Waldorf Pulse 2: officially released (OS updated to v1.18)

[Ingonator]

hey ingo,
is there any news on the editor? what's happening there and when? will it be able to somehow load sysex (so you can check sounds BEFORE sending them to the pulse) or only the other way around?

Hi,

so far there is no official editor but Till Kopper offers a template for a free iPad app (i got no iPad or iPhone so could not check it):

http://www.till-kopper.de/pulse2.html

While i understand that many people would like to use an editor personally so far i did not feel a real need for an editor as the Pulse 2 is quite simple to use without (for the Blofeld i used an use a free editor too...).

I am quite sure that soon there will be either free and/or commercial editors for the Pulse 2, maybe also as an update of existing pulse 1 editors.


Concerning patch management:

For sorting patches i dumped single sounds, loaded those single patch files to the edit buffer and saved them at the locations i want.

BTW import of Pulse 1 banks in most cases should be no problem. I checked loading the MIDI files of some free banks (around 5 or 6 so far) and they directly load to the memory locations P001 to P040 in the Pulse 2.


Ingo

[colibri]

hey ingo,
is there any news on the editor? what's happening there and when? will it be able to somehow load sysex (so you can check sounds BEFORE sending them to the pulse) or only the other way around?

Hi,

so far there is no official editor but Till Kopper offers a template for a free iPad app (i got no iPad or iPhone so could not check it):

http://www.till-kopper.de/pulse2.html

thanks! well we've been promised a proper blofeld editor and so far i haven't come across any that perfectly works and/or offers an at least somewhat appealing GUI. i do hope waldorf is smart enough to invest some work here, not everyone is into patch-loading/editing... "programmer-style".

as far as i got it, the rocket editor was made by the same guy and then somewhat converted to a standalone-app, contrary to the pulse2 one where you have to buy the app able to load that (free) template..

just sayin - since a guy obviously volunteered to program a nice template, i hope waldorf grabs the chance, pays him some bucks and renders this a great editor app...

[Ingonator]

Hi,

while editing my patches with the new OS 1.10 and saving single patches as sysex files i found something new in the Sysex display of the SendSX toll i am using.

While browsing trough presets with the latest OS the Pulse 2 seems to send program change data. This did not happen with earlier versions.

some examples (first the program number, then the sysex data display):

P001:
B0 00 00
C0 00

P010:
B0 00 00
C0 09

P100:
B0 00 00
C0 63

P150:
B0 00 01
C0 31

P200:
B0 00 01
C0 63

The important numbers seem to be the numbers at the end of each line.

I found that i i copy this before the sysex data of a single patch the Pulse 2 will automatically jump to that memory location with the patch in the edit buffer.


Ingo

[synnys]

I'm currently working on an editor which is almost finished.
I programmed this in MAX/MSP, it will be available soon as a standalone for windows and mac, and as a max for live instrument with full ableton integration regarding automating of all parameters. At this moment i have no intention of making a vst or au version.

- The editor automatically saves your sound into the ableton live set.
- Saving and loading patches to your hard drive (in .json format)
- Randomize function (Randomize all or per module (OSC, MOD, LFO, ENV, FILTER, VOICE, VCA, etc)
- Mutate funtion, mutate your patches just a bit and the ability to increase this mutation up to full on randomization.

I'm currently beta testing and it's about 95% done.

Patch management system is on the todo list.

More info will be on synnys.com soon. In the meanwhile you could follow the Waldorf Pulse 2 thread on the dutch synthforum.nl http://www.synthforum.nl/forums/showthr ... 46&page=16


(copy and paste link into your browser to see full size: http://synnys.com/temppics/pulse10.png )

[Ingonator]

full size picture
http://synnys.com/temppics/pulse10.png

Hi,

thanks for the editor. I quoted the link to make it clickable.


Ingo

[colibri]

I'm currently working on an editor which is almost finished.
...

sweet man, thanks a lot for your effort, really looking forward to this one! please try to implement that it can read pulse sysex patches

[synnys]

that will be a lot of work, but i intend to implement that in the future.

[Ingonator]

A new video (posted at sequencer.de) that shows the use of the Arpeggiator (including some realtime tweaking):




Ingo

[Ingonator]

Waldorf has published a new Pulse 2 OS v1.10 at their website:

http://www.waldorf-music.info/en/pulse2downloads.html

This also includes an updater software and a Pulse2 Sysex and CC parameter list.
That updater seems to be for MacOS.
v1.10 is also new for me (latest beta was 1.09 while the latest solid one was v1.07 which i used for my demos) so i have to check this myself to find out what has changed.

Three things that seem to be changed:
- new mod destinations
- different filter auto-tuning algorithm (with display of expected and current values in Hz)
- last used patch saved with power off

Based on the new filter tuning it is recommended to tune the filter again (see Utility menu and "Tune filter").

