DSI Mono Evolver Keyboard

[namnibor]

Wanted to know if anyone else has DSI Evolver(s) in set-up? Have owned the Desktop Evolver for a bit and wanted the extra hands-on control of all parameters the Mono Evolver Keyboard offers and to polychain for duophonic/4 real analog DCO's and 4 digital osc's with FM, Ring Mod, and all the wavetables of the Prophet VS.
The Mono Evolver keyboard was discontinued in June this year and because it's going to be a future classic, prices will go nowhere but up so snatched one that matches my desktop one in that it has Prophet 8 knobs--58 of them, plus 30+ switches! These have a true stereo pathway and output as well as L/R stereo external input like our Virus. However, running the Evolver THRU my Virus KB or KC to use effects and extra filtering is pure DELIGHT! Kind of alien abduction-like because time seems to fly-by when diving deep in programming because the Evolver has 4 LFO's, with ability to modulate anything with everything. Thought I'd share my findings with this genius of Dave Smith. Once I have some finished tracks from newly put togethr home studio, will start a SoundCloud account and post. The 16x4 sequencer can ALSO work as a modulation/wav sequencer, with ability to have each step as far away from previous step as you can think of with no glitching.

[boreg]

Hi Namnibor,
Congrats on your purchase! I would love to have a MEK too, but got no funds/space for it. Got a MED (desktop version), which is cool in its own way - packing so much sonic power in such a compact box. Yeah, I can spend hours tweaking sequences and modulations on this thing - the name 'evolver' fits it perfectly

FWIW, this track features the Evolver prominently:
http://soundcloud.com/grooveboreg/drop-theory

[namnibor]

Yes, the desktop's interface has never been an issue for me as it's very simialr to alot of Waldorf gear. The Mono Evolver Keyboard (MEK hereafter) is night and day difference in the immediacy to ALL tweaking madness and FYI the three ocatve velocity/aftertouch keys are REALLY NICE! Using aftertouch as one of plethora of mod sources is also incredibly responsive! Having now polychained two beasts with the MEK controlling the desktop, when isolating the coupled 4 DCO real analog osc's, I dare to say duophonic actually BEATS the sound of the Mopho hands-down!
Thought I'd add that in an alternative set-up where using midi rather than polychaining the two for sonic madness, when not using the polychain 5-pin midi extra port, it acts as a fully SECOND MIDI OUT!!! Talk about versatility!! If you DO get a MEK, make sure your Desktop Evolver has been upgraded to O.S. 3.0, which required either a do it yourself exchange of an eprom/pic for $25. and then a sysex/midi O.S. update. This wa done to maintain backwards compatibility and also places the same soundsets on it that the MEK/PEK have and also adds ALOT of midi cc controllable parameters whereas version on desktop previously was primarily sysex. DSI will do this update for the $25. plus shipping as well--FYI in case you are not updated.
I really believe the Evolver is a nice match-up with ANY Virus!
What did you think when you first listened to "Dream Sweets" program and it's preset assigned sequence of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams"??? Blew me away from just ONE evolver! I truely is hard to believe at times it's actually monophonic but when you see the twin stereo signal flow, in all it's complexity, it's actually very simple. Hope you can get a MEK to add to your desktop in future!

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by boreg

Hi Namnibor,
Congrats on your purchase! I would love to have a MEK too, but got no funds/space for it. Got a MED (desktop version), which is cool in its own way - packing so much sonic power in such a compact box. Yeah, I can spend hours tweaking sequences and modulations on this thing - the name 'evolver' fits it perfectly

FWIW, this track features the Evolver prominently:
http://soundcloud.com/grooveboreg/drop-theory

Wanted to let you know I REALLY enjoyed that, especially the incredible modulations going on in the intro!!! Because i have not taken the time to set-up a SoundCloud account yet, thought I'd give kudos here and thanks for sharing that. I am just learning REAPER, and love the very helpful REAPER community/Forum. Started-out with AVID's ProTools but their customer support actually really sucked and unfortunately even on a forum they have, I encountered predominantly elitist snobs whom have unjustifiable disdain for any form of the Virus. Glad I found REAPER and actually purchased s DVD tutorial from GROOVE3, by Kenny Gioia. Cool beans!

[boreg]

Namnibor, thanks for the feedback mate!

My MED came alive after I've programmed the MIDI controller (Novation Remote SL) - for instance, now I have dedicated knobs for filter parameters (LPF, HPF, resonance, filter env) and sliders for controlling individual oscillator volumes. I even figured out a way to set the sequencer steps with sliders, albeit with decreased resolution

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by boreg

Namnibor, thanks for the feedback mate!

My MED came alive after I've programmed the MIDI controller (Novation Remote SL) - for instance, now I have dedicated knobs for filter parameters (LPF, HPF, resonance, filter env) and sliders for controlling individual oscillator volumes. I even figured out a way to set the sequencer steps with sliders, albeit with decreased resolution

Yes, of the plethora of midi controllers out there, I too love my Novation SL MK II 61 key. I do not bother with the Automap rather, pretty easy to assign controllers/CC's. Also like an older Korg Kontrol 49 which I use with Wavestation SR Rack because Kontrol 49 has a vector joystick and rest of it is so similar to the Novation that can't help but thinking there was a bit of "borrowing" by Novation.
You probably know this already but DSI Evolver's ability to assign deeper modulation to aftertouch, freeing-up the Mod Wheel, footswitch, pedal to do an awful LOT with just one evolver program. Having the step sequencer setting at very low speed and having each step do whatever you may want as well makes it such a utilitarian instrument.

