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SEQUENTIAL/DSI => Tempest => Topic started by: sterling mann on March 23, 2017, 04:58:51 PM

Title: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 23, 2017, 04:58:51 PM
Hi all,

I make mostly ambient music, but have been wanting some percussion sounds lately. I have quite a lot of experience with DSI gear and curious if the interface is similar to the P12 and Pro 2. I've read some complaints about the interface and can't really tell much from demos I've watched. My Pro 2 is pretty good at percussion, but I don't want to use it for that:) I've thought about getting a Octatrack or some other Elektron box, but can't get down with the interface. Thanks for any advice!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: RobH on March 23, 2017, 06:28:35 PM
Hi all,

I make mostly ambient music, but have been wanting some percussion sounds lately. I have quite a lot of experience with DSI gear and curious if the interface is similar to the P12 and Pro 2. I've read some complaints about the interface and can't really tell much from demos I've watched. My Pro 2 is pretty good at percussion, but I don't want to use it for that:) I've thought about getting a Octatrack or some other Elektron box, but can't get down with the interface. Thanks for any advice!

Go demo one. Thats all i can say.


 
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 23, 2017, 07:19:13 PM

Go demo one. Thats all i can say.
Thanks! Probably the best advice. Guess these are probably still around at GC?
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: dsetto on March 23, 2017, 07:43:35 PM
Any specific questions?
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 23, 2017, 07:48:23 PM
Yes, anyone know how similar the interface/workflow is to the Prophet 12 and Pro 2?
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 23, 2017, 07:54:36 PM
Also when using my Evolver I can usually have a idea for a sound and dial it in fairly easily. Do people find the Tempest intuitive in that way?
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: joosep on March 23, 2017, 11:30:19 PM
Yes. The sound creation part is very similar to other DSI products. With a small difference. There is a little more emphasis on the envelopes. There are a total of 5 envelopes per sound, 3 of them freely assignable (+1 lowpass and 1 VCA).

Well theres the thing. Conventional drum-machines have "engines" for sounds. Lets say there is an engine for the kick. It has a few knobs, you turn them, the kick sound changes in a predefined range. Pretty straightforward. Tempest is nothing like that. ITS A SYNTH. To get the most out of it. You have to "create your own engine" for each sound. This means you start with oscillators and proceed like with any subtractive synthesizer. Ive played with many other drum-machines and I can tell you it couldnt be any more different.
But with time you can carve it to behave more like a regular drum-machine. You can make your drum sounds, save them. And while playing, simply audition them very fast one by one. So in this way, it can be as "fast" as a "normal" drum-machine, but at the same time be as deep as Tempest. But it takes quite a lot of time and effort to build up your soundbank to serve ALL your needs. As you need to learn how to create kicks, snares, claps, hats, congas, cymbals etc. with subtractive synthesis. It may see impossible at one point, but it actually is possible. And in terms of sound engineering, it really makes you put in the effort, but the payback is huge.

The pads are nothing short of perfect. I dont like the sequencer though. No polymeter and no polyrhythms. I control everything from an external sequencer. But I have managed to play a 1+ hour long live with only using the Tempest. It can be done.

Hope this helps ;)
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 24, 2017, 04:21:28 AM
Yes. The sound creation part is very similar to other DSI products. With a small difference. There is a little more emphasis on the envelopes. There are a total of 5 envelopes per sound, 3 of them freely assignable (+1 lowpass and 1 VCA).

Well theres the thing. Conventional drum-machines have "engines" for sounds. Lets say there is an engine for the kick. It has a few knobs, you turn them, the kick sound changes in a predefined range. Pretty straightforward. Tempest is nothing like that. ITS A SYNTH. To get the most out of it. You have to "create your own engine" for each sound. This means you start with oscillators and proceed like with any subtractive synthesizer. Ive played with many other drum-machines and I can tell you it couldnt be any more different.
But with time you can carve it to behave more like a regular drum-machine. You can make your drum sounds, save them. And while playing, simply audition them very fast one by one. So in this way, it can be as "fast" as a "normal" drum-machine, but at the same time be as deep as Tempest. But it takes quite a lot of time and effort to build up your soundbank to serve ALL your needs. As you need to learn how to create kicks, snares, claps, hats, congas, cymbals etc. with subtractive synthesis. It may see impossible at one point, but it actually is possible. And in terms of sound engineering, it really makes you put in the effort, but the payback is huge.

