x files sounds...how?

[bosone]

does anyone on you watch X-Files? i was wonder if, with pulsar synths, i will be able to get those beautiful synth sounds that mark snow uses in the music...
any suggestion?...

[dawman]

Yes, use a nice Triangle wave using Modular, Prodyssey, MiniMax or any 3 Oscillator synth.
In Modular you take the frq. out of the MVC into a 6db LPF before 2 of the 3 Oscillators, then LPF out into the Oscillator Frq. in.
Then pull the LFP slider all the way to the left, you'll notice the pitch won't change now, it becomes static on the 2 x Oscillators that have the LPF pre Osc.
Now slightly move those to the right and listen to the glide amounts.
This will give the seperate oscillator glide trick Bowen uses that was inherent on Oberheim and Moog synthesizers of yore.

[frokka]

Mark Snow definitely has a distinct sound that puts him in the top league of composers for TV series. I've always thought that he uses multi-layering of predominantly FM synthesis, often a bit narrow-banded and icy, as opposed to full-bodied and warm sound. There is some info out there about gear he used during the X-Files period; The Synclavier, Roland S-760, Roland JV series, the E-MU Proteus and Morpheus, Korg M1R and Wavestation SR.

Recreating those type of sounds within Pulsar / Scope might be too hard, but the Solaris might help you somewhat. I think I would rather begin with the Korg Legacy collection and NI FM8.

[dawman]

Agreed, but Modular can do all of those various styles of synthesis with a little research.

To the Scope Warrior........trickery is his weapon.
Modular...................A Way Of Life.

[Bud Weiser]

Agreed, but Modular can do all of those various styles of synthesis with a little research.

To the Scope Warrior........trickery is his weapon.
Modular...................A Way Of Life.

In theory but not all I fear.
For the ROMplers (Roland JV, EMU Proteus, Korg M1R) you´d need all the samples/multi-samples from their ROM and all the additional PCM card sets.
For emulation of EMU Proteus you´d need the Z-Plane Filters AND the original sample sets.
Mimic Wavestation SR,- Solaris hardware or ZARG, at least you´d need the "rotors",- AND the original sample sets.
When you have all, then comes the programming which is extremely time consuming (and boring, when you are a player).

I myself find it much easier to have (some of) the originals available, switch on and use.

There´s also the polyphony.
You have 32 voices in a Wavestation SR but only 10 in a hardware Solaris.
You buy a 1HU WSSR in good condition for ~250 bucks which is cheaper than ZARG Solaris v5, not to mention the hardware you need to run it.

Question:
Did you find a way mimiking Z-Plane Filters in Modular and loading EMU (multi-) samples ?

I have a big EMU library and kept a EMU E64 sampler w/ several SCSI drives which will not last forever ...
Up to now, the only way I see is converting everything to SF2, then load in STS (and/or BCM sample OSC).
That´ said,- my experience is, you get usable and interesting sounds out of that work, but it´s never the same than the original.
That´s very true when it comes to EMU EII libraries which live(d) from SSM filters built in EMU II (and Oberheim DPX-1).
I converted my EMU library for Kontakt p.ex. and it was more or less wasted time because it sounds so different.
Same w/ AKAI which I also converted for Halion.

Conclusion:
You get the raw sample sets, the digital data,- and load into a new engine, creating NEW instruments,- but you never get the old ones back.

Discussion if one needs the old ones or not is a different story.

Bud

[Bud Weiser]

... begin with the Korg Legacy collection and NI FM8.

NI FM8 doesn´t sound like the real deal (DX7mkII, SY/TG77 or 99 or TX816),- it sounds significantly different.

From KORG Legacy collection, the closest to the originals are M1 and Wavestation because the original instruments are digital too and you get all the waveforms and re-created programs/combinations "out of the box".

In some cases the software M1 and Wavestation are better because of their resonant filters in software.
Nonetheless, comparing original programs in legacy collection w/ the programs played back by the hardware synths,- it sounds significantly different.

It´s probably not worth buying a M1, M1R or M1Rex because you´d have to buy PCM card sets in addition,- so the software version of M1 might be the better solution today,- but in a Wavestation SR, all the PCM cards are already built in,- so that´s the hardware synth module worth to buy used.

Bud

[dawman]

I am quite sure I could make a patch for the X Files theme song in Modular faster than the time it took to read this thread.

But Z Plane Filters, hot outputs from the S760 and other hardware benefits are a PITA but definately do able.
Once you get close enough, it's stored for recall.
Sure having the hardware laying around is great.

Years ago when Aderns legendary creator came here and shared his wisdom, I was making the same arguments, and he sent me the exact sound of the Oberheim FM Sync preset I was wanting.

I also converted EMU to Oberheim, Akai and Roland to Gigasampler, and a Roland S760 still kicks the crap out of Kontakt anyday.
Polyphony, RAM size and convenience being the trade off.

It was close enough for me and I've been hooked ever since.