A question about tuning

[charlesacosta]

Hey all, I'm gassing real bad over the sound studio. DFAM. Mother and Subharmonicon. I want all 3 based off the hours and hours of videos and sounds I've been listening to. I can't afford them all at once. And I think learning one at a time would be sensible due to my lack of knowledge with anything like this.

Can someone please explain to me a few things about tuning? Is it something you need to often? Is it easy? Do you always tune it to a C?

I play guitar and bass etc so understand the principles of tuning. But all my synths are digital and ready to go as soon as I turn them on.

I can imagine like anything else it takes some learning. If someone can explain it in laymen's terms I'll pull the trigger.

Thanks

[analogmonster]

It is not that difficult. The note you tune to is up to you. But:

Tuning itself is more an analogue synthesizer problem. Digital synths normally don't have that problem. The problem lays in the warming up of analogue circuits, especially in the exponentiator section of the VCOs which do the linear voltage to exponential current conversion. As you know the human ear works in a logarithmic way which leads to the doubling of frequency per octave. And you know that human ears register deviations in octave spreadings (scale) in the most sensitive way.

So VCO expos must be accurate in the most possible way. After switching on an analogue synth the expos are cold. The tuning does not fit, and often the octave spreading does not fit neither. After some time the VCOs stabilize at a certain point, but some retuning might be necessary anyway. In worst cases the octave spreading has to be re-calibrated as well, like for the Moog Modular 901 VCOs.

There are a lot of technical approaches to avoid / minimize the tuning and spreading issues. Some VCOs work with tempcos, some use expo chip heating, some offer an microprocessor or microcontroller based autotune functionality (like the Memorymoog does). But the last is already the beginning of the digital world, meaning gaining digital control over analogue technology.

[stiiiiiiive]

Welcome to the forum, charlesacosta

Thanks for your detailed answer, Analogmonster. I was not sure why some VCO synths required more time to be in tune than others.

Another point worth mentioning is that monophonic synths are less a problem (if any) than polyphonic ones since the later require not only that their voices are in tune but moreover that they are with respect to each other. They should be as the components are likely to warm at the same rate, but there may be some time when their are not prefectly correct.

On a more practical plan, here is how I proceed with my Little Phatty, which is amongst those instruments that need few minutes/tens of minutes for getting in tune.
First of all, whenever I use it, and in particular live, I switch it on as early as possible so that it can warm. Secondly, I use a simple guitar tuner; you can use it on the main audio output, but I chose to use it on the headphones one and as the LP features a main audio switch, I just control the tuning before starting playing and between the first 2-3 songs. Never had any tuning accident this way.

I would say thatas a guitar player, you will know how to manage that better than any synth-only player

[ummagumma]

I've made the mistake of saving a patch before the synth was warmed up. Then later recalling it & WTF? lol

But you do develop quick tuning reaction speed. Patrick Moraz is fun to watch with Yes in Japan? during that live 70s concert on the minimoog. It's way out of tune and he dials it back in during a solo.

I saw a clip of Rod Argent in the 70s & his minimoog was hopelessly out of tune. I think he gave up & went back to the organ for the rest of the song.

[analogmonster]

I've seen a desperate Jean-Michel Jarre in a video trying to obtain control again over a Memorymoog which behaved like having a software crash during a live solo in a concert. The tuning changed permanently, so he had no chance at all.

[franck59]

Hey there. Tuning can definitely be a bit different from what you might be used to with digital instruments.

1. Frequency Tuning: Most analog synths, like the DFAM, Mother, and Subharmonicon, require some tuning, especially if you want them to play in harmony with other instruments. This is because analog oscillators can drift slightly in pitch over time.

2. How Often to Tune: It depends on how long you've been playing. If you're using the synth for a long session, you might want to check the tuning every now and then. However, for shorter sessions, you might only need to tune it once.

3. Is It Easy?: Tuning is generally straightforward. Most synths have a tuning knob or a way to adjust the pitch. With a little practice, you'll get the hang of it!

4. Tuning to C: You don’t always have to tune to C. You can tune to any note that fits your musical context. However, starting with C can be helpful for beginners, as it’s a common reference point.

Since you already play guitar and bass, you have a good foundation to build on!