Tone2 Electra3 - Synthesizer Workstation

[bmanic]

I'm really bummed out that there isn't a bigger Modulation Matrix. This synth begs for at least double the amount of Mod Matrix slots.

Why on earth do Tone2 synths skimp on this when they are so capable synths otherwise? Some of the competition has literally unlimited amount of mod slots.

Think about it, just a few basic features take up half the available mod slots. Velocity to LFO rate (1). Modwheel to control that previous (that's 2 now). Modwheel to cutoff or other basic parameter (3). Keyboard follow for main volume. (4) Aftertouch for stuff (5). That's 5 slots used up right away, for really basic things. Now add envelope and the ability to affect this with velocity for envelope decay and you are already at 7 slots used up. That leaves 3 slots for the actual synthesis !!!

This is so incredibly frustrating and one of the reasons I just don't feel inspired using ElectraX for anything but the basics. Making really organic playable presets is a no-go with this thing as you simply run out of slots.

[Examigan]

I'd like more in the mod matrix also if possible, and one (or more) more effect per part.

[Echoes in the Attic]

It's a sad and well-known fact that Steinberg's VST3 format is the only plugin format that does not offer full MIDI support. However, the MPE standard requires full transmission of all midi channels. We do refuse to support Steinberg's own MPE soup with doing further ugly workarounds for this (in our case it would mean to expose 2048 additional fake-automation parameters to the DAW). Instead, we will continue to stick to a well-known and established industry standard called 'MIDI' and will focus our developement on well-designed competing plugin standards.
We recommend to use the VST2/AudioUnit/CLAP format, especially if you use MPE or MIDI-learn. Usually, there are no disadvantages compared to VST3 at all, but significant advantages.

CLAP format with mpe would be even better and maybe you could even do polyphonic host modulation as well. Also there’s an easy wrapper I think from CLAP to vst3 so maybe that would make it easier to support vst3 with mpe? Not sure.

[Korg Supporter]

That sounds really good. Then 2023 will be a big VSTi update year for me personally. Most likely HALion 7, Avenger 2, Electra 3 and Synthmaster 3. We can be curious.

And Icarus 3?

[abducted]

Is it possible to assign a midi controller to the sample start position, in this synth ?

[Markus Krause]

Is it possible to assign a midi controller to the sample start position, in this synth ?

Yes. In the matrix select 'Start1' (Osc1 Start position) as target, 'Modwheel' as source and send level to +100

[Markus Krause]

And Icarus 3?

There are currently no plans for Icarus3. However we recently released a huge and free major update (v2.5):
https://www.tone2.com/icarus-update.html

[PieBerger]

Maybe I'm just being dumb, but I couldn't find any init preset in the browser, nor any init function in the File menu...

[Examigan]

Did you look in the Settings panel?

[D-Fusion]

Maybe I'm just being dumb, but I couldn't find any init preset in the browser, nor any init function in the File menu...

Well there is a Init button right in front of you in the Middle of the gui where it says settings

[PieBerger]

Maybe I'm just being dumb, but I couldn't find any init preset in the browser, nor any init function in the File menu...

Well there is a Init button right in front of you in the Middle of the gui where it says settings

thank you! In my defense the init options are in the file menu in Nemesis, Icarus and Saurus

[D-Fusion]

Maybe I'm just being dumb, but I couldn't find any init preset in the browser, nor any init function in the File menu...

Well there is a Init button right in front of you in the Middle of the gui where it says settings

thank you! In my defense the init options are in the file menu in Nemesis, Icarus and Saurus

You're Welcome
I do know the feeling and Sometimes when we look to hard to find something it seems invisible until we stop looking for it for some strange reason so i have been there too

[Korg Supporter]

And Icarus 3?

There are currently no plans for Icarus3. However we recently released a huge and free major update (v2.5):
https://www.tone2.com/icarus-update.html

Thank you, though I would like to see some CPU optimization or multicore support. Factory patches take 12-27% of my Intel i7 6560u (16 GB RAM), even when I lower the polyphony.

[Markus Krause]

We already support multicore processors (up to 4 cores per plugin instance) since a decade. Our products are properly optimized. They are known to need less CPU compared to competing products.
I can not confirm a high CPU demand for an I7. We also got no reports from customers about this.

I assume your laptop uses a low-end graphics card, which causes this. The 'Iris Graphics 540' chipset is 7 years old and was already incredibly slow on release. The Windows GDI+ and a high resolution screen connected to the laptop can quickly push it to the limit.
https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu. ... 40&id=3366
The good thing is: Since the GUI thread runs in 'idle-mode' you should not get audio-dropouts even on high CPU load. In this case CPU is allocated dynamically - if things get critical the GUI might slow down a bit, but audio will continue to work. In practice 'it just works'.

Electra3 will support hardware-acceleration with Direct2D for the graphics. This will make the GUI faster.

[Korg Supporter]

I assume your laptop uses a low-end graphics card, which causes this. The 'Iris Graphics 540' chipset is 7 years old and was already incredibly slow on release.

That is correct. However, my gaming PC (8 core AMD CPU and RTX 2060) has 4-14% per instance. The good thing is that both computers can run plenty of instances.