Important notes on the diversity of digital waves P12 (and the question of P-VS)

[psystas91]

I want to give some advice to those who have been inattentively watching the digital waves of the P12, or those who do not have an oscilloscope, or have just recently bought a P12 and may stumble upon some misconceptions, mistakes and misunderstandings.

 First of all. The small oscilloscope that is on the P12 screen, when turning the "shape mod" on digital waves, shows incorrect waveforms. Rather, it shows correctly up to about the value of 32, but if you unscrew it up to 64, it shows the wave that mixes with the main one. That's not so. If you look at a wave through a real oscilloscope, you will see a completely different wave. Therefore, all the talk about the fact that there are only 12 digital waves in P12 and they supposedly smoothly flow into each other is completely wrong! There can be hundreds of waves on just one generator. With FM and AM, there can be thousands of them. I repeat on one, but there are 4 of them. With two layers there are 8. It is impossible to imagine all possible combinations, there are very, very many of them. Additive madness.

Secondly. Let's take any wave, for example "Tines" and make a "shape mod" to the left side, for example to the wave "Meh" with a value of 32 . And take the wave "Meh" and make a "shape mod" to the left side to the wave "Tines" with the value 32. Tines(main)-Meh(L)-32 is not the same as Meh(main)-Tines(L)-32! These are two different waves. But if you make a maximum value of 64 there and there, then they will look and sound the same. That is, Tines(main)-Meh(L)-64 = Meh(main)-Tines(L)-64.

Thirdly. If you dial the wave "Tines" on the oscillator-1, and dial "Meh" on the oscillator-2 and turn them on at the same time, then you will see a completely different wave on your oscilloscope than any combination with the "shape mod" of the waves Tines(main)-Meh(L) or Meh(main)-Tines(L).

Earlier, I posted a graphical table of P12 waves that I made, which shows all the main waves available on one generator with a "shape mod". Of course there may be more of them, but then they will be very similar to each other. After all, the values of 32 and 28 stand side by side, but they are still slightly different. It shows all the waves with shape mod with the value "0-32-64" I'll duplicate my table here, in case someone hasn't seen it.

I also wanted to ask you, has anyone tried using P12 to repeat the waves of Prophet-VS? I tried to do that. I have a VST Arturia-V and I really like the combinations of waves that can be taken out from there. I managed to make some waves with an accuracy of about 95%, some, no matter how long I tried, did not work out. But I'm sure that P12 CAN create them, we just don't know exactly how to do it. But there is definitely potential.

Write if you have your thoughts about the P12 waves. And another question, does anyone know why Dave Smith chose these particular waves? What was he guided by? There is a history of the creation of Prophet-5, Prophet-VS on the Internet, but I have not found the history of the creation of Prophet-12 anywhere. If you know something like that, please let us know!

[LoboLives]

I just wish there were more demos showcasing the wavetable type sounds of the P12.

[psystas91]

I just wish there were more demos showcasing the wavetable type sounds of the P12.

In this audio recording, I demonstrate all the waves that are in my table. I use "shape mod" between two oscillators. I'm not using "analogue" waves here, only digital ones. They sound from beginning to end, relative to my table. No filter or effects, just pure waves.

[LoboLives]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

[psystas91]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

[LoboLives]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

No. I'm holding out for a successor. Lack of sequencer and onboard effects didn't really sell me on the P12 after getting the P6 and PX.

[LPF83]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

No. I'm holding out for a successor. Lack of sequencer and onboard effects didn't really sell me on the P12 after getting the P6 and PX.

To a certain extent, having 4 delay lines per layer (total 8 when stacked) can be thought of as having a built-in FX construction kit where you build your own onboard FX.  Example is use two lines modulated with LFO to create a custom chorus sound (and you still have two more left to create an echo or flange etc).  It's less instantaneous than just switching on FX and setting to chorus but a lot more flexible.  I think the P12 was designed with the sound tweaker in mind.

[LoboLives]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

No. I'm holding out for a successor. Lack of sequencer and onboard effects didn't really sell me on the P12 after getting the P6 and PX.

To a certain extent, having 4 delay lines per layer (total 8 when stacked) can be thought of as having a built-in FX construction kit where you build your own onboard FX.  Example is use two lines modulated with LFO to create a custom chorus sound (and you still have two more left to create an echo or flange etc).  It's less instantaneous than just switching on FX and setting to chorus but a lot more flexible.  I think the P12 was designed with the sound tweaker in mind.

I'm aware but that's not for me or my approach. Thank you.

[psystas91]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

No. I'm holding out for a successor. Lack of sequencer and onboard effects didn't really sell me on the P12 after getting the P6 and PX.

The P12 has a sequencer. It's called a "programmable arpeggiator" but it's basically a real sequencer. There are also effects - 4 delay
 (chorus, flanger, reverb), distortion, overdrive, bit-crucher.
You don't know how much you're missing out on with so little in return (FX). Not to buy such a powerful, deep synth, just because of the lack of reverb and phaser FX, it is very strange and short-sighted. This can be purchased separately. To begin with, it is reasonable to get acquainted with P12 in order to want a successor. You can wait all your life for a successor, but never get it. In my opinion this is the best DSI synthesizer.

[LoboLives]

Ugh all this does is make me want Sequential to do a wavetable or VCO/Wavetable hybrid poly synth.

Do you have Prophet-12?

No. I'm holding out for a successor. Lack of sequencer and onboard effects didn't really sell me on the P12 after getting the P6 and PX.

The P12 has a sequencer. It's called a "programmable arpeggiator" but it's basically a real sequencer. There are also effects - 4 delay
 (chorus, flanger, reverb), distortion, overdrive, bit-crucher.
You don't know how much you're missing out on with so little in return (FX). Not to buy such a powerful, deep synth, just because of the lack of reverb and phaser FX, it is very strange and short-sighted. This can be purchased separately. To begin with, it is reasonable to get acquainted with P12 in order to want a successor. You can wait all your life for a successor, but never get it. In my opinion this is the best DSI synthesizer.

Meh.

[LPF83]

The P12 has a sequencer. It's called a "programmable arpeggiator" but it's basically a real sequencer. There are also effects - 4 delay
 (chorus, flanger, reverb), distortion, overdrive, bit-crucher.
You don't know how much you're missing out on with so little in return (FX). Not to buy such a powerful, deep synth, just because of the lack of reverb and phaser FX, it is very strange and short-sighted. This can be purchased separately.

For me, trying different external FX units is part of the fun.  So many ways to add unique variation to the sound of a synth and keep things interesting in a way that's more cost effective (and space effective) than buying too many synths.