Analogue-sequencer

Jim Combs wrote:

>Hi!
>
>I¹m looking at modules to hook up to my P3 and wondering what others find
>are good compliments.
>
>I know Mr. Nagle is using a (Super?) Nova. How about others?
>  
>
Actually, my fave collection of sequencing modules is:
Novation KS-Rack
Vermona PerFourmer
Korg ESX-1 (I sequence the two sample parts and occasionally some drum 
parts too)
Other Novations (K-Station, Nova, Supernova 2)
Monowave
Oakley Orbital
Digisound Modular
Access Virus
Roland V-Synth

Although the KS-Rack is at the top of my list - it suffers from one 
great flaw (one I'm embarrassed to say I missed when I reviewed it): it 
doesn't respond to MIDI program change! Yes, you read that right; for 
some reason Novation implemented a truly bizarre protocol just for the 
three multitimbral KSs - program changes are ignored unless accompanied 
by a bank select! I am currently pestering Novation to fix this because 
it means I have to manually select the performance containing each of my 
4 patches from the P3 and no other MIDI instrument since about 1985 has 
behaved this way (to my knowledge). The KS-Rack just happens to sound 
superb and it has a drum mode too which can be really handy. You could 
pretty much get away with a KS-Rack and a P3 in a little flightcase as 
your entire backing for a gig.
I pick the Novation stuff generally because it has effects on every part 
(without penalty, unlike, say, the Virus) so I can get the delay 
settings in particular set up so that each part complements every other. 
They also tend to have EQ, chorus, reverb, distortion so I can really 
set up my entire set with just one multitimbral Novation synth and my 
ESX-1 electribe. In conjunction with this the Vermona PerFourmer gives 
me hands-on analogue squelchiness for those times I don't want to 
prepare patches in advance. At home I use the less convenient to gig 
synths such as the Monowave (best bass I have), Orbital and Digisound 
for some extra spice. My second P3 tends to be used as a MIDI looper 
controllling the Virus and V-Synth - very often in this case I am 
sending loops of controller data to the synth and I play the keyboard 
myself as well as overdubbing loops to follow the main P3. It's one of 
the reasons I wanted the FTS settings transmitted from one P3 to another 
when we talked about remote control a while back.
OK, long dull answer from me as usual :)

Paul

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Paul Nagle / Soft Room Music / Bogus Focus Records / Binar / Headshock / The Joint Intelligence Committee
        www.softroom.co.uk / www.BogusFocus.com / www.JointIntelligenceCommittee.com