Korg Monotribe - click noise problem -- is this normal ??

[dandriver]

Hello,
I have a problem with my monotribe & I would like to ask, if this is "normal", or if i have a faulty unit.

I already went to the shop where I bought the monotribe, but they didn't have any other unit in stock right now, so we couldn't compare.
They told me, that they will test it & call me back, when they get a new shipment from Korg.

Meanwhile I would like to ask here:

The problem is the following:

In some settings I get clicking noises, which means, when the synth sound starts, you can hear a click.
All this is only about the synth part, not drum sounds.

It happens especially in these 3 modes:
- when I reduce the gate time (so that the monotribe plays short notes)
- when I disable some steps form the synth (the synth on/off produces a click)
when i chance the EG select switch to Decay or to Attack

Please also see my video, where I show this problem.

http://vimeo.com/28003179


In this video only the synth part is running, no clicks come form the drum section.
The monotribe's headphone out is connected directly to the camera's input, but the clicking is also audible form the built-in speaker & the audio out.

I would really be happy for feedback from here.
Also, if this is normal, .. are there tricks to cut out the click?


Thanks a lot!



.

[Bowmoney]

my two cents having not played with one:


anytime you take something that was recorded with long notes, then reduce the gate time or remove notes from the sequence...you almost HAVE to experience some clicking, as you have taken a wave form that used to span 8 beats and chopped it up into 8 individual beats or patterns of those 8 beats...I would think there would not be a way to avoid this, because the monotribe does not use midi...

midi would tell it the note length, gate time, attack time, decay time and arpeggiation, so it could compensate for the changes...but the monotribe does not seem to have these commands for each step, only for the pattern as a whole...

maybe that helps?

[Allegory]

I have noticed the clicking as well. It's not a huge problem for me since I like to use the noise source a lot and this causes the clicking to be much less audible. I seem to recall more people talking about the click noise but I don't remember where I read it.

This doesn't mean that both of our units are working as intended. It seems just as likely that Korg may need to issue a recall of the Monotribe if the problem is prevalent

[robotunes]

the click is standard on every synth -- analog and digital -- with superfast envelopes (which is what you want for hard bass and lead sounds). the solution on most synths is to raise the attack and/or release levels of the amp and/or filter just a little bit. unfortunately our monotribes don't have that option.

[bretik]

Hi guys. I also have a small problem (problem-maybe ?)....
I took such a short video in which his "problem" demonstrates.
I recommend using headphones!
http://vimeo.com/28144149
In this setting it is possible to hear the matter best.
If you set according Monotribe of my videos so at the Cutoff knob position
at 3:00 hours (taken according to the clock face) occurs, at least to me quite
intense noise, which seemed to be in one spot ...
It strikes me that it occurs here. Before them, and nothing for them (remaining
quite enough places to maximum) also nothing ...!?
How to behave your piece? Is this normal feature or a defect in
my device? Sorry for my terrible English!

[dandriver]

hello bretik,
I'm not a synth specialist myself (as you can see from my original question), but I think the sound that you get is perfectly normal, since you push the Cutoff very high.

[bretik]

dandriver>Thanks for the answer! Would you be willing to record short audio samples on your Monotribe? Set the switches and knobs as on my video, play the lower note C and turn the knob CUTOOF from minimum to maximum (slowly)? ... and send me the result in mp3 file? Was I should be grateful!

[dandriver]

ok.. here is the recording:

the settings are:
octave: 64'
wave: triangle
Range: Key
Noise: 0
EG: Gate
no LFOs

I turn the Cutoff from 0 to full and back.

1st time, Peak is about 3/4 full (so at about 3 o'clock)
2nd time, peak is 0

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/464788/monotribe_synth.mp3

[bretik]

dandriver>Thank you very much! I think that my Monotribe has a problem! For comparison, I'm sending my result in mp3 ... 1st +2nd time - just like you... 3rd time - I turn the knob CUTOFF from 0 and stay in the spot noise.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/39604145/monotr ... roblem.mp3

[dandriver]

hello,
i'm not really sure, where you hear the difference of the 2 recordings...
i think your monotribe is fine.

[brucker]

hello,

just got my unit yesterday, and yeah mines "clicky" too whenever i make or break contact with the ribbon. doesnt really bother me right now, but if i ever decide to do any recording i can see it becoming something annoying.

other than that, its been the most fun i've had in a while!

[Redmond Barry]

Thought I'd chime in because it looks like I'm having the same issue, just like the video linked in original post. Is this just how the Monotribe is? Many of the videos I look at on youtube don't seem to have this click sound.

[dandriver]

hello Redmond Barry,
I think this is the normal behavior of the monotribe. unfortunately.
the machine is really fun, .. no clicking noise & MIDI would make it perfect.

[Redmond Barry]

Thanks for the reply! That's too bad, but I can work with it. I just didn't want to end up with a defective machine-- like we'd all ended up with a bad batch or something. it is otherwise really fun!!

[plosive]

the click is standard on every synth -- analog and digital -- with superfast envelopes (which is what you want for hard bass and lead sounds). the solution on most synths is to raise the attack and/or release levels of the amp and/or filter just a little bit. unfortunately our monotribes don't have that option.

Yes they do, if you want a fast envelope but not so fast as the first env option that can cause unwanted clicks, put the env on sustain mode |--| instead, then set your envelope up to 1shot or fast (both are retriggered per note, slow is free running). Then use the INT to apply the depth of the Env and the Rate to control the speed. If using Fast mode, use a very slow rate (almost off..). In that setup, you can control the rate of the attack and decay and avoid any clicking. If you still want to use a heavy lfo effect on it but still want the attack, then when recording the notes don't just hold down, record one step at a time (disable other steps, record note, move to next step). Also, flux mode will behave completely differently in regards to the envelopes and is another solution.