GS Music Bree6

[obie_wan]

Are the velocity, aftertouch and mod wheel depth settings global or per-preset? Would have been nice if there’d been a panel button or knob for these settings as these are things I’d use regularly and likely want to be different in each patch.

Those are global.

Actually it looks like they are per-preset after all. You can see that by going through a few different presets and checking the “control” menu for each one; the values differ between presets. Cool!

Wow, you're right, I'm quite the idiot aren't I? 

My apologies...  Sometimes if I try to answer questions like that, I do something in haste that results in error.  At the time I answered that, I didn't even have access to the synth and instead went by a combination of the manual and erroneous memory on my part, without verifying.  Not that the manual is incorrect at all, it just explains the Preset menu in a way that makes it seem (at least in my feeble mind) like the Control section above it is not per-patch... so I read that part and sort of combined it with my own assumption based on the control layout that only Preset options were per preset.

Anyway lesson learned....and I definitely think I need to refrain from answering these kinds of questions and defer to the manufacturer or other experts who have more time to verify their answers are correct.  I have too many synths to be honest, more than I can remember the details of how they all work.  The area from which I read and post here is not even the same as my primary studio room -- I don't web surf or do a lot of typing there because I find it to be distracting from music production to get caught up in YouTube surfing.... sort of a separation of concerns :  consumption vs production.  So that means if I'm posting here I'm unlikely to go turn on all my music gear just to confirm functionality of one device.  That ends up compelling me to give an answer from memory and/or limited experience.

Anyway, I'm glad that the net result was a pleasant surprise after your purchase, rather than the other way around!

No problem. The manual is a bit ambiguous to be honest and it could be read as if they were global. I’m so glad to find that they are per-patch as even just the two mod wheel settings can add some really nice variation; enough to be interesting without getting bogged down in the minutiae of sound design. I’ve already been inspired by this thing and came up with an intro to a piece I’ve been working on (very raw but gives an idea):

That clip is a good example of the smooth pads this thing is capable of.   Are you finding yourself creating lots of presets with it?  I haven't done that yet at all, I find the workflow to be so fast that I just always start with an init patch and dial-in whatever type of sound I want on the fly, which I see as a sign of a synth with a truly immediate user interface.  The synths I've spent more time programming and saving patches are ones like Prophet 12, 3rd Wave, etc. where the invitation to program and tweak sometimes seems to take precedence over playing.

I’ve made about 50 presets so far (most of which I made from scratch) but there are several variations of the same ones. (Also managed to accidentally overwrite a nice one through a combination of the quirky save function and lack of a compare feature (unless I’ve missed that)). It’s so quick to dial something nice up and start playing. I’ve only had about 4-5 sessions on it so far and often have just played one sound I made for most of the session.

This is very much a songwriting/player’s instrument. The one upside of the module is that I’ve hooked it up to my Kawai MP11SE; weighted keys are awesome for the piano-style patches (less so for some other stuff).

This is such a lovely instrument. Makes me want to check out the G7 properly (though I know the chorus isn’t as nice as on the Bree6).

I also have an interest in the G7 (I did even before the Bree6 was announced), but from what I've heard the Bree6 gets to a lot of the same places tonally so giving up the specific chorus and delay of the Bree would be tough.  I think Guido is just getting started, so maybe a G7 Mk2 with updated effects will be in the future?

At some point he was planning to do more work on the Zeus, which was a 12-voice keyboard, lots of which was used in E7.

The physical size of it is a no-go for me at this point, my studio is running low on space, so it's going to take a really special situation for me to cram another large keyboard in there.  Something along the lines of a Roland Jupiter-8 reissue in the $4k price range which I'm not holding my breath for

The size of the Bree6 desktop is part of its genius.  When the desktop profile is that small, I can always make room for it.  I do have some other small synths, but nothing where the combination of build quality and the knob interface is quite this well-done, where the playability is every bit as good as a large synth.  Most smaller synths feel kind of small and fiddly to me, but not this one.. when interacting with it I never feel like it's anything less than a first rate bit of studio gear.

Stop saying all the right things in your endless sales pitch for a synth I don't need and can't afford but now crave!

I'm generally not a desktop synth fan. I like keys attached. But the Bree6 sounds like it would sit nicely next to my Taiga, with the Taiga as keyboard lord and master...

