On the Evolvers, "Oscillator Slop" is a DCO parameter that can be set per-patch (range 0-5. Frankly it never did much that I could hear, even at its max setting). DSI didn't talk about how it worked, but I speculate it added some randomness to the clock used to generate the waveshape.) I would expec...

A big part of the sound of those orchestra hits is the signal path and processing (compression, distortion, etc.) applied to the mix. If it were me, I'd just sample them right off the record. I doubt they were multi-sampled and for playing live, it will be more than adequate. Nearly any 2-osc subtra...

Vintage analog synths are a pain to maintain and service, and are usually very expensive. Pure conjecture. We discussed this somewhere on vse at length and came to the conclusion that "vintage" is not the contributing factor it is sometimes made out to be. My experience finds this to be the case, a...

Vintage analog synths are a pain to maintain and service, and are usually very expensive. Modern analog synths comparable to the Ion don't really exist, unless you just want more than 2 oscs and an LPF, in which case, yeah, Prophet-8 is pretty much it. Evolver is limited to 4 voices unless you spend...

Well, in my case I only bought the synth because this mod was coming out! Granted, I got mine for cheap, but the original JX-3P, while very nice, is pretty limited. Just to recap the new features: - 256 patches, 8 sequences (122 max steps, polyphonic), and 16 patterns can be stored and edited - MIDI...

It's pretty cool. It's just about now not buggy enough to use. I am one firmware rev behind the current release, and sometimes it won't boot. If I adjust the filter using MIDI CC while holding down a note, it usually freaks out. But the addition of the new features does open up a world of possibilit...

Nord Lead 2. Good intro to basic synth architecture, well-designed, and if you find an old one you can get it for cheap. I think any synth with lots of menu diving (JX-3P, DX-7, etc.) is a poor choice because the interface will get in the way. You want something with knobs on it for your first keybo...

I think what Numan is doing now is less "embarrassing" than trying to perfectly recreate his look and sound from 30+ years ago. Would we rather he was trying to go dubstep, with hoodies and Skrillex glasses? I will freely admit to being a big Numan fan. I will also freely admit that he's made many r...

I'm the guy who wrote the "Definitive Guide". In "independence", i was addressing the parameters that let you drive each side of the filter independently. These parameters work in addition to the parameters that drive both sides of the filter (the regular cutoff and resonance).

The guitar pedal route is not bad, but guitar pedals are designed for a different signal level and impedance, so you'll need DIs or something around it.

Also make sure you're not confusing "more noise" and "high end attenuation" and "distortion" with "warmer". Or maybe they are the same thing.

The "role" of a synth in a band is whatever you want it to be - you can play leads, bass lines, chords, make weird noises, or all of the above. Mostly depends on what everyone else in the band is doing, and what they want. For the most part, synths are usually like a 2nd guitar - mostly they play ch...

1992:
- Casio CZ-101
- Yamaha DX-7
- Akai S1000 with 16 MB expansion
- Roland R-5 drum machine

At the time I was mostly writing on guitar, so I had 2 electric guitars, a Roland GP-8 effects unit, and an amp rig.

All of this was recorded on a Tascam cassette 8-track machine.

I don't know what the different models are like - the Dartmouth studio's unit was always "latest and greatest" and often had beta software. I would do some extensive Google searches. As for sequencing, the Synclavier does not really compare to a DAW. The Synclavier's sequencing was originally design...

I studied with Jon Appleton at Dartmouth and used their full-on Synclavier system extensively for 4 years. The Synclavier offered a number of things no other synth or workstation did quite the same way (for example, its ability to do macrotuning and microtuning). Its synthesis engine is slightly dif...

Automatic Gainsay wrote:Mmmm... mono mode. 6 or so DCOs stacked atop each other in perfectly aligned and horribly irritating pitch.

You can choose to operate it that way, but the developer has thoughtfully also included a "voice detune" parameter.