Sam Williams

I am creating a granular synth, I used the route object to achieve polyphony and trapezoid for the grain envelope to start with and all was working fine with no clicks.

I have now started using the poly~ object and changed the trapezoid to a line~ and I get clicks.

Even if I change the line~ back to a trapezoid it still clicks.

granular-synth-using-poly-clicking

I played around with it briefly and didn't really notice much clicking. Some possible causes spring to mind:

1) The chosen or random grainlength is too short for the trapezoid length at that moment.

2) The starting position of the grain + the grain length means that the sound file has to loop around to the start (or cuts out suddenly)

3) Too many grains at any one time are creating distortion at the output

4) Sometimes, particularly with a poly in your patch, you have to save it, close it then reload it for the changes to properly take effect.

My bet would be 4), purely because I didn't notice much clicking after loading the patches. Suggestions 1-3 are just general hints for granular synthesis.

Nice patch, by the way. The use of rslider creates a very 'hands on' feel, much more intuitive than my array of dials and number boxers that I've got going.

One last tip, try a 'grain panner' where a bang (add it to the bang outputter in your poly) causes each grain to be panned to a different point in the stereo field. There quite a few stereo panners kicking around in the tutorials and on the forum. If you've got a 'random grain volume' routine happening as well, the grain panner and the grain volume will add subtlety to the overall granular effect.

I played around with it briefly and didn't really notice much clicking. Some possible causes spring to mind:
1) The chosen or random grainlength is too short for the trapezoid length at that moment.
2) The starting position of the grain + the grain length means that the sound file has to loop around to the start (or cuts out suddenly)
3) Too many grains at any one time are creating distortion at the output
4) Sometimes, particularly with a poly in your patch, you have to save it, close it then reload it for the changes to properly take effect.
My bet would be 4), purely because I didn't notice much clicking after loading the patches. Suggestions 1-3 are just general hints for granular synthesis.
Nice patch, by the way. The use of rslider creates a very 'hands on' feel, much more intuitive than my array of dials and number boxers that I've got going.
One last tip, try a 'grain panner' where a bang (add it to the bang outputter in your poly) causes each grain to be panned to a different point in the stereo field. There quite a few stereo panners kicking around in the tutorials and on the forum. If you've got a 'random grain volume' routine happening as well, the grain panner and the grain volume will add subtlety to the overall granular effect.


It seems like it is something to do with the [poly~] object because if I set the grain length and grain interval to longer times there is a click at the start then the 'grain' noticeably fades in, noticeably fades out and then theres another click at the end.

Its weird that you didn't notice much clicking, I have just opened the patch fresh and it seems to still be happening, so I don't think its number 4.

Thank you! I am just getting to grips with Max/MSP but really enjoying it!

Thanks for the advice, I will add in random amplitude and panning as well.

It seems like it is something to do with the [poly~] object because if I set the grain length and grain interval to longer times there is a click at the start then the 'grain' noticeably fades in, noticeably fades out and then theres another click at the end. 

Thanks for the advice, I will add in random amplitude and panning as well.


Granular Synth using poly~ clicking