I prefer keys attached too overall, as controlling different desktop units with one controller usually inevitably ends up with a certain amount of configuration (like switching MIDI channels on the controller, etc).  But there are some major pluses to separating them that I've grown to appreciate.. for ex. a lot of desktops support features like polyphonic aftertouch or MPE that aren't supported with their built-in keys, and on the 3rd wave I find poly AT to be a compelling feature that I would have missed out on had I bought the KB version. Bree6 does have MPE but I honestly haven't tried it yet even though the Korg Keystage I'm controlling it with has MPE support.. nice to know its an option though. 
I also prefer 61 keys on a poly synth, so it sometimes simplifies purchase decisions to not have to worry about whether I'll be happy with the # of keys on a built in key bed.

Same with liking keys attached but this little guy takes up small amount of real estate and is built like a tank! I don’t have to worry about lugging my keyboards around for sessions either at least for now 

[Quatschmacher]

Are the velocity, aftertouch and mod wheel depth settings global or per-preset? Would have been nice if there’d been a panel button or knob for these settings as these are things I’d use regularly and likely want to be different in each patch.

Those are global.

Actually it looks like they are per-preset after all. You can see that by going through a few different presets and checking the “control” menu for each one; the values differ between presets. Cool!

Wow, you're right, I'm quite the idiot aren't I? 

My apologies...  Sometimes if I try to answer questions like that, I do something in haste that results in error.  At the time I answered that, I didn't even have access to the synth and instead went by a combination of the manual and erroneous memory on my part, without verifying.  Not that the manual is incorrect at all, it just explains the Preset menu in a way that makes it seem (at least in my feeble mind) like the Control section above it is not per-patch... so I read that part and sort of combined it with my own assumption based on the control layout that only Preset options were per preset.

Anyway lesson learned....and I definitely think I need to refrain from answering these kinds of questions and defer to the manufacturer or other experts who have more time to verify their answers are correct.  I have too many synths to be honest, more than I can remember the details of how they all work.  The area from which I read and post here is not even the same as my primary studio room -- I don't web surf or do a lot of typing there because I find it to be distracting from music production to get caught up in YouTube surfing.... sort of a separation of concerns :  consumption vs production.  So that means if I'm posting here I'm unlikely to go turn on all my music gear just to confirm functionality of one device.  That ends up compelling me to give an answer from memory and/or limited experience.

Anyway, I'm glad that the net result was a pleasant surprise after your purchase, rather than the other way around!

No problem. The manual is a bit ambiguous to be honest and it could be read as if they were global. I’m so glad to find that they are per-patch as even just the two mod wheel settings can add some really nice variation; enough to be interesting without getting bogged down in the minutiae of sound design. I’ve already been inspired by this thing and came up with an intro to a piece I’ve been working on (very raw but gives an idea):

That clip is a good example of the smooth pads this thing is capable of.   Are you finding yourself creating lots of presets with it?  I haven't done that yet at all, I find the workflow to be so fast that I just always start with an init patch and dial-in whatever type of sound I want on the fly, which I see as a sign of a synth with a truly immediate user interface.  The synths I've spent more time programming and saving patches are ones like Prophet 12, 3rd Wave, etc. where the invitation to program and tweak sometimes seems to take precedence over playing.

I’ve made about 50 presets so far (most of which I made from scratch) but there are several variations of the same ones. (Also managed to accidentally overwrite a nice one through a combination of the quirky save function and lack of a compare feature (unless I’ve missed that)). It’s so quick to dial something nice up and start playing. I’ve only had about 4-5 sessions on it so far and often have just played one sound I made for most of the session.

This is very much a songwriting/player’s instrument. The one upside of the module is that I’ve hooked it up to my Kawai MP11SE; weighted keys are awesome for the piano-style patches (less so for some other stuff).

This is such a lovely instrument. Makes me want to check out the G7 properly (though I know the chorus isn’t as nice as on the Bree6).

I also have an interest in the G7 (I did even before the Bree6 was announced), but from what I've heard the Bree6 gets to a lot of the same places tonally so giving up the specific chorus and delay of the Bree would be tough.  I think Guido is just getting started, so maybe a G7 Mk2 with updated effects will be in the future?

At some point he was planning to do more work on the Zeus, which was a 12-voice keyboard, lots of which was used in E7.

