Which synths have the fastest LFO rates?

[RyanC]

Originally Posted by Jim Stout

It's an FM joke... I wan't being serious.

I was gonna post that but I thought nobody would get it, and I live in Denver...weird

[networkacid]

Yamaha CS5 goes to about 50hz, as do I think the other CS series (at least the monos do AFAIK)

[danielb]

Hi all,

I have attached an audio file demoing the Microzwerg lfos.

It is pure output from the LFO, with no VCOs, filters, or VCA.

What you hear is:

LFO1 sawtooth, LFO1 square, LFO2 sawtooth, LFO2 square. LFO2 square with its frequency being modulated by LFO1.

As you can hear, LFO2 is faster than LFO1, and will actually go above audio range if you modulate it.

[mig27]

All this discussion about super fast LFOs reminds me of the reason why I went modular.
LFO too slow? Just patch in a VCO instead..

Many synths accept external modulation sources, not only semi-modular stuff like Korg the MS-series.
It's always worthwhile to use these "expression jacks" or whatever they're called.

No modular synth at hand?
Checkout plugin-LFOs.
Expert Sleepers Silent Way, MOTU Volta or NI Reaktor to name a few.
Even with non DC-coupled audio interfaces you can output control signals with speeds starting at around 10Hz...

[Looping Loddar]

Originally Posted by danielb

Hi all, I have attached an audio file demoing the Microzwerg lfos. It is pure output from the LFO, with no VCOs, filters, or VCA.
What you hear is: LFO1 sawtooth, LFO1 square, LFO2 sawtooth, LFO2 square. LFO2 square with its frequency being modulated by LFO1. As you can hear, LFO2 is faster than LFO1, and will actually go above audio range if you modulate it.

Thank you very much, danielb!
You made very useful examples. It is astonishing how versatile the Microzwerg is, imho.

Danielb, would you maybe make another example: Microzwerg with Filter-FM?
Pleeease!!!

[Futureman84]

As mentioned before,
The Minimoog uses vco 3 as It's LFO.
That can go nice and high..

I'm not entirely sure why the op wants to know which is the fastest.
It's not like going even faster is going to unlock some secret sound that has yet to be discovered.
Once your LFO goes over 20k, no one is going to notice, except the local dogs.

[danielb]

Originally Posted by Looping Loddar

Thank you very much, danielb!
You made very useful examples. It is astonishing how versatile the Microzwerg is, imho.

Danielb, would you maybe make another example: Microzwerg with Filter-FM?
Pleeease!!!

Do you mean a self-oscillating filter being modulated by a VCO, or VCF1 modulating VCF2?

Both are possible.

[rasseru]

this all just makes me want an animoo (*my* animoo) more

[Looping Loddar]

Originally Posted by danielb

Do you mean a self-oscillating filter being modulated by a VCO, or VCF1 modulating VCF2?
Both are possible.

LFO1 modulate LFO 2 (=>audiorange) modulate VCF Cutoff! To be more precise:

1. LFO1 Out -> LFO2 CV In
2. LFO2 Out -> MOD1 In

(maybe the first step only works in a fashionable form with slow LFO1 rates)

Try to set LFO2 in Audio range (2 Khz...5 Khz)

Then play with LFO1, LFO2 rates and the Knobs for
a) Mod1 (Dual VCF) in both directions
b) Filter Cutoff/Resonance and Space/Contour and Filter Modes

Could be very impressive.

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by networkacid

Yamaha CS5 goes to about 50hz, as do I think the other CS series (at least the monos do AFAIK)

Yamaha CS-15, 100 Hz. With extended LFO precision modification which i've designed, can be very useful as a mod source.

It can also be extended up to 4 kHz (Kevin Lightner designed the modification) via capacitor in parallel and a switch, though, the previous mod in that case is essential.

[danielb]

Originally Posted by Looping Loddar

LFO1 modulate LFO 2 (=>audiorange) modulate VCF Cutoff! To be more precise:

1. LFO1 Out -> LFO2 CV In
2. LFO2 Out -> MOD1 In

(maybe the first step only works in a fashionable form with slow LFO1 rates)

Try to set LFO2 in Audio range (2 Khz...5 Khz)

Then play with LFO1, LFO2 rates and the Knobs for
a) Mod1 (Dual VCF) in both directions
b) Filter Cutoff/Resonance and Space/Contour and Filter Modes

Could be very impressive.

Those connections get you some great 60s sci-fi noises.

I'll upload a recording tomorrow.

[enossified]

Originally Posted by Futureman84

Once your LFO goes over 20k, no one is going to notice, except the local dogs.

Actually dogs won't notice it unless you have really good tweeters on your speakers. Not too many speakers can reproduce frequencies above 20Khz and certainly not the sort of harmonics generated by using an LFO at that rate for modulation.

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by dhollmusik

What are your candidates?

Well, the obvious one would be SCI Pro One.

All the way up to 20kHz since VCO2 can be used as an LFO in the modulation section.

Same applies to Spectral Audio - Neptune via VCO3.

[danielb]

Originally Posted by Don Solaris

Well, the obvious one would be SCI Pro One.

All the way up to 20kHz since VCO2 can be used as an LFO in the modulation section.

Same applies to Spectral Audio - Neptune via VCO3.

Does it go slow enough to be a LOW frequency oscillator?

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by danielb

Does it go slow enough to be a LOW frequency oscillator?

Switch it to LOW and it will go low (sub audio). Switch VCO2 keytracking OFF and it will no longer track the keyboard - hence become a standard LFO.

Did i mention it sounds better than any of the new DSI stuff?

http://www.unease.se/mp3/Unease-Dont_Go_replica.mp3

[Rob Ocelot]

Originally Posted by Don Solaris

Yamaha CS-15, 100 Hz. With extended LFO precision modification which i've designed, can be very useful as a mod source.

It can also be extended up to 4 kHz (Kevin Lightner designed the modification) via capacitor in parallel and a switch, though, the previous mod in that case is essential.

Don, is that type of mod possible with the CS-10 or is there something special about the CS-15's LFO?

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by Rob Ocelot

Don, is that type of mod possible with the CS-10 or is there something special about the CS-15's LFO?

Probably possible. Didn't saw CS-10 schematics.

[criminallysmooth]

Monotribe has a fast LFO, used to make this sound:

[steinvegardstavi]

Clavia nord lead 3 goes to about 600 I think.