Tempest Operational Tips & Tricks AKA FAQ Thread (Attention!!Read this first!!)

[LucidSFX]

I couldnt find @idm's tip...on the sound design thread.

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

Last tip on 1st post

I couldnt find @idm's tip...on the sound design thread.

[Jehann]

Hello everyone !

I am new to this forum and also a new Tempest user ! I love this machine but there is one thing that I cannot seem to work out...

Is it possible to change the root note that is produced when hitting a pad in the 16 Time steps mode?  For example, each time I hit a note on the sequencer it gives me a C5... Even though i changed the root note in the 16 tunings mode, it always gives that damn C5 in the 16 Time steps mode... Also I'm not sure where it could be changed in the system menu....

Pretty annoying if you want to tune your drums in lets say E.

It might be a dumb question... but anyway...hehe

Thanks a lot !

Christ

[idm]

Don't know why you ask this question in this topic? this topic is for giving tips.

Anyway, that is not possible. It always sends c5. You tune your drums via the pitch controls in the the oscillators . You can record in 16 tunings mode to record different pitches into the sequencer. Via the events screen you can edit pitches of recorded notes (upper right encoder).

[idm]

Polymeters on Tempest:
OK, it might be a bit quirky, but it does work for some polymeters.

You can use other time signatures than 4/4 to get some polymeter action. Try using 12/16 @ 2 bars. You can now do 3 over 12 and 6 over 12 for instance.

It's pretty basic, but it does work . I have not tried other combinations yet, but maybe 5/16 @ 8 bars could also work for instance. Programming sequences like this is pretty quirky though

The basic idea is using other time signatures and programming 4/4 beats within them.

[particlesintowaves]

   •   Tempest can only accept Midi CC messages on main MIDI channel as follows:
CC# 12 - Distortion
CC# 13 - Compression
CC# 19 - a value other than 0 reverts Beat FX params to defaults
CC# 20 - Beat FX All Osc Frequency
CC# 21 - Beat FX Feedback
CC# 22 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 23 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Resonance
CC# 24 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Audio Mod
CC# 25 - Beat FX Highpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 26 - Beat FX All Env Attack
CC# 27 - Beat FX All Env Decay

So is there no way to engage the roll or reverse function in 16 Beats via MIDI?

[bnsd]

Hello,

Hope everyone is doing well.. I had a question about that point :

5) Assigning a sound to a voice can help but also produces a small click to the sound.It's very noticeable if you play fast bass or sustained sounds.

How to avoid those clicks when playing fast bass or sustained sounds ? Is there any tip about that ? I usually increase the amp attack but I still don't like the result..

[soidthezoid]

   •   Tempest can only accept Midi CC messages on main MIDI channel as follows:
CC# 12 - Distortion
CC# 13 - Compression
CC# 19 - a value other than 0 reverts Beat FX params to defaults
CC# 20 - Beat FX All Osc Frequency
CC# 21 - Beat FX Feedback
CC# 22 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 23 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Resonance
CC# 24 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Audio Mod
CC# 25 - Beat FX Highpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 26 - Beat FX All Env Attack
CC# 27 - Beat FX All Env Decay

So is there no way to engage the roll or reverse function in 16 Beats via MIDI?

Both footswitch inputs can also accept a CV signal so plug a MIDI to CV converter into one or both of them & you can control any of the parameters, which are assignable to the footswitches.  They are setup with the System menu.

[RobH]

   •   Tempest can only accept Midi CC messages on main MIDI channel as follows:
CC# 12 - Distortion
CC# 13 - Compression
CC# 19 - a value other than 0 reverts Beat FX params to defaults
CC# 20 - Beat FX All Osc Frequency
CC# 21 - Beat FX Feedback
CC# 22 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 23 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Resonance
CC# 24 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Audio Mod
CC# 25 - Beat FX Highpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 26 - Beat FX All Env Attack
CC# 27 - Beat FX All Env Decay

So is there no way to engage the roll or reverse function in 16 Beats via MIDI?

Both footswitch inputs can also accept a CV signal so plug a MIDI to CV converter into one or both of them & you can control any of the parameters, which are assignable to the footswitches.  They are setup with the System menu.

Oh really I didn't know they would just take any cv I don't know very much about foot switch pedals although I do have a bit of modular cv gear, do you know what the footswitch inputs are rated at and/ or if they are unipolar ( which I'm guessing they won't be) are they +10v or +12v etc?

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

For my ears the best sounding solution is not to assign any of your sounds.In other words forget individual voice outs and go out with your main outs...Another solution is to lower your sound's decay/release so the notes don't truncate.My guess is something's going on with T's envelopes or voices..There's was a discussion about it in the old forum..The answer i got from DSI was "That's how analog works..." but i've played very fast other analog synths like Moog etc. and didn't got this behavior...Guess this inherited in the character of Tempest..

Cheers!

Hello,

Hope everyone is doing well.. I had a question about that point :

5) Assigning a sound to a voice can help but also produces a small click to the sound.It's very noticeable if you play fast bass or sustained sounds.

How to avoid those clicks when playing fast bass or sustained sounds ? Is there any tip about that ? I usually increase the amp attack but I still don't like the result..

