Oasys Wishlist

[tonybanks]

- oberheim or sci exi (ob-xa, ob-8, matrix or p5)

Just a note - the AL-1 can do quite good oberheim and p5 sounds, with the exception of audio-rate polymod for the p5 filter. Look in the manual/help for the AL-1's OSC Basic page, under the heading "Modeling vintage analog synths," and the various sections to which it refers. I wasn't allowed to use actual synth names in the manual, but they are hinted at: "classic synthesizer expander module," "American, wood-paneled monophonic synthesizer," "famous five-voice American synthesizer."

- Dan

What's below is absolutely IMHO.
I agree with Dan, but I would list the AL-1 sound in the overall good analog-ish sound.
The AL-1 synth puts its own signature in that sound category.
It does not clone the above mentioned instruments.
I believe it was not meant to do that.
The AL-1 is a very deep module, with possibility of different subtle nuances in sounds. But I think that there's no way to pretend to do an A/B comparison with this or that real old analog instrument and find almost no difference.
The various virtual synth available for PC, Mac or running on machines like Receptor or NeKo can probably give a more realistic emulation in the shortest programming time (along with a variety of thier own minus') .
Of course, do not expect any flexibility out of the cloned sound category, which is a field in which, when its about analog style sounds, AL-1 is unbeat-able.
In the "analog clone" dept, Korg prooved to be very good with PolisixEx and MS20Ex.
I would add in my wish list the possibility to install compatible version of thirdy part instrument clones (or better Korg to develop its own clones).

[danatkorg]

- oberheim or sci exi (ob-xa, ob-8, matrix or p5)

Just a note - the AL-1 can do quite good oberheim and p5 sounds, with the exception of audio-rate polymod for the p5 filter. Look in the manual/help for the AL-1's OSC Basic page, under the heading "Modeling vintage analog synths," and the various sections to which it refers. I wasn't allowed to use actual synth names in the manual, but they are hinted at: "classic synthesizer expander module," "American, wood-paneled monophonic synthesizer," "famous five-voice American synthesizer."

- Dan

But I think that there's no way to pretend to do an A/B comparison with this or that real old analog instrument and find almost no difference.

Cool. I disagree. Let's try it and see.

The various virtual synth available for PC, Mac or running on machines like Receptor or NeKo can probably give a more realistic emulation in the shortest programming time (along with a variety of thier own minus') .

All due respect, but most of the mini and prophet "emulations" I've heard (especially the popular prophet clone) are quite terrible: aliasing all over the place, for instance. The AL-1 filters, oscillators, and envelopes come out of our research for OASYS PCI's minimoog and prophet models. With the sole exception of oscillator-to-filter polymod, I think you'll find the AL-1 to be excellent at emulating these two synths.

[peter m. mahr]

File A©

http://members.chello.at/peter.mahr/files/A.mp3

[ ] OASYS
[ ] Oberheim OB-8


File B©

http://members.chello.at/peter.mahr/files/B.mp3

[ ] OASYS
[ ] Minimoog Voyager


kind regards

peter

[tonybanks]

But I think that there's no way to pretend to do an A/B comparison with this or that real old analog instrument and find almost no difference.

Cool. I disagree. Let's try it and see.

Yes, that would be very interesting, as I have some of that old analog gear at home. The only thing to do is create an Oasys program which reproduces an OB/P5/Mini sound and make it public (this will also let everybody to take a look at the tips and tricks of "cloning the analogs").
I still have to listen to the examples posted from Peter M. Mahr.
Frankly speaking I still have to check carefully the only software analog synth that I have: Arturia's moog modular.
As far as I know, after reading some reviews, mails on forums etc etc, also some respected musicians have been impressed by the average good quality of the reproductions of the original intruments.
Personally, I only tried the above mentioned software. I find it good enough to give an idea of the original "beast" altough I find it lacks the bombastic effect of the original.
For what aliasing is concerned, I have no experience to tell anything against what you stated. I can understand (and I know) what care has been put in the Oasys project (the exclusion of the PPG samples -also made on triton- should tell something).
However, when a reputed company as Native Instruments gives the possibility for an A/B comparison (the Pro 53 is said to be able to load the original P5 patch's parameters), they have to be quite sure that their product can stand the challenge (even if after reading about the problems of their Kore 1.0 in the "live gig" environment I may have some doubts).
So........time for A/B comparison.......er.....I still have to take the dust off my polisix......