Important:

I have found that existing patches seem to be affected by this which i already reported at the beta forum. The solution seems to be to reduce the Drive amount by around 18-20 (this means the highest amount had a bigger effect than before).

(UPDATE: This seemed to be necessary as with older versions the volume with Drive amount at 0 was very low)

I'll have to check this further.

Some units seemed to be delivered with OS v1.05. For those (and also others) i currently would recommend to use OS v1.07.

I created a download link for OS 1.07 here:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... e2V107.mid

For those that are not interested in the presets and want to start programming themselves it should not be a big problem to use OS v1.10.
Those who already created patches should reduce the Drive amount by around 20. Patches that don't use Drive should not need a corrections, except for the VCA volume maybe.

I am sure corrected factory sounds will be published soon.


Some tips for loading the OS to the Pulse 2:

- i am using Windows and the free MIDIBar utility from MIDI-OX seems to work nicely for sending the MIDI file to the Pulse 2
- For Sysex files (.syx) i am using Send SX v1.22
- update should noot be a big problem via USB but you could also try via MIDI cables (which is the safe way)
- You could try to press the SHIFT + Mod buttons while you power on the Pulse 2 which starts a special mode for receiving sysex data like the firmware/OS.

Hi,

i just optimized my patches (90 at the moment) for use in OS v1.10:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... update.zip

Besides a text file (.rtf format) with a list and a short description of my patches this includes following folders:

- All factory sounds with IW OS 1.10 update:
415 factory sounds with my update for OS v1.10 (other patches still at the old version)

- Bank files:
A MID + SYX file with all of my 90 patches in one bank (locations P001 to P090)

- Firmware:
MID files of OS v1.07 and OS v1.10

- Single patches:
90 single SYX files for all my patches. Those could be loaded to the desired location using a Sysex tool like e.g. Send SX (first load to the edit buffer and the use SHIFT + Store at the desired location)

- Sysex text files.
The Sysex data of the bank file as text files


Maybe i'll also try to correct the other factory sounds before an official update for all patches is offered.

If needed here are the factory sounds compatible with OS 1.07 (415 sounds):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/532 ... 0V1.07.zip


UPDATE:
I just corrected the Drive amount for all other factory sounds too and started adjusting the volumes too, at least to a level where they don't clip when the master volume of te Pulse 2 is at maximum.


Ingo

[Ingonator]

Another Pulse 2 demo video (posted at sequencer.de):




Ingo

[Gadget Fiend]

I'll still get you that $599 price if you pre-order with me now. Once we receive them, they'll be $679 after discounts.

Hey Uncle E, I sent you a PM about pre-ordering the Pulse 2. Please respond.

Thanks!

[justin3am]

Hi,

while editing my patches with the new OS 1.10 and saving single patches as sysex files i found something new in the Sysex display of the SendSX toll i am using.

While browsing trough presets with the latest OS the Pulse 2 seems to send program change data. This did not happen with earlier versions.

some examples (first the program number, then the sysex data display):

P001:
B0 00 00
C0 00

P010:
B0 00 00
C0 09

P100:
B0 00 00
C0 63

P150:
B0 00 01
C0 31

P200:
B0 00 01
C0 63

The important numbers seem to be the numbers at the end of each line.

I found that i i copy this before the sysex data of a single patch the Pulse 2 will automatically jump to that memory location with the patch in the edit buffer.


Ingo

This makes sense. 0xC0 0x** is MIDI hexadecimal talk for Program Change (where the stars are an undefined hex byte). The first two bytes indicate program change, the second two bytes indicate which program.

0xB0 0x** 0x** is hexadecimal for CC messages (the first set of bytes says this is a CC, the second set says which CC and the third set says what value)
0x90 0x** 0x** is hexadecimal for Note On messages (the first set of bytes says this is a note, the second set says which note and the third says what velocity)

Here is a handy tool for decoding hex values into decimal values that we are used to.

[Ingonator]

Here is a handy tool for decoding hex values into decimal values that we are used to.

The calculator in Windows 7 does that too...

The reason why i did that post is that this data is sent while browsing trough presets since using the latest OS 1.10. This did not happen with earlier OS versions.


Ingo

[Ingonator]

As posted at the Waldorf forum by Rob Wentz another Pulse 2 editor is in the works here:

http://www.monstrummedia.com/



This developer seems to be focused on editors for Waldorf synths. Next seems to be a Blofeld editor.


Ingo

[acidfever]

Looks nice but a bit pricey to say the least......
I understand that a lot of work goes into creating a full editor but the whole business model for software is that you sell it a lot of times while not making extra cost (or very little of you sell a boxed version for instance).

I think $29 would be a more appropriate price to be honest.

As posted at the Waldorf forum by Rob Wentz another Pulse 2 editor is in the works here:

http://www.monstrummedia.com/

This developer seems to be focused on editors for Waldorf synths. Next seems to be a Blofeld editor.


Ingo