The pads are nothing short of perfect. I dont like the sequencer though. No polymeter and no polyrhythms. I control everything from an external sequencer. But I have managed to play a 1+ hour long live with only using the Tempest. It can be done.

Hope this helps ;)

Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I love to create my own sounds as long as I can get comfortable with the interface.
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: muleskinner on March 24, 2017, 04:47:01 AM
Personally I think the interface is excellent given its complexity and there's very little I think that could be done to improve it (though there are a few things of course) ;).
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: LoboLives on March 24, 2017, 03:43:17 PM
I'm still debating personally. I'm more into the tradition sampled LM-1, DMX and Linn Drum sounds. I would have preferred it to be more straightforward and simple but I do appreciate you can create your own sounds and bass lines but the fact it can't control multiple other synths is a real bummer.
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: muleskinner on March 25, 2017, 12:03:51 AM
If sequencing other gear and sample-type drum sounds are your priority then get an octatrack or a deluge. Or one of the new MPCs.

If analogue sound design is your priority and you dig synths as much as drum machines then get a Tempest.

I have a Deluge on order and am very much looking forward to pairing it up with the T!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: Stoss on March 25, 2017, 08:44:04 AM
I have a Deluge on order and am very much looking forward to pairing it up with the T!

Same! Deluge!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: muleskinner on March 25, 2017, 10:26:29 AM
I have a Deluge on order and am very much looking forward to pairing it up with the T!

Same! Deluge!!!!!!!

Haha - awesome! Looks great doesn't it? Are you on the Facebook group? Really stoked they've just added midi cc - what a different approach to firmware development to dsi!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: Stoss on March 25, 2017, 10:37:11 AM
I have a Deluge on order and am very much looking forward to pairing it up with the T!

Same! Deluge!!!!!!!

Haha - awesome! Looks great doesn't it? Are you on the Facebook group? Really stoked they've just added midi cc - what a different approach to firmware development to dsi!

Absolutely looks great! Yes, on the Facebook group! Development... sooo different. Ohhh, you want to control MIDI CC on 16 different instruments at once? Give me a couple weeks. 😉
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: joosep on March 26, 2017, 08:16:53 AM
I have a Deluge on order and am very much looking forward to pairing it up with the T!

Same! Deluge!!!!!!!

Haha - awesome! Looks great doesn't it? Are you on the Facebook group? Really stoked they've just added midi cc - what a different approach to firmware development to dsi!

Absolutely looks great! Yes, on the Facebook group! Development... sooo different. Ohhh, you want to control MIDI CC on 16 different instruments at once? Give me a couple weeks. 😉

Squarp Pyramid user here.
Nothing short of amazing.
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: muleskinner on March 27, 2017, 12:28:18 AM
Squarp Pyramid user here.
Nothing short of amazing.

Nice - they look very cool too. In fact I was just about to drop the $ on one of those when the Deluge came along!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: Tobster on March 27, 2017, 11:31:48 AM
Joosep, I appreciate your review of the Tempest, you touched a lot of bases. I have recently given some thought to purchasing a Tempest. May I ask which sequencers you have tried and which one you believe matched up well with the instrument. Thanks.
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: joosep on March 27, 2017, 10:25:21 PM
Joosep, I appreciate your review of the Tempest, you touched a lot of bases. I have recently given some thought to purchasing a Tempest. May I ask which sequencers you have tried and which one you believe matched up well with the instrument. Thanks.

