Who uses LFOs on there samplers or synths.

I have just recently been messin with lfo envelopes and its pretty cool, what do u do with them? i have been assigning filters to them and using diff shapes to modulate but what are there exact purpose?

That is their purpose - to modulate a parameter. Try modulating other stuff, like amplitude, pitch, start point... It can be fun. Maybe someone will come along with something more purposeful, but atm I just experiment with my LFOs to warp or gently move my sounds.

Does anybody have a good link of an acticle explaining lfo's? I got 2 samplers that have LFO's, but i can't seem to grasp how to use it by reading the manual. They kinda expect you to know how an LFO works already.

yeah that has been my prob, just understanding the principle. It basically is just a waveform that has no sound, just the movement, and u can have that be controlled by diff parameters, like the EG or Filter or Pitch envelopes. So it can make diff effects on samples. It can add tremelo or vibrato to a sound, or make filter sweeps. depending on how u have it routed. I would imagine this is helpful for multisamples, like build a violin patch to get vibrato from a sound.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul99/a ... ecrets.htm
this article has alot to do with it and it explains the more common synth/sampler features

there's an LFO-emu on this software I have for midi keyboards, I use it on my guitars.

too bad I don't have a real one lol.

I use LFOs all the time. Gentle ones for breathing some life into dull synth patches and wilder ones for making weird textures. Having LFOs modulating eachother is bound to give interesting results.

So it's not much use for drumhits then? I mainly use my samplers for drums, so messing with LFO will not be worth it right?

LFOs really enhance sounds...
Just keep playing with them... assign them to the filters (most common) or to the tune or to the pulse width.
I *really* learned sound synthesis with DOEPFER MS404.

LFO=Low Frequence Oscillator.
In some machines you can pitch the frequency of the LFO up to 20KHz.
So it would modulate its target with a "hearable" frequence.
It is nice p.e. to have a pattern of an analogue synthi playing notes like C2,C3,C2,C3,B2,C2.... and so on and have its cutoff-frquency a little modulated by a LFO which is tuned to a G. -> Real fat sounds!
Most times you can tune LFOs only manually... no notes but your hearing!
If anyone is interested deeper in this subject pm me and I will explain details - maybe creating even a listening demo.

Have Fun!

ieism wrote:Does anybody have a good link of an acticle explaining lfo's? I got 2 samplers that have LFO's, but i can't seem to grasp how to use it by reading the manual. They kinda expect you to know how an LFO works already.

A good understanding of synthesis is pretty important in sound design.
It what allows you to create drums sounds, brass, strings etc not just modulate the sounds.
Understanding analog synthesis makes using a Nord, Roland JP's, Tritons, Emu samplers make more sense.
You will see capapbility in gear that you neve thought of.
People have just gotten so use to use ROM wavedata (which has it's purpose) that many have missed out on sound synthesis.
Searching the web in cool but the library and the book store is where you should really go.

its so fun to have 2 or 3 LFOs modulating each other

This might be a stupid question... Since it's called Low Frequency Oscillators do LFOs only modulate sounds in the low frequencies?

no they also use high freq. they are just inaudible to the ear. its all bout the movement it makes.

I've found an interesting site with good explanations.

The PROBLEM IS it's in german.

http://www.sequencer.de/synthesizer-grundlagen.html#lfo


Sorry to all our english speaking folks.

I use lfos to make some sweeping sounds.

Binger0... I had the same problem years ago and then one guy showed me what you can do with LFO. Depending on what you apply the LFO to (EG, Pitch, Amp) you can really give depth to you synth sounds (or whatever). I have been using it alot lately and it can really add mad depth to some cheesy digital synth sounds. As far as drums...I might be wrong, but in my experience a drum sound is very short (compared to a string or synth), the LFO doesn't get enough time to develop. I wish I could explain it better, but basically your sound (synth, string) follows the LFO. If you have a pitch applied, then the sound will go up and down in pitch, how fast it does it depends on the rate of the LFO. If you assign it to EG it will filter based on the rate. Hope that wasn't confusing.