I realize it's been nearly a year since I updated this blog, which I apologize for: been caught up with various projects, both relevant and irrelevant to music.
During the time between blog entries, I acquired the Korg X5DR rackmount synthesizer since I didn't have the budget for the 01/RW. Overall, it was a worthwhile purchase in my book.
The X5DR is primarily a General MIDI module, though it does contain 200 non-GM programs and combinations (each) as well. Partially for this reason, it also has the benefit of both multi-timbral mode and up to 64 voice polyphony! The sounds themselves are fairly bread and butter for the most part, but I enjoy them all the same.
During the time between blog entries, I acquired the Korg X5DR rackmount synthesizer since I didn't have the budget for the 01/RW. Overall, it was a worthwhile purchase in my book.
The X5DR is primarily a General MIDI module, though it does contain 200 non-GM programs and combinations (each) as well. Partially for this reason, it also has the benefit of both multi-timbral mode and up to 64 voice polyphony! The sounds themselves are fairly bread and butter for the most part, but I enjoy them all the same.
While it's great for General MIDI playback and, unlike the more advanced followup TR-Rack, allows editing of all non-GM sounds without an external MIDI editor, I do find myself frustrated in other small ways. Probably the biggest gripe: the 200 programs and combis are stored in two banks, and only one of those banks can be loaded by the synth at a time. This can definitely be a hassle for sound designers if they have too many sounds to fit into only 100 patch slots.
This particular post isn't just a review, however: I also managed to find a way to rewrite 01/W presets to load at all in the X5DR. Obviously, waveshaping is not an option in this module, and there are a few missing samples as well (which I tried my best at replacing with similar ones), but if you don't have the budget for an 01 series keyboard either, then you could consider trying out my converted patches on an X5DR, or its keyboard version, the X5D.
That's all I have to say for now about this module, except to say that if enough people express interest, I may make a followup video exploring the other bank of programs from the module as well as my 01W patch conversions.
This particular post isn't just a review, however: I also managed to find a way to rewrite 01/W presets to load at all in the X5DR. Obviously, waveshaping is not an option in this module, and there are a few missing samples as well (which I tried my best at replacing with similar ones), but if you don't have the budget for an 01 series keyboard either, then you could consider trying out my converted patches on an X5DR, or its keyboard version, the X5D.
That's all I have to say for now about this module, except to say that if enough people express interest, I may make a followup video exploring the other bank of programs from the module as well as my 01W patch conversions.
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