[danatkorg]

However, when a reputed company as Native Instruments gives the possibility for an A/B comparison (the Pro 53 is said to be able to load the original P5 patch's parameters), they have to be quite sure that their product can stand the challenge

NI is a cool company, and they make very neat products. However, I'm not sure that I completely agree with that logic.

First, the Pro 51 did not compare favorably to the analog original, as noted to me by a friend who worked on sounds for it. I'm not sure what improvements have been made since then.

Second, the FM7 imports DX7 sounds, but the results are noticably imperfect in some cases.

Companies claim stuff all of the time. It's up to us as consumers to examine their claims. When I help out our marketing staff on OASYS-related matters, I try to be very careful not to make claims that don't stand up to scrutiny.

[Daz]

File A

[X] OASYS
[ ] Oberheim OB-8


File B

[ ] OASYS
[X] Minimoog Voyager

------------

Personally I think the AL-1 is in a very different league to many of the VST emulative instruments I've tried ... way better.

[peter m. mahr]

Personally I think the AL-1 is in a very different league to many of the VST emulative instruments I've tried ... way better.

No doubt, the AL-1 can sound fantastic.

peter

[Charlie]

Another entry for the wishlist (I'm pretty sure it's allready here somewhere ): Boot within 5 seconds!

[tonybanks]

But I think that there's no way to pretend to do an A/B comparison with this or that real old analog instrument and find almost no difference.

Cool. I disagree. Let's try it and see.

The various virtual synth available for PC, Mac or running on machines like Receptor or NeKo can probably give a more realistic emulation in the shortest programming time (along with a variety of thier own minus') .

It would be great to have some init preset with OSC/FILTER/VCA/EG/MODULATION MATRIX etc etc with the "sound generation algorhythm" (and the single module responsiveness) shaped as the reference model.
I tried with a P5 and the results, against my first personal beliefs, are way beyond the more optimistc expectations.
The clues in Help page are very useful but they could be more explanatory (still no need to say "if you want a P5......". "Famous ONLY five voice polyphonic american analog synth" is clear enough).

In theory, AL-1 is so flexible that also a JP8 and CS80 "sound generation algorhythm" are possible: double filters (for low pass and hi pass) and opposite OSC balance (for the CS80's indipendent dual voice channel. OK no sine wave but complete EG's and the ring modulator are there).
How near to the original instrument Oasys can go is something worth to explore.
I did it with the CX3 module. I wanted to get a T100 (transistor, console model) sound, so I (well...no....Miki did it) worked with the overtones until we had the reproduction of the brilliance tab and the different EX percussions (the T100 does not only have 2nd and 3rd harm perc).

[bo.h]

I wish the O had a network-interface.
My first use of it would be to import/export folders using smb and/or nfs.
Maybe there is a gizmo for importing net-folders to usb already, but i havent found any.
But there sure would be many other uses for a network-interface.

/bo

[KSR80]

I can't see the AL1 doing a great Minimoog emu really, although it should do the OBX OBxa and P5 rev3 quite well as these are not analouge in the same way the minimoog.

[Rainer]

I agree, the AL-1 cannot convincingly simulate some of the prominent aspects of the minimoog; but neither can the moog voyager (although it is better in doing that). The problem are the "deep bass" sounds. I do not know why. But its evident for me. Is it the digital ascillators? I don't know. Nevertheless the AL-1 and the voyager are great synth engines having their own virtues
Rainer

[vEddY]

I wish the O had a network-interface.
My first use of it would be to import/export folders using smb and/or nfs.
Maybe there is a gizmo for importing net-folders to usb already, but i havent found any.But there sure would be many other uses for a network-interface.
/bo

Who says OASYS doesn't have a network interface? It does. As far as I can recall, OASYS has Aopen's MX4GVR motherboard inside (Intel 845 chipset, 533MHz support, with - again if I remember correctly - Realtek's LAN chip). It's an entirely different story to have the software support to use it, I'd say. That's up to Korg. I have just about a million ideas what to do with it...

[bo.h]

I don't know what to say vEddY, is "soo close, but no cigar" appropriate?

[vEddY]

I don't know what to say vEddY, is "soo close, but no cigar" appropriate?

I wouldn't necessarily say that, but... consider every discussion we have here as a positive "vibe" delivered to Korg crew. I see enormous potential in that Ethernet port as well as many more things, but I'm not the judge here, I'm merely a journalist/musician with many whacky ideas