Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)

Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« on: February 19, 2023, 11:27:35 AM »
Believe it or not, I bought the OB-X8 in the hopes of getting ONE particular sounds that I identified with the OB series.  It's the "detuned" portamento sound where all Oscillators arrive at the target pitch at different times.  The OB-X does have a switch for this "Portamento Match = Off", but its way too subtle at fast speeds.  You really can't even hear the effect.

I fell in love with this sound in the 70s with a number of Styx songs that made use of it and always wanted a hardware synth to achieve this sound. While I do love the OB-X8 a lot, I'm massively disappointed that I can't achieve the OB sound that I've always dreamed of.

Attached are two sound files.  One is a software synth emulating the sounds I'm expecting (SonicProjects OP-X) and the other is the OB-X8.   On the OB-X8, you really can't even hear the drift between the Oscillators.

Would it be possible to Change "Portamento Match" into a value instead of an On/Off switch so we can dial in the amount of drift we want?  This would make my sonic fantasy come true!

Kind Regards,
Bill
Bill Hubauer
Neal Morse Band
We Came From Space

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2023, 03:09:00 PM »
There's a variable setting under Page 2 that has been there since day one.

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2023, 06:48:22 AM »

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, but I see no such setting.   The only relevant setting I see is "Portamento Match = on/off", which does exactly what I want, except that its way too subtle at fast speeds.   Listen to the attached samples to hear what I'm talking about.

thanks
Bill

Bill Hubauer
Neal Morse Band
We Came From Space

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2023, 10:32:47 AM »
I don't have an OB-X8 so may not know what I am talking about, but have you tried turning up the Vintage knob and detuning Oscillator 2?

I assume this is a Unison patch.. is there an overall Detune function on the OB-X8? Try turning that up too if it's on there.

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2023, 12:23:24 PM »
I really thought the vintage knob would probably do the trick, but it doesn't have any affect on the Portamento Match feature (that I can hear).

Again, I want to emphasize that the OB-X8 does have the feature I want, it just doesn't sound the way I expect at fast portamento speeds.    I want to be able to add more "off" to the Portamento match off.... meaning increase the variation between the oscillators, so that at fast port speeds I can hear a bigger difference between the oscillators.
Bill Hubauer
Neal Morse Band
We Came From Space

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2023, 10:12:35 AM »
I really thought the vintage knob would probably do the trick, but it doesn't have any affect on the Portamento Match feature (that I can hear).

Try the voice detune

Quote
Again, I want to emphasize that the OB-X8 does have the feature I want, it just doesn't sound the way I expect at fast portamento speeds.    I want to be able to add more "off" to the Portamento match off.... meaning increase the variation between the oscillators, so that at fast port speeds I can hear a bigger difference between the oscillators.

It's the same behavior of the vintage models esp the OB-X which is where it originated.  As the portamento gets longer, the mismatch is more prevalent.  You won't hear much mismatch at fast portamento.  A short delay will do the same effect though.

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2023, 12:30:46 PM »
Which Styx songs are an example of this portamento sound?  Is it the Fooling Yourself solo or Lights intro?  I will try to see if I can dial it in

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2023, 04:11:57 PM »
Which Styx songs are an example of this portamento sound?  Is it the Fooling Yourself solo or Lights intro?  I will try to see if I can dial it in

Fooling Yourself
Miss America
Renegade (during breakdown)
While it's not an Oberheim, DDY pulled off a similar effect on Sweet Madam Blue using an ARP ProSoloist through a delay.

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2023, 05:09:42 AM »
Yeah, i know what you mean!
It should be possible to make the Voices drift at different Speeds and Ramps. Listen to how cool it sounds on my (badly calibrated) old OB-X. It would be great if individual portamento time per voice would be affected be the Vintage Knob!

I added two files, OB-X8 and my original OB-X.

DaveInSanFran

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  • Prog fan - synth hobbyist
Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2023, 07:19:04 PM »
Fellow Styx fans, I'm interested in any progress you all have made since the original discussion here. Have you achieved any better variation in the portamento times?

I'm neither a talented keyboard player nor an experienced synthesist, but I'm doing all I can to emulate the sounds and riffs of my favorite musicians. In addition to the songs noted above, I've been trying to emulate the big unison portamento sweep that starts "Too Much Time On My Hands".  I'd love to hear your patches and learn some tips.
,
Not really related to the original post other than also being by Styx, but do you think that the heavily modulated and oscillating, snarling sweep in the middle (~3:40) of "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" was also an OB patch? (https://youtu.be/Vx331z7t5uY?t=224) Any tips at where to start reproducing it?

Thanks in advance.
SF Bay Area synth hobbyist
OB-X8 Desktop, Moog Matriarch, B2600, Roland System 8, Korg MinilogueXD, Yamaha MODX8, Arturtia MicroFreak, Drumbrute, Moog Opus3, Eurorack, 0-Coast, B.Neutron, B.Model D…

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2023, 11:44:56 AM »
Fellow Styx fans, I'm interested in any progress you all have made since the original discussion here. Have you achieved any better variation in the portamento times?

I'm neither a talented keyboard player nor an experienced synthesist, but I'm doing all I can to emulate the sounds and riffs of my favorite musicians. In addition to the songs noted above, I've been trying to emulate the big unison portamento sweep that starts "Too Much Time On My Hands".  I'd love to hear your patches and learn some tips.
,
Not really related to the original post other than also being by Styx, but do you think that the heavily modulated and oscillating, snarling sweep in the middle (~3:40) of "Half-Penny, Two-Penny" was also an OB patch? (https://youtu.be/Vx331z7t5uY?t=224) Any tips at where to start reproducing it?

Thanks in advance.
Hmm, it could also be a Guitar (Pick Scratch) through a Flanger…
I am still hoping for Oberheim to make the Portamento Unmatch more extreme. Such a cool Sound!

DaveInSanFran

  • *
  • 12
  • Prog fan - synth hobbyist
Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2023, 06:27:50 PM »

Hmm, it could also be a Guitar (Pick Scratch) through a Flanger…
I am still hoping for Oberheim to make the Portamento Unmatch more extreme. Such a cool Sound!
[/quote]

Hmm... might be!

Yeah, that multi-note/unison portamento is one of those classic sounds pretty unique to the OBs.  You need to exploit those features that stand out!
SF Bay Area synth hobbyist
OB-X8 Desktop, Moog Matriarch, B2600, Roland System 8, Korg MinilogueXD, Yamaha MODX8, Arturtia MicroFreak, Drumbrute, Moog Opus3, Eurorack, 0-Coast, B.Neutron, B.Model D…

Re: Portamento Match = Off (More "off" please!!)
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2023, 08:02:53 AM »
For anyone who is still interested in this, the new OS 1.1.1.0 has a new feature that allows you to route portamento to just one of the OSC, while its not the same thing that I was asking for originally, it definitely provides a similar effect for playing phrases where the notes are fairly close together.   Definitely check it out.

I still would love the Portamento Match On / Off to be a variable setting with a much more extreme range so that you can hear the variation at faster speeds..
Bill Hubauer
Neal Morse Band
We Came From Space