Official "STUPID" Question THREAD

PeteSasqwax

Stupid question: where is DJ Signify?

(Not stupid because it's foolish to want to know, just stupid because it is perhaps not an appropriate place to make such enquiries)

SevenSystems

@dobbs said:

@Weareroses said:
My question may not be so stupid... but I’m getting myself something for Christmas and I torn between a pocket operator (it would be my first one) or I’m thinking of picking up a uno synth. Anybody have any suggestions, opinions or any other advice on said items? Maybe some other options of some nifty hardware gear or accessories under $150/$200? Thanks

If you chose the pocket operator, you could also go for a few effects pedals and line them up behind the PO, and there would still be some budget left I'm having a lot of fun with the PO-33, I guess it's the most versatile of the bunch.

@SevenSystems said:
The big difference is that a waveshaper is time-indifferent, i.e. it doesn't have any "memory". It always only acts on exactly one sample (and doesn't know about the last or next sample), while a compressor has "memory" and its "mapping curve" depends on past samples (and with lookahead, future samples too.)

Thanks, that's a good way of looking at it. That link is also super interesting

@wim said:
There are different types of distortion. I think what you're referring to is "clipping" or "soft clipping". While compressors may do varying degrees of soft clipping, they mostly handle their job more transparently than that. If the gnome is turning down the volume, the wave peak (should) remain basically the same, so there should be little distortion. With clipping distortion, the gnome is instead whacking the top off of the wave shape, leaving a squarish top rather than a peak.
The way the top of the peak is handled determines the character of the distortion. It can be just whacked off (hard clipping), rounded somewhat (soft clipping), folded over (folding), etc.. When a compressor or limiter introduces any of this distortion, that is usually referred to as the "character" of the compressor, but it's usually only a small amount.

My question was, if you turned attack and decay of a compressor down, down, down, until below the time scale of individual sound oscillations, did you just turn your compressor unit into an overdrive unit? If this modded compressor had a very high compression ratio it would produce hard clipping and if it had a lower compression ratio it would produce soft clipping/tube like behavior?

Yes and yes. A compressor with zero attack and decay is a wave shaper.

_ki

@circledsquare said:
I have a question about hard oscillator sync and pitch that has been bothering me.

If you look at the first graphic on this page:

https://www.keithmcmillen.com/blog/simple-synthesis-part-7-oscillator-sync/

What happens when I do as in the graphic (let's say I run the slave at 120 hz)? Why is the pitch exactly 100 hz?

Is this very different if I zero out the right hand side (the "cut off copy" of the slave to the right during each main cycle)? I think that would then result in a somewhat softer 120 hz signal (softer because the amplitude is the same but the duty cycle is not 100%), or is that just wrong?

It is exactly 100Hz, because the ‚synced waveform‘ will repeat itself after the sync happened - the duration of this more complex (than pure saw) wave has the same length as the 100Hz of the master oscillator. This is the same, even when you zero out the repeated part. It would be 100Hz, but sound different.

According to Fourier synthesis, all complex waveforms are a sum of sine waves with different amplitudes and phases:
This site offers an interactive widget were you easily can try out stuff. Enable sound and Mag/Phase view and the change the upper waveform from saw to a synced saw by drawing in the change in the upper waveform and you‘ll hear that the precieved base frequency does not change - the ‚syned saw‘ is a bit quieter and has more high freq parts. If you think about the ‚addition of sines‘, there are more high-freq partials needed to add up to a double spiked saw than to a regular saw.The synced/zeroed waveform sound has less higher freq parts, but still the same base freq.

RUST( i )K

Wow...some of us have been here a while y'all! LOL

SevenSystems

@RUST( i )K said:
Wow...some of us have been here a while y'all! LOL

You surely have a lot of stupid questions to answer by now

stalkpiece

Here's one for you good folks.

Can I record iPad system audio from a non-IAA or AUV3 app (ie any app that makes noise, like a radio app) into an IAA/AUV3 app, ie AUM/Audiobus?

On Windows I use a program called Total Recorder to record the system output. Is there something like that for iOS which rather than recording it, outputs it to other suitable apps?

dobbs

@circledsquare said:
I have a question about hard oscillator sync and pitch that has been bothering me.

If you look at the first graphic on this page:

https://www.keithmcmillen.com/blog/simple-synthesis-part-7-oscillator-sync/

Let's say I run the main oscillator at 100 hz, and the slave at 200 hz. Clearly the slave doesn't get modified and I get 200 hz when listening to the slave. Likewise, I get 100 hz out of the slave if I run it at 100 hz.

What happens when I do as in the graphic (let's say I run the slave at 120 hz)? Why is the pitch exactly 100 hz?

