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a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby ocelot » 15 Jan 2018, 11:01

Hi,

if using the a1 in performance mode can it be a "real" 4 osc synth like the prophet 12.
Every voice another osc and with the multi focus mode you can change the filter, amp, etc. for all voices like a "real" 4 osc synth.

Or are there any disadvantages against a "real" 4 OSC synth?
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a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?


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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby starkaudio » 15 Jan 2018, 19:26

Yes it can. It works just fine. More than four technically since some of the configurations use two oscillators. You could say that technically it can be an eight-osc synth. ;)

with the bonus that each voice can have it's own setting for FX, lfo and arps.

-L

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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby maurizio » 16 Jan 2018, 16:43

ocelot wrote:Or are there any disadvantages against a "real" 4 OSC synth?


Well, you may find religious issues here :->.
But essentially, i would say that the real difference is that in a 3 or 4 oscillator synth, the 3/4 oscillators go all to the same filter.
Since the filter include some non linearity, like saturation (and in the P12 a lot more, see the character section of the P12 signal chain), the
sound you get is not the same as the sound you get from 4 oscillators each going to its own filter (or two couples of oscillators each going to its filter).
I think that depending on the kind of sound you use this may make a difference.

But other companies, like Roland, made synth for years where multiple oscillators went to separate filters ...

Maurizio
MODX7, Nord Wave 2, Hammond Pro 44H, too many plugins.

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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby eisblau » 31 Jan 2018, 21:35

You can activate multi-focus in performance mode and „init“ in all 4 slots to the same raw init patch in one go. So you can program all 4 slots together as it would be a single program. It has only one very big drawback: You can‘t detune single slots, only full octaves are selectable! This is really painfull, as the same pitches annoyingly overlap in a very statuc way but erratically - and - you can‘t detune nearly all oscillator models (even the pitch oscillator is only tunable upwards) in the patch itself. It is also really weird, that a single patch has NO general „master“ tune for itself. Or do I miss something?
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby Duplobaustein » 31 Jan 2018, 22:34

There are a few really pity limitations, that's why I sold it. But I am desperately waiting for a growwn up A2.
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby starkaudio » 31 Jan 2018, 22:38

eisblau wrote:You can activate multi-focus in performance mode and „init“ in all 4 slots to the same raw init patch in one go. So you can program all 4 slots together as it would be a single program. It has only one very big drawback: You can‘t detune single slots, only full octaves are selectable! This is really painfull, as the same pitches annoyingly overlap in a very statuc way but erratically - and - you can‘t detune nearly all oscillator models (even the pitch oscillator is only tunable upwards) in the patch itself. It is also really weird, that a single patch has NO general „master“ tune for itself. Or do I miss something?


You cannot program individual layers to different values in multi-focus mode...true, however you can certainly achieve detuned single slots. Going upward isn't a limitation because you can drop the slot an octave and bring it up to just below the base pitch of the patch.

I wouldn't program in multi-focus mode. I would instead perform that way once the patch was set the way I want it.

It's not exactly the way other synths do it, but most things are do-able in some fashion. Not everything though. :)
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby eisblau » 01 Feb 2018, 13:39

starkaudio wrote:You cannot program individual layers to different values in multi-focus mode...true, however you can certainly achieve detuned single slots. Going upward isn't a limitation because you can drop the slot an octave and bring it up to just below the base pitch of the patch.

I wouldn't program in multi-focus mode. I would instead perform that way once the patch was set the way I want it.
It's not exactly the way other synths do it, but most things are do-able in some fashion. Not everything though. :)


Puh, I tried to explain the problem as accurate as possible but I’ll give it another try. :mrgreen:
Multifocus is a fantastic feature to handle 4 Slots as 1 synth, I use it very often on completely different 4 patches at once - but when I want to detune a slot individually, because I just want to use 4 same oscillator settings in every slot, but detuned, I leave shortly multi focus (forgot that to mention that) and switch to that single slot edit only for detune. BUT detuning a slot is AFAIK NOT possible. You can only switch the octaves individually on each slot by the octave switches. If you want to detune only the oscilator in a slot individually, it is not possible in nearly all oscillator variations of the A1. You can only change tune in 2 oscillator models: Pitch oscillator (but only pitch steps upwards possible, what the heck) and Detune Oscillator (2 same Waves detuned to each other). If you would want to detune all of the other 130 different oscillator settings, it is not possible. They are simply not intended for detuned pitch and deadly static and pitch unchangeable by its basic settings. There even is no GENERAL MASTER TUNE in each slot or single patch possible. If slot detune is not possible with 4 same oscillator models, you get a unpleasantly flanging mess. This is a very big issue in handling the A1 as a 4 Osc synth, because with different slot detune it would be a breeze. So I ask you if I missed some hidden individual slot tuning? Can‘t believe it‘s not there. Cheers, Paul
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby starkaudio » 01 Feb 2018, 14:26

Ah, I see what you are talking about. I think I can work around that and provide the sort of detuning you want, but it would require software between a controller and the A1 (I have the A1r) which isn't very prerformance-friendly. :/

I'll share an experiment this weekend.
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby eisblau » 01 Feb 2018, 22:28

starkaudio wrote:Ah, I see what you are talking about. I think I can work around that and provide the sort of detuning you want, but it would require software between a controller and the A1 (I have the A1r) which isn't very prerformance-friendly. :/

I'll share an experiment this weekend.


Thank you! I own also the A1r and use the Kong Korg as masterkeyboard. I really want a way to detune the slots inside the A1r. Did Nord forget that feature? 4 layers without detune is really an issue for me. Also I do not understand why you have countless Dual-Mix Oscillator Variations (saw-sine, saw-sine+1 etc etc), but the „mod“ feature is only the mix level between those 2. So boring, because the tune is static. I would have preferred a detune between all those mix-waveforms instead only mixing their levels (saw louder, sine quieter). Totally useless for sound design, if you ask me. A great idea would be shift+osc mod and you can detune both waves instead of loudness mix. Or shift+octave switch and you could detune slots in cents instead of octaves. Was nobody thinking at Nord about having all 4 layers in completely same pitch is not the best idea? It‘s such a big missed opportunity to improve the A1 as 1 synth with 4 oscillator slots. I‘ve never seen a synth where you can‘t detune layers before. Cheers Paul
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Re: a1 = 4 OSC in Performance mode?

Postby eisblau » 06 Feb 2018, 01:26

I have an idea. May it be possible you adjust the pitch +/- in a slot with the pitch stick/bender and store the pitched sound somehow like a snapshot to a single slot?
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