One Synth Challenge #130: Phase Plant by Kilohearts (exponent1 Wins!)

[z.prime]

I'm totally in on this one. I need to test my new DAW.

Which new DAW? (You better say Bitwig!!)

[Mechanought]

Studio One is what I'm leaning toward at the moment because the workflow is just so intuitive and just lets me create. Plus it supports video, which is something I need in a DAW. It's not the most comprehensive video support, but it's enough to get the job done. The only downer is the bundled instruments it comes with are a bit lackluster, but the effects and workflow make up for this. I also REALLY like the various MIDI note editing/sequencing options they've come up with.

I've not demo'd bitwig yet, and I'm not sure I need to. The modularity is nice, but I tend to need to get my ideas down fast and while modular is great for being able to come up with any kind of sound imaginable, it just seems to take a lot longer to get there for me. Plus there doesn't seem to be (from their description) much focus on MIDI editing or sequencing. The workflow also looks a bit foreign to me, like a hybrid of ableton and your traditional arranger? I need something I can master quickly that won't get in my way so I can focus on creating music. This is partially why I've decided to move away from Reaper. You think I should give bitwig a shot, bearing all this in mind?

[] Peter:H []

Fun little experiment for you wavetable enthusiasts at home:

Context:
Spoken language, i.e. the sound produced when we read out a written word loud consists of so called phonems. A ponem is a little sound building block. By composing phonems in a sequence you create the sound of a written word.

More on phonems and resources on the net
Phonem Symbols of a englisch word written in latin letters:
You can now go to the following website https://tophonetics.com/ which allowes to translate a english word into phonem symbols... "One Synth Challenge" looks like this translated into phonem symbols "wʌn Synth ˈʧælɪnʤ" (seems that "synth" has not been translated correctly)

Sounds of single Phonems:
Now you can go to the second website ... http://www.internationalphoneticalphabe ... th-sounds/ which provides for a table of all phonem symbols. If you click a symbol you can hear the sound... The download of all phonem sounds is here: http://www.internationalphoneticalphabe ... audio/mp3/ ...

Experiment:
1. I went to download this phonem: http://www.internationalphoneticalphabe ... ricate.mp3
2. Cropped it to the first part, i.e. the "ch" phonem of "challenge"
3. resampled it to fit into 2048 sample (check out the file in the attached zip)
4. Import this single cycle phonem wave form into a wavetable.
5. Go and repeat for all phonems.
...
After a while you could probably play phonems on your keyboard, if you do a clever arrangement of your wavetable...if you play low keys then the phonems might reproduce nearly intelligable. Your brain which is very good in pattern recognition may just add the rest so that the words come out intelligable.

I'm just at the begining and don't know whether it works like I expect it to work and I don't know whether this method will produce intelligible output ... but anyway I think a rather fun application of wavetables which would fit the "use only single cycles" perfectly

] Peter:H [

[Leonard Bowman]

If speech is what you are after, you might have better results using noise and filters/eq for the consonants- using them as a waveform will produce strange tonal results. Just be careful that you are taking only single waveforms, and definitely not playing a sampled table in a linear fashion.
Of course, there are a couple other interesting things to try here: 1) put waveforms for your favorite vowels at different points in the table, and crossfade between them for diphthong action 2) just use the formant filter snap-in

Also, be aware that the note you play is going to make a big tonal difference when you are playing waveforms to imitate speech because the formant frequencies won't stay constant.

[Eauson]

Nvm

[SamDi]

I am now completely confused about the rules. Here I summarize, how I understood it:

Effects
1.) ALL synth’s internal effects may be used
2.) For this month‘s OSC also most external commercial effects may be used
3.) ..except the sort of effects which are mentioned in the „Effects not allowed“ like modulation FX, etc. But this refers only to external effects

Source of Sounds
1.) All Wavetables delivered with the synth may be used (including synthesized vocals, drums, instruments???)
2.) Samples delivered with the synth may not be used to play them in a sample module
3.) Custom wavetables may just be one cyle, not synthesized from other sound sources. What about the definition/border between still allowed and not anymore allowed? Limitation of zero crossings? How many single cycles of a sampled drum may I use that it still will be accepted?

Sorry, if I have missed to read something obvious anywhere.

[Taron]

Especially with drums I don't understand why one would even bother working with samples on this particular synth. It's a dream-come-true for drum sound design. But all in all it seems like you've got the rules pegged perfectly.
The whole concept with wavetables is that they may only be used to replace single tones per wave and not complete samples, which wouldn't make a lot of sense anyway at such short intervals. Just use your imagination and some logic to realize the point behind the rules and then just choose responsibly!

