Tranzistow synth

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tavasti
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Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

Tranzistow is synth which has really tons of features. It is definitely not 'easy to start' thing, but something for real hardcore synth freaks. Comes with decent complimentary 3700 presets :-o in case you don't want to start crafting your sound from zero. UI is dense, but for such amount of parameters, only way to make it possible it pack it tight. Only available as standalone program, no plugin.

http://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwerk/tranzistow.htm
http://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwer ... zistow.pdf

Image


To get started, download linux-version, and run it once. After it you get default .config/Tranzistow/Tranzistow.ini
If you don't wan't default ALSA mode, but Jack, add there :

Code: Select all

[Audio]
Driver=Jack
Then launch, connect your midi, and start fiddling, everything!

Edit: after some looking into it
- If you think ZynAddSubFX is complex and confusing, don't bother
- If you think 'I can use it simply modifying existing presets', most likely even that will fail

Using it something more than using existing presets will take some investment in your own time
Last edited by tavasti on Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:16 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

tavasti wrote:Tranzistow is synth which has really tons of features. It is definitely not 'easy to start' thing, but something for real hardcore synth freaks. Comes with decent complimentary 3700 presets :-o in case you don't want to start crafting your sound from zero.
About those presets. Quickly trying out 100 of those, and they seem to be mostly great. So even for 'not so hardcore' synth people, this can be usefull tool with just using presets.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

tavasti wrote: About those presets. Quickly trying out 100 of those, and they seem to be mostly great. So even for 'not so hardcore' synth people, this can be usefull tool with just using presets.
Checking more presets, and it sounds there is many same kind of patches. With unorganized 3700 sounds, with plenty of duplicates is not most usefull set.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

Ok, signal flow and meaning of parameters / buttons is far from intuitive, even after reading some amount of provided pdf. For example, with initial patch, could not get osc2 sound out. And tried also modifying some existing patch, and not too much luck with that one. I suppose I give up.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

Some tutorials. Each zip file contains one lesson in text file, and possible supporting midi file and presets.

http://vze26m98.net/tranzistow/

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

I gave up for few weeks ago, I would need manual for understanding how to use it properly, but just for info, active discussion about it is here:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electro ... -demo.html

Edit: and there seems to be some started wiki, with something explained, but no structure: https://tranzistow.net/index.php?title=Special:AllPages

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by LAM »

Wow! Great discovery, i love this synth.
It's quite intimidating at first but this thing is a real beast. :twisted:
Love the sound, still trying to understand how the routing works.

It's the first time I want to donate to something that is not opensource.

There should be a Linux version update soon: http://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwerk/hrastbook.htm

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by Digital Black »

I can't make the Tranzistow to see jackd. The Diodow does fine with jackd and I tried with diodow.ini settings but no help. Tranzistow want's to see Alsa.
This is with latest Tranzistow and AV-linux.
??
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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by LAM »

The Jack configuration to put in the Tranzistow.ini is in the manual at page 30.
In short:

Code: Select all

[Audio]
Driver=Jack
You can also specify client name and server if you want:

Code: Select all

[Jack]
ClientName=... ; The name of Jack client (default: Tranzistow)
ServerName=... ; The name of Jack server (default: None)
Make sure you are editing the "right" Tranzistow.ini.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by caonoize »

> If you think ZynAddSubFX is complex and confusing, don't bother

Hmm... I have designed two patch libraries and curated a third that are part of the standard instrument set with ZASFX, and I've contributed code to that project. A can honestly say that for someone with a background in the basic of synthesizers, ZASFX isn't that foreign. There are a lot of duplicated synths each which can be set differently, but it's basically a collection of fairly simple fixed architecture synths. Sure! The Subsynth and padsynth engines introduce some new concepts, but even those aren't that foreign. The main trouble is the navigation could be a be better, and perhaps for many, the newer GUI is an improvement. On the other hand, despite being interested in synths ever since my dad brought home "Switched On Bach" and "Snowflakes Are Dancing," and playing with many software and hardware synthesizers, when I look as Tranzistow's GUI, my brain immediately says "nope!" This thing is far harder to understand than any other synth I've played with either in software or in hardware. There may be great DSP inside, but unless it's visually presented in a way that makes it clear and useful for the musician in general, I'm not sure it's that useful. I think it would be better to layer understandable synths for complex soundscapes. ZASFX, Vital, and VCV Rack are far easier to get my brain around.
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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

caonoize wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 11:43 pm > If you think ZynAddSubFX is complex and confusing, don't bother

