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Virtual Analog Synthesizer
© Ing. Radovan Konečný - radkon, 2009-2012
Download the program
A more detailed description
Sound samplesVirtual analog synthesizer is one of the components of a virtual music studio.
Analog synthesizer
Analog synthesizers were used in music prior to the arrival of digital "sampling" synthesizers. They feature distinctive sound, great sound creation capabilities, and the ability to create many sound effects. They are now returning to the scene in the form of digital simulators and are very popular.
Analog synthesizers are described in many articles (e.g. in Wikipedia) and I will not explain here their principle.
About the project
This is a software simulator of an analog synthesizer. The goal was to create a musical instrument with great sound creation capabilities. This has resulted in a large project, the result of which is a usable software musical instrument that can be played, for example, via the connected MIDI keyboard.
The program also includes a built-in drum machine, arpeggiator and effects module.
The entire program is written in Java, consists of more than 200 source files and has more than 48000 program lines. The graphical interface contains about 850 control components.
Screenshots:
Brief description
This virtual analog synthesizer allows three types of synthesis - full additive synthesis, additive synthesis with subtractive filtering, and classical synthesis with waveform generators with subtractive filtering. The entire program setting can be saved to the preset file. Full compatibility with preset files from the older version of the program is guaranteed. Creating sound can be written to a WAV-file without loss of quality.
In full additive synthesis mode, changing the amplitude of harmonic components according to certain rules achieves a frequency filter effect.
Filters do not modify any sound, but only determine the amplitudes of harmonic components.
The disadvantage, however, is that no noise sound can be filtered.
In additive synthesis with subtractive filtering, the oscillator signal is the same as in full additive synthesis mode, but the filters no longer affect oscillator amplitudes but modify the finished signal.
This way, noise signals can also be filtered.
However, the disadvantages are less filter capabilities.
In classical synthesis with subtractive filtering, the signal is formed by waveform generators, and filters reduce this signal.
Frequency components cannot be controlled (except filtering).
| Technical specification |
|---|
| - full additive synthesis or additive synthesis with subtractive filtering or classical synthesis with subtractive filtering |
| - oscillator with tunable harmonic components (only in additive synthesis modes) |
| - modifiers (envelope, low-frequency oscillator, random components, etc.) of total tuning and shift of tuning of higher harmonics |
| - optional basic shape of the signal (sine wave, saw, pulse with variable pulse width, rectangle, triangle, flat spectrum, random spectrum, user-defined spectrum, Supersaw and double Supersaw) |
| - three independent filters, connected in series or in parallel. Each filter can be a low-pass filter with resonance, a high-pass filter with resonance, a band-pass filter or a pulse-emulator, all with an adjustable order of the filter (only in additive filtering mode), band-symmetry (only in additive filtering mode), and resonance. For subtracting filtering, the filter slope is 12dB/octave or 24dB/octave |
| - modifiers (three envelopes, low frequency oscillator, random components, etc.) of the filter's cutoff frequency and of the pulse width of the pulse waveform |
| - modifiers of the filter's order and of the filter's resonance |
| - dependency of filters' cutoff frequency and filter's order from tone pitch |
| - modifiers (envelope, low frequency oscillator, random components, etc.) of the level |
| - all modulation low frequency oscillators are independent and with adjustable waveform, frequency and intensity envelope |
| - sensitivity of some parameters to the key velocity (envelope times, envelope intensity, filter's cutoff frequency, filter's order, resonance, and filter symmetry) |
| - built-in arpeggiator with 4 patterns of 1-16 steps, each step has adjustable relative length of note and relative key velocity |
| - built-in drum machine with 8 patterns of 1-32 steps |
| - all envelopes are calculated for each sample |
| - legato, adjustable portamento |
| - built-in adjustable stereo effects: tube distortion, stereo chorus, stereo flanger, stereo echo |
| - built-in 2-band equalizer |
| - 1 or 2 fully independent layers per voice |
| - polyphony 1-16 voices |
| - MIDI compatibility |
| - output sampling: 44.1 kHz, 16-bit (CD quality), stereo or mono |
| - ASIO driver support |
| - a limiter is included when the sound card is output |
| - ability of direct audio saving to WAV-file |
| - around 850 control components |
Sound samples
(Note: Some sound samples may not work in Internet Explorer.)
| Sound samples |
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- some presets of sounds & built-in arpeggiator. No samples, no sequencer, no additional edit, no multitrack. |
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- some presets of sound effects. No samples, no sequencer, no additional edit, no multitrack. |
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- rhythmic illusion (all are the sounds of this virtual analog synthesizer) |
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- laser harp (Jarre's Rendez-vous) |
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- storm |
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- Theremin |
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- first attempts with an arpeggiator |
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- improvisation with the sound of the electric organ |
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- improvisation with three sounds (all are the sounds of this virtual analog synthesizer) |