#547

The Blofeld’s FM is far closer to analogue style FM than DX7 style, from what I remember (not owned Blofeld or MWXT for a number of year).

#548

Has anyone here put hands on a Kodamo EssenceFM?

I’ve reached the point where I’m reading the manual online; interface looks approachable, has microtonal support, even a proper multi mode which is nice to see (why is nearly everything 1 or 2 parts now?). Sound demos I’ve found are all tinkly bell noises and the like. Wondering how it does with less typically FM-ish tones.

ETA - Kodamo’s demos are pretty cheesy but there are some others on the Electronauts thread. This one caught my ear- Snipecatcher Demo

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#549

I’ve been using modular for 10 years, I found it extremely easy and intuitive. Then again I also found the prophet 12 module very easy and intuitive. I’ve also been designing sound in max for 15 years, so I don’t mind sub-units if they make sense.

I can’t believe the sound on this thing, even compared to the prophet 12 it is extremely powerful. It blows any other digital synth I’ve played out of the water. Obviously there are certain sounds you can only get with particular synths (old Ensoniq gear for example), but I am amazed at how flexible and powerful it is.

#550

I am curious did you get the Iridium? Will you be posting any sounds from it in the near future?
thanks.

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#551

I’d recommend the Blofeld over the Digitone if you want a mix of traditional/FMy sounds. The Blofeld’s multi-mode paired with the Octatrack with some CC’s mapped out could get you extremely far.

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#552

I did get an Iridium and I love it! I hope to find some time to record demos soon.

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#553

I would heartily recommend the Digitone based on this criteria. It sounds fantastic whether your an FM guru or not!

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#555

Ya sounds like you are already used to that type of interface. I’m coming from strictly modular, and even though I know what I want to do, I feel like I have to bounce back and forth from one page/menu/screen to another over and over to dial something in.

#556

This is very intriguing to me. I’m looking to sequence all my hardware devices and although I’ve used iOS for a long time now I picked up a Beatstep Pro with the intention of that being the focal point of my setup. Obviously that isn’t polyphonic, which hasn’t been a concern previously, but now I find myself wanting to utilise a Pajen firmware Volca Sample as a 4 voice poly and I’m unsure where to go with it.

#557

I just had a post swallowed by a connectivity problem. It was tl;dr:

Most of the apps in the Suite are polyphonic. For rhythmic or rhythm centered music there is the appropriately named “Rhythm” app, a Euclidean sequencer.

For ambient or other centered music, there is the “Particles” app in which bouncing particles inside a square produce a note when they touch the square’s lines. One has a lot of control over how the particles behave.

I mostly use the “Bassline” app for ever-evolving synth lines and there are some apps I haven’t used at all yet but can’t wait to figure out (“Cells”).

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#558

Excellent! Potentially a stupid/obvious question but I’ve never used my iPad with external devices. Is it as simple as connecting hardware via the MIDI connectivity of an audio interface and pointing things to the right channel?

#559

I use this thing, which makes iPad --> MIDI an absolute breeze:

Since that’s basically just an audio interface, I think you have the right idea.

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#560

20 characters of excellent!

#561

Modal do a VA in the same chassis as the Argon8. “Yeah, yeah, VA”, but it does sound really rather nice; Nick Batt’s demo is a good insight into both sound and UI.

#562

This looks to be better than minilogue. At least from the demos and specs :slight_smile:

#563

although it’s a somewhat different thing, given the Korg is actually analogue, and the Cobalt emphatically isn’t…

#564

I know there are people who can still see the difference, but in most cases i can’t. Maybe it’s the consequence of getting a modular to do noisy lo-fi stuff :slight_smile:

#565

I’m not saying I can see, or hear, the difference, but there is a reason you get more for your money when you go to DSP-land, which is why I find comparing them challenging. I find the Cobalt compelling as an instrument, though: full-size keys, aftertouch, looks like a very playable unit.

#566

Honestly over the years I’ve come to realize the following: digital has beat analog, period.

It’s true for sound quality, patch recall, value for money, flexibility in performance and recording. It’s pretty much everything at this point.

So why is analog still popular?

Maybe even increasingly so? I’d say it’s the following:

  • recreating “the sound” of past recordings;
  • authenticity, i.e. the warm and fuzzy feeling that the sound you’re hearing has been analog electricity all the way through the signal chain;
  • lifestyle collecting, similar to other “outdated” but thriving industries like watches;
  • audio voodoo.

There’s nothing wrong with succumbing to any of the above, I know I’m a sucker for the Moog Sound myself. However, if we’re honest, it’s art for art’s sake.

Hardware vs. software

Now this is a separate but related issue. I’ve come to realize that purely software-driven workflows lack a significant part of usability of hardware devices: the tactile look and feel of operating an instrument.

That’s why eurorack enthusiasts don’t all go VCV rack or Reaktor Blocks. The physical act of manipulating the instrument is somehow deeply meaningful to human beings. This is why you have all those “boutique” recreations of past classics by Roland, Yamaha, and so on. They’re software in a box but they sell pretty well regardless.

The Golden Grail

I think software will rule the world of music but the make or break of a given “instrument” will be an awesome expressive tactile controller. I think the future belongs to devices like Ableton Push, Maschine, Monome Grid and Arc, Linnstrument, and so on.

What does this have to do with polysynths?

Well, historically analog polysynths have been hard to construct for cheap in hardware. I guess apart from the Minilogue XD it’s still true even today. And if you’re going digital, why bother with a closed box that limits what you can modulate and recall from your DAW project?

Yeah, in my mind something like Massive X + an awesome controller makes much more sense than a VA hardware synth. Of course, this is an opinion of a rando on the Internet. I’m not out to destroy your worldview here :v:t2:

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#567

What’s interesting here is that if native instruments at some point made hardware version of massive - I am sure it would be a hit. Yet there is none.