The physical size of it is a no-go for me at this point, my studio is running low on space, so it's going to take a really special situation for me to cram another large keyboard in there.  Something along the lines of a Roland Jupiter-8 reissue in the $4k price range which I'm not holding my breath for

The size of the Bree6 desktop is part of its genius.  When the desktop profile is that small, I can always make room for it.  I do have some other small synths, but nothing where the combination of build quality and the knob interface is quite this well-done, where the playability is every bit as good as a large synth.  Most smaller synths feel kind of small and fiddly to me, but not this one.. when interacting with it I never feel like it's anything less than a first rate bit of studio gear.

Stop saying all the right things in your endless sales pitch for a synth I don't need and can't afford but now crave!

I'm generally not a desktop synth fan. I like keys attached. But the Bree6 sounds like it would sit nicely next to my Taiga, with the Taiga as keyboard lord and master...

I have some bad news for you, there’s a keyboard version of the Bree6. 

[Quatschmacher]

Here are a few more patch clips.

[LPF83]

All great clips, thanks!

About the keyboard version of the Bree6, it's definitely coming but I don't think it's available for purchase quite yet.  It does have the additions of arpeggiator and step sequencer.

[Quatschmacher]

All great clips, thanks!

About the keyboard version of the Bree6, it's definitely coming but I don't think it's available for purchase quite yet.  It does have the additions of arpeggiator and step sequencer.

Thanks.

I’ve just accidentally figured out something useful that isn’t in the manual as far as I can tell: you can also use the encoder to quickly flip through presets.

[LPF83]

All great clips, thanks!

About the keyboard version of the Bree6, it's definitely coming but I don't think it's available for purchase quite yet.  It does have the additions of arpeggiator and step sequencer.

Thanks.

I’ve just accidentally figured out something useful that isn’t in the manual as far as I can tell: you can also use the encoder to quickly flip through presets.

Yes, that's actually how I do it most of the time.  In fact, from power on, pressing Bank then turning the encoder once to the left to get to 8.8.8 is the fastest way I've found to set the current patch to Init (assumes of course you leave the 8.8.8 slot to the initialized values.  But even if you wanted a bunch of starter presets, like a square with PWM starting point etc, putting each of them in the last 8.8.x slots makes it quick to get to them.

[Quatschmacher]

All great clips, thanks!

About the keyboard version of the Bree6, it's definitely coming but I don't think it's available for purchase quite yet.  It does have the additions of arpeggiator and step sequencer.

Thanks.

I’ve just accidentally figured out something useful that isn’t in the manual as far as I can tell: you can also use the encoder to quickly flip through presets.

Yes, that's actually how I do it most of the time.  In fact, from power on, pressing Bank then turning the encoder once to the left to get to 8.8.8 is the fastest way I've found to set the current patch to Init (assumes of course you leave the 8.8.8 slot to the initialized values.  But even if you wanted a bunch of starter presets, like a square with PWM starting point etc, putting each of them in the last 8.8.x slots makes it quick to get to them.

That’s a good idea. Had I not begun populating the synth backwards from 888, I was thinking it might be good to always save a new patch to 888 and then copy it to the desired location to avoid accidentally overwriting presets (which I’ve done twice now) in the absence of a compare function. Could then restore 888 to default each time.

[LPF83]

All great clips, thanks!

About the keyboard version of the Bree6, it's definitely coming but I don't think it's available for purchase quite yet.  It does have the additions of arpeggiator and step sequencer.

Thanks.

I’ve just accidentally figured out something useful that isn’t in the manual as far as I can tell: you can also use the encoder to quickly flip through presets.

Yes, that's actually how I do it most of the time.  In fact, from power on, pressing Bank then turning the encoder once to the left to get to 8.8.8 is the fastest way I've found to set the current patch to Init (assumes of course you leave the 8.8.8 slot to the initialized values.  But even if you wanted a bunch of starter presets, like a square with PWM starting point etc, putting each of them in the last 8.8.x slots makes it quick to get to them.

That’s a good idea. Had I not begun populating the synth backwards from 888, I was thinking it might be good to always save a new patch to 888 and then copy it to the desired location to avoid accidentally overwriting presets (which I’ve done twice now) in the absence of a compare function. Could then restore 888 to default each time.

