Exploring Organic Resonances in Synthesizers | Sound Design Tutorial

Join us in this tutorial as we explore the world of adding organic resonances to synthesizers. Discover how to create a blend of real and artificial sounds, perfect for genres like organic techno. We'll create a semi-realistic flute patch, compare isolated resonances found in EQs versus coupled waveguide resonances, and delve into using Max for Live coupled resonators.
Check out previous videos on this topic:
• Physical Modeling Synt...
• Understanding Digital ...
Download max for live audio effect with coupled waveguide's (Disclaimer, it's a prototype):
1drv.ms/u/s!AonhoPPUFh3sioRk0...
To install the Max for Live effect you need to drop it in your ableton max for live presets folder. Something like /Documents/Ableton/User Library/Presets/Audio Effects/Max Audio Effect
about #Astrobear:
Astrobear is the electronic music project of John Janiczek. This project explores multiple genres with a common theme of blending polar opposites like aggressive electro bass lines with gentle ambient melodies. Astrobear was discovered when his remix of Hyperlandia by Deadmau5 was selected as the winner of the Microsoft Original by Design competition. Now, Astrobear enters 2023 releasing his first track with the Mau5trap label, titled “So Says the Sea”, as a part of the “We Are Friends 11” compilation album. Building off of this momentum, Astrobear is planning to grow the project beyond the bedroom producer gig with an increased focus on releasing and performing his music.
▶︎ Astrobear online:
Find my music and content organized at: biglink.to/astrobear
Follow me at: / astrobearmusic
#sounddesign #electronicmusic #organictechno

[@DashGlitch]

Fantastic! Going to attempt this in Bitwig grid

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Awesome! Make sure to put a limiter on for when you the feedback inevitably goes out of control 😂

[@lukas_137]

i don't think many people here have an idea of how much work went into this video. really good one, thanks for sharing! 🙏

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Thanks for appreciating it! It is a decent amount of work but I love learning/teaching about this stuff.

[@orotoi1]

@@astrobearmusic1977 Thank you for the infos! I was also thinking the same when I saw this video on reddit x) Great stuff..

[@PanopticMotion]

Exceptionally unique content. Well done!

[@astrobearmusic1977]

I’ve already used my resonator pun, so all I have is a thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@st3hp3n]

your project reminded me of murcof's cosmos

[@astrobearmusic1977]

I will have to check out murcof, thanks!

[@joelp2201]

Love your passionate yet technical approach, so much cool information here!

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Glad the content resonated with you 😎

[@nostalgia_junkie]

you know what you're talking about, much appreciated in this space. solid track too!

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Thanks, I’m liking the track too - I going to try to finish it

[@AndyNicholson]

Nice, keep 'em coming :) will the M4L patch work in regular Max do you know?

[@astrobearmusic1977]

I’m like a beginner in max 😬 so I really don’t know. But I’m happy to send you intermediate files if it doesn’t work

[@Oversat_]

Very interesting!

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Glad you liked it oversat!

[@thumbstring]

This is absolutely fascinating! Working on some performance stuff in max currently and this would be an amazing thing to implement. Do you have an any thoughts on how well it work to make subtle adjustments based on say velocity messages to add expression? Seriously loved this video mate keep it up!

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Thanks! I think it is interesting to add expression with the damping filter, which is the low pass filter in the feedback loop. For the flute patch in the video I had an envelope follower open up with the rms amplitude coming from serum, so if you just mapped velocity to amplitude you would already get some cool expression from brighter/damper notes.

[@LussionConvo]

Thank you, that's a very useful tutorial, you made me realize the simple relation between a biquad filter's coefficients and the delay and gain knobs you set in the VST plugin. Probably a basic question, but, what is the action of the detune knob, mathematically speaking? Does it simply change the frequency of the oscillator?

