Tranzistow synth

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by LAM »

tavasti wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 6:35 am After 2 hours studies I think I am ready to dive into Tranzistow, much more complex beast!
Good luck then! :D Tranzistow is exponentially more complex than Diodow.

I spent at least 2 months (on and off) diving into Tranzistow and still I believe I just scratched the surface.

My biggest problem with Tranzistow it's not being opensource.

In this case is not just a problem of license, not having access to the source code is a problem also in documentation or in understanding how this synth really works, the manual is more an overview than a guide on the synth. The only reliable source on the inner workings of the synth is his creator, HrastProgrammer, through his posts on his site, KVR or gearspace (have a good read :lol: ).

I find myself not using it for any actual production but I come back time to time to experiment a bit with it.

But for people not caring about its "openness" Tranzistow is a wonderful synth, powerful and somewhat mysterious at the same time.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by LAM »

In case anyone finds it useful, here's my Tranzistow.ini.

It should work well with both the standalone Linux version and the Windows VST (via wine bridge).

There are some comments in it trying to document the different options and a custom theme (based on the OpenColor palette).

P.S. If you use this synth you should donate:
It is released as a "mandatory donationware" with donations ranging from 50 EUR up to 200 EUR or more depending on how much Tranzistow will be worth to you, on how many computers do you intend to use it, etc. Only PayPal donations to are accepted
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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

LAM wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:13 am In case anyone finds it useful, here's my Tranzistow.ini.

It should work well with both the standalone Linux version and the Windows VST (via wine bridge).

There are some comments in it trying to document the different options and a custom theme (based on the OpenColor palette).
Thanks, looks interesting. Apparently you are using Tranzistow actively?
LAM wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 8:13 am P.S. If you use this synth you should donate:
It is released as a "mandatory donationware" with donations ranging from 50 EUR up to 200 EUR or more depending on how much Tranzistow will be worth to you, on how many computers do you intend to use it, etc. Only PayPal donations to are accepted
Yes, definitely will do it if I get to point where I use it. For me it is not usable before I learn to at least modify presets as I like.

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Latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycVrgGtrBmM

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Re: Tranzistow synth

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tavasti wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:40 am Thanks, looks interesting. Apparently you are using Tranzistow actively?
Not really, I felt in love with it when you first posted it on the forum, but I want a 100% FOSS environment, so after the 2 months long exploration, when I wrote that config file, I'm not using it anymore.

My typical usage is:
  1. "Cool, there is a new version on the website"
  2. dowload it
  3. try a few patches
  4. browse through the website and some posts on KVR/Gearspace
  5. back to my FOSS synths :lol:

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by tavasti »

LAM wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 7:40 am
tavasti wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 6:35 am After 2 hours studies I think I am ready to dive into Tranzistow, much more complex beast!
Good luck then! :D Tranzistow is exponentially more complex than Diodow.

I spent at least 2 months (on and off) diving into Tranzistow and still I believe I just scratched the surface.
Sure I can live without knowing all aspects :-) Last time blocker issue I had was that inability to silence all sounds, but maybe that filter-thing was the thing then also. Now with diodow, it was easier to spot.
LAM wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 7:40 am My biggest problem with Tranzistow it's not being opensource.

In this case is not just a problem of license, not having access to the source code is a problem also in documentation or in understanding how this synth really works, the manual is more an overview than a guide on the synth. The only reliable source on the inner workings of the synth is his creator, HrastProgrammer, through his posts on his site, KVR or gearspace (have a good read :lol: ).
I can live even with closed stuff, but I am pretty convinced that as opensource this would be much better. Now lack of documentation is really big issue, and with opensource there would be most likely more people fixing that. Anyway, thanks for pointing out those known places. Did not check if they are same I have seen before, but anyway if I am going to learn this beast, I most likely need to go thru them. 40 pages on forums, that takes some time :-)

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

Video explaining parameters of oscillators. At least some :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30VW8XTpFL0

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

tavasti wrote: Wed Sep 22, 2021 7:31 pm Video explaining parameters of oscillators. At least some :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30VW8XTpFL0
This, and following videos by same author made it much easier to learn. Now I know enough to use this monster at least modifying existing presets way I like.

