I have recently bought a voyager rack as an upgrade for my phatty. I am more than pleased as it sounds much better (clearly 1 extra oscillator makes all the difference!) I would go so far as to say it is the best synth I have owned.
My only issue so far is the lack of ramp waveform in the LFO which is something I like to use a lot. I have started to create a patch in my Nord G2 to add an additional LFO with more waveforms and this seems to be almost there (MSB LSB is a fiddle but clearly far superior to a single CC).
I was just wondering if I am re inventing the wheel here - does anyone else use a G2 and have you already got his working?
I use OSC3 as an LFO more often than I use it as a VCO. You can get the LFO shape you’re looking for that way unless you really need the third VCO. I find that 2 VCOs are usually (but not always) sufficient for my needs…
Thanks for the responses. No, I don’t have any of the moog CV boxes so thought I would see how I could interface the two over MIDI. I started with a NORD LFO modulating the filter (sending CC19 and 51) and now have it acting as a MOD source which works better. I’m guessing there is loads more that can be done though. My main driver was to get a ramp shaped LFO into the RME (as you have on the phatty) but with the extra oscillator.
Well I hate to tell you this, but if you have the RME then you really need the Vx351/Vx352 Expansion Boxes. You may not have any desire to dive into the realm that is CV, you might just be satisfied only with the sounds, but I think that Midi is going to limit you.
You need the Vx351 and 2 for the Voltage outputs and inputs, respectively, and a cp251 for extra LFO’s, Mults, Attenuators, Noise, CV Mixer, S&H, and Lag Processor.
This is dificult because I haven’t quite mastered the Lag Processor yet, but you might be able to take one of the 2 waveshapes (triangle or Square) and turn that into a ramp wave with the Lag Processor, attenuate it to your desired level and then send that into the LFO input of the Vx352.
It would cost you less money but I think you could very well do all of that with the Mp201 multipedal. It has 4 LFOs and Midi. But I think your still need a Vx352.
SOmeone else needs to really review what Ive typed to make sure Im telling you correctly.
Thanks Erick. I actually have this working fine now. I can patch in any number of modulation sources on the G2 and use them as MOD2 on the RME. I currently have an LFO and a pattern generator set up and I can mix different levels of these and combine different quantize values - sounds brilliant.
When you say MIDI will limit me, do you mean the bandwidth? I can see that I may have a problem with very high frequencies but am totally happy with what this setup does now.
Happy to share the G2 patch if anyone is interested.
There are folks having some issues with Pitch WHeel things with their RMEs, folks having issues saving presets with MIDI, things like that.
I gues it may not limit you at all, but I really think that CV’s are the way to go with these instruments. I don’t know if one woudl be able to get the same complex waveforms going to destinations with Midi, or the same versatillity one might get with CV’s.
I really don’t know Midi well because I don’t use computers to do stuff. The best I can do is control my Voyager with another piano and thats about it.
I haven’t been able to trigger LFOs with a drum machine yet, and I haven’t tried sequencing because I don’t own one.
You can make a ramp wave (close) with the cp-251 using the lag processor from the saw and you can make it ramp down or ramp up. The leading edge will still have slope to it from the original wave.
If you use the square wave, you get a sharper rise but it has a shelf at about a 50% duty cycle.
Here is the setup
Here is a Sine made from the triangle
Here is a ramp made from the triangle
Here is a ramp made from the square wave
You will notice the polarity reverse, it is easy to make them drive either direction.
Here is a waveform made from both the square and saw using the mixer and lag proccesor.
Thats awesome. In fact, Ive been experimenting with this as well. I just don’t have the benefit of a scope, so Ill post what Ive been doing in a vide after I shoot it in about an hour.
Now my question is, How do you get a probe that will fit into a 1/4th audio jack so we could monitor our waveform from the Voyager?
Take the endcap off a plug and clip the scope probes to the terminals inside. Make sure you are DC coupled on the scope and that your trigger level is set correctly.
