Problem with Polysynth's unisono

[Maykie]

I love Polysynth. In terms of usability I don’t enjoy using any other vst synth available on the market as much as Polysynth. Super-tiny interface with ability to endlessly expand it with modulators and modules ( without patch cables ) is by far my favouite workflow type and it reminds me working with Zebra 2 many years ago.

However – there is something that I hate about Polysynth. Something that I struggle with since testing Polysynth for the first time in the first version of Bitwig back in 2014.

There is something “broken” about unisono mode. Everything sounds fine in comparison to other synth when voice number of each oscillator is set to 1 but when you increase the number…….

Let me use example:
The first 4 chords are coming from U-he’s Hive
Second 4 chords are from Polysynth

https://instaud.io/34b3

Can you hear that weird, low-frequency rumble at the beginning of every note in the second part? Yes – this is what I am talking about. Settings on both synths are matched.
It sounds kind of like retriggering – despite the fact that rettrigering is turned off.


Here you have another example of some deep house chord. Again first part is Hive and second is Polysynth:

https://instaud.io/34bk

Now you can hear how it RUINS glide/portamento effects by adding this weird “hit” at the beginning of each note.


Some of you may suggest to add some attack in volume envelope. Sadly its not a good solution.
Same sound. Now its Polysynth twice. First part is unchanged, second part with attack added:

https://instaud.io/34bn

Even through attack stage of the sound – you can still hear this weird effect. This is the reason why I gave up on making pad sounds with Polysynth completely.


So…… what do you guys think?

I'm aware that changing it requires tweaking synth engine and such update won't be back-compatible for projects and presets.
But I believe that there are more Bitwig users that care about this little Bad Boy as much as I do.

[pdxindy]

I think you should send that to Bitwig...

support@bitwig.com

I remember discovering that long time ago and it influencing why I don't use Polysynth much

[Trancit]

I think, the problem is that even if Polysynth´s retrigger is off, the unison voices running not completely free... there is too much inital phase overlap happen, which is especially noticeable in the lower frequencies...

In it´s current state, it´s obviously not the best choice for unison sounds, at least not for those, which need a smooth attack...

Tbh, I never use Polysynth as it sounds dead cheap to me... the filter envelope, the filters itselves, the unison...
As you got Hive...

[brownerthanu]

Yes definitely submit to support. Would love to see this addressed.

[mrfrenkie]

I think you should send that to Bitwig...

support@bitwig.com

I remember discovering that long time ago and it influencing why I don't use Polysynth much

I'll reported about this a lot of times. But guys do not recognize this problem. So I have to refuse Polysynth. I love polysynth too but supersaw is weird, useless.

[Enrize]

Same here. Polysynth unison is completely useless for me because of this issue. I hope it will be fixed.

[anoise]

Same, hope they fix it or make a new unison option. It sounds bad. How do they not recognize it as a problem?

[brownerthanu]

I think it just comes down to finite developer resources.

[Enrize]

Bumping it up to raise the problem again. Polysynth is useless without proper unison.

[mrfrenkie]

Actually polysynth the same as Vember Audio Surge. This is Claes detune style.

[Taika-Kim]

Is it the same if you increase voices per note instead, and use the voice stack modulator to modulate pitch? I do this and it sounds good to me. Then again, I'm not a huge friend of the super saw sound so maybe I just never tried what you are doing...

I think the filter envelope is fantastic, can't imagine what's wrong with it since the slope is adjustable.

[Worlok]

Still not fixed afaict. Will be sending to support.

[Rastkovic]

I would simply use something else for unison sounds. Or I would set the number of unison voices to two, that should work okay. Polysynth is quite old, I don't think any further changes will be made to the device's functions.