[bnsd]

For my ears the best sounding solution is not to assign any of your sounds.In other words forget individual voice outs and go out with your main outs...Another solution is to lower your sound's decay/release so the notes don't truncate.My guess is something's going on with T's envelopes or voices..There's was a discussion about it in the old forum..The answer i got from DSI was "That's how analog works..." but i've played very fast other analog synths like Moog etc. and didn't got this behavior...Guess this inherited in the character of Tempest..

Cheers!

Hello,

Hope everyone is doing well.. I had a question about that point :

5) Assigning a sound to a voice can help but also produces a small click to the sound.It's very noticeable if you play fast bass or sustained sounds.

How to avoid those clicks when playing fast bass or sustained sounds ? Is there any tip about that ? I usually increase the amp attack but I still don't like the result..

Thanks mate.

[timbo74]

   •   Tempest can only accept Midi CC messages on main MIDI channel as follows:
CC# 12 - Distortion
CC# 13 - Compression
CC# 19 - a value other than 0 reverts Beat FX params to defaults
CC# 20 - Beat FX All Osc Frequency
CC# 21 - Beat FX Feedback
CC# 22 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 23 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Resonance
CC# 24 - Beat FX Lowpass Filter Audio Mod
CC# 25 - Beat FX Highpass Filter Cutoff
CC# 26 - Beat FX All Env Attack
CC# 27 - Beat FX All Env Decay

So is there no way to engage the roll or reverse function in 16 Beats via MIDI?

Both footswitch inputs can also accept a CV signal so plug a MIDI to CV converter into one or both of them & you can control any of the parameters, which are assignable to the footswitches.  They are setup with the System menu.

Oh really I didn't know they would just take any cv I don't know very much about foot switch pedals although I do have a bit of modular cv gear, do you know what the footswitch inputs are rated at and/ or if they are unipolar ( which I'm guessing they won't be) are they +10v or +12v etc?

Hi RobH,

On the Tempest DSI main page are the specs.
Quote:
Two pedal/control voltage (3.3 VDC max.) input (1/4″ TRS phone jack)

Hope that helps.

Tim

[abstrx]

The combinations of analog and digital DCO's and the percussion focused envelopes lead to some great synth sounds. A bit like a funky Evolver with on-board compression and a sequencer that is quicker to work with!

a couple links if anyone is interested.

https://stimresp.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/tempest-recipes-1-voice-chords/

https://davesmithinstruments.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201389680-How-to-play-the-Tempest-as-a-polyphonic-synth-from-a-MIDI-keyboard

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

You can find stim’s tutorials and many other on the sound design thread here: http://forum.davesmithinstruments.com/index.php?topic=34.0

If you haven’t already don’t forget to download Tempest various patches located at the bottom of the first post

Cheers!

[soidthezoid]

Don't recall seeing this one in this thread so here goes:  Simple but very useful, but did you know you can achieve a quantised beat-wide revert by hitting the current beat's pad again?  The beat will not revert until it reaches the position that corresponds with its quantise setting.  Obviously this requires that the beat does indeed have a quantise setting in the first place.

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

Thanks for mentioning this helpful tip!1st post updated
Keep it up people!

Don't recall seeing this one in this thread so here goes:  Simple but very useful, but did you know you can achieve a quantised beat-wide revert by hitting the current beat's pad again?  The beat will not revert until it reaches the position that corresponds with its quantise setting.  Obviously this requires that the beat does indeed have a quantise setting in the first place.

[RobH]

Don't recall seeing this one in this thread so here goes:  Simple but very useful, but did you know you can achieve a quantised beat-wide revert by hitting the current beat's pad again?  The beat will not revert until it reaches the position that corresponds with its quantise setting.  Obviously this requires that the beat does indeed have a quantise setting in the first place.

Nice tip i'll have to try this!

[muleskinner]

I don't know if this counts as a tip but I was having real problems the other day with a patch that was exhibiting random clicks. Tried all the usual stuff to sort but nothing would fix it.

In the end I narrowed it down to filter FM which was used heavily. If, instead of having filter FM maxxed out to start with I tied it to an envelope and put a delay of '1' on that envelope (attack of zero and max peak hold) the random clicks went away!

Setting a delay of '1' on VCA envelope has been suggested before as a way of getting rid of clicks but that didn't work in this case.

[Yorgos Arabatzis]

Thanks for sharing the tip muleskinner

I don't know if this counts as a tip but I was having real problems the other day with a patch that was exhibiting random clicks. Tried all the usual stuff to sort but nothing would fix it.

In the end I narrowed it down to filter FM which was used heavily. If, instead of having filter FM maxxed out to start with I tied it to an envelope and put a delay of '1' on that envelope (attack of zero and max peak hold) the random clicks went away!

Setting a delay of '1' on VCA envelope has been suggested before as a way of getting rid of clicks but that didn't work in this case.

[muleskinner]

Here's another one - people have asked about creating drones before and I just found a neat solution for this.

Set one FX slider to target VCA level, set that slider to 'latch', press pad + slider. Bingo - never-ending drone!