Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

From: "Ronald" <info@...>

> Yes, you can.
> It's not exactly simultaneous because the parameter changes are send
> one after another but if you move two or more sliders (i tested it
> with a Kenton control freak) it works perfect.
>
Actually.. this is maybe making it sound worse than it really is...
MIDI is a serial interface, so only one MIDI *message* (SysEx or otherwise)
can be transmitted at a time in any case.

Bottom line is, you can slide two faders at once, and have both Evolver
paramers change as you do that.. because the act of sliding a single fader
sends a stream of messages from the start value of the fader to the end
value of the fader. The act of sliding two faders does the same thing,
except there are now two streams of fader SysEx going down the MIDI cable.

> A little comment about control surfaces with the Evolver:
> If you want to make things more easy you'll have to find a controll
> surface wich has enough knobs and sliders (and can do sysex!)to cover
> all the parameters you want to change.
> I was testing with the Kenton and found that you still have to switch
> a lot of times (16 sliders per program) to find the right parameter.
> Compared to that the Evolvers own knobs are much easier to navigate.
> (also because the Evolver knobs changes the display to it's parameter
> so you see what you're doing)
>
aaah finally!!! someone who agrees with me about control surfaces!!!!
:-)

to program the 250-odd parameters in the evolver using any commercially
available programming hardware device, you need to setup pages of parameters
on the programming device!! if you are going to do that, you may as well be
switching pages on the evolver front panel!!

at least programming on the evolver, you have
1) writing on the panel to show which page is which.
2) rotary encoders tied *into* the synth engine that increment a parameter
from where it was originally (not just jumping to whatever previous slider
position you start from as soon as you go to make a change)
3) display confirmation of what you are doing.

Now an editor/librarian in a PC is another issue..... if you can keep track
of every parameter in the evolver, and edit from there on the screen. But
unfortunately if you want a combined editor/librarian, you're stuck with
sounddiver(blech) for now, I think. And also, this only really works if a
computer is the centre of your sequencing environment. and then, you are
stuck with only having a mouse to edit parameters with = only adjust one
parameter at a time.



Now - onto this parameter automation thing I promised!!!!

Lately, I've started to like setting up patches and finding a way to play
them, depending on the feature of the patch that I want to highlight in a
particular piece of music. In that instance, having *all* parameters
available is unnecessary, and in fact a bit of a pain.

What I like, is having a couple of MIDI controllers assignable to whatever
parameters I feel are important for that particular patch (like a waldorf
microwave does!!). That way, you can have a couple of sliders available on a
control surface that will always do *something* relevant to a sound, no
matter what the patch is. And you end up with simple control surface to use,
with no bumbling about trying to find different pages for the 2 or 3
parameters you might want to tweak.


and while I'm here.... PC1600 vs kenton control freak:
I own a PC1600x, my friend owns a control freak studio edition... so I have
a pretty good basis for this comparison....
If I were to buy a hardware control surface now, I would get the control
freak. because it has lots of presets already made up that you can download
for it. And it also has a FREE editor made by kenton for making up presets
for it on your computer... PC1600 has, like I already said, absolutely no
support from peavey.
All that said, the construction of the PC1600 is *way* nicer than the
control freak. The metal is better finished, the sliders are smoother, the
buttons are smoother, and the display is bigger! there's nothing
particularly wrong, or flimsy with the kenton.... it's just not as nice to
touch!



julian

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