source file: m1386.txt
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 19:58:41 -0700

Subject: Software Synthesizers

From: "Fred Kohler" <Fred_Kohler@bc.sympatico.ca>

A couple of companies ar making some very good quality real-time software
synthesizers.  I've done a little bit of investigation of them.

_____________________________________________________________

 Generator by Native Instruments allows you to 'wire' together (connect)
onscreen modules in a very flexible and powerful way.  You can download a
demo version from the web page at www.native-instruments.de .  I contacted
Michael Kurz michael@native-instruments.de via email and he said that in a
future version he intends to add a Tuning Table module to allow the user to
set the tuning of the synth.  He said,
<<Alternative tuning are something that I find very interesting, too.
However we have not got around to implementing it yet in Generator since
we have many other features planned which we have given higher priority
to.  We will definitely put in tuning tables in a future version of the
software, especially since someone (you) has now asked for it.>>

  He will include a number of common tunings as presets as well.  Currently
you can create n-ET scales.
According to Michael,
<<The values you send to a pitch (P) input on a module in Generator don't
have to be integers. So if you bear in mind that Generator uses units of
100-cent semitones, i.e. a value of 12 specifies an octave, you just
multiply any microtonal step value by an amount like 12/34 for a 34 tone
scale to get the Generator pitch value. In this case step 34 (the octave)
converts to 12 (an octave in Generator's units).  And it doesn't have to be
a scale with a pure octave either. Multiply by 12/15.385 to get Wendy
Carlos' alpha scale, for example.>>

_____________________________________________________________

Reality by Seer systems, also very powerful, allows re-tuning at the patch
level.
Their web page is at www.seersystems.com .  They have some screen shots
there which can give you a pretty good idea what it can do.  The also have a
demo CD available.  According to Ted Henderson ted@seersystems.com ,
<<Reality's microtonal capabilities are very extensive. Each patch can
divided into 128 zones and each zone can be indiviually tuned. We do not yet
support the MIDI Tuning Spec, but I'd be happy to show you how to create a
template that will make future work with alternate tunings "relatively easy
to use.">>
_____________________________________________________________


These synthesizers have a number of advantages.  They both cost less than
$500, so if you already have the required hardware you're most of the way
there.  As you upgrade your computer your synthesizer gets better, able to
handle more complex patches and polyphony.  The capabilities are not frozen
by the hardware on the date of purchase;  upgrades can fundamentally
increase their power as time goes by installing new synthesis methods and
algorithms. Try that with your TX81Z!  These synths use floating point math
internally so they have very good accuracy.

If we make our tuning wishes known to these relatively new companies
hopefully we'll establish support for alternative tunings as fundamental to
how they operate.

Fred.
---------------------------------------------------------
 Fred Kohler, #7-240 Burnside Rd E, Victoria, BC, Canada
 phone:(250)388-7918  email:Fred_Kohler@bc.sympatico.ca
---------------------------------------------------------