DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #20 on: November 17, 2015, 12:11:29 PM »
Other than that, I think it's time for DSI Modular to get serious and put up a complete modular starter package with a "classic" DSI DCO, a snappy EG, and a digital multi-LFO module. It would basically be, "Yeah, there is no more Mopho. Here, build your own damn Mopho."

Well my impression of the eurorack modular market is that people pick the modules they want to use and combine them in the way they want. While a full DSI system could happen one day it may not be the primary use case for such users.

What is lacking is the possibllity to save presets and worse yet that matching even the lfo/envelope/modulation/sequencer features of a Mopho requires many expensive modules. The core of DSI's expertice is digital control so such a preset manager module would make lots of sense for DSI to produce. It could have OLED display, a few page selector buttons, USB and MIDI input, CV inputs as well as sixteen CV outputs and an optional extension module featuring sixteen more CV outputs.

Such a module would be a significantly increase the expressiveness of an eurorack modular system as well as possibly make it more affordable. And it will allow one to patch the signal flow up once and simply control all of the digital modulations via the preset manager module and/or a computer/tablet application. Once one gets tired of the current voice architecture one simply re-cable it and/or buy new modules. And it will allow generative methods too.

. o O ( me dreaming away )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #21 on: November 17, 2015, 12:20:23 PM »
In the podium discussion with Roger Linn and Tom Oberheim at this year's Gear Fest (by Sweetwater), Dave made it clear that he's primarily interested in the traditional keyboard controller, as it doesn't require any re-learning process. So unless he doesn't take a sudden 180 degree turn, I wouldn't expect anything in that direction.

Yeah I know his often used arguments against alternate controllers. And no, he do not have to make instruments with alternate controllers as long as his modules support multi-timbral operation.

Honestly I think the core reason why DSI instruments (besides Tetra) do not support multi-timbral operation is the same question of software development resources that we see in other product related discussions all over the net. Enough said!

. o O (  >:( :-X :'( )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #22 on: November 17, 2015, 02:37:51 PM »
Honestly I think the core reason why DSI instruments (besides Tetra) do not support multi-timbral operation is the same question of software development resources that we see in other product related discussions all over the net. Enough said!

Can you elaborate?

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #23 on: November 17, 2015, 02:50:14 PM »
Can you elaborate?

Short summary: number of software developers working on the OS for their products.

If DSI had more than one OS developer I am sure multi-timbral operation would have happened a long time ago.

They do have a DSP developer too but that is not the part of the OS where multi-timbral features happen.
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #24 on: November 17, 2015, 03:31:42 PM »
Gotcha.

Well, I certainly wouldn't say no to 16 times multi-timbrality, just like it used to be standard in the early 1990s.

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #25 on: November 17, 2015, 04:05:24 PM »
There are several interesting possibilities for multi-timbral operation. One is the Tetra way with one MIDI channel per hardware voice. Would be perfect for my uses though it would be nice if a poly with layers would support two hardware voices per MIDI channel. Then there is the dynamic voice assignment mode which Tempest uses and that would be really interesting to have but quite likely challenging when stack/split are taken into account (not to mention unison mode though I feel that its best ignored in multi-timbral mode).

One MIDI channel per hardware voice would be a good start.

. o O ( pipe dream of the week )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Sacred Synthesis

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #26 on: November 17, 2015, 09:08:34 PM »
It seems there is a consensus here that something new from DSI - something none of us knows about - will be shown at NAMM 2016.

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #27 on: November 18, 2015, 03:00:44 AM »
How about a Prophet VS type thing, with mini keys ;)

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #28 on: November 18, 2015, 04:14:55 AM »
:o . o O ( insert plastic oscillator rant )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Sacred Synthesis

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #29 on: November 18, 2015, 08:58:22 AM »
How about a Prophet VS type thing, with mini keys ;)

 >:(  Don't get me started!

Sacred Synthesis

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #30 on: November 18, 2015, 09:02:57 AM »
We probably should start a "Next New DSI Synthesizer" thread, where everyone can relieve their instrument dreams/fantasies, in the hopes of influencing DSI.  I sense this thread is quickly headed there.   

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #31 on: November 18, 2015, 10:48:30 AM »
. o O ( we apologize for the inconvenience )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #32 on: November 18, 2015, 12:32:46 PM »
Here is a recent Dave interview where he says a few things about whats up next:
https://youtu.be/BazvKgF_RXc?t=11m4s

Not voice architecture hints though. :'( But I would be surprised if its a Curtis chip machine with their build-in analog oscillators.
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #33 on: November 18, 2015, 12:57:24 PM »
Well, he's not revealing anything (no surprise), except that they're planning to announce something new at NAMM. This snippet makes me wonder about something else though. It almost sounds as if Dave would like to release a new flagship (aka "something bigger") every year.

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #34 on: November 18, 2015, 01:45:07 PM »
Well my guess is that making a new instrument is a lot of work no matter its size and voice count.

These days Pym must have good implementation of fundamentals like voice voice code, USB and MIDI drivers and parsing, voice allocation, MIDI tuning standard, sequencers, flash memory management and all that jazz. But there will still be a lot of work to do such as specific voice features, front panel event handling, interaction with DSPs and so on.

Then add all the hardware design, the front panel user interface/graphics design and all the mechanical features such as casing, wheels and keybed. Not to mention production planning, ordering of parts, getting circuit boards produced, test procedures to be used in the outsourced production facility, a manual, product photography, the web page describing the product and the product announcement video to be thrown at the synth hungry crowds at time of release.

I can easily see them wanting to take six to nine months or more to make a new instrument from idea to shipping product. Even for a small voice count module like the ones I am after.

In other words: While I would not be too surprised if yet another jewel is flashed at next NAMM it could easily be a smaller instrument too.

. o O ( the intricate art of impatience )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2015, 02:42:31 PM »
The more I think about it the less I will be surprised if DSI ends up releasing a new Curtis chip machine with new analog oscillators at NAMM 2016. Reason? They discontinued a whole bunch of Curtis chip instruments and that leaves space for new designs with better digital control than the old machines. Plus that it will make the new design more affordable and compact. Plus that new and better sounding analog oscillators - such as those from Prophet-6 - would make a positive sonic difference compared to the older instruments.

One could imagine the new instrument use an improved version of the Pro 2 sequencer which later will be ported back into Pro 2 OS. Pym have said elsewhere he wanted to work out all the edge cases. A good way to do it!

Anyway, we will know more in less than two months!
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Sacred Synthesis

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #36 on: December 18, 2015, 02:44:45 PM »
It's still a bit early, but it's almost time for Chris to start dropping tantalizing little hints about NAMM.

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #37 on: December 18, 2015, 02:46:57 PM »
It's still a bit early, but it's almost time for Chris to start dropping tantalizing little hints about NAMM.

No one got the Shakespeare hint before the Prophet-6 was announced, so…

dslsynth

  • ***
  • 1040
Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #38 on: December 18, 2015, 02:51:10 PM »
8) . o O ( its full of stars )
#!/bin/sh
cp -f $0 $HOME/.signature

Sacred Synthesis

Re: DSI at NAMM 2016 Speculation
« Reply #39 on: December 18, 2015, 02:54:12 PM »
How about a picture - something subtle, like this?