what is this "CV" good for?

[Jaythejunkie]

my moog has optikey midi. My prophet 600 has midi and CV.
Do I need CV? Im under the impression it somehow modulates tempo to a drum machine?

im never big on midi, its ok I like wav forms in a daw now.

[MC]

CV is good if you are Vince "MIDI is crap" Clarke.

[Vince Ascoli]

The CV on the P600 is meant for a control (volume-type, not momentary or switch) pedal that would allow you to sweep the filter hands-free.

[Jaythejunkie]

id have to check but the p600 now has an assignable CV with the CPU upgrade?

But do I need it or.. "want it"

[noddyspuncture]

I don't see the problem here - surely you either use it or you don't use it...
Now if you were asking what CV is/does...!?

Cheers,
Tom

[Bryan B]

CV is great!

In a more modular system (like the MoogerFoogers, Moog Modular, etc.) voltages are used to control parameters in various different sections with many different possible results.

Think of CV like this. You only have 2 hands, so if you want to control more than 2 things at once, you need CV. Or if you can't turn the knob back and forth fast enough to create the effect you want to hear, you need CV. If you want a more precise range than your hands can perform, you will want CV. Control Voltage is like having extra hands and also hands that can do things faster and more precise than yours. I am often turning a knob a certain way (because I like how it sounds) and realize I can replace that movement with an LFO or envelope. Other times, the CV frequency is so fast it creates textures I could never create myself (or so slow, my arm would fall off trying to keep it going for an extended period of time).

Example: I want the pitch of my VCO to start high and go lower as I hold the key down. OK, put the envelope output on the frequency CV input. Now I want vibrato also. OK, put an LFO into the CV input for the VCA to control the volume. Now I want the filter to vary over time. OK, put a different LFO into the filter's CV input.