![]() ![]() Of the filtered signal to the pulse-width modulation input of a pulse oscillator. The main concept behind the Weedwacker was the feedback In the beginning, the design was inspired by "Weedwacker", a Reaktor instrument created in And it encourages me that, even with a lot of repetition of basic elements (subtractive synthesis, a feedback loop), there are still many possibilities for personal, idiosyncratic instruments to explore. And if you’re a synth designer yourself, I think you’ll really appreciate Stephan’s personality and approach. If you’re new to this stuff, this will give you some insight into why Spark sounds the way it does. (Scroll to the end for full diagrams of the signal routing inside, fellow geeks!) ![]() The following is an excerpt from the guide he wrote for sound designers working on presets for Spark. So, I instead asked if we could use Stephan’s own words to describe the new instrument. NI’s own description, that Spark “combines powerful subtractive synthesis with a sophisticated array of internal feedback loops and various other special sound shaping features” doesn’t quite cover it. It’s tough sometimes to put the nuances of synths into words. I think it’s telling that, while Stephan’s emphasis is on playability, he brought those signal diagrams. (It’s still worth looking at the Kore sound presets, because they’re consistent with Stephan’s approach of designing the sound for live performance.) Even better, though, is if you have a copy of Reaktor 5, because you can use the full-blown UI seen here to design your own sounds or even dig into the plumbing of the patch beneath. Spark ships as a Kore soundpack, so for US$59 you can fire it up right away and start playing, even without knowing how it works. He uses foot pedals to modulate the sound live, and rails against the evils of dull, repeating LFOs. Stephan has been evolving the instrument in Reaktor through some 160 iterations. Native Instruments calls Schmitt’s latest creation “Spark,” but I like to think of it as the Schmitt Box – like a mysterious, powerful invention from a designer who loves to experiment. When I met him for dinner in Berlin in October, he had brought along a stack of signal flow diagrams and Reaktor screen grabs in plastic sheet protectors. Schmitt, founder of Native Instruments and the “mastermind” of Reaktor, could be seen as a mad sonic scientist behind NI. If you think there aren’t still exciting things happening in synthesizer design in the age of software, you haven’t met people like Stephan Schmitt. Click for larger version of the UI, which you can access to create your own sounds if you have a copy of Reaktor. So we look to creator Stephan Schmitt to find out what makes his synth invention tick – and his thoughts on synth-building philosophy. A synth interface, on the surface, is just more knobs. ![]()
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