Dave Smith Tetr4

  On 12/25/2009 at 3:09 AM, Brandi_B said:

I initialized it when I got it after a day or two messing with sounds, but then i somehow ended up saving patches all over the place, and whle performing live its not very fun to have a whole sheet full or 200 names or descriptions of patches.

that's exactly what my evolver friend did for that gig; first ever gig i saw where a NOTEBOOK was a central piece of kit he ended up electrocuting himself on the lamp he needed to see his scribbles.

  On 12/25/2009 at 3:09 AM, Brandi_B said:

Anyway I wasn't knocking the moog filter at all if you were thinking that. I absolutely love the moog filter, the first time I actually was able to use one I just kinda melted into the ground. It was everything I had ever wanted or tried to make a vst or digital sound like,but so much more butter! BUt that's what I like about the dsi/older sequential filters, is that they do their OWN thing and it's still a great analog sound, it's really almost the complete opposite of the butter cream moog, and the drippy oberheims.

Yeah, sorry for the gratuitous moog ad, i seemed to me that you were knocking it. I just got it for myself for an early Christmas, i'm still giddy around it, it's like a new girlfriend i want everyone to like.

  On 12/25/2009 at 3:09 AM, Brandi_B said:

lol, I really want a tetra or a poly evolver with a mopho, but i've still gotta get my g2 first. So much to do.

Honestly at this point (finally owning a moog) i have no particular order in mind in building a synth collection. I'd say a 303 was next on my list if i honestly had any hope of getting one in the near future (i have lost two bidding wars so far on two different 303s, i just seems to spike up to 2500$ at the last minute, fuck that, and now every new one that crops up only ships to the US n shit). So now i'm torn between a mopho, an alpha juno, a nord wave, an sh101... so on and so forth.

Any suggestions?

Yeah I've wanted a voyager since they came out. I was a bit put off by the xy pad, but when I tried one at guitar center i loved the combination, plus it's right there in the middle, such a great idea! The voyager is such a beast too. Plus with the outputs and the cp module + moogerfoogers etc it's basically a modular synth too.

As far as the synths you mentioned you would have the most flexibility out of the nord wave. I miss my nord lead very much and I use the soft synth, "synth 1" numerous times in every song I make, because it almost nails the nord sound. It is certainly a digital synth but you can easily coax warm sounds out of it. Plus with the wave you have your own samples, and I think it comes loaded with the mellotron samples and other stuff. They are suberb for FM, and aside from everything else, the nord layout is my favortie easy to use layout for any modern non analog synth.

If you want to go 303 i'd recommend the x0x box over the 303. It's close enough and has usb and other neat functions, plus it can go beyond 303 too.

I'd say get the wave, x0x box, and sh101 which you should be able to do for less than 2500.

edit: get a real 303 when you have disposable income, or have l33t acid friends that pressure you into getting one instead of your "knock off" :)

2nd edit: or get the mc-202 instead of the x0x and 101 since it's kind of in between the 303 and 101 sound. Plus it has a really neat sequencer, but it's nowhere as user friendly as the other two.

Also i don't know if you use software but the company "refx" put out the "juno x2" which pretty much nails the alpha juno. I have it and love it, though it's still nothing like the real thing from others point of view (i've never used a real one). BUt i recommend that if you want a cost friendly alternative.

I'm also a bit hesitant to recommend the mopho or tetra until you've tried them, b/c like I said, some people are REALLY put off by the fitler, even though it's one of my fav. things about it. Then again one great thing about hardware synths is their re-sale value is always pretty awesome!

  On 12/25/2009 at 3:59 AM, Brandi_B said:

Also i don't know if you use software but the company "refx" put out the "juno x2" which pretty much nails the alpha juno. I have it and love it, though it's still nothing like the real thing from others point of view (i've never used a real one). BUt i recommend that if you want a cost friendly alternative.

I do use software a lot and have for the past 3 years and on the basis of that experience i can safely say that the juno x2 and its follow-up, vanguard, are pure shite. I love what reFX did with the quadrasid, and of course nexus is pretty much the rave omnisphere, but those two... no thanks. I've used a real one and there really is no comparison, especially in one of the most distuinguishing features, i.e. not-as-excessive unison detune, lack of onboard alpha juno-style chorus, etc.

Thanks for the other suggestions. I'm firmly against the concept of the xoxbox but the mc 202 sounds tempting.

Yeah I was all about vanguard when I first got all the refx stuff. But really all I like about it is the super brite hi-passy sounds. Other than that it's quite disappointing over time. And the juno isn't great I'm sure for mimicking the actual thing but it comes in useful for weird noises, though I rarely use it. I love nexus and quadra sid though.

A user over on HC said he got his used for about $590 w/ free shipping! That's a good indicator right there that i'm getting one in the next couple months. w00t.

Instead of bumping the NAMM thread, I figured it would be better to continue the Mopho KB discussion here.

