This is a fun little additive synth I created in Pro Tools 10 using only aux input tracks and signal generators. I used volume automation for every sound, including the drums.
Screen capture recorded with Camtasia Studio.
Motion Graphics created in After Effects.
The idea for the project came while playing with SCAD's new Euphonix Motor Fader banks. I experimented with volume automation for the motor faders to jump around with.
The next iteration of this project was to create a playable instrument. Using ProTools HD, I created a session that could play 16 notes, with 16 harmonics for each note. I routed each note bus through an Aux track, and mapped those to 16 motor faders on an Avid ICON D-Control control surface. I created 16 VCA buses to control each of the 16 harmonics, and mapped those to the other 16 motor faders on the D-Control. I had to route the audio outputs through fairly heavy compression to keep the 256 individually programmed signal generators from overloading the system.
Here is a video of my presentation of the PTAS (Pro Tools Additive Synthesizer), to the PASO (Professional Audio Student Organization) at the Savannah College of Art and Design's 5.1 Surround Sound Mixing stage.