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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

#91

Post by piltdownman »

lolive wrote: post #21
Juliate wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes! But, huge but, very huge but, you lose the affordance of the switches and the buttons and the knobs and the patch cables. And that is a terrible loss for fiddling and discovery.

My path has been to work a lot in the ODDYSEi app. Now that I understand most of it, I am really considering buying a ARP 2600 replica. So yes, the switch from software to hardware comes with time. But, at least for me, the first step is cheap apps on my already-owned tablet.

As a BARP 2600 owner (standard, not grey or blue) I couldn't recommend it more. If nothing else its max €400 for one of the most incredibly routable FX modules of all time with a very serviceable digital spring-reverb and Ring Modulator in the mix. Pair with a Strymon Night Sky or Big Sky and you've an enviable ambient/soundscape setup.

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

#92

Post by piltdownman »

m_kos wrote: post #12
snom380 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Arturia does that, and Korg did as well (making controller keyboards specific for emulating a synth, with the software running on a Mac or PC. Downsides: - if the software doesn’t get updated, you’re stuck running an old OS an old Mac that supports it. - you can’t just turn on the synth and use it, you need to find a cable, connect it to the Mac, launch the software, etc

What I don't quite get is why manufacturers of midi controllers (Arturia, Novation, NI, etc.), with the exception of, possibly only Korg, don't release any of their digital instruments as mobile apps. After sitting the whole day in front of my computer, the last thing I want to do is to swap VS Code for Ableton or Kontakt and spend a few more hours in the glow of my monitors. (I do get that if you are very serious ab…

NI are probably more focused on DJ stuff at the mobile app level.

Arturia have tried a few different hardware-hosts over the years, but seem to be focusing on their Astrolab platform rather than supporting iOS (Android is a non-runner due to latency).

Novation's main offerings are about analog signal paths. Back in the early 00s they had a few weird integrations like the X-Station, but its the analog nature of the bass-station and subsequent *Brute line that maintained their USP and cachet. Things like the Circuit/Launchpad are obvious AIO attempts at taking the share from similar form-factor iPad sequencing and clip launching utilities.

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

#93

Post by beAbU »

barrenko wrote: post #16

When the word synthesizer is used, it's not meant to be a piano like thing or? For me the word is analogous to "piano keyboard" but it seems to not be so...

Some synths have piano keyboards attached to the device, some have buttons. Some piano keyboards are not capable of producing their own sounds, and must be plugged into a device that makes the sound.

A synthesizer is a device that generates (synthesizes) sound. This is done using electronic circuits. There are many many many many different ways to create sound using electronic circuits, hence the many different types of synths on the market. These days however, we see more and more synthesizers using digital circuits or even embedded software to generate sound. It has reached a point where it's possible to take the firmware of a (very expensive) "hardware" synthesizer, run it on your computer inside an emulator and get exactly the same sound out of it. Heck, some commercial synths (Korg) are these days nothing more than a box with knobs and a raspberry pi, running their commercial synth plugin software.

The "piano keyboard" in your mental model is merely the controller - the device that generates the instructions on what note the synth must play. Piano keyboards are not the only type of control mechanism available to use. For every type of instrument out there, there probably is a controller version of that instrument, e.g. https://www.akaipro.com/ewi-usb

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

#94

Post by beAbU »

rfl890 wrote: post #39

What is the point of making hardware synths on a Pi when you could just make a VST?

You need the VST anyway. Customers are going to ask for a "digital" version (VST) of your successful hardware synths. Arturia's VSTs are great and very popular for this reason.

So if you already have a VST, but you also have customers asking for actual hardware, why not slap your existing VST onto a Pi, and ship your "hardware" synth with this Pi inside? You end up supporting one software product across both lines.

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

#95

Post by lolive »

piltdownman wrote: post #91
lolive wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My path has been to work a lot in the ODDYSEi app. Now that I understand most of it, I am really considering buying a ARP 2600 replica. So yes, the switch from software to hardware comes with time. But, at least for me, the first step is cheap apps on my already-owned tablet.

As a BARP 2600 owner (standard, not grey or blue) I couldn't recommend it more. If nothing else its max €400 for one of the most incredibly routable FX modules of all time with a very serviceable digital spring-reverb and Ring Modulator in the mix. Pair with a Strymon Night Sky or Big Sky and you've an enviable ambient/soundscape setup.

Ah man, what can i say.... That's SO tempting!

Small comments/interrogations regarding hardware vs software in this post:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45235398

May be you have some opinion regarding these.

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

#96

Post by musicale »

bigyabai wrote: post #76
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.

Garageband only has a sampler - there is no subtractive synth engine outside AUs, AFAIK.

A sampler with a filter envelope is a type of subtractive synth.

Alchemy in GarageBand has many presets with adjustable filter envelopes (sometimes multiple) and volume envelopes, so it can work as a subtractive synth stand-in. However since it's based on Alchemy Player you don't seem to get the full patch creation power of Alchemy in Logic Pro.

GarageBand's "synth" (named) presets that I've tried appear to be subtractive, and sound great, but seem to limit user controls to filter cutoff and a single envelope for both volume and filter (possibly with configurable envelope amount). Some presets have slightly different controls though (for example an FM amount.)

Fortunately there are lots of great AUs, including free ones, for traditional virtual analog subtractive synthesis (and FM, and everything else.)

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

#97

Post by lolive »

beAbU wrote: post #89
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'm not sure what it's like on iOS, but on Android the latency renders attempting anything "serious" impossible. There is a noticeable delay between pressing an on-screen key and getting sound out. I don't even want to imagine what a Bluetooth keybed introduce in the latency chain! Do iDevices not support hardware (USB) MIDI?

I notice no latency with my USB midi keyboard. And the MicroKey Air I have is also real-time, in Bluetooth. [the Bluetooth headphones on the contrary have a noticeable delay, so prefer the almighty jack 3.5 mm connection]

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

#98

Post by lolive »

lolive wrote: post #97
beAbU wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what it's like on iOS, but on Android the latency renders attempting anything "serious" impossible. There is a noticeable delay between pressing an on-screen key and getting sound out. I don't even want to imagine what a Bluetooth keybed introduce in the latency chain! Do iDevices not support hardware (USB) MIDI?

I notice no latency with my USB midi keyboard. And the MicroKey Air I have is also real-time, in Bluetooth. [the Bluetooth headphones on the contrary have a noticeable delay, so prefer the almighty jack 3.5 mm connection]

* on iOS, of course

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

#99

Post by lolive »

diggan wrote: post #29
ACCount37 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Creating music was never more accessible than it is now. Conversely, the likelihood of making it big just by making some good damn music was never lower than it is now. Makes for a fine hobby though.

> Conversely, the likelihood of making it big just by making some good damn music was never lower than it is now. Is that statement backed by any facts? Otherwise it sounds like a soundbite that sounds good, but I'm not sure how true it is. Maybe what "making it big" has changed more compared to how many people make their living making music, which for me would be enough to be considered "making it big".

Making it big used to be a mix of luck, hard work, insane talent and tons of marketing. The marketing stratégies are, from my perspective, what makes things different nowadays.

[but when you simply ignore the marketing , and are a bit picky in your choices, the current offer is 10000% more qualitative than it has ever been. And BIG THINGS happen behind the curtain of mass marketing]

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