electro-music.com   Dedicated to experimental electro-acoustic
and electronic music
 
    Front Page  |  Radio
 |  Media  |  Forum  |  Wiki  |  Links
Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
 FAQFAQ   CalendarCalendar   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   LinksLinks
 RegisterRegister   ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in  Chat RoomChat Room 
 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Modular Synthesis
How much of a "sound" do different vca's have?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1 [4 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
erich



Joined: Jan 08, 2007
Posts: 58
Location: US
Audio files: 1

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:30 pm    Post subject: How much of a "sound" do different vca's have? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I kind of assumed when you were looking for the right vca, you just paid attention to features. That the didn't have a "sound" that there wasn't really coloration. In which case, I was looking at cwejmans vca (expensive, but there's 4 on 1 module. I was reading promo material for the sherman filter bank and it brought something to my attention. Part of it's selling point is the "overdriven" sound the vca's can have. Is there something to this when comparing vca's? Did building my modular just get more complicated?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Peake



Joined: Jun 29, 2007
Posts: 1113
Location: Loss Angeles
Audio files: 3

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yep, everything is different and you'll end up enjoying finding what sounds like what and why, and selecting from what you've learned.

For example, in directly comparing the Moog Modular to the .com system, the .com VCA, when both were driven from the same envelope and audio source, sounded smoother in that it tailed out to silence better. The Moog VCA sounded "choked" in comparison, but that just adds characteristics to the overall synth.

Envelopes have different shapes as well, so that has to also be taken into consideration.

Beware when you start collecting oscillators for their differences. Moog Cookbook went on about selecting a particular piece of gear for a particular waveform character once...

Careful, you'll end up like me.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Peake



Joined: Jun 29, 2007
Posts: 1113
Location: Loss Angeles
Audio files: 3

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Be like me, be like me...

The most obviously different VCA would likely be the Buchla 292, as it uses light-dependent response and settles differently than other devices. It also filters and does a combined filter/amplitude function, which IIRC Buchla describes as being good for mimic'ing the loss of HF content in proportion to the physical distance to the source.

And he stuck four of them in a single panel. I'm very glad that others are catching up to this esthetic.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
REwire



Joined: Dec 06, 2006
Posts: 56
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The Plan-B Model 13 Dual Timbral Gate is a copy of the Buchla 292 and my main VCA and the most important module in my setup. The way it rings out adds warmth and acoustic space to all my sounds. Just flipping it to standard VCA mode or using my Cwejman MX-4 Mixer instead, all life drops out of my sounds. My fav part of it is it has a separate output I use as an effects send to my reverb and delays.
_________________
http://www.REwireMusic.com
Buy REwire - "Bit By Bit" CD at http://cdbaby.com/cd/rewire
Album Promo Video:HERE
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1 [4 Posts]
View unread posts
View new posts in the last week
Mark the topic unread :: View previous topic :: View next topic
 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Modular Synthesis
Jump to:  

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum


Forum with support of Syndicator RSS
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Copyright © 2003 through 2009 by electro-music.com - Conditions Of Use