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Hardware synth that allows pan per oscillator?

givemenoughrope said:
Dave Smith Tetra
Click to expand...

Interesting... do many other DSI instruments offer this? My question was prompted as I was starting some sound design on my brand new Prophet-6, and wished I could pan the OSCs separately.
 
I know the mopho does also. You'd have to go the manuals...the midi cc list at the bottom of each and look for pan, then obv assign all voices to the stereo out instead of individual outs. I'd imagine that most do though. Curious to hear what you come up with...
 
Modular :grin:

Both my Virus TI and OB Xpander have program/multi panorama and per voice pan respectively.
 
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Have been considering modular :)

So here's the question, though, and it may be that only someone familiar with both guitar and synths could answer:

In my (very (painfully?)) extensive experience with tube guitar amps, although rackmount offers a ton of versatility and flexibility, it never compared with the base tone of a well-made, integrated amp head.

Example: a Rectifier Preamp + a Rectifier Poweramp sounds good, but just doesn't have the depth, response, or mojo of a Dual Rec.

Is modular kind of like that? Crazy flexibility, unlimited routing options, but at the expense of some tonal depth?
 
There's no need to give up tonal depth when you go with modular. I can speak really only from the Eurorack format, but there are just so many Eurorack developers out there now, so there's just no shortage of really good sounding modules, both on the analog and digital sides of things.

The only ways you'll find yourself more limited (than using non-modular hardware synths) by making the leap into modular, would be:
  • Limited funds/empty wallet syndrome. It can become very expensive, very quickly.
  • Limited by your own creativity
  • Limited by your own knowledge of synth programming/patching. If a person really hasn't put in the time to fully learn and understand synth programming basics, they aren't going to get good results from modular without a huge investment in time to develop that knowledge. However, it can be a good way to learn.
  • Limited productivity from simply getting lost in "playing" with the unlimited possibilities. It can be more difficult to develop a productive workflow using modular compared to VI or hardware, simply because there's a lot more work that goes into it.
  • Limited ability to ever recreate the same thing twice. This may or may not be an issue for everyone, but it's worth considering.

To some extent, it depends on what your goals are. If you get into modular with the desired outcome to create the same kinds of sounds that you can accomplish with a fully integrated hardware synth, then you're really kind of missing the point, and wasting your time and money.

If you get into it with the desired outcome to create truly unique sounds, textures, and sound design that you can't easily accomplish with a fully integrated hardware synth, then I'd say take the plunge.

In other words, if you get into it, and think you're going to piece together a system and have it sound like an Oberheim, I'd say you're better off not going that route.
 
Thanks for all that! I think what I'm aiming for is somewhere in-between those 2 possibilities; creating unique sounds / textures / SD not easily accomplished with integrated hardware synth THAT have a familiar foundation tone. Not sure if that makes sense.

Something I do a lot of is creating loops by playing live instruments (ex: I have a Prophet-6), then mangling the resulting stem with a plethora of plugins. I like that the end result sounds like a mangled Prophet; familiar, but impossible to do with the Prophet alone. I'd like to be able to do some / most (/ all?) of that with hardware, bc I honestly hate doing musical work on a computer (though I've become quite proficient at it these days).

I started by asking about panning, bc I'd like to be able to layer and mix sounds, too.
 
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You can do this on a John Bowen Solaris... with each of four voices, each with their own filter and envelope too, and still have an VCA envelope and one more envelope to spare!
 
You would have to find a used one or wait a year to spend $4,000 as John is transitioning his manufacturing process.

HGW used his for one sound on The Martian score.

Nathanael Iversen said:
You can do this on a John Bowen Solaris... with each of four voices, each with their own filter and envelope too, and still have an VCA envelope and one more envelope to spare!
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I'd go for a modular setup. Especially if you enjoy external sound processing. Theres some really great stuff for that in euro rack. Check out make noise morphagene, mutable instruments clouds, ect. I reach for modular when I want more tonal depth, uniqueness, expression. It's a great compliment to the prophet 6.
 
On the modular side, I have a small Mutable Instruments rig. Their modules are very creative and do things that aren't in integrated synths. That was the point for me. I didn't want standard subtractive architecture. I consider that rig to be my "mad scientist lab". A place for experimentation and wild ideas. It is just two rack mounted 84 space boats, but can go really wild places!
 
Greg said:
I'd go for a modular setup. Especially if you enjoy external sound processing. Theres some really great stuff for that in euro rack. Check out make noise morphagene, mutable instruments clouds, ect. I reach for modular when I want more tonal depth, uniqueness, expression. It's a great compliment to the prophet 6.
Click to expand...

Nathanael Iversen said:
On the modular side, I have a small Mutable Instruments rig. Their modules are very creative and do things that aren't in integrated synths. That was the point for me. I didn't want standard subtractive architecture. I consider that rig to be my "mad scientist lab". A place for experimentation and wild ideas. It is just two rack mounted 84 space boats, but can go really wild places!
Click to expand...

Thanks guys! The more I think about it, the more I think I will finally try out the modular route. Seems like there are eurorack mixer modules, too, so I could get that panning per oscillator element in there, too.

Recall is important to me, so what it will probably end up looking like for me is:
1) Building a modular setup that allows for some really unique, deep, textural sounds
2) Taking a picture :) save the pic with some key ID
3) Multi-sampling the rig to create a 96k Falcon version of the sound with the same ID

Yeah, Mutable Instruments Elements, Clouds, and Braids all appeal to me.

My thought for the modular rig is:
- 3 rows (104hp each? sound good? too much?)
- 1st row - all unique / flexible sound sources (OSCs + sampler(s))
- 2nd row - VCA, an LFO unit or two, at least 2 envelopes, extra space used for FX unit(s)
- 3rd row - MIDI-CV converter, a filter unit or two, some more interesting FX units

Anything I'm missing? I'd plan on picking a pre-wired, powered rack.

Recommendations for any of those? Some things I've liked the look / sound of so far:
- MI Elements, Braids, Clouds
- Eowave Domino
- 1010 Music Bitbox
- Blue Lantern Stereo Delay and Spacemoth v3 and ADSR Looping Env Gen2
- Verbose Complex OSC
- Make Noise Phonogene
- Soulsby Oscitron

I started looking at ModularGrid to try planning it out, but that's pretty overwhelming / daunting when you don't already know what you're looking for.
 
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I'd recommend you navigate to the Muffwiggler site, and create an account on that forum. They have lots of "stickied" topics that are super helpful for beginners.

The best advice I can give is to be sure to load up with VCAs. A modular set up without enough VCAs is like cooking with a rotisserie that doesn't rotate. Equally missing the point.

Here's what I have (in addition to a Mother 32 and an 0 Coast).

modulargrid_306364.jpg


modulargrid_310964.jpg
 
I have all three: Elements, Braids, clouds... Great modules. Elements is especially wonderful. I like modal synthesis as it yields very "real" sounding things - lots of subtlety to the sounds and very expressive. Their Yarns MIDI to CV converter is quite good also
 
3 rows sounds like a good template that will last you at least a year unless you get really obsessed.

I'd look at the 4ms DLD, everyone raves about it and I love it too. Maybe go for a sequencer like the Rene (takes time to learn) or the Metropolis (very intuitive.) Definitely get a quantizer for keeping things pitched to scales, modes, ect. I like the ornament and crime, it can do so much more than that too.

I have yet to find an eurorack reverb I really like. Always prefer ITB plugins for that.
 
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