4. Modal synthesis
Modal synthesis is a physical modelling approach that takes inspiration from the resonant behavior of acoustic objects.
It's often used to simulate percussion instruments like drums, bells and mallet instruments.
It works on the principle that any sound can be decomposed into individual modes of vibration.
Each mode represents a specific way in which the object vibrates and resonates at a particular frequency.
The modes are typically represented by sets of filters tuned to each modes resonant frequency that are excited by an input source like an impulse.
This allows them to mimic the percussive strike of a stick or mallet on a resonant surface or membrane.
5. Formant synthesis
Formant synthesis focuses on replicating the vocal qualities of speech and singing with physical modelling methods.
It’s often implemented with a network of band-pass filters that correspond to formant frequencies that match those of natural speech or singing.
An input sound that mimics the role of the vocal folds like a buzz or hiss acts on the filter network to impart a distinctive vocal quality.
By changing the center frequencies and bandwidths of the formant filters over time, these systems can emulate different vowels, consonants and transitions.
How to use physical modelling to create unique sounds with Atoms
Atoms’ unique approach to physical modelling makes it exciting to explore if you’re on the hunt for new sounds.
After all, traditional subtractive synthesis and even FM have limits once you’ve used them a lot. But Atoms may be unlike anything else you’ve tried in the world of synthesis.
Here are four ideas to experiment with unique physical model at the heart of Atoms:
1. Use the Force and Overtones to add harmonics and control them with Order
Atoms is a mass-spring interaction network excited by the action of a virtual bow.
The Force control determines the pressure of the bow against the spring while the Overtones control determines its position along its length.
Just like a real bow, increasing the pressure on the spring will add a raspy, noise-like quality to the signal.
And bowing closer to the boundary will simulate playing closer to the bridge of a string instrument. This increases sharper high harmonics like those that occur when string players are indicated to play "sul ponticello."
Adding the Order control introduces high frequency damping to the springs. This acts in effect as a low-pass filter. Noisy excitation from the bow in combination with sharper overtones can yield interesting pizzicato-like effects when heavily damped with the Order control.
2. Control onset and decay with Attack and Release
If Atoms feels overwhelming at first, there are familiar elements you can fall back on as you experiment.
For example, Atoms’ attack and release controls work similarly to those in subtractive synths.
That said, these too are related to the action of the mass-spring the network rather than just a subtractive ADSR.
Attack refers to the velocity of the bow as it contacts the spring. Just like a traditional attack control, lower values produce a more abrupt onset, while higher ones create a gradual swelling effect.
Release controls the overall damping of masses in the system.
As physical forces like air drag and friction act on a vibrating spring, its energy will decrease over time causing the sound to decay.
Turning the release control up reduces damping for a longer decay.
3. Automate it all for evolving sound
The key Atoms expressive, organic sound is to get its parameter moving with the onboard automation controls.
Simply engage a Motion mode from the menu next to each of the six main parameters and set its range with the outer ring.
You can set the automation speed in Hz or sync to the session tempo to keep it all in time.
Experiment with the different Motion modes to see how each parameter interacts with the others as they move back and forth.
4. When in doubt, roll the dice
If you simply want to hear the range of different textures Atoms can produce, try hitting the randomize button represented by the Dice icon in the top left corner.
This engages a musically calibrated randomization function that produces new and usable sounds on demand.
But if you’d rather not randomize everything, you can exclude parameters from the randomizer by locking them with the lock icon.
Finally, if you just want a slightly different take on the patch you’re currently working with, you can hit the Recycle but to generate variations on the current settings.
