Poly Evolver Music

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #60 on: June 02, 2017, 02:29:42 PM »
Is your Poly Evolver Keyboard showing signs of aging?  Is that one of the reasons you're considering a Prophet 12?  I've had mine for about six years now, and they're both holding up fine.  One light blinks erratically and I've had to fix one key (with Mark's help), but other than that, the two instruments are in perfect working shape.

I can relate to your P12 interest, though.  Having it out there - so deep and sophisticated - is tantalizing.  The reason I'm hesitant to let go of a PEK, however, is that I've learned to like the specific digital wave shapes it has.  I haven't heard any P12 demos that suggest it would be a fitting replacement.  It seems to be a matter of one or the other, since one can't replace the other. 

I've actually been trying to persuade myself to sell one PEK and buy a Prophet-6.  It's a hard sell, but maybe in time.

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #61 on: June 04, 2017, 01:01:31 PM »
Can't really say it aging, though I do have the original encoder version, so a few knobs are flaky.   

Here's those  PEK "voice patches".  Each use at least some of my voice waveshape in the digital oscillators- probably most noticeable in the first patch.   Just some slight room reverb, but it's all PEK.   I threw in last two patches just for kicks to illustrate it's unique sound.

https://soundcloud.com/wavescape-1/pek-voice-samples
Sequential/DSI Equipment: Poly Evolver Keyboard, Evolver desktop,   Pro-2, Pro-3, OB6, P-12,
 

https://Soundcloud.com/wavescape-1

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #62 on: June 04, 2017, 10:04:04 PM »
A short Poly Evolver Keyboard pad demonstration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZMMseUsTmA
« Last Edit: June 04, 2017, 10:37:59 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

dslsynth

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Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #63 on: June 05, 2017, 04:44:25 AM »
A short Poly Evolver Keyboard pad demonstration

Great track! I would love to hear variations of the patch where you do not use the highpass filter and possibly experimented with the tuned feedback set to low frequency and medium to possibly higher volume. Would give it a little more drive which would be great.
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #64 on: June 05, 2017, 04:49:07 AM »
Thanks, Dslsynth.  Yes, I could have gotten more growl out of the sound, but I was more interested in a purely musical application of the pad.  My fellow purists will wince, but I was striving for a Prophet 5-esque quality.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 04:53:46 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

dslsynth

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Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #65 on: June 05, 2017, 04:52:01 AM »
Thanks, Dslsynth.  Yes, I could have gotten more growl out of the sound, but I was more interested in a purely musical application of the sound.

Still lobbying for a little Evolver Growl (TM) with that awesome patch. Would love to hear the above suggested modifications so what we can hear if that would work for your musical applications.
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #66 on: June 05, 2017, 04:55:20 AM »
Well, the program is saved, so I'll play around with it.  But I wanted to show the dynamic range more than anything else.  Thanks for the suggestion.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 04:58:59 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

dslsynth

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Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #67 on: June 05, 2017, 05:20:00 AM »
Thanks a lot! I do get the dynamic range experiment and it sounds very good. Just wanted to hear how it would sound with a little more evolved growl.

The manual says on tuned feedback level:
Sets the level of feedback. As the level goes up, the feedback will eventually oscillate at the set Frequency. Medium levels of feedback add depth and movement to the sound.

So more subtle effects are possible and I would love to see if you can explore that in your sound design.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 05:25:33 AM by dslsynth »
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #68 on: June 05, 2017, 06:43:22 AM »
I experimented with the above pad and Tuned Feedback with all various settings of amount and tuning.  It does add a remarkable growl, alright.  It's an impressive sound to sit and listen to, rumbling and roaring till the floor shakes.  The all-important musical effect, however, is that it limits you to octaves and fifths, and even these become terribly caustic.  Triads and seventh chords are out of the question.  A major seventh would shatter the windows, and a tritone might have the same effect on your skull!  The delicate soft sections of the piece are also corrupted beyond use.  Plus, as you adjust the tuning, the fundamental falls away and the tone becomes hollow, like a flanger.

