Hydrasynth from ASM

The Lounge Other Gear
#754

Something i want to get better at too is analyzing patches. Teasing out the detail of a complex Mod-Matrix setup and understanding what it is doing is a bit of a challenge. You don’t immediately realize what is being modulated by what. I have actually been drawing block diagrams, but that takes some time, though it’s helpful.

(I’m a software engineer in a past career life, and have been teasing the idea in my mind of creating something for going from a patch to generate a block diagram that would be meaningful. The reverse of this would be super useful too.)

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#755

I’m in the same shoes as you, I don’t have the skills to make sounds I have in mind, I rely on happy accidents. This synth gives you the ability to reverse engineer patches, so perhaps there’s hope for us lol

I’m joking of course, but i can’t think of a better synth to learn so many methods of sculpting sound.

1 Like
#756

Many patches (A001 Sawpressive for example) have Reverb as a macro knob with a non-zero default value. One thing you need to know about macros and the mod matrix is that they do not modify the original value of the target parameter. They only add to or subtract from it. In other words, you will not see any parameters actually change in response to a macro or mod routing, but you will hear the effects of it.

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#757

This had me for a while when I was deconstructing some of the presets to figure out how they’d done certain things. Scoured the mod matrix several times and was left scratching my head, and then used a macro and realized the things I was looking for were in the macros and their initial values not necessarily being zero.

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#758

Dominic Au again – with an atmosphere sort of thing. Four and a half minutes.

His Notes:
Single patch, mono voice on a sustained note. Only used two LFOs as modulator, no ENV and no ARP. All Hydrasynth onboard FX, touched with Ableton Live.

Amazingly simple in one way, but then again …

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#759

done by Brittle stR music (ADDED EIGHT DAYS LATER: – aka “seenfromspace”)

This is a nice hypnotic arpeggiator patch, that really illustrates ways to make the HS sound multi-timbral, that’ are hidden below the surface, something i’ve described before. In contrast to the last video, this one is much more complex.

From the description on the video, the maker says they used all 5 LFOs. From the description it sounds like they have two LFOs, running at different rates that are each separately running Wavescans on two separate oscillators and a third LFO running a crossfade between those oscillators through the mixer. There are also two envelopes working a filter, one modulating the depth of the other.

This is just one chord from the arpeggiator using Chance to give variation, that works well with the Tempo and Division.

A nice example that is just one of many, many possibilities with self generating patches.

Good touch showing the oscilloscope in the video.

ADDED: If you like this patch check out the explanation of how it was done over on the HS Tips and Tricks Thread right here. Thank you “seenfromspace” !!

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Hydrasynth from ASM - Tips, Tricks and Queries
#760

How is the keybed on this thing? Can anyone compare it to other keybeds like Fatar etc?

#761

(This is a little rehash of things i’ve posted earlier.)

I really like it.

If you are using it conventionally, that is without Poly-aftertouch, or MPE, the interface is totally transparent in use. I’d rate it significantly better in feel compared to my Analog Keys, and a Novation 61SL MkIII.

For extended technique (PA or MPE) i love it. The extra expression is pressure based, there is no extra travel. The only thing i can compare it to is the two synth keyboards i just mentioned, which only have channel aftertouch. These use extra travel on the keyboard, that springiness. I find i have far more control with the HS once i got used to the fact that you can use all your fingers.

With the HS the touch is adjustable in system settings, and there are a ton of parameters if you really want to micro manage things. From the manual:

Aftertouch settings:

  • Aftertouch Delay: the time that transpires between note on and the onset of aftertouch.
  • Aftertouch Fade: the time it takes to ramp aftertouch to its current value from 0.
  • Aftertouch Curve: determines the amount of force required to reach maximum aftertouch values.
  • Aftertouch Offset: reduces the dynamic range of the aftertouch. Positive values set a higher minimum point, so it takes more pressure to start the aftertouch. Negative values set a lower maximum point, so it takes less pressure to reach the maximum
    aftertouch value.
  • Aftertouch Release: more like a compressor than an envelope, this applies to all upwards movements. This can help avoid unwanted modulation “wobble” while pressure is applied.

In addtion to this there is a five-position control for the keyboard velocity curves, depending on your preferences.

Also interesting i note that Ty Unwin in the latest Sonic Talk #609 (toward the end) related how the keyboard he had, had a small amount of extra space between the D and the E keys, and that it annoyed him. I noticed this too, it’s a very minor quirk to me, not an issue but real. It may be half a millimeter or so extra space between the D and E. Otherwise he is very complementary of the synth and the keyboard action. Listen here. He also is raving about his new Korg 2600 – but that’s for another thread.

