Howdy everyone!
I know I plan to get a Digitone one day, but I’ve been wondering: can you get D50 sounds out of a Digitone?
Somehow I remember seeing that you can layer sounds with the Digitone, but I’m not sure if it can do linear synthesis like a D50. I have a D05, and though I love the sounds it can produce, that thing is a PAIN IN THE ASS to use.
Doesn’t the D50 work with samples?
Also, I don’t believe the DN layers sounds(from what I recall) I think it layers operators to alter a single sound
Digitone is strictly synthesised FM.
You can layer sounds though. So you could do something similar to the way the D-50/D-05 uses a short transient sample portion on the attack and a waveform for the body of the sound. You’d just be limited (if that’s the right word) to synthesised sound partials, not samples. And you wouldn’t be able to get that grainy/artifact-y lo-fi sound the D50 has sometimes.
Thanks y’all, that clears up some things I have forgotten about how LA synthesis works.
It would be really nice if someone made a modern LA synthesizer. The kind of sounds that can come out of that system are gorgeously lushes, but it’s so tedious to program.
There are software/hardware programmers for the D50/D05 that remedy the situation to a certain degree. I agree, without one it totally sucks.
Yeah, PG-1000 is the grail but costs several times more than the synth, if you can even find one. DTronics are making a boutique sized one with knobs instead of sliders but again, costs about what the synth does.
http://www.dtronics.nl/pages/dt01.html
The software ones work pretty well.
Wow, I can’t believe this an HTML editor! Thanks a lot, although I will admit that actually seeing all of the controls and parameters displayed like so makes it a tad bit more intimidating, lol.
Did anyone try this, or find a video?
I use iPG-800 with an iPad and it works really well.
The Dtronics programmer? I’ve been holding off because of the price but probably will at some point. Not been seeking out videos because I don’t want to tempt myself but I’ve not seen any pop up.
Wasn’t aware of the Dtronics one, but I’m now tempted I have to say
Possible workaround:
Maybe double track the Digi output, apply lofi 8 bit vibes to one track and blend between them?
As mentioned earlier FM and LA synthesis are quite far from eachother in how they work. However when it comes to creating similar sounds it is definitely possible (both ways) However none of these synths can really ”replace” eachother.
I have started to create a new pile of sounds for the Digitone and one of thoose sounds really resembles a D-50 patch. I guess i could share it as a preview 
There is no real x over when it comes to the architecture of the two synths other than the digital subtractive filter plastered on top of the sound gereation section of the relative synths, and the fact that they are digital synths with digital chorus, delays and reverbs.
The static nature of the sampler / wave rompler / linear DCOs or whatever they were called ( compared to the FM operator architecture makes them sit world’s apart. The D50 doesnt come close to the contancerous, metalic side of FM.
And Roland tryed to combat the expesiveness of the DX (competition was the DX7) with the architecture of the synth having attack PCM samples and then seperate sustain “waves” to get movement and expression.
Because they were competing against the DX7 there are some Roland patches in the Ds and in JVs that do recreate great fm sounding patches, Especially some of the pads, with your eyes closed you would think they are FM. They did build a complex synth capable of some lush, complex sounds.
And the DN would never get close to some of those strings, choir voices in the D50 no matter how black your FM programing art is mastered.
Would love a sound sample for those of us who don’t (yet) own a Digitone… 