A fascinating experiment, but it's not my cup of tea.  I realize this is one of the primary reasons people like the Evolver, but I like the instrument for other reasons.  I'm not a noise/sound-maker, but a musician and a purist.  I much prefer the deep warm musical ambiance of the original patch, without Tuned Feedback or even Audio Mod.  So, I could certainly conceive of using the effect for a note or two as a means of creating an impending atmosphere, but not beyond that.  Much more appealing was adding a lot of Glide to all the oscillators, which made the slow lumbering changes of bass notes quite a bit more dramatic. 

Anyway, it was an interesting experiment.  Thanks for the suggestion, Dslsynth.
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 08:51:05 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

dslsynth

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Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #69 on: June 05, 2017, 08:39:40 AM »
Anyway, it was an interesting experiment.  Thanks for the suggestion, Dslsynth.

Thanks for the review, Sacred Synthesis! At least you gave it a try and finding it not very useful to your musical goals. That is fine with me!

One question though: did you use modulations to key step the frequency and would that have compensated some of the problems you found?

You see, the Evolver have no key stepping of the tuned feedback frequency whereas Prophet 12 have key stepping on all the time. On the Evolver key stepping can be done with one or two modulation routings using note as source and tuned feedback frequency as destination.

With key stepping on one could in theory use the tuned feedback as a fifth oscillator.
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #70 on: June 05, 2017, 09:07:37 AM »
No, I only used the Frequency and Level parameters.  I experimented with different settings while holding a single note and had the level up quite high at one point, so that I could hear the feedback pitch moving up the scale.  I do experiment with these things a bit, but again, it's not my normal domain.  I'm always searching instead for purely musical sounds that range from sweet to powerful. 
« Last Edit: June 05, 2017, 09:47:09 AM by Sacred Synthesis »

dslsynth

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Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #71 on: June 05, 2017, 09:21:33 AM »
Thanks again for taking your time to try it out. Its certainly a very interesting effect but as you said its not for everyone.

Your description of tuned feedback will surely make many Evolver users smile. Very happy your house (and skull) didn't experience a RUD during the tests!

OT: RUD means Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly and is very well known in rocketry.
https://youtu.be/_BgJEXQkjNQ?t=1m9s
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Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #72 on: June 05, 2017, 10:51:52 AM »
Thanks for the tips.  You're the expert in this sort of thing.

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #73 on: June 09, 2017, 07:54:15 AM »
Interesting...I probably wont go with a rack, due to cost, even though I tossed the idea around before.  But that one more voice via desktop would be useful to me.  Still got open mixer channels, but my issue is becoming more of wall outlet space.   Hmmn, it'd be a reasonable affordable addition for my "flagship",  but then I wanted to start setting aside for Rev 2 .  Too many decisions :-\

Well,   I decided to strengthen the ole PEK for now and keep that as my flagship for the future....Picked up a very nice condition used table top Evolver to add a fifth voice.   I think I will be happy with the 5 voice, as even my limited keyboard playing ability often exceeded the 4 voice limit.  I've only had an hour with it....but on the offset I noticed that I'm still limited to 4 voices in combo mode.   I haven't read manual yet , but does anyone know if that is simply the case, or can you go > 4 in combo mode?  I’m thinkin’ it’s probably related to editing the associated combo patches first- and that whole debacle.  Also noticing a time little lag when using sequencer- didn’t know if that is an intrinsic problem either?
Sequential/DSI Equipment: Poly Evolver Keyboard, Evolver desktop,   Pro-2, Pro-3, OB6, P-12,
 

https://Soundcloud.com/wavescape-1

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #74 on: July 02, 2017, 11:16:10 AM »
« Last Edit: July 02, 2017, 02:13:15 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #75 on: July 05, 2017, 08:23:20 AM »
I listen to LXXVIII (the first one) so far  and noticed a re-occurring theme developing from 2:30 - 5:00, which then continues onward.  Very pretty, like from some epic older movie soundtrack.   Like the oboe like ~ 6:30 too.

