#77

Probably most intriguing Soma product ever.
Still… I’m just not sure how to incorporate this in my setup I guess I’ll wait for a used one

#78

Last night I got what sounded like pitch-shifted delay coming out of the Pulsar. I kept poking around the fx module to figure out how it was achieved. Eventually I realized it wasn’t coming from the fx at all. I must have sent some stepped modulation to one of the oscillators’ tuning pegs. Wife called me to bed before I could figure out how I did it though.

#79

For those have had a Pulsar for a while now, are you still enjoying it? I got the email and I’m debating, it’s not cheap. Are you able to get a lot out of it or is it narrower in its sound than you’d thought?

#80

I’ve had one for over six months now - and have been using it in almost everything I’ve done in that time.

For me, it has been like finding that orchestral instrument that feels totally comfortable: This is not just a keeper, it’s clearly going to be a primary instrument for a long time.

Some things to consider:

Sure, you can externally sequence it, but to me it shines — screams — as something you perform on. From the touch-pad loopers, to the very carefully scaled control knobs, to the very visceral patching (even with just touching posts…) it is meant to be played. For me, this has meant lots of time spent in daily practice with it… but I think it has begun to pay off handsomely.

Many aspects of it have a wider range than you might think after your first 40 hours with it… There are strange corners you can maneuver the voices into which are really unique and lovely… Other aspects are what they are: the BD voice, in particular, does have a certain style of kick/bass drum feel to it that will be a characteristic marker of the device. But hey - a cello is really really versatile, but it’s still a cello! And the 808 is iconic in its limited range.

If you approach it as a modular, or as an “industrial techno drum machine”… you’ll probably feel like it is a lot of money for such… The patching and modulation is very unlike other systems - and takes time to develop a relationship with. And as a drum machine, the LR isn’t a traditional drum machine sequencer, and using an external sequencer isn’t going to give you that XoX or Elektron like experience. (Exception: I do use an external sequencer to drive the Bass Synth voice when I’m running it as a bass line or as a monophonic line - in this role it works great.)

As a deep instrument to learn, to struggle with at first, and then become old friends with, and to perform on - I think it is well worth the price.

5 Likes
#81

I still enjoy it immensely. It’s huge fun to patch. That said, I’m not keeping it. I’m just about ready to let it go.

#82

I’ve had mine probably four months. I’m torn, on the one hand the approach, playability, patchability and sheer range of interesting, different and fun ways to interact and integrate it are incredible. I find elements of the sounds it can make are wearing though, it definitely has ‘a sound’ to it. As @mzero has said you can push instruments/channels into new territories (and I still find new ways after four months of heavy use) but it’s hard to get away from core sound, which I’m not 100% sold on I must be honest.
I have just picked up an Onde however, which is gorgeous and I picked up a usb-dc converter cable which will let me take my Pulsar outside and power it from the Onde. I think the transients of the Pulsar will sound especially nice through the Onde. Time will tell.

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#83

Hi everyone.

Here are some of my observations on the Pulsar-23 since I took delivery of it beginning of May 2020.
I got my Pulsar quite early I guess, was told I was somewhere in the top 20 of reservations :wink:

My main gripe with it is how difficult it can be to make it play well behaved and in time with others. It’s not evident to find really good matches for clocking duties. Pulsar + Tempi e.g. is hard to get tight. Elektron devices that keep sending out Midi clock even when stopped are not a good match either. I was going to get rid of a second hand Pyramid I got some time back in a trade, but it is the only device I own that has to option to STOP sending MIDI clock when the sequencer is stopped so I’m keeping it just for that feature!
I’ll trade you a Conductive Labs MRCC for my Pyramid, if it proves to have that same feature, which is not entirely clear from the videos I saw to date.

For such an open ended machine I really think SOMA dropped the ball by not including some low prime numbers in the clock divider. They were thinking of non-2^n numbers when they designed the Shaos, so why not in the Clock section?

The sounds are wild, especially when combining patching with highly resonant filter settings. I do find I often want to blend between source and resonance, and that can be be tricky to control in volume, esp when playing live. I’d love to know about some pedals, compression or such that can make sure I don’t bleed anybody’s ears out when I play on a big system. Any tips are welcome!

