Additive synths

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

Many users would suggest the Kawai K-5000 as the best hardware additive synth. But how is it compared to the software ones?

seraph · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:40 am Post subject: Re: Additive synths

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

Ok, I might be wrong but I´ve seen softsynths with additive synthesis.

elektro80 · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:30 am Post subject:

A very accessible software synth with what might be called additive synthesis is NI Absynth 4. However, not all synths offering additive synthesis aren´t really offering additive synthesis, if you see what I mean.

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

Ah ok. But have you any experiences of the Kawai?

I see that there is some dicussions about additive in the Clavia Nord Modular G2 discussion. Let´s see what they have to say.

elektro80 · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:52 am Post subject:

DrJustice · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:15 am Post subject:

Henrik, I have a K5000S and it is a much treasured instrument. It definitely stands out as a unique synthesizer. A friend of mine also has one that is equally cherished.

There aren't many other real hardware additives out there to compare with, I can only think of Kawai K5, Technos Axcel and Kurzweil 150, all of which are considerably older. The K5k is much more modern and advanced than any of these. As elektro80 comments it's, a deep synth with lots of sound shaping power. I'm not intimately familiar with any software additive so I can't comment on that, but if you have any specific K5k questions I'll be happy to answer.

DJ
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elektro80 · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:43 am Post subject:

Isn´t there an editor out there somewhere? I think I once saw some commercial software ditty with editor support for shitloads of older midi gear and I am sure the K5000 was on that list too. I have tried to remember its name but I guess I need some more fresh cups of espresso before my mind is cooperating fully.

elektro80 · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:45 am Post subject:

Of course, there is always good old Kyma. On a basic system, you can perform additive synthesis with something like 192 sine wave partials.

seraph · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:48 am Post subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_synthesis
check the list of softsynths featuring additive synthesis
it's very short.

seraph · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:50 am Post subject:

http://www.harmony-central.com/ElectronicMusicianGuides/software_instruments01.htm
check this one out too Exclamation

DrJustice · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:35 am Post subject:

kvnvk · Joined: Aug 27, 2006 Posts: 105 Location: Texas

Sound Quest's Midi Quest software indicates it has support for the K5000S and K5000R, though I have no idea how good it is... Confused

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

seraph · Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 1:01 am Post subject:

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

....and the Synclavier also have additive synthesis.

DrJustice · Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:19 am Post subject:

AFAIK the Synclavier only had hardware support for sampling/playback and 2 operator FM where the carrier was a sample and the modulator was a sine. The additive synthesis and resynthesis was provided by the software generating samples.

DJ
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Keysandslots · Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:52 am Post subject: Additive synths

The Kawai K3 will also do some rudimentary additive synthesis. There are two patch slots available for building new waveforms by adding sinewaves. My K3 is currently at home and I can't remember the exact number of partials available, but I think there are 64 potential partials (harmonics) and you can add up to 16 together.

The Sound on Sound website has an article that describes using the K3 to build Hammond organ sounds by using the sinewaves to substitute for drawbars.

Randy

taylor12k · Joined: May 04, 2005 Posts: 56 Location: brooklyn

my favorite additive synth is Virsyn's Cube (software)

i sold my K5000 (lovely synth) after i got Cube and have never regretted it.

www.virsyn.com

4 additive parts with amazing morphing as well as sample analysis. very cool stuff

K · Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:15 am Post subject:

taylor12k · Joined: May 04, 2005 Posts: 56 Location: brooklyn

yes, not only can you change the volume of each partial for each oscillator but you can also change the panning of each partial! that leads to some very nice spacious sounds.

the higher harmonics are grouped into logical groupings.. so you can't edit EVERY INDIVIDUAL partial... the lower ones are all separate, but to make things more easy the really high frequencies are automatically grouped together..

Electronicant · Joined: Feb 23, 2006 Posts: 81 Location: North

DrJustice · Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:58 am Post subject:

Using more than 32 harmonics and additional filtering is one thing I like. The Axcel had other interesting things going for it, like e.g. the more extensive envelopes. However, it and the Kawai are rather different beasts, so admittedly direct comparisons may be somewhat pointless. I could certainly fancy one, but getting hold of it and keeping it running... it's not going to happen. For the resynthesis bit (which is outside the scope of the K5k) I suppose software synths are the way to go now.

DJ
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