In our first Simple Synthesis Addendum we learned how to connect a VCO to a VCA and control their ‘frequency’ and ‘gain’ AudioParams using a MIDI controller via the Web MIDI API. Good stuff! We now have a simple synth we can play. In this post we’ll learn how to shape our notes by building… Read more »
Julian Velard is a pianist, singer-songwriter and native New Yorker. We asked him for a list of 10 of his favorite albums and he responded with this excellent list of clever, fun singer-songwriters and mellow 70s productions.
Dan Nakamura aka Dan the Automator is a Hip-Hop producer known for his work in Dr. Octagon, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Gorillaz, Deltron 3030 and Got a Girl. We asked Dan to pick 10 albums and he responded with this list of 10 LPs he loves that have influenced him in various ways.
Emmett Corman has a great introductory series on the basics of synthesis (using modular synths), called Simple Synthesis. I thought it would be of value to those without access to the hardware to be able to explore and interact with the concepts that Emmett covers directly in the browser, using the Web MIDI and Web Audio… Read more »
Sample and Hold modules (S&H) are sometimes overlooked, but they can be very versatile devices. Continue reading to find out how a module with only two inputs, one output and no knobs can drastically expand your modulation capabilities.
Casey Foubert is a multi-instrumentalist and engineer currently recording and touring with Sufjan Stevens. We caught up with Casey to talk a bit about the recording and rehearsal process of Sufjan’s Carrie and Lowell and what he’s been listening to lately.
In the last article we examined building some objects in order to house custom functionality, and variables for the Transport in Bitwig. In this article we will start building another object that deals with automatic parameter mapping and LED feedback for device parameters in bitwig. You can check out all the scripts at the Github… Read more »
Steve Lawson is, among many other things, a bassist and blogger based in the UK. I recently read a piece he wrote called The Future’s Bright, The Future’s Tiny – Why Small Is The New Big (which I highly recommend checking out) and had a couple of questions for him about navigating the modern musical world and… Read more »
When an LFO is routed to modulate an oscillator’s pitch, the result is known as vibrato. Speed that LFO up to audio rate and you’ve got what’s called Frequency Modulation Synthesis, or FM for short. Although used in digital synths like the Yamaha DX7 since the 1980’s, FM synthesis has been a part of modular… Read more »
In the last article we managed to bundle a bunch of transport related code into one function and import that function into our script. This is great for encapsulating code, but we are overlooking one of the biggest boons of javascript: the ability to create objects. Everything in javascript is an object. Functions, variables, arrays, everything…. Read more »
Eddie Ojeda is the lead guitarist in arguably the hardest working, hardest rocking band of all time: Twisted Sister. 40 years at the mast of an outfit like that imbues one with a particular brand of wisdom and panache, and Eddie was gracious enough to answer some questions about the band, his rig, his mobster sobriquet… Read more »
Simply put, the Web Audio API is awesome and powerful! It makes it possible to synthesize, manipulate, spatialize, and visualize any sound, limited only by your imagination and processing power. The ubiquity of the web browser allows for an unprecedented environment to compose, instantly share your music, and collaborate with the world. The Web Audio… Read more »
Last time we took a look at creating observers and using them to get data from Bitwig out to our controllers. While doing that we started to gather a decent amount of functions throughout our script. Eventually this will become messy, hard to read, and time consuming to update. Luckily, we can create external javascript… Read more »
In 1964, in the garden shed of a house in Putney, Peter Zinovieff- a mathematician, engineer and inventor- installed the first computer housed in a private residence and changed the history of electronic music forever. Over the years, composers, musicians and bands ranging from Harrison Birtwistle and Karlheinz Stockhausen to Paul McCartney and David Bowie to Pink… Read more »
Amplitude modulation synthesis is a counterintuitive method of creating harmonic content. How can changing amplitude (a.k.a. volume) create sound? Continue reading to learn about amplitude modulation in the modular domain.