Is this very different if I zero out the right hand side (the "cut off copy" of the slave to the right during each main cycle)? I think that would then result in a somewhat softer 120 hz signal (softer because the amplitude is the same but the duty cycle is not 100%), or is that just wrong?

Nurack has both an oscilloscope and a spectrograph. Primer for example can do hard sync. It's a cool little experiment to see how the waveform changes when you change the slave oscillator's pitch.

circledsquare

@_ki thanks for this explanation, very useful!

@dobbs I was actually thinking of getting an additive synth like CubeSynth or AddStation to try to understand this stuff, sounds like your recommendations would be better choices, thanks.

So _ki's explanation explains a lot. But then why when I run the slave at 200 hz, does it suddenly sound like 200 hz (I do know we just hear the same thing whether the slave is synced or not if it is an integer multiple)? I guess at 199.9 hz, it doesn't sound like 199.9 hz but instead 100 hz? How close to 200 hz do I have to get or is that a stupid question? I think there is some intuition here that is escaping me, or I am applying something that I need to learn to not apply in this context.

dobbs

Just try it out. You'll hear that the closer you come to a multiple of the master's frequency, the slave's frequency becomes more and more audible. Those are the overtones of the master.

If you run the slave at 199Hz you'll still hear the 200Hz. But there will be more additional frequencies added. The further you go a way from a multiple of the master frequency, the weaker the overtone will become and the more "noisy" freqencies (and the master's frequency) will be added.

With an additive synth you wouldn't have those additional frequencies, because all the additional frequencies are "perfect" overtones. The additional frequencies with hard sync come from the fact that at 199Hz you'll have a small "dent" in your waveform (But it will still be very similar to the "unadultered" 200Hz waveform, that's why you'll hear the 200Hz too.)

circledsquare

@dobbs thanks, yes, I was just trying it out, I think I am starting to get it (it took me a minute to understand how to draw this in the tool @_ki recommended (you just draw from left to right and it clears the values, don't try to drag anything that is already there). (Also thanks to @RUST( i )K for starting this thread...).

dobbs

Are AM, FM, PM examples for cross-modulation when vco 1 is modulated by vco 2?

Does cross modulation just mean that one vco is modulated by another vco, or that both are modulated by the other (vco1 modulates vco2 and vco2 modulates vco1)?

dobbs

Sooo, let's talk MIDI-Interfaces: does iOS have the same issues as with audio interfaces that only 1 is recognized at a time? I want to connect up to 3 devices, can I just buy 3 15€ interfaces/"usb-midi-cables" or would I run into problems?

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

zilld2017

I think we need a fresh thread just for stupid Drambo questions. I have so many.
[kidding, another Drambo thread in itself would not be considered smart]

In any case, is it possible to host IAA apps in standalone Drambo?

Fingolfinzz

@zilld2017 said:
I think we need a fresh thread just for stupid Drambo questions. I have so many.
[kidding, another Drambo thread in itself would not be considered smart]

In any case, is it possible to host IAA apps in standalone Drambo?

Auv3 only

I_sip_cupps

I bought a new synthesizer but cannot find the strings. What is happening? How can I play my new synthesizer, there is only these big black and white buttons and no strings. those "knob" things are also confusing, I have been pushing and pulling them really hard and nothing is happening. what a waste of time! the wheel thing on the left of the black and white buttons keeps reverting to the center position when I move it must be broken. I give up.

audiblevideo

@I_sip_cupps said:
I bought a new synthesizer but cannot find the strings. What is happening? How can I play my new synthesizer, there is only these big black and white buttons and no strings. those "knob" things are also confusing, I have been pushing and pulling them really hard and nothing is happening. what a waste of time! the wheel thing on the left of the black and white buttons keeps reverting to the center position when I move it must be broken. I give up.

Stupid questions only. Sarcasm and irony are not allowed. :P

dobbs

What would happen if I took my audio cable and i put two antiparallel diodes into one of the wires? Wouldn't that basically be the opposide of hard diode clipping? Only that part can come through which would be clipped off in a distortion circuit? Would that be something like a noise gate? Not really a noise gate becauye a noise gate reacts way slower...

@d4d0ug said:
To help my eyes and posture I’d like to share my iPad display to a monitor.

I have an HDMI dongle... my question is whether I can stop audio going to the monitor when connected using HDMI dongle, just send video / screen?

ios automatically chooses which audio output to use. If any interface that is capable of audio output is connected, audio will go to that interface. if more than one are connected, the one that was connected last will be chosen... I assume it will be the same for an audio/video interface as it is for audio interfaces...

rud

Ok, I’ve put the ‘stupid hat’ on as I’m embarrassed to put this in a Geoshred thread and it feels ok here.

