The below is simply copied/pasted from my PM to Stuka, so that the info is available for others:
Hi Stuka!
Sorry it took a while to get back to you - I wanted to make sure I could give you as much info as possible by compiling info over a few days into this message. I consider myself a bit of an expert with this poly-chain setup.
It's no problem answering your questions! I was in a similar position - I didn't have the chance to try the poly idea before I got my second Phatty. Also, we actually have a pretty similar setup, and therefore similar possibilities.
Regarding tips, pros, cons, etc. - I run my poly-chain in a number of ways (it's VERY flexible!) :
- Polyphonic - All units on same patch, parameters of all units controlled from primary unit (LP in my case).
- Polytimbral (monophonic) - Each unit in monophonic mode (i.e. not in poly mode) with different patches per unit (think stacking different sounds to create complex atmospheres) parameters can be controlled from the primary unit (such as opening all filter cutoffs for the different patches from one knob) or separately (per unit).
- Polytimbral (polyphonic) - As above but polyphonic, limited by each note being a different patch sound, when distributed around the units (depends on how many units you have too, e.g. three units will make the cycle through patches start on every 4th note). You can make some pretty lush chords with different presets set to each unit. I haven't experimented enough with the note priority settings, but I imagine you could use them to set one unit to always play the low note and the other to play the high note for different patches, although this may not work out too well with more than two units.
- Mono Stack - All units on the same patch, with poly mode off. You can make some 4 osc. (or more with more units), heavier/phatter sounds by simply having both units play in unison together on the same patch. You could either control all the parameters from the primary unit, or separately for each unit.
- Multiple Unit Arpeggiator - This is simply awesome! The arpeggiator can distribute the notes by cycling them to each unit, which can have their own clock divisions and/or patches, resulting in notes flying around in awesome ways (panned too, if you have a stereo mixer & speaker setup - I don't). You also have the option (at least with the LP) of sending the pressed-key note information or the post-arp note information to the next unit for the next unit to arpeggiate.
- Modular-Style - Each unit could be digitally separated from the others (with their own patches and parameter control) and triggered by CV signals for different modular-style voices. You could play a lead/bass/whatever on the LP on top.
So as you can see, it's not just polyphonic playing that is opened up when you assemble multiple units together - you get alot of modular flexibility (although it takes a bit of menu-diving on each unit to change 'modes'). I chose to stop at three units because Maj./min./aug./dim./power etc. triad chords are possible and the CP-251 'multiples' have three outputs (one per Phatty) for extra modulation applying to all units if needed.
Presets can be easily sent to the next unit in the chain as per my posts in this thread:
http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12873 . It works best to design your patches on the primary unit, so that when you're done designing, the MIDI cable can transmit the patch to the following units.
You can MIDI sync all the units together (arpeggiators & LFO's) by putting an external MIDI clock signal into the primary unit's MIDI In port. The MIDI cables linking the units together can pass the clock signal on to all units. You could also send MIDI CC messages to all units. You can easily de-couple (a) unit(s) by changing MIDI channels on each unit. You can also turn on/off patch change and/or parameter change sending/receiving between units so that you can control everything from the primary unit or each unit separately.
Some issues I have experienced:
- Occasional dropped notes - this seemed to be more an issue when I had two Phattys chained (LP St.II w CV Out + SP), certain rhythms caused some notes to fail to trigger. Somehow adding the third Phatty to the chain helped this, although it still happens from time to time, I think it's probably more about my playing technique with the limited voices - this is something to consider with poly-chaining (keeping in mind how many keys are pressed at one time and how many voices are available, although MOST of the time if you exceed the voices available a note will be stolen from the previous chord for the new note). On the very occasional times that the poly "round-robin" note distribution system needs re-alignment (e.g. two units sounding on one key press, none on the next key press), "ALL NOTES OFF" in the MIDI Menu on the primary unit is a command that cancels all notes and re-sets the MIDI note cycle. I normally keep the master menu of the primary unit on this function in case it's needed quickly when I'm in preset mode (this is not crucial though). When/if you get the poly-chain up and running and want to know how I do something specific in detail, just send me another message!
- Don't worry about this one if your Slim has been working fine so far - My two Slim Phattys both had an issue with self-moving "dancing dials" (nothing to do with the poly-chaining aspect). In most cases that issue is caused by not grounding the Phatty properly (with a 3-pin power lead and grounded socket), however in my case it was a more annoying issue which ended up with me getting an Electrical Engineer to find the issue and install a mod fix (however plenty of people have Slim Phattys with no problems - so I wouldn't dwell on this, it may be something to do with using the unit internationally), see -
http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=13563 .
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Regarding the patchbay/cables etc. - all of the info for my setup is documented in this thread:
http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14648 . The patchbay I'm using is a DBX PB-48 - not the most sturdy-feeling jacks, but it was pretty cheap and does the trick. Any patchbay that has the option of pass-thru or de-normalled (may be called something different - each front jack matches it's corresponding jack on the back) will work for this setup. The whole reason for the patchbay is to simply bring the Phatty CV jacks etc. to the front and close to the Moogerfooger modules for easy patching. The dummy plugs shown in the thread above are needed to make the Phattys behave normally when they are constantly plugged into the patchbay, but unpatched (i.e. no CV signal plugged into volume and/or gate CV input(s)). Unplugging a Gate dummy plug will cause the unit to drone (useful at times!) and unplugging a Volume dummy plug will cause the unit to be silent (no volume).
I use TRS (stereo) cables for all CV patching, as I also use an EP-2 expression pedal (you probably know about the powered/white-ring jacks on the CP-251's etc. that require TRS to not short the expression pedal power supply).
I would recommend some kind of colour-coding or similar labelling system for the patchbay. It makes it very easy to patch without getting confused (as much! haha).
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Regarding the use of my second CP-251 - there are a couple of reasons why I have two:
- I do get use out of both for more complex patches. It's VERY useful to use, say, the multiple of one CP-251, and still have another for that next addition to the patch you think up! Especially when I added three MF's (like you). An example of a cool patch I like to do is trigger the gates of all units (using a square LFO from a CP-251, which has an LFO output from the other CP-251 (or a MIDI-sync'd LFO from the LP CV Out Mod!) changing the speed of the first - into the "pedal input" of the first, into a multiple, into all units). Check out this track for an example of the MIDI LFO sync'd version of the patch I mentioned -
http://soundcloud.com/davidsmyth-4/moog-poly-modular-1 .
You get two noise sources, two CV mixers, four attenuators and so on - it all opens up more patching possibilities - both for direct patching into the poly-chain, and for interfacing the poly-chain with the MF's.
- The rack mount kit for the CP-251 has space for two CP-251's.
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If you do get a Little Phatty to control your chain at some point, make sure you get a Stage II (or similar/later - Solar Edition etc.) with the CV Output Mod pre-installed. This will open up more possibilities, such as getting a MIDI Sync'd LFO Output for use with modular-patching. Also, the earlier models (pre Stage II) have less interconnection hardware/firmware and may not work for controlling a poly chain.
Over all I love my Poly-Chain set-up!! So much potential and I've only scratched the surface of possible sounds! Even with the very annoying "dancing-dial syndrome" problem I had, which I had to get modded (rare problem with nothing to do with poly-chaining), it was all worth it in the end for such a powerful/flexible system. The LED-Ring Encoders work perfectly for recalling patches with all the units (I'm sure you know this with your current SP)! You always know where every parameter is at - information you don't get with a traditional knob-per-function synth with patch storage.
Like I said above, if you have any specific (or more general!) questions you'd like me to answer, just feel free to message me again whenever..
I hope this helps!
Regards,
David Smyth
New Zealand