Not using autotune

[seamonkey]

I tried an experiment the other day when starting up my Andromeda, I let it warm up and never hit autotune just to see how badly it would be out of tune. Well, I was surprised to find out it was in tune, of course I have background tune and temp tune turned on as default but so far I haven't had to hit autotune.
Anyone tried this?

Btw I've had this for only 5 weeks and I love it more every time I play it.
It's one of the few synths I'ver ever purchased that the sound of over time doesn't grow tired on my ears, in other words I get sick of the sounds but the Andromeda is just as sweet as the first night I ran through the presets.

[NordNerd]

I've always let my A6 warm up,I rarely use the Autotune,infact I havent had to tune it for a few weeks now,but my Synths are left on for days on end.

I must be lucky that I got one of the decent batch of better Voice chips.

[soundwave106]

I don't always have to tune up either. If the temperature in your studio is pretty constant, it's very possible to turn it on and play from the get go. (Even without background or temp tune.)

[Sir Ruff]

My studio temp is constant-cold, but constant-and I definitely have to hit autotune, to start with, and then intermittently afterwards...

[kpatz]

Most of the tuning drift seems to happen during the first 30-40 minutes after power on as it's warming up. With background tuning off, I can turn my Andy on, let it sit 30-40 minutes and then it's in tune without hitting autotune. Of course, if I'm impatient and start playing it sooner, it'll be out of tune unless I autotune, but then it'll drift back out as it finishes warming up. So I try to avoid using autotune until it's been on for a while (and then I may not need it, if I didn't autotune when cold), then it stays more stable afterward.

[lensfocus]

Background tuning is the same as auto tuning, it just happens in the background and takes longer to get to all the voices. So if you have background tuning on, it will sound the same as if you keep auto tuning it.

Jeff

[sunny pedaal]

not exactly as in background tuning it requires processorpower all the time, thereby slowing down your performance. noticeable in sliding when fast playing by example. i only keep temp-tuning on when playing and frequently only tune the oscillators when playinglive ( goes quicker and the filter seems less noicable)

[modulator_esp]

I don't think I've ever needed to auto tune, I've found my A6 to be pretty stable tuning wise

[sunny pedaal]

always autotune after 5 and 20 minutes, thereafter , mostly, only use osc-freq tune.
as default i leave backgroundtuning off, temptuning on

[soundwave106]

[seamonkey]

In my initial excitement I inadvertently commented I leave background tuning on, I leave it off and temp tuning on. I agree, having temp tuning on, any sonic difference to having it off is minimal to me.
I still like to let Andy warm up at least 15 minutes before playing tho.
Lots of great comments, thanks guys.

[lensfocus]

The tuning algorithms tune the oscillators by measuring the actual period of the output waveform of each oscillator at 9 different frequencies. Background tuning steals voices when they aren't being used, and tests each frequency until the voice is needed again. Because of this, the voice might be set to a very high frequency during background tuning. When a low note is played and needs that voice, the oscillator needs to quickly change it's frequency before the voice is heard. This takes some time, and especially if the range is large, you might hear the voice's oscillator moving to it's requested frequency as a chirp or slide. This is the main drawback to using background tuning.

The tuning algorithm is the same for auto tuning as for background tuning, which is the reason for my comment in my previous post. I agree that because of the above limitation, they do not act the same, and background tuning can cause unwanted artifacts. I tried to fix this a few different ways (it used to be worse..), and i think it's still possible but i didn't have time to perfect it.

Background tuning can take quite a bit longer than auto tuning depending on how active the voices are. And if just a few voices are being continuously played, the unused voices will be nicely in tune while the used voices won't get the chance to be tuned.

Background tuning doesn't, however, steal processing time while other voices are playing. The priority for processor bandwidth is always to the playing voices. This is partly why background tuning takes so long.

Temperature tuning is indeed a real-time formula calculation using the asic's internal temperature sensor. It compares the current temperature to the temperature that was recorded the last time the voice was tuned and provides a frequency offset to Vger. (We called the A6 sound engine Vger).

Jeff Platt
A6 software development

[sunny pedaal]

thank you so much for your kind explanation.
i was wonderring : would it have been , or be, very difficult to make a function whereby the voices "tuning table" could be set seperately for every voice and by the user itself , and that the autotune or oscfreq tune would use that values as default?
i ask that as it would maybe spare a lot of chipswitching due to a bad voice. and also make the tuning more strict or lose at will
and also i ask it as i still hope some time some further polishing of the software might happen.
anyway thanks again, highly appreciated

[lensfocus]

Sure, definitely possible. There are a few items I'd like to upgrade and or fix and or add to the mix. Alesis / Numark, however, has made it clear that they are not interested in hiring me again on this project, so there's not much I can do.

[Derek Daly]

Thanks for this update, Lensfocus. I wonder whether Alesis would be interested in users contributing toward your hiring costs. I would be happy to donate $50 at least, and I'm sure others would throw in even more to see the long-awaited development. With say 100 people contributing as a very moderate estimate, you're already looking at $5000. So the company wouldn't have to pick up the tab - we, the users, would do that.

Incidentally, after reading through the numerous posts on this forum and at vintage synth, I managed to track down a brand new A6 at the end of last year. It arrived in Cape Town, South Africa in 2004 apparently and was part of a very small order from this music shop. It had been living in storage for five years. Everything is working beautifully, except for one button. Everyone who had a hand in bringing this synth to life, and indeed in spreading the good news about it, deserves our hearty praise.

[sunny pedaal]

50 for me too, at least, although i understand it's a lot of work, many hours

[jonkull]

I'd like to see Alesis either support the damn thing or open source it. Sadly neither will ever happen.

[matia]

i could also donate
but it seems hard to organize