Putting the Instrument Together — From Source to Output
We have built oscillators, shaped them with envelopes and filters, modulated parameters, and then replaced the oscillator with samples, grains and wavetables.
The key idea: change the sound source and much of the rest of the instrument can stay exactly the same.
1. Swap the source — keep the instrument
OSCILLATOR
sound source
→sound source
AMPLITUDE
ADSR
→ADSR
FILTER
cutoff + Q / filter envelope
→cutoff + Q / filter envelope
OUTPUT
level + pan
level + pan
Modulation controls the blocks: LFOs, envelopes, keyboard/velocity and other controllers can move pitch, amplitude, cutoff, wavetable position, grain position, pan and more.
2. The same architecture written four ways
Subtractive synth
OSCILLATOR → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
OSCILLATOR → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
Sampler
SAMPLE BUFFER → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
SAMPLE BUFFER → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
Wavetable synth
WAVETABLE → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
WAVETABLE → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
Granular instrument
GRAIN CLOUD → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
GRAIN CLOUD → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
3. What changes — and what does not?
Source changes
Generate a waveform, read a recording, loop tiny waveform tables, or overlap grains.
Generate a waveform, read a recording, loop tiny waveform tables, or overlap grains.
Amplitude shaping remains
ADSR still determines how the sound develops in level over time.
ADSR still determines how the sound develops in level over time.
Filtering remains
Cutoff, Q and filter envelopes still shape the spectrum.
Cutoff, Q and filter envelopes still shape the spectrum.
Modulation remains
LFOs and envelopes still automate parameters.
LFOs and envelopes still automate parameters.
Performance remains
Keyboard pitch, velocity and controllers can still influence the instrument.
Keyboard pitch, velocity and controllers can still influence the instrument.
Output remains
Eventually the instrument reaches level, pan and output.
Eventually the instrument reaches level, pan and output.
4. Modulation is control, not necessarily another audio box
LFO / ENVELOPE / CONTROLLER
↓
PITCH · AMPLITUDE · FILTER · WAVETABLE POSITION · GRAIN POSITION · PAN
↓
PITCH · AMPLITUDE · FILTER · WAVETABLE POSITION · GRAIN POSITION · PAN
If you could turn a parameter by hand, a modulation source can often change it automatically over time.
5. One instrument, different sources
OSCILLATOR → ADSR → FILTER → OUTPUT
↑
LFO / ENVELOPES / CONTROLLERS MODULATE PARAMETERS
↑
LFO / ENVELOPES / CONTROLLERS MODULATE PARAMETERS
This is the consolidation point: sampling did not throw away what we learned in synthesis. We substituted different source/read techniques and then applied the same instrument-building ideas around them.
6. Ready to look underneath
We can now make and demonstrate these architectures in Max as complete instruments. The next step is to look underneath the blocks at the simple operations being performed on digital audio. Once those are clear, we can use them to understand and build effects.
SYNTHESIS + SAMPLING → DSP FUNDAMENTALS → EFFECTS