There are definitely many different ways to go about it.  Another approach would be to just keep 777 for example as the Init patch, and then its always just hit Bank then three taps on the 7 button to get there.  I just started using the 8th bank as it seemed convenient and I preferred the knob turn slightly to buttons.  The buttons, while nothing to complain about, are one area that could be improved, as I do prefer the feel of Prophet-style buttons.  But no synth is perfect, and I think as far as analog polys go, this is probably the best value out there at the $1k price point, if overall sound quality and immediacy are the main selection criteria.

[djjohnr]

I would love to hear anyone’s experience with this synth and how it stacks up to the OB-6. I’ve seen descriptions that the Bree6 sounds like 80s nostalgia? From videos, it does have a nice sound to it.

About 80's nostalgia, yes I would say it does that in droves.  Describing how it stacks up to an OB-6 is difficult because it's an apples to oranges comparison... they are different instruments with a different sound, different filter types, different capabilities, of course different price.  The OB-6 has a 2-pole SVF and the Bree6 is a 4-pole ladder filter, those differences alone are substantial.  The OB-6 is a dual oscillator synth while the Bree6 is a single oscillator synth with world-class chorus.  OB-6 is more Oberheim-sound with a modern twist, Bree6 reminds me more of a vintage Juno sound.  They both are great sounding analogs with very immediate workflow and no menu diving.  The OB-6 has features the Bree6 does not but costs 2.5x as much for the desktop.  The limitations of the Bree6 are actually a plus when composing music due to simplification of workflow -- less features means quicker time to goal of sound design, versus getting lost in experimentation.

Obviously they have very different architectures and will sound different; however, at least on YT videos it sounds like the Bree6 has a similar sparkle in the high frequencies.  Can anyone with both speak to that? One of the reasons I keep an OB-6 around is because it's emphasis on the highs as compared to my other synths - it helps it sit in the mix well.  Does the Bree6 do the same thing?

[LPF83]

I would love to hear anyone’s experience with this synth and how it stacks up to the OB-6. I’ve seen descriptions that the Bree6 sounds like 80s nostalgia? From videos, it does have a nice sound to it.

About 80's nostalgia, yes I would say it does that in droves.  Describing how it stacks up to an OB-6 is difficult because it's an apples to oranges comparison... they are different instruments with a different sound, different filter types, different capabilities, of course different price.  The OB-6 has a 2-pole SVF and the Bree6 is a 4-pole ladder filter, those differences alone are substantial.  The OB-6 is a dual oscillator synth while the Bree6 is a single oscillator synth with world-class chorus.  OB-6 is more Oberheim-sound with a modern twist, Bree6 reminds me more of a vintage Juno sound.  They both are great sounding analogs with very immediate workflow and no menu diving.  The OB-6 has features the Bree6 does not but costs 2.5x as much for the desktop.  The limitations of the Bree6 are actually a plus when composing music due to simplification of workflow -- less features means quicker time to goal of sound design, versus getting lost in experimentation.

Obviously they have very different architectures and will sound different; however, at least on YT videos it sounds like the Bree6 has a similar sparkle in the high frequencies.  Can anyone with both speak to that? One of the reasons I keep an OB-6 around is because it's emphasis on the highs as compared to my other synths - it helps it sit in the mix well.  Does the Bree6 do the same thing?

I'd return to my earlier response on that subject and say that the 2 pole SVF of the OB-6 is one of the reasons for the sparkle you describe on that particular synth.  When the filter slope, by design, is letting some of the harmonic sizzle leak out throughout the filter range, there is a certain sound character that results, and I believe that is the character you're referring to as sparkle.
If that is the case, I would say no, the Bree6 doesn't do the same thing in the context of that specific sparkle, but I would say it does sit well in a mix.  If you like the sound of it in YT videos, you'll almost certainly love the sound of it live. 

[djjohnr]

I would love to hear anyone’s experience with this synth and how it stacks up to the OB-6. I’ve seen descriptions that the Bree6 sounds like 80s nostalgia? From videos, it does have a nice sound to it.

