dave smith evolver

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 5:15 pm

I'm looking to get a couple of bits of analogue gear, and I've heard some good things about this particular piece of kit.

There's nowhere I can try one out easily so I thought I'd see if anyone has any opinions here.

thanks in advance, mark.

(edit) I mean in terms of sound and how much you like it.

from the features, size and price etc it already seems like a good buy but I thought I'd come and check what you guys reckon.

Android · Post by **Android** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 3:12 am

it sounds awesome !!

totally monophonic,
which allows for sloppy keyboard playing to sound really good!

I play my Mono Evolver Keyboard more than any other synth in my studio

here is a great Tutorial for it (.PDF)
http://www.carbon111.com/evolverguide.pdf

there is a software Editor here too

http://www.soundtower.com/evolver/

get one, seriously you'll love it

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2008/05 ... nk-fl.html

northernlight · Post by **northernlight** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:46 am

buy the keyboard version. i sold the desktop version because i found it very hard to use properly with that grid/matrix layout.

AVX23 · Post by **AVX23** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:40 am

It's a beast

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:07 pm

thanks for your input guys. muchly appreciated. the things looking like my first departure from the digital realm.

Monophonic low to mid range subtractive synthesis never really seems to sound the same in the digital domain compared to analogue and the evolver seems like a nice box.

I'm gonna go with the desktop version cos I use my own sequencing system for pitch and small size is important to me. shame about the layered menu but what can you do.

it would be really nice to demo the sound myself but from that youtube video it seems to do the kinda thing I'm after. and getting props here counts.

I've got my eyes on a couple of moog filters and something to turn high resolution computer messages into control voltages as well and that should do the trick for the time being. I'm kinda excited!

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:33 pm

hmm. update if anyone is interested.

I'm gonna put the evolver on hold for the minute. There's some parts of the architecture that I don't like. I'll probably come back to it at some point, but for the moment I'm more interested by having more personal control over the marraige between digital and analogue (being a max/reaktor user and all).

There are some nice boxes that can change computer messages to control voltages (analogues messaging system) at very high resolutions (especially when compared to midi which has a laughable staircase of 127 different points)

the 2 that I have seen allow for digital to analogue conversion at 12 bit (4096 steps) and even 16 bit (65536!) which basically means you can integrate analogue equipment fully into a modular digital set up.

exciting stuff!

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:51 am

Android wrote:it sounds awesome !!

totally monophonic,
which allows for sloppy keyboard playing to sound really good!

I play my Mono Evolver Keyboard more than any other synth in my studio

here is a great Tutorial for it (.PDF)
http://www.carbon111.com/evolverguide.pdf

there is a software Editor here too

http://www.soundtower.com/evolver/

get one, seriously you'll love it

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2008/05 ... nk-fl.html

Friggen SICK. That tutorial is just what I needed for my MEK. Its not that I dont understand subtractive synthesis and even the architecture and flow of the MEK... its that the damn thing is so fun to play with if I dont follow a 3rd party structured lesson, I may never buckle down and program my own patches with a purpose instead of accidental wonders.

Android · Post by **Android** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:34 am

victorjohn wrote:
Android wrote:it sounds awesome !!

totally monophonic,
which allows for sloppy keyboard playing to sound really good!

I play my Mono Evolver Keyboard more than any other synth in my studio

here is a great Tutorial for it (.PDF)
http://www.carbon111.com/evolverguide.pdf

there is a software Editor here too

http://www.soundtower.com/evolver/

get one, seriously you'll love it

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2008/05 ... nk-fl.html
Friggen SICK. That tutorial is just what I needed for my MEK. Its not that I dont understand subtractive synthesis and even the architecture and flow of the MEK... its that the damn thing is so fun to play with if I dont follow a 3rd party structured lesson, I may never buckle down and program my own patches with a purpose instead of accidental wonders.

glad it was helpful!!

I wish there was a Forum to trade patches and banks

I remember swapping sounds for the Access Virus's all the time

maybe we should build a venue, if its not out there?!

what do you think???