I have seen the light

[Synthnoob]

 I understand now I have seen the light that is DSI. My Rev2 is my first Dave Smith Instrument. This keyboard is so powerful and has such a personality completely different from my other gear. I can't stop playing it. I haven't even heard all the preset sounds I get lost creating my own. I didn't know what to expect really when I got my Prophet. I knew what I wanted it to sound like but every demo I've ever heard of this thing was merely scratching the tip of the Rev2 Iceberg. I can't stop making this face when I make a cool patch with it ---> and I'm only a Synth noob. I can't wait till I'm at least a Synth Novice  . I'd like to thank the guy or maybe gal that brought this synth before me and returned it back to the store so I could find it and score that sweet open box deal on this baby

Short question though. How are you guys managing the custom sounds you make? Do you save them all on the Keyboard or can you back them up into a computer file? I've always had bad luck with saving sounds just wanna know if there's an external source you can save your patches on.

[jg666]

I know what you mean... My Rev2 was my first DSI synth and I felt just the same as you, so much so that I've now bought the DSI Pro2 as well Sadly my Moog Sub32 hasn't been fired up for some time now though!

For saving the patches I purchased the Soundtower editor (standalone version) and this allows you to save stuff to you computer as it has a librarian feature. I believe you can save stuff to your computer using the free midiox software but I like the on screen editor/librarian option.

[Gerry Havinga]

I understand now I have seen the light that is DSI. My Rev2 is my first Dave Smith Instrument. This keyboard is so powerful and has such a personality completely different from my other gear. I can't stop playing it. I haven't even heard all the preset sounds I get lost creating my own. I didn't know what to expect really when I got my Prophet. I knew what I wanted it to sound like but every demo I've ever heard of this thing was merely scratching the tip of the Rev2 Iceberg. I can't stop making this face when I make a cool patch with it ---> and I'm only a Synth noob. I can't wait till I'm at least a Synth Novice  . I'd like to thank the guy or maybe gal that brought this synth before me and returned it back to the store so I could find it and score that sweet open box deal on this baby

Short question though. How are you guys managing the custom sounds you make? Do you save them all on the Keyboard or can you back them up into a computer file? I've always had bad luck with saving sounds just wanna know if there's an external source you can save your patches on.

Well said! For me the choice last year was Deep Mind 12 or Rev 2. Two shops, in two different countries and my own son pointed me away from Behringer to the Rev2.

For me also the Rev2 was my first DSI synth and like you I cannot stop fiddling with it and creating new sounds and new tracks based on those sounds. So I also bought a second hand Evolver and love Dave's designs even more...... Both the Rev2 and the Evolver feature now on practically every new track I am writing.

To answer your question, for all my synths I have at last one editor (either VST or standalone). For the Rev2 I only use it for patch management as designing sounds is so very straightforward on the Rev2. For the Evolver I use it for sound design and patch management, till I have mastered the Evolver's physical interface matrix, eventually I will only use the editor for patch management.

When I have used a patch for a track I do not wipe it from the instrument and I make a backup copy on the computer. I also make backups of the backup, on-site and off-site 

[Proton]

Iīve seen the light, too ;-)

Itīs a magical instrument. Every time I edit patches it surprises me and I end up where I didnīt think of before. Very flexibel sound and the modulation possibilities are awesome. Using it on nearly every track.

For patch archiving (and more...) I use the SoundTower Rev2 Editor. In combination with the Rev2 a powerful system.

[skrohmer]

Short question though. How are you guys managing the custom sounds you make?

http://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php/topic,2147.msg23286.html#msg23286

BTW: It's not my page, but I'm using it for storing and arranging the sounds.

[AlainHubert]

I hear you Synthnoob. I was once like you, discovering the wonderful world of subtractive synthesis. But back in my day (1980's) monster synths like the Prophet 5, OBx-A, Jupiter 8, and the Minimood D were so expensive to be out of reach for a student like I was. In today's money, most of them would be in the $8K range.

Today, the Prophet REV2 is indeed a monster polyphonic synthesizer. And it does offer a lot in terms of sonic possibilities as well as being accessible. Moreover, it does sound better than the Prophet 08 (from what I can remember). I wouldn't have thought it possible to get a 16 voice analog synth this affordable in my lifetime.
Let's not forget the OB6 though, which is in a class all its own. It can do things the REV2 couldn't thanks to its fantastic sounding continuously variable multimode filters (based on Tom Oberheim's design).
Combining them together, like I do, is pure joy. We can thank Dave Smith and the DSI team for creating them.

