User Guide

22
The philosophy behind Neuron
Neuron basics
The philosophy behind Neuron
Contemporary music productions have benefited
from computer assistance for years now. Though
computers have assumed the role of the actual
recording equipment, they come in many other
musical guises. Case in point: Where in the past
synthesizers and samplers were made up of discrete
electronic components, today they run as programs
on a DSP (digital signal processor).
The past five years have seen the advent of a
technology so powerful that it allows emulations of
musical instruments to be integrated into computer-
assisted music systems in the form of software plug-
ins. This lets you enjoy the convenience of accessing
virtual instruments right there on your computer.
The instruments appear on a graphical interface on
your screen, alongside the actual recording software.
This view depicts the various control features –
faders, knobs, buttons, switches, and so forth – that
serve to "play" a virtual instrument such as a sampler
or synthesizer.
It is safe to say that today this technology is the
industry standard. However, despite the unassailable
convenience, ever more users are voicing their
dissatisfaction with the ergonomic shortcomings of
playing an instrument via screen, computer
keyboard, and mouse. Musicians and producers alike
feel that this uninspiring working method is an
encumbrance, hampering creativity and the all-
important impelling force of musical intuition. The
growing success of specialized remote controllers –
outboard gear sporting real control features - attests
to the fact that many musicians miss the touchy-feely
vibe of a real instrument.
The irony of this retro yearning is that most virtual
instruments are computer-generated emulations of
what were once real instruments. But the allure of
the corporeal is compelling, and savvy users have
come to appreciate that tactile sensations play a
part in making music, and that hands-on handling of
an electronic instrument’s man-machine interface
gets the creative juices flowing.
Though this bias towards the palpable assisted in the
birth of Neuron, tactility is just one of many aspects.
Taken in its entirety, it is nothing short of the next
logical step in the ongoing development of synthesis
engines. And thus its man-machine interface is an
organic extension of the synthesizer’s heart and
soul, the synthesis engine, and a remote control
designed specifically to afford direct access to its
formidable powers.
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