Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

imho, the evolver is *not* good at improvising sequences. it 
sends/receives midi clock and it seamlessly advances from one 
sequence to another you choose (a la mc505, electribe and many 
others). but it's not good at improvising x0x-style sequences. 

if you want an x0x-style experience, i suggest the future-retro 
revolver ($699 us). it's a jam-centric analog quasi-modular monosynth 
with limited but good effects that can sound like an sh101, a tb303 
and much more. 

the evo's sequencer is spectacular at creating evolving sounds and 
melodies (that's what it was made for and that's how i use it) but 
awful for making x0x-style grooves. here's why:

-- you can't simply turn a step on/off. to turn off a step, you have 
to spin the knob from, say, 40 to just past 100. to turn on a step, 
you have to spin the knob from just past 100 to 40. not easy to do in 
the heat of a jam session.

-- note values are not letters and numbers (e.g., C#) but numbers. 
there are 24 numbers to an octave, so you have to know in your mind 
that to change a step from a C to a G, you have to spin the knob from 
24 to 38. not easy to do in the heat of a jam session (to help me 
with this, i've drawn a one-octave keyboard with each key numbered.)

-- it's challenging to change note lengths on the fly. you have to 
spin the knob from 40 to 80 while you alter another setting or two.

-- to truly jam with the evolver, you have to do ALL THREE OF THE 
ABOVE THINGS ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THIS IS IMPORTANT: it can be done, but it takes a *lot* of practice, 
a *lot* of frustation and you don't *feel* the music as you create 
it. you can set up the evo sequencer to create funky, ever-changing 
basslines, lead lines or chord progressions, but i think the evo 
sequencer is best thought of as a musician you jam *with*, not 
something you jam *on*, if that makes sense. 

imho, you have two options: (1) get a future-retro revolver, as 
stated above, or (2) get a desktop evolver and control it with a 
future-retro mobius sequencer ($420 us for the desktop version). 

that setup is more expensive than the future-retro revolution alone, 
but sonically, you get WAY MORE bang for the buck. for instance, the 
evo sequencer can be programmed to create chords and/or chord 
progressions. that's beyond the revolver's capability. the evo also 
has a controllable distortion circuit (the revolution's is merely 
on/off), and many more cool features (user-created waves, wave 
sequencing, tuneable delay feedback, 4 LFOs, etc., etc.)

sorry for the long-winded post. hope this helps...


--- In DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com, James Elliott <johans121@...> 
wrote:
>
> To answer your first question, "is it easy to create a sequence 
while a tune is going"
> Yes, however the display can be pretty cryptic sometimes. So, you 
have to be pretty familiar with your instrument to understand what it 
is exactly that you are changing, and to what value.
> 
> As for your second question, "and start and stop in time with the 
midi clock"
> Yes, I know it receives start and stop messages, and I think it 
also sends them as well.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Bob <dayshift@...>
> To: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 4:47:21 AM
> Subject: [Evolver] Jamming with the Evolver
> 
> Hi
> 
> I'm thinking of getting a desktop mono Evolver and wondered if 
anyone 
> had any opinions about how good it is for improvising? Currently I 
use 
> a synced sh101 but am thinking an Evolver might be able to take 
it's 
> place live to save taking the 101 out to gigs.
> 
> So is it easy to create sequences while a tune is going and start 
it in 
> time with the midi-clock etc?
> 
> Any thoughts appreciated
> 
> Bob
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
______________________________________________________________________
______________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
> http://new.mail.yahoo.com
>