Okay here’s the situation… F***, I can’t even say or type that word without negative connotations. So, I was purchased a Slim Phatty for xmas by a wonderful girl. My current set-up is Ableton Live on a Mac, Apple Duet, Akai MPK88, and a Yamaha 8-channel mixer. I’m new at synth technology and just getting my feet wet. So far I have been able to hook my MPK88 up via Ableton and then USB into the slim, but the only way to get the audio from the SP is through the headphone jack. My questions are. How could I hook my MPK88 straight into the SP and then process the audio into my mixer? Also, how could I use external audio as the audio source for the SP to process? Any suggestions on implamentation would be much appreciated, as well as any manuals or online tutorials for newbies on synth.
-Joshua
Hey Man,
Nice choice.. the Slim Phatty is a steal for what you pay… I got a similar set up as you do they only difference is the MIDI controller and the Mixer.. I use a crappy M-Audio 49e (I guess it does what its supposed to..) Here are my 2 cents:
- “How could I hook my MPK88 straight into the SP and then process the audio into my mixer?”
A: Connect a MIDI Cable from the MIDI out your MPK88 to the MIDI in on your Slim Phattym then connect a 1/4" instrument cable from the Slim Phatty main output to a channel Input on your Yamaha mixer.. That should do it..
- “Also, how could I use external audio as the audio source for the SP to process?”
A: As far as I know the Slim Phatty will accept only midi data to process.. not sure how to get it to Process Audio.
- Any suggestions on implamentation would be much appreciated, as well as any manuals or online tutorials for newbies on synth.
A: It depends what your are doing with it and what genere(s) you plan to cover with it. Best case scenario as far as implementation goes for the Slim Phatty in my case particularly is via VST and just treating the Slim Phatty as any other software plug-in within your DAW.. unfortunately, the reality is that the VST editor available for the Slim Phatty ($69.00 USD) is far from perfect.. there are many issues with it form the Midi set up all the way to the automation of parameters. Hopefully this issues get resolved with an update soon.. (sights…)
You might also consider buying the Little Phatty Editor Librarian, (another $69.00 USD… I know.. I know… they should have included both of these with the synth purchase!!! 
) With this librarian you can back up all your custom presets in your computer as well as gives you easier access to more parameters while editing.
I hope this helps..
The Slim Phatty has a 1/4" mono audio input jack on the back, labeled “IN” (in the AUDIO section of the jack panel).
This is your external audio input; anything you run in here will go through the Phatty filter and overdrive, shaped by the envelopes.
Just the like Phatty oscillators, you won’t hear any audio unless the Gate is open. You can either use a MIDI note to open the gate (or sequence MIDI notes for that nice choppy ‘trance gate’ effect), or you can plug a 1/4" plug into the Gate CV input on the back and the gate will stay open.
When you are processing external audio through the Slim, you have to set the level of the external audio yourself; there’s no external audio level control inside the slim. Also you probably will want to turn the Slim’s oscillator 1 and 2 LEVEL parameters to zero, so you only hear your external audio.
Now, about getting audio from the Slim, I assume into your computer… are you saying you can only get audo OUT of the slim’s headphone jack? The regular line out jack on the back should work also; make sure the “output on/off” button is lit up (on the front panel underneath the volume knob). If you have an Apogee Duet audio interface (those are sweet, btw), you should be able to connect a 1/4" audio cable from the audio OUT jack on the back of the Slim Phatty, to one of the two 1/4" audio inputs on the Duet, and be golden. Hope this helps.
PS) any girl who buys you analog synths for xmas is AWESOME… need I say more… 