Software
Synthesis
Thus far we have concentrated on music
creation using MIDI and
external sound-creation devices such as synthesizers, but what if you want to
use your computer as a synthesizer? No problem!
What is a software synthesizer? Considering
what a synthesizer does, converting electricity into sound, it stands to reason
that a computer with a soundcard would also be able to convert electricity into
sound. The only hitch is that you need a fairly powerful computer to do this,
which is why MIDI is so nice�it doesn't require a 1-GHz system to achieve
amazing results. Of course, the trade-off is the expense of the synthesizers. However,
if you find yourself with an extra dozen CPU cycles lying around doing nothing,
give a software synthesizer a try. Here's a few from style='color:#003399'>www.freshmeat.net that might
meet your needs:
aRts: analog real-time synthesizer
BacteriuM: virtual analog matrix synthesizer
Cumulus: asynchronous grain synthesizer
Freebirth: integrated bass synthesizer/step
sequencer/sample player
gAlan: modular synthesizer�drum
machine�sequencer�effects unit for Linux
SpiralSynth: a software synthesizer
So what do they do? Using your soundcard,
they shape bit patterns into sound. They model old-style analog synthesizers
that had lots of knobs, buttons, and switches and produced very rich sound. If
you like to tinker with stuff, you will probably like analog modeling
synthesizers, as they are known, because they allow you to fiddle with all
aspects of sound, from waveforms to filters and more.
The interesting thing about these tools is
that the sound you create can be stored to a file. So then what? Later in this
chapter you will learn how to use these stored sounds in two other types of
music creation applications for Linux.
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