Waldorf PPG 3.V or Largo

[Apostate]

Apostate,

Thanks for the info on the Largo/Nave Combo... I wasn't thinking in those terms but it is logical based on the material online with regard to Nave especially.

Thanks again and have a great weekend!

Hey, thanks and same to you! I've become an obsessive over the Waldorf sound, I rarely even use Serum anymore (as fantastic a synth as that most assuredly is).

Admittedly, one has to be a fan of the special character that those synths bring to a project, but there are plenty of rewards to be had regardless of one's sound preference.

Nave is a total blockbuster, with the most potential of any other "wave synth" out there in my opinion. Developer Rolf is especially quick to listen to suggestions, which practically guarantees that potential reaching fulfillment.

[Ingonator]

I mostly agree about Nave and Largo being more verstile (and i got Largo since 2009...) BUT even if i own all 3 synths (was a betatester for both PPG Wave 3.V and Nave) i got BY FAR the most of my own patches out of PPG Wave 3.V so far (around 280+).

PPG Wave 3.V has the ability to play samples (not sample import as a wavetable like in Nave which is a different thing...), includes around 100 additional wavetables (compared to the 2.V version) that do not seem to be included in the other Waldorf synths, IMO has very nice effects (especially the Chorus...) and the PPG filter that is modeled afte rthe real analog filter in the PPG Wave 2.x hardware synths.
Also has the "True PPG" modes that model different aspects of e.g. the PPG Wave 2.2 and 2.3 hardare snyths, including e.g. bit depth of the waveforms (+ sample playback), envelope behavior and aliasing behavior.
Last but not least it includes the full Waveterm B sample library.

I have used a lot of samples (mostly created myself with different synths) in PPG Wave 3.V and it seems to be hard to make them sound bad there (even f only a single sample is used and nota multisample liek with modern samplers ; using multisamples is possible when using all 8 multi parts of the synth).

Also the "Unison" in PPG Wave 3. (and 2.V) is quite special, also in combination with the "Basis" knob that corresponds to stereo spread. In "QUAD" mode it is also possible to detune the 4 voices of this "Unison" in semitones to play a sound in multiple octaves (and stereo spread using teh Basis knob).

The fact that you could use up tio 8 multi parts in PPG wave 3.V could lead to some quite complex layers and/or split sounds. Each multi part for example could have it's own midi channel, audio output and keyzone. You could also create 8 up to midi tracks and route them to a single instance of the synth.

All this makes PPG Wave 3.V quite unique and very difficult to compare to both Largo and Nave, not to mention that it is by far the best emulation of the real PPg Wave 2.2/2.3 hardware synths.

[Apostate]

Okay Ingo, you've got me running through the PPG manual and Init again, I forgot there is a small learning curve. I really should buy this one.

And it is different from the Largo and Nave, even the effects don't particularly carry the "Waldorf Sound".

[naveman00]

Okay... now I have to buy all THREE! Waldorf is going to get a large portion of my paycheck this coming month!

Thanks (I think) Apostate and Ingo!

[Ingonator]

I just posted an updated version of my free bank for PPG Wave 3.V (first 64 patches of the bank originally done for PPG 2.V) wit ha new sample based on a Virus TI Hypersaw (just sold it...) and a corresponding new patch:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 8#p6158218

More PPG Wave 3.V patches from me are available in my factory bank (in sub-folder IW - Ingo Weidner") and my commercial "Atmospheric Transients" bank.

[Apostate]

I just posted an updated version of my free bank for PPG Wave 3.V (first 64 patches of the bank originally done for PPG 2.V) wit ha new sample based on a Virus TI Hypersaw (just sold it...) and a corresponding new patch:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 8#p6158218

More PPG Wave 3.V patches from me are available in my factory bank (in sub-folder IW - Ingo Weidner") and my commercial "Atmospheric Transients" bank.

I actually made your Virus patch my Init for PPG, works great.

[Apostate]

I'm messing about with the Program page of PPG 3. As I load sounds to the same channel, I can't help but think of a certain similarity between this and the Wavestation and M1. You know, the stacking...the PPG (strangely) sounds somehow more modern overall I think.

[Ingonator]

I'm messing about with the Program page of PPG 3. As I load sounds to the same channel, I can't help but think of a certain similarity between this and the Wavestation and M1. You know, the stacking...the PPG (strangely) sounds somehow more modern overall I think.

Some sounds in the Wavestation could indeed sound similar to teh PPG and vice versa. Anyway using all features of the Wavestation including vector synthesis and wavesequencing could lead to some quite complex result. Additiionally the effects of the Wavestation seem to sound nicely too, especially as they were developed around 1990 (the EX version a few years later).

