OT: the Soft Synth discovery trip (was attn newcomers (and Kim))

["Michael LaMeyer" <mlameyer@rcn.com>]

Well, without knowing exactly what kind of experience you've had
thus far, I'd say pick the first little thing that catches your
attention or raises a question in your mind, and investigate it.
Exploring one little thing will almost certainly lead you to
other relevant wonderings and pretty soon you'll be making happy
bleep bleep noises.

One of the most valuable learning lessons I had was from a
guitar teacher who impressed me with the incredible usefulness
of taking one small thing at a time and patiently giving mindful
attention to it until you've mastered that one small thing.
Then go on to another little bite.

At least that's the principle.  In practice of course I am
frequently embarking on unexpected tangents and discoveries, but
I think of that as extra credit work.  :-)  Actually, that's a
lie.  It's just fun.  But I digress.

Philosophy aside, you probably have a comfortable understanding
of audio signal flow, etc., but that understanding doesn't
necessarily apply directly to running software on a computer.

What aspects of using these soft synths are you having head
beating sessions over?  Are you having trouble implementing the
soft synth on a computer, from a systems operation standpoint?
(having trouble running the software properly, can't hear
anything your producing, system conflicts of some kind, etc.)

Or are you seeking some understanding of actually using the
software to produce audio?  Application tricks and tips?

For either of those, check your product documentation and
support first.  And maybe *duck* RTFM.  But I never read
documentation until after I've futzed around anyway (bad systems
guy, BAD).  See if there are any lists online or newsgroups that
deal specifically with your system or software, they'd be a more
appropriate resource than a looping list probably ;-).

If you want to read some fair online tutorials and stuff like
that on synths and computer audio in general, here's a variety
of more or less useful sites.  Someone else will need to post
good resources for Mac users, as I'm primarily a PC hack:

A good online synth resource, checkout softsynth links:
http://www.synthzone.com/

A couple specific Harmony Central resources:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Computer/
http://www.harmony-central.com/MIDI/

Some useful stuff in here somewhere:
http://homerecording.com/
http://homerecording.com/homerecfaq.html

An audio forums site:
http://www.audioforums.com/

SonicSpot Guide to Digital Audio and Music (checkout the sound
synthesis section if you're really new to synthesis concepts):
http://www.sonicspot.com/guide/index.html

A general pc audio resource:
http://www.pcrecording.com/

Other MIDI sites:
http://www.leftandwrite.com/brian/music/beginners_guide_to_midi.
htm
http://www.midiguy.com/midiguy.html

This is all I could come up with on the fly.  There's more and
probably better out there, try some more search engines.  If you
want to ask more specific questions, feel free to email me off
list or post OT: if you get a lot of encouraging responses from
the list.  Although computer and synth questions are quite
interesting to some here, troubleshooting general audio computer
software and soft synths is not necessarily on topic for a
looping list.  Unless you contrive it that way. ;-)

Best,

Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad Chase" <bchase@plasties.com>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 2:35 PM
Subject: RE: attn newcomers (and Kim)


> MUCH APPRECIATED
> THAT IS WHAT I AM DOING WITH THE SOFT SYNTH KITS THAT I HAVE
DOWNLOADED.
> BABY STEPS WORK FOR ME.  ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A THUMB
SUCKER?
> BRAD
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Ritchford [mailto:tom@swirly.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2001 11:14 AM
> To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Subject: RE: attn newcomers (and Kim)
>
>
> >It sucks being new at anything!! DO YOU REMEMBER?!!!! I am
completely new
> to
> >this whole digital audio world.  I stepped away from live
sound
> >re-enforcement (i.e. soundboard man) in the early eighties.
I'm 45, no
> fool
> >(most of the time), but walking into digital sound creation
makes my head
> >spin.
>
> If there's one thing with modern gear, it's that you have to
> REALLY read and learn to LOVE the manual and go over and over
> it before you can understand the piece.
>
>
> I don't mean something like the Line6 DL4, mind you, I've
never
> really read the manual too carefully and I have a great time
> with the unit just by experimenting.
>
>
> But something like an EDP, or even more, an
Eventide/Orville/Kyma...
> you gotta read the manual until it's dog-eared!
>
> (and the same goes for sound machines like a Kurzweil...)
>
> /t
>
>
> ...electronic a cappella madness
<http://volectrix.com>.........
> ...extreme internet radio
<http://extremeNY.com/radio>...
>