Analogue vs Digital. components of sound | xltronic messageboard
 
You are not logged in!

F.A.Q
Log in

Register
  
 
  
 
(nobody)
...and 283 guests

Last 5 registered
Oplandisks
nothingstar
N_loop
yipe
foxtrotromeo

Browse members...
  
 
Members 8025
Messages 2614210
Today 14
Topics 127548
  
 
Messageboard index
Analogue vs Digital. components of sound
 

offline portal13 from United Kingdom on 2007-11-01 21:44 [#02140045]
Points: 295 Status: Regular



Hey tronics,

Just wondered what your thoughts are on using purely digital
equipment to emulate those analogue sounds. With the likes
of ReBirth, Vintage Warmer....etcc....among many others

There are so many characteristics/impurities within analogue
gear which makes you wonder if they can be replicated in the
digital world to a satisfactory level in which no human ear
can tell the difference.

this brings to mind the tb 303 copycats which were made to
save people the fight over the ones left...the results were
uncanny. And I don't know how many people could tell the
difference if you jumbled them about and let them hear.

So by using plug-ins and digital effects and instruments can
you make a track that gives the impression it was produced
through the analogue domain?

I think so...for the most part..and I don't think it has to
add up to being a perfect mathematicaly transition either.
It just has to be made indistinguishable to our ears...all
those complicated pathways of voltages running through
analogue gear only turn out to be a certain *hiss* at the
end of the day. While a synth is playing in a song.. because
of masking, harmonics, levels and everything else
combined... you probably won't hear the *hiss* of that synth
the same when its within the track and everything else is
going at once.

Our ears can't pick out how many transistors a signal has
passed through, which is why at some stage or another, we'll
be able to create realistic analogue sounds digitaly. At
least i think so...but what do you guys think?


 

offline OK on 2007-11-01 21:48 [#02140046]
Points: 4791 Status: Lurker



sure


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2007-11-02 01:11 [#02140063]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to portal13: #02140045 | Show recordbag



For certain things, we're already at that stage;
Audiorealism Bassline VST fools my ears 40% of the time when
blind testing against a real 303 (you'd expect it to be 50%
by chance). Obviously that's both coming out of the same
soundcard (rather than one from the pc one from the real
303). Some of the mastering/post production on Analord was
done on a PC, but most people think it was all 100% analogue
and claim they can hear this. It certainly doesn't sound
"digital".


 

offline chaosmachine from Ottawa (Canada) on 2007-11-02 01:38 [#02140066]
Points: 2330 Status: Lurker



stuff i do in fl studio fools people all the time ;)


 

offline w M w from London (United Kingdom) on 2007-11-02 01:41 [#02140067]
Points: 21456 Status: Regular



On the one hand there's the digital...
And on the other there's the analogue...
I just can't decide!


 

offline notmyname from France on 2007-11-02 02:18 [#02140076]
Points: 683 Status: Lurker



i dont see it that way, the problem is the lack of
talent/original stuff of many bedroom producers.

just see the afx copycat, since the analords & those who
followed the analogue/acid revival/bandwagon.

they should get their own sound, with or without computers.


 

offline sheffieldbleep from Sheffield (United Kingdom) on 2007-11-02 02:27 [#02140079]
Points: 2466 Status: Lurker | Followup to notmyname: #02140076



what he said.

It's got to the stage where you shouldn't give a fuck what
you use as long as you use it well.


 

offline notmyname from France on 2007-11-02 02:51 [#02140085]
Points: 683 Status: Lurker



totally, its just a good/bad ratio but it still funny the
number of people who stop trying to be autechre (max/msp) in
order to be aphex/ceephax acid lately.


 

offline Laserbeak from Netherlands, The on 2007-11-02 03:30 [#02140090]
Points: 2670 Status: Lurker | Followup to portal13: #02140045



Demonstrations of Auditory Illusions
this site gives demonstrations about how the humans hear
things differently than the actual sounds produced.


 

offline dave_g from United Kingdom on 2007-11-02 05:16 [#02140125]
Points: 3372 Status: Lurker



Analogue stuff can be emulated by digital systems.
Every analogue circuit can be represented by a transfer
function, which is an equation which relates the output to
the input.
For example a low pass filter would have
output=input*frequency response. This is a very simple
representation.