About 80's nostalgia, yes I would say it does that in droves.  Describing how it stacks up to an OB-6 is difficult because it's an apples to oranges comparison... they are different instruments with a different sound, different filter types, different capabilities, of course different price.  The OB-6 has a 2-pole SVF and the Bree6 is a 4-pole ladder filter, those differences alone are substantial.  The OB-6 is a dual oscillator synth while the Bree6 is a single oscillator synth with world-class chorus.  OB-6 is more Oberheim-sound with a modern twist, Bree6 reminds me more of a vintage Juno sound.  They both are great sounding analogs with very immediate workflow and no menu diving.  The OB-6 has features the Bree6 does not but costs 2.5x as much for the desktop.  The limitations of the Bree6 are actually a plus when composing music due to simplification of workflow -- less features means quicker time to goal of sound design, versus getting lost in experimentation.

Obviously they have very different architectures and will sound different; however, at least on YT videos it sounds like the Bree6 has a similar sparkle in the high frequencies.  Can anyone with both speak to that? One of the reasons I keep an OB-6 around is because it's emphasis on the highs as compared to my other synths - it helps it sit in the mix well.  Does the Bree6 do the same thing?

I'd return to my earlier response on that subject and say that the 2 pole SVF of the OB-6 is one of the reasons for the sparkle you describe on that particular synth.  When the filter slope, by design, is letting some of the harmonic sizzle leak out throughout the filter range, there is a certain sound character that results, and I believe that is the character you're referring to as sparkle.
If that is the case, I would say no, the Bree6 doesn't do the same thing in the context of that specific sparkle, but I would say it does sit well in a mix.  If you like the sound of it in YT videos, you'll almost certainly love the sound of it live.

Thanks for the reply.  I guess what I'm really wondering is how it would sit in a mix with a Prophet 6.  What I like most about the OB-6 "sparkle" is that it's at a higher frequency that helps it sit in the mix really well with a Prophet 6.  To contrast that my Prologue 16 (which also has a 2 pole filter) is low-mid heavy and requires more thoughtful eqing, filtering and composing to separate it from the Prophet.

[LPF83]

Thanks for the reply.  I guess what I'm really wondering is how it would sit in a mix with a Prophet 6.  What I like most about the OB-6 "sparkle" is that it's at a higher frequency that helps it sit in the mix really well with a Prophet 6.  To contrast that my Prologue 16 (which also has a 2 pole filter) is low-mid heavy and requires more thoughtful eqing, filtering and composing to separate it from the Prophet.

Although I have both synths, I have not tried combining them yet, I have two separate rooms (sort of a main studio and a "lite" studio) with different gear in each one, so I can't convey specific experiences there.  For me, selecting specific sounds that sit well, or exploring EQ adjustments and finding what works is part of the fun, but it might be less fun for someone who does live gigs.  The Prophet 6 has the HPF (which the Bree6 does not) so its the more flexible of the two in that regard.  My AS-1 is the same overall architecture as a P6, which might imply conflict or phasing by default when played together, but they usually sound great to me.

One potential workaround that can make any synth sit well in a mix with anything else is to have an EQ pedal behind the synth that has presets, so you can quickly change the EQ curve to meet specific needs.  I do this all the time on my Prophet 10 because it's so fat and rich, and with all those harmonics coming up the middle it can be a dominant monster.. tap the pedal with my foot and it thins it out into more of a Roland-like sound which is sometimes what I want.

[LPF83]

Scott McAuley's been active on the Bree6 recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OtBGOTrsAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mab45rH-rZ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsqxdI6wyqc

[LPF83]

Two videos for Scott McAuley's first patch bank for the Bree6... if you've been looking for good examples of the tone and character of this synth I'd recommend checking this out, Scott is a great sound designer that creates nice patches and demos them very well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ezAuxLpHg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZfsYYvf2sY

[Manbird]

It's really a lovely-sounding synth and it hits the archetypal "classic" sweet spot. Thanks for posting!

[LPF83]

I saw Scott mention in one of his thread responses that the Bree6 has a faster processor thus snappier envelope response than its big brother the E7.  This may be one of the reasons for the 8ms delay lower boundary on the Bree6, versus the 50ms minimum delay response the E7 offers.  This may be worth noting, because even though not everyone because an 8ms is so tight it is not even remotely into echo territory.. it has more of an effect of doubling the sound and increasing the overall beefiness of a single oscillator similar to how a second oscillator would add gain.

