FM Synthesis (Artist 6)

Steinberg Lounge
41

Hi,

Just a warning for anyone looking to purchase spare parts for synths on eBay (DX7 in my case).

This (UK) seller (NASHY_BOY) is a complete timewaster; accepted my payment; blanked my messages; used a bogus photo image; lied about condition of instrument; then last night CANCELLED the sale without notice or reason; and now I have had to open a dispute via eBay (of which I will definitely win because he has violated eBay rules on three different counts). He has basically lied and wasted two weeks of my time and effort. I also found out (via a couple of other forums) that he has a bad reputation trading on SOS.

Anyway, just hoping to save anyone else the same bad experience from this complete and utter dork!

Cheers,

Paul

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42

That’s a shame. Sorry to hear. Hope it all works out. EBay is definitely a scary world. I guess I was lucky when I was able to get a replacement key for my own DX7 a couple of years ago.

43

Thanks Early,

Well the prats FEEDBACK is now suffering at 94.7%!

Ta,

Paul

44

Hi,

I just won this book in the end! It’s by MASSEY so it must be good! :wink:

Ta,

Paul

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45

I find it very odd that YAMAHA/Steinberg don’t have a FM-Synthesis VST Instrument :unamused:

Hopefully they are building one :ugeek:

46

Hi,

esp. considering it was YAMAHA who build the damn thing (DX) in the first place! lol

Paul

47

Hi,

Did you know STEINBERG made a RAM CARD for the DX series? I never knew that until this morning!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steinberg-YAMRAM-1-RAM-cartridge-for-Yamaha-DX1-DX5-DX7-DX-1-5-7-FM-synth-RARE-/131502434128?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9e27e750

Cheers,

Paul

48

Search around for FMHeaven by Cesare Ferrari… an old VST that still works and more than replicates what a DX7 could do.

Understanding FM programming is -work-, but worth the effort. I do NOT recommend learning FM using an analog softsynth that has one or two oscillators that can do FM… that won’t help you to understand the concepts.

It takes a while to be able to imagine a sound and then pick the right algorithm/operators to make it happen… that’s what you want to get to.

49

Hi,

Has anyone heard of this book please which has just popped up on eBay?:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261877528573?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Seems like a general book usage for the DX’s and alike.

Ta,

Paul

50

Hi SunTower,

Thanks a lot.

Do you mean this VST please:

http://www.loftsoft.co.uk/

At first glance, I think it has quite a bit more in it’s spec compared to the DX7 Mark1.

Most people I know use the FM8/7 rather than owning a physical DX as such.

I think there are ways to eliminate your options of the 32 x Algorithms, for example, as whether you are building a SPLIT or LAYERED type patch.

I think it is for FREE? Is that correct please. Surely NOTHING is for FREE? :confused:

Cheers,

Paul

51

Hi,

I was going to start a new thread for this (below) but decided to tag it on here because, as well as it essentially being a question on RECORDING, it is very much related to my DX SYNTHS and CUBASE.

I am thinking about making a YAMAHA DX21 128 x Factory Presets demonstration at some point this year. It won’t be a video of me actually playing, but rather each song/sound will have a basic title and/or Preset number and will perform a RIFF/LICK which will have been SEQUENCED in Cubase. Therefore, most probably, all 8 x PIANOS (for example) will have the exact same (Cubase) SEQUENCED pattern. So nothing fancy as such.

Regarding DX21 video length:13 (GROUPS) x 8 (PRESETS) @ 0.5 (MINUTES each) = circa 52 MINUTES duration.

QUESTIONS as follows (please):

Would you record everything DRY!? I think using ‘EQ’ would give a false impression of what the DX21 sounds like out-of-the-box. Personally, I would rather hear it DRY if I was scanning DX21 You Tube videos. Plenty of my DX SYNTH original-self-creations have Cubase ‘FX’ applied should potential listeners want to search/listen further. Or, I could use a certain (hint) of REVERB (or whatever) but to maintain consistency, the same amount of external ‘FX’ would need to be applied to all.

Secondly, from what I can tell, the 128 x DX21 Factory Presets are roughly set at around the same VOLUME. The ‘main’ Carrier(s) OUTPUT LEVELS are set somewhere between 90~99. But there are a good few odd ones which are significantly quieter (eg. PIZZ in Stings Group, UPRIGHT and IVORY in Piano Group, etc). In which case, would you:-

Individually record all 128 x Presets leaving the VOLUME SLIDER in a fixed position. And then ‘NORMALIZE’ (to say ‘-2dB’) each 128 x Preset recording individually?

Or, would you adjust the VOLUME SLIDER as an when required for each rogue Preset?

Or, alter the OUTPUT LEVEL in ‘EDIT’ Mode as an when required for each rogue Preset (this method would be a bit of a pain!)?