Hmm... I have designed two patch libraries and curated a third that are part of the standard instrument set with ZASFX, and I've contributed code to that project. A can honestly say that for someone with a background in the basic of synthesizers, ZASFX isn't that foreign. There are a lot of duplicated synths each which can be set differently, but it's basically a collection of fairly simple fixed architecture synths. Sure! The Subsynth and padsynth engines introduce some new concepts, but even those aren't that foreign. The main trouble is the navigation could be a be better, and perhaps for many, the newer GUI is an improvement. On the other hand, despite being interested in synths ever since my dad brought home "Switched On Bach" and "Snowflakes Are Dancing," and playing with many software and hardware synthesizers, when I look as Tranzistow's GUI, my brain immediately says "nope!" This thing is far harder to understand than any other synth I've played with either in software or in hardware. There may be great DSP inside, but unless it's presented in a way that makes it clear and useful for the musician in general, I'm not sure it's that useful. I think it would be better to layer understandable synths for complex soundscapes. ZASFX, Vital, and VCV Rack are far easier to get my brain around.
Indeed, ZASFX is logical and understandable thing. It has great possibilities with all parameters adjustable. Anyway, some people complain it is too complex, I think it is great! My comment was pointed to people who complain such. I think Tranzistow also could be also great with proper documentation, but there isn't such. I spent something like 10 hours to investigate it, and still after it, there was something unknown about signal routing. There was patch that I could not even turn all the signals off. In that point I gave up.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by caonoize »

I think you're on to something there. Even most synths with unattractive GUIs (I really don't have much trouble with un-pretty GUIs), somehow get a notion of signal routing across. In the case of VCV Rack, it's quite explicit; you make the routing yourself. With ZASFX, the routing is very conservative, so your normal intuition sets you on the right road; you just have a very big box of independent synths. Most of my VSTs and native synths have a very clear notion of the path between a key-down event and the sound that comes out the other end. Tranzistow, on the other hand looks more like a spreadsheet. I think that makes it very counterintuitive. I'll plainly admit to being an east coast sort of guy. I program synths in order to hook them up to keyboards. My ideal is that the synth should make it easy to construct the sound in my head, and I should not wind up fighting it. When faced with this spreadsheet, I find I don't know what slider or checkbox does the right thing. Anther sad part is that the VST doesn't expose all the sliders externally, so exterior automation isn't likely to be trivial.
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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

caonoize wrote: Sun Jan 31, 2021 12:25 am Anther sad part is that the VST doesn't expose all the sliders externally, so exterior automation isn't likely to be trivial.
1) for linux, there isn't vst.

2) if Tranzistow would reveal all parameters as automatable, any DAW would choke on reading and updating them. Same applies also to ZynAddSybFX, too many parameters.

But for automation, you can use any midi CC, and on mod matrix put them adjusting anything. Matrix allows adjusting total 48 parameters, and I think that would cover all needs :-)

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Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by tavasti »

I am turning back to Tranzistow. It is great sounding synth, and learning it is most likely time spent better than testing all possible other synths (linux native and windows).

So I started my journey to it by picking Diodow, older/smaller synth by same programmer. http://www.hrastprogrammer.com/hrastwerk/diodow.htm
For linux it is available as stand-alone program, no plugin. I did not try would it work as plugin with carla.

It uses many same concepts and patches made by it are compatible with Tranzistow. And UI is such size that I can run thru all the controls to find out things.It has 4 OSC, and each of them can have normal osc and sample, both active same time. It has ~100 presets, and nearly half of them use some sample (mostly combined with 'normal' osc)

OSC waveform is controlled by 4 parameters (from that web page)
* SawShape ... Controls the amount of waveshaping applied to the sum of Saw1 and Saw2.
* SawSigma1/SawSigma2 ... Saw1/Saw2 level.
* Morph ... Morphing between full saw (up or down) and sine wave. Higher morphing values (starting at around 0.7-0.8) generate stronger high-frequency harmonics which can actually produce aliasing when using lower sample rates and/or oversampling has been turned off.

For Square/Pulse waveform set SawSigma1=1, SawSigma2=-1, SawShape=0. For Ramp/Triangle waveform set SawSigma1=1, SawSigma2=-1, SawShape=0.993 or so.
And for sine, morph 0 will give it.

And I think I found answer to my earlier Tranzistow dilemma: why I cannot silence all voices.

* Filters generate also sound if there is resonance >0, even if none of the osc is feeding anything. Filter self oscillates, but not alone, but when there is note pressed. So you could make preset with filters only.
* Even if osc is turned to zero, modulation can turn it on.

After 2 hours studies with Diodow, I think I am ready to dive into Tranzistow, much more complex beast!

Edit: and sure, diodow itself is great synth, so you can use it!
Last edited by tavasti on Wed Sep 22, 2021 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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