You can see the difference in parameters between the two synths in their web based editors below.  They actually seem to round up (for example on the Bree6 display it tells me minimum delay is 7.85ms instead of 8ms, not that it matters at that precision, but it seemed worth noting). 

Bottom line is that I use the incredibly tight delay to add girth to the sound all the time, then add "real delay" or echo some other way -- I have lots of plugins and pedals for that.

https://synthcity.org/gsmusic/bree6/
https://synthcity.org/gsmusic/e7/

[LPF83]

It's really a lovely-sounding synth and it hits the archetypal "classic" sweet spot. Thanks for posting!

Bingo, it really is a sweet spot synth... you can probably tell from the demos, it's not a swiss army knife or a synth that will take you into all sorts of dark or experimental territory.  It is simple yet incredibly musical, has a tone that can sound very familiar if you ask it to or characterful.  What it gives up in overall range of sound design possibilities, it pays back in dividends in fast-to-achieve useful sounds (useful if you like the tone that is... and I definitely do.  It almost reminds me of an Alpha Juno with a bit of Moog personality added).

[Quatschmacher]

It's really a lovely-sounding synth and it hits the archetypal "classic" sweet spot. Thanks for posting!

Bingo, it really is a sweet spot synth... you can probably tell from the demos, it's not a swiss army knife or a synth that will take you into all sorts of dark or experimental territory.  It is simple yet incredibly musical, has a tone that can sound very familiar if you ask it to or characterful.  What it gives up in overall range of sound design possibilities, it pays back in dividends in fast-to-achieve useful sounds (useful if you like the tone that is... and I definitely do.  It almost reminds me of an Alpha Juno with a bit of Moog personality added).

It really is a joy to work with and inspires music. Very much like the Juno in that respect. It’s surprisingly able to do some wackier spacey things too with some of the LFO shapes at fast speed.

The only things I feel would improve it would be a noise source, level control for the sub oscillator, the ability to add LFO depth to filter via mod wheel/aftertouch, and maybe the ability to control LFO speed on mod wheel/aftertouch.

Makes me want to give the E7 a proper go. Really kicking myself for not buying it when I saw some great deals on it a while ago. Though I know bree6 actually has some improvements, especially the chorus. Really want to see Guido revive his Zeus synth (12 voice upon which the E7 was based).

[LPF83]

It's really a lovely-sounding synth and it hits the archetypal "classic" sweet spot. Thanks for posting!

Bingo, it really is a sweet spot synth... you can probably tell from the demos, it's not a swiss army knife or a synth that will take you into all sorts of dark or experimental territory.  It is simple yet incredibly musical, has a tone that can sound very familiar if you ask it to or characterful.  What it gives up in overall range of sound design possibilities, it pays back in dividends in fast-to-achieve useful sounds (useful if you like the tone that is... and I definitely do.  It almost reminds me of an Alpha Juno with a bit of Moog personality added).

It really is a joy to work with and inspires music. Very much like the Juno in that respect. It’s surprisingly able to do some wackier spacey things too with some of the LFO shapes at fast speed.

The only things I feel would improve it would be a noise source, level control for the sub oscillator, the ability to add LFO depth to filter via mod wheel/aftertouch, and maybe the ability to control LFO speed on mod wheel/aftertouch.

Makes me want to give the E7 a proper go. Really kicking myself for not buying it when I saw some great deals on it a while ago. Though I know bree6 actually has some improvements, especially the chorus. Really want to see Guido revive his Zeus synth (12 voice upon which the E7 was based).

I too wouldn't mind a noise source, a stereo spread control like the E7 has, etc., but at the same time I've kind of come to terms with the notion of embracing what a synth can/can't do, and tend to just find creative workarounds or use a different instrument for everything it can't. 
For example for the mod wheel options you mentioned, my work around for that is to just play the knobs instead of the keyboard wheel for filter mod dept and overall LFO speed.  I think Guido might have chose Moog-style knobs because they have this very playable quality to them, and I don't think I've ever had such a tiny footprint synth like this that had such nicely spaced/size/laid out/feeling knobs.  I will say the ergonomics of the placement of the module relative to the keyboard is a big reason I use it that way... the Korg Keystage I'm using it with has this little tray you can insert into the back (could be a couple of pedals, sheet music etc.) and the Bree6 module, because of its size, rests on this tray which props it up at just the perfect angle, sort of like a Minimoog panel.  That particular tray isn't necessary (you can see in the Scott McAuley videos he has done something similar ergonomically placing it above his 3rd Wave).  If for some reason placement of the desktop unit doesn't give you comfortable and easy reach to the knobs (or if you just don't like them), then yes I definitely agree sometimes the flexibility of modulating whatever you need with the mod wheel is nice.

