Some Tempest usage questions for you guys

[Pym]

All very helpful data points, thanks for everyone who is responding!

[muleskinner]

1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

Yes, all the time. As way to store more sounds and variations of a sound in a single beat.

I tend to have more synth sounds in bank B but this is not always the case by any means.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?

Sometimes. yes, it's fairly intuitive.

What I really, really wish was that in '16 timesteps' mode it would have recorded the slider positions when you enter a step. This always seemed like a massive missed opportunity to me but hey ho!

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?

I don't play live but I do record live manipulation using the sliders and yes, I find it intuitive.

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?

All sorts of things but often it's filter cutoff/resonance and various parameters to do with the envelopes. I often have amp envelope set to modulate its own decay and change the mount of that modulation using the sliders. This is in my default setup.

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?

No, because I nearly always work with sounds assigned to a particular voice and never have enough 'spare' voices.

I might use it if there were more voices but tbh I'd probably just keep using an external delay (though I know you can do some interesting stuff with the MIDI delay).

[Pym]

That's a good point, I put it in my design notebook to think about

What I really, really wish was that in '16 timesteps' mode it would have recorded the slider positions when you enter a step. This always seemed like a massive missed opportunity to me but hey ho!

[KoSv]

First of all, thank you Pym for your work on this incredible machine!
To the questions:
I generally use the Tempest for live performances. So my opinion on it is heavily biased in this direction.

1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

bank B is a sometimes a new or second song for me. I also use B often for transitions to a new patterns.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?

yes. sometimes I do record params with it.

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?

ALL THE TIME! YES SUPER INTUITIVE!!! LOVE IT!

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?

Mostly roll and filter. but sometimes other params.

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?

no. never.

hope this helps!

One question:
Any thoughts on opening the source code?


Cheers!

[Pym]

I don't think I will, no. If it was a more accessible chip combination I'd certainly consider it but the amount of support questions I'd be asked is just not worth the effort, as much as I'd love to see what people can come up with. We have a combination of processors from 3 different companies and one just has infuriating tools, it just wouldn't be worth it in the long run

One question:
Any thoughts on opening the source code?

[Jonas]

1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

- I always dedicate a pad in Bank B for programming all of my bass lines and another pad in Bank B for sending out a sequence to the Pro 2. My right hand is busy on the OB-6 or the Pro 2 and I usually play my bass lines with my left hand on the Prophet '08 or Mono Evolver Keys. But when playing at live events, I don't always have room to bring along another key synth for bass duty and so it's very useful to have the bass lines written on a spare pad in Bank B (on an individual output) which I can unmute for whenever I need it.  And yeah, writing out a sequence on a Bank B pad and sending it out via midi really frees my hands up so I don't have to press the the start button on the Pro 2, which I may not always hit in sync with the beat.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?

- Yessir.  It works great for me when creating a filter effect on white noise for a transition between beats. Using the sliders makes me spend more time fumbling through which sounds to load, thinking of what options I'll use to affect the parameters when recording. And that's all part of the fun!

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?

- I do, but I have very few parts in songs where my hands are free to get at them.  If I used the Tempest more as a performance synth on its own, then I would do it more often. I use it as very linear drum machine, by simply arranging my beats together in the playlist and then just press play and follow along with my hands on my other synths.

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?

- I have one set for Beat Roll and the other set for All Envelope Attack.

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?

- I do not use it.

- - Similar to what another user in this thread had mentioned, I only use the Tempest for writing full songs. Each song is saved as a separate project, because one song pretty much uses up all of the beats and I can't build more than one playlist per project.  I then save each project / song in the same project destination folder so I can quickly switch to the next song and dial in the playlist when performing live.  I have enough memory for about 8 or 9 songs.  So I often have to export / import my projects when I want to write something new or include an old song into my live set.  I think Roger Linn intended it to be used more as a performance instrument that you jam on while manipulating sounds and recording new parts over beats as you go, but I never even touch the pads when I'm playing a show or doing performance videos on YouTube. I have more fun with designing my kit, programming the beats, arranging the beats together in a playlist, and then just press play and go at it on my keys.  It produces the sounds that I want people to hear in my music.  It's perfect for me.

[Flux302]

1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?
2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?
3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?
4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?
5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?

1) yes primarily as a secondary beat element. drastic changes etc.
2)I use the sliders a lot not so much recording them with it though. more for live performace.
3) same as 2
4)beat repeats, envelope controls, and filter warping.
5) I do use the midi delay but more voices would make it much better.

