KVR Audio

rubez · Post by **rubez** » Tue May 12, 2015 3:11 pm

thanks, how easy is it to get a good sound out of it?

i read that the blofeld is very hard to get a good sound out of it (for beginners anyway) and that the patches were under programmed. i think the pulse 2 is better in this regard?

i have a streichfett and play that live with a midi keyboard, but i haven't learned how to sequence it yet in a DAW, don't have a hardware sequencer...

does the pulse 2 need a sequencer for it to repeat patterns in a loop?

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Tue May 12, 2015 3:23 pm

Pulse is a completely different synth compared to Blofeld...

Why not go to a music shop, see if they have one on display, and have a tweak or two with it? Also, check out the myriad of Youtube vids at disposal...

Sequent · Post by **Sequent** » Tue May 12, 2015 5:12 pm

Good advice re trying it out for yourself.

I don't think that the Blofeld is really hard to get a sound out of. I mean, it isn't as if you were patching a modular synth from scratch if that makes sense. But yeah, see if you can check these out in person as well as trying out any other alternatives that the shop may have.

Trying things out in person if you can will also give you a better idea of how the different synths sound and which ones you connect with on a personal level, imo. Much better than vicariously watching someone else do it on a youtube video, but if youtube is all you have access to it's a good resource.

If you want something more hands on as it were you can also check out something like Bass Station2.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Tue May 12, 2015 6:46 pm

Sequent wrote:If you want something more hands on as it were you can also check out something like Bass Station2.

Agreed. We're putting the Bass Station 2 on sale for $100 off next week.

Also, Waldorf's Rocket is amazingly easy to get good sounds out of. You can get a wide variety of great sounds with only a few parameter changes:

sin night · Post by **sin night** » Tue May 12, 2015 10:38 pm

I find the Pulse 2 very easy to use, the matrix is not difficult at all (you just choose the row you want to control with the vertical buttons and then you have an encoder for each column... same approach as a microKorg, but easier to work with in my opinion). I mostly program it with a third party editor (because that way it's even more easy), so I have all the controls on my computer screen at once; but the matrix is very easy to master. If you already know how a basic subtractive synth works, I'd swear in a few hours you would use the matrix almost without looking at it, it's just a matter of getting used to it.

Just my 2 cents.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Wed May 13, 2015 8:16 am

During the Beta and while doing Factory patches i had no editor anyway but i also did not really miss one. After the official relase i gotban editor but almost never used it. The Pulse 2 is indeed very simple to program without an editor software.
Also the way how you enter patch names is better than on most other hardware synths. A patch name has 14 letters and this is split into 2 x 7 where each of the lower 7 knobs of the Pulse 2 is for one letter then.

With holding SHIFT (lower button at the matrix) and using the value knob (under the display) you could also browse trough categories and then when flipping trough patches only patches with that category will be displayed.

With holding SHIFT and then moving one of the knobs in the matrix you could get the current value of a parameter without changing it. In this respect the endless encoders are very useful. Normal encoders with a fixed range would be much more difficult to handle in that respect.

In the Utility menu you also got options for creating an Init patch which could be helpful.

THe only parameters where you have to do a kind of "menu diving" is at the mod matrix (while all entrioes are on one page there...) and the advanced Arpeggiator features.

rubez · Post by **rubez** » Wed May 13, 2015 9:01 am

thanks for the replies. so the matrix is not the worry it seems then.

i am looking for something specifically with an arp built in. i don't have any shops in my area who sells this kind of stuff, so i do use youtube to get a feel for the type of sound different synths are capable of... and the pulse 2 looks like what i am after.

what would i 'lose' if i were to sequence the pulse 2 with a TB-3?

lalo · Post by **lalo** » Wed May 13, 2015 9:17 am

Question for insiders and testers...is there any hope to see in the future 14 bit CC?
thanks and all the best!

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Wed May 13, 2015 9:52 am

rubez wrote:thanks for the replies. so the matrix is not the worry it seems then.

i am looking for something specifically with an arp built in. i don't have any shops in my area who sells this kind of stuff, so i do use youtube to get a feel for the type of sound different synths are capable of... and the pulse 2 looks like what i am after.

what would i 'lose' if i were to sequence the pulse 2 with a TB-3?

You could download the manual here if you like:
http://www.waldorf-music.info/pulse2downloads

The Arpeggiator is explianed at pages 28-33 in the english manual.

Besides the standard features found in the programming matrix the Pulse 2 Arp has some advanced features that you could check there (those additional features are shown at the display if you open the Arp features in the matrix). There are patterns with up to 16 steps where you could set "Event" (different choices), Time (4 choices) and glide for each step. You could also set an accent control by sources like e.g. aftertouch.
It's not actually like a typical step sequencer if that is what you search for.

rubez · Post by **rubez** » Wed May 13, 2015 10:57 am

bought.

rubez · Post by **rubez** » Fri May 15, 2015 8:54 am

i need a better power adapter. this one is cheap and very noisy. it says on it:

input 50/60hz 0.18A
output 12V 0.5A

will any 12V adapter work? like a keyboard adapter or something?

lalo · Post by **lalo** » Fri May 15, 2015 9:10 am

lalo wrote:Question for insiders and testers...is there any hope to see in the future 14 bit CC?
thanks and all the best!

bupity bump

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Fri May 15, 2015 10:26 am

rubez wrote:i need a better power adapter. this one is cheap and very noisy. it says on it:

input 50/60hz 0.18A
output 12V 0.5A

will any 12V adapter work? like a keyboard adapter or something?

Check if it's AC or DC. If it's DC, check to see if it's tip positive or tip negative.

rubez · Post by **rubez** » Fri May 15, 2015 1:15 pm

got one, works perfect. no buzzing.

maniacoli · Post by **maniacoli** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 6:55 pm

Pulse 2 v1.18 Firmware Update

Hi, there is a new Firmware Update for our beloved Pulse2, get it here:
http://www.waldorf-music.info/en/pulse2downloads

Changelog:
Changes since V1.17
* Arpeggiator delayed start with various DAWs.
* Arpeggiator imprecise swing calculation with clock divisions
superior to 1/8.
* Oscillator 1 & 2 (PW, Saw, Tri waveforms) glitches with close
to G1 note on all waveforms
* Pages refreshing bug when receiving program changes
* Paraphonic oscillators relationship with ENVA.
- Improved fading system, taking in account of trigger modes.
- More logical influence of env. fading on PWM rates.
* Faster distortion noise gate attack

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