So then your bass peddle is going just into the tabletop PEK and would not necessarily be poly chained?
Sequential/DSI Equipment: Poly Evolver Keyboard, Evolver desktop,   Pro-2, Pro-3, OB6, P-12,
 

https://Soundcloud.com/wavescape-1

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #76 on: July 05, 2017, 09:30:55 AM »
Thanks, Soundquest.  That's the advantage of the approach.  You start with a theme, and as you progress through each piece and the whole series, you develop that theme.  The end result is that it sounds less like a meandering improvisation and more like a designed composition.  That's usually my objective, since my improvisations are not experiments.

The bass is played on the Hammond pedalboard, which controls the Evolver Desktop.  The keyboards have nothing to do with it.  This allows me to use bass sounds that are very different from the keyboard patches.

I have to tell you, I've been seriously considering replacing a Poly Evolver Keyboard with a Prophet 12.  (This might be partly through your own comments and revived interest in the instrument.  They got me thinking about it again. >:()  In fact, I was just about to put a PEK on Craigslist.  But then in these improvisations the PEK left me speechless.  They used one of the most powerful and gorgeous patches I've thus far designed.  I couldn't believe how good it sounded on my stereo.  What an incredible instrument!  And I thought, "Could a Prophet 12 come even close to such a sound?"  I've been repeatedly asking myself this question all week, and I can't give a certain answer.  But I highly doubt it.  So, my sudden interest in the P12 took a sudden dive!  Up and down and up and down....



« Last Edit: July 05, 2017, 12:25:57 PM by Sacred Synthesis »

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #77 on: July 06, 2017, 01:08:05 PM »
Well I have to agree that you squeezed out a benchmark with what I call "classical sound" there on PEK that is hard to beat.  I think us "Evolver heads" have learned that new, or newer, is not always better, and I'm pretty much have settled in the same boat -as far as keeping PEK and my new 5th voice Evolver as long as they can light up and sing in their unique way.       Anyway,  I hope you would never sell your PEK to make room for the P12 as there probably isn't too many people with dual PEK's doing classical type music like you do.   But in the same vain, I could see how a P12 could be a neat addition to what you do.  I know I would love to have a P12,  not as a replacement, but rather an augment perhaps.

RE- your bass pedals.  Ok,  that makes sense to keep it independent.  I'm gonna try that with mine.   

   
Sequential/DSI Equipment: Poly Evolver Keyboard, Evolver desktop,   Pro-2, Pro-3, OB6, P-12,
 

https://Soundcloud.com/wavescape-1

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #78 on: July 06, 2017, 04:19:12 PM »
RE- your bass pedals.  Ok,  that makes sense to keep it independent.  I'm gonna try that with mine.

The Evolver desktop makes a superb bass sound-source because of its four oscillators, and also, because the DSI tone is not overwhelming in the bass department.  Too much bottom end would muddy the sound.  I've often considered adding a Moog Minitaur; it would be an obvious addition.  But I don't think the Moog sound would suit this type of bass performance; it would lose the clarity this sort of music needs.

Depending on how things go with the Rev2, I may switch to, or add, a Prophet '08 module as a bass sound-source.  I think that might work even better, because of the ability to stack two different sounds and the polyphony.  My point is, the DSI character works well for pedalboard bass.

Sacred Synthesis

Re: Poly Evolver Music
« Reply #79 on: July 07, 2017, 08:31:23 AM »
All Gear Acquisition Syndrome aside (with the exception of an additional Prophet '08 Module acquired this year, I haven't bought a new synthesizer for perhaps five years), I'm always searching for the ideal polyphonic synthesizer.  The search is for something bigger, more powerful, and richer sounding (pretty much identical to the monophonic synthesizer quest).  This always requires a bare minimum of four oscillators, four LFOs, eight-voice polyphony, and a five-octave keyboard.  Thus far, the Poly Evolvers and Prophet '08s have served me exceptionally well, but I've had to use multiple units to get the sound I sought.  But I'm always open to something else that will better serve the musical cause.  A Prophet 12?   Hmmm...
« Last Edit: July 07, 2017, 09:39:59 AM by Sacred Synthesis »