[sgodzillae]

1. Bank B only for glitch sounds with low priority in mix, bank A drums / synth / bas / lead
2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally (is that possible? )
3. Do you use the sliders live normally? yeah
4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? Roll and some filter with feedback compensation to avoid crazy noises
5. Do you use the MIDI delay? no way !  sounds bad and kills voices :p

[J-Lab]

Hi! New to this forum, not really a forum guy, but this one is cool and I'm a proud Tempest user of 6 years. Before I kick off, my deepest condolences to you all at Sequential, and to Dave's family. I first met him in Frisco in '99, he came to see Porcupine Tree, who I working for at the time. He knew Richard Barbieri, and actually spent a lot of his time trying to resurect a dead Prophet 5 supplied by a hire co. (dead Curtis chips). Spoke to him at Superbooth in Berlin a few weeks back. He's gonna be so missed.

So, in answer to your questions:
1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

Yes, sometimes if I run out of space for sounds. In a live context, it tends to be for sounds that stay 'static', as it's easier for me to fly between sounds for tweaking in Bank A. I made a major blooper in one gig, so this is my personal preference.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?
Yes, and I do find it fairly intuitive. A better way to clear any entered data would be good (or maybe I ain't found it). I would love to be able to record data entered on knobs too, that would free up the sliders for other parameters live.

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?
Yes and yes.

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?
I use them on sounds as opposed to the whole beat. Filtering is always fun. Also, setting up multiple parameters to a slider. For instance, I might have a bassline running, then i might, say,  assign the random LFO to the filter cutoff and resonance, then assign the amount of that to a slider. A good way to go from low and beefy to full freakout whilst keeping a hand free!

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?
Occasionally and yes, I use it more if the voice count was higher.

Other things I'd like to see:
1. More note subdivisions on the LFOs, arpegiator and MIDI delay.
2. Maybe some polyrhythmic sequencing in the box. I have hooked up the Tempest to Numerology to be able to do this, it sounds dope, but I like machine time, not computer time. I'd love to have that option in the box!
3.Full Osc frequency modulation a la the Prophets! The way Dave (RIP) did that in the original Prophet 5 is what makes it still one of the greatest integrated synths of all time for sound design AND performance. I've used an original Prophet and use a software emulation now (don't kick my ass! Money's tight after 2 years of Covid decimating my income - a 6 is on my bucket list) and you can get dope percussion sounds out of the Prophets using this feature. Audio mod is cool, but full frequency mod would be so cool. To me, it's as big part of the Sequential DNA as the whammy bar is to the Fender Stratocaster.
4. Bandpass/notch filter options - would be very useful to separating out some of the sounds that share voices in the way I use it, especially in a live setting.
5. A couple more voices?

After 6 years of caning mine, I can say it's a real instrument. Very intuitive & creative, but with limitations. But it deals with those limitations in a musical manner (or at least gives you the option to do so). Like a real instrument. And, like a real instrument, it needs time to master and there's always something new to learn (I'm also a bassist, so I know the world of realtime playing as well). It's the backbone of my current sound and live set-up. And I every Tempest owner I've ever met uses it in a different way and often sound completely different. I'm doing 2 performances at a festival in a couple of weeks, one techno, one ambient/drone. Both with the Tempest as the mainstay of the set-up, as it was in the ambient/drone album I made last year.

It's a great instrument even with its quirks - it likes being top of the chain, supplying the clock. Bit funny when synced to other things, a bit like Danny Carey from Tool drumming for Oasis. It likes to be boss and it grooves like Tony Thompson and John Bonham. It's like my '82 Musicman Stingray bass - it brings something extra to the party whether it was invited or not! My cat is also like that, so I guess I found my machine! I hope you guys keep supporting this machine now it's out of production - I intend using mine until the day I shuffle off my mortal coil.

Jon
https://j-lab1.bandcamp.com/

[Pym]

Thanks for the comments and glad you're enjoying the Tempest! I do still read this stuff =)

Hi! New to this forum, not really a forum guy, but this one is cool and I'm a proud Tempest user of 6 years. Before I kick off, my deepest condolences to you all at Sequential, and to Dave's family. I first met him in Frisco in '99, he came to see Porcupine Tree, who I working for at the time. He knew Richard Barbieri, and actually spent a lot of his time trying to resurect a dead Prophet 5 supplied by a hire co. (dead Curtis chips). Spoke to him at Superbooth in Berlin a few weeks back. He's gonna be so missed.

So, in answer to your questions:
1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

Yes, sometimes if I run out of space for sounds. In a live context, it tends to be for sounds that stay 'static', as it's easier for me to fly between sounds for tweaking in Bank A. I made a major blooper in one gig, so this is my personal preference.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?
Yes, and I do find it fairly intuitive. A better way to clear any entered data would be good (or maybe I ain't found it). I would love to be able to record data entered on knobs too, that would free up the sliders for other parameters live.

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?
Yes and yes.

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?
I use them on sounds as opposed to the whole beat. Filtering is always fun. Also, setting up multiple parameters to a slider. For instance, I might have a bassline running, then i might, say,  assign the random LFO to the filter cutoff and resonance, then assign the amount of that to a slider. A good way to go from low and beefy to full freakout whilst keeping a hand free!

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?
Occasionally and yes, I use it more if the voice count was higher.

