Idagani wrote:TheDoctor - appreciate the detailed response !!!
I am coming from a daw based setup - I use one hardware VA synth and a few soft synths, so know what is subtractive synthesis is and how to program sound.
I am looking for a more "limited" hardware setup to see if that can inspire me more (sometimes you get less with too many features).
I saw the E2/S are a kind of limited VA (only 1 oscillator vs 2-3+ in other "regular" synths) so that is interesting for me,
using effects and filters in synthwave is a must, so I guess in reality if I use 3 note chords, I will use 3 note X 3 voices (note, filter, ifx) = 9 voices for each preset, that does't leave me too much room,
probably I could get away with less if I only use the reverb master fx that doesn't take up a note, so then it drops to 3 note X 2 voices (note, filter) = 6 notes, but still limited to 4 tracks,
so your remarks about getting both synth and sampler makes sense, but then the cost is doubled.
I did not think of that, maybe there is a better solution with better polyphony for double the cost, (think of buying used so each is $200-$250) I have to check.
The idea of re-sampling sounds very interesting, you could create a complex sound on the sampler, re-sample it and then it uses much less voices (I usually use 4+ note chords) can be 1 voice.
Very nice you Youtube video's !!!, make some more, looks like a lot of fun.
So 2 questions please -
1.) how easy/hard it is to make new sounds after you have re-sampled something ?
i.e., I load some samples, do some sound design, sample and now I have to make it sound good by looping - can that be done easily and it will sound good ?
2.) from what I read/saw I understood that the sampler is kind of a 1 note sampler that then transposed up/down by playing, its not multi-samples.
How good is that transpose - can you go up/down +/-1/2 octaves with decent results ? (I'm thinking about pad sounds where I have 4-5 notes spread around 2 octaves)
Again thank you very much for the help !!!
You get wrong about the voice counting:the filter and effect count one each even with 4 note, we 3 note chord+filter+IFX=5...the MFX doesn't count as voice and it has it's own automation.
In reality you have multiple oscillator depending on the osc type.
For example saw/triangle/sine the edit is a multiplier/shape know, in pulse is pulse width. With unison-saw/etc you basically have multiple oscillator and the edit detune them, in the blue I think you got also FM and change the FM amount or something like that.
I often do like this with synth make a patch with note recorded, copy in another pad and change oscillator, surely you can't perform with the filter and stuff but you can create nice patch like this.
The problem about both Electribe is the delay when you chain pattern. If you have note or long tail in the end of the pattern and you chain with the next one if get cut out and there's a tiny delay, when the pattern loops it won't cut the tail, so my suggestion is work in one pattern as possible, the mute is a midi mute so it won't count that voice in the mid time you play other parts and you chain with another pattern when you need, you can help with delay and reverb for transaction or to be honest as I do I sequence in Maschine from the Electribe.
When you sample a loop, it wil play as one-shoot so you just need to put the first step in the sequence. You can not worry if it's cut precisely because when it loop it will start again, of course make sure that loops is set to Mono2, so it retrig everytime. Note if you mute that loops it will still play till the end, mute is midi so it won't get triggered next time, if you like to do that you should cut your loop in the sample edit precisely to stop at the end. If you change the loop start point,in the sample edit, to 00000 sample it basically act as gate, so if you want that loop you have to record a sustained note, if you mute/unmute it get triggered again it won't play where is it. You can actually slice your loop so it will stretch to any tempo and if I remember correctly when you mute/unmute it will just play as it is, you just have to input every step in the sequencer.
Few sample have pitch spread across multiple octave and usually expensive gear doesn't sound good, software is way better in that case, like Ableton is really strong at changing pitch without changing tempo.
I found 1/2 octave fine like any other sample, yeah it will change a bit but that's the beauty of a sampler too otherwise you use Kontakt and that sort of stuff. I often find interesting sounds when pitch up and down, resample it and use that.
Not even Digitakt has that, you should go for an Octatrack to get time stretching but as I say Ableton is way better.
Electribe 's not the smoothest for certain thing like note edit,sample management (you don't have a fade option which often can sort out clicks and pops),voice,some effect but it's super fun, fast to shape sounds, everything it's there, the filter sounds great, the blue even better,the edit know with sample is start/rev point, the modulation knob give you interesting results and sound, it's awesome modulate the edit with the sample you get this weird reverse sound blending with the original, effects are ok but they get you there with two knob.
I found the Sampler stronger, because it's an ok sampler, with nice shape possibility with built in synth(they sound good, the saw is super similar to the Volca Keys) . Digitakt is crazy, cost the double, is a better sampler and sequence but it can't do synth, you can use single cycle waveform but you can do in the Electribe too and you save money
...I'm thinking to get the Blue one to resample the synth of it and go madness haha.
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