yeah, on my microfreak i named the default patch (preset 1) to be an INIT patch saved with my studio name so when it boots up at least it’s in a blank state basically, and i don’t have to think i’m on another patch…
on the MF there is an option to Click the encoder to move to the next preset, or just have it do it without confirmation. maybe HS can add that at a later date too? this synth is so crazy none of this will deter me from getting it, but as with all synths - “ah that’s the quirk on this one”
seems like we’re talking about microseconds here when it comes to saving, but hey no worries…
I waited months for Knulies to come back in stock a while ago, and ended up getting some short M3 black nylon standoffs to do the same thing while I waited, but ended up liking the stealth black standoffs and never ended up getting the Knurlies. The stand offs were less about $8 for $100.
I’ve changed my rack around at least 10 times over the past two months, so they’ve been a life saver.
p.s. You can find the banana nuts in the US too if you want to get them.
Although Novation have mentioned that the split filter is not an option for Peak, hope the feature will be enabled in the future as it has the same two 12dB filters inside (missing filter selection button could be mitigated by press/hold Slope+Shape together). So many new sound shaping possibilities would be opened up.
I have 2 Hydrasynths. I tried polychain and it works perfect. The first 8 voices will be played by the master, the 9th till 16th on the slave. Normally not very useful but when using the arpeggiator you have 16 voices and that’s really great.
Most of the time I midi-chained them. In that case the HSK will also play the HSD, and follow the patch changes.(if wanted).
It’s easy to switch modes in the system settings, so very flexible to use.
There’d be more use for poly chaining two Hydrasynths if the Unison mode was polyphonic as it is on some synths, rather than monophonic. That would eat up voices pretty quickly. Of course the HS has the WavStack in the Mutators, so you can get the Supersaw / Hypersaw sound that way with fewer voices. I’ve considered the possibility of using midi processing to repeat the same note across multiple voices in polyphonic mode, to get a polyphonic unison – i think that would work.
Kind of started dreaming about one of these. Probably the desktop one as I don’t really have space for another keyboard right now.
Seems a bit odd that so much space (on both, but especially the desktop given that it sacrifices other knobs) is allocated to the arpeggiator (as much as I love arps, I don’t feel like I’m always adjusting these parameters) – does it make more sense when you use it?
Yes, the space used for the Arp parameters is a waste of real estate IMO and one of a kind. It seems the Hydra was designed with arp-musicians (?!) in mind which have a great need for fast realtime action on the basic (!) arp parameters - lol. Imagine the virtuosity of changing the cutoff frequency WHILE adjusting the arp direction in realtime - massive
Maybe it comes down to taste, but i would have loved an direct LFO or envelope section at this place which comes with dedicated encoders and assignable via the LFO/env buttons.
Haha, yeah that was what I thought too. Would be nicer if they were assignable knobs maybe. Looks like they are notched too so wouldn’t be good for assigning even if they could enable that in a firmware update?
Yes it’s a matter of preference. But i don’t see either design having been about optimizing for space.
If there was a desktop Hydrasynth just optimized for space – The Hydrasynth Module – you’d rely entirely on the multifunction “Master Controls”, and completely eliminate all the exclusively mapped controls for both Arpeggiator and Filter. All the commands on both are available through their specific modes on the “Master Controls” anyways. Plus the user defined “Macros” allows you to customize if you want to mix filter controls, with arpeggiator, with oscillator, with effects, etc. You could reduce the height of the desktop to two thirds of what it is.
So then if you decide to keep the size of the desktop as is, the discussion is which explicit controls are kept out front?
On the arpeggiators, perhaps you keep Tempo, Mode, Ratchet, and Chance.
On the filters i’d leave that as it is.
The redesign of the 37 Keys version is a different matter.
yes, i think they thought “what should we put up in this corner” and went with the arp. The pads are likely the main reason for the format. Otherwise the singalflowcontrols, the macros, the filters and the display would easily fit on a sheet of dinA4 paper.
37 key version? you mean 49 or is there a different version around?
