Blofeld love

The Lounge Other Gear
#677

OK- bear with me, I’m trying my best to ask this as clearly as I can.

The Blofeld allows Envelopes (for example, the Amp Env) to be assigned as an “FM Source” to modulate an Oscillator.

I don’t quite understand how that works. The classic basic model of FM is two operators, with one being the carrier and other the modulator. But the modulator should have a frequency, which will significantly shape the timbre of the carrier (along with the amplitude of the modulator).

But, envelopes don’t have a ‘frequency’, do they?? So what is happening when you assign an envelope as FM Source?

#678

The envelopes can be looped, so there might be a continuous in time action with much more sense. FM in blofeld, as far as I can see, is not about operators like dx7 or similar but something different:

2 Likes
#679

By the way, the use of loop envelopes can lead to unpredictable generative territories, this is a good example:

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#680

While trying to get a definitive answer regarding the differences between the Micro-q and the Blofeld, I’ve spent more time with the Blofeld reverb and … it’s really not as bad as I thought. The Micro-q is often said to have bad effects but I’m able to get some really nice alesis/warp-ish reverbs out of the Micro-q. The Blofeld at the same settings does not sound the same but it still can give a bit of the vibe. Certainly better than what I previously thought.

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#681

Yup.

Not necessarily.

The frequency of the oscillator (or filter, if applicable) is modulated by the envelope. Basically, up then down as the envelope goes through its stages. Or looping, as @jazznbass pointed out.

It’s a synthesizer: try it and see what happens!

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#682

In fact it’s very interesting and flexible:

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#683

hi acro, does that app have midi profiles that already work with the blofelds sysex? so i could set adsr for the osc and filters?

Stroke Machine on the App Store

#684

Oh yeah, of course, I’m an idiot. :roll_eyes: I was so far down the FM synth rabbit hole I completely forgot that modulating the frequency at slower rates is still modulating the frequency. sigh.

#685

pulled my blofeld off the shelf recently, thinking of selling it. any reasons i should keep it?

i was so interested in the user sample stuff at first but i’ve never actually put any on, i’m struggling to imagine what i can do with it that i can’t with my nord modular g1 and monomachine. i’m thinking i can probably get away with using the OT for whatever sampling duties i initially imagined for the blofeld, though they manage them quite a bit differently of course.

#686

As said above, samples on the Blofeld are mostly interesting as modulation sources or targets. For straight sample playback and mangling, OT is better in every way (imho). (Although- you can set up the Blofeld to play samples over a wider chromatic range than the OT…I think :wink: ).

User wavetables can be interesting too.

#687

Fact 10 here?

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#688

Monday I‘ll try the Expressive E Touché with the Blofeld. Has anybody tried?

#689

Great video, tricks 9 and 10 are new to me and greatly appreciated! Thanks for sharing.

#690

That guy’s channel is really amazing. A very generous approach to sharing knowledge.

Feels like a lucky pair of anomalies to me - Waldorf made a very complex synth at the low end of the price range & people like Synthesizer Video Service are presenting really in-depth well-presented tutorials for free.

I guess there are a LOT of blofelds out there - with it selling at this price for this long - so the chances of someone not just going really deep into it, but sharing all their findings, are hugely increased - so we get this guy - or Mark Pigott (68 blofeld tutorials!) - or Lu Crow (hard to follow his tutorials but if you want to see INTENSE dedication to one box it’s that channel!)

When I took the time to follow this synthesiser video service one about modifiers right through it was like oh shit there are more possibilities with this one synth than I will ever have time to explore :frowning::slightly_smiling_face:

It’s like the whole mod matrix just entered another mod matrix haha

2 Likes
#691

Ah thanks! I’ll have watch, right now I’m too busy discovering… a Digitone and Analog Heat that made their way to my little studio :slight_smile: (OK, showing of, I’m kind of like a kid right now)

I’ve come across Lu Crow and love it somehow. Hard to follow yes and there is some real passion there. I can’t watch too much though and didn’t learn so much in the ones I watched.

I’ll definitely check the modifiers one, as I have no idea what to use them for yet, and look at this person’s channel, thanks a bunch!

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#692

The random patches are some of the best Blofeld patches I’ve heard!!! Great share…

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#693

This video reminds me of just how AMBITIOUS the vision for the Blofeld was, to achieve this with modular would take sooooooo much hp real estate…and it’s not really possible with similar releases from its time, even the virus…

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#694

that Lu Crow cat is willlllllllld. I came across him in the blofeld facebook group, he has a very strange vibe.

did anyone see the video he posted where the blofeld was covered with dried blood?

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#695

Haha I saw one where it looked like he’d slopped his dinner on there. Must be that one

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#696

I also was following the Facebook group for some time and say many videos of him, and not just one had these traces on the unit. I wondered whether it’s blood, or ketchup, of a prop to set the mood.

Quite wild yes, I like this world make of assorted flavors!