Alesis Andromeda A6

hi there,

below is a lists from the code404 A6 list of bugs and feature requests. the 
aim is to provide Alesis with a detailed and nicely layed out list of bugs 
and features requests since they then would consider doing an OS update. are 
there any additional bugs/feature requests from users here that can be 
added?

grtz. ruud
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>.....BUGS.....
>
>
>. THE SQUARE BUG
>If you want a perfect square, there is a bug on the Andromeda that  
>prevents 50 (the default 'midpoint') from being that value. 52 instead  is 
>the perfect square number.
>
>
>. Pulse Setting Bug
>A "repair" of the pulsewide setting (50 gives a pulsewide of 50%)
>
>
>. THE UNISON X BUG
>Older Andromedas may have a problem with the Unison X button  occasionally 
>not triggering onward. The problem has (probably) been  fixed on newer 
>Andromedas. To get around this, simply turn the Unison  detune knob.
>
>
>. PORTAMENTO BUG
>I noticed that when using portamento (normal mode) on a mono patch with  
>unison (2)turned on, it seems that only 1 voice is affected - the other  
>seems to jump right up/down to the destination pitch.  If I switch the  
>port mode to 'chord', it works as I expected normal to (i.e. both  voices 
>slide to the appropriate pitch in unison).Is this by design?
>
>That is an unresolved function. Chord is the setting to use when using  
>Unison X.
>
>
>. Mix Mode
>Mix mode is fixed so you can use it from a sequencer and you have the  same 
>sound in program mode and in mix mode.
>
>
>. UNINTENDED MODULATION BUG
>I've discovered a bug where patches in multimode will randomly get  
>unintended modulation (as if from the mod wheel), but I haven't quite  
>figured out how this happens.
>
>
>. NORM2 ENVELOPE MODE
>I don't suppose there's any chance that this new OS will implement the  
>long-awaited (by me, anyway) NORM2 envelope mode that's referred to in  the 
>manual but has never functioned differently from NORM1?
>
>Comments on NORM2 Envelope Mode:
>No, sorry. This is an incremental release (currently 1.4009)  specifically 
>meant to deal with jitter. Deeper,
>engine-related issues will have a wait a bit longer.
>
>Consequently, we tried opening the LFOs 10 more Hz but it is readily  
>apparent that they are digital due to the grit in the waveforms,  
>especially at the ranges of modulation that the A6 is capable of. I'm  
>sorry to have to recommend a work-around: use Envelope 1 as an LFO,  
>looping from Attack to Release 1, and simultaneously modulate Attack  and 
>Release times from the same controller.
>
>
>. VCO PITCH SLIDE
>One thing that always bugged me about the A6 is the fact that when you  hit 
>a note the VCO pitch slides up from somewhere to the note you  press. And 
>you can hear this at the start of each note - which gives  the effect of a 
>soggy attack, even though the A6 envelopes are fairly  fast.
>
>Comments on VCO Pitch Slide:
>The ultra fast pitch setting in the Engine optmiser does reduce this.  But 
>I still feel there needs to be more done. No other synth does this,  so why 
>does the A6 do it? If you recall I posted a comparison before  between it 
>and my Mks80 which exposed this odd flaw.
>
>Kinda puzzles me - but why isn't the pitch to the VCOs triggered first  
>before the the envelopes open up? Which is the way I assume is how it's  
>done on all other analog synths.I know on the Minimoog I have, that is  how 
>it works, the CV is applied to the pitch of the VCOs a fraction  before the 
>VCA and envelopes trigger.
>
>  > about the vco pitch : i found that not only you need to set the osc  
>pitch to fast ( under processor), but also switch >off the background  
>tuning.  then the  oscillator tuning/tracking seems to be good...
>
>FYI, the pitch of each voice stays where it was last played. If you  play a 
>low note on one voice, then play a high note on the same voice,  the 
>oscillator will need to slew up to the new note before it plays.  Turning 
>background tuning off helps because that is constantly changing  every 
>oscillator's pitch and you won't know where it ends up. If you  are playing 
>in one general register, or pitch, the slewing effect will  be minimized. 
>Believe me, I tried to fix this anomoly, but was limited  by the slewing 
>time of the oscillators. I thought that setting the fast  engine setting on 
>the oscillators fixed it, but obviously not all the  way.
>
>
>. AutoTune
>One problem i find a bit annoying is that pressing the autotune doesn't  
>seem to tune all 32 oscillators perfectly ( at least half of them keep  
>drifting ( a very little in most cases), i guess a software problem.  Any 
>form of manual tuning impemented would have solved this.
>
>
>. Hanging Notes in Step Sequencer
>Step sequencer hangs while using the pedal.
>
>
>. HARDWARE BUG
>The only really serious hardware "bug" of the A6 every voice on FM  sounds 
>different... VCA calibration lacking... only solution : very low  FM 
>settings.
>
>______________________________________________________________
>__________ ______
>
>.....FEATURE REQUESTS.....
