Jump to content

check out this Ensoniq ESQ hardware controller


Unfed

Recommended Posts

  • Members

actually you don't need to retrigger the key to hear cc message changes just nrpn changes. kinda funky that way but the filter can be controlled in realtime using a mod source that's a cc. if using nrpn over midi then no you need to retrigger.

 

just thought id clear it up so people don't bypass the excellent esq-1 thinking for performance it's useless.

 

and yes i want that programmer box..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Any idea what the price tag is on this baby? I find it very interesting that someone would go to such lengths to create a probably 3-400 controller for a board that is currently going for 150 bucks. Of course, I think the ESQ-1 is worth 4 times as much, but still man...kudos to the diehard curtis chip fans. Maybe this will drive up the prices of the SQ line.

 

Just got my SQ-80 in the mail yesterday...pristine condition. What a beautiful machine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by ChipCurtis

I thought I remembered somebody saying that on the ESQ1 you have to retrigger a key to hear the change after tweaking, which would mean this device couldn't be used for performance tweaking, just programming. Is this correct?

 

 

Yeah, I remember I tried to do a filter sweep using the slider.

Anyway, that controller looks sweet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

how so?

 

"ESQm Controller

 

Providing complete realtime and hands on control of all the parameters of Ensoniq's ESQ-1 and ESQm synths this controller provides the complete synthesis experience. Bringing the control and user interface of a monster analog synth to the ESQ synths with their modern synth features like memory, polyphony, and stable tuning delivers a throughly powerful and useable synth.

 

For those of you not familliar with the ESQ synths they are an analog synth with digital sampled oscillators, there are:

 

* 3x Oscillators per voice, 32 waveforms, sync and ampltude modulation between oscillators 1 and 2

* 4x Envelope generators per voice, 5 point with velocity sensitivity and keyboard scaling

* 3x LFO's per voice, each with integral ramp generators and 4 waveforms

* 1x 24dB/octave analog low pass filter per voice with resonance

 

The analog signal path is fixed but all the control signals (CV's) are free to be patched between the components which is where the patch bay comes in.

 

The controllers complete 60 point patch bay allows intuitive control over the routing in real time just like any patchable analog synth. Quickly connect any input to any output, modulate the oscillators by an LFO modulated with an envelope, patch inputs together and run them from a single output, setup a crossfade between all 3 oscillators, anything becomes possible and its all done physically without any menus or computer editors. Then hit save and everything is stored just like any other synth, next time you call up the voice the entire patch is recreated without the need to put all the cables back in. Its also possible edit the routings in a saved voice by simply patching over the parts you want to change, again without the need to rebuild the whole patch.

No longer is real patching limited to the domain of analog modulars."

 

i'm not sure i've heard of anybody using a midi controller sending CCs with an ESQ. i think it'd be more well known and widely used if it were possible. ie - i don't think every parameter is mapped to a CC by default...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I'm using Emagic SoundDiver to edit my ESQ.

 

SoundDiver controls ESQ with SysEx (yes, not CCs). But it does not support realtime parameter change. That is, each time you move a slider, SoundDiver sends the whole patch. Fortunately the patch data is relatively short (102bytes), the editor works.

 

So I wonder how the knob works.

* It may be that ESQ does support realtime parameter change SysEx, and the knobs works fine. It's just that SoundDiver ESQ editor was incomplete.

* Or it may be that ESQ does not support realtime parameter change, and the knob box works like my SoundDiver. As one knob movement sends 102bytes MIDI messages, the control may not be smooth.

 

I don't have ESQ's MIDI documentation, and it will clarify the situation. Please tell me if anyone has one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I just got an email back.....this thing will be EXPENSIVE, if it ever reaches the market.

 

What you see is just a prototype. Potentially the cost can come down, but when I did the conversion from AUD, it was still in the neighborhood of $1000. I dunno - the esq-m is a nice synth, but would anyone spend this much to control it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

For $1000, I would expect something with say 30 rotaries and 10 sliders with OLED displays like that computer keyboard shown recently. It would be like a hardware SoundDiver, but each pot would have a label of what it does. I suppose this could be done with LED/LCD but I think OLED is supposed to end up cheaper.

 

Maybe I'll sketch what I'm thinking of an build one. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...