About Monark - reviews & stuff

[electro]

http://www.amazona.de/2012/05/vergleich ... u-he-diva/

[Stopani]

What do you guys think the chances of a Monark Demo actually being made available?

Given their previous track record with Reaktor instrument (eg: Razor) demos - not gonna happen.

Yeah I figured as much oh well.

[fluxmind]

http://www.amazona.de/2012/05/vergleich ... u-he-diva/

It says it's done
From provided examples it didn't sound, that it's done

[Ingonator]

The modified procedure seems to be like this now (thanks to fluxmind again):

1. Enable editing mode, Go to "Panel/Monark/Monark", disconnect from "Volt" cell PK, GT
2. Create "Note Pitch" and "Gate" and connect "Note Pitch" to PK and Gate to GT
3. Go into the "Function" tab of the "Gate" module (right-click and "Properties") and set "Upper Limit (MIDI) to 1 (instead of 127).
4. Still at the same place disconnect "Volt" cell from "Out 1", create "Out Port" and "Audio Voice Combiner" and Connect "Audio Voice Combiner" output to Out 1 and Out 2 and then Connect "Volt" cell output to Audio Voice Combiner input
5. Now go to "Panel/Monark" disconnect Out 2 and connect that Out 2 to Second free Out
6. Go back to "Panel/Monark/Moanrk" and disable "Mono" in "Volt" cells properties
7. Go to back to "panel" click on Monark name and in Properties page enable as many voices as you want (or how many your CPU could handle...)
8. Go to file and save ensemble as Monark Poly, because I don't now how to make a switch for mono/poly yet, so you will have 2 versions, one normal monophonic and one Polyphonic
A few features like e.g. page B settings don't seem to be available now.

Here are two screenshots showing the modifications:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... rk%201.png
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... rk%202.png

I just found a way to use both the Modwheel and Aftertouch for the modulation amount.

Here is a screenshot of the modification:


procedure:
1.) Open Monark -> Monark and the open the big module at the left side (no name). You should be able to identify that part from the screenshot then.
in the screenshot i marked all important parts red.

2.) add an Ch. Aftertouch module (from Built-in module -> MIDI-IN)

3.) add a "Merge" module (from Built-in module -> Event Processing)

4.) Open the "Properties" page of the Merge module (with the right-click menu) and change "min. Num Ports" to 2 to get two inputs.

5.) connect the "Modwheel" module to one input of the Merge module and the aftertouch module to the other input. Then connect the output of the Merge module to the "MW" module (like shown in the screenshot)

Now you should be able to use both the MW or Aftertouch for the modulation amount.
Instead of the "Merge" module you could also try "Math" operators like eg "Multiply". in that case you could use Aftertouch for modulation and use the MW for adjusting the maximum modulation amount.

UPDATE:
I just created a more advanced version of the aftertouch modification here (also includes download for a macro):
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 29#5318829


Ingo

[nexusdawn]

A few pages back, a lot of people where highlighting how they thought zero-delay filters are responsible for monarks va sound.

Really only a small part of it.

The Osc's are decent, but so is Diva's moog.

Where it really shines is in the saturation/feedback/level area.

This is what in my opinion lends it a thick organic like sound (just by maxing out the OSC volumes, not even applying any load or feedback gain). With a bit of load, it almost emulates the sound the of it running trough a mix console.

Now if Native could only add something like that to Kontakt, along with a few circuit modeled filters, they'd make my day

But back to reality, a similar effect can be achieved by adding NI's, 'Driver' Plugin with subtle settings, to thicken things up. Variety of sounds TesslaSE, Softstubes Saturation Knob, Waves NLS analog summing, State digital VC, etc can all help contribute to achieving such results.

Anyway, I love how NI's marketing goes on about "its mono so you can savior each voice" or something, instead of simply coming clean and stating "it eats up so much damned cpu, people would have whined and cried if we "made it" (disabled) polyphonic"

But I guess that doesn't sound as good

Nice synth, but I wish people stopped worshiping stuff at times, as if it where only now possible to make decent VA sound...

[aMUSEd]

A few pages back, a lot of people where highlighting how they thought zero-delay filters are responsible for monarks va sound.

