Combined Audio + Synth Chain?

Using Zynthian
1

Hi there,

I have aspirations to run effects for a microphone (audio) whilst also running a synth at the same time. Is this possible? And, if so, what chain type should I select?

2

Based on my experience with Zynthian and the Wiki at Zynthian UI User's Guide - Oram - ZynthianWiki , I don’t think it’s possible in one chain.

But, you can easily run an Audio Chain for the microphone-audio effects and a Synth Chain at the same time. And you can route the audio from chain to chain as you wish.

Is there some issue with this for what you aspire to create?

1 Like
3

As @tunagenes says, you can add an audio chain for your microphone with its effects then add a synth chain for your synth engine with its own effects. If you want to have common effects for everything, add the effects to the main mixbus chain. If you want common effects for some chains but not all then route those chains through another chain with the common effects.

3 Likes
4

Nice and concise summary @riban, of what Zynthian can really do with effects routing, including how to implement effectively a sort-of FX send/return mixer workflow. :+1:

5

Thanks so much for getting back to me. Essentially, I’ll be using the Zynthian live and I want to be able to quickly move between a wide selection of different synth sounds and mic effects, sometimes several in a singular song. Is there any way I can quickly move from one Snapshot to another? I figure if I require multiple chains, I’d need to start saving each individual setting as a Snapshot?

6

Thanks so much. Is there anyway I can quickly switch between Snapshots once I have these multiple chains in place? I’ll be playing live and the idea is to be able to change between mic effects and synths quite quickly.

7

Switching between snapshots can be really slow(<=> too slow for a live gig) but you can use Zynthian sub snapshots, z3s

https://wiki.zynthian.org/index.php/Zynthian_UI_User's_Guide_-_Oram#Sub-snapshots:_ZS3

You can create a complex snapshot with all the needed engines for the full set and use sub snapshots for configuring them as you need (eg: one z3s per song). z3s.
You can call a z3s with program change commands, see here:

https://wiki.zynthian.org/index.php/Zynthian_UI_User_Guide_-_V1/V4#ZS3_.28SubSnapShots.29:_MIDI_Program_Change_Learning

(I didn’t find equivalent doc for Oram, nad I haven’t a Zynthian right now under my hands to confirm)

1 Like
8

I use sub snapshots all the time. I simple create a single snapshot per song or style and then tweak further (e.g. enable/disable certain effects or chains) for each part of the song and save it as a subsnaphot that I trigger while playing either using one of the zynthian switches (1-4) or by midi foot pedal sending the cc command. Switching between sub snapshots are very quick because everything is loaded - you only enable or disable things.

2 Likes
9

Ahh, I see why you ask - check out ‘SubSnapShots’ AKA zs3, I think it is what you’re looking for:
https://wiki.zynthian.org/index.php/Zynthian_UI_User_Guide_-_V1/V4#ZS3_.28SubSnapShots.29:_MIDI_Program_Change_Learning

1 Like
10

Thanks so much. Are you setting it up with Next/Previous settings somehow? The amount of sound changes in my set is going to be quite sizeable so sending each one to a separate midi switch means I’m going to run out of buttons really quickly.

11

You can assign MIDI program change to select ZS3 which allows you to recall ZS3 with an external MIDI controller that sends program change. Many have up/down buttons to step through next/previous program change.

1 Like