Synthesis types

White · Post by **White** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:25 pm

OK, just out of interest, how many types of synthesis are there?

In my bedroom studio I have synthesizers with vector, wavetable, additive, FM, AWM, VA and PWM.

Yoozer · Post by **Yoozer** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:32 pm

PWM is not a synthesis type. AWM are samples through a subtractive engine, VA is subtractive, vector merely means you have a joystick to seamlessly blend between 4 (sample-based) sound sources which then usually go into a (usually) subtractive engine.

You can add granular and physical modeling (waveguide, Karplus-strong) to the list.

White · Post by **White** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:54 pm

Ah, I stand corrected.

Post by **Zamise** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:20 pm

Speech Synthesis.

CS_TBL · Post by **CS_TBL** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:27 pm

Does neuron synthesis fall under physical modelling?

_seph · Post by **_seph** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 6:41 am

although a variant of FM, Phase Distortion is also worth mentioning and the Analysis/Resynthesis method used by speech synthesizers and vocoders and found in Kyma is another honorable mention. Perhaps similar to this and Physical Modeling would be Roland's recent Articulate Phrase synthesis which debuted in the V-Synth GT and "models the performance behavior and nuance of acoustic musical instruments"

Post by **Ashe37** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:46 am

Yoozer wrote:vector merely means you have a joystick to seamlessly blend between 4 (sample-based) sound sources which then usually go into a (usually) subtractive engine.

Not always. The Yamaha SY-22 and TG-33 had samples on two poles and 2-op FM on two poles of the vector diamond, and had no filters.

Z · Post by Z » Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:05 pm

Ashe37 wrote:
Yoozer wrote:vector merely means you have a joystick to seamlessly blend between 4 (sample-based) sound sources which then usually go into a (usually) subtractive engine.
Not always. The Yamaha SY-22 and TG-33 had samples on two poles and 2-op FM on two poles of the vector diamond, and had no filters.

The SCI Prophet VS (probably the first vector synth) uses 4 digital wave oscillators.

Yoozer · Post by **Yoozer** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:35 pm

I used to have the SY-35 - but the synthesis methods are still FM and sample-based (albeit not subtractive, it didn't have any filters IIRC).

In case of the VS, the digital oscillators play back a very short sample - so it could be classified in the same group the DW8000 goes into.

The vector joystick mixes. You can record those, but it's not that radically different from plugging in 4 synths in a desk and then automating the volume fader movements - IMHO, of course.

Post by **Zamise** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 4:10 pm

I agree, vector synthesis is misleading and really more just a type of mixing. If its synthesis then scene morphing is also a type synthesis.

Post by **gridsleep** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 2:03 am

Then there's spiral synthesis, as described in this very interesting article by Tracy Lind Petersen, which treats sound as a helix traveling through time, four dimensional in nature.

Post by **Dano** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:07 am

Here's a good link for examples of lots of synthesis types using a Nord Modular:

http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~clark/nordmod ... k_toc.html

Post by **Stab Frenzy** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:12 am

White wrote:OK, just out of interest, how many types of synthesis are there?

In my bedroom studio I have synthesizers with vector, wavetable, additive, FM, AWM, VA and PWM.

The problem with this question is it's like asking 'how many types of dogs are there? I know of brown dogs, black dogs, labradors and poodles.'

Vector synths can be subtractive, FM synths can have filters, etc.

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