11.3

MALSTRÖM SYNTHESIZER303
Theory of operation
There are a number of different synthesis methods for generating sound, e.g. subtractive synthesis (which is used in
the Subtractor), FM synthesis, and physical modelling synthesis to mention but a few.
To give you a clear understanding of the inner workings of the Malström, it might be in order with a brief explanation
of what we call Graintable Synthesis.
What we refer to as graintable synthesis is actually a combination of two synthesis methods, granular synthesis and
wavetable synthesis.
• In granular synthesis, sound is generated by a number of short, contiguous segments (grains) of sound, each
typically from 5 to 100 milliseconds long.
The sound is varied by changing the properties of each grain and/or the order in which they are spliced together.
Grains can be produced either by a mathematical formula or by a sampled sound. This is a very dynamic synthesis
method capable of producing a great variety of results, although somewhat hard to master and control.
• Wavetable synthesis on the other hand, is basically the playback of a sampled waveform.
An oscillator in a wavetable synth plays back a single period of a waveform, and some wavetable synths also allow
for sweeping through a set of periodic waveforms. This is a very straightforward synthesis method, easily con-
trolled, but somewhat more restricted in results. The Malström combines these two into a synthesis method that
provides a very flexible way of synthesizing sounds with incredible flux and mutability.
The Malström combines these two into a synthesis method that provides a very flexible way of synthesizing sounds
with incredible flux and mutability.
It works like this:
• The oscillators in the Malström play back sampled sounds that have been subjected to some very complex pro-
cessing and cut up into a number of grains.
• A set of these periodic waveforms (grains) are spliced together to form a Graintable, which may be played
back to reproduce the original sampled sound.
• A Graintable may be treated just like a wavetable; e.g., you may choose to sweep through it, to move through
it at any speed without affecting pitch, to play any section of it repeatedly, to select from it static waveforms, to
jump between positions, etc., etc.
• It is also possible to perform a number of other tricks, all of which are described further on in this chapter.
Loading and Saving Patches
Loading and saving patches is done in the same way as with any other Reason device - see “Loading patches” and
“Saving patches”.