I was just looking at the manual and came across the “LFO 1 envelope” in the list of mod sources. Can anyone explain to me what the LFO envelope is? It sounds like a simple AD envelope built into the LFO that attenuates the LFO? But then you can use that to modulate other things? Have I got that right? This is not the most complex synth, but this sounds like a nice little extra.
Pretty sure that is and Attack/Decay envelope for fading in and out LFO1.
One cool thing i saw in the manual is that the Sample and Hold mode of the LFOs is proper sample and hold. It samples the other lfo. Not just noise into and SH for random modulations like LFO´s usually do.
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Yeah seems like some nice little features around the the modulation options. I do wonder if the 8 stage wave envelope will feel cumbersome to edit with it basically needing 16 knobs to set up, it being split into 2 layers over 8 knobs is hopefully a reasonable solution. Between the 2 regular envelopes, 8 stage wave envelope, 4 stage free envelope, 2 lfos, humanization options… the M certainly shouldn’t be hurting for creative modulation.
Yeah. I was thinking the same thing — that the wave envelope seemed a bit awkward. I guess you don’t have to use all of the stages. And maybe you’d get used to using two hands, adjusting each pair quickly. But it definitely seems to be the most ungainly element. It reminds me of the Rossum Control Forge module — almost more envelope than you need. I say that now. It might be something you come to really see the value of in time. I can see it being useful if time could be set to divisions of incoming clock.
Another question: Is there no hold or latch other than when using the arpeggiator?
it is.
(at least on a MW II XT)
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Hint: Page 57.
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That page talks about hold mode when using the arpeggiator. What I asked was ”other than when using the arpeggiator.” I’m pretty sure my other synths have “hold” that works with or without the arpeggiator.
Some new demo…
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Sorry, i am not an english native speaker. Then i missunderstood your question. Some other synths have a hold note function but not this one AFAIK.
Ah, no problem.
I thought a synth like this, where you might want to make long, developing tones with that 8-stage envelope, might make you wish it had a hold button.
This sounds really cool but after listening to all those patches by Carr (whose patch-making skills are totally awesome)… they are excellent… but a little bit same-y maybe? I think it might just be the sound of the synth? What do others think?
I don’t know. Maybe they thought why implement this when every Arturia Keystep has already its own hold button?
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Some great sounds in there, funnily I just got to spend a few hours on a PPG 2.3 doing some preset surfing… impressed with how well the M seems to do ppg presets. Really really hoping to see my shipping notice soon.
Well, it sounds like a Waldorf/Palm synth 
Which, if you don’t currently have one, but like them, this is for you! If you have a uWave/XT/PPG/Wave etc. then you may not need it. 
It has that sound.
That said one can do so much more with this architecture than just those sounds. You basically have three trillion waveforms available, plenty of modulation, etc.
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Erm…Waldorf dropped over a 1000 presets into that instrument. SC only showcased a few of the ones that he came up with. And actually I find them quite versatile. Still more mellow and a lot of play with the panning he did though, that’s his style. Other artists came up with very different sounds.
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True, one of the earlier demos made it sound like a Super SID.
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Oh yeah for sure, don’t get me wrong, I think it sounds totally SICK! You’re right as well that even just within the SC patches there’s plenty of versatility. It’s more like a certain graininess that I can hear in all of them, including other patches I’ve heard. I guess that’s just the Microwave character, I’ve never owned a Waldorf before. I really want one of these. I listened through those SC patches in bed 3 times last night, they are sweet. I did notice that a lot of them use panning to great effect.
Also… it looks badass!
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Oh yes, that’s the aliasing that makes it so special. I love it! But M offers actually the option to operate the Osc in a Microwave I mode with 8 Bits and more aliasing or rather in M mode with modern much less aliasing in higher sample rate. Check out the Osc section in the manual i posted earlier, page 32.
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Great demo! Diggin these sounds.
There will be graininess in the uWave and PPG waveforms as they’re 8-bit. Crunchy waves through analog filters is kind of the charm of these synths, and things like the Wiard Waveform City / MiniWave. I need to go through the specs/manual again, as I’m not sure if there are banks of higher resolution wavetables or antialiasing algorithms available. Either way, it’s a pretty versatile setup. I keep getting distracted when I go to properly read up on the finer details.
Edit: Ok, it has high-res/sample rate, and smoothing for XT/uWII mode, and reduces all to 8 bit for uW mode. That is PERFECT. That gets you the crunch and grain, and the silky.
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