reaktor for burgeoning synthesists by dave linnenbank minor revision - 08 march 2005
[email protected] +1.617.515.0342 copyright david a. linnenbank © 2004; all rights reserved With gratitude to TLR for lunch, et cetera. table of contents -02: statement of purpose .....4 -01: setting-up .....5 00: hierarchy & overview .....7 01: getting started ...10 02: fixed oscillator ...19 03: tunable oscillator ...24 04: modulations ...32 05: finishing up ...41 appendix A: other platforms ...51 appendix B: computer shorthand ...62 copyright david a. linnenbank © 2004; all rights reserved 3 of 65 -02: statement of purpose Native Instruments Reaktor is a software application for sound generation and processing based around a traditional modular environment where individual units are freely connected to make larger systems. Approaching any program for the first time requires the user to learn the manufacturers vocabulary, often times matching ideas you already know with the programs preferred terms. On top of that, each application performs common functions in its own way. Some programs are particularly intuitive. Reaktor is somewhat less so. Reaktor is a highly capable environment for synthesis which has a steep learning curve. Many tutorials have already been written for new users of Reaktor, but few of these allude to the core ideas of synthesis. Most tutorials rely on Reaktors library of instruments and macros, telling the user how to connect these pre-made blocks without any explanation of why. For a beginning synthesist, this approach really misses the mark. This primer intends to acquaint persons who are new to modular programming with Reaktors characteristics while working within the most basic level of the program.