Kurzweil PC3 OS 2.0 Open Beta.

Oh, Hi guyz!

Kurzweil is having an open beta for the PC3x/K OS 2.0. Awesome....

Some PC3 users might want to sign up for this. Hopefully the evil portamento "bug" is gone and B3 updated.

If it really is a 2.0, there should be some big updates/bug fixes. I was expecting OS 1.4 or something, but this is good news .

I heard FM Operator and saw+

yeah, those are nice.

But I really hope for better leslie and the damn mono bug fixed!

And other bug fixes would be nice too - but the bugs generally are minor.

Maybe couple new VA sounds as well

Maybe couple new VA sounds as well

There is 200 new VA sounds coming with the next OS release.

Nice, I can't wait!

Wow, that is a lot. Now I just need to get me a PC3 to go with my PC3x

Where do you get all this new info?

I guess Cowzar already installed his beta OS, since he signed up for it.

I signed up too, and got e-mail saying I am in.

But no objects have been released yet. Probably takes week or two till they start, but who knows.

Dave Weiser mentioned it in a conversation over the upcoming OS on my forum back at the start of August.

I should correct that the VA sounds are not in the next release...but coming around the same time.

Whoops !! Sorry.

Quoting word for word what Dave said:

"Also, note - the new object file, which will accompany the OS, is NOT the same thing as the upcoming set of 200 VA sounds - that's a separate thang. Good news is that the VA collection requires neither the new OS nor the new objects."

I've been following various threads about what may or may not be in the new OS. To my knowledge it will include:

1.) SAW+ block. Mostly for economy since all the same stuff can be done in other ways.

2.) Dedicated FM block.

3.) ROM keymap editing (this is huge imho).

4.) Bug fixes and etc.

Hey Morten,

Where did you hear this? Are you involved in the beta testing group?

I am reading the patch notes and there is nothing about FM operator.

There is a keymap editor though. And many modes have been improved.

BUT the lamest mono bug is still in. It's amazing how you can't do normal monophonic play on 2k (well now only 1k) keyboard.... Many other "real" bugs are gone though.

Anyway I am going to report it and then hopefully they fix it... But it's very possible that it ain't possible.

So where did Morten get it from? Did he literally make it up? Or hear it from somewhere else?

I think Dave might have said it, but again the patch notes are not final.

Anyway looking into this I think PC3 actually already has an FM mode block the SW(plus)shaper.

I'm aware of the SAW+ Shaper way to implement FM.

When implementing it, however, I'm always trying to translate DX7 terms into it. So, if you input a Keymap into the SAW+ block, is that the modulator? Or is it a mixed audio signal? It's like translating a language.

So an FM block with the same terms (carrier, modulator, feedback, etc.) would firstly, be clearer. But also the addition of "feedback" would be awesome. And finally, if it came to pass that FM blocks were added to cascade mode, you would have a ridiculous number of operators, like at least 32 or something. Not that you'd need all of them, but that would allow for some wild programming.

SW+SHP is a sine carrier. Everything you input into it is modulator. You vary the level of input signal with some AMP block or something like that to set the amount of modulation.

And what do you mean "added to cascade mode"? You can cascade layers containing anything, including SW+SHP blocks.

Jeez, Mega, you gotta chase me down from Sonikmatter just to be cranky!?!

Perhaps "added to cascade mode" was a poor choice of words. What I meant was, FM operators in cascading layers would be awesome. I am not incorrect using the word "cascading" here...Kurzweil uses this terminology all over their literature.

Speaking of terminology, you have to admit that it is very confusing that SAW+SHAPER is a sine carrier.

It is common knowledge that FM was "hidden" in VAST this way on purpose. Because back (around 1989, or 1990) during the development of VAST in the K2000, Kurzweil tried to license FM from Yamaha, and Yamaha declined the request. So Kurzweil hid FM with different words.

Now that the patent has expired, it would be great (in my humble opinion) if Kurzweil could simply configure an FM block as an operator, and conform the FM vernacular as most of us understand from ye' ole DX7. I mean implement terms like "Modulator", "Carrier" and so on. ALSO, since there isn't a true feedback loop (I think) implementing that too in a FM Block would be quite cool.

Look, I really like programming, but trying to wrap my brain around FM in terms of several regular VAST blocks in tough. Maybe I'm just not that smart. But guys like Paul Dillen SELL those FM programs because its a little puzzling to cats like me. That clearly indicates that LANGUAGE MATTERS. Let me say that again:

THE LANGUAGE WE USE MATTERS.

Any marketing executive, or advertising copywriter lives by that axiom. So if Kurzweil uses the conventional FM terms in a logical FM block, that would totally rule.

this is what Dave said

Unfortunately the PC3 does not allow filter FM.

I'm pretty sure that we will be releasing a new FM alg soon, but it will only be sine wave based I believe.

Because we talk about VA-1 prototype

News on FM

Update - one of our guys is working on a 2-block 2 oscillator FM alg.

It is not working properly yet.

Here is Dave Weiser's exact statement, copied and pasted from the Sonikmatter forum; note, he does not say its sine wave only:

Man you guys are WAY to obsessed with FM.

Too much of that stuff will rot your brains!

Our software guys have been working on a 2-block 2 operator FM alg in the works.

So you'd need 3 layers for 6 operators.

It is not ready yet - doesn't sound good.

If and when we do get it working properly, we will release it and I'll announce here.

Maybe someone can re-post this on HC.

Well, it's not confusing at all if you think of what FM actually does instead of specific terminology that some company had used for its implementation.

Hi Franz,

This is not quite correct.

The algorithms for FM on the K2000 series were removed.

If you would like more information on FM programming on the PC3 then you can take a look at our tutorials:

"Experiments in VAST - FM Synthesis on the K2" which leads into FM on the PC3.

You will also see that we hunted out the FM MOD dsp while dissecting the PC3 and PC3LE file format in creating our PC3 SPY software ahile back.

As I've mentioned on my forum, I think that Algorithm 137 in the beta 2.0 program is the template for FM in the PC3 (which is called FM MOD), as the last dsp block has 2 input wires and 1 output wire and can not be set to anything but NONE.

Conspiracy theorists believe that this dsp is proof man never went to the moon, but we all know otherwise.

Cheers

Brian

Happy to say that the mono bug is now long gone (FINALLY!).

Anyone who is doing mono solos without legato can now return their PC3s to lower tier on the stand =). No need for microkorg anymore...