the poly800 isnt for someone who plays concertos - that thing is a
square wave lead MACHINE (wish for portamento to the synth gods... :(
maybe when i learn 6502 assembler)
as for dynamics, use the joystick! it's fun! if you like the filters
and want more waveforms, get a DW-8000 (never used one) or a DSS-1
(OMG THIS SYNTH ROCKS... doubles as a coffee table too)
--- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "bugsiwabbit" <Bugsi@m...> wrote:
> --- In DW8000@yahoogroups.com, "Alexander" <arf_hotdogdeity@y...> wrote:
> > I almost bought a poly61, they any good? (i got a poly800 instead...
> > nice little board. but you gotta play around with it to get anything
> > that doesnt sound like a nintendo)
>
>
> I got a Poly800 last year and sadly, I just don't like it at all.
It's in perfect shape, but I have
> to agree with you, it sounds like a nintendo. -Actually, I think
I've heard better sounds
> from a nintendo. The synthesis is subtrative filtering, basically
the same as a DW8000,
> but you only have two waveforms to start with sawtooth and square),
and the keyboard
> isn't velocity or aftertouch sensitive. -Not that I'm complaining
about what it is, I mean for
> its day, it was fine, especially against synths like the Yamaha
DX-100.
>
> To me, its greatest weaknesses are: (1) Lack of any complex