Really? I just reread it and don't see a "lot of people" (or even one, though I may conceivably have missed the odd comment) saying that. Many people brought up the feedback and overall design as contributing to the sound quality in the original thread that ended up getting closed. It has certainly been a big feature in many of the patches I have created with it.

[Ingonator]

Anyway, I love how NI's marketing goes on about "its mono so you can savior each voice" or something, instead of simply coming clean and stating "it eats up so much damned cpu, people would have whined and cried if we "made it" (disabled) polyphonic"

Have a look at page 7 and 8 (this page) of this thread concerning "Mono only" and "no aftertouch support"...

Obviously people that mentioned polyphony is disabled in the locked modules were wrong. The solution is to use a different trigger source it seems.
While maybe a few features from page B are lost with the Poly modification (as you disconnect two modules) it seems to work nicely for normal use.
I am sure anexpert could also modify those original modules to be used polyphonic.


Ingo

[electro]

A few pages back, a lot of people where highlighting how they thought zero-delay filters are responsible for monarks va sound.

Really only a small part of it.

The Osc's are decent, but so is Diva's moog.

It was proven on these forums last year that DIVA's Triple VCO oscillators were equal in every way to a Moog Little Phatty. You might have to search to find the audiofiles.

[fluxmind]

http://www.amazona.de/2012/05/vergleich ... u-he-diva/
Here's a Monark Filter FM and it sounds much closer tweaked by ear, than those examples there
http://www.fileden.com/files/2012/2/9/3 ... el%202.mp3

[PAK]

Nice synth, but I wish people stopped worshiping stuff at times, as if it where only now possible to make decent VA sound...

It's possible to make a kazoo sound "phat" with processing too. I wish people wouldn't complain about the sound of a Kazoo au naturel. Y'all know it's been possible to make dem phat kazoo beatz forever.

It's an incredible concept, but people who play instruments often care what stuff sounds like on the actual instrument, without going into production mode. But thanks for pointing out it's possible to get a decent sound if you stick almost anything through a chain of plugins. I, nor anyone else, would ever have suspected this without your valuable insight.

BTW I regard one of the things you mentioned for "da phat soundz" as the audio worlds sonic equivalent of a homeopathic remedy. But, if placebos get ya there, then more power to ya

[nexusdawn]

Nice synth, but I wish people stopped worshiping stuff at times, as if it where only now possible to make decent VA sound...

It's possible to make a kazoo sound "phat" with processing too. I wish people wouldn't complain about the sound of a Kazoo au naturel. Y'all know it's been possible to make dem phat kazoo beatz forever.

It's an incredible concept, but people who play instruments often care what stuff sounds like on the actual instrument, without going into production mode. But thanks for pointing out it's possible to get a decent sound if you stick almost anything through a chain of plugins. I, nor anyone else, would ever have suspected this without your valuable insight.

BTW I regard one of the things you mentioned for "da phat soundz" as the audio worlds sonic equivalent of a homeopathic remedy. But, if placebos get ya there, then more power to ya

How you take "da phat soundz", let alone all the other concepts you put in my "mouth" is pretty inventive. At the same time you go on about "stuff that sounds like proper instruments" So you contradict yourself on the same point you seem to be complaining about. Are you really so frustrated by life?

But back to my point, it's not as if there weren't any decent VA's before NI's marketing campaign for monark, and I highly value the quality of sound of an instrument, so no need to write me off in the synth1 "I can makez the phat beatz dat soundz like anallogs" category.

edit

p.s. It's funny how people that go on about "placebo" sound, are usually the ones with the worse hearing.

[PAK]

How you take "phat", let alone all the other concepts you put in my "mouth" is pretty inventive.

Thanks, but I can't take credit for inventing sarcasm.

At the same time you go on about "stuff that sounds like proper instruments"

I said no such thing. I see you're the sort of person who misquotes stuff for the sake of creating arguments? I mentioned a sound which can't be done "properly" as an example of an area which a specific synth has difficulty. I used a specific example because I think that's a lot better than the usual personal opinions with no attempts to define something other than using words.

