GS Music Bree6

[LPF83]

Thanks for the info about the Kawai MP11SE, it brings back memories of the first synth I ever bought myself (versus borrowed from a family member), the Kawai K5 I bought in the late 80s.  I looked it up the MP11SE and it looks outstanding. Still to this day I wonder why new synth key beds don't feel as good as that K5 I had did, it was just something special under the finger tips and it sort of spoiled me for how a key bed should feel and respond. 

Ergonomically, a lot of controllers would be different than the situation I described.  The Keystage is a wonderfully-freakish "slim" keyboard, so when the Bree is in the tray, the distance from the outer edge of the white keys to the lowest knob at the bottom of the sloe on the Bree is about 8" away, with the tray putting the filter EG1 Mod knob of the Bree about 9.5" away.  The slim form factor of the Keystage 61 is a bigger reason (for me) for getting it than even the poly aftertouch, because it is not in my primary studio room, it's a smaller "impromptu" studio in a different room with less space.  If I needed to put the Bree farther out of reach due to depth of the controller, it might be a whole different story and I might care substantially more about replacing the knob action with controller wheel.  Is CC mapping an option for you maybe?

[LPF83]

Matt Johnson on the Bree6 keyboard:

https://youtu.be/fckaqJq3VPc

And Starsky Carr: 

https://youtu.be/JtijjTbiAm0

[Soundquest]

LPF83, you just couldn't leave "well enough" alone and had to go and post all this stuff:).  So now, I just unboxed the keyboard version!  This sounds great and that's what its all about.    I cant wait to familiarize with it and share my thoughts.

[LPF83]

LPF83, you just couldn't leave "well enough" alone and had to go and post all this stuff:).  So now, I just unboxed the keyboard version!  This sounds great and that's what its all about.    I cant wait to familiarize with it and share my thoughts.

Congrats!  My module is currently in my "secondary studio" room, and getting tons of use.  Seeing the KB version makes me want to get one for the main studio.  I never get tired of the sounds this thing makes.

[Quatschmacher]

LPF83, you just couldn't leave "well enough" alone and had to go and post all this stuff:).  So now, I just unboxed the keyboard version!  This sounds great and that's what its all about.    I cant wait to familiarize with it and share my thoughts.

Congrats. It’s lovely. Still really digging mine.

One thing to check - does the highest C play in tune on all 6 voices?

[Soundquest]

I'll check that tuning out.  When I first started the units mod wheel and pitch wheel would not work!   Tried all the settings, and nothing.  I probably should have tried this first anyway, but you need to do the wheel calibration first otherwise they stay unrecognized.  All well now.

[Quatschmacher]

There’s a 4-octave version coming.

[LPF83]

There’s a 4-octave version coming.

Wonder what Guido might have cooking for a 6 octave board?  As the price point goes up it starts to make more sense to add a second oscillator and other options, competing with the existing E7. 

I could get interested in an E8 (8 voice Bree with same FX, two oscillators, 2 LFOs and a HPF, etc).

[Soundquest]

I literally used up the last avaliable linear space in studio with the 37 key version .  I do have a midi cord running to the Hydrasynth for bigger octave playing.    In all honesty, I wanted the sequencer and arp on board enough to purchase the Bree keyboard, but if it was a larger keyboard I don't know where I would have put it. 

[LPF83]

I literally used up the last avaliable linear space in studio with the 37 key version .  I do have a midi cord running to the Hydrasynth for bigger octave playing.    In all honesty, I wanted the sequencer and arp on board enough to purchase the Bree keyboard, but if it was a larger keyboard I don't know where I would have put it.

I'm in the same boat, except I don't really even have space in combined real estate across both rooms for the 37 key without taking one of my keyboards out of immediate playability and stacking it against the wall.  But I do like the Bree6 sound well enough that if the right product came along, I might have to find a way.  Meanwhile the compact nature of the desktop is actually a huge plus for me.  The way it fits perfectly in the tray of the Keystage 61 with the controls tilted forward is ergonomically pleasing to use -- not an essential combination, because I did something similar with my OB-X8 desktop in the main room with the NI KK MK2 controller I have there, but as a "slim design" setup on the smaller table it sits on (the Keystage is a very slim controller), it all works out nicely. I think my space crunch has actually pushed me into guitar territory recently since I can just hang them on the wall... heh..  I've bought 3 just in the last year.

[LPF83]

LPF83, you just couldn't leave "well enough" alone and had to go and post all this stuff:).  So now, I just unboxed the keyboard version!  This sounds great and that's what its all about.    I cant wait to familiarize with it and share my thoughts.

Congrats. It’s lovely. Still really digging mine.

One thing to check - does the highest C play in tune on all 6 voices?

I made a note to myself when I had time to come back and check this out..  but no, for me on a 5 octave keyboard, C is in tune within a few cents one way or another across voices that one would expect of an analog VCO.  If I octave the KB up once (i.e. 76 key upper range), same remains true.  If I octave up once more, one voice starts to go rogue on C...  but it's such a high and whistly range that I would never play that high on this synth so its inconsequential to me.  I think all of my VCO synths have some sort of quirk like this in terms of tuning range.

For me it's not a problem, for someone with an 88 key controller needing precision in that high of a register it could be?  Might be a better use case for DCOs though.

Over the last year or so as I've spent an increasing amount of time integrating guitar into my music making, I've become aware of the joy of the challenge that comes with fighting the limitations of the instrument.  All instruments have them, and embracing the limitations can be really rewarding.

[Soundquest]

I forgot to check the upper C tuning on scope, but did check mid range with tuner  when I first used it and it was dead on..  But I agree with what you are saying Lpf83, on probably not playing that far up the octave range anyway with this synth, where a little wobble won't matter.    PS..  a jaw harp or flute would save you more room.               

[Quatschmacher]

It’s only the top note of an 88-key keyboard that is out on one voice.

[Soundquest]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Pu7hDk0AE

[LPF83]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3Pu7hDk0AE

Right @2:25, it reminds me what a great job Guido did on the chorus effect, atop already great sounding oscillators