Next New Sequential Instrument

[Razmo]

Unfortunately, these "rings" around the encoder only gives you an approximation ... a hint at where the value really is, which for me is not enough to be honest... each LED on the ring represents a range of numbers.

For encoders to work for me, I'd much rather have the value shown on a display, just the way the REV2 does it.

But we run into yet another problem because this will only do, if every parameter in a layer is represented with it's own encoder... if an encoder has more than one function in a layer the same problem arise, and also you would want every encoder to have it's function printed below it, otherwise it gets confusing again.

But we will not see encoders... Dave started out making encoder versions of both Evolver and Prophet 8 initially, but made a pot version available because users want real pots to tweak.

Also, many manufacturers have a history of having problems with their choice in encoders... they seem to start to skip values, jump around left and right and getting rather annoying.

[OceanMachine]

Obviously the more LEDs the better (well at least up to 127), but all you need is an approximation. The main screen can show the exact increment once moved.

[Razmo]

Obviously the more LEDs the better, but all you need is an approximation. The main screen can show the exact increment once moved.

As long as the actual value is shown on a screen, it's fine... but in that case, the LED rings would actually (for me) be nothing but a bonus... I would not require them... the only bad thing about that is if you did not have the LED rings, you'd not know a parameters value until you actually turn the knob... this problem was solved on the Novation Mininova by making the encoders touch sensitive which is a nice way around that... though I've never seen any other synth using this technique.

But all in all, i found that for me, the easiest way to overcome all of these design methods is to simply make sure that the synths i buy has SysEx specs that allow me to create editors for them... I really do not care if my synths has knobs, encoder or none... i never (or rarely) touch my synths (except for my main keyboard controller)... i control them remotely.

If I ever will touch my synths, it will be while composing music... for doing some live tweaks, changing presets etc.... but for sound design duties, i always go for editors ... just my personal preference.

[proteus-ix]

It's just another cue that something with a digital front end is coming up... They are rewamping their digital lineup, except the X... I'm certain of it... Hope it will be an FPGA front end, and please... No monosynth!... I wonder if the P12 will remain in module form still...

Or it may be something completely unexpected. While we are all expecting a P12 successor, we might get an analog oscillator/digital oscillator hybrid OR a larger VCO based synth that isn’t Moog One style pricing. With the Super 6 And Novation Summit, Sequential might feel the market for digital front/analog back synths are satisfied. Dave has always been about leading the market or doing something no one else is doing. He might not see a point in bringing out a synth with wavetables, FM, FPGA oscillators now when people already have access to one at a decent price. Likely why he never brought out an analog mono synth when everyone else was.

If it's a hybrid like the Evolver, fine with me... as long as it's FPGA in the digital front end, has at least 8voice polyphony, is at least dual timbral and has internal FX.

ProphEvolver 16!  As long as it has many blue blinky lights I'm good.  Just not on the backside... what the heck was that?

[blewis]

Its going to be awesome right?

“The waiting is the hardest part.”

[synthRodriguez]

Dave. Give us one for the ages, please. The synth everyone will want 40 years from now.

Keybed: 76-note, weighted, light-force piano action keyboard (like the T8) with polyphonic aftertouch. Keys start on low A (like the T8).

Oscillators and Filters: Dual-channel 12-voice, with a fixed setup like the CS-70M and CS-80 . One 12-voice set is the Prophet 6 circuitry, the other 12-voice set is the OB-6 circuitry. No 24-voice operation, always in dual (or split) mode.

Controls: The usual. However aftertouch and other modulation controllers have the ability to modify the usual parameters but added is Pulse Width, Pulse Width Modulation Depth, and LFO Speed. These MUST have independent modulation amount control for each parameter, not just one Aftertouch Modulation Depth amount that sets a global value for all. One knob for setup is ok, but allow individual depth settings using some button select routine. Expressivity will explode from this arrangement. Also, allow velocity to affect pitch with it’s own A/D envelope (a la CS-80).

Other Items: Independent audio out for each channel and a stereo mix out, midi channel assignable to each channel. Rudimentary step sequencer. Invertible envelopes. Beautiful walnut case. $6500 retail price. No cooling fans.

[LoboLives]

Perhaps 6 voices of VCO based analog and 6 voices of FPGA digital oscillators.

[Shaw]

Perhaps 6 voices of VCO based analog and 6 voices of FPGA digital oscillators.

... in a bi-timbral, 5 octave Prophet 6 / OB6 style instrument.
Oh and stereo filters.  The stereo filters on the Prophet X take everything to different level.

[Sacred Synthesis]

And an ornate gothic font.

[Razmo]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

[LoboLives]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

Meh I'm okay with other people being at pain level.

[Razmo]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

Meh I'm okay with other people being at pain level.

I know.. most people think only of themselves, thus I have to do the same and scream this out loud 

[LoboLives]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

Meh I'm okay with other people being at pain level.

I know.. most people think only of themselves, thus I have to do the same and scream this out loud 

Honestly I think they were on the right track with the voice expansion cards and even the 16 voice button. Gives people options.

[Shaw]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

Meh I'm okay with other people being at pain level.

I know.. most people think only of themselves, thus I have to do the same and scream this out loud 

Honestly I think they were on the right track with the voice expansion cards and even the 16 voice button. Gives people options.

I don't own a Rev2, but I did also like what they did with the 8/16 voice option there.

[Razmo]

I can only agree on that... a smart move really... would not mind that the next synth gave that option as well. Just wish that DSI would reveal both keys and module versions at the same time, so that I did not have to wait guessing about module versions coming or not.

[LoboLives]

Honestly... and please... make anything you do next, have at least 16 voices... we're in 2019, the new standard is 16 voices even in the analogue domain when it comes to polysynths... anything less will NOT be remembered by me in 40 years time, that's for certain... 6 voices is from when electronics filled so much space up, you could not cram more into the synth, but with todays surfacemount technology, you can easily put in at least 16 voices, and anyone only wanting 6, would be satisfied with what they want to do with the synth, even if it had 16 voices... I know that some people only need 6 voices because of the type of sounds they use, and that's fine, but please don't forget that other people will be at pain level even with 8 voices...

Meh I'm okay with other people being at pain level.

I know.. most people think only of themselves, thus I have to do the same and scream this out loud 

Honestly I think they were on the right track with the voice expansion cards and even the 16 voice button. Gives people options.

I don't own a Rev2, but I did also like what they did with the 8/16 voice option there.

This was a big problem for me with the Korg Prologue and even Moog One...why do I have to buy an whole new synth if I want more voices? Why can't it just be an option where you can expand the polyphony or reduce the polyphony yourself if you choose? BAH!!!

[LoboLives]

I can only agree on that... a smart move really... would not mind that the next synth gave that option as well. Just wish that DSI would reveal both keys and module versions at the same time, so that I did not have to wait guessing about module versions coming or not.

While modules are nice, it was also awesome to see Sequential do the PXL. Something completely unexpected and unique in their current catalog. I'd rather see Sequential do more things outside of the pedestrian keyboard version/module version over and over again. If anything I'd like for them to release two different products a year. A higher priced instrument and a lower priced smaller scale instrument.

[OceanMachine]

This was a big problem for me with the Korg Prologue and even Moog One...why do I have to buy an whole new synth if I want more voices? Why can't it just be an option where you can expand the polyphony or reduce the polyphony yourself if you choose? BAH!!!

REV2 is a Curtis synth on a chip, with 8 voices on a single board and super easy for anyone to install. Not to mention, the Prologue 8 is missing the compressor and an octave, so it pretty much fits the "higher priced instrument and a lower priced smaller scale instrument" model like you mentioned. Then there's the Minilogue XD as well.
 
Regardless, I hope Sequential does something with a digital front-end next.

[Razmo]

I can only agree on that... a smart move really... would not mind that the next synth gave that option as well. Just wish that DSI would reveal both keys and module versions at the same time, so that I did not have to wait guessing about module versions coming or not.

While modules are nice, it was also awesome to see Sequential do the PXL. Something completely unexpected and unique in their current catalog. I'd rather see Sequential do more things outside of the pedestrian keyboard version/module version over and over again. If anything I'd like for them to release two different products a year. A higher priced instrument and a lower priced smaller scale instrument.

I'm sorry, but if not a keyboard or module, then what would you want instead!? ... a rack version of something? ... personaly I do not have all that space for a lot of keyboards, and I see no reason to have keys in all and every synth i own, when one can control them all... of course there are users who do not use MIDI etc. so I can understand them wanting keys, but otherwise why would one want all those keys? I get that you can play maybe two or three, or even more if you stack them in a horseshoe, but personally I would not want to walk around a room to play something.. i like sitting in my small "cockpit" with my master controller in front of me, and all my modules around me, within arms reach... that's why I want module versions... I once wanted only rack gear, but almost noone makes rackmount synths anymore, so I had to settle with module versions instead.

The problem is actually not waiting for a module to come next... the problem is that no company want to tell you, if they will make a module version of their new keyboard synths, and that's really annoying because if you have another synth in mind, if a module is not coming, then you can sit there and wait forever... it may come or it may not... and if you spend your money on that other synth, then maybe a module version comes out right after you bought the other one... that's why I would like to see both keys and module versions launched at the same time... then I do not have to sit and guess forever...

[LoboLives]

I think for me modules are good for people who are using a sequencer to play them otherwise it’s either having to buy a dedicated midi controller keyboard or if im using one of the keyboards I already have I’m sacrificing the sounds of said keyboard in order to play another. This is something I ran into when I had my SEM Pro.