Oscillator semitones

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Jagwah
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29 May 2021

I have overlooked this for the longest time, I usually add oscillators together at either the same frequency or just octaves apart.

So a common method is to add an oscillator 7 semitones above another to get a harmonious fifth and that's really cool.

What other ways can the semitones on oscillators be useful, do people ever try and add a third or a fourth for example, or anything else you can think of?

Cheers!

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deeplink
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29 May 2021

Sure you can go for the harmonic 3rd or 4th.
The other nice trick is to add some cents variation between the two.

For the deep wobble basses you can put the other osc at 1 semitone above or below.

That's all I have.
Get more Combinators at the deeplink website

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aeox
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29 May 2021

I always just did what was sounding good, and it almost always ended up being 5ths everywhere.

Microtonal is another option to explore, detuning + - small amounts is sort of microtonal I guess

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orthodox
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29 May 2021

Just to add my two cents.
A perfect fifth is 7 semitones plus 2 cents.

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Timmy Crowne
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29 May 2021

A two-semitone interval can be heard in the rhythmic synth pulse that plays throughout the score for The Dark Knight. It really works well to build tension. You can hear it in the beginning of “I’m Not a Hero.”

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Jagwah
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30 May 2021

deeplink wrote:
29 May 2021
Sure you can go for the harmonic 3rd or 4th.
The other nice trick is to add some cents variation between the two.

For the deep wobble basses you can put the other osc at 1 semitone above or below.

That's all I have.
Yes I will have to start experimenting with 3rds and 4ths and then look out for them when I am listening to music, the 5ths seem very popular but these are less so as far as I can tell.
aeox wrote:
29 May 2021
I always just did what was sounding good, and it almost always ended up being 5ths everywhere.

Microtonal is another option to explore, detuning + - small amounts is sort of microtonal I guess
Not sure I want to go into microtonal territory but those 5ths certainly are concordant and popular for a reason. I worry how it affects musical theory as it can reinforce notes out of the scale but this is for another discussion I suppose.
orthodox wrote:
29 May 2021
Just to add my two cents.
A perfect fifth is 7 semitones plus 2 cents.
That's just crazy, any idea why this is so? :o
Timmy Crowne wrote:
29 May 2021
A two-semitone interval can be heard in the rhythmic synth pulse that plays throughout the score for The Dark Knight. It really works well to build tension. You can hear it in the beginning of “I’m Not a Hero.”
Yes for sure, listening now and there's great tension. Good ol' Hans. I thought that tension was reserved for one semitone intervals so it's interesting hearing about this, cheers.

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orthodox
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30 May 2021

Jagwah wrote:
30 May 2021
orthodox wrote:
29 May 2021
Just to add my two cents.
A perfect fifth is 7 semitones plus 2 cents.
That's just crazy, any idea why this is so? :o
Because the equal-tempered scale does not hit the "perfect" intervals. A 5th is the frequency ratio of 3/2, which is ~7.02 semitones, a 4th is 4/3 (~4.98 semitones).

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BRIGGS
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30 May 2021

Jagwah wrote:
29 May 2021
I have overlooked this for the longest time,
Image

Stop that!!! :lol:
r11s

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Jagwah
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30 May 2021

orthodox wrote:
30 May 2021
Because the equal-tempered scale does not hit the "perfect" intervals. A 5th is the frequency ratio of 3/2, which is ~7.02 semitones, a 4th is 4/3 (~4.98 semitones).
Well it certainly sounds more harmonious with those 2 cents, I think I'll leave the complexity of it to those in the know, thanks for explaining :puf_bigsmile:

BRIGGS wrote:
30 May 2021
Jagwah wrote:
29 May 2021
I have overlooked this for the longest time,
Image

Stop that!!! :lol:
OK!!

Image

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aeox
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30 May 2021

orthodox wrote:
29 May 2021
Just to add my two cents.
A perfect fifth is 7 semitones plus 2 cents.
1.955 , apparently :D joking

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aeox
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30 May 2021

Jagwah wrote:
30 May 2021
Not sure I want to go into microtonal territory but those 5ths certainly are concordant and popular for a reason. I worry how it affects musical theory as it can reinforce notes out of the scale but this is for another discussion I suppose.
microtonal chord.zip
(3.27 KiB) Downloaded 46 times


There is a quick example to play with! It's already got some detuning to make the chord sound a little microtonal. Then you play the bassline and make chord progressions by automating semitone/oct.

You can find some really interesting microtonal music on youtube, which use more advanced methods and which are truly microtonal and sound otherworldly (not always good)! Very interesting, but it's a whole other rabbit hole to fall into. :-)

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orthodox
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31 May 2021

aeox wrote:
30 May 2021
orthodox wrote:
29 May 2021
Just to add my two cents.
A perfect fifth is 7 semitones plus 2 cents.
1.955 , apparently :D joking
1.955000865387417744486732737379810511777289230977272546903185449317873353230275026736569901705890509
:-)

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aeox
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31 May 2021

orthodox wrote:
31 May 2021
aeox wrote:
30 May 2021


1.955 , apparently :D joking
1.955000865387417744486732737379810511777289230977272546903185449317873353230275026736569901705890509
:-)
Careful now, you'll start casting spells


edit: I mean, you may tap into some divine powers on accident. Probably a good thing it's nudged a few off :)

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