Solaris keyboard - specifications

[John Bowen]

j...where are we resourcewise, john?
how much CPU power is allocated in 1.0 already? or the other way round: how much % is left for additional functionality?

Hmmm, I don't have the answer to that - I'll have to ask the coder.

-john b.

[scope4live]

I am glad to see so many highly versed guys interested in Solaris. That's a good sign.

I am feverish to use Solaris outside of my live projects.

And " YES" on the orange SE version.

I really envy you John. It must be a very gratifying experience building something so beautiful, and powerful.

[matocaster]

I agree that orange would be nice on the SE version.

[scope4live]

I esoecially like the little circle w/ 2 wavy lines. Matches my '61 Chevy Impala logo.

I bought the car for my son's High School graduation gift which is still 5 years away, and the rare and brand new 396 engine I dropped in it 2 years ago is now 12.000 USD !!! Good thing I bought it when it was 4000 USD.

I draw a line w/ expenses on cars, dirt bikes, etc. But when it comes to analog or hardware synths, there are no restrictions. The benefits of being Dad.

[John Bowen]

I agree that orange would be nice on the SE version.

For those who might wonder about these references to a Special Edition (SE) version - here's the graphic I sent out to those who pre-purchased early on, who will be receiving a sort of Special Edition version in appreciation for their early support and patience:

[stardust]

yes the orange one, definitely.

[CA3080]

Hi John,

It may be a bit late for requesting additional functions in Solaris, but I thought I'd try anyway.

According to the specifications Solaris has 5 LFOs. Lately I've thought that this is too few. One use for LFOs that I've played with recently is to simulate string machine type ensemble effects by using fm from 2 LFOs (1 and 6 Hz) for each of 3 oscillators, i.e. in total 6 LFOs. The 1 Hz LFOs are syncronized and phase offset by 120 and 240 degrees. The same applies to the 6 Hz LFOs.

You can listen to a Nord Modular G2 demo of how this can sound. The basic sound is a slightly detuned 3 oscillator sawtooth fed through highpass and lowpass filters and a stereo delay. In the example you can first hear the basic sound. Then dual LFO modulation is gradually increased and decreased. A chord sequence is played without modulation, with modulation and finally with modulation and formant filtering.

There may be a simpler way to achieve this multiphase LFO modulation. Could two (or all) Solaris LFOs have two extra outputs added with adjustable phase offset for each output? If so, the modulation in my example can be achieved using only two LFOs.

/CA3080

[John Bowen]

Hi John,
It may be a bit late for requesting additional functions in Solaris, but I thought I'd try anyway.

It may be too late for v1.0, but there's always the next update we have to plan

According to the specifications Solaris has 5 LFOs. Lately I've thought that this is too few. One use for LFOs that I've played with recently is to simulate string machine type ensemble effects by using fm from 2 LFOs (1 and 6 Hz) for each of 3 oscillators, i.e. in total 6 LFOs. The 1 Hz LFOs are syncronized and phase offset by 120 and 240 degrees. The same applies to the 6 Hz LFOs.

There may be a simpler way to achieve this multiphase LFO modulation. Could two (or all) Solaris LFOs have two extra outputs added with adjustable phase offset for each output? If so, the modulation in my example can be achieved using only two LFOs. /CA3080

So, basically you need 3 outputs from the same LFO, each with different phase start points when retriggering happens (what you called 'syncronized')? Something like LFO 1a, 1b, 1c? Then these would all have to appear in the standard Modulation Source List, given the Solaris structure.

I don't know how the phase sync is handled in the code; I'll have to ask.

-john b.

[CA3080]

So, basically you need 3 outputs from the same LFO, each with different phase start points when retriggering happens (what you called 'syncronized')? Something like LFO 1a, 1b, 1c? Then these would all have to appear in the standard Modulation Source List, given the Solaris structure.

Exactly!

In my G2 patch two LFOs are retriggered by a third LFO, i.e. the LFOs are synchronized. The outputs from LFO2 and LFO3 are phase shifted 120 and 240 degrees in respect to LFO1. The phase shift is a setting on the G2 LFO module.

If you add two outputs (LFO 1b and 1c) to LFO1, a 120/240 deg phase shift of LFO waveforms is sufficient. Adding the ability to adjust the phase shift on outputs 1b and 1c would probably add even more flexibility, but isn't top priority IMHO.

[John Bowen]

In my G2 patch two LFOs are retriggered by a third LFO, i.e. the LFOs are synchronized....

