Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Forum for SH-201
Post Reply
bvalentine
Posts: 3
Joined: 18:17, 14 May 2009

Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by bvalentine »

Hey ya'll,

I see where folks have brushed on this topic, but I can't find where my specific question in regards to piano, organ patches has been answered.

I know the SH-201 is a Synth and NOT an arranger... and maybe these questions are tiring, but perhaps a thorough answer will keep this topic from popping up over and over again.

Alright: Because it is a synth, the SH-201 does not come with sounds like Grand Piano and Hammond Organ... but I see where it does come with a Library computer program where you can download sounds. As a part of that package, can you download realistic-ish non-synth sounds? Can you save those sounds and play em live? Can you split key with those sounds (ex: have a gnarly synth bass on the left and a carnival farfisa or piano on the right)?

The reason I am asking is because I need to be able to play (live without a laptop), a synth bass on the left and various synths, piano, rhodes, organ, and farfisa on the right and be able to switch between these sounds relatively easy.

If this isn't possible or practical with the sh-201, maybe somebody could recommend another keyboard in the same price range? I've researched the juno-d but it has horrible reviews.

The SH-201 is the coolest thing I'm seeing out there. If I could just get 4 or 5 other non-synth sounds out of it... it would be perfect.

THANKS!!!!
User avatar
Artemiy
Site Admin
Posts: 19754
Joined: 13:00, 17 April 2003
Location: Ukraine
Contact:

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by Artemiy »

Well, you bought a pure synth and it cannot generate any real-world sounds like piano or guitar etc., it is simply not made to produce such sounds. Think of it like a dedicated instrument rather than an all-sound workstation: SH-201 excels at doing one thing, that is making great synth, bass and pad sounds.
Blues4dog
Posts: 199
Joined: 12:53, 14 November 2008
Location: Tasmania
Contact:

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by Blues4dog »

Fantoms and Juno-G/Stage for real world instruments, especially with SRX boards. I also have a Juno-D and don't understand it's bad reviews. It is a different animal to the Juno-G but does have some great sounds if you are prepared to tweak the realtime controls. Particularly with the synth and pad patches.
Atziluth
Posts: 314
Joined: 16:45, 9 June 2008

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by Atziluth »

The SH-201 is a synth not a workstation, I am sorry for you then it will never have a full piano sound on it.

I would say buy a second hand Juno G or something like that.
dumeril7
Posts: 10
Joined: 19:03, 2 April 2009

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by dumeril7 »

The editor/librarian just gives you a way to edit and organize patches, it doesn't change the sound capabilities of the instrument. So you're only going to be able to approximate real-life instruments. Sometimes it'll be good enough; most of the time it won't. On the flip-side, sample-based instruments aren't as great for doing the sounds that the SH-201 does very easily.

If I were you, I'd get a used rompler module off e-bay and use it for non-synthetic sound, controling it using the 201's keyboard.

D7
User avatar
vox
Posts: 329
Joined: 13:12, 24 February 2009
Location: Paris, France

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by vox »

Organs do produce a quite simple waveform compared to pianos, and a SH-201 might be quite suited to reproduce those.

At least, on a V-Synth it is a piece of cake, perhaps not with all the 8 drawbars of a classic Hammond beast, but a quite convincing fac-simile. It is my understanding that the SH-201 has the required features.

Classic Hammond basic design is to stack different (almost) sine wave harmonics when you open the drawbars. First OSC set to sine is perfect to generate the fundamental frequency, and second OSC set to triangle will add the needed harmonics (additive synthesis beauty).

Try that setup :

OSC1 waveform: sine.
OSC1 PWM: between 2 and 3 o' clock.
OSC2 waveform: triangle.
OSC2 PWM: almost 3 o' clock.
OSC1+2 Mod set to mix.
Filter set to Low-pass, no envelope, a bit of key-follow (but not important), -12dB fade / octave and no resonance at all. A 2 o' clock position should do.
TVA ADSR to : 0/0/max/a little bit. You might want to set an LFO to control pan here, to have some kind of rotary.

Add chorus (a mid setting with no feedback is a good start), and some reverb, and voila!
bvalentine
Posts: 3
Joined: 18:17, 14 May 2009

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by bvalentine »

Thanks guys...

Love my 201 regardless.

It's just a curious area because I can hook it to my laptop and access the virtual instruments and get the bread & butter sounds through the recording app. But I guess in that scenario it's simply a controller, my computer is doing all the work.
User avatar
PauloF
Posts: 4201
Joined: 02:35, 16 January 2006
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by PauloF »

Have you considered a SonicCell to join your SH-201? it is very versatile and has rompler killer sounds
bvalentine
Posts: 3
Joined: 18:17, 14 May 2009

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by bvalentine »

SonicCell

That's a $1,000 unit. If money wasnt an object I probably wouldnt mess with the sh-201 at all. I'm thinking of getting a Yamaha MM6 just to have for bread & butter misc stuff. Have to put back a bit more dough.
Re-Member
Posts: 114
Joined: 02:11, 4 June 2007
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by Re-Member »

I created an acoustic piano patch that sounds convincing (except in the higher keys), but it eats up both the Lower and Upper parts of the patch. I included it as an attachment below.
User avatar
PauloF
Posts: 4201
Joined: 02:35, 16 January 2006
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Contact:

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by PauloF »

OK, the Yamaha MM6 could also do the trick for you, I agree, but over here in Europe it is more expensive than the SC. The SC is sold for about 500 €.
Anyway, the MM6 has a keyboard included ;-)
joenemeth1
Posts: 7
Joined: 01:22, 24 October 2009

Re: Those Damn Non-Synth Sounds

Post by joenemeth1 »

even thought the sh-201 is a synth, i have recreated multiple life like instrument sounds on it, it just takes time and thinking.
Post Reply