If the analogue circuit has a very linear response the
frequency response will be a smooth slope and easy to
reproduce.
Cheap components and other real world effects will cause non
linearities in frequency responses, gains of amplifiers,
etc.
This is percieved as being more warm, fat, etc.

Non linearities can of course be modelled digitally, but
obviously it's not as easy as a simple a=b*c response. It
can be broken down into a=b*c upto say 100Hz, then a=b*c*0.9
to 300Hz, then a=b*c*0.4 to 2khz, etc.

It soon becomes clear that accurately modelling a realworld
system requires an lots and lots of small models of non
linear parts. (if you chop a non linear response into small
enough segments, each segment will be virtually linear,
since the time slicing will be so fine, the rate of change
will be linear)

Now you need a DSP processor which can number crunch many
many numbers at once. Oh and an accurate model of the
circuits in the first place. With advances in processor
horsepower and the like, digital emulations should improve.

The main stumbling block is how lazy the programmers are.
If you're modelling an *almost* linear circuit it's tempting
to just do an easy linear model. However this is not true to
the real world and this is where the percieved differences
start to appear.

Engineering is all about compromise. They probably could
program up a highly accurate model, but it would be stupidly
expensive to pay for thousands of hours of circuit modelling
and you would need to buy a supercomputer to run it due to
the complexity of the digital model. Is there a market for
this product? NO!

Personally, analogue/digital, I don't care too much - if
it's what you want to use and it sounds good, then use it!



 

offline dariusgriffin from cool on 2007-11-02 05:27 [#02140127]
Points: 12430 Status: Regular



Digital is kind of like analogue only cheaper and more
reliable. I have no idea why analogue sounds are generally
thought of as more desirable, and why digital instruments
would need to emulate them. It seems awfully romantic to me.


 

offline Barcode from United Kingdom on 2007-11-02 05:32 [#02140129]
Points: 1767 Status: Lurker



If you were around in the 80s and you head analogue gear
played live compared to today's digital you would notice the
difference. Analogue has so much more depth, power and
character. Most electronic artists are shoving their mixes
through analogue desks these days to remove the dry, brittle
sound of digital.

There's multiple ways to go depending on production
techniques, perhaps new technology can focus more on binding
the reliability and flexibility of digital with the
resonance of analogue. At the moment there seems to be a
clear separation between the two, a bridge that's never been
gapped.


 

offline impakt from where we do not speak of! on 2007-11-02 05:40 [#02140133]
Points: 5764 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



It's pretty much careface to me, I love all synths.


 

offline dariusgriffin from cool on 2007-11-02 05:46 [#02140135]
Points: 12430 Status: Regular | Followup to Barcode: #02140129



What's wrong with dry and brittle?


 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2007-11-02 07:39 [#02140166]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



How can you be original? It seems like all the best
territory has been covered. Its hard to pick up a synth and
not sound like you are trying to sound like Aphex Twin.


 

offline freqy on 2007-11-02 08:20 [#02140181]
Points: 18724 Status: Regular | Show recordbag




with digitally controlled organic instruments you don't have
a choice.



 

offline Fah from Netherlands, The on 2007-11-02 08:41 [#02140186]
Points: 6428 Status: Regular | Followup to notmyname: #02140085



it just sounds like afx/ceephax because it has a vintage
beat, some melodies, and a 303 bassline... it's not like afx
nor ceephax invented it.


 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2007-11-02 08:50 [#02140188]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



Yeah, exactly. Its the way they market their music would
make people think they invented it.


 

offline notmyname from France on 2007-11-02 08:52 [#02140189]
Points: 683 Status: Lurker



what are you talking about?


 

offline sadist from the dark side of the moon on 2007-11-02 09:15 [#02140191]
Points: 8670 Status: Lurker



i don't give a damn fuck actually - for me workflow and easy
of use are the most important parameters in any gear and
soft ever. so why use an old rusty ms-20 which sounds
different with every hour of work, has to be repaired and
somehow recorded to the pc which slows your work down
drastically, when i can use the vst which sounds awfully
good, where you can control the amount of "analogness" and
open up 10 instances.


 

offline freqy on 2007-11-02 10:26 [#02140235]
Points: 18724 Status: Regular | Show recordbag



- for me workflow and easy of use are the most important
parameters in any gear and
soft ever

TOTALY!!!

if you have just an old piano youll make far more tunes than
you will on a million parameter software setup.

man i fell into the trap of upgrading...its gonna take me
months to get back any flow i had.should be cool once set up
tho.

never upgrading ever again. ever not even my pants.



 

offline OK on 2007-11-02 10:58 [#02140251]
Points: 4791 Status: Lurker



OK now discuss electric vs acoustic


 

offline futureimage from buy FIR from Juno (United Kingdom) on 2007-11-02 11:01 [#02140253]
Points: 6427 Status: Lurker



I find that while some digital equipment can sound *too*
analog, a good analog sound can be found from using two
filters synced to each other. My microKorg thru my
Machinedrum proves this.


 

offline thepuss on 2007-11-02 13:34 [#02140337]
Points: 73 Status: Regular



"It's got to the stage where you shouldn't give a fuck what
you use as long as you use it" well. "

exactly. by using one thing or the other your already
llimiting yourself before you've even started making music!
Do what you think sounds good to you.

"Its hard to pick up a synth and not sound like you are
trying to sound like Aphex Twin."

I disagree. Even if you have the exact same setup does not
mean you will harvest the same result. For instance, there
are plenty of pianists our there, all using the same
instrument. Yet there are truly original composers. Chopin,
Satie, Rachmaninoff...which you can tell straight away who
is who after a few seconds of listening.

For me personaly i use a mixed setup. Each have pros and
cons, but when combined you have something twice as good and
you cancel out the negatives of each if you use your gear
properly.


 

offline staz on 2007-11-02 13:50 [#02140339]
Points: 9844 Status: Regular



most people don't have a fucking clue what sounds "analogue"
and "digital", and mostly it's those people that get hung up
on what should sound like what. then they create a sort of
false value system based on this. it's pathetic and
hilarious.


 

offline Fah from Netherlands, The on 2007-11-02 17:16 [#02140426]
Points: 6428 Status: Regular



i like playing with knobs


 

offline elusive from detroit (United States) on 2007-11-02 18:06 [#02140436]
Points: 18368 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



fourier was a fucking bitch in uni


 

offline oyvinto on 2007-11-02 18:15 [#02140437]
Points: 8197 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



laplace on the other hand


 

offline Barcode from United Kingdom on 2007-11-02 19:56 [#02140450]
Points: 1767 Status: Lurker



I think that DM album, what's it called... Exciter... is one
of the worst examples of a "dry, brittle" digital-sounding
album. It sets your teeth on edge, horrible.


 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2007-11-02 20:28 [#02140456]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



This is interesting software


 

offline George_Kaplan on 2007-11-03 10:16 [#02140508]
Points: 838 Status: Regular | Followup to thepuss: #02140337



when u say properly what do you mean?

you seem to think that if someone uses their gear properly
they stand a better chance of making good music. is that
what u mean?

do you just mean good in your opinion or do u believe in
some kind of objective good?



 

offline bogala from NYC (United States) on 2007-11-03 10:35 [#02140513]
Points: 5125 Status: Regular



thepuss, What I mean is, If I pick up a synth I'm afraid I
will sound like a sad aphex ripoff because Aphex makes the
kind of music I want to make. I find it disheartening
sometimes. Cause he has covered so much ground that it seems
futile to even try, much like how musicians say they wished
they wrote this song or that song. Its a bit of jealousy,
but that can be the ingredients for thinking outside the
box.
A "what hasn't been done?" question to myself..
If I follow that then maybe I can be proud of something.



 

offline avart from nomo' on 2007-11-03 11:25 [#02140516]
Points: 1764 Status: Lurker | Followup to bogala: #02140513



yeah, my thoughts goes like this too - "what haven't been
done?" - it's hard to come up with a new
colour(sound/style)....


 

offline Zephyr Twin from ΔΔΔ on 2007-11-03 19:20 [#02140605]
Points: 16982 Status: Regular | Followup to staz: #02140339 | Show recordbag



agreed!


 

offline Sclah from Freudian Slipmat on 2007-11-03 20:43 [#02140632]
Points: 3121 Status: Lurker



yeah u totakk yagreeeee


 

offline Zephyr Twin from ΔΔΔ on 2007-11-03 23:59 [#02140686]
Points: 16982 Status: Regular | Followup to Sclah: #02140632 | Show recordbag



oh, are you really mad? cunt.


 


Messageboard index