DSI / Prophet Forum

[E-smile-Z]

how did you use them?i know turn em on ect... ect..
but practicly?how did you use them ?

i know you can use them like a kind of a wavetable with sequencing ...okay there is no interpolation between the them..
which ones did you use /on which place and why?

[The Analog Organist]

I use the digital oscillators first, to thicken the analog oscillators, and second, to provide unique timbres.

The first three waveshapes in the digital oscillators are equal to sine, sawtooth, and square waveforms - in that order. When using the same on the analog side, I simply add these with the proper amount of detuning to thicken up the general sound. Digital oscillators are definitely thinner than analog - there's no doubt about it. But using them as third and fourth oscillators can make for a very rich quality. Then there's the chance to tune them at intervals such as upper octaves or fifths, or else to use a soft triangle waveshape one octave below to add some depth. My point is, even though the digital oscillators are thinner than the analog, nevertheless they're in addition to them.

The digital oscillators also offer waveshapes that provide all sorts of pretty, reedy, or bell-like timbres. For example, numbers 4, 6, 24, 28, 40, 45, and 120 provide oboe-type tones. You could never quite reach such timbres using analog pulse widths. To add a little depth, I may combine these waveshapes with a detuned triangle from the analog side. Numbers 32, 37, 58, 85, 97, 100, 102, and 125 are very organ-like, so you could begin with these tones and then add the other oscillators to create whatever type of organ sound you wanted. Numbers 17, 41, 65, 86, and 87 can form the beginning of piano-type sounds, and numbers 27, 58, 100, 113 are bell-like.

Of course, if you don't want to imitate other instruments, you can create a tremendous variety of new sounds using the digital oscillators. For my purposes, the Evolvers are just perfect in a very unique way. On my Poly Evolver Keyboard I've created a number of impressive stand-alone patches that need no apologies for having a digital element. There is one sound, though, that I haven't been able to evoke from the PEK, and that's a realistic string sound. I've tried and tried, with little success. For strings I use the Prophet '08 with a touch of chorus and a lot of reverb. Very nice - even Mellotron like, although my goal is NEVER to reproduce vintage sounds.

If you want a quick demonstration of the benefits of having four oscillators - even if two of them are digital - then start with a brass-type patch. Using the sawtooth waveform from the analog oscillators, tune the first to 0 and the second to 4. Then, using waveshape # 2 from the digital oscillators, tune the first to 7 and the second to 11. It's simple enough, but tell me that doesn't sound much richer than two analog oscillators by themselves.

[E-smile-Z]

okay im back...thanks for your looong and helpful advise!!!

the digital osc are really nasty and full of alaising in the highs but with the analog osc on top it s a differnt taste...

i m also experimenting with different filter settings in the L/R it is alot to explore!!!

[The Analog Organist]

Yes, quite a few of the digital waveshapes have aliasing problems in the upper range, but many do not. The solution is to know those waveshapes very well. I had forgotten about them because I use only the more musical tones.

It might help you to go through the digital oscillators and jot down some descriptive notes about each waveshape, so that you don't have to start from scratch every day.

[E-smile-Z]

yes there are also quit a few that are very similare i gues thats good for wave sequencing...