All that being said, and despite all that I've said above, there will always be only on king in my studio, and that's the old Minimoog D. But it's extremely well surrounded by the REV2, the OB6, and yes the DM12 too (which probably motivated Dave to come up with the REV2, let's be honest). Competition between companies always benefit the consumer in the end.
And if it allows us to be able to afford powerful electronic musical instruments like the REV2, then I'm all for it !

[Gerry Havinga]

I hear you Synthnoob. I was once like you, discovering the wonderful world of subtractive synthesis. But back in my day (1980's) monster synths like the Prophet 5, OBx-A, Jupiter 8, and the Minimood D were so expensive to be out of reach for a student like I was. In today's money, most of them would be in the $8K range.

Today, the Prophet REV2 is indeed a monster polyphonic synthesizer. And it does offer a lot in terms of sonic possibilities as well as being accessible. Moreover, it does sound better than the Prophet 08 (from what I can remember). I wouldn't have thought it possible to get a 16 voice analog synth this affordable in my lifetime.
Let's not forget the OB6 though, which is in a class all its own. It can do things the REV2 couldn't thanks to its fantastic sounding continuously variable multimode filters (based on Tom Oberheim's design).
Combining them together, like I do, is pure joy. We can thank Dave Smith and the DSI team for creating them.

All that being said, and despite all that I've said above, there will always be only on king in my studio, and that's the old Minimoog D. But it's extremely well surrounded by the REV2, the OB6, and yes the DM12 too (which probably motivated Dave to come up with the REV2, let's be honest). Competition between companies always benefit the consumer in the end.
And if it allows us to be able to afford powerful electronic musical instruments like the REV2, then I'm all for it !

Alain, sounds as we are from the same generation (80's synth enthusiasts). Only in my case I waited till the ripe age of 56 before I seriously started into making my own music. Till a few yours ago I mainly enjoyed listening to the modern Klaus Schulze's, Loom, the new Tangerine Dream and so on ;-). I have owned a synth since my mid 20's but never thought I would ever be good enough to write stuff myself.

Sitting on the other side now, doing my own sound design and all that, this is kind of a new world. Could you please enlighten me more on the OB6 and how it complements the Rev2?

Cheers in advance 

[AlainHubert]

Sitting on the other side now, doing my own sound design and all that, this is kind of a new world. Could you please enlighten me more on the OB6 and how it complements the Rev2?

Cheers in advance 

Hello Gerry.
I'd be glad to try. Obviously the OB6 has less modulation routing possibilities, and less voices than the REV2. But it has got one thing the REV2 does not; a multimode filter, and continuously variable to boot ! You can do things that are not possible on a REV2, like creating a patch with a modulated notch cutoff frequency, or even going from low pass to high pass going thru notch with the LFO. Moreover, the oscillators are producing slightly more harmonics than on the REV2, creating slightly more sizzle from a string patch (when carefully programmed). It's hard to describe into words, but it has an "Oberheim" flavour to it. Understandable since the voice cards were designed by Tom derived from his renowned SEM design.

The REV2 can do slow pads and strings better than the OB6, thanks to its massive polyphony, but the effects are somewhat limited in their adjustments. You've got better control of them on the OB6. Moreover, it has fantastic sounding PH1 to PH3 effects (a faithful recreation of some classic phasers from the seventies and eighties).

The OB6 has VCOs, which are ever so slightly "unstable", and I use the word lightly, creating a very lively sound. The REV2 does offer the Slop parameter which emulates this to a certain extent. But it's not quite the same.

In conclusion, the OB6 goes very well with the more "conventional" Prophet REV2 polysynth. Because one can do sounds that the other can't. But some people, and there are a few, don't necessarily like this combination. Like some people don't like the peanut butter and jam on toasted bread combination. It's a matter of personal taste I guess.

I know this doesn't explain a lot, but it's hard to put into words. You probably have got to listen to both to understand what I mean ?

Anyway, hope this helps a little.
Take care.

[Gerry Havinga]

Sitting on the other side now, doing my own sound design and all that, this is kind of a new world. Could you please enlighten me more on the OB6 and how it complements the Rev2?