Other things I'd like to see:
1. More note subdivisions on the LFOs, arpegiator and MIDI delay.
2. Maybe some polyrhythmic sequencing in the box. I have hooked up the Tempest to Numerology to be able to do this, it sounds dope, but I like machine time, not computer time. I'd love to have that option in the box!
3.Full Osc frequency modulation a la the Prophets! The way Dave (RIP) did that in the original Prophet 5 is what makes it still one of the greatest integrated synths of all time for sound design AND performance. I've used an original Prophet and use a software emulation now (don't kick my ass! Money's tight after 2 years of Covid decimating my income - a 6 is on my bucket list) and you can get dope percussion sounds out of the Prophets using this feature. Audio mod is cool, but full frequency mod would be so cool. To me, it's as big part of the Sequential DNA as the whammy bar is to the Fender Stratocaster.
4. Bandpass/notch filter options - would be very useful to separating out some of the sounds that share voices in the way I use it, especially in a live setting.
5. A couple more voices?

After 6 years of caning mine, I can say it's a real instrument. Very intuitive & creative, but with limitations. But it deals with those limitations in a musical manner (or at least gives you the option to do so). Like a real instrument. And, like a real instrument, it needs time to master and there's always something new to learn (I'm also a bassist, so I know the world of realtime playing as well). It's the backbone of my current sound and live set-up. And I every Tempest owner I've ever met uses it in a different way and often sound completely different. I'm doing 2 performances at a festival in a couple of weeks, one techno, one ambient/drone. Both with the Tempest as the mainstay of the set-up, as it was in the ambient/drone album I made last year.

It's a great instrument even with its quirks - it likes being top of the chain, supplying the clock. Bit funny when synced to other things, a bit like Danny Carey from Tool drumming for Oasis. It likes to be boss and it grooves like Tony Thompson and John Bonham. It's like my '82 Musicman Stingray bass - it brings something extra to the party whether it was invited or not! My cat is also like that, so I guess I found my machine! I hope you guys keep supporting this machine now it's out of production - I intend using mine until the day I shuffle off my mortal coil.

Jon
https://j-lab1.bandcamp.com/

[Leviathant]

1. Do you use the Bank B sounds? If so, how do you use them?

Rarely... usually 16 sounds is enough in one beat, for me.

2. Do you record parameters with the sliders normally? Do you find it intuitive?

I think I did once or twice, but I tend to lean into live performance, rather than sequenced modulation. Before the Tempest, I had a Korg ER-1, which did a nice job of recording parameters, and beyond initial tinkering, it never did much for me there, either.

I prefer to lean on the mod matrix when creating evolving changes in sounds. I can sync those changes to the beat, or have them drift. For how I do drums, I want the rhythm to repeat with some regularity, not the timbre of the sounds. On that topic, the one thing in newer machines that gives me a little bit of envy is "probability"

3. Do you use the sliders live normally? Do you find it intuitive?

Yes, absolutely, all the time. The pressure sensitive sliders that can be assigned to various mod points, including beatroll, are my secret sauce.

4. If you do use the sliders, what sort of functions do you find most fun? What sort of macros do you assign to them?

Beatroll on the sliders was a revelation. Sometimes I set one of the sliders to beatwide filter cutoff, I think I've also assigned it to decay - but maybe I do that with the knob. The Tempest was the first drum machine I felt like I could "jam" on and improvise in a musical way. Other drum machines were clearly looping, but with the Tempest, even with a looping pattern, I really like how I can turn that into a whole dynamic song.

5. Do you use the MIDI delay? If not, would you if you had more voices?

I tried really hard to use the MIDI delay over the years. Once or twice it's worked out in a beat. I think that if the delay had a decay that could be assigned, that might make it more interesting, but I never ended up jibing with this feature. I would take a voice-assignable "virtual fx" style delay over the MIDI delay every single time.


Bonus rants & raves:
The Tempest has kept all other drum machines away - except the TR-08 I picked up for $200, because it's got really nice hihats. I did eventually come up with a decent enough Roland-style hihat using two square waves and some noise, but it's still not quite as interesting, sonically, as Roland hats, but I know they're complicated.

The pivotal moment when I knew I was keeping my Tempest was when free-running LFOs got implemented. (Am I remembering right that Amos from Moog reached out on that topic?) This unlocked a lot of the behavior of the classic drum machine sound engines that I had been chasing. A thing that I used to do in Tracker software that I think would have been powerful would be sample playback offset. It's good for creatively lopping the front off of samples, but with offset set to random on a noise sample, it would eliminate the occasional phase weirdness that happens if you're using noise samples on multiple voices.

Boy howdy do I wish there was an offline editor for the sound/beat/project library. I just want to reorganize all my work, but with a mouse and keyboard. We've got LLMs to help, put the file format out there and one of us nerds will make a proper librarian.

Tempest is still my desert island synth. If I had to give up everything, it would be the last I'd let go.