Can't you also just set each LFO to the same BPM/MIDI Clock setting for rates? Then they should all be "sync'ed" in frequency (at least, that would be the case in Solaris).

I don't know if it will be practical to have 3 outputs, each phased adjusted separately, for the Solaris' LFOs. But how about a processor module that could take an input and move the phase around? Have several of these, and use them to process any of the signals, not just limited to the LFO outputs.

-john b.

[CA3080]

In my G2 patch two LFOs are retriggered by a third LFO, i.e. the LFOs are synchronized....

Can't you also just set each LFO to the same BPM/MIDI Clock setting for rates? Then they should all be "sync'ed" in frequency (at least, that would be the case in Solaris).

Would that give the same effect? The point is to fm 3 oscillators using modulation signals of the same frequency and with predictable constant phase spread. The classic Solina chorus ensemble uses (for each of two modulation frequencies) a single LFO fed through a phase shift network to derive three sine waves with phase 0, 120 and 240 deg. It is this even phase spread that allows the ensemble effect to sound constantly animated and still not obviously vibrato-like. Also, 6 LFOs would be needed for your approach to work if you use 3 each for 1 Hz and 6 Hz mod.

I don't know if it will be practical to have 3 outputs, each phased adjusted separately, for the Solaris' LFOs. But how about a processor module that could take an input and move the phase around? Have several of these, and use them to process any of the signals, not just limited to the LFO outputs.

-john b.

That would do the trick, I suppose. How can this be implemented? A delay?

/CA3080

[John Bowen]

It would be the "phase shift network" that you mentioned. The simplest thing is to use a delay for each "phase output", so it would be fairly easy to put together such a module (as long as you tie together perfectly the LFO frequency and the delay time).

I've sent a request about it to Klaus....

-jb

[ThreeFingersOfLove]

Extra LFOs are definitely a plus and maybe they are not so difficult to implement. For instance, in many PWM pads, you have a triangle LFO modulating one OSC and another LFO with inversed polarity modulating the other OSC. An inverted LFO can be produced by multiplying the frequency of the first LFO with -1. So, maybe it's easy to do.

If the Solaris has a parameter for adjusting the delay before the LFO kicks in, then this can be put to good use, too. If there is provision to display the delay not only in msecs but also in phase, then you can do fancy panning and even quadrature placement of sounds. It's just a matter of providing a second output from the same LFO. I know, I know the speed will be the same, but in the case of quadrature panning there is no need for a second rate.

If Offset is provided for the LFOs then it will be possible to add, for instance, a volume increase to a tremolo with the mod wheel.

Anyway, all of these are suggestions for maybe a future OS.

Regards,
Yannis

[ThreeFingersOfLove]

I agree that orange would be nice on the SE version.

For those who might wonder about these references to a Special Edition (SE) version - here's the graphic I sent out to those who pre-purchased early on, who will be receiving a sort of Special Edition version in appreciation for their early support and patience...

I like the orange better, but I think it will be even better if you put the circle with the wavy lines in the "O" letter in sOlaris.

[John Bowen]

Yannis,

Yes, the LFOs in Solaris have the following parameters:
Shape, Rate, Phase, Retrigger, Offset, Delay Start, Fade-In, Fade-Out, Rate Mod path, & Depth Mod Path, MIDI Clock.

All modulation amounts at the destinations are bi-polar, so you don't need to create an inverted LFO at the source.

So the only thing not in your list is outputs of the same LFO with different phase relationships. There is a quadrature LFO with 2 outputs in the Scope library, so perhaps we could add a couple of them to the OS easily - just defining the UI for them would be all.

-john b..

Extra LFOs are definitely a plus and maybe they are not so difficult to implement. For instance, in many PWM pads, you have a triangle LFO modulating one OSC and another LFO with inversed polarity modulating the other OSC. An inverted LFO can be produced by multiplying the frequency of the first LFO with -1. So, maybe it's easy to do.

If the Solaris has a parameter for adjusting the delay before the LFO kicks in, then this can be put to good use, too. If there is provision to display the delay not only in msecs but also in phase, then you can do fancy panning and even quadrature placement of sounds. It's just a matter of providing a second output from the same LFO. I know, I know the speed will be the same, but in the case of quadrature panning there is no need for a second rate.

If Offset is provided for the LFOs then it will be possible to add, for instance, a volume increase to a tremolo with the mod wheel.

Anyway, all of these are suggestions for maybe a future OS.

Regards,
Yannis