Supposed to come out in April, $800, audio input, usb, feedback, poly chain out. Keyboard has aftertouch and velocity. Knobs are pots (non endless), with rubber grips.

from "Create Digital Music"

  Quote

Dave’s got a new keyboard, and the headline gives it all away: it’s a Mopho, but adding keys and more control, all for $800.

 

There’s a myth out there that the computer music user and hardware synth lover are two different people. Au contraire, mon ami. Thanks, indeed, to Dave Smith himself, the computer and the synth get along just fine. But if you’ve got scant few dollars, which synth is really unique enough, elegant enough in use to justify those dollars?

 

Dave Smith Instruments is on the top of the list. They’ve got personality, accessibility, and terrific sound. And the DSI instruments are even starting to look like they themselves recognize the invention of the computer, with the addition of USB MIDI and software editors. Oh, yeah, and Dave Smith’s creations are also uncommonly good values: analog synths the everyman can afford. The new Mopho keyboard is in late prototype phase, and it already looks to fill that mold.

 

The Mopho keyboard has all the analog sonic goodness of the mopho synth module, an overwhelming CDM reader favorite in 2008. Like the Mopho module, you get a rich monophonic analog synth on a budget. That voice is roughly the equivalent of a single voice from the Prophet ‘08, but with the addition of sub-octave generators and audio input and feedback options. Because you can input audio signal, that makes the Mopho a doubly-interesting possibility alongside a computer, as basically a big modulation source. (The Moog Little Phatty has earned some fans for the same reason.)

 

The one thing I didn’t much like on the Mopho module was its minimalist controller section. The keyboard is different, as you can see in our rough video walk-through. There’s a clever set of controls that let you manipulate either oscillator 1, oscillator 2, or both simultaneously. The knobs themselves feel lovely, too, and you have a lot more onboard programmability. There’s MIDI-controlled feedback. And there are pots everywhere, without any menu diving – nearly everything is accessible via shift keys.

 

What I also love about the Mopho is its compact size; it’s easy to carry and lift.

 

As always, some of the biggest competition to Dave Smith’s synths are other Dave Smith synths. So you do have to weight the Mopho keyboard against the Mono and Poly Evolver keyboards. Those have deeper sound architectures (even on the Mono Evolver), and while they don’t have 100% analog signal path, you don’t (cough) really need that, necessarily.

 

There aren’t any specs up on the Dave Smith site, and even the final appearance may differ slightly. (I liked the little bit of yellow peeking out from beneath the more refined wood and front panel; I hope that makes it onto the finished model.) But you can expect the Mopho keyboard very soon, some time this spring, at MAP US$799. Stay tuned.

  On 1/26/2010 at 7:11 PM, Brandi_B said:

Instead of bumping the NAMM thread, I figured it would be better to continue the Mopho KB discussion here.

 

Supposed to come out in April, $800, audio input, usb, feedback, poly chain out. Keyboard has aftertouch and velocity. Knobs are pots (non endless), with rubber grips.

 

I wonder what the pots will feel like. I hope they are nice & robust like on the TETR4. The pots on the Mopho keyboard look a little flimsy at the moment. Looks great although I doubt I'll be getting one since I already own a TETR4. Hooked up with my Akai MPK49 I have plenty of hands on control, more than the Mopho keyboard is offering at least. Still it's a really cool looking thing. A future classic for sure & one of the best (if not a little obvious) things to come out of NAMM 2010.

I'm glad the Tetra4 has come out cos I just picked up a Prophet 08 for fuck all MUAH-HA-HA-HA!

:( The only synth(module) I really regret selling is my matrix 6r, I miss it so.

Just picked up a tetra off ebay for $645 with my tax refund =) Really looking forward to playing with this thing!

nice! I got me a mopho and I'm loving it. BUt I keep having that "on edge" feeling of needing just a few more oscs detuned to get a really full sound. But for simple sounds and bass it is killer. I'm all over the mopho kb and tetra when the kb comes out.

ps - post clips when you've had some time to mess around.

  On 12/25/2009 at 12:38 AM, Brandi_B said:

  On 12/25/2009 at 12:01 AM, Lube Saibot said:

The filters are quite abrasive (in a good way) on the evolver (at least what i've heard from this friend of mine's unit), tetr4 has the same ones?

 

Thought I would touch on this now that I have a mopho. The mopho's filter is VERY VERY different from the evolvers. You can tell they are the same at the base, but beyond that, dave did a lot of tweaking, plus I guess the all analog signal path may have something to do with it. It responds much better,and is a lot more varied.

awesome

My friend has a mopho that I know he doesn't use. Would it be worth it to see if he wants to give me a deal and poly it w/ the tetra? This is my first hardware purchase and I don't know much about hardware stuff.

I would spend the money on a good knob box like the behringer bcr or something similar. The mopho and tetra are a pain to attempt to program from the front panel.

  On 2/16/2010 at 5:04 AM, Brandi_B said:

I would spend the money on a good knob box like the behringer bcr or something similar. The mopho and tetra are a pain to attempt to program from the front panel.

