Numerology Techniques : Using Silent Way

This video shows how to use Expert Sleeper's Silent Way Voice Controller with Numerology. The Silent Way group of plugins allows you to use a "DC capable" audio interface as a CV control source for analog synthesizers. There are a number of advantages to this approach:

• Easy, reliable oscillator calibration for better tuning overall.
  
  
• When generating CV values for automation, you are no longer limited to the 127 steps of MIDI CC messages. This allows you to generate very smooth and accurate control values.
  
  
• You do not have to worry about "saturating" a hardware MIDI interface by sending it too many messages at once.

As of version 2.2, Numerology provides integrated support for Silent Way by including direct hardware audio input and output routing in the module. This makes setup very quick, as you don't have to create separate I/O channels to route audio around, as you do in some other hosts.

In addition to basic setup, calibration and sequencing, this video also demonstrates how to use the Pitch Glide feature in the MonoNote sequencing module (which makes it easy to generate controlled pitch bends), and an advanced oscillator cross-modulation technique: Two modulation sequencers are used to generate a slowly moving, complex signal controlling the pitches of two oscillators in a cross-modulation configuration. This setup provides a very controllable and repeatable way to explore this unusual synthesis technique.

In addition, the Numerology module that hosts Silent Way has direct inputs for Numerology's digital CV signal streams. These signals are used to control Silent Way parameters which in turn are converted into analog CV signals you can use with analog synthesizers. This gives you a direct translation from the world of Numerology CV's to analog CV's, opening up all sorts of new possibilities:

• You can use Numerology's Interval sequencers to generate separate pitch CV's for oscillators within a single synth patch, allowing you to create paraphonic sequences.
  
  
• You can combine multiple CV generators in Numerology (Sequencers, LFOs, and Envelopes) to generate complex control sources.
  
  
• You can use Numerology's Stack preset mechanism to setup custom presets for different control-source settings.
  
  
• You can setup MIDI control over preset changes and almost all Numerology parameters so that you can control everything from a hardware controller.

The trick to being productive with Silent Way is to be organized. Give yourself some "Studio Tech" time to get everything setup and running properly, then when you're ready to start composing, you can focus solely on that. Here are some general tips:

• Dedicate a group of inputs and outputs on your audio interface for use with Silent Way.
  
  
• Label both ends of your cables clearly, this makes it easy to track down connection problems.
  
  
• Setup a Numerology project with one or more "template" stacks for use with Silent Way, that will make it easy to start a new session quickly.

Using Numerology with Silent Way VC from Five12 on Vimeo.