I am a newbie here (this is my first post) and am very intrigued by the idea of the Moog OldSchool to partner my NL3, RADIAS, Virus to get some REAL synth sounds!
I like the idea of the OldSchool as it will really FORCE me to learn how to program a synth properly, instead of being lazy and using the presets, which I am guilty of. So I totally welcome lack of presets on the OldSchool. My only issue is that I am a stronger pad player than lead player (I find chords easy, but playing in time with lead, tough), so I would like to sequence the OldSchool from time to time.
Question; what is better? A Kenton MIDI to CV converter or something like the new VOLTA? I am concerned that with VOLTA the output of the OldSChool would have to be input back into the DAW (if the block diagrams on the MOTU site are correct)…yuck?? redigitization?? I am trying to get AWAY from digital…but I would like to sequence…
Any comments?
Are the Kenton units definitely OK with the Oldschool? No level or incompatability issues?
I’ve used a Kenton with mine. It works fine. I haven’t used Volta but I do use Silent Way which is like Volta but costs $50. With Silent Way (and I believe Volta as well) you need to run the synth into your DAW for the purposes of tuning and scaling your oscillators. I don’t think it needs to stay connected once it’s tuned but I could be wrong.
You’ll love the Old School. I had a Voyager RME and a Performer and I don’t really miss them. I tended to be a lazy preset surfer. I enjoy having to program a new patch every time I power up the Old School though.
I use Volta with ableton live and a motu traveller sound card with the old school and it allworks fine. Some latency here and there but I can easily correct that using abletons track delays…and that only effects voltas output not the voyagers…so no latency on any of ur tweaks n stuff…
To callibrate volta needs to hear the old schools output once and then you can save that as a preset and u wont need to do it again… in any case arnt you recording it into a computer with your other digital synths??
I am really happy with this setup…coming from a pure softsynth world to this is a breath of fresh analog air and is really what i needed…
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I think I am going to get an Old School, when funds permit next month! I cant wait. I love my digi-synths (NL3, RADIAS, VIRUS-TI SNOW, JD-800) but I think I need something more “emotion”, more “real”..more craftsman ship…an Old School seems like the answer…
I would recomment the “NewSchool”, because it’s nice to have presets.
Of course you will use presets for the first weeks, but this machine sounds so pretty - you will discover that there is usually no need to use presets. Turn on one oscillator, open up the filter and enjoy! After a while your brain will do the job, but - especially on stage - it’s good to have your settings stored on the synthesizer.
Beside the presets, you can use PotMapping to do things that would normally require at least the vx351 if not more cv equipment. And it’s very handy to change key priority or filter pole settings without shutting down the machine.
Here’s an all hardware (and not too expensive) OS sequencer solution that works.
I use a Korg Electribe EA1-mkii to sequence the OS. Midi-to-CV is achieved through a Doepfer A-190-2 midi-to-CV. This unit is the equivalent of the Kenton solo but with two more assignable CV outs. It’s also the modular version of the MCV4 (which is the one more like the Kenton : stand-alone box). For now, I have installed the A-190-2 in a CP-251 style box alongside the OS, but the unit is very small and I am contemplating modding it right into the OS one of these days, with 4 CV outs (+gate) jacks.
The EA-1 sequencer, which I knew nothing about (a quick find in web classifieds) turned out to be a pretty terrific little machine. Is is dual-part, so it can sequence both my LP and OS with different sequences at the same time (up to 64 steps, with step length) for an all moog sound duophony. You can save 256 of those dual-part settings.
