Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Multi-platform modular music creation studio
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NeuroNoNeuro
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Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by NeuroNoNeuro »

Just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying SunVox now. When I first started with it back in 2011, I tried and failed. I went back to Reason. After another 5 years with Reason, I tried Sunvox on/off many times - no dice. I chose to use Renoise as a tracker environment thereafter, and ditched Reason except for when I had video game SFX to make.

Renoise is a GREAT tracker. Well done, a fine sampler, nothing bad to say about it at all. I was still searching for an environment where I had more control over synthesis without having to use VST/AU plugins. I'm not a fan of plugins at all. I have to use them in Reaper, where I boost my recordings in some sort of mastering fashion. Just finished another album in Renoise, worked on another 5 tracks, and I was just missing that 'something' that synthesis brings me.

OK OK, I'll give SunVox another try.

Well, a lot has changed over 10 years, and SunVox really is bringing me the sound-design/synthesis/sequencing that I'm looking for. Heck, it's even making moves into granular territory. Not really there yet, but far more granular-esque than Renoise. And, SunVox is giving me that Pure Data / Max/MSP vibe with the flavor of the audio, which is very important to me.

On top of that, I enjoy the color schemes, and just learned there is a whole pile of data inside some .XML file somewhere where I can adjust it even further! Fantastic.

Here's what I ended up with so far after learning/re-learning SunVox:

https://soundcloud.com/user-25261791/sunvox-001
a1matt
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Re: Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by a1matt »

Sounding great! If you want to share the project file, I'd love to see how you made that (obviously, totally understandable if not).

You might find this of interest with regards to granular in SunVox: https://www.warmplace.ru/forum/viewtopi ... =20&t=5413

IIRC there was also a post going in depth into a granular technique shortly after v1.9.6 was released. A quick search didn't find it, I'll dig deeper another time.
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NeuroNoNeuro
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Re: Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by NeuroNoNeuro »

a1matt wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:53 pm Sounding great! If you want to share the project file, I'd love to see how you made that (obviously, totally understandable if not).

You might find this of interest with regards to granular in SunVox: https://www.warmplace.ru/forum/viewtopi ... =20&t=5413

IIRC there was also a post going in depth into a granular technique shortly after v1.9.6 was released. A quick search didn't find it, I'll dig deeper another time.
I'm glad you enjoyed the snippet. I won't share the file, but I will explain some of the techniques!

First thing I do is to avoid composing/arranging in 4/4, without regular 4/8/16/32/64/128 length patterns. No repeating bass-drum/hi-hat/snare patterns. I'm a drummer in real life, and I don't want to use it in my music :D

Since each pattern can be adjusted to whatever length the user would like, one could view this as a collage-composition method. I also don't have music theory training, so my descriptions might be off. Before this style of tracking, I was creating non-sampled vaporwave music, constructing the sounds and chords by ear. Using those, working with note delay positioning, one can make very pretty patterns that don't need to loop. Almost similar to writing pop music, except not focusing on repeating the parts. I also use extreme panning and careful use of reverb with on/off commands.

Finally, microsound/lowercase techniques were also placed in the track. Instead of only having the low-volume clicks, ticks, hums, etc., they can co-exist with melodic parts. Composing music like this is a lot like painting abstract art. Each little piece serves a purpose to a larger whole.

I will review the granular method you linked to. It wasn't sinking in before (I looked at it a few times), but if it's in a meta-module, maybe the tempo within that is separate from the project tempo? I won't run my actual projects at 800BPM, so I'm wondering if that's even a concern using a meta-module. I guess I'll find out! Thanks for sharing that.

There's also other granular techniques I'm looking at besides the choppy/smeared pads, such as these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sn7EiJ ... cristoforo

The audio waveforms on the far-left are showing the playback of a shifting 'window' of audio. This is very similar to having a cassette play-head and swiping it back and forth over a very particular portion of tape, but less analog, and clicky/crunchy digital. You'll hear all the glitchy crackling in the video, it's an interesting use of audio.

Here's another software that I found inspiring, but it's just too random for what I'm looking to do: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLur1 ... 6TYZgAs8y- I found that I can get these types of sounds with the FM in SunVox and I can get these patterns, but I don't have to go full-on algorithmic and let the machine compose. SunVox gives me the control that I'm looking for with the advanced pattern placement.
a1matt
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Re: Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by a1matt »

That has given me a lot of food for thought. I'll enjoy exploring it and applying it to my own efforts. It's even better than sharing the file, thank you!

I can confirm that the bpm of metamodules in SunVox are independent to the project bpm.

My goto technique (bear in mind I am a granular noob) for saltbearer/So?ing machine's rx3 granular module is:
Connect it to a sample.
Experiment with bpm (controller 06).
Experiment with phase (controller 0D).

Phase scrubs through sample positions (0 being sample start and 8000 being sample end).

I don't know the correct terminology for what the bpm controller does. I think of it as grain retrigger frequency. (That probably won't mean anything to anyone else though :%) )
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NeuroNoNeuro
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Re: Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by NeuroNoNeuro »

a1matt wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:27 pm That has given me a lot of food for thought. I'll enjoy exploring it and applying it to my own efforts. It's even better than sharing the file, thank you!

I can confirm that the bpm of metamodules in SunVox are independent to the project bpm.

My goto technique (bear in mind I am a granular noob) for saltbearer/So?ing machine's rx3 granular module is:
Connect it to a sample.
Experiment with bpm (controller 06).
Experiment with phase (controller 0D).

Phase scrubs through sample positions (0 being sample start and 8000 being sample end).

I don't know the correct terminology for what the bpm controller does. I think of it as grain retrigger frequency. (That probably won't mean anything to anyone else though :%) )
Glad to help. There's a few artists that really are beneficial to check out, not to emulate, but to listen and understand the techniques and their derivatives. Richard Chartier/PinkCourtesyPhone for lowercase volume techniques as well as his label LINEImprint (if you didn't know about it already). Ryoji Ikeda for the clicks 'n pops and sub-bass. Alva Noto for arrangement and clicks 'n pops/sub. Audiobulb Records for a large variety of artists who have really grasped ambient music, from melodic to sound-experiments. Taylor Deupree and his label 12K. There's a ton more. Also, this Max/MSP software creation here: https://vimeo.com/113239535

All of these artists and software, and now SunVox is easy enough to grasp where I don't have to actually learn how to code to make the sounds I want? Word up, Cameo!

---

That's great news (about the granular device)! Once I figure out how to do the LFO/Envelope connections then, this might be relatively easy to make, plus there already is one to work from. Fantastic! Your definition of the BPM controller sounds pretty apt. I'll have to check this out. Paired with the reverb's 'freeze' option, there's got to be a ton of ways to make all sorts of sounds. We've got analog synthesis, PM/FM synthesis, granular sample mangling, a sampler, drum synthesis (Kicker), spectral/additive/harmonic synthesis. And abstract composition capabilities. Wowee, mannnnnnnnnn!
a1matt
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Re: Very happy to have come back to SunVox

Post by a1matt »

Best bet for getting started with ADSR is to check out the built in examples:

Load project > home > examples > simple_examples > adsr / 2 /3.

I can imagine you having fun with adsr and sound2ctl.

SunVox really is incredible. I use it loads (don't use anything else) and have still barely scratched the surface of it.

I know of Alva Noto (from their collabs with Ryuichi Sakamoto). The rest is a whole new world to explore, nice.

The only other granular artist I know is so?ing machine (saltbearer on this forum).
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