Subtractive: Faust Examples

VCO-VCA-VCF

The first example for subtractive synthesis implements a virtual chain of VCO, VCF and VCA, as shown in the Faust diagram in [Fig.1].

Fig.1

Faust diagram for the VCO-VCA-VCF example.

The three modules are definied as individual functions, with paramters controlled by horizontal sliders. In the processing function, they are chained using the : operator.

A resonant low pass from the filters.lib - the Faust Filters library - is used.

// sawtooth-filter.dsp
//
// First steps with a VCO-VCA-VCF setup.
// The three modules are connected in series.
//
// No anti-aliasing!
//
// - steady sound
// - control over f0, cutoff, resonance, gain
//
// Henrik von Coler
// 2020-05-17

import("stdfaust.lib");

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Control Parameters
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

cutoff      = hslider("Cutoff", 100, 5, 6000, 0.001):si.smoo;
f0          = hslider("Pitch", 100, 5, 16000, 0.001):si.smoo;
q           = hslider("Q", 1, 0.1, 5, 0.01):si.smoo;
gain        = hslider("Gain", 1, 0, 1, 0.01):si.smoo;

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define three 'module' functions
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

vco        = os.sawtooth(f0);
vcf         = fi.resonlp(cutoff,q,1) ;
vca(x)    = gain * x;

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define three 'modules'
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

voice =  vco  : vcf : vca;

process = voice  <: _,_ ;

Triggered

The example subtractive_triggered.dsp from the repository extends the previous sawtooth example with temporal envelopes for VCF and VCA and implements four voices with individual control. The block diagram is shown in [Fig.2].

Fig.2

Faust diagram for the triggered subtractive example.

• The example makes use of the Moog filter from the vaeffects.lib library of virtual analog filter effects.

• Individual control over the voices is realized through the % command within the voice() function.

// subtractive_triggered.dsp
//
// A four voice subtractive synth.
//
// - trigger
// - control over f0, cutoff, resonance, gain
//
// Henrik von Coler
// 2020-05-17

import("stdfaust.lib");

trigger0 =  button("trigger0 [midi:key 33]");
trigger1=  button("trigger1 [midi:key 34]");
trigger2=  button("trigger2 [midi:key 35]");
trigger3=  button("trigger3 [midi:key 36]");

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Define three 'module' functions
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

vco(f0)          = os.sawtooth(f0);
vcf(c,r)          = ve.moog_vcf(r,c);
vca(x,gain)    = gain * x;


//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// A function with envelopes
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

voice(index,trig) =  vco(f0) : vcf(fc,res) : vca(env1) * 0.5
with
{
// use an individual hslider for every
f0                = hslider("Pitch %index", 100, 5, 1000, 0.001):si.smoo;

//trig = button("trigger%index");

rel1 = hslider("rel_vca%index", 0.5, 0.01, 3, 0.01):si.smoo;
rel2 = hslider("rel_vcf%index", 0.25, 0.01, 3, 0.01):si.smoo;

env1 = en.arfe(0.02, rel1, 0,trig); // en.adsre(0.001,0.3,1,1,trig);
env2 = en.arfe(0.01, rel2, 0,trig); //en.adsre(0.001,0.3,1,1,trig);

cutoff = hslider("cutoff%index", 100, 5, 6000, 0.001):si.smoo;
res     = hslider("res%index", 0.1, 0, 1, 0.01):si.smoo;

fc         = 10+env2* cutoff;

};

process = voice(0,trigger0),voice(1,trigger1),voice(2,trigger2),voice(3,trigger3) :> _,_ ;