Sequential Take 5

Description

Sequential Take 5

The Sequential Take 5 combines the Californian company's historical expertise with the precision of modern technologies. The result is a powerful yet compact 5-voice polyphonic synth, featuring 2 VCOs, a 4-pole Low Pass filter with resonance and drive, a reverb, a multi-FX, and an overdrive. All of this is conveniently controllable via a rich array of potentiometers and buttons, an extensive modulation matrix, a 44-key Fatar Premium keyboard sensitive to velocity and aftertouch, an arpeggiator, and a 64-step polyphonic sequencer. Free Poly Chain update The free update introduces Poly Chain, new arpeggiator modes, Whiplash, and Violet Noise, making the instrument even more versatile without altering its classic character. Giaga Robot demonstrates Sequential Take 5 Sound Synthesis in the Take 5 At the heart of the instrument's sound generation are 2 fully analog oscillators that allow for continuous waveform morphing. Selectable waveforms for each VCO are: sine, sawtooth, and variable-width square. The pitch of the square-wave sub-oscillator is correlated to oscillator 1. Each oscillator offers a dedicated potentiometer to continuously vary the pitch within a +/-7 semitone range. The two VCOs can be configured in Hard Sync mode so that OSC 1 follows OSC 2 to create rich and sharp-sounding leads. The FM button in the center of the Mixer section allows oscillator 2 to modulate oscillator 1 to obtain "metallic" sounds particularly appreciated on sounds such as pads and plucks. For both oscillators, the sub-oscillator, and the noise generator (Pink, White Noise), there are dedicated volume controls. Two knobs are dedicated to glide, the first to adjust the amount of the effect, the second to manage its duration. The Unison button allows up to five voices to be played simultaneously, with the freedom to assign the amount of detune between each voice. This will allow you to create very full-bodied sounds with plenty of punch. Pressing the same button while playing a chord of up to 5 notes, the Chord Memory function will memorize the intervals and then transpose and reproduce them following the note you play on the keyboard. With its analog components, the Take 5 is able to create the classic polysynth sounds that have made history in sound design. To relive the original imperfection of past synths, a knob called Vintage introduces parameter variations on individual voices, thus creating a more organic sound. Sequential Take 5 video review by Giulio Curiel The filter of the Sequential Take 5 The four-pole resonant low-pass filter is based on the design of one of the two filters of the Prophet-5 rev 4: the SSI 2140 VCF. The filter can self-oscillate by bringing the resonance control to high values, and can be modulated by one of the envelopes and by other sources configurable in the modulation matrix. It features a drive control to increase the input signal level in order to apply analog saturation to our sound. Modulations in the Take 5 The modulations of the Take 5 are applicable via two LFOs (1 global and 1 per voice), two D(delay)-ADSR envelopes with variable routing (filter, amplifier, auxiliary). The LFOs offer five waveforms: triangle, sawtooth, inverse sawtooth, square, and random (sample & hold). They can be synchronized to the internal clock or external MIDI and are also freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations. But that's not all, thanks to an extensive modulation matrix, you can assign numerous sources to the various parameters of the synthesizer, all in an extremely simple way by means of modulation learn. Effects of the Sequential Take 5 A reverb and a programmable multi-effect together with a dedicated overdrive are ready to give you all the tools necessary to define your sound. With the Sequential Take 5, programming classic sounds will be very natural, but with continuously variable wave shaping, front panel access for analog FM, and this array of effects to close the chain, we ensure the possibility of creating modern and futuristic sounds. The multi-effect allows us to select, apply, and modify one of the following effects: stereo delay, emulation of a vintage BBD (bucket-brigade) delay, tape delay and tape delay 2 (with more saturation), chorus, flanger, phaser (6 stages), ring mod, vintage rotating speaker, distortion or high-pass filter. On the independent reverb, we can control parameters such as mix, damping, pre-delay, decay, and tone (hi-pass/low-pass). Keyboard and controls of the Sequential Take 5 The Take 5 features a Fatar premium semi-weighted 44-key (3.5 octaves) full-size keybed, sensitive to velocity and monophonic (bipolar) aftertouch; the latter is freely assignable to multiple modulation destinations. A very particular and useful function is Low Split, through which you can transpose only the first half of the keyboard by 1 or 2 octaves, so you can play lower octaves with your left hand and higher octaves of the same sound with your right hand. Indispensable are the wheels for pitch control (spring-loaded), with a variable range on each preset, and modulation. The Hold button allows the sound played to be sustained until it is released and, when used with the arpeggiator, activates the Latch function. Thanks to its 47 potentiometers and 50 buttons, the Sequential Take 5 synthesizer gives you immediate access to all its parameters, to create a sound from scratch or to modify a preset. The Live Panel Mode, once activated, ensures that the parameters of the currently used sound are brought to the actual value corresponding to the position of the potentiometers on the instrument's panel. In essence, the preset settings will be abandoned: what you see is what you hear, and the physical controls are ready to interact directly with the sound played. Use this function when you want to experiment, study sound synthesis, or for immediate gratification typically reserved for vintage analog instruments. Arpeggiator and Polyphonic Step Sequencer The programmable arpeggiator of the Sequential Take 5 can be configured in the classic Up, Down, Up + Down, Random sequences, and in the order in which we play the notes. Synchronizable to external MIDI Clock or internal Master Clock with Tap Tempo (BPM control and display), the arpeggiator also provides configurable Re-latch and Sustain functions. The notes generated by the arpeggiator can be transmitted to the MIDI OUT; through the dedicated Global setting, we can decide whether to send them both via DIN and via USB, or only to one of the two options. The Step Sequencer allows you to internally record and play back sequences of notes and/or chords (max 5 notes per step) with a maximum duration of 64 steps. Velocity data is included in the sequence. The sequence, once recorded, can be transposed. You can also play over your sequence if you have enough polyphony. Connections of the Sequential Take 5 In an instrument designed by Dave Smith, complete MIDI connectivity could not be missing, consisting of the classic triad (In, Out, and Thru) on 5-pin DIN connectors and a class-compliant USB type B port (no drivers needed) for bidirectional communication with your PC or Mac computer, or with another instrument that supports MIDI connections via USB (e.g., Akai Pro MPC or Force). To your Take 5 you can connect a Footswitch Sustain pedal (1/4" TS jack) and an expression pedal (1/4" TRS jack) that you can freely assign to control any parameter (volume, filter cutoff, etc.) via the modulation matrix. As audio outputs, there are two (L and R) 1/4" TS jacks and a stereo headphone output (TRS) on a 1/4" jack. Features of the Sequential Take 5