Many thanks in advance . . .

Best,

Paul

52

I would certainly take everything dry. Any EQ or effect applied would be a misrepresentation of the thing you want to showcase. As a sidenote, and I’m sure you planned this, each sound should be played in in a manner that suits the sound. I mean, a pizzicato string sound needs a different sequence than a saxophone sound.

As for the volume - if I’d be doing this, I would normalize to the same loudness, as opposed to volume. If you own Wavelab, this is quite easy to do in a batch. I’m not sure what Cubase can do in this regard…

53

Thanks very much indeed Arjan,

You have clearly understood my predicament! :open_mouth:

Yes, I had made those considerations prior thank you. As you kindly suggest: you can’t play a blusey lick on a HAMMOND Preset and also a FULL RANKS PIPE (even though they both reside in the Organ GROUP)! And similarly, you can’t play a Kylie Minogue type SEQUENCER BASS on a STRING BASS Preset (even though they both reside in the Basses GROUP)!

Ok, I think you are correct in that FLAT EQ is suffice for the purposes of this particular demo. And as you will probably know, the DX SYNTHS do not feature any onboard FX processing or TONE manipulation parameters.

But I am still quite stuck/confused somewhat over the VOLUME issue. What I was thinking of doing was to individually record each 128 PRESET at whatever VOLUME the DX21 outputted it at (ie just leave the DX21 volume slider in a fixed position throughout regardless of how loud/quiet each PRESET is). And then go into the PROCESS drop-down-menu and select NORMALIZE. But, if I was to use this method, where I am unsure is that:

Do I INDIVIDUALLY NORMALIZE each preset (ie one at a time) to the SAME chosen value (say) ‘-3dB’?

Or can I simply (CTL+A) select ALL and NORMALIZE them to (say) ‘-3dB’ in one single hit? In other words, the END RESULT will be exactly the same either way!?

I am on CUBASE ARTIST 8 and do not own WAVELAB. I believe WL is geared towards professional mastering whereas I am more of just a recording hobby-ist.

Many thanks,

Paul

54

Hobbyists are also allowed to buy Wavelab… :sunglasses: But for just this purpose it would be a bit over the top indeed.

The thing with normalizing in the normal sense is, that it puts each (or all) sounds to have their highest volume peak level at the set value. This can to the listener still lead to a wide variety in perceived loudness. For example, a full chord plus left hand hammond at -1 dB sounds way louder than a drum sound at -1 dB with regular hits. Hence my suggestion of loudness normalizing; all sounds have the same loudness of, say, -12 dB RMS. Again, I don’t know if this can be done in Cubase, either full or Artist…

55

Thanks Arjan,

I think I know what you mean here.

In any event, what if, as an alternative method, I opened up and applied COMPRESSION to each of the 128 x presets (via FX SEND). Meaning I would have 128 x TRACKS each having its own individual COMPRESSION.

And use the exact same COMPRESSION preset “LIGHT MASTERING” (leaving it at the default ‘0dB’ )? Or would I still need to EDIT the dB LEVEL for each rouge DX21 preset?

Cheers,

Paul

56

Hi again,

I see there is a massive price difference between WAVELAB and ELEMENTS (assuming that they are both MASTERING tools [albeit one a scaled down version of the other]).

And if I could get the DX SYNTH VIDEO thing made, then maybe I could download the TRIAL VERSION of either WL or ELEMENTS and use it just to perform what I need it to?

However, I would rather find a solution WITHIN ARTIST 8 if possible.

Cheers,

Paul

57

I think compression, like EQ or effects, would change the character of the sounds you are after also, but would indeed get the perceived volume more coherent.

As for Wavelab, AFAIK only the full version has the batch processor, but I’m not sure which version has what since I’ve always used the full version. The trial version idea should work fine I guess.

58

Cheers Arjan,

Ok, thanks. I hope I explained it clearly. So I would just use the LIGHT MASTERING preset COMPRESSION individually on each of the 128 x DX21 presets and hopefully a press on the magic button will remedy everything to near enough!

As for Wavelab, AFAIK only the full version has the batch processor, but I’m not sure which version has what since I’ve always used the full version. The trial version idea should work fine I guess.

Mmm, not sure if the newest ELEMENTS has the required tool(s) within. Perhaps someone else on the forum might know? You say it is called a BATCH PROCESSOR? Sounds like a sandwich-making-machine! :slight_smile:

Much appreciated,

Paul

59

Hi Arjan,

I am still not sure so I will ask in the WAVELAB SECTION of the forum . . .

Paul


UPDATE : RE : Elements 8 (Batch Processor?) - WaveLab - Steinberg Forums

60

Hi,

Is the NORMALIZER in ARTIST 8 a PEAK or a LOUDNESS processor (would anyone happen to know please)?

Ta,

Paul