Digi 002 works w/Silent Way (edit - well, not really)

[bsmith23]

I've used the LFO output from my DIGI 002 in pro tools to control a moogerfooger ring mod - neat. Still need an instrument to do the voice control with though. Have a metasonix kv-100 coming this week which I'll try to control the pitch of to test that.
I should mention that my digi 002 was worked on by Black Lion Audio, who modified all I/O, which may have helped.
(edit - I actually just emailed with BLA and they're saying that this is definitely safe to do, and that it should also work with 002, 003, 96I/O, and 192I/O both stock and modified.)
Has anyone tried voice control with the metasonix unit?

[os]

This sounds very cool. Are you using an RTAS wrapper of some kind then?

[bsmith23]

This sounds very cool. Are you using an RTAS wrapper of some kind then?

Yeah, VST to RTAS Adapter Config by FXpansion. That is one little weirdness - in the plug-in list in pro tools it is just showing 'Silent Way' as the name of each module, instead of Step LFO, Voice Controller, etc... Kind of odd, the name thing usually Just Works, but I know what order they're in now.

[os]

in the plug-in list in pro tools it is just showing 'Silent Way' as the name of each module, instead of Step LFO, Voice Controller, etc...

My bad - I'll fix that up.

[OctopusEmpire]

Yep it certainly does!!
I'm using my Digi 002 with Logic as I can't get into Pro Tools at all. Just set up the Silent Way LFO controlling the filter CV on my Prophet 600 (unfortunately the only CV equipped analog I have to try) and it works perfectly. It's a small thing but smooth tempo synced filter sweeps on a synth that old is a cool thing for sure!

Happy to answer questions on the setup if anyone is curious.
Can't quite understand why the silent way plugin needs to be able to "listen" to the Prophet on the side chain input though but it's the only way it works..

Thanks heaps mr smith23, I'd have never thought to try it. Now there's another excuse to start building an analog modular......

[os]

Not wanting to burst the bubble here, but while it undeniably works the Silent Way LFO is not a good test of an audio interface for CV generation. An LFO signal is just like an audio signal i.e. AC, just very slow. For other plug-ins to work, especially the voice controller, the interface needs to be able to output DC signals.

You can test this with the LFO plug-in though. Set it up so you can hear the LFO sweeping the pitch, filter or whatever. Then turn all the mix controls (sine, triangle, square etc.) down to zero, and adjust the 'offset' control. By wiggling that you should be able to manually sweep the LFO. The key is that if you set that to a large non-zero value and leave it there, the pitch (or filter etc.) should hold constant. On most audio interfaces, you'll hear the sound slowly droop back to its 0V value. If it holds steady, you have a DC-coupled interface and you're in business.

[bsmith23]

You can test this with the LFO plug-in though. Set it up so you can hear the LFO sweeping the pitch, filter or whatever. Then turn all the mix controls (sine, triangle, square etc.) down to zero, and adjust the 'offset' control. By wiggling that you should be able to manually sweep the LFO. The key is that if you set that to a large non-zero value and leave it there, the pitch (or filter etc.) should hold constant. On most audio interfaces, you'll hear the sound slowly droop back to its 0V value. If it holds steady, you have a DC-coupled interface and you're in business.

Am having a difficult time with this test since I just have a ring modulator at present to check this with - will have a pitch vco via metasonix kv-100 (woohoo) in a couple days - I can tell it's definitely holding steady in the negative offset, but can't tell on the positive side.
mongoosenz can you check this with your prophet on the pitch cv?
I was all excited about not having to purchase an mpx500 to get get going with cv and the groovy silent way stuff in pro tools, I sure hope this works!

Here is what black lion said when I asked them about the 002 outputs, whether it will work and safety stuff:

Yes, this is safe to do. The issue at heart is, of course, whether the amplifier will pass a DC control pulse. Since the 002's outputs are direct-coupled, they will. The amount of voltage (probably a 5v pulse) and current (I'd bet it's in the low milliamp range) in a control pulse is not enough to cause anything other than the most slight electric shock should you accidentally be on the receiving end.

[os]

The issue at heart is, of course, whether the amplifier will pass a DC control pulse. Since the 002's outputs are direct-coupled, they will.

This is key. Is this true of all 002s, or just yours because BLA modified it?

[bsmith23]

This is key. Is this true of all 002s, or just yours because BLA modified it?

I asked BLA this after they said I was good to go so I could report back on this board for non-BLA and non 002 folks:
They said:

Yes, it should work with 002, 003, 96I/O, and 192I/O both stock and modified.

[os]

Awesome!

[OctopusEmpire]

I'll check this tonight when I get home, actually as far as I recall when I shifted the offset control the filter jumped to the setting but did settle back when I stopped moving it, my 002 is stock.
I also tested the step LFO and am getting a sound very much like the filter is trying to return to the 0 point between steps, negative values also don't sound like they're working as they should but the filter CV on the Prophet expects 0-10V for the sweep so possibly that's why.

Can you clear up why nothing happens unless I have the audio out from the prophet into the sidechain in of the LFO? I understand why this is necessary on the voice control so the calibration can work but why on the LFO? Great work on the software btw, very cool.

Cheers.

[justin3am]

I'm under the impression that the a stock 002 is not DC coupled. The 192I/O and 96I/O definitely have DC blocking caps on their outputs. I used to have a BLA modified FireWire 1814 and one of the modifications they made to that device was removing the DC blocking caps. I'll bring an 002 and an 003 home with me tonight and report back with my results.

[os]

Can you clear up why nothing happens unless I have the audio out from the prophet into the sidechain in of the LFO?

A peculiarity of Logic. You probably want to use the 'AU Generator' version of the LFO on an instrument track.

[OctopusEmpire]

A peculiarity of Logic. You probably want to use the 'AU Generator' version of the LFO on an instrument track.

Thanks Andrew. I am using the AU version as Logic won't natively pick up VSTs. I also use Reaper so I'll try the vst version there.

Looks like Justin is going to beat me to it with testing the DC coupling so we'll see.....

mongoosenz can you check this with your prophet on the pitch cv?

Sorry bsmith I missed that before - unfortunately the only CV control on my prophet is the filter CV so I can't test pitch control.

[os]

I am using the AU version as Logic won't natively pick up VSTs.

To clarify - the AU component actually includes two AUs, which appear in different places in Logic's interface. You're probably using the 'AU Effect' version which is what Logic offers if you try to insert the plug-in on an audio track. You want to make an Instrument track and then load up the 'AU Generator' version, as if you were putting a softsynth on the track.