[exponent1]

I am now completely confused about the rules. Here I summarize, how I understood it:

Effects
1.) ALL synth’s internal effects may be used
2.) For this month‘s OSC also most external commercial effects may be used
3.) ..except the sort of effects which are mentioned in the „Effects not allowed“ like modulation FX, etc. But this refers only to external effects

Source of Sounds
1.) All Wavetables delivered with the synth may be used (including synthesized vocals, drums, instruments???)
2.) Samples delivered with the synth may not be used to play them in a sample module
3.) Custom wavetables may just be one cyle, not synthesized from other sound sources. What about the definition/border between still allowed and not anymore allowed? Limitation of zero crossings? How many single cycles of a sampled drum may I use that it still will be accepted?

Sorry, if I have missed to read something obvious anywhere.

Effects
1.) Correct.
2.) Correct.
3.) Correct.

Source of Sounds
1.) Correct. Any factory synthesized sounds/presets which not using any samples, can be used.
2.) Correct.
3.) Partly correct. Custom waveforms can use up to 2 single cycle waveforms and those CAN be from any source, including other sources, synthesized or otherwise. It just has to be a up to 2 single cycle waveforms. The rule is same for any waveform, even for sampled drums.

I personally think you should avoid using custom wavetables because Phase Plant has PLENTY of great inbuilt wavetables and FX, unless you're trying something fancy like what Peter has specified in his post. You can still get plenty of crazy sounds out of the synth without using samples, custom wavetables, or external modulation FX. I'm pretty sure some participants won't even use any external effect apart from a Limiter at the end of the mastering chain

Hope this clears your confusion. Cheers and looking forward to your submission

[Taron]

Yup, that's me! Though, I may have a reverb to bring things together.

[SamDi]

Especially with drums I don't understand why one would even bother working with samples on this particular synth. It's a dream-come-true for drum sound design.

Especially making drums with a synth is for me is a pain in the ass. Would find it better to be allowed to use external drums or samples. I like punchy explosive drums (HiTech/Dubstep/Brostep style). Until now all my attemps to make drums with all these tutorials going around, rather sound like 808/909/analog style. So making drum sounds to my needs will be a big challenge for me.

[SamDi]

I personally think you should avoid using custom wavetables because Phase Plant has PLENTY of great inbuilt wavetables and FX, unless you're trying something fancy like what Peter has specified in his post.

I think I got your point. Just loaded my Serum-selfmade-dope-wavetables into Phaseplant and of course the character of a wavetable is more dominant than the synth's specific core sound. Thus using wavtables is similar ad absurdum to show the synth's capabilities as using samples. Maybe it should be forbidden. Need to see, if I am going to follow your suggestions or if I need the one or other selfmade table to boost the hell out of phase plant

[exponent1]

I personally think you should avoid using custom wavetables because Phase Plant has PLENTY of great inbuilt wavetables and FX, unless you're trying something fancy like what Peter has specified in his post.

I think I got your point. Just loaded my Serum-selfmade-dope-wavetables into Phaseplant and of course the character of a wavetable is more dominant than the synth's specific core sound. Thus using wavtables is similar ad absurdum to show the synth's capabilities as using samples. Maybe it should be forbidden. Need to see, if I am going to follow your suggestions or if I need the one or other selfmade table to boost the hell out of phase plant

Please do note that any imported wavetables, self-made or otherwise, can't have more than 2 single cycle waveforms in them. Looking forward to your punchy and explosive track.

[Taron]

Especially with drums I don't understand why one would even bother working with samples on this particular synth. It's a dream-come-true for drum sound design.

Especially making drums with a synth is for me is a pain in the ass. Would find it better to be allowed to use external drums or samples. I like punchy explosive drums (HiTech/Dubstep/Brostep style). Until now all my attemps to make drums with all these tutorials going around, rather sound like 808/909/analog style. So making drum sounds to my needs will be a big challenge for me.

Don't mean to be a smartass, but that's why it's called "One Synth Challenge"!
Seriously, though, this synth has even the power to delay envelopes, making it very easy to create dubstep like snares, for example, or any over-exaggerated punches, which you create by bringing in the rest of the sound spectrum after the hit.
Transient shaping is also very pleasant. But, yeah, use every opportunity you get to learn something, because that gives you tremendous power very quickly. I've seen artists here at the OSC grow within a few months from uncertain newbies into outstanding production monsters!

Also, don't try to browse through tutorials for answers before you have begun to understand what's happening in the synth. You have the brain power to master all synths, but you only get to notice that, when you really use it, too!

Above all else: It is awesome fun and there are magical discoveries to be made, which will shape who you are as an artist, rather than an aspiring facsimile.

[exponent1]

Yup, that's me! Though, I may have a reverb to bring things together.

Any snippets or WIP so far? I'm bracing myself for all the amazing sounds and music we'll hear, made with this gorgeous and monstrous synth, can't wait!

On the other hand, with so much power, I'm kind of lost and overwhelmed this month. I'm not even sure about what kind of music I want to make this month

[haslo]

I'm pretty sure some participants won't even use any external effect apart from a Limiter at the end of the mastering chain

I plan to do just that. I also plan to use no presets.