Some points found out this far:

- Envelopes are much more versatile than normal envelopes. Max 10 phases, and it possible even have loops. And even after release of key you can have more than one slope :-)
- LFOs have also complex waveforms with contours, which can be even drawn by freehand
- OSC can be anything, also sample, and there is pretty many possibilities with handling those samples, including some granular stuff

There is really huge world of possibilities, and I haven't even looked at FM stuff, but FM has anyway been such thing I have problems understanding. I do understand principle, but cannot use it systematical manner. With FM, I don't ever have idea what to do to get desired results. But in case someone wants to have FM presets, there is also pack of 28000 DX7 patches converted to Tranzistow.

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Latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycVrgGtrBmM

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by LAM »

tavasti wrote: Wed Sep 29, 2021 5:40 am Some points found out this far:

- Envelopes are much more versatile than normal envelopes. Max 10 phases, and it possible even have loops. And even after release of key you can have more than one slope :-)
- LFOs have also complex waveforms with contours, which can be even drawn by freehand
- OSC can be anything, also sample, and there is pretty many possibilities with handling those samples, including some granular stuff
You are going fast on your exploration. :D

- Envelopes are a really deep set of features, I struggled a lot to "really" understand them (they are multiple (!!!) and can also be LFOs among other things). There is a little tutorial about how to program envelopes for drum synthesis in Tranzistow here: http://vze26m98.net/tranzistow/08%20TZ% ... 180207.zip
- Contours are one of my favourite features of Tranzistow, very worth exploring it.
- OSCs sources are mind blowing, I had fun experimenting with Contours as both OSC source and Pitch Envelope, with OSCs rotors, or simple Osc FM (that I believe is not Frequency but Phase Modulation if I recall correctly) on the lower part of the Osc/AuxOsc (without needing to dig in the QFM engine) .
- One note about the granular engine is that is not real time, the sound is recalculated every time a parameter change and can lead to some glitches, but could be very well be the sound you are looking for. :wink:

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

tavasti wrote: to learn this beast... takes some time
Hey! There's a new version of BackupBand you're supposed to be testing. Stop screwing around with software that you don't know how to operate, and get to work testing. You lazy sod.

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by tavasti »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:14 am Hey! There's a new version of BackupBand you're supposed to be testing. Stop screwing around with software that you don't know how to operate, and get to work testing. You lazy sod.
:-)
Gave up working with BackupBand while ago. I ended up making my backing tracks myself. Software worked great even that time!

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Latest track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycVrgGtrBmM

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by LAM »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:14 am Hey! There's a new version of BackupBand you're supposed to be testing. Stop screwing around with software that you don't know how to operate, and get to work testing. You lazy sod.
:lol: If it wasn't true it wouldn't be fun.

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by j_e_f_f_g »

tavasti wrote: making my backing tracks myself
An enduser doing something himself instead of expecting the software to do all of the work?? What sort of heresy are you espousing?

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Re: Diodow, little sister of Tranzistow

Post by tavasti »

j_e_f_f_g wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:51 am
tavasti wrote: making my backing tracks myself
An enduser doing something himself instead of expecting the software to do all of the work?? What sort of heresy are you espousing?
It was just my incompetence, could not command BackupBand to change chord and play guitar in sync, so needed to switch to model 'handle one thing at the time', and most of the times having problems even doing that one thing :-)

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by tavasti »

This is so great synth that decided it deserves my donation. Please do same thing if you are using it.

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Re: Tranzistow synth

Post by folderol »

I'm afraid that for me this is instant information overload :(
At least with Yoshimi the complexity is compartmentalised into separate logical windows - and you don't see what you don't need to!
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
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