On Wed, Oct 27, 2004 at 03:51:20 +0100, Dave Griffiths wrote: > > Another bonus feaure is the fact that the Formanta sounds > > *completely* different about three hours after turning it on than > > when you start. Let's hear it for non-linearity, which simply can't > > be emulated on the computer. > > we should try :) > I found a bug in my in-development drumsynth last night where the sine > oscillator's ever increasing float time value was causing a very slow > incremental bit reduction effect - presumably because the representation loses > precision and breaks down at high values. Fine when you wrap it properly - but > perhaps it should be left in as a quirk of the instrument... Heh, I've had that bug more times than I care to remember :) The "can't be emulated on a computer" sounds like a challenge to me too. How about seeding something off the CPU temprerature sensor :) > > Another friend from Riga occaisionally sells different > > Soviet/Russian synths on Ebay. In fact, there seem to be quite a few > > of them around. Not the Formanta, it's a rare beast, but if you are > > looking for a Polyvox, for example, the going price seems to run > > between 500 and 700 Euros. Shipping is what would really kill you, > > though. A Polyvox isn't too heavy, but the Formanta is approximately > > the size and bulk of a small fridge! > > there is definately something special about old soviet technology and the > like. I guess they didn't have planned obsolescence back then :) Yup, I love the sense of solidity. There was a program on Radio 4 (god I'm old) in the UK about 6 months ago, about russian synths. It ws really good and had some recordings of an ANS where you could draw frequencies on a glass screen that triggered oscilators at different freqencies. Kinda like drawing an FFT by hand from what I could tell. Ever since hearing the program I've wanted to build a software version... so little time :( - Steve