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Yes mathematically it just changes the frequency of the waveguide(s) Physically, I am still learning as I go. In the case of the stringed instrument I have heard it has to do with the string having a different tension in the transverse (left/right) and longitudinal (up/down) directions resulting in two waveguides with different frequencies. It also makes sense for drum bodies where there are different resonances for up/down and side/side (among many other modes) because the geometry is complex. For the an actual flute I am not sure it would be setup the way I did it. Maybe I should have made it more clear in the video but this was more of a creative exploration using tools from last weeks video. I kind of picture the instrument I was designing would have a more complex geometry than a basic flute (maybe more like the ocarina of time type of flute) which would have many resonances since it is not a simple tube.

[@LussionConvo]

​@@astrobearmusic1977 I dont know much about the geometry you are referring to, but now I am interested to check out the first part ;D . Also I was wondering what is the graph in the top center? It looks like some kind of frequency response graph but it is unusual to see

[@astrobearmusic1977]

@@LussionConvoI think this is the Bible for this type of synthesis: ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/pasp/ I haven’t made it through, I’m working on it as I go. One example of the geometry is the height and width of a drum. You could imagine for a pancake shaped snare drum the height has a much shorter wavelength resonance than the width. I think the meter you are talking about is the stereo meter. I usually just use it to check if it’s stereo or mono, it’s a little hard to figure out exactly what it means since it’s so chaotic 😂. The whole metering suite is called minimeters.

[@biancoziegler7618]

Nice sound! Though the assumption of different traveltimes for different vibrations is not happening in reality. The speed of sound is independent of of the underlying frequency, and only dependent on the medium where the wave propagates through. Maybe an analogy to overtones could be closer to what hapens in reality, cause they only travel half or 1/xth the distance to repeat themselfes and are very important for the timbre of an instrument like flutes etc.

[@astrobearmusic1977]

I’d recommend checking out this resource ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/pmupd/ I am not inventing any of this, these are the established physical models of instruments. The 1/n harmonic series is already accounted for by a single waveguide (comb filters resonate with the harmonic series) and then the low pass filter dampens the upper harmonics. The multiple inharmonic waveguides is discussed in the resource I linked for most instruments, even including stringed instruments. It’s easier to think about for percussive instruments because even for the same propagation speed the delay time is different for different directions. For string I have heard it described as the tension of the string in the transverse direction being different than the tension of the string in the longitudinal direction, and since the string is a tension tuned instrument it is like having two slightly different tunings. Anyway, can’t say I’ve measured any of this in a anyway - so I could be wrong. Just explaining the references I researched.

[@markwincek6688]

any interest in modeling a Fujara?

[@astrobearmusic1977]

Definitely! I’m reading a textbook right now to learn how to do more principled physical modeling. The first half of the book is about reverb - so I’m still making my way to principled wind instruments.

[@markwincek6688]

@@astrobearmusic1977 awesome! Can't wait to tune in. Let me know when you get to it because I have some ideas about how to make it practical for keyboard input. Also what book is it may I ask? And how did you start on all this? I just discovered plugdata etc the other day so it's exciting to see I've been missing out. Is there a good starting resource you can recommend?

[@astrobearmusic1977]

@@markwincek6688 the textbook is for free here: ccrma.stanford.edu/~jos/pasp/ This resource also seems good: euphonics.org/homepage/ I am starting with the Julius Smith textbook because I think it builds the mathematical foundation needed so I can power through academic papers in the future (e.g. this gong paper with awesome results www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/real-time-gong-synthesis) . But for others that would rather tinker first maybe not the best resource, haven't read the euphonics one yet but maybe it is better. I first heard about physical modelling synthesis a couple years ago from a coworker. I'm still bouncing ideas off him while learning about it. He started a C++ repo which covers some of this stuff github.com/wrongbad/wade

[@markwincek6688]

@@astrobearmusic1977 man, I'm going to have so much fun reading these instead of finishing my songs... thanks! (lol, but seriously thanks. this is some good stuff.)