Mighty Ferguson

Would be interested in the parameter values you have set for these two - Xtalk level and brilliance, OD 1 or 2, etc? I don't have enough experience playing true tonewheels and am guessing with a lot of the adjustments, so I'd be interested in where you've set all the parameters if you're willing to post them.

Guido, I'd love to see this on the Gemini as well, so I'm hoping it would show up there as well. Assuming this is routing per engine, are you envisioning this as a "global" setting that one could change and affect all existing patches, or would this be a per patch setting? I would love for the former if it's feasible, as it would be great to be able to set it based on what I'm using at a gig and not need to create special patches.

Thanks to both for confirming. I really hope they do add the ability to handle both types of routing for the input via firmware update. I would have guessed more people would rather pass through audio from another source than get other instruments into the Leslie, as this is such a single purpose keyboard and most people would be using another device to supplement sounds.

You and I are almost in the same place. Because of switching bands, I'm ready to redo my rig and the two options I'm leaning towards right now are either a DMC-122 + Gemini (or whatever Crumar is teasing on their Facebook page... please announce soon!) or a Legend Live with a sound module or iPad. I was just looking through the Legend/Legend Live manual and I have a question that hopefully someone with a Legend can answer: The manual states that the external audio input is processed through the Legend's EQ/Drive/Reverb/Rotary... this seems kind of crazy to me. Am I misunderstanding the reason to have this input? Can anyone confirm the manual is correct? Scottzo maybe?

The Kronos CX-3 engine also responds to Sysex (just different Sysex), so I'm converting Sysex to Sysex. But it should actually be simpler to convert to CC. I can pass along my Event Processor Plus config as a starting point.

Happy to help if I can. I'm actually doing this with a VR-700 and a Kronos. I do have two VR-700s, but one stayed at the band rehearsal space and the other stayed home, so I only had to carry the Kronos back and forth. That band ended, so I'll probably sell one of the VR-700s. I haven't seen anything to indicate what this is, but if it's a new version of the dual manual Mojo with 2 DSP engines, I'll likely get one. If it's got an effects loop like the Viscount Legend, I'll really likely get one. Edit - I would be interested in a 2 DSP version of the Mojo 61 with the lower manual add on as well.

Don't mind at all, let me dig up the configure file and see how it looks. I haven't messed with it for 2+ years. Please remind me with a PM if I haven't gotten back you soon.

I don't have a VR-09, but I just happened to be looking at this thread as I've casually considered getting one for a lightweight rehearsal board. I use a MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus to change the sysex generated from the drawbars on my VR-700, so I would think it would work similarly with a VR-09.

I'm sure Acoustic Samples will respond, but I took that as the simulated key multi-contact system that a real tonewheel/drawbar organ has.

I just want to chime in on this thread to thank Acoustic Samples for making this update free. I wish all vendors were as good to their customers. It sounds killer. I love the Jim Alfredson and Steve Nathan presets as well, great job all around.

No. I can't understand why it isn't. I'm not sure that I could keep my wallet in my pocket if it was. Surely it's not that difficult of an upgrade to implement? Or am I missing something? SSM If it's a matter of hardware resources, i.e. it doesn't have the horsepower to generate two sounds at once (and I don't know if that's the case or not), then it's not a matter of being able to update the software. I agree with you though, I probably couldn't resist buying one if it was bi-timbral. Especially with the lower manual add on.

I'll certainly share pics if it gets that far. But like I said, it's not obvious how to safely even open it up, hence my question about the service manual.

Does anyone happen to have a copy or a link to the service manual for the VR-700? Google isn't turning up anything for me. I don't actually need to fix it; I'm contemplating making some replacement side panels and I have no idea how feasible it is. I can't even tell which screws to remove to open it up when I look at the bottom. I really don't want to start randomly trying them and suddenly hear something inside start sliding around.

So Tim, out of curiosity (especially with your teaching business ethics), is there a way that Behringer could do a less expensive version of these classic synths that you feel would be in line with common business ethics? I would have to assume they would not get any sort of blessing from Moog/Oberheim/Curtis. To be clear, I'm not trying to make any point with this question, just genuinely curious about how black and white this area is, or if it's a gray area at all given how old some of these designs are.

I do sympathize with the Curtis family, but isn't the whole point of the patent system to offer a limited time monopoly for the inventor with the invention deliberately becoming public domain?

Thanks. That hole at the front looks like you could even put some sort of bumper on there to keep the synth from slipping off. Nice work!

Can you show a better picture of what you did here? I've currently got my Minilogue on a music stand folded flat, and it's not really working for me.

I received my copy yesterday. I'm one of the people that some in this thread have suggested would benefit from Keyscape, having no current collection of piano/EP/clav softsynths. The best ones I had are on my Kronos. For me, the bottom line is that these sounds are absolutely killer. The detail in the EPs and other electromechanicals makes them so much more tangible than any other I've tried. They're a joy to play. The C7 is really nice sounding to me , and I think it will be a good basis for a lot of varying styles. One other observation, and this may just be in my head: In the past I've tried the same EP and piano sounds with unweighted and weighted keys and obviously noticed a difference, but I've never felt the difference to the degree I do with Keyscape. I'm not sure why, but with Keyscape, the difference to me was huge when I played these sounds on weighted vs unweighted. I'm wondering if it has something to do with all the mechanical noise detail, which really seems to contribute to the level of realism.