4 Likes
#762

Appreciate the detailed response.

1 Like
#763

Little did she know , she answered a Zen koan with that song

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#764

To all who own it…

Strongly considering getting this synth but the other one in consideration is the prophet rev2. Now I don’t care about the whole analog vs digital debate or anything but a big reason I want a prophet rev 2 is for gorgeous, Lush pads and you know that kind of sound. I love everything about the Hydra but I’m wondering if they can do these sorts of sounds? Everything I’ve heard from it has been all wavescanning and digital goodness (which I like! I just want analog/old school goodness too which I dont have)

Did some looking around and 3:15 on is stunning. Thinking about it more I’ve gotten Serum to sound very analog and “warm” and even like a Juno to my ears…there are videos on that sort of thing.

Cant help but feel the hydra is way more bang for your buck than the rev2 unless I’m dying for that sound

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#765

You can’t. Hydra is it’s own thing. It’s brass, glass and metallic. You get no warmth. I like some harsh sounds…but if you want something more than thin metallic sounds…Hydra ain’t it.

It’s definitely cool tho.

If I ever get a job and can afford one more board…I think I’d get Hydra keys. Pair that with Peak and I’d have a good range of sounds. (It would be the only piece of gear I bought twice. :open_mouth: )

1 Like
#766

@GirTheRobot I had the desktop version for a week. It’s a fantastic sounding synth, but it is definitely digital in character. Warm mode didn’t help much other than boost the lower frequency curve a bit.

I returned it due to QA issues, like ARP freezing entire synth when setting Clock to Midi in and very low output volumes when using patches with less than 2-3 OSC’s.
I was also a bit disappointed in the Sound character overall. So I got the Analog Four Mk2 instead, which has a much nicer sound character.

Still want a Poly synth though, so I am in the same boat. Either a DS Rev2 or Novation Peak or bite the bullet on the Digitone (which sounds really nice too, they just need to fix the noise clicking due to voice stealing).
I am very leaning towards the DS Rev2, but the Behringer Deepmind 12 would have been an option too, but they don´t have it in stock anywhere around here to try it out. :frowning:

But if you just want to decide between Hydrasynth and Rev2, I would go for the Rev2 if Lush pads is your main interest.

2 Likes
#767

I like the two patches that Michael Feiner put together in the video you linked GirTheRobot.

MajorOSC just released a patchbank for the HS called Ignition. In the past MajorOSC has made patchbanks for the Peak and the DeepMInd, so perhaps this will appeal to you. (ADDED: He also has Serum presets that he is giving away for free.) I queued up a particular one that i think sounds a bit like the examples in your video link from Michael Feiner. The performance here is not nearly as good though, so you’ll need to listen to the patch and not the playing.

It looks like Igniiton will be best for the HSK, in that he’s set up a lot of control using the ribbon and wheels – but they could be changed around easily enough to expression pedal, and/or macros for a HSD user.

One of the things specific in the design of the Ignition patchbank is his use of a complete stereo image. He says that a lot of the patches, duplicate Osc 1 and 2 and their modulations, and then pans the two Oscillators left and right to specifically build in a chorus like effect into the patches. This is a good tip for anyone designing patches on their own too. It would be interesting to compare sounds this method produces to ones that just use the built-in chorus effects.

ADDED: Part 2 of Ignition Demo

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#768

I’ll have to listen more…its definitely a hard decision between the two and both seem like incredible synths. I think I’m leaning toward the sound of the prophet more. The only poly synths I’ve owned are all digital (MS2000, MnM), and my go-to soft synth is Serum so I’m craving that gooey, buttery, detuned sort of prophet sound.

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#769

Ive had the Hydrasynth for about 24 hours, and it is a sound design beast. There is a pretty endless well of things you can do with it.

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#770

There’s a little M4L controller (still in progress but functional) for the Hydrasynth.

https://maxforlive.com/library/device.php?id=6022#14305

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#771

This is interesting. Some very dark ambient music. The HSD is being used primarily to process the audio from the Soma Laboratory Lyra 8, the source of the drone. There is a Digitakt that is mixed in to, and i think it is used to run the HSD.

This was just streamed live. It runs 40 minutes. The Hydrasynth can be used a lot of different ways.

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#772

I’m going to wear out the ribbon controller. But holy shit this machine.

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#773

Yeah tonight Im going to set up some routing similar to this with the digitone. Slowly adding pieces of the studio back together after just messing with the Hydrasynth for a week.