First QM-Synth VSTi for download
K.M.Krebs just released a free VSTi version of QM-Synth based on my QM Synthesis description. I’ve checked out the synth, it works pretty well, I haven’t noticed any bugs yet. Despite the fact that the synth done in SynthEdit it’s quite usable for creative sound design within any VST-compatible host. The synth lacks high frequencies tuning resolution, but it features 2 LFOs for the both OSC’s - source wave and quantization. Honesty, I was planning to make a VSTi version myself some time ago, but it’s really great K.M.Krebs has done it ahead of me. The synth’s really worth to check out if you don’t own Reaktor and got some interest in experimental synthesis.
Thanks goes to K.M.Krebs!
October 5th, 2007 22:18
Hi! Thanks for your comments on my QM vst! I’m glad you approve of it. I still think it needs more work and fine-tuning, but I was so fascinated with your post on QM that I *needed* to experiment with it.
October 6th, 2007 20:57
No probs. It’s great to see any movements in a while after my publication on the QM synthesis. My next control point is hardware QM synthesis implementation. I’m quite sure it’s not that hard as original Yamaha DX layouts
Just imagine a (rack) box with: 2 analogue faders, 2 fine-tuning knobs and line-out Jack with unpredictable output sound… That’s hell of experimental sound design.
October 6th, 2007 23:38
I’m planning on making another QM-based instrument in Csound soon. I know how to get much greater accuracy in Csound, so I should be able to coax out the subtleties of QM. I’ll probably create a few versions with different amounts of control.
October 7th, 2007 23:08
That’s cool. I’m not very familiar with CSound yet, but I heard a lot of good about the software. Most important ways of QM-development are: extending oscillators frequencies range, accuracy, use QM as general modulator (besides FM usage), predicting (calculating) sound effective frequencies. There seems to be more and more ways, but I’ve mentioned the obvious ones. Keep me informed about the developing your synths. I’ll try to find something to post about QM in *part II*.
October 7th, 2007 23:16
Btw, I suggest to add a HP filter (1-pole) before the general output in the synth to cut off very low frequencies below 20 Hz, QM may generate frequencies we don’t really need to amplify.
January 17th, 2008 06:41
Thanks to both of you!
Not having access to Reaktor, but being a great lover of experimental synthesis I was really happy to hear that K.M.Krebs had made a VSTi. I’m in the middle of writing about how automating the various parameters in real time made for some really interesting morphing sounds, from a chiptunesque arpeggiation to an organic, burbling stream when I thought to come by and offer my thanks.
Of course I made a song with it, but I ended up using DtBlkFxStereo to spectrally vocode drums through QM-Synth, and then add some wildly-automated QM through automated Lost Technology resynthesis VST so it’s not exactly representative of the QM sound… I’ll have to make a more lucid DSP essay with sound examples sometime. Ghetto freeware modularity, anyone?