So I spent some quality time with one of my favourite synths, and checked out all of the raw sources, dry, sometimes using a steep filter to check cutoff points and the like, as well as checking out the spectrum using an analyzer... I wish I had an oscilloscope, but don't. Anyway, I doubt any of you care much, but thought I might as well write down my thoughts about the available waveforms in Predator. So, here they are. It's a bit raw, sorry (and not always in order)... there was a whole lot to type. I've bolded the waveforms I think are actually worth using.
The disclaimers: 1) These are personal thoughts, your mileage (and opinion) may vary. 2) Yes, I know "any sound can be used to good purpose". Such comments will be summarily dismissed. 3) I tend to favor the bright sounds over the LP'ed sounds, simply because they work better with a fast filter, which I tend to use. Of course the LP'ed versions are nice for when you want to use, say, a comb filter or something. See disclaimer (2).
- triangle is actually quite nice.
- rez1 and rez3 (both fine) are same: a saw w/ extra high organ tones.
- rez2 is LP'ed, a bit organish.
- halfsine is like a soft saw; great... akin to a triangle on other synths.
- saw is actually kind of thin, compared to saw2.
- square is very soft, almost bell-like. Nice.
- sinesaw is a saw w/ more power in the fundamental. Quite usable.
- sinesqr is a more typical square (since Predator's square is kind of soft)
- sinerez is almost harpsichordy, a hollow ü sound.
- sawsqr is quite analog. Use it.
- sawrez is what I expected from rez... lots of highs. A little annoying, but cuts.
- sqrrez is the same, but "fuller" ... I like it, use for leads.
- wnoise is slightly pink: missing lows.
- pnoise isn't very pink. It's LP'ed white, at 5Khz.
- harmc1 is a sine!
- harmc2 is great... a low, siney organ, c/ replace sine patches nicely. Pure.
- harmc3 and 4 are similar, adding new harmonics, of course.
- saw2 is beefier than saw. Preferred.
- saw3 is kinda hollow... w/ go well w/ a square.
- saw4 is LP'ed at 4KHz.
- saw5 is slightly LP'ed. Kinda digital.
- sqr2 is slightyl LP'ed.
- sqr3 is LP'ed and rez'd a bit... very digital, C-64 style.
- sqr4 is extremely LowPassed, like 200Hz?
- sqr5 has some extra harmonics, so... a little beefier. Usable.
- triang2 is LP'ed.
- triang3 is a frakkin' glockenspiel sample. :)
- glass is very thin. Don't like it.
- hollow is what I expected glass to sound like. Does emphasize some hollow harmonics, though. Buzzy in Bass.
- octave is church organ material, but see organ3
- overton is... well... buzzy harmonics w/ no Fundamental. I don't like it, but guess it c/b good in chord hits.
- rez4 is a nasal buzz.
- rez5 is a full set of harmonics. c/b combined w/ other organ sounds for more tone.
- digix is a nice LP'ed digital bell sound.
- organ1 is pipeorgany. LP'ed version of octave with more beef. The two combine well, minus the phasing that occurs.'
- organ2 is more... mid. Like a cheesy icerink organ.
- organ3 is bright.
- chorga is a LP'ed version of 3. Not really great, though. :\
- whistle is a very high 4th. Not recommended, sounds like a phone tone.
- vocal* aren't great, either. Dull PPG sounds. 'o' is recognizable, but not good.
- vox01 is nasal, but potentially usable. An ESQ sound.
- vox02 is a better "ahh", some digital PPG plink to it. Pluckable.
- vox03 even more nasal. Brighter.
- vox04 thicker, bass-heavy. Usable.
- vox05 missing bass, but a nice, thin "aah", prolly good for pads.
- vox06 PPG Bell like.
- vox07 Very thin, high, harpsichordy sound. Not great.
- vox08 Like 01, w/ more in the mids
- vox09 Nice, velvety nylon sound.
- spec01 LP'ed pianoish sound.
- spec02 dull digital harpsichord sound (mix with vox07 up an 8ve to prove it)
- spec03 is PPG territory, vaguely organish, but more complex.
- [from here on out, assume every name starts with "spec". I'll add the prefix to the good ones, to make them stand out more, though.]
- 04 Is a digital nylon sound, slightly nasal. See 26.
- 05 HP'ed, higher 04. Skip.
- 06 Seriously LP'ed 04. Maybe for digital basses, but not recommended otherwise.
- 07 a dull 8ve up square. Skip.
- 08 LP pluck; skip.
- 09 Bright digital sound. Usable, but 10 is better.
- spec10 Better! Bigger bass w/o being just LP'ed. Use this.
- spec11 Upright bass sound. A thick sine. Quite usable. Note it creates a strong click when triggered.
- spec12 Another harpsichord sound, usable. Also see 22 if you need bass.
- 13 HP harpsi... a very old, very small harpsi. :)
- spec14 digital bass pluck. Okay, usable.
- 15 whistle, but lower.
- 16 Bass harpsi, kind of an "eee" sound.
- 17 A clockwork plcuk/bell sound, thin, small. Skip.
- 18 Loud, bass, hollow sound. Kinda phone-like, too.
- spec19 Very nice bell/grandfather clock tone. not as bright as 31, but more natural.
- 20 Inharmonic bell tone. Skip.
- 21 4th. Skip.
- 22 Bass version of 12.
- spec23 EP/Bell sound.
- 24 LP'ed bellish. Skip.
- 25 Thin brass.
- spec26 Nylonish. Like an 8ve down 04 w/ more highs.
- 27 Sinai-like, but buzzy and insect-like.
- spec28 Fuzzy, saw-like bass. Recommended, esp. for big saw sounds. :)
- 29 Nasal pluck.
- 30 FM bell, nasal and skippable.
- spec31 a nice bell tone, brighter than 19 (but more digital because of it)
- 32 HP'ed skipper.
- 33 LP'ed bell/sqr. Skip.
- 34 LP hollow buzzy crap.
- spec35 Lo-fi C-64 saw. Usable in some cases...
- 36 Seriously LP'ed 35.
- spec37 Really high saw, also a lo-fi feel. Usable.
- 38 Slight LP 37.
- 39 Even higher tones on 37.
- 40 Very LP 37.
- 41 Very LP bass saw.
- 42 Even more LP, even more bass.
- 43 Even more! Sheesh.
- 44 LP square.
- [I got bored here and skipped the notes on ones I didn't like]
- spec52 Really bright digital plucked sound
- spec55 Another harpsichord sound.
- spec64 Digibell-ish.
- spec65 PPGish
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