Slim Poly Chain button transmission Question

[Piersart]

I have recently successfully chained 4 slim phattys. I notice the buttons only transmit in the modulation section and not the oscillator, filter, or envelope sections. The controller knobs do transmit in all sections. This means that if for example I want to change to the resonance on a given sound I have to manually click the resonance button on all four synths and then turn the knob on the first synth in the chain. I want to get another voice and wondered if instead of getting another slim if I got a little Phatty to use as the controller synth whether that would transmit all the buttons to the other synths. Alternatively does anyone know a way round this slight inconvenience. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[stiiiiiiive]

Hi Piersart, and welcome to the forum!

I do not have such an experience as you on the subject, but I think that even if the selected parameter is different from Slim to Slim, the MIDI CC message transmitted is actually taken into account. The test is simple to check that:

• From the main controller, set the amp envelope attack and release to short values
• Then, on the last unit, set the release to a long value
• Now on all units, press the amp envelope attack button
• On the main controller, if you change the (MIDI CC corresponding to the) attack parameter, you’ll see all the 4 LED collars move.
• On the main controller, if you now change the release value, you won’t see any collar move, but…
• … if you press the release button on each unit, you should see the same value (provided you are not on “TROUGH” mode on the controls).

What surprises me the most here is that the Modulation section buttons do have effect on the chained units.

Whether you use a non-Moog device or a LP as controller (+ voice for the later) does not change this behavior, I guess.

Hope this helps

[Piersart]

Hi Stiiiiiiiive
Thank you so much for your kind and helpful message. I apologise for not getting back to you sooner as I did not realise my message had been posted and that you had replied so promptly. Unfortunately its 1.30am so I can't try out your clever test now but I shall do so tomorrow and post the result which I suspect will be as you have described (and makes me think myself not so clever for not realising what was happening).
Also its very helpful to know that there will be for me at least no advantage in getting a little Phatty over another slim. Thank You.
Piers

[Piersart]

Have now tested and can confirm that the midi cc messages are indeed transmitted when a button is pressed on the controller synth in a chain of Slim Phattys even when the corresponding buttons on the slave synths do not light up. This is good news.
Thanks Stiiiiiiiive!

TIP WHEN CHAINING SLIM PHATTYS. One other point which might not be readily apparent in the manual is that in order to use an external controller keyboard with a chain of Slim Phattys (rather than with a Little Phatty controller) midi in merge must be set to on in the first synth. Perhaps obvious to some but it took me a while to figure out.

Thanks