I wish to record midi in cubasis using Geoshred as a controller for other apps (ThumbJam and possibly the audio modeling trumpet). Can Geoshred be open and used within Cubasis or must it be opened externally?

I love the playability of Geoshred but get confused by the midi options.

I also have iFretless if this is another option.

I apologise in advance if kind folk offer solutions and I still don’t get it.......

Ta.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@audiblevideo said:
OSQ number 2
How important is it that you tune your drums? Which Drums and why, since the majority of percussion seems to be too short to “hear” a tone (except for the, in a traditional kit, the bass drum and toms) ... I may have partially answered my own question :P

If you hear a tone, tune it. If not, don’t.

louis

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@audiblevideo said:
OSQ number 2
How important is it that you tune your drums? Which Drums and why, since the majority of percussion seems to be too short to “hear” a tone (except for the, in a traditional kit, the bass drum and toms) ... I may have partially answered my own question :P

If you hear a tone, tune it. If not, don’t.

What sound doesn't have a tone?

robosardine

If a drum is thrown out of a tree and there is no one around to hear it.... will the monkey still want to beat it?

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@louis said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@audiblevideo said:
OSQ number 2
How important is it that you tune your drums? Which Drums and why, since the majority of percussion seems to be too short to “hear” a tone (except for the, in a traditional kit, the bass drum and toms) ... I may have partially answered my own question :P

If you hear a tone, tune it. If not, don’t.

What sound doesn't have a tone?

Percussive sounds based mostly on white noise have so many overtones that you can’t really perceive a fundamental, and so no need to tune. Frame drums, bass drums, etc., tend to have an easily discernible fundamental and thus require tuning if you want them to match other things going on.

monch1962

How are people connecting their iPads to onstage amps? Not having done that before, I worry about the fragility of the iPad connectors, people tripping over cords and breaking stuff, etc.
Ideally I'd like a cordless solution, but not sure what options exist or whether they're any good
Re "onstage": way back in the distant past (i.e. 2019), people used to get together to play on a stage and other people got together in a group to listen to that music. There was even body contact. Hard to believe, I know...

RUST( i )K

@SevenSystems said:

@RUST( i )K said:
Wow...some of us have been here a while y'all! LOL

You surely have a lot of stupid questions to answer by now

RUST( i )K

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@louis said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@audiblevideo said:
OSQ number 2
How important is it that you tune your drums? Which Drums and why, since the majority of percussion seems to be too short to “hear” a tone (except for the, in a traditional kit, the bass drum and toms) ... I may have partially answered my own question :P

If you hear a tone, tune it. If not, don’t.

What sound doesn't have a tone?

Percussive sounds based mostly on white noise have so many overtones that you can’t really perceive a fundamental, and so no need to tune. Frame drums, bass drums, etc., tend to have an easily discernible fundamental and thus require tuning if you want them to match other things going on.

Exactly~ in other words for the original post regarding this the tuning of a synth created high hat w NOISE doesn't have a tuning for all intensive purposes and a kick drum made with synthesis and a sine wave or FM is more tunable.

Hursoom

Are there any sequencers that treat midi the way arpegiators do? For example, I set up a sequence then feed it a chord, and the notes are played according to the sequence?

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@Hursoom said:
Are there any sequencers that treat midi the way arpegiators do? For example, I set up a sequence then feed it a chord, and the notes are played according to the sequence?

Many arpeggiators will do that, but you have to play the notes of the chord in the sequence you want them.

Alternatively, write the sequence in a sequencer, allow the notes to overlap, then feed the sequencer into an arpeggiator. Fugue Machine is very good for feeding an arpeggiator.

Hursoom

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@Hursoom said:
Are there any sequencers that treat midi the way arpegiators do? For example, I set up a sequence then feed it a chord, and the notes are played according to the sequence?

Many arpeggiators will do that, but you have to play the notes of the chord in the sequence you want them.

Alternatively, write the sequence in a sequencer, allow the notes to overlap, then feed the sequencer into an arpeggiator. Fugue Machine is very good for feeding an arpeggiator.

The closest example I can think of for my request is sunrizer’s arpeggiator. But something more flexible and can run as auv.

RUST( i )K

@Hursoom said:
Are there any sequencers that treat midi the way arpegiators do? For example, I set up a sequence then feed it a chord, and the notes are played according to the sequence?

Navischord may interest you. As well as STepPOLYARP. I personally find GENOME is still kind for easy MIDI IN/OUT for hardware/iOS apps including easy CC edit and automation as well as notes.