I can actually back up what I say with presets. I'm happy for others to contradict me. Perhaps they'll notice something I haven't etc, and we can engage in some presets and examples rather than blah blah blah..

Are you really so frustrated by life?

Hmmm.. Sometimes? But not usually. Still, thanks for trying to personalize things all the same. I appreciate the effort

But back to my point, it's not as if there weren't any decent VA's before NI's marketing campaign for monark, and I highly value the quality of sound of an instrument, so no need to write me off in the "synth1 can makez the phat beatz"

Sure. FWIW I agree with the point about it not just being "the filter". But you seem to be the only one who inferred anyone said anything remotely like "there were no decent VA's before Monark". So you kinda created your own argument with something that nobody said nor implied

p.s. It's funny how people that go on about "placebo" sound, are usually the ones with the worse hearing.

Ok. I have my own opinions and I'm confident and happy in them. Some people would rather get them from internet forums. Hundreds of millions of people use homeopathic remedies successfully too. Perception is reality. If it works for you then that's all that matters..

[nexusdawn]

How you take "phat", let alone all the other concepts you put in my "mouth" is pretty inventive.

Thanks, but I can't take credit for inventing sarcasm.

At the same time you go on about "stuff that sounds like proper instruments"

I said no such thing. I see you're the sort of person who misquotes stuff for the sake of creating arguments? I mentioned a sound which can't be done "properly" as an example of an area which a specific synth has difficulty. I used a specific example because I think that's a lot better than the usual personal opinions with no attempts to define something other than using words.

I can actually back up what I say with presets. I'm happy for others to contradict me. Perhaps they'll notice something I haven't etc, and we can engage in some presets and examples rather than blah blah blah..

Are you really so frustrated by life?

Hmmm.. Sometimes? But not usually. Still, thanks for trying to personalize things all the same. I appreciate the effort

But back to my point, it's not as if there weren't any decent VA's before NI's marketing campaign for monark, and I highly value the quality of sound of an instrument, so no need to write me off in the "synth1 can makez the phat beatz"

Sure. FWIW I agree with the point about it not just being "the filter". But you seem to be the only one who inferred anyone said anything remotely like "there were no decent VA's before Monark". So you kinda created your own argument with something that nobody said nor implied

p.s. It's funny how people that go on about "placebo" sound, are usually the ones with the worse hearing.

Ok. I have my own opinions and I'm confident and happy in them. Some people would rather get them from internet forums. Hundreds of millions of people use homeopathic remedies successfully too. Perception is reality. If it works for you then that's all that matters..

No problem in having your own opinion, it's when you start taking your own opinion and then trying to impose it on someone else you make presumptions about.

What would all the presets in the world help, if "perception is reality" and these realities won't coincide?

Want to start to set up a vote?

Can a person have an opinion without wasting even more time collecting, zipping ,and uploading files, only to 'impress' someone in a battle of opinions...


You can have my presets when you pry them from my cold dead hands

Anyway, Xils synths, dcam, timearp,and certainly a handful of other VA's come to mind when speaking of "ground breaking" years ago.

Monark does the moog sound well, but its nothing revolutionary in terms of virtual analog .

[PAK]

No problem in having your own opinion, it's when you start taking your own opinion and then trying to impose it on someone else you make presumptions about.

The fact that you think I'm trying to "impose" anything on you says it all. WTF. You're free to think what you like and I'm good with that..

What would all the presets in the world help, if "perception is reality" and these realities won't coincide?

Because perception is not always fixed. For one thing many people are not very good at getting the same sounds out of two different synths. Creating similar sounds between different things takes effort, and can be difficult, but it sometimes lets you better evaluate what might actually be different, rather than what you think from just randomly using the synth. You can do that too, but you have more of an idea of certain things with the former. Does any of it matter, ultimately? Not really.

Can a person have an opinion without wasting even more time collection, zipping ,and uploading files, only to 'impress' someone in a battle of opinions...

Sure, and nobody said otherwise. Although it's as difficult as dragging the file to a dropbox folder and right-clicking to copy url

You can have my presets when you pry them from my cold dead hands

I don't want them. But things like that can help communicate more than just words here will

[hibidy]

not looking forward to 12 more pages of this