Prophet rev2 keyboard + module polychaining

[dan2]

Hi,

I was surprised to discover that the prophet rev2 has no polychain.

I bought the 8 voice keyboard and a module version but can't play them together.
(I had several synths from DSI and they all had polychain so I didn't even consider it was not there...).

1. They don't sale the extension card where I live. nowhere to be found.

2. an external module is better for me than an extension card (more possibilities like taking just the module out or creating sounds you could just not create with a 16 voice).

Is it going to be implemented?

I would really like that feature... (with the Vintage knob haha)

[Jason]

I guess that would be a shock if you didn’t realize it. Hopefully you won’t miss it. I have both the keyboard and module as well, but with 16 voices, and pan them at the mixer. I had both versions of the ‘08 and never polychained them. The only time I used polychaining was briefly with the ‘08 and my Tetra, but that was before I got into panning for true stereo.

I would love to see a vintage knob as well, but given the different technology of DCO’s, I don’t know if we will ever see it. Fortunately, Creative Spiral has given us VCM, and so I’m still delighted to be using the Rev2.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Yes, obviously with the sixteen voice option, Dave figured there would be no need for polychaining.  The keyboard/module pairing arrangement still makes a lot of sense, though, for the reasons Jason gave.  But I wouldn't expect the polychaining feature to be added to the instrument. 

[dan2]

I guess that would be a shock if you didn’t realize it. Hopefully you won’t miss it. I have both the keyboard and module as well, but with 16 voices, and pan them at the mixer. I had both versions of the ‘08 and never polychained them. The only time I used polychaining was briefly with the ‘08 and my Tetra, but that was before I got into panning for true stereo.

I would love to see a vintage knob as well, but given the different technology of DCO’s, I don’t know if we will ever see it. Fortunately, Creative Spiral has given us VCM, and so I’m still delighted to be using the Rev2.

Well, I was using this feature for my other synths...
If I want to play a 5-6 note pad, the polychaining would come in handy.

I don't think that the rev2 being DCO is a problem to replicate at least half of the features of the vintage knob.
From what I've heard the Vintage knob plays a role not only on the VCOs but also on the filter/enveloppes, etc which are digital on both the prophet 5 rev4 and prophet rev2.
I guess it's easier to let go the VCOs crazy (turn off or reduce the features to keep them stable!)
so it might be hard to replicate this section of the Vintage knob entirely on the DCOs of the rev2 but it would be way much more useful than the slope that I've always found to be gimmicky at best.

is there a default patch with the VCM implementation available somewhere?
I guess you need to loose something to use it right?

[dan2]

Yes, obviously with the sixteen voice option, Dave figured there would be no need for polychaining.  The keyboard/module pairing arrangement still makes a lot of sense, though, for the reasons Jason gave.  But I wouldn't expect the polychaining feature to be added to the instrument.

Yes, keyboard+module gives way more freedom than an extension card or a 16 voice keyboard by default so I don't understand why they took this feature off... It's not like it wasn't there. I'm just wishing it's a flag they can turn on and here it is haha

[creativespiral]

I have shared several free Rev2 patches, including some VCM template patches and other more fleshed out sound designs with voice modeling.  Check out the patches with "VCM" in the name here:

https://www.presetpatch.com/user/CreativeSpiral

[Jason]

is there a default patch with the VCM implementation available somewhere?
I guess you need to loose something to use it right?

I recommend that all Rev2 users buy the VCM set, which has several useful templates. It uses the step sequencer and several modulation slots.

I'm not saying that a great vintage knob could not be developed for the Rev2 (and I've love to have it too!), but it's in a different category compared to the VCO synthesizers that have it. There was a strong incentive to work to develop the functions of the vintage knob for the Prophet 5, and once all that work was done, it was probably very easy to transfer it into the Prophet-6 and OB-6 because of their similar architecture. There was also a good incentive to put it in the Prophet 6 in particular, in order to keep it desirable and valuable. We can assume that the technology did not transfer as easily into the Rev2, and I'm assuming that this is because of its DCO's. It's difficult to know how much work it would be to develop a similar technology for the Rev2, and whether or not Sequential would see it as worth the costs.

[Josh C]

VCM does not work for programs that use stacked voices in unison mode. The only workaround that I have found for that is to use a random LFO at an extremely low frequency instead. when it comes to polyphony, if you are going to be using a lot of layers in your programs, you should get a 16 voice.4 voices just isn't enough for pad sounds.

[dan2]

I have shared several free Rev2 patches, including some VCM template patches and other more fleshed out sound designs with voice modeling.  Check out the patches with "VCM" in the name here:

https://www.presetpatch.com/user/CreativeSpiral

Thank you for the link and all the hard work!

[dan2]

VCM does not work for programs that use stacked voices in unison mode. The only workaround that I have found for that is to use a random LFO at an extremely low frequency instead. when it comes to polyphony, if you are going to be using a lot of layers in your programs, you should get a 16 voice.4 voices just isn't enough for pad sounds.

hence my deception for the no polychain policy on the rev2.
I really don't understand the reasoning for getting rid of it.
Perhaps I should fill a bug report.

[dan2]

is there a default patch with the VCM implementation available somewhere?
I guess you need to loose something to use it right?

I recommend that all Rev2 users buy the VCM set, which has several useful templates. It uses the step sequencer and several modulation slots.

I'm not saying that a great vintage knob could not be developed for the Rev2 (and I've love to have it too!), but it's in a different category compared to the VCO synthesizers that have it. There was a strong incentive to work to develop the functions of the vintage knob for the Prophet 5, and once all that work was done, it was probably very easy to transfer it into the Prophet-6 and OB-6 because of their similar architecture. There was also a good incentive to put it in the Prophet 6 in particular, in order to keep it desirable and valuable. We can assume that the technology did not transfer as easily into the Rev2, and I'm assuming that this is because of its DCO's. It's difficult to know how much work it would be to develop a similar technology for the Rev2, and whether or not Sequential would see it as worth the costs.

I think they would sell more.
half of the code should be usable as is, I don't think it requires that much R&D.

DCOs being stable by nature, I guess they would have to write code to make them less stable in a pleasing way so yeah, certainly more work than on the VCOs one. But they could implement the other side of the digital story and call it slop v2 instead of Vintage knob. This would still be way more useful than the actual slop.

It's funny though, we came full circle: analog synth too clean so use software algorithm to get back that analog mojo haha.

[dan2]

so no answer from the official team about polychaining?