What's up at Plogue?

[perpetual3]

I see MD as a proper huge synth with great sound and possibilities.

Exactly, maybe some people didn't aware of that when expecting a regular chip sounds. This is the first lo-fi synth that I can really connect with for being deeply played by heart. Almost like if the Mirage has an FM engine, rare synth with a raw, dark and low frequency power. Something that I've been waiting for in a form of plugin as convenient as this. Love the warmth, alive engine quality and the hardware vibe. The basic 4 operator sounds great already, but within stack mode we're talking giant FM synth here, just make the count. It's scary if the upcoming DX1 implementation is going to be like this. But as usual, it's a Plogue gotta be mind blowing to the smallest details

Have you also checked out PortaFM? I feel similar about that as well - connects with the heart.

[davidv@plogue]

I'm a bit disappointed with the PSG section. No envelope? No Pulse width? No LFO? Basically no controls at all.

The SPSG has no Pulse Width by itself, its not a SID, but a very primitive square wave generator, since we went for 100% authenticity, this is what you get.

The only thing you can control (and ever could in the day) was to change its pitch and volume and you can do that with the modulation tab and draw whatever ADSR or LFO shape you want, just like in the old days.

[crystalmsc]

Have you also checked out PortaFM? I feel similar about that as well - connects with the heart.

Of course, it's my first love affair with Chipsynth. Both really complimenting each other, different sounds - different engine. PortaFM is like a very cool younger person, which then grown into a mature, deep and gentle person. I feel relaxed when playing the PortaFM, the sound is on the lighter, brighter, happier side. Feeling deeply warm and touched when playing the MD, the sound is deeper, darker, more noble - passionate side. Reminds me a bit some of the ESQ-1's charm. I like to see it different from the regular chip sounds which has been covered by other plugins, great concept. This is one of the nice demo, showing the gentle side of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW0CEGwtFI8

[crystalmsc]

just like in the old days.

Talking about the old days, there is a Mirage with Soundprocess OS which according to Syntaur: "turns the Mirage into a digital synthesizer, adds full 16-channel multi-timbral capabilities, gives each sound up to 4 oscillators per voice, and accesses 32 sound programs at once." I always dream to have something like that as a plugin, with decent interface and huge library of highly unique and musical sounds. Brings me back the enthusiasm of what an ideal sound should be. Respect to both PortaFM and MD, which are not focusing just on the EDM side but more of the glorious side of addicted to play by heart kind of thing. Is there any plan to do something miraculous like this David? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4luttU9v0E I love TAL Sampler and Morgana, but a Layered Mirage from Plogue going to be the most awesome. I don't mind a big sounding vintage rompler with huge samples for starter. You are the most qualified for this and I bet you love Ensoniq sounds.

[davidv@plogue]

Maybe?

[fabi]

Hey, I just wanted to chime in to say thanks für the generous black friday offer, which brought me chipsynth MD. i'm blown away, the possibility to easily extract, modify and layer all these .vgm sound presets alone is awesome. and the sound is great. I think my first approchable-more-than-2-operator fm synth!

however, while i know next to nothing about microtuning i was wondering how to return to equal temperament after having selected a .scl file and not wanting to have it be applied anymore... is there a possibility to return to equal temperament?

also, do you have any thoughts, David, on .kbm support and why plogue (as many others) doesn't offer it. I've heard to fully use microtunings one has to be able to use .scl files in conjunction with a .kbm file.

i found a list and many vst support .scl files, but very few .kbm files. Again, I hope to be enlightened on the issue if possible.

i could have posted this on the madrona labs forums, as well, or in an Aalto/Kaivo madrona thread on here, but my current favorite vst are almost all by plogue.

[perpetual3]

just like in the old days.

Talking about the old days, there is a Mirage with Soundprocess OS which according to Syntaur: "turns the Mirage into a digital synthesizer, adds full 16-channel multi-timbral capabilities, gives each sound up to 4 oscillators per voice, and accesses 32 sound programs at once." I always dream to have something like that as a plugin, with decent interface and huge library of highly unique and musical sounds. Brings me back the enthusiasm of what an ideal sound should be. Respect to both PortaFM and MD, which are not focusing just on the EDM side but more of the glorious side of addicted to play by heart kind of thing. Is there any plan to do something miraculous like this David? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4luttU9v0E I love TAL Sampler and Morgana, but a Layered Mirage from Plogue going to be the most awesome. I don't mind a big sounding vintage rompler with huge samples for starter. You are the most qualified for this and I bet you love Ensoniq sounds.

We have really similar tastes in synths and samplers.

I second a Mirage SP8!

