From Brian Willoughby Sent Thu, Nov 8th 2018, 07:25
From Brian Willoughby Sent Thu, Nov 8th 2018, 07:25
Multi-patches are quick to program. The second public demonstration of the Soundplane used a Matrix-12. I = dialed in the Soundplane to detect 10 touches, and assigned those to 10 = MIDI channels on the Matrix-12 so that each finger had its own pitch = bend, channel pressure, and modulation lever control. Unfortunately, = people kept walking up to the table and trying to play the Matrix-12 = from its keyboard instead of from the multi-touch pressure sensitive = controller in front of it. So, I quickly assigned the remaining two = voices to the keyboard in a duophonic voice allocation. It was super = easy to set up. You couldn=E2=80=99t play chords from the keyboard that = way, but the point was to play chords on the Soundplane and have = three-dimensional control of every note. The hard part was finding appropriate sounds and then modifying the = voice settings to track pressure continuously, rather than just run = through an envelope at a fixed rate. The voice architecture has a = dual-VCA signal path at the output of each voice, so it was fairly easy = to connect pressure to one of those. What was more difficult was taming = the existing VCA envelope so that it didn=E2=80=99t totally shut down = the voice while you were still touching the controller. The voice = editing appears direct, but the complexity is deep enough that it=E2=80=99= s not necessarily quick. The Matrix-12 does have a Modulation page = that=E2=80=99s missing from the Xpander, and I find this helps browse = through the settings in a voice patch. A graphical editor would help if = you don=E2=80=99t mind a computer attached via MIDI. Brian Willoughby On Nov 7, 2018, at 3:48 PM, Tristan <xx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx> wrote: > Unfortunately that is one of those "How long is a piece of string?" = questions. You could spend days crafting=20 > 12 individual component patches to fit together as a complex jigsaw or = you could build a layered multi in=20 > minutes by flipping through the single patches and then tweaking a few = to fit together. Conceptually it is=20 > the same as working on any synth which allows you to build multi or = performance patches from a number=20 > of single patches. I have found the Xpander great for building sounds = on the go in a production=20 > environment.=20 >=20 > /Tristan >=20 > On Thu, Nov 8th, 2018 at 9:39 AM, Alex Timchak <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> = wrote: >> Not that I=C3=A2=C2=80=C2=99ll be able to afford a matrix 12 anytime = soon - but how time >> consuming is it to make one of those complex patches? I=C3=A2=C2=80=C2= =99ve read the >> learning curve is steep... >>=20 >> On Wed, Nov 7, 2018 at 4:18 PM Tristan <xx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx> wrote: >>> What really sets the Xpander/Matrix-12 apart is that you are = effectively >>> getting 6/12 mono synths which >>> you can combine together in all sorts of different polyphonic = grouping and >>> layers to build complex sounds. >>> It is so much more than what can be be done in a single patch. >>>=20 >>> /Tristan >>>=20 >>> On Thu, Nov 8th, 2018 at 5:16 AM, M V <xx_xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx> wrote: >>>> Thanks for posting the Xpansions link. I have seen a few of those = tips posted >>>> elsewhere--is there somewhere where one could find all the issues? >>>>=20 >>>> Reading through the programming section, it confirms what I have = long >>>> suspected, which is that a lot of the draw of the excessive = modulation is for >>>> player/performer tricks. And I see a lot of parallels with how the = Moog One >>>> is being presented. That's not to say that the One isn't vastly = superior in >>>> terms of modulation speed and routing abilities, but the general = =E2=80=9Clook at >>>> this cool way to fade between two stereo clavinet patches" idea = seems to be >>>> the same. >>>>=20 >>>> Reading through the Xpansions patch list reviews sort of follows >>>> that--there's a lot of emphasis on "real" sounds, and little on = wild/creative >>>> synthesis. I guess it was the norm of the time (early '90s), but I = am always >>>> perplexed by the draw toward "realistic" sounds