Curious if you use the aftertouch mapping to these functions?  Sometimes how good that is is a factor of both the controller keybed itself and the synth, but I've found the AT that the Keystage sends to various synths so far to be really nice so I use the aftertouch options on the Bree6 all the time and it can be a beautiful combination.

[Quatschmacher]

It's really a lovely-sounding synth and it hits the archetypal "classic" sweet spot. Thanks for posting!

Bingo, it really is a sweet spot synth... you can probably tell from the demos, it's not a swiss army knife or a synth that will take you into all sorts of dark or experimental territory.  It is simple yet incredibly musical, has a tone that can sound very familiar if you ask it to or characterful.  What it gives up in overall range of sound design possibilities, it pays back in dividends in fast-to-achieve useful sounds (useful if you like the tone that is... and I definitely do.  It almost reminds me of an Alpha Juno with a bit of Moog personality added).

It really is a joy to work with and inspires music. Very much like the Juno in that respect. It’s surprisingly able to do some wackier spacey things too with some of the LFO shapes at fast speed.

The only things I feel would improve it would be a noise source, level control for the sub oscillator, the ability to add LFO depth to filter via mod wheel/aftertouch, and maybe the ability to control LFO speed on mod wheel/aftertouch.

Makes me want to give the E7 a proper go. Really kicking myself for not buying it when I saw some great deals on it a while ago. Though I know bree6 actually has some improvements, especially the chorus. Really want to see Guido revive his Zeus synth (12 voice upon which the E7 was based).

I too wouldn't mind a noise source, a stereo spread control like the E7 has, etc., but at the same time I've kind of come to terms with the notion of embracing what a synth can/can't do, and tend to just find creative workarounds or use a different instrument for everything it can't. 
For example for the mod wheel options you mentioned, my work around for that is to just play the knobs instead of the keyboard wheel for filter mod dept and overall LFO speed.  I think Guido might have chose Moog-style knobs because they have this very playable quality to them, and I don't think I've ever had such a tiny footprint synth like this that had such nicely spaced/size/laid out/feeling knobs.  I will say the ergonomics of the placement of the module relative to the keyboard is a big reason I use it that way... the Korg Keystage I'm using it with has this little tray you can insert into the back (could be a couple of pedals, sheet music etc.) and the Bree6 module, because of its size, rests on this tray which props it up at just the perfect angle, sort of like a Minimoog panel.  That particular tray isn't necessary (you can see in the Scott McAuley videos he has done something similar ergonomically placing it above his 3rd Wave).  If for some reason placement of the desktop unit doesn't give you comfortable and easy reach to the knobs (or if you just don't like them), then yes I definitely agree sometimes the flexibility of modulating whatever you need with the mod wheel is nice.

Curious if you use the aftertouch mapping to these functions?  Sometimes how good that is is a factor of both the controller keybed itself and the synth, but I've found the AT that the Keystage sends to various synths so far to be really nice so I use the aftertouch options on the Bree6 all the time and it can be a beautiful combination.

I’ve currently got mine hooked up to my Kawai MP11SE so no aftertouch possible from the keys, though I think I can send it via the expression pedal. At some point I’d like to get an Osmose 61 and use the full MPE capabilities.

The knobs are great, I just like to do any expressive control without having to take my hands (too far) away from the keys as I do a lot of two-handed, polyphonic playing. I’m definitely a fan of aftertouch when I can use it. (I’d love something like a Prophet T8 keyboard - nice wooden piano action with poly aftertouch.)

You’re right about the playability despite its cute size. It is so well proportioned and sits nicely right in the middle of my piano.

I’d love to see a Love Hultén creation with the Bree6 housed with something like the Osmose 61. Check out his YouTube channel if you haven’t already, his builds are amazing retro futuristic things.

I’m really happy with the Bree6 to be honest, it was just a small wish list; I really enjoy its simplicity as I do on the Juno 106 (and actually the Yamaha Reface CS).