[davidv@plogue]

however, while i know next to nothing about microtuning i was wondering how to return to equal temperament after having selected a .scl file and not wanting to have it be applied anymore... is there a possibility to return to equal temperament?

In other products we usually provide a equal temperament scala file to reset it.
didnt think about it in the case where we provide no .scl files at all.
Thanks for the suggestion in a 'clear' button. Good idea!

also, do you have any thoughts, David, on .kbm support and why plogue (as many others) doesn't offer it. I've heard to fully use microtunings one has to be able to use .scl files in conjunction with a .kbm file.

Thought about it. Again the OPN2 is not capable of representing every pitch that precisely to begin with (its always an approximation based on what the chip can actually do) so we felt microtuning on chipsynths made very little sense.

[fabi]

Got it.

Bidule is still my main host.
I currently use a keystep as my main clock passed through two zaquencers all of whose 8 tracks play chords based on Previous atari music mouse (legal licensee, hi to laurie Spiegel and her fans) live impros of mine recorded into the zaquencers. In random Order. Thats all forced to scales selectable in the zaquencers.

Now I am experimenting with porta fm chip md and aalto improvising on a bagpipe .scl file as i am writing this.....

[crystalmsc]

We have really similar tastes in synths and samplers.

I second a Mirage SP8!

Yes, no need to bother with the licensed samples of the ESQ-1/SQ-80. Original samples are going to be cooler anyway. For crunchy 8-bit samples, even 50 MB will do a lot. I can't imagine 6 layers of the Mirage, rivaling the SD-1/TS territory. Maybe no need for Transwave stuff for starter, it can be another exciting product. I have too much great wavetable synths anyway. But definitely needs more of that huge "Magical 8-bit" sound. I love the Mirage character more than other series, there's something magical about it. Though it won't hurt to have the 12 - 16 bit version afterward actually I'm addicted to Plogue's sounds and concepts, not just the synths. It's going to be most awesome to have lots of Libraries for such kind of synth. Suddenly it's 80s - 90s again, with a vengeance.

To put it simple, something like the MD with 6 layers of 8-bit samples and smooth CEM - SSM filter emulations, that's it!

[perpetual3]

We have really similar tastes in synths and samplers.

I second a Mirage SP8!

Yes, no need to bother with the licensed samples of the ESQ-1/SQ-80. Original samples are going to be cooler anyway. For crunchy 8-bit samples, even 50 MB will do a lot. I can't imagine 6 layers of the Mirage, rivaling the SD-1/TS territory. Maybe no need for Transwave stuff for starter, it can be another exciting product. I have too much great wavetable synths anyway. But definitely needs more of that huge "Magical 8-bit" sound. I love the Mirage character more than other series, there's something magical about it. Though it won't hurt to have the 12 - 16 bit version afterward actually I'm addicted to Plogue's sounds and concepts, not just the synths. It's going to be most awesome to have lots of Libraries for such kind of synth. Suddenly it's 80s - 90s again, with a vengeance.

To put it simple, something like the MD with 6 layers of 8-bit samples and smooth CEM - SSM filter emulations, that's it!

OMG that sounds like a dream.

[crystalmsc]

By developing the C64 Chipsynth, they even have a stronger root of where the Ensoniq Mirage came from https://youtu.be/toJQ9JCAdSI As they're also the master of 8-bit stuff with the current products, I can't imagine a hybrid of FM, Analog and Crunchy samples. But for the near future, 2 layers of SID going to be awesome.

[cantaloupe]

Thought about it. Again the OPN2 is not capable of representing every pitch that precisely to begin with (its always an approximation based on what the chip can actually do) so we felt microtuning on chipsynths made very little sense.

Elaborate on this? Does this mean that the scl tuning implementation in chipsynthMD is not very accurate (excluding the kbm issue)? And when you say it didn't make much sense with microtuning, is it implemented from a "better than nothing" perspective? struggling to understand this..


Just watched the video of your rig during research and development, and i have to say: insane kudos for this work of art and engineering, and the attention to detail!

[davidv@plogue]

The pitch resolution is integer and (very) finite, not like floating point number used in common DSP/VST code. Some chips are worse than others on that front. Unless I made specific resolution graphs and how off they are in cents, Its hard to show exactly how.

[Jace-BeOS]

The pitch resolution is integer and (very) finite, not like floating point number used in common DSP/VST code. Some chips are worse than others on that front. Unless I made specific resolution graphs and how off they are in cents, Its hard to show exactly how.

Hi David; this is not related to the above (I'm quoting you to get your attention)... I was wondering if you had any feedback to this thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=537467 (about bit/sample-rate reduction plugins). Thanks!