• 5-voice polyphonic analog synth

• Fatar Premium 3.5-octave keyboard

• Semi-weighted, with velocity and aftertouch (mono)

• 128 user and 128 factory memories

• 2 VCOs (SSI 2130) per voice

• Continuously variable wave

• Sine, saw, variable-width square

• Square wave sub-oscillator

• Hard Sync and FM

• Unison with Chord Memory

• 4-pole LP VCF (SSI 2140) with resonance and drive

• 2 LFOs, 2 DADSR envelopes

• Modulation matrix with learn function

• Vintage Knob

• Polyphonic Glide (portamento)

• 64-step polyphonic sequencer

• Programmable arpeggiator

• Effects: Reverb, Multi-FX, Overdrive

• Clock: Master (Tap Tempo), external MIDI

• BPM control and display

• MIDI: In, Out, and Thru DIN, USB type B

• Main stereo output (2 x 1/4′′ TS jack)

• Headphone output (1/4" TRS stereo jack)

• 1 x 1/4′′ TS jack input for Sustain pedal

• 1 x 1/4′′ TRS jack input for expression pedal

• Dimensions and weight: 63.5x32.4x11.2cm; 7.7 kg

• IEC connector for power supply

• Consumption: max 14W

Specifications

• 5-voice polyphonic analog synth

• Fatar Premium 3.5-octave keyboard

• Semi-weighted, with velocity and aftertouch (mono)

• 128 user and 128 factory memories

• 2 VCOs (SSI 2130) per voice

• Continuously variable wave

• Sine, saw, variable-width square

• Square wave sub-oscillator

• Hard Sync and FM

• Unison with Chord Memory

• 4-pole LP VCF (SSI 2140) with resonance and drive

• 2 LFOs, 2 DADSR envelopes

• Modulation matrix with learn function

• Vintage Knob

• Polyphonic Glide (portamento)

• 64-step polyphonic sequencer

• Programmable arpeggiator

• Effects: Reverb, Multi-FX, Overdrive

• Clock: Master (Tap Tempo), external MIDI

• BPM control and display

• MIDI: In, Out, and Thru DIN, USB type B

• Main stereo output (2 x 1/4′′ TS jack)

• Headphone output (1/4" TRS stereo jack)

• 1 x 1/4′′ TS jack input for Sustain pedal

• 1 x 1/4′′ TRS jack input for expression pedal

• Dimensions and weight: 63.5x32.4x11.2cm; 7.7 kg

• IEC connector for power supply

• Consumption: max 14W