Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Hi there.
I just got the Doepfer Dark Energy synth. It´s quite satifying, but haveing tried to figure out how to get the internal arpeggiator to work have somewhat been harder than i thought.
I´m not at all a tech wiz when it comes to midi.
So i tried to set it up via Logic - i got it buzzing but i simply can´t figure out what exactly to do.
I connected the VCO4 output on the back to the VCO F on the front panel, but the notes won´t scale.
If anyone is able to help, send a midi file or just point me in the right direction i would be more than pleased.
Thanks in advance.
- Mass-G

PS: Manual of the Doepfer Dark Energy pdf -
http://www.doepfer.de/pdf/Dark_Energy_Manual.pdf

It doesn't have an internal arpeggiator.

If you want to play it with the arpeggiator in Logic you don't need to patch anything to start off with, the synth is normalled to work in a straight-up way without any patching. Are you using it via USB? My guess is you haven't got your midi settings right in Logic, open Audio Midi Settings and create an object for the Dark Energy, that should help you select it properly in Logic.

Thanks for the quick reply, i am however still wondering what they (Doepfer) are referring to in the manual page 21-23 in the pdf.

manual states indeed sth bout an internal arpeggiator...?

Oh, my mistake. I just spent 40 minutes downloading the manual (internet connection throttled ) and I see it now.

That table on page 21 explains what to send it to do different things when in midi learn mode. So if you wanted to turn it on hold down the midi learn button on the back with a pen or something, then send it a program change 19 message. To change to internal sync send program change 22. To Turn the Arp back off again send it a 19 again.

You should be able to send it a program change message easily from Logic, just create a new external midi device and then open it up on the left side of the main window and select the program number you need.

Sorry about the misinformation, the arpeggiator isn't a feature I'd heard about until now and it doesn't seem to be mentioned on their website, just in the manual.

yeah, another plus for the dark energy.

pflosi wrote:yeah, another plus for the dark energy.

I know, and I just read that you can connect as many of them as you want up by taking the sides off and wiring them together to make them polyphonic! I was thinking the next thing I'd get would be an XS but I could get about 3 of these for the same price...

they are also available as eurorack modules! it's the A-111-5.

doesnt look as nice as a dark energy (knobs), but it is rackmountable... would be easy to combine some of them. there is also the example of a 4voice on the doepfer page.

definitely worth checking out.

i don't how they connect to each other but there's also the mfb that goes for a little more then the dark energy but seems to have more to offer?

edit: but the dark energy provide pwm on all waveform!

Really happy to see all the excitement and positive feedback regarding both my issue and the Dark Energy in general.
I can say that haveing spent a couple of days with it now, it is really a lovely little thing.
Hooked it up to my sherman filterbank 1 and tried different combinations of modulation and its just pure joy.
I think it might be worth, if anyone wants too of course, to make a video or walkthrough regarding the arpeggiator. I doubt i am the only one that might be a bit confused about it, not to mention haveing even found out about it.
Thanks again for the great support

PS: Once again i got to add that midi have never been my friend for some odd reason. Would it be possible to send the arp info by connecting my M-Audio Keystation 49 (http://www.m-audio.com/images/global/ma ... G_EN01.pdf) and pressing F4#-A3-A4-C5 (beeing control 18 from 0-127) while its in advanced mode and the energy is in learn mode. So far i´ve had no success but someone more skilled (like a monkey) might have tried just this and got it working.