[Rick Boogie]

Haven't been here in a while, but wanted to jump in with more praise for the MEK. It's quite alot of features for a small monosynth, and sounds great. I'm trying to trim down and sell ONE of my synths, but MEK is not going anywhere. Right now, it's my Virus KB that may go, but I can't part with it either. Other 2 are Little Phatty and Blofeld kb. Only want to keep 3, but can't part with any of them. At least it's a good problem to have. Love that MEK track above!

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by Rick Boogie

Haven't been here in a while, but wanted to jump in with more praise for the MEK. It's quite alot of features for a small monosynth, and sounds great. I'm trying to trim down and sell ONE of my synths, but MEK is not going anywhere. Right now, it's my Virus KB that may go, but I can't part with it either. Other 2 are Little Phatty and Blofeld kb. Only want to keep 3, but can't part with any of them. At least it's a good problem to have. Love that MEK track above!

Now, when I say this, I am not throwing any disdain or the like toward Moog; with having to make a choice amongst yours mentioned and being forced to thin the herd and myself ALSO knowing how DEEP the Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard Black (in my case) edition is...I mean REALLY deep but I still hold onto my Waldorf Microwave XT for nothing touches what it can do but chose NOT to get a Waldorf Q when I had a chance because I had just started to dig within the heart of the Blofeld and figured it really would be redundant to have the Q, so I went with SOME redundancy and purchased a Virus KC, already having a KB....if given a life of death situation of making a choice to let one go, realistically, the Moog Slim Phatty is easily replacable and actually, the DSI Mopho Keyboard would give you so many MORE modulation possibilities while remaining true all analog DCO with two DCO's and two different sub octave osc's, etc. would even be able to still stay below the replacement cost of slim phatty with an used Mopho Keyboard and buying a Moogfooger 101 lowPass filter, so you would have best of both world, yet more versatile than Slim Phatty's kind of shy of being a "one trick pony". Heck, even when isolating the two analog osc's on DSI MEK, those sounds are really FAT then poly chaining an evolver module for duophonic, THAT's mind-blowing! There's actually advantages having a MEK using to expand voices up to max of TWENTY over the Poly Evolver because there's some things the MEK can do PEK cannot. With the PEK, for every combo voice set-up you make, you actually end-up losing a voice, so two combo's leave you with monophonic keys whereas the archetecture of MEK does not do that and the MEK has an arpeggiator hidden within it as well Again, no "hate" for Moog but the Slim Phatty's porker price is 75% the "name" MINUS the features you can get elsewhere.
Glad to see another infekted member has found the surreal world of madness with the MEK....it's "Alice In Wonderland's" Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat all rolled-up into one!!!

[Rick Boogie]

Thanks for that. After spending a few hours playing these monsters yesterday, the Phatty has been nominated as the guy who goes. Forgot to mention, I do also own a couple of Moogerfoogers, but without CV OUTS on the Phatty, I've never really utilized them much. Main reason I wanted to get down to 3, is keyboard stand space, and inputs on my mixer. That, and I also have guitars/basses/amps in my music room, and wish to keep it orderly. So, Little Phatty will go, and I'm left with Virus kb, Blofeld kb, and MEK, which is a pretty freakin' nice trio, I think. Again, appreciate the advice and inspiration, have a great holiday!

[namnibor]

Originally Posted by Rick Boogie

Thanks for that. After spending a few hours playing these monsters yesterday, the Phatty has been nominated as the guy who goes. Forgot to mention, I do also own a couple of Moogerfoogers, but without CV OUTS on the Phatty, I've never really utilized them much. Main reason I wanted to get down to 3, is keyboard stand space, and inputs on my mixer. That, and I also have guitars/basses/amps in my music room, and wish to keep it orderly. So, Little Phatty will go, and I'm left with Virus kb, Blofeld kb, and MEK, which is a pretty freakin' nice trio, I think. Again, appreciate the advice and inspiration, have a great holiday!

You are welcome! I thought you might like this info as well re: adding an Evolver Desktop to PolyChain to your MEK with minimal space utilized. You can get them on ebay used for like $400. BUT MAKE SURE it has had the upgrade to O.S. 3....this was ONLY for the Evolver Desktop Module to make it completely backward compatable with MEK/PEK and was NOT just a simple sysex dump as it firstly required paying $25. usd to DSI for the pic/eprom like chip to be exchanged THEN doing the sysex dump. This info is on DSI website and even for $35. plus shipping and prepaid shipping back to you DSI will do it for you!!!! SWEET! This placed programs/presets that are also on MEK/PEK in order to polychain AND it gives ALOT more midi cc's controlling abilities outside of just polychaining rather than the former's sysex exclusivity.
Lastly, if you do NOT know this already, there's a FREE download from both DSI and/or do a web search for this COMPREHENSIVE EVOLVER USER MANUAL a motivated lover of the Evolver did that is SO GOOD, even DSI gives it seal of approval and it comes from a musician's mindset rather than DSI's engineering view....it has openned up a whole new universe of using the MEK and is what actually prompted me to purchase a MEK to add to my firstly purchased Evolver Desktop: "The Definitive Guide To The Evolver" by Anu Kirk and can be downloaded for free http://jinsai.blogspot.com/2005/10/d...o-evolver.html It's a labor of love and hope this helps you as it is what should have come with it and yes, it applies to all varieties of the evolver series.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Robert