Awesome recommendation =) I've got one on the way. So as a question how should I hook these things up? Like I said, I don't know much about hardware. Here's what my setup will be: Ableton 8, Oxygen8v2, padkontrol, bcr-2000, edirol fa-66, and the tetra. I was thinking using the midi on the fa-66 into the tetra? And the BCR,Oxy8 and PK are USB... From what I've read the USB on the tetra is shoddy. Is this going to be a ton of setting up CC notes and stuff? Sorry to sound noobish lol

had my 08 up against my mates Memorymoog and Xpander last night

the 08 won in the unison stakes

phat as fuck

  On 2/16/2010 at 6:20 AM, Hautlle said:

  On 2/16/2010 at 5:04 AM, Brandi_B said:

I would spend the money on a good knob box like the behringer bcr or something similar. The mopho and tetra are a pain to attempt to program from the front panel.

 

Awesome recommendation =) I've got one on the way. So as a question how should I hook these things up? Like I said, I don't know much about hardware. Here's what my setup will be: Ableton 8, Oxygen8v2, padkontrol, bcr-2000, edirol fa-66, and the tetra. I was thinking using the midi on the fa-66 into the tetra? And the BCR,Oxy8 and PK are USB... From what I've read the USB on the tetra is shoddy. Is this going to be a ton of setting up CC notes and stuff? Sorry to sound noobish lol

Shouldn't have to set up any kind of cc stuff. I would download "Midi OX" and "Midi Yoke" just in case you have issues. Hopefully you should be able to plug stuff in and be off and tweaking. However that was not the case with the interface on my laptop (desktop worked fine). Had to do some midi routing.

So you would send:

Oxygen, Bcr, and Abelton - Midi out (midi yoke 1 out) to tetra

Tetra midi in - To (midi yoke 1 in) abelton and whichever editor you use.

The tetra midi in/out are best connected without anything daisy chained, and just straight to your midi interface. I have no exp. with the usb, but I imagine it would do fine as long as you choose the appropriate "midi device" settings in the editor/abelton channel (i don't use abelton so I have no idea how midi is set up in there).

I got my tetra in the post 2 days ago. Had it set-up in no time! I've just been messing with it, trying to get my head around it. I've managed to get some very cool noises out of this thing, but sometimes I lose them and can't get it back lol. I managed to find a preset for the bcr-2000 so when that arrives next week I can quickly map it to the tetra for even more control!

awesome!

Just a lil fyi note of things i've noticed from the mopho.

The Env amount, and volume in the amplifier section are nicely sensitive. Ie- Cranked all the way up you're going to overdrive the internal amplifier for some nice grunge. But turned down and having the master volume (the knob, not the amp volume) cranked up, or a decent compressor on it, and you are in nice creamy sound territory! At first I heard a lot of distortion in the presets and i was thinking, great it's gonna be hard to get around this. But having a waldorf pulse I thought, hmm wonder if the amp section is the same. And lo and behold it is!

Also putting the osc mix all the way to 2, and turning the audio mod on the filter up (especially all the way) and adjusting osc 1 freq and you are in analog fm/general modulation heaven.

The feedback is also very useful. It's very very flexible and sounds very different the more you crank it. You can actually use it WITHOUT it sounding distorted at all, more like a really thick low freq compressor, with some added squelchy squish. Test it out and tweak it a lot and you'll hear what i'm talking about.

The sub oscs and feedback really make these things a whole world different from the P08. WHich is surprising given they seem to be simple additions, but i've got very thick, fat, and varied sounds out of the mopho than I did when I spent time with the 08 (quickly that is).

Also while the osc slop is useful, adding noise as a mod source, and sending it to one or both of the oscs at a small increment, can really make it sound vintage analog, and take away a lot of the "well behaved" sound.

Congrats! I can't wait to get the mopho kb and then a tetra. I love the mopho but I keep feeling like i need at least one more osc, if not more, to get a really "full" sound out of it. Of course for basses, fx, and generic analog seq sounds, it's more than fine for the moment. But the p08 unison and pads, etc, from my expierence and soundwave's, is quite lush and I am eager to have more voices!

werd

edit:

I didn't even notice this. Very nice!

  Quote

The voice architecture and general specs are the same as the Mopho desktop module. Enhancements include programmable feedback gain, additional arpeggiator modes, and the ability to set the slew rate separately for individual sequence steps. (Yes, the latter two features will eventually find their way into the other products in the Mopho/Tetra/Prophet family.) It features a semi-weighted keyboard action with velocity and aftertouch. And it has great feeling, two-shot, soft-touch knobs.

 

The eagle-eyed among you may find it odd that a monophonic synth has a unison on/off parameter. When paired with a Tetra, Mopho Keyboard makes a very compact, very powerful five-voice poly synth!

You guys may want to have a clean pair of jorts handy...

For under 800 bucks and being able to poly chain 3 other DSI products is outstanding.