb port that didn't introduce noise in my usb creative thingy...)

In the case of both Zynthian and Monome systems, both based around the raspberry Pi, there is a dedicated ADDAC circuit added to the case.

For things like the Korg synths which use the raspberry pi, they added their own DAC's too.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#66

Post by fortran77 »

AlecSchueler wrote: post #47
raffraffraff wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the real competition. I'm not a Mac head but the one Mac in my house that will runs MacOS is connected to my Yamaha piano and runs Garageband. Is there any other software that works as simply as this, on any other platform?

Simple in what way? It's a difficult question to answer because in my mind pretty much any software synth on Linux is just plug and play, but I'm guessing there's a technical gap that I'm overlooking due to familiarity. What complications do you run into outside of garage band, or you imagine you would run into?

Really? I _still_ can't get sound to work at all on Ubuntu.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#67

Post by MomsAVoxell »

lolive wrote: post #3

I discovered by pure chance the vast ecosystem of iOS synths apps. And I was absolutely blown away. 90+% of the synths of the past century are available for ~5-20€ each. Connect that to a basic KORG MicroKeys Air [extra cheap, but includes Bluetooth]. And you are the next Jean-Michel Jarre. [Note: and the amount of tutorial videos on YouTube is huge.]

I have a room full of synths from the 70's and 80's, two racks full of synths from the 90's, a veritable crap heap of soft synths on various Macs, and a Eurorack corner that threatens to implode my universe .. an as well - my Zynthian and Monome systems are chock full of great stuff, too.

It's not just iOS.

Zynthian and Monome provide an AMAZING ecosystem for audio exploration. If you haven't checked that out as well, here's the links:

https://monome.org

https://zynthian.org

That said - I could easily just get another iPad, throw away the room full of synths, wire up my iPads and the Zynthian and Monome systems, and be quite satisfied.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#68

Post by MomsAVoxell »

TomMasz wrote: post #32

I was interested in the Zynthian kit, but it's unavailable in the US right now due to Trump.

It's a pity - I absolutely love my Zynthians. I have 3, they're that useful.

Literally the Swiss army knife of audio/synth hacking.

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#69

Post by vunderba »

lolive wrote: post #3

I discovered by pure chance the vast ecosystem of iOS synths apps. And I was absolutely blown away. 90+% of the synths of the past century are available for ~5-20€ each. Connect that to a basic KORG MicroKeys Air [extra cheap, but includes Bluetooth]. And you are the next Jean-Michel Jarre. [Note: and the amount of tutorial videos on YouTube is huge.]

I do the majority of my music composition on a desktop but it can definitely be nice to bring my 37-key midi controller + iPad for doing stuff on the go.

It's also not entirely uncommon for an App Store synth to offer both an iOS and a native Mac version so always check the store description to see if its universal. The ability to seamlessly bring your tracks over to a more full-fledged DAW on your Mac is really nice.

Example: Minimoog Model D Synthesizer

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/minimoog-model-d-synthesizer/i...

Re: Raspberry Pi Synthesizers – How the Pi is transforming synths

#70

Post by vunderba »

raffraffraff wrote: post #45
lastdong wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GarageBand is free on every iPhone and has a good selection of starter synths, with added DAW capabilities. Bluetooth midi controllers are supported (via bluetooth midi connect App). Using a pi or Arduino to build a midi controller can also be great fun.

This is the real competition. I'm not a Mac head but the one Mac in my house that will runs MacOS is connected to my Yamaha piano and runs Garageband. Is there any other software that works as simply as this, on any other platform?

Having grown up with and used the vast majority of DAWs (Logic, Ableton, Bitwig, FL Studio, Reaper, Studio One, etc) - Garageband probably has the gentlest learning curve of any of them.

And it doesn't hurt that when need more power/features you can upgrade to its big brother Logic Pro X which offers a very similar interface.

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