So, what sounds do you want for your M50?

[Kim Lajoie]

Well well well.

I'm having so much fun programming my M50!

The synthesis structure is really fantastic - worlds above the previous HI structure used by the Triton family, and much more flexible than Roland and Yamaha's offerings. I could go on all day about AMS, the new polyphonic overdrive (finally!), the amazing LFOs, oscillator-level layering, etc...

I've been programming some sounds for my live sets and really having a good time of it. And I was thinking it'd be a shame to keep it all to myself!

So I was thinking of doing some sound programming work, making some EDS sound packs.

My questions to you are:
1) What sounds do you want?
2) How many sounds would you like in a pack?
3) How much would you pay for such a pack?

-Kim.

[mocando]

My questions to you are:
1) What sounds do you want?
2) How many sounds would you like in a pack?
3) How much would you pay for such a pack?

-Kim.

1) I would love a nice Old Prog/Rock pack, which could include ARP Prosoloist/Quadra leads, Mellotron strings and choirs and a good Hammon simulation with most used drawbar positions. I cover Genesis, Rush, Marillion, Saga and Yes, and it will certainly be a nice addition to my arsenal.
2) As many as can be
3) Hmm, that's a tough one, since we are limited in foreign currency business right now in my country, so if it can be free for a limited time and then charged, or maybe donationware could be a good idea also. I leave that to you, since you are the actual programmer.

Many thanks for the offer.

[outsider9]

Very nice project.

1) I'd like some 80's synth pop sounds ala Cocteau Twins ('Heaven or las Vegas'), 80's sci fi like Vangelis's 'Blade Runner', classic Pink Floyd sounds from all eras, along with 90's Bowie (Outside, Earthling)... you get the idea.

2) What about 64? is not too little to play with, nor too heavy to program, which takes us to...

3) I never payed for sounds, it's something I usually do myself instead. But, if the sounds are worthy, why not? I would probably not pay more than u$s 10 for a (64 sounds) pack...

Hope that helps, and good luck!

[rainbird]

I've paid for third-party patches for several of my synths over the years,
and I appreciate the work which goes into creating musically useful stuff that
I never could have created on my own.

Having said that, there are a few patches I have on my X-50 (I assume these
are on Tritons as well?) which I have found no really good equivalents for
on the M-50, and this has made me hesitate to upgrade to the M-50 in my
cover band. One is called "Rez is King," a combi, and the other is "Power Saw,"
a program. In general, the M-50 is lacking in cheesy resonant patches...and
sometimes, nothing else will do.

I also miss the character of a program on the X-50 called "90s piano,"
which to my ears has a bit of a honky-tonk feel, but sounds a lot better
than the nearest equivalent on the M-50, the GM "honky tonk" patch.

I'd probably pay $50 for these three alone, if they were close enough
to the ones I'm missing!

Of course, I wish the brass patches were stronger on the M-50, but what
I really wish is that I didn't have to play crappy velveeta horn parts in
my cover band in the first place. No help for *that,* I'm afraid.

[Kim Lajoie]

Some preferences:

1) Would you prefer programs that use minimal voices or maximal (as many as needed) voices? Minimal voices uses as little polyphony as possible (I'll aim for 1-2 voices per note) and is useful for sequencing and in complex combis. Maximal voices (usually around 4 voices per note) is better for feature parts or live performance, where polyphony isn't so important.

2) Would you prefer programs that use effects or not? Using no effects means the programs sound as intended even if you use them in sequences or combis. Using effects means that there are more options for sound shaping, but the programs will only sound as intended in program mode (or if you base a whole combi/sequence around the program).

-Kim.

[mocando]

1) I would prefer maximum voices, as I'm not too worried about polyphony. I don't do too much sequencing myself, though.

2) I always play in combi mode, so effects will be shared with all programs. Since I have 3 keybeds active at all time (via MIDI) means I use lots of programs, so, is unlikely that I would use the embedded effects.

For example, I have 4 combis for a very complex Genesis song (In The Cage). The first combi plays a specific and highly phased and chorused program for the start of the song. I can't share that phaser with other programs, so I use it exclusively for that particular program. The rest of the programs in that combi can share reverbs and chorus.

[outsider9]

4) I'm not worried about polyphony at all. I do use the sequencer. If that extra voices are really necessary to achieve something, then go ahead.

