DESCRIPTION:
This PADsynth Xtended instrument has 30 sinewaves to produce a sample - a nice sound, but the PADsynth algorithm always sounds a bit (too) clean to my ears (https://zynaddsubfx.sourceforge.io/doc/PADsynth/PADsynth.htm).
With this instrument, several methods are used to try to obtain an evn more interesting, evolving timbre. Modules like FM distortion and/or hyperbolic tangent distortion spices things up.
i have chosen for the distorion to be placed AFTER the filter section, so any resonaces of the filter will add to a dirty, screamy sound.
Of course, all off these modules can be swtiched off.
This instruments can morph sounds from heaven to hell - and back!
From LoFi to HiFi...
It takes a little while for the PADsynth GEN to generate the sample; the bigger amount of 'sonic quality in bits' that are to be computed, the longer it takes. But the smoother the sound gets, as more bits mean s bigger samples....
connections of the modules:
PADSYNTH --> FREQUENCY MODULATION --> FILTERS --> DISTORTION --> OUTPUT
CONTROLLERS:
fundamental in Hertz - fundamental frequency for the generated table (cycles per second). when set to -1, it is 261.625565 Hz. But you can set a different frequency.
score format - see p4 and p5 as real values or as midi note events
sonic quality in bits - the higer, the longer samples
harmonics - gain of 1st fundamental frequencies + 29 harmonics
partial bandwith in cents - bandwidth of each partial in cents
scale bandwith in partials - ratio that bandwidth increases with harmonic number (log of increase/decrease with partial frequency, 0 is no stretch or shrink)
harmonic stretch - ratio of stretch of the overtones (1 is harmonic)
profile shape - extra parameter for the bandwidth profile (0.5 is default)
harmonic shape bandwidth - number specifying the shape of the bandwidth profile: Gaussian, Square or Exponential
FM ON/OFF:
carrier - frequency of carrier
mod - frequency of modulator
index - number of (in)harmonics created
direct/FM - mix direct and FM signal
Filter type:
frequency - frequency cutoff of filter
bandwith - influences region of frequencies
resonance - amount of feedback of filter
Distortion ON/OFF:
compress - compresses signal before distortion is applied
pregain - determines the amount of gain applied to the signal before waveshaping
positive - determines the shape of the positive part of the curve
negative - determines the shape of the negative part of the curve
gain - amount of gain after distortion has been applied
direct/distort - mix direct and distorted signal
envelopes per note:
FM env. (on/off) - envelope for FM distortion
Filter freq. (on/off) - envelope for filter cutoff
Filter Depth (on/off) - envelope for filter depth
Distortion (on/off) - envelope for distortion
Pitch Bend (on/off) - envelope for pitch bend
scale x - repeat envelope in note several times (also for Amplitude)
Output:
dirt (on/off) - amount of randomness for amplitude
tuning - tuning of total sounding result
ADSR:
on/off - set retriggering of ADSR on or off
speed - frequency of retriggering
amplitude attack/decay/sustain/release - ADSR controllers
L/R - output gain of resulting sound
score example:
; frq amp
i1 0 2 66 1 ; real values p4, p5
or
; note velocity
i1 0 2 66 100 ; midi values p4, p5
---
version 3.1, June 2020
- added midi note/real value MACRO
- added on/off checkbox for Filter
- renaming of ALs
- added comments on controllers
version 3.0, April 2019
- complete overhaul of all envelopes
- envelopes for Amplitude, FM, Filter Frequency, Filter Depth, Distortion and Pitch Bend can be set on a per note basis
- envelopes have on/off switch
- cleaned up menu by removing harmonics and better naming
version 2.1, october 2017
- replaced Unique ID number with INSTRUMENT ID --> Unique ID could be removes
- some further GUI tweaking
version 2.0, march 2017
- latest GUI (Blue 2.7.0 or greater)
- produce sample in Global Orchestra
- changed ADSR to madsr
- when basefreqency = -1, then basefrequnecy = 261.625565
- removed redundant code
- renamed AL for better names
- When you want to use more than 1 of this instrument, you will have to give NO: unique numbers.
version 1.01, november 2016
- improved checkbox code
version 1.0, september 2016
- table resolution can be set of PADsynth, controlling the quality of the produced "sample". A setting of 18 produces a sample table of 2^18, and is a compromise between a fast response and sound quality.
Lower settings are faster, but can produce some LoFi results.
- FM on/off switch and mix for direct/FM
- ADSR envelope for index of FM
- Low, band, highpass filter (or no filter) is placed BEFORE the distortion unit. This can produce sqeaking sounds for extra "dirt"
- distortion module with on/off switch,
- compression on/off to control big amplitude differences of distortion
- ADSR envelope for distortion
- dirt setting for amplitude creates a random fluctuation in amplitude |