Cheers in advance 

Hello Gerry.
I'd be glad to try. Obviously the OB6 has less modulation routing possibilities, and less voices than the REV2. But it has got one thing the REV2 does not; a multimode filter, and continuously variable to boot ! You can do things that are not possible on a REV2, like creating a patch with a modulated notch cutoff frequency, or even going from low pass to high pass going thru notch with the LFO. Moreover, the oscillators are producing slightly more harmonics than on the REV2, creating slightly more sizzle from a string patch (when carefully programmed). It's hard to describe into words, but it has an "Oberheim" flavour to it. Understandable since the voice cards were designed by Tom derived from his renowned SEM design.

The REV2 can do slow pads and strings better than the OB6, thanks to its massive polyphony, but the effects are somewhat limited in their adjustments. You've got better control of them on the OB6. Moreover, it has fantastic sounding PH1 to PH3 effects (a faithful recreation of some classic phasers from the seventies and eighties).

The OB6 has VCOs, which are ever so slightly "unstable", and I use the word lightly, creating a very lively sound. The REV2 does offer the Slop parameter which emulates this to a certain extent. But it's not quite the same.

In conclusion, the OB6 goes very well with the more "conventional" Prophet REV2 polysynth. Because one can do sounds that the other can't. But some people, and there are a few, don't necessarily like this combination. Like some people don't like the peanut butter and jam on toasted bread combination. It's a matter of personal taste I guess.

I know this doesn't explain a lot, but it's hard to put into words. You probably have got to listen to both to understand what I mean ?

Anyway, hope this helps a little.
Take care.

Thanks Alain, I really appreciate your explanation. I will keep the OB6 on my radar, who knows what will happen no I have dared publishing my own music 

[joesh]

I've found that probably the simplest way to do things is every time you make a new sound from scratch (or altered), just save it to you computer via sysEx as suggested in the manual. Eventually you can load up what you need for the night/session into one of your U Banks. It's easy, and a very simple way of organising your sounds.

I think one thing that would be a nice, would be a 'sketch' bank or patch. Every time you work on a sound you press save and it immediately saves it to a sketch pad U0 P0. And, if you wish to save it permanently, you can choose where later. I often build something from scratch, but haven't thought where I could save it. As you know, if you change the bank/patch, you loose your work! This would give you a chance to look around for what could be replaced, and then move it. Or, just come back to it later and rework on it, and this would apply to any patch including F.. P.. Modify it, which first saves on U0 P0. You can then decide to move it to U.. P.. when (and if you wish).

[guyaguy]

I've found that probably the simplest way to do things is every time you make a new sound from scratch (or altered), just save it to you computer via sysEx as suggested in the manual. Eventually you can load up what you need for the night/session into one of your U Banks. It's easy, and a very simple way of organising your sounds.

I think one thing that would be a nice, would be a 'sketch' bank or patch. Every time you work on a sound you press save and it immediately saves it to a sketch pad U0 P0. And, if you wish to save it permanently, you can choose where later. I often build something from scratch, but haven't thought where I could save it. As you know, if you change the bank/patch, you loose your work! This would give you a chance to look around for what could be replaced, and then move it. Or, just come back to it later and rework on it, and this would apply to any patch including F.. P.. Modify it, which first saves on U0 P0. You can then decide to move it to U.. P.. when (and if you wish).

I just reserve the next to last patch in the bank for this and then save it to an appropriate slot when I find one. It’s the next to last because my last one is an Init patch.

[S Y Z Y G Y X]

We love our Rev2 soo much..had it for almost 2 years now and it continues to inspire for all types of sound!  The sound of the Rev2, and really all Sequential instruments have such a sweet stereo image compared to other synth companies, and like Gerry here we just purchased a Mono Evolver Desktop.  This synth is insane!  A mono synth with the stereo capability just sounds so wide.  DSI/Sequential is our favorite synthesizer company hands down.  Thank you Dave for creating such dreamy machines so that we can create aural mayhem!!

[maxter]

I agree, the Rev2 is a monster in terms of possibilities, and a joy to program sounds on... until you run into bugs that hinder or stop the workflow, and you start spending time looking for workarounds etc. That part is not as joyful, and sometimes can be REALLY frustrating. But as long as Sequential eventually fix these issues, I don't care if it takes 2+ more years, the Rev2 is THE analog polysynth for me. I just can't trust it enough to use for projects yet.

Just be patient, be patient... Rewards come to those who wait? 
The Rev2 will hopefully reach its potentials some day.