5) I prefer no effects, and add them later myself... specially because of the combi/sequencer thing.

[Kim Lajoie]

Ok, so it seems there is a range of requests that can be met by five groups:

1) Rock/pop keys - melotrons, organs, pianos
2) Ethnic winds etc
3) Guitars (acoustic and electric)
4) Pads
5) Synths

I'd like to make each a pack of 64 sounds, but I'll probably do 32 (at a cheaper price - maybe $20?) because I don't know what the demand will be like. If these prove to be pretty popular, I'll start doing packs of 64.

These will be packs of programs, using as many polyphony voices per note as needed, and a few effects as possible.

Due to timing issues, I won't be able to get on this right away, but probably over the coming weeks. I'll stay in touch!

-Kim.

[Kim Lajoie]

Having said that, there are a few patches I have on my X-50 (I assume these
are on Tritons as well?) which I have found no really good equivalents for
on the M-50, and this has made me hesitate to upgrade to the M-50 in my
cover band. One is called "Rez is King," a combi, and the other is "Power Saw,"
a program. In general, the M-50 is lacking in cheesy resonant patches...and
sometimes, nothing else will do.

I also miss the character of a program on the X-50 called "90s piano,"
which to my ears has a bit of a honky-tonk feel, but sounds a lot better
than the nearest equivalent on the M-50, the GM "honky tonk" patch.

I'd probably pay $50 for these three alone, if they were close enough
to the ones I'm missing!

I don't have an X50, but I could do this if I had some good audio examples to work with. If you're prepared to make some raw audio recordings of those patches, that'd make it possible for me to replicate them on the M50. Just a middle C would be enough to start with, plus any variations you want included (such as special behaviour at low or high notes, different sounds from velocity or wheels/knobs).

Email me on music-at-kimlajoie-dot-com and we'll work something out.

-Kim.

[prkravi]

some sparkling Pianos please like the Fantasy Piano on the Roland?

[coolgbb]

I need a motiff sounding piano. If you can send me a sample in a wav file, I'd probably pay $20 for that. Also I find mt strings on the m50 sound like its looping, I can hear when the loops cut out and cuts back in, annoying, I'd pay for that to stop too. Funny thing is its happening with most of the progs not quite with the combis.
You can check out my blog for more comments http://chris-on-keys.blogspot.com/.

[Kim Lajoie]

I'm actually working on some pianos at the moment. Having played piano for 20 years, piano sounds are something that are quite personal to me. So the first thing I do when I program a rompler/sampler is some decent piano sounds.

I think the stock M50 pianos are a bit exaggerated and not very natural. So I've programmed some more natural pianos, as well as some more useful effect pianos (upright, lo-fi, coloured, etc). My tastes very much align with Yamaha, so my new M50 pianos are ending up sounding like a similar palette to the Motif pianos.

I think the approach I'll take is about 16 or so programs with *no* effects, and maybe double that number of combis with different effects processing and treatments.

-Kim.

[synthskier]

Might as well have effects on the programs. No need to waste a combi to create exactly what could be done in a program. By all means, though, still use combis to create additional variations.

[Kim Lajoie]

My thinking is that the programs should sound good on their own. It's no good having programs that lose their sound when imported into combis/seq. If you're going to use a piano sound with effects, you're probably basing the effects structure around that particular sound - in which case you may as well use a combi/seq as a starting point anyway. I'd rather work with (and hence create) programs that sound good on their own, and also sound exactly the same when imported into an existing combi/seq.

Keep in mind that there's still a lot I can do without effects. I've got some gorgeous reverberant pianos, beat up and lofi pianos, overdriven pianos, etc. I'll also be creating some more magic/dreamy pianos as well. The programs will certainly have a lot of character, and they're usable on their own.

The combis will be examples of how they might be used in a live set or a song. There will be different variations of rooms and halls, some hyped pianos for pop and rock, and some effected pianos for industrial and special moments.

If you want to grab something and use it right away, that's what the combis are for. If you want to incorporate a piano into an existing combi/seq, that's what the programs are for.

I'll also document which programs are used by each combi, so it'll be easier to manage the memory spaces on your M50.

-Kim.

[67gtx]

Some Doors sounds would be good.