Readers send in details of their own synth patches and how to play them...

YAMAHA CS01 'Bass Pipes'

Lynne Tennant, Gwent

The CS01 may not be in the same sonic league as its big brothers in the DX range, but it does offer an inexpensive entry into the world of synthesis and is an extremely portable package. Lynne's Bass Pipes patch can also double as a Bassoon if the ramp wave is used, and the footage may be set to either 16" or 32". A brighter sound can be obtained by using the breath control, while a slow vibrato (VCO modulation) may be added to taste.

(Click image for higher resolution version)

ROLAND JUNO 6/60 'A Choired Taste'

Ian Corden, Stoke-on-Trent

Ian comments that the settings are best adjusted carefully in order to obtain the massed 'ahhh' effect characteristic of an ensemble of choir singers. In particular, the VCF Freq setting is of critical importance, because drastic adjustment enables a wide range of soft and hard vocal sounds to be produced. Incidentally, noise is added to give the sound a breathy character, and the optimum setting for this should be around 4.

(Click image for higher resolution version)

YAMAHA CS60 'Vibes Alive'

Brian Thomas, Solihull

Many moons have passed since Yamaha launched the faithful CS60, but there's at least one that's still being put to good use in tne West Midlands.

Brian's patch sounds like a cross between a glockenspiel and a vibraphone, and he comments that the HPF and LPF settings are extremely critical: the output of the filter section should be a piercing note a few octaves above the pitch of the sine wave. A pretty good pipe organ sound can also be achieved simply by experimenting with the envelopes and relative levels in the VCA sections.

(Click image for higher resolution version)

YAMAHA DX7 'Syn-Phizz'

A Marshall, Brighton

'Syn-Phizz' is modestly described by its creator as a decent lead sound (not at all wimpish) with a full initial output followed by a sustained organ-like noise. Playing with increased velocity gives a brassier sound, while a portamento setting of 10 can be added to good effect, if that's the sort of thing that gives you whizz...

(Click image for higher resolution version)