I was and am a huge fan of the Wavestation. Got the modules (SR and A/D versions) back in 2004 and replaced them with the Wavestation EX keyboard later in 2005 which i still use today.
Additionally i also got the Wavestation plugin since it was released.

Doing really new sounds with the Wavestation seems to be difficult as tons of banks are (oor were) available for it (mostly free but also commercial ones) and the plugin could import those.


A you alraedy noticed i has sampled the VS waveforms in my Wavestation EX and created a wavetable for PPG Wavegenerator and PPG Wavemapper 2:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 1&t=424070

The Prophet VS waveforms for Blofeld are available as a wavetable here since a while:
http://synth.stromeko.net/Downloads.html

[Apostate]

I'm messing about with the Program page of PPG 3. As I load sounds to the same channel, I can't help but think of a certain similarity between this and the Wavestation and M1. You know, the stacking...the PPG (strangely) sounds somehow more modern overall I think.

Some sounds in the Wavestation could indeed sound similar to teh PPG and vice versa. Anyway using all features of the Wavestation including vector synthesis and wavesequencing could lead to some quite complex result. Additiionally the effects of the Wavestation seem to sound nicely too, especially as they were developed around 1990 (the EX version a few years later).

I was and am a huge fan of the Wavestation. Got the modules (SR and A/D versions) back in 2004 and replaced them with the Wavestation EX keyboard later in 2005 which i still use today.
Additionally i also got the Wavestation plugin since it was released.

Doing really new sounds with the Wavestation seems to be difficult as tons of banks are (oor were) available for it (mostly free but also commercial ones) and the plugin could import those.

I still have a few weeks left on my Wavestation demo, but I'm going to buy PPG Wave 3 next, regardless. I've really been digging into the Program page on PPG since your earlier post and finding some great ways to program this synth. Makes me glad I a) really checked out the manual and b) read the posts here at KVR. This is an essential synth I see.

I'm going to get back to my relatively neglected Wavemapper/'generator later tonight. I've just been so involved in programming my Waldorf synths. I still need to get a firmer grip on the Wavemapper; as "fun" as the bubbles and maps can first appear, there is definitely a learning curve there, one I have a ways to go before mastering.

I've become a "wave synth" guy all the way. Though I adore my XILS 4, Bazille, Sytrus, and Blue II, they are getting even more neglected as time goes on. Waves, waves, waves! LOL!!!

[Apostate]

Well, I'm finding that digging into PPG Wave 3 pays off big dividends. I haven't been off it all day, and have learned a ton. The layering in this synth is simply astounding...although it doesn't offer quite the mod possibilities of its Waldorf relatives, the stacking parameter here really puts PPG into the elite class.

Ingo, right again, this one is a keeper, up there with the best.

[Ingonator]

Well, I'm finding that digging into PPG Wave 3 pays off big dividends. I haven't been off it all day, and have learned a ton. The layering in this synth is simply astounding...although it doesn't offer quite the mod possibilities of its Waldorf relatives, the stacking parameter here really puts PPG into the elite class.

Ingo, right again, this one is a keeper, up there with the best.

Nice to hear you like it.

BTW the multi programs could be saved as a fxb bank file.

If you want a better overview over the patches in the Multi you could only keep the patches needed for the multi in the bank (in the first 8 bank entries) and do Init patches with the rest of the bank.

Two features in the PPG 3.V GLOBAL menu could be useful which the VOICES that could go up to 256 and OUTPUT MODE that could be set to "16 Outputs". If in the multi you got 8 patches that use the QUAD mode this would mean you got 64 notes avaiable overall and a minimum of 8 notes for each multi part.
Of course using all 256 voices could use quite a lot CPU, at least on a single core.

With the 16 Outputs you actually got 8 stereo outputs which you could route to up to 8 audio tracks in your host which is useful for mixing the parts and of course using different external FXs for each of the parts.

Instead of using different MIDI channels for each part of course you could also use the same cghannel for all parts for some extreme layering. This way it is also possible to use the kezones to either have up to 8 different zones or to combine both layers and keyboard split (e.g. 4 layered patches at the left part of the keyboard and 4 layered patches at the right part).

Last but not least this way it is also possible to use multisamples. For example you could use 8 similar patches and just change the samples and the keyzones for those. You could then use up to 8 samples of te same sound at different keys/octaves or use 8 different samples (e.g. for doing a drum kit).