You people keep mentioning Brutes and Octatracks. How do you deal with their monophonic nature when creating pads?
Octatrack will let you create multiple layers of Brute in a hurry, either using the Pickup Machine (looper) or the Flex Machines to build up loops.
Another strategy available to me is the pitch shifting algorithms in my Eventide H9.
Yet another is simply using the Microbrute as a MIDI controller for another synth - the keyboard can play chords over MIDI.
Yep, Governor is right with pitch shifting and looping. If I want to play chords, I almost always run my minibrute through the ES-2 (Analog echo shifter Delay) pedal from Ibanez which naturally gives you that classic ambient, and spacey signature. After, I use Loopy HD on iOS to easily lay down my layers.
For a brief moment I had the Ditto looper pedal that fitted perfectly for looping the Brute, but I didn’t trust my musicanship for timing and sold it off. I would definitely recommend any of the Dittos, but if I ever get another looer, I’d like a MIDI option.
Another way to add more depth and layers is to run another synth into the input line-in on the Brute while syncing the synths together using MIDI. On a side note, it’s fun to experiment with running an output from the brute back into itself through the input for crazy modulation.
I forgot if this was posted already but here’s a demo of Microbrute -> H9 by somebody more talented than me. He’s using pitch shifting here and there. Towards the end he uses the Eventide signature “shimmer”.
Just came back to thank everyone that helped me. The Microbrute arrived this week and is fucking amazing! The sounds are so powerful and easy to made (which is rare in this price range). Now I will try to made with work like a sort of ghetto duophonic synth with Dark Energy
Glad you like your Microbrute! Did you get the original version or the SE in a cute color? I still want a white one, tbh I want all my gear to be white/monochromatic ha. As you know, I picked up the DE 2 and I’m not exactly sure what the differences are compared from the original, but my DE 2 sounds pretty metallic too. I haven’t found much of its sweet softer side just yet, but I really love how textural (along with analog artifacts) it can get.
I too have attempted to go combine my synths to play in a duophonic/ Paraphonic mode hehe. Synced together, I’ve got my Minibrute SE, DE 2, and PB system 1 on dock, and since I’m still wrapping my head around modulars, my results have been lackluster and humorous haha. I guess one of the tricky parts is tuning the synths together.
@Kites I got the SE in the wite one that you want Indeed, I wanted the original color, but in Thomann it was sold out, so I got the white. As I read, the DE 1 is pretty different from the DE 2 - starting from the basic waveform (triangle to saw) and the filter (which is multimode in DE2, but 12 dB), but I believe that metallic signature is present in both - maybe is something from Doepfer…
So, what´s your signal path with the MiniB + DE 2+ PBS1? Maybe I´ll try to emulate it.
The white SE is pretty sweet, and bet it would look even cooler with wood sides! Maybe cherry, walnut, or even something lighter, like ash wood or white birch. Oh MAN, I desperately want to replace my lame faux/veneer sides for my Minibrute SE with REAL wood.
Anyone know of any woodworkers? @xbted do you happen to have experience with making wood sides/cheeks/panels? I just know of one particular shop on Etsy.
Anyways aeoner, I’ve just been sending my synths to the same MIDI channel while sending their audio signals to their own tracks on a passive mixer. On occasions, I’ll patch them with cv and gate, depending on my mood. I suppose I should make due with my mixer modules and enter the deep dark cave.
What are your patch ideas?
I found this in a blog and I might want to do this myself!
Just want to give a shout out to the Audiothingies P6, mentioned earlier in the thread. I built one a few weeks ago and it is absolutely amazing for creating pads for ambient music. Check out this demo to hear some patches. It’s extremely user friendly as well. The newest firmware 2.0 is in beta and it makes the unit even better. Highly recommend this little bugger
@karbonckel - i was interested in one of those, i was really hoping ti might get me in the territory of the classic paraphonic string synths (oh for a Roland 505…!) the demos i heard were disappointing tho
@karbonckel@aswefallintostatic The Streichfett can sound great… BUT… there is some pretty horrid clipping distortion on the outputs. Sold mine within days of getting it. Very disappointed.
Indeed, I wanted the original color, but in Thomann it was sold out, so I got the white. As I read, the DE 1 is pretty different from the DE 2 - starting from the basic waveform (triangle to saw) and the filter (which is multimode in DE2, but 12 dB), but I believe that metallic signature is present in both - maybe is something from Doepfer…