on what should be = synthesis >>>> monsters. The Xpander/M-12 presets have to be some of the worst = ever, but I >>>> can't say I've ever come across any patch sets that are vastly = superior/more >>>> interesting. >>>> ________________________________ >>>> From: codemechanic <xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2018 7:35 PM >>>> To: Brian Willoughby >>>> Cc: AH send >>>> Subject: Re: [AH] Anyone have Oberheim Matrix-12 ROM files? >>>>=20 >>>> Hi Brian, >>>>=20 >>>> I own an Xpander which I believe has v1.2 Main board ROMs and v1.4 >>>> Voice board ROMs, but unfortunately I can't confirm that as I'm out = of >>>> the country at the moment. >>>>=20 >>>> In searching around it seems like there's more information out = there >>>> on the Xpander than there is on the Matrix 12. I couldn't track = down >>>> Matrix 12 main board ROMs anywhere. The only way I can come close = to >>>> confirming the latest revision numbers for the Matrix 12 ROMs was = via >>>> a page on sequencer.de: >>>> = https://www.sequencer.de/blog/oberheim-xpander-oberheim-matrix-12/2547 >>>>=20 >>>> "Softwareversionen/most recent software version: >>>> Processor: 1.2 (Matrix12: 1.1) >>>> Voice version: 1.4 (Matrix12: 1.6)" >>>>=20 >>>> =46rom the information found there it sounds like the latest revs = are >>>> 1.2/1.4 for the Xpander, and 1.1/1.6 for the Matrix 12. Further >>>> information on the Xpander revisions comes via the software update >>>> operational instructions released 4/5/85 >>>> (http://www.synthzone.com/midi/oberheim/obxp/xpandros.zip): >>>>=20 >>>> "If the main processor version reads 1.2, the Xpander already = contains >>>> the most recent main processor version. The voice processor version >>>> will be displayed as 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, or 1.4. Again, if the version >>>> displayed is below 1.4, the software should be updated." >>>>=20 >>>> I was also able to find documentation regarding the Midi >>>> specification, software updates etc. for the Xpander that I can = send >>>> your way if you're interested. There sure is some interesting >>>> information found in the Xpansions newsletter archives: >>>> http://www.synthzone.com/midi/oberheim/obxp/xpansion.zip >>>>=20 >>>> -Ben >>>> On Wed, Nov 7, 2018 at 4:13 AM Brian Willoughby = <xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx >>>>=20 >>>> wrote: >>>>>=20 >>>>> Here are some more details: >>>>>=20 >>>>> The Matrix-12 Processor Board has five 8KB ROMs >>>>> The Xpander Processor Board has four 8KB ROMs >>>>> Voice Boards have two 8KB ROMs, and appear to be universal for = Xpander & Matrix-12 (not confirmed). >>>>>=20 >>>>> I have an incomplete set of Matrix-12 Processor Board v1.2 ROMs, = (0, 1, 4), and I need the two missing ROMs (2, 3). >>>>> I am still looking for a complete set of M12 PB v1.1 ROMs, but I = might just buy a ROM reader and pull the chips from my Matrix-12. >>>>>=20 >>>>> My Matrix-12 has v1.6 on the Voice Boards. >>>>>=20 >>>>>=20 >>>>> Meanwhile, I recall a resource that listed the latest ROM versions = for both Xpander and Matrix-12, for both Main and Voice firmware. Can = anyone point me to that? I have a friend who is interested in upgrading = his Xpander to the latest, if we can find out what the latest is. = I=C3=A2=C2=80=C2=99ll probably update my Matrix-12, too, since Main PB = v1.1 seems to be old. >>>>>=20 >>>>> I have a complete set of Xpander Processor Board v1.2 ROMs >>>>> I have a complete set of Voice Board v1.4 ROMs >>>>> I have a complete set of Voice Board v1.6 ROMs >>>>>=20 >>>>> Brian Willoughby >>>>>=20 >>>>>=20 >>>>> On Nov 4, 2018, at 5:56 PM, Brian Willoughby wrote: >>>>>> I have several copies of the Xpander ROM files, and at least one = of them is valid. >>>>>>=20 >>>>>> I=C3=A2=C2=80=C2=99m looking for Matrix-12 ROM files. At the very = least, I would like the Processor Board ROM data. It would be nice to = have the Voice Board ROM data as well. >>>>>>=20 >>>>>> I'=C2=99m working on a patch librarian for macOS, and need the = ROM data to scan for undocumented MIDI System Exclusive details. >>>>>=20 >>>>> Brian Willoughby >>>>> Sound Consulting >>>> -- >>>> benjamin allen >>>> xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx >>>> 415.624.9111 >>>> http://www.codemechanic.com