As for playing it, it is unlike anything else I’ve ever touched. Your grasp of rhythm and flow are brutally on display, whether that be virtuoso or dilettant. I love it. I notice my absent minded desk drumming has changed too, more combo’s inspired by the Pulsar loopers.

My first reaction to seeing a Pulsar being played out by someone else still has to happen, very curious to see others play the same instrument IRL, in the flesh, in the moment.

Anyway, those are some of my thoughts

5 Likes
#84

An MPC will not send clock when stopped and so works well (or at least my MPC-X did).

I find Tempi and Pulsar works well though (Pulsar is clocking Tempi). I can recommend a PulsarBuddy which helps integration too.

1 Like
#85

That’s worth a try, I did it the other way round and got skipped loopers all the time. Thanks for the tips!

#86

No problem. I’m also using Pulsar to the mod input of Tempi to step through clock division settings. With CV going to Pulsar’s clock mod input you can create some wild rhythms.

#87

People talk about the sound of the Pulsar but it’s ALSO a wonderful CV utility.

Viewing it as a master recordable trigger sequencer for other drum modules or all the attenuation, inverting for external signals, etc. There’s so much there.

6 Likes
#88

also curious about pulsar parings! [mzero once told me a chilean merlot and it still cracks me up]

something about leaving the main machine for a little twiddle on ancillary equipment works really well with my workflow, lets you take a breath/look at something else etc

although redundant, i’m planning on routing Pulsar through my Boss PS-5 pitch shifter eventually for a subtle stereo image [wet/dry mixing, detuning left and right, etc]…with some clever patching i’m sure the drum machine is perfectly capable of stereo in it’s own right outside of the obvious MAD! pin

any pedal/effect/compression recommendations from seasoned players?

#89

Ok, I gave in and put myself on the list for a Pulsar. I have no idea how many months deep that list is. In the meantime, wondering if anyone has sampled the pulsar for use in, say, a Digitakt? And if not, would someone volunteer? I need those kicks in m my life.

#90

i have neither a Pulsar nor a Digitakt, but Soma put out a whole bunch of samples of the Pulsar (and many of their other instruments) for use in one of their contests earlier this year, and it seems the google drive link to the samples archive is still active. i didn’t have time to enter the contest myself, but i’ll jump at any opportunity for sounds from the Pulsar, Dvina, and Pipe

2 Likes
#91

I’ve recently sold my Pulsar (I’m 90% sure to Aphex, but that’s a different story) as whilst I loved it’s complexity and possibilities i tired of the raw sound.

Before shipping it off I was sure to sample it. You can find the samples here if interested to download. Within the ‘MPC’ folder are some trimmed one shots.

Enjoy.

15 Likes
#92

I’m 90% sure people want the different story too.

12 Likes
#93

I’ve had my P23 for over a month now and even though that’s not long, I’m really enjoying it. Quite a cool range of tones to work with and the interactive patching is great. Patching with alligator clicks is perhaps a little fiddlier than banana jacks or euro type jacks but the cables are cheap and good for experimenting with! Plus with all the connectors, you have built in touch points like some of the early Ciat Lonbarde gear.

I’ve only used the P23 by itself and sometimes with a Lyra 8 so have yet to sequence externally. I like to explore all of it’s standalone capabilities first and learn everything about the machine. Having said that, I just received an Ornament 8 in the post today so I’m about to hook that up! :smiley:

Here’s a generative patch using nothing but the Pulsar 23.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CI-I1nyBIta/

#94

anyone have tips for offsetting voltages coming from eurorack?

im sequencing pulsar with a euclidean circles sometimes and it works super good but quietly since pulsar is 0–10V and euro is typically +/-5V if im not mistaken … folks have recommended maths or disting m4 but im wondering if there’s a more streamlined solution/a dedicated module for the job

#95

I don’t think there’s any “typical” range in eurorack–my modules run the gamut from +/-5V, 0-5V, 0-8V, and 0-10V. A Frap Tools 321 can scale, invert, and offset three channels of cv–including doubling the signal, so you should be able to handle any voltage processing.

#96

thank you for the recommendation!

1 Like