In our study surrounding the mechanics and potentiality of digital synthesis, we engaged with certain examples of instruments found within Ableton and Logic. The first, with its carrier waves and modulators was Ableton’s versatile hybrid FM synthesizer, Operator. Despite its many advanced capabilities, including some emulations of acoustic and other instruments, FM synthesis often has a particular tone, one that I associate with watery keys.
Slowly experimenting with subtractive synthesis through Ableton’s Drift synth plugin, I worked with the envelope in real time, to explore the possibility of making the impression of hand modulation, akin to manipulating the envelopes or oscillators with an analogue synthesizer.
A large concern I have is my own subjective, synaesthetic perception of the plasticky quality of software plugins and synths, though Ableton’s Collision did a lot to assuage these feelings. I was impressed with its deft balance of analog emulative capability and potential for digital abstraction, it could produce a very eclectic range of sounds. I found some of the more overt resonances to be somewhat uncontrollable, but from all the Ableton synthesizers so far, Collision was the most accessible while producing results of great variety.
My summative feeling with many synthesizer tools and processes, is that in living in the dynamic and ever-distracting world, learning each tool takes a considerable amount of time. In some cases, I value immediacy and accessibility over millions of computational outcomes. I feel some regret at that, knowing that some incredible, applicable sound could be discovered deep in the halls of tools like Operator, Drift or Collision that I may never reach. I believe this is why I have also struggled with creative coding, the time spent to reach a sine, square or sawtooth wave is far greater than loading the simplest sine, square or sawtooth preset on any basic keyboard or software. The darkest, most shameful part of all is, I think, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Of course, the vast nature of these tools and the limited time we presently have with each to create, renders these as more excursive, shallow investigations, yet I am still undecided as how I fully feel about these tools. Lucidly, I feel that how I feel is the most important factor, emotion means a lot to me. Technical understanding comes second, at least for now. Tied with emotion is tactility.
In wanting to gain additional capabilities for the creation of my own artworks, and in response to these lectures, I bought a Behringer K-2 semi-modular analog synthesizer, based on the recommendation of Wolves in the Throne Room’s Aaron Weaver (Weaver, 2021). I was also inspired by Phil Elverum (Elverum, 2023) and David Longstreth’s conversation concerning the synthesizer’s potential in capturing the essence of the real more than field recording. Investing in the paradigm of tangible hardware allows me to feel a sense of ownership over the tools I use to create, and the lack of computer interface should allow me greater focus to listen and explore attentively. I look forward to experimenting with it, and will apply the crucial fundamentals of synthesis learned in these lectures.
Bibliography:
Weaver, A. (2021) ‘Ash Fox (Boreal) vs. Aaron Weaver (Wolves in the Throne Room): An Artist to Artist Interview’. Interview with Aaron Weaver. Interview by Ash Fox for Invisible Oranges, 19 August. Available at: https://www.invisibleoranges.com/ash-fox-boreal-vs-aaron-weaver-wolves-in-the-throne-room-an-artist-to-artist-interview/
Elverum, P. (2023) David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors) Talks with Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie) on the Talkhouse Podcast [Podcast]. 22 February. Available at: https://www.talkhouse.com/david-longstreth-dirty-projectors-talks-with-phil-elverum-on-the-talkhouse-podcast/