I have touched some different sequencers, but have brought home only one. Using an external sequencer to control Tempest you lose quite a lot. Tempest does not "Roll" incoming notes. Reverse and FX sliders can only be recorded into the internal sequencer, so you lose those. So now what you gain from using an external sequencer is really which you choose. How your workflow is. I cant really fathom to think I can dictate to you which sequencer is the best. I strongly recommend you just do your research on the Cirklon, Carbon, Deluge and Pyramid (some top of the line ones as of right now, maybe forgetting something).
Now the Pyramid is all about arrangements, creating long intricate developing projects. One track can be a maximum of 384 bars! At the same time you can have a maximum on 64 tracks running! Every track can have its own track length and signature! This means crazy polyrhythms and polymeters. Every track can have 32 patterns. So thats a total of 32x64 = 2048 patterns (in beta right now) , with the maximum of 2048x384 = 786432 bars.
Crazy midi effects like scale, delay, arpeggiator, note to cc, harmonizer, randomizer, equalizer, humanizer, chance can all be applied to any track (max 4 per track) without destroying the original midi data.
Pyramid also lets you record and create CC automations. In the Tempest world this means you can control all of the beatwide effects via any of the Pyramids knobs and/or touchpad and record these movements into the sequencer. And even create LFOs to control any of the Tempests beatwide effects.
Thats how I use it with my Tempest. Be sure to check out different sequencers, as workflows on everyone is different. You have to pick one that fits you the best. Hope this helps ;)
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: LucidSFX on March 28, 2017, 12:23:20 PM
very cool
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: muleskinner on March 29, 2017, 03:50:09 AM
Deluge also has practically unlimited tracks, polyrhythms, track lengths etc. Also a bpm that goes up to something ridiculous like 10000!

It doesn't have the MIDI FX like the Pyramid (yet).

It does have a basic onboard sampler (that actually samples), dsp synth (as many instances as the powerful processor allows) and rechargeable battery so you can really use it as a portable workstation.

What really drew me to it though was the apparent ease of arranging on the 128 pads, particularly for arranging melodic parts. I was using a Maschine Studio but this sucked for arranging melodic parts and, tbh, I find the pad layout on the Tempest much more intuitive for arranging drum parts. 4x4 grid always seemed counter-intuitive to me.

I don't have it yet though as they are still in pre-production!

Also check out this bad boy (https://www.beatlabacademy.com/misa-nsc-32-a-massive-sequencer/)!   
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on March 31, 2017, 07:19:13 PM
Thanks all for the input. Think I'll give it more thought and try to spend some time with one eventually. Funny that sequencers became a topic as the Tempest has what seems to be a pretty decent one built in. I am also curious if it's easy to sync to incoming midi clock.
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: idm on April 01, 2017, 02:02:59 AM
Syncing to midi clock is of course fine. Works perfectly.

I actually like the sequencer. But I like to make sounds evolving on their own, in the sound design process, rather than automate things into the sequencer. I use the fx strips live in stead of recording it into the sequencer, which is where things become a bit quirky anyway. The only thing I do miss is Polymeters amongst other things.

But all in all, I don't think the sequencer is bad. The rest of the T more than makes up for it.

Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: sterling mann on April 06, 2017, 09:26:19 AM
Thanks again all for the input. Hopefully picking one up locally this weekend!
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: channelite on April 06, 2017, 09:43:27 AM
I think these two videos show what it's like to make a drum sound on the Tempest. In my opinion, it takes a lot of work to master this process.
https://youtu.be/NHO3Z0Xz4zk
https://youtu.be/mTBpJIgERgM
Title: Re: Is Tempest for me?
Post by: MisterHemi on April 06, 2017, 08:18:17 PM
Tempest is for the treatment of monotony and static rhythms.

Tempest may not be for everyone. Some users may experience side effects such as euphoria and creativity.

If you think Tempest may be for you consult your Dr. Rhythm first.

Tempest is only available through certified music retailers not pharmacist.


:D