Re: Got my first one!
By: Nightfox to Lodger on Sun Mar 20 2011 03:59 pm

That's cool :) I think it's nice to have a "real" synth too - although I

I hope it's okay to reply, although I am butting in.

I wonder, what is considered 'real' and how is it defined? For example, the Commodore 64's sound chip is really a proper synthesizer instead of a 'computer sound chip', when you really analyze it. Most 'computer sound chips' of the time were crude and simple compared to this, little, elegant wonder.

Its only limitations are small amount of channels and inflexible, 'shared' filter instead of individual filters for every channel.

How about the Yamaha FM synth chip called 'OPL2' and the later version, called 'OPL3'? (YM3812 and YM 262-F respectively)

Can these things be considered 'real synths', considering they can (especially together) handle a really REMARKABLE variety of sound effects and 'instruments', plus they have their own, quirky personalities? If not, then why not, and if yes, I'd like to know where the line is drawn.

For example, I would consider them 'real synths' without a problem, but I would hesitate to consider Amiga's or Atari ST's sound chips 'real synths'.

Just as a sidenote, it's really fun to try to make these two chips sound like each other; I managed to create instrus with the SID that sound -almost- like the basic waveforms in OPL3, you almost can't hear the difference, if you don't know which is which. You can get really close.

I also was able to create almost SID-sounding Pulse Width Modulation-effect for the Square wave in OPL3, so by toying around enough, I bet I could fool a listener a bit to either not be able to tell, which is which, or to make them think the SID is the OPL3 and vice versa.

But even if I couldn't, it might be a fun experiment to keep switching the chips constantly in a melody sound, for example, or a bass, or both, without telling the listener, and see if they can figure it out or if it just sounds like a constant, normal flow.

I just love these chips so much, and playing around with them, that I really hope they can be considered 'real synths'. I mean, they are not FAKE synths, or anything. They do what synths do, if in a bit more humble way.

But they are both surprisingly flexible, versatile and capable, and I am sure that if enough time, effort, energy, inspiration etc. is spent on it, pretty much Jarrelike songs could be created, or something very close, or perhaps different, but in some ways as good, etc.

After all, OPL3 has 18 channels and 8 waveforms, and almost endless ways to manipulate the sound, and SID adds good drums and other percussional and noisewave-magic into the mix. With modern sample techniques, 3-channel limitation can be overcome (after sampling one instrument, and using it in the song, then you can proceed to use the same SID chip to sample more stuff from it, for example - I happen to have a simultaneous multi-SID capability, though..)

What's also fun, is making a 'core' in one chip, then adding the other chip for 'support'. I made a whole song this way, then added some drums later. People seemed to like the result quite a lot.

Anyways, I haven't been able to find any other good place to discuss this OPL3 and SID-hobby of mine, so I hope it's all right to discuss this sort of thing here.

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I think by "real synths" most people think of a tangible piece of hardware.

... Everyone smiles in the same language.

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