How to make a living modulating source
Hi, I'm currently writing a 4ch tape music.
My audio samples are mono, so I'm currently using groove and outputting them to 4 channels.
But as you know, this is just 4 same signals going in to 4 channels so the spatial image isn't really there. it still sounds like mono.
So,
how do i make some lfo, or any modulating source that i could put on every signal to get something live, living modulating source..that modulates the delay, and slight pitch.
I want to just make some set of objects that modulates the delay, pitch in the range of some subtle value so i could slap that set of objects to the signals and forget about it.
Basically I want every sound to be like a real orchestra.
In orchestra if the violin section plays the note A, because all violins are slightly tuned different and don't play at the exact same time because its impossible for human we get those rich sound.
I basically want to do that for my sounds.
A good approach is to keep the modulation source independent from the main signal, then scale it to the range you actually need. Using a slow LFO or smoothed random source can give it a more natural movement instead of sounding too repetitive. I’d also keep the modulation depth fairly subtle at first and increase it from there.
I think you could pretty easily expand this idea (basic monophonic chorus effect) to four channels.
http://music.arts.uci.edu/dobrian/maxcookbook/basic-chorus-effect
This might prove useful, too.
https://music.arts.uci.edu/dobrian/maxcookbook/abstraction-quad-panning-using-xy-coordinates
if you add or multiply 3 sine LFOs with different speeds you already get something which is perceived as complete chaos.
Also:
I send my electronic upright bass to various effects and surround daily-
its a mono signal-
basic compress and , eq while still mono then:
to [mc.dup @chans n]
then mc.send/mc.recieve anywhere and everywhere!
any mc.object can "deviate" and you can have have an entire pallet of choices-
depending on your spatial device (I use spat5. - each mc channel is already unique and easily sent to specific speaker.
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One note here:
I use [mc.dup] and mc.send because all my effects are modular and chained - so it is not a good idea to send mono and build 'dup' into each device because they continuously get reorganized
. But if you have a stagnant system then maybe better to send mono, then dup at the device, depending on the effect and spread you have more choices for dup'ing- for example spat5 has a very elegant sounding reverb. it receives mono the spreads it over however many channels you want- basically mono becomes mc in the divice and all calculations are done in the device.
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here is the violin section trying to play in tune in some orchestras I have played in using mc.dup and mc.pitchshift :)