>
>
>. Mark Steps in Sequencer
>A small software update to mark the steps as they are playing. There is  
>nothing in the display to tell you where the sequence is, so if you can  
>hear something that needs changing - it can take many clicks to isolate  
>the event in question.
>
>
>. LED Knobs as Sequencer
>Use the 8 multi led/knobs as a TR-style sequencer (the hardware is  there!) 
>16-64 steps.
>
>
>. Random Arpeggio Setting
>Would LOVE to have a RANDOM arpeggio setting, like many old Roland  synths. 
>And maybe a randomizer like andromizer software "on the box."
>
>
>. Latch Sequencer and Arp together
>  >is there a way to run a lacthed arp (no keys pressed) *plus* the  
>sequencer? The sequencer seems to stop the moment I take my hands off  the 
>keyboard.
>
>The arp can be latched, but as far as the sequencer, that doesn't look  
>like an option (unless someone knows something I don't). Although, you  can 
>still turn both on and use them at the same time, the sequence will  turn 
>off as the keyboard is let go.
>
>
>. Send Midi Notes From Sequencer and Arpeggiator
>I really like the sequencer. It allows for different sounding patterns  
>compared to many synths. I just wish you can send the midi notes out.  Now 
>that would be something!
>
>  > How do I get the A6's tempo to stay fixed at a tempo without the
>  > decimal points? The only tempo I can get it locked perfectly is 120
>  > but I generally work at other speeds.
>
>either slave the A6 to an external clock source or use the a6 clock to  
>control your sequencer.
>
>The on-board arpeggiator and sequencer do not transmit midi events, no  
>matter what you try. a real bloody shame IMHO.
>
>
>. Step Sequencer
>Step sequencer: more than one pattern - real time "recording" into the  
>sequencer? Xchangeable patterns as seen on the waldorf Q.. Maybe more  than 
>16 steps possible?
>
>
>. Random Patch Generator
>Random Patch Generator a la Prophet VS.
>
>
>. Sync Delay to Tempo
>Sync the delays with the tempo (internal or external) without getting  the 
>calculator out.
>
>
>. Auto-Sync to Midi Clock
>Having the internal clock automatically sync to MIDI without having to  set 
>it to sync or manual would be great, since sequencers rarely always  
>transmit midi clock when stopped. This would function identical to the  
>Virus.
>
>
>. KB Button
>A KB hold button (some sort of sustain). Maybe use hold ribbon and  ribbon 
>buttons or shift-hold to do so.
>
>
>. Ribbon Split Feature
>Why two Hold buttons? Besides the obvious benefit of always having one  
>withing reach, there was at one time some talk about a possible Ribbon  
>Split feature.
>
>
>. Zero Reference Point Option for Ribbon
>I would love to have a "zero reference point" option for the ribbon, so  
>that wherever you first touch it is "zero" and you can modulate up or  down 
>from there. This is similar to the way the old Yamaha CS-80 ribbon  worked.
>
>
>. Ribbon Controller as Trigger
>Ability for programs to use ribbon controller (any value > 0) as  trigger, 
>instead of keyboard.
>
>For performance purposes though, it sure would be great to be able to  play 
>it with one hand only.  I wonder if there's a MIDI mapper that  could 
>"manufacture" a key-on message when it sees ribbon action?  You  could 
>patch that into a MIDI loop with the Andro.
>
>
>. Chord Mode by Mix Channel
>Chord mode by mix channel (ala seq/arpeg), rather than a global setting  
>(this may be a hardware impossibility)
>
>
>. MIDI Polyphonic AfterTouch
>I'd like to see reception of MIDI POLYPHONIC AFTERTOUCH implemented as  a 
>modulation source.  The A6 currently implements only MONO aftertouch  over 
>MIDI.
>
>I know the issues over polyphonic aftertouch in the A6's keyboard and I  am 
>not asking for that.  I have an external MIDI keyboard with  polyphonic 
>aftertouch (Kurzweil MIDIBoard) that I would use to generate  polyphonic 
>aftertouch MIDI data.
>
>Considering poly pressure is the ONLY mod source that can distinctly  mod 
>each voice in a polyphonic patch, I agree 100%.  This feature  couldn't be 
>substituted with any other for performance purposes, and it  would make the 
>A6, already an incredibly expressive instrument, the  most expressive 
>analog I've seen.
>
>
>. Polyphonic AfterTouch
>Fix response to Poly Aftertouch (from an external keyboard, of course I    
>can't even begin to think how much I would love the A6's keyboard to  
>transmit PolyAT, but know that it isn't practical).
>
>
>. LFO Speed Up
>LFO speed up, the silly mode for fast lfo mods and halving the voice  
>numbers for speed issues (could be in the process menu).
>
>
>. FM More Accurate
>FM could be more accurate, maybe this is not an OS-issue.
>
>
>. FM
>Doing FM as was mentioned is pretty much impossible to do for pitched  
>sounds, unless you use the voice in mono.  I believe it is truly a VCA  
>problem which causes a difference between every voice.  I would like  the 
>the A6 for FM sounds, but it's okay since I have plenty of digital  FM 
>synths, which tuning isn't a problem.  Although it sure would've  been nice 
>to do analog FM with the A6. That's probably my biggest gripe  with the A6, 
>but I don't see how they can fix it unless they can tune  all 16 VCAs to 
>the same level.
>
>
>. Filter FM to Filter 1
>Filter fm to filter 1 separately adjustable so no need to fm filter 2  also 
>to mod filter 1 with osc speed.. (atm one has to set a minimum fm  to 
>filter1 to get fm on filter 2..)
>
>
>. Scaling of Resonance on Filter 1
>Scaling of resonance on filter 1 and tuning it down with resonance  could 
>be scaled and optimized for bigger range of resonating to  colouring by the 
>filter - in short: more like the moogs do it.. ;) IMO  this is a 
>calibration thing..?
>
>
>. Mods
>Maybe make it possible to make an lfo a simple env. (AD or so..) To  have 
>room for more mods. So one could have them as simple AD/AR to mod  the 
>filters independently.
>
>
>. Mod Page
>One page where you could see all modulations at work in one patch - a  
>dream.
>
>
>. Display Update
>Maybe: check the display update: sometimes when the seq. Is running the  
>value will not be updated on the display. Or it takes very long.. So:  
>better it takes long rather then it doesn't update..It should update  with 
>pressing the view button at least
>
>
>. Alternate Tuning
>I would love to see the possibility to do alternate tuning.
>
>  >From the AH thread on synth temperament:
>
>"The Korg MS2000 VA has a very user-friendly capability to play in  
>different scales. Choices are equal, pure major, pure minor, arabic,  
>pythagorean, werckmeister, kirnberger, slendro, pelog, and a  user-defined 
>scale."
>
>Even if limited to 12-tone scales this would be a great feature.
>
>
>. Knobs Range
>Knobs range can be shifted or when you select a button you can use the  
>ribbon for fine adjustment.
>
>
>. Change Default Presets
>The ability to change the default preset right away instead of copiing  it 
>about 127 times.
>
>
>. Toggling Between Pages
>A straight toggling between two or more pages (like b.e. tracking  
>generator and ribbon/modulation page) or even more convenient, to be  able 
>to immediately reach the source when pressing softbutton one when  editing 
>a modulation. Much further would be the possibilty to  completely interact 
>the software parts with all there values as source  and /or destination and 
>even maybe a possibility to calibrate the  available values myself (like 
>with the softsynth reactor).
>
>
>. Pot Values
>Also helpful for live would be a function where I could set the value  when 
>the pots react. Now it's just when you go through the original  value or 
>otherwise when you "breathe" at the pot.
>
>
>. FineTune Mode
>A fine tune mode while changing values with whatever knob (like  shift-turn 
>a knob will give smaller steps).
>
>
>. Envelope Re-triggering
>Implementation of envelope re-triggering in mod-t/g mode (it works in  
>mod-trig mode), which I only discovered recently.
>
>
>. Note Priority
>Note priority (hi/lo, in addition to the current "latest"  implementation) 
>modes for mono programs.
>
>
>. Sostenuto Pedal
>Sostenuto pedal (pedal does not affect notes turned on *after* sustain  
>pedal is pressed, only ones being held when pedal is pressed) option  per 
>program. (subsequent keys still get note off from key/MIDI, not  pedal).
>
>
>. Two "Real Keyboard" Voice Stealing Modes
>Two "real keyboard" voice stealing modes (if the key/MIDI note-number  of a 
>currently-sustaining voice is played, that A6 voice is re-used,  either 
>re-triggering or continuing the same envelope).
>
>That's a REALLY good idea, and (like poly pressure) something that  could 
>never be done except by doing it this way within the keyboard  itself.  I'd 
>put that up there near number one.  No question that this  would make an 
>audible difference in patch behavior.
>
>
>. Facility to Create Patch Bank Offline
>Facility to create patch bank offline (not part of OS, but still pretty  
>useful)
>
>
>. Feature to (re)-Name Patches Offline
>A feature to (re)name patches offline is also sorely needed IMHO  because 
>that is too much of a drag on the A6 itself.
>
>I once owned a Kawai SX240 (also sold under the Teisco brand IIRC) and  
>this synth - quite a decent Jupiter 8 clone btw - had one brilliant  
>feature: the keyboard "doubled up" as a character input device where  each 
>key pressed would enter a letter or number.  It has always amazed  why this 
>feature hasn't been adopted by other manufacturers; it cant be  that 
>difficult to add to any software driven engine. Perhaps its  patented?
>
>
>. Hardware
>There are hardware things, that may not be considerable like rack a6,  
>modular a6 (the asics freely routable like nordmodular), ringmod behind  
>filters & routable to oscs / feedback..
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