The Timbre is the sum of up to the 12 partials that composes the Synclavier V engine.
Each Partial is composed of two digital oscillators, combining the principles of both additive and frequency modulation (FM) synthesis:
- The Carrier (generates the sound)
- The Modulator (modulates the frequency of the carrier)
On top of that, each partial can be modulated over time thanks to the time slices.
Time Slices allow you to set up to 50 states of the 12 Partial Timbres over a total time of 5 minutes
Giving the ability to set parameter crossfades of up to 30 seconds between each Time Slices.
Standard Panel Mode
The standard panel mode streamlines the complexity of the Synclavier into macro controls.
It lets you modify:
- The overall Timbre
- The global Amplitude envelope (Offset all Carriers' envelopes)
- The global Harmonic envelope (Offset all Modulators' envelopes).
Plus it gives access to more performance based controls such as the ARP, portamento etc...
Extended Panel Mode
The Extended Panel mode lets you select and tweak any of the 12 partials independently.
For each partial, you have access to complete discrete controls on the:
- Partials Timbre
- Amplitude envelopes
- Harmonic envelopes
- Vibrato
- Stereo
Graphic Display Mode
The graphic display mode lets you dive in the deepest depths of the Synclavier V sound engine.
Here you can sculpt in details the Harmonic spectrum of the oscillators with FM synthesis, samples and even Resynthsis. all of this over time with the Time Slices.
You’ll also find the Mixer, Modulation matrix, graphic display and control of the Envelopes, Effects and more.
- Synthesis: The standard mode using additive synthesis to create harmonics.
- Sample: Allows to use samples as a sound generator.
Note: The Synclavier engine only accepts .wav and .aif files
When loaded as is, samples can be used as carriers to generate the sound, and can be modulated such as a standard carrier wave in synthesis mode.
However, to be used both as a carrier and a modulator, the samples need to be synthesised thanks to the resynthesis function.
The Synclavier resynthesis stands as the process of analysing a sound source spectrum, and translating it into multiple time frames using the Synclavier synthesis engine.
In other words, after inserting a sample in a partial, you can convert it into a evolving waveform.
Depending of the sound source, it may result into surprising results with a particular and unique grain.
Once synthesised, the waveform can both be used as a Carrier and Modulator.
Once you have loaded a sample into a partial, see below how to translate it with the resynthesis function:
- Select an Analysis Destination: This will determine if the translated sample will be used as the Carrier or the Modulator
As the carrier, the resynthesised sample will generate the sound, whereas as the modulator, it will modulate the carrier.
- Set a number of frames: This determines how precise will be the analysis. To do that, you can set up to 99 frames, or leave this parameter to be automatically handled by the engine.
Note: The more frames are used to process the sample, the more the spectrum reproduction will be detailed.
- Process the sample: Click on Apply to compute your sample into the selected number of frames.
Otherwise, the frequency modulation won't have any effect.
- In the standard panel, make sure the F.M Modulation potentiometer is not set to 0. Otherwise, all your partial FM amount will be multiplied by zero.
Note: In the mixer section, the master Fm Mod is the same control.
- In the mixer section, the FM Mod potentiometer controls the amount of frequency modulation for each partial. Otherwise, it will also result into no frequency modulaiton.
- In the Engine section, make sure the Modulation amount of your time slice(s) is not set to zero.
When starting a new preset from the Simple Sine template, you may notice that only the first partial can be heard. Don't worry, this is normal.
Per default, the unused partials volume are muted in the mixer.
To hear the other partials, simply raise their respective volume sliders.