Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

Is it simple (enough) to set up a Poly Evolver so all the perameters can be tweaked with something like a Novation X-Station?

I don't want to have to control the rack with a computer/software interface permanently (though I understand that I'll need to do the initial set-up with the Sound Tower Software). Just *hate* working on computers!

Any thoughts/advice? Is there a more suitable keyboard? (I'm also using an Oberheim Matrix-100 rack)

Thank you very much.

Take a look at the Mono Evolver Keyboard manual under the MIDI
Implementation section, subsection "Additional received CCs" (copied
below). For some reason the other manuals don't have that section even
though it's pretty much the same information for all four variants. The
list shows what can be assigned by an external MIDI controller. I use an
Akai MPK 49 to control my Mono Evolver Desktop on stage and the MPK lets
me map a slider, knob or button to a controller number, a standard for
most hardware controllers. For example, CC# 13 controls the Highpass
Filter Cutoff, #53 controls the Filter Resonance.
 
There are two modes in the Poly Rack. If you plan on using only "Program
Mode" then you should be ok. I sold my Poly Evolver Rack because its
implantation of "Combo Mode" made the thing really hard to use with the
frustrating SoundTower software after being spoiled by the easy
programmability on the Mono Evolver Keyboard. I've never tried using the
Rack with a controller, only from my computer. Maybe it will work fine
for your needs.
 
Additional received CCs:
 
20 Oscillator 1 Frequency
21 Oscillator 2 Frequency
22 Oscillator 3 Frequency
23 Oscillator 4 Frequency
24 Oscillator 1 Level
25 Oscillator 2 Level
26 Oscillator 3 Level
27 Oscillator 4 Level
28 Oscillator 1 Shape
29 Oscillator 2 Shape
30 Oscillator 3 Shape
31 Oscillator 4 Shape
40 FM 4->3
41 FM 3->4
42 RM 4->3
43 RM 3->4
59 Noise Level
52 Low Pass Filter Frequency
53 Filter Resonance
54 Filter Envelope Amount
55 Filter Attack
56 Filter Decay
57 Filter Sustain
58 Filter Release
59 Filter Audio Mod
60 Filter Split
61 Filter Key Amount
75 Amp Attack
76 Amp Decay
77 Amp Sustain
78 Amp Release
13 Highpass Filter Cutoff
85 Feedback Frequency
86 Feedback Level
12 Distortion
102 Delay 1 Time
103 Delay 2 Time
104 Delay 3 Time
105 Delay 1 Amount
106 Delay 2 Amount
107 Delay 3 Amount
108 Delay Feedback 1
109 Delay Feedback 2.
 
 
 
________________________________

From: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Matthew Ingram
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 9:16 AM
To: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Evolver] Controlling a Poly Evolver Rack with a Midi Keyboard



Is it simple (enough) to set up a Poly Evolver so all the perameters can
be tweaked with something like a Novation X-Station?

I don't want to have to control the rack with a computer/software
interface permanently (though I understand that I'll need to do the
initial set-up with the Sound Tower Software). Just *hate* working on
computers!

Any thoughts/advice? Is there a more suitable keyboard? (I'm also using
an Oberheim Matrix-100 rack)

Thank you very much.


 


This electronic mail message contains information that (a) is or 
may 
be CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY 
LAW 
FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) is intended only for the use of the 
addressee
(s)named herein.  If you are not an intended recipient, please 
contact the sender immediately and take the steps necessary to 
delete 
the message completely from your computer system.

Not Intended as a Substitute for a Writing: Notwithstanding the 
Uniform Electronic Transaction Act or any other law of similar 
effect, absent an express statement to the contrary, this e-mail 
message, its contents, and any attachments hereto are not intended 
to 
represent an offer or acceptance to enter into a contract and are 
not 
otherwise intended to bind this sender, barnesandnoble.com llc, 
barnesandnoble.com inc. or any other person or entity.

> list shows what can be assigned by an external MIDI controller. I use an
> Akai MPK 49 to control my Mono Evolver Desktop on stage and the MPK lets
> me map a slider, knob or button to a controller number, a standard for
> most hardware controllers. For example, CC# 13 controls the Highpass
> Filter Cutoff, #53 controls the Filter Resonance.

Thanks for digging this information out. I now have an MPK-49 controller as a matter of fact.

> There are two modes in the Poly Rack. If you plan on using only "Program
> Mode" then you should be ok. I sold my Poly Evolver Rack because its
> implantation of "Combo Mode" made the thing really hard to use with the
> frustrating SoundTower software after being spoiled by the easy
> programmability on the Mono Evolver Keyboard. I've never tried using the
> Rack with a controller, only from my computer. Maybe it will work fine
> for your needs.

Very keen to not have to use a computer, but also dont really need/want the sequencer 
features on the Desktop Evolver. Would I really be unable to use combo mode from a 
controller.

If anyone else had any experience with controlling a Poly Evolver Rack
with a Midi keyboard (particularly an MPK-49) it'd be *great* to hear
about it.

Thank you.

Depends on what you mean with "control". If you mean playing an varying 
sounds, any keyboard with modwheel, aftertouch and eventually two assignable 
faders or knobs is sufficient.
Then you can program your sounds in a way that whenever you turn the 
modwheel, aftertouch or the assignable controller, something interesting 
happens.
As soon as it comes to sound programming, all those generic controllers are 
not really fun.
The Evolvers have around 200 sound parameters. If you want to have full 
acces you'd either need a software editor or a specialized controller like 
Evolver or PEK.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: woebot
To: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 11:17 AM
Subject: [DSI Synths] Re: Controlling a Poly Evolver Rack with a Midi 
Keyboard


If anyone else had any experience with controlling a Poly Evolver Rack
with a Midi keyboard (particularly an MPK-49) it'd be *great* to hear
about it.

Thank you.

I have been controlling my polyevolver rack with a novation sl61 
since I got it, what made the novation easy was the template editor 
and how comprehensive it is. Just entered the midi controller numbers 
in the mannual into the template editor, and it filled 2 templates 
which are loaded on sl61 and i was done. I think the editor it comes 
with is fine, it does the job well.

stefan







--- In DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com, "woebot" <alias@...> wrote:
>
> If anyone else had any experience with controlling a Poly Evolver 
Rack
> with a Midi keyboard (particularly an MPK-49) it'd be *great* to 
hear

> about it.
> 
> Thank you.
>

-----Original Message-----

Here's how I use the MPK.
 
These are the Evolver Desktop parameters I have mapped to MPK encoder
knobs:
 
Filter Frequency
Resonance
Hi-Pass Filter Level
Attack
Release
LFO 1 level
Distortion
Volume (the right-most slider)
 
My live rig consists of 2 controllers, an old 76 key weighted Fatar and
the MPK, and two sound sources, a Roland XV-5080 and a Mono Evolver
Desktop.
 
The XV is my main sound source for almost everything. It has two
independent MIDI inputs (A and B), and I have it loaded with expansion
cards. It has great piano, organs, synths, brass, etc. It is capable of
patches that contain many layers and splits. I have the ability to
connect two keyboard controllers and have each play any number of
independent split or layered sounds. I can get quite complicated with it
too. Some songs have a keyboard controller playing layers and splits of
up to 10 sounds. Right now I use the Evolver for a handful of things but
I'm slowly making it more integral.
 
I'm using the MPK to control both my Evolver and MIDI input B of my
Roland XV-5080. By changing setups on the MPK, I can chose which sound
source (Evo or XV) the MPK controls. The Fatar connects to MIDI input A
on the XV. My Evolver is set to receive on Midi channel 2. The MIDI out
of the MPK is routed through the Evolver's MIDI thru. My XV receives on
MIDI channel 1. The setup for the Evo transmits all the program changes
and CCs on MIDI channel 2. 
 
The MPK allows the drum pads to send patch/bank changes instead of
notes, so all patch changes to the XV or the Evo are done through
hitting MPK pads and never by touching buttons on my synths during a
performance. For the Evo setup I have my top 12 patches accessible by
hitting pads on group A. Printed along side the songs in my set list are
the pads I need to hit to initiate a program change. "Every Little
Thing: A6" is for the Police song "Every Little Thing She Does is
Magic." Pressing pad 6 in group A recalls an XV piano for the Fatar and
an XV synth sound for the MPK. "Rosanna: B7/B8" tells me that pad 7 in
group B is what I need to hit for the Toto song "Rosanna." This calls up
a piano for the Fatar and XV organ split with XV horns on the MPK. When
it's time for the solo I hit pad 8, which changed the MPK to play a lead
solo sound in the XV. Pad groups A through C contain all patch changes
for my three song sets. Pad group B contains catch-all patch changes,
like paino on lower keyboard, organ on upper keyboard, etc.
 
It's a little tricky to switch between controlling the XV and the Evo. I
want to use the sounds from the Evo instead of the XV for the Rosanna
solo. After I've set up the MPK, this is what I'd need to do right
before the solo: 1) turn the main data knob to "Evolver" setup and press
knob, 2) press pad group A button, 3) hit pad 10. When the solo is over
I need to change my setup back to MKP playing organ/horns so I: 1) turn
the main knob to "XV-5080" setup and press knob, 2) press pad group B
button, 3) hit pad 7.
 
I hope that helps.
-- Iain

________________________________

From: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of woebot
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 5:18 AM
To: DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [DSI Synths] Re: Controlling a Poly Evolver Rack with a Midi
Keyboard



If anyone else had any experience with controlling a Poly Evolver Rack
with a Midi keyboard (particularly an MPK-49) it'd be *great* to hear
about it.

Thank you.



 


This electronic mail message contains information that (a) is or 
may be CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE 
PROTECTED 
BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) is intended only for the use of 
the addressee(s) named herein.  If you are not an intended 
recipient, please contact the sender immediately and take the 
steps necessary to delete the message completely from your 
computer system.

Not Intended as a Substitute for a Writing: Notwithstanding the 
Uniform Electronic Transaction Act or any other law of similar 
effect, absent an express statement to the contrary, this e-mail 
message, its contents, and any attachments hereto are not 
intended 
to represent an offer or acceptance to enter into a contract and 
are not otherwise intended to bind this sender, 
barnesandnoble.com 
llc, barnesandnoble.com inc. or any other person or entity.