Thanks for the feedback on JRR Shop. I feel better about pulling the trigger with them now. The waiting game begins....

Something to possibly help those of us who are going to ask for forgiveness instead of permission with this one: JRRshop.com is selling Keyscape for $337.31 right now if you add it to your cart and enter the code FORUM at check out. I've never used this site before, but a quick search shows mostly positive feedback (although with some negative) in a thread over at gearslutz. For some reason to pay by credit card you need to use PayPal. I just ordered, so I'm rolling the dice that it's legit. But I did use credit card as a payment source with PayPal instead of a bank account, so presumably I can dispute it if needed.

I saw the announcement this morning, and have been reading through this thread today. My initial reaction was what a few here have already stated: aside from some of the more obscure instruments, this is not really an area where we're lacking for software instruments. Being Spectrasonics, I knew it would sound great, and maybe fills a hole in their offerings, but not really breaking new ground. I finally was just able to watch the demo video, and did while using some decent headphones. I'm blown away. It sounds stunningly good to me.

Do those sound good on their own, or are you going to add a Vent?

The Kronos CX-3 engine drawbars are controlled via MIDI sysex messages. You can control them with different messages for either Program mode or Combi mode. I think I've seen both posted on here, so a google search of this site will probably turn up the Program mode ones. I use them in Combi mode as I can set up both manuals that way, or I've got other sounds up on one or both of the keyboards as well. This is the sysex for Combi mode: F0 42 30 68 43 1C tt 00 04 xx 00 00 yy F7 where * tt = combination track 1-16(00-0F) * xx = db num (0-8) * yy = positon (0-8) So basically that means set tt to whatever Combi part you're using for CX3, xx for which drawbar, and yy for the position of that drawbar. So knowing that, you then need to be able to transmit those values from the VMK sliders. My VR-700 drawbars transmit sysex, but the wrong values so I needed something to translate those. I took a quick look at the VMK MIDI spec and it looks like the sliders transmit MIDI Control Changes, so you will also need something to translate the values into the proper sysex. I'm using a MIDI Solutions Event Processor box, and I'd recommend the same for you. You can set it up so that the MIDI CC number and value send out a specific sysex message. You'll probably need to use a range for the CC values, as they go 0-127 rather than 0-8 like a drawbar. I think it would look kind of like this: Slider 1 CC# xx value 0 = Kronos drawbar 1 position 0 Slider 1 CC# xx value 1-16 = Kronos drawbar 1 position 1 Slider 1 CC# xx value 17-32 = Kronos drawbar 1 position 2 ...and so on for all 8 positions of all 9 drawbars. That may require the Plus version of the Event Processor box, which has more memory. This stuff is a bit daunting so I'd recommend buying the Event Processor from Bruce at Ashby Solutions. He'd be able to tell you which version of the box you need for that many instructions, as well as program it for you for a nominal fee. He might also be able to condense it to something more simple with less instructions. Well worth it in my opinion. Now that its all set up, it works perfectly for me. The MIDI Solution box is very small, and is able to get enough power from most keyboards to not require a power adapter. There's no latency or anything. If you can change the CC numbers per patch on the VMK, you could even have different patches set up to control upper and lower manual drawbars.

I love seeing people gig with the CX-3. I have such a soft spot for that beast. 2 sets of drawbars, a flat top you can put another synth on, the keys feel great, and through a Vent it sounds awesome. In a hard case it might as well be made out of solid gold it's so heavy. If I didn't need 76 keys in my current gig (and felt confident enough in the Kronos to gig without backup bread and butter sounds), I'd totally be gigging mine still. Even with it sitting unused at the moment, I have no plans to get rid of it.

Thanks Joe! Yup, yellow tape below the start/stop on for the sequencer on the Kronos. It helps draw my eye to the right button under stage lights, etc. Before I put the tape on I hit the tap tempo button by mistake on more than one occasion. I think part of the problem is you can't disable the tempo light, even when the sequencer tempo light is blinking out of sync with it. A shortcoming of the Kronos, but a bit of a nitpick if I can solve it with tape I guess. The two pieces of tape on the VR-700 are just to give a visual indicator of where a 61 key synth would begin and end, mainly for organ playing. The CX-3 in the Kronos will of course play below and above that range, but I try to keep my playing in the range of a real tonewheel manual and the tape is a bit of a security blanket for that. I could probably just limit the range of the patch in the Kronos too. Meh. :-) I also have a bit of tape on the Vent to mark of where I like the knobs, as they get moved a bit when it's in transit in my bag. It blends in with the Vent's colors though, so it doesn't stand out. Not shown is the yellow tape on the stand that helps me put the VR-700 in the right place each time. As I'm resting the Kronos on it, it has to be in the right place or the Kronos wobbles a bit. The Mackie is a Thump 12 that I acquired through a Craigslist trade for a bass I had and didn't play (because it was hard and I wasn't good at it right away). It's not the best powered speaker, but I'm happy enough with it for stage monitoring and it's really lightweight compared to some of the others people on here favor.