3 ms·

I wonder, would this make analog synths more competitive? Like why do they even need DSP chips, might as well just run a VST softsynth with a MIDI keyboard

by tomc1985 4y ago

SeanLuke 4y ago
Analog synths have tons of chips in them.
bowsamic 4y ago
Not really there’s a huge op amp shortage too
dmicah 4y ago
While not DSP chips, analog synths will typically also include microcontrollers, for scanning a keyboard or front panel controls, receiving MIDI messages, and generating control voltages.
leviathant 4y ago
>Like why do they even need DSP chips, might as well just run a VST softsynth with a MIDI keyboard When your analog synth has presets, it's because there's a DSP chip in there that's helping to record, store, and replay voltage values for the knobs and sliders and switches in the analog signal path. If your analog synthesizer has a sequencer, there's a pretty solid chance that's done on a chip. If your analog synthesizer has a modern modulation matrix, you need a DSP chip for that. If your analog synthesizer has a method for self-calibration, you need a DSP for that. The signal path stays analog in any of these situations, but the DSP helps you manufacture things that aren't feasible with simple components. There's a lot of cool stuff you can do with VSTs. There's a lot of weird-ass gain staging/overdrive stuff I can do with boxes on my desk that plug into each other, or even within a singular synthesizer, which cannot currently be replicated effectively with code. One day it'll catch up. Roland's ACB is a few years old now, but it's pretty good at mimicking 40 year old technology. It took a long time for a Windows machine to run an SNES emulator at a decent enough rate to play what was already at the time very old technology. I've got a mixing console from 1978 that I prefer to VSTs. The Poly Evolver Keyboard I have is as old as YouTube... nothing else sounds like it, there is no emulation of it, and I'm glad I don't need a 2005-era computer kicking around to keep it running. This is not to discount that there are amazing VSTs, and that physical controller options are amazing today (and amazingly inexpensive), but these are different options, not better options.
- Gordonjcp 4y ago
  > When your analog synth has presets, it's because there's a DSP chip in there that's helping to record, store, and replay voltage values for the knobs and sliders and switches in the analog signal path. If your analog synthesizer has a sequencer, there's a pretty solid chance that's done on a chip. If your analog synthesizer has a modern modulation matrix, you need a DSP chip for that. If your analog synthesizer has a method for self-calibration, you need a DSP for that. None of these things are done with a DSP chip. They're done with a microcontroller roughly equivalent to an early-80s home computer.
  - diydsp 4y ago
    Hi Gordon! This state is correct about all those examples except the mod matrix.
    - Gordonjcp 4y ago
      Not sure what you mean there. Can you give an example of a synth that uses a DSP for the modulation matrix?
jagged-chisel 4y ago
If your VST has excellent analog emulation capabilities, you can probably make decent money selling it. Still doesn’t give the user the tactile feel of analog controls.

I wonder, would this make analog synths more competitive? Like why do they even need DSP chips, might as well just run a VST softsynth with a MIDI keyboard

SeanLuke 4y ago

Analog synths have tons of chips in them.

bowsamic 4y ago

Not really there’s a huge op amp shortage too

dmicah 4y ago

While not DSP chips, analog synths will typically also include microcontrollers, for scanning a keyboard or front panel controls, receiving MIDI messages, and generating control voltages.

leviathant 4y ago

>Like why do they even need DSP chips, might as well just run a VST softsynth with a MIDI keyboard When your analog synth has presets, it's because there's a DSP chip in there that's helping to record, store, and replay voltage values for the knobs and sliders and switches in the analog signal path. If your analog synthesizer has a sequencer, there's a pretty solid chance that's done on a chip. If your analog synthesizer has a modern modulation matrix, you need a DSP chip for that. If your analog synthesizer has a method for self-calibration, you need a DSP for that. The signal path stays analog in any of these situations, but the DSP helps you manufacture things that aren't feasible with simple components. There's a lot of cool stuff you can do with VSTs. There's a lot of weird-ass gain staging/overdrive stuff I can do with boxes on my desk that plug into each other, or even within a singular synthesizer, which cannot currently be replicated effectively with code. One day it'll catch up. Roland's ACB is a few years old now, but it's pretty good at mimicking 40 year old technology. It took a long time for a Windows machine to run an SNES emulator at a decent enough rate to play what was already at the time very old technology. I've got a mixing console from 1978 that I prefer to VSTs. The Poly Evolver Keyboard I have is as old as YouTube... nothing else sounds like it, there is no emulation of it, and I'm glad I don't need a 2005-era computer kicking around to keep it running. This is not to discount that there are amazing VSTs, and that physical controller options are amazing today (and amazingly inexpensive), but these are different options, not better options.

Gordonjcp 4y ago
> When your analog synth has presets, it's because there's a DSP chip in there that's helping to record, store, and replay voltage values for the knobs and sliders and switches in the analog signal path. If your analog synthesizer has a sequencer, there's a pretty solid chance that's done on a chip. If your analog synthesizer has a modern modulation matrix, you need a DSP chip for that. If your analog synthesizer has a method for self-calibration, you need a DSP for that. None of these things are done with a DSP chip. They're done with a microcontroller roughly equivalent to an early-80s home computer.
- diydsp 4y ago
  Hi Gordon! This state is correct about all those examples except the mod matrix.
  - Gordonjcp 4y ago
    Not sure what you mean there. Can you give an example of a synth that uses a DSP for the modulation matrix?

jagged-chisel 4y ago

If your VST has excellent analog emulation capabilities, you can probably make decent money selling it. Still doesn’t give the user the tactile feel of analog controls.