Feature Requests

[kris]

Hi kris.

Even though what you suggest could be interesting, I'll simply quote what extempo of DSI wrote, earlier in this thread, about following in other companies footsteps:"...it's never been our prerogative to shape the functionality of our instruments based on what our competitors do."

 

Hi Alain,

granted, we don't need to reinvent what's already there in other synths. I just can't wrap my head around how to do a long ramp that does not repeat with the Rev2 - maybe there is a solution I am overlooking? The Env3 can do that, but I use that often already for other things... so 4 LFOs (repeating) and just 1 additional Env (optionally repeating!) is great, why not make the 4 LFOs optionally non-repeating? You would get easy rising and falling ramps with that, and it doesn't look impossible to me given that the Env3 has the option to repeat.

But again, I'm a noob and still learning.

Cheers!

[joesh]

I've read the several complaints/suggestions about the lack of categories for the presets, and of course the suggestion that one can indeed just copy/move/save if needs be. However, I would suggest a simpler solution which would be to produce an OS with blank U1-4 banks. This would be a simpler idea. Since the F Banks are mirrored in the U Banks, then one would just copy - in the order one wished - the various setting/sounds to the fill up your U Banks. You would probably ignore some of the F Banks sounds, leaving you with a less cluttered selection of sounds to work from. 

I hope that makes sense.....

[jurfin]

I would love to see some effects added. A compressor would be really nifty, as would a spring reverb, tape delay, and overdrive. The distortion sounds great but I'd really enjoy a lighter option for dirt.
The idea of an oscilloscope is a great one! Probably not gonna happen, but that would be really awesome. Also want to add a +1 to the many requests for some kind of an indicator of a saved value in a patch. A dot on the screen, or even better, a numerical display of where the parameter is set within the preset would make a world of difference when programming/editing patches.

[Synthnoob]

I'm new to Dave Smith Instruments but I would like if there was an Instructional DVD going over the synth in detail and a quick start guide for the Synth. My GAIA came with stuff like that and it was a big help in learning how to get into the board and start making sounds. The existing product manual I found hard to understand without really knowing the synth. I'm big on reading manuals it's the first thing I do before even playing or I like to read and play as learn the keyboard. I found youtube videos going over the synth to be extremely helpful in learning how to use it.

[Sacred Synthesis]

That's a great idea.  Unfortunately, DSI lacks the resources to create such a DVD.  They tend to leave such things to us, to we who buy their instruments and know them like the backs of our hands.  As an example, Paul Dither has made a superb and amazingly thorough overview video of the Rev2 that may serve the same purpose as you've suggested.  It's here:

[jg666]

That's a great idea.  Unfortunately, DSI lacks the resources to create such a DVD.  They tend to leave such things to us, to we who buy their instruments and know them like the backs of our hands.  As an example, Paul Dither has made a superb and amazingly thorough overview video of the Rev2 that may serve the same purpose as you've suggested.  It's here:

Agreed. That was the first thing I suggested in the thread by Synthnoob asking for such help

[thelmalalala]

I was surprised I didn't see another topic like this, but correct me if I'm wrong!

Here are some features I would like in the future-

Keeping within bi-timbrality, have a combo layer/split mode where you can have part of the keyboard stacked, and the other part just one of the layers. Would be great to have stacked pads in one hand and then a more simple sound in another hand for bass or melodies.

Another idea- have the hold button selectable on the different layers in stack mode. Right now it is in split, but not stack. Would be nice in stack mode to be able to arpeggiate on one layer with hold, but not have the other layer hold unless you specifically assign it to.

[jipumarino]

One minor thing I'd like to get at some point is an additional MIDI sync option: sync when MIDI clock is present, use internal clock when it's not.

[thelmalalala]

Keeping in the confines of bitimbrality- would be cool if there was a stack/split combo mode where you could stack half the keyboard and have the other half only using one of the two patches. Would be great for thick pads in one hand with a melody or bass line in the other.

also, I noticed in stack mode there is no option to "hold" only one layer, you have to do both, yet in split they are separate. Would open up a lot of possibilities.

More interesting/innovative arpeggiator modes

Now some more farfetched/obscure suggestions:
What if the different tracks on the sequencer could have different time divisions? Also what if these tracks could be triggered in succession of on another as another option besides layering. this way you could create chains of sequences or swithc between sequences. Would be cool to have midi implementation too so I could trigger track one, or track two externally.

[ferdi2k]

+1 for a patch-based option to have a global LFO, as discussed e.g. here
https://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php/topic,2127.0.html

As there is a manual workaround to achieve what is asked for, there must be a way
for doing the same using the firmware, I hope.

[Quatschmacher]

Would it be possible for each oscillator waveshape selector switch to also serve as a mute or on/off toggle by means of a long button press? That way it would be easy to bring in or switch off an oscillator during performance without having to adjust its level in the mixer or or having to cycle through each oscillator shape. It would be cool if it could be implemented in such a way that even when muted, it were still possible to cycle through the waveshapes via short button presses; doing so would temporarily illuminate each LED as it is cycled and it would go dark again after a second or two (if still muted).

[Micimacko]

Hi,
the local control off would be nice to turn off only the keyboard, not the front panel.

thanks

[SynthPlayer]

Simply my feature requests:

1. Usefull hold button:
Hold all keys played together. If all keys were released keys are hold but if then new keys are pressed the old keys are released.
(look at products of other manufacturers (Yamaha, Behringer, Roland, ... ), if it is not familiar for you)

2. Unison modes with polyphonie

3. Sequencer transpose by single key touch.

4. Patch categories and browse possibility


This was good:

Speaking to your specific request, it is possible to organize your programs yourself via the onboard copy/move/save functions

Excuse my ignorance, I was under the impression that factory banks are not editable since that's what the manual states right off the bat, which I took for unmovable. It's much more palpable knowing that those 512 factory presets (not to be confused with my 512 user presets) can also be ordered as well. Thanks for the kind & helpful info.

[AlainHubert]

1. Usefull hold button:
Hold all keys played together. If all keys were released keys are hold but if then new keys are pressed the old keys are released.
(look at products of other manufacturers (Yamaha, Behringer, Roland, ... ), if it is not familiar for you)

Let me mention what someone from DSI essentially said a while back about features found on other synths: We don't really care what other manufacturers do. If you don't like our products the way they are, it's just too bad.

So, I wouldn't hold my breath on getting new and useful features like the ones being mentioned repeatedly here.

[Sleep of Reason]

1. Usefull hold button:
Hold all keys played together. If all keys were released keys are hold but if then new keys are pressed the old keys are released.

Agreed.

Plus I know it's tantamount to a crime around these parts to mention something like this, but a visual representation of the filter/envelopes is simply what modern synths feature. If the REV2 is going to be in production for 9 more years hopefully, then it would certainly be beneficial for all parties involved (that is, product producer and consumer alike) to make it more user-friendly and streamlined in the right places.

[guyaguy]

Ability to program the gated sequencer via the keyboard as per the poly sequencer. This was not a feature of the 08 but it was on the PolyEvolver.

[roberth909]

Yep, some unison modes with poly would be interesting.  (On a 16-voice) 2 unison / 8 poly, 3 unison / 5 poly, 4 unison / 4 poly would be a good start, just to see what those sound like.  It may not be very useful going further, too many sonic collisions.

[Quatschmacher]

It’d be great to have some of the buttons also be modulation destinations, most notably the oscillator sync button and the 2/4 pole selector button.

A use of this would be to create a patch where turning up the mod wheel would both change from an un-sync’d sound to a sync’d one and simultaneously alter the amount of pitch modulation being directed to the sync’d oscillator.

[Montyrivers]

Sorry if it's been asked already, but:

LFO One-Shot mode!

I want to be able to use my lfo's as additional envelopes.
Eg:  with key sync engaged and sawtooth shape selected it triggers only once as a decay stage.

[benbravo]

Some features I would love to see on the rev2 next firmware updates:

- A way to see what the stored values are when changing something in a preset!
- Local control off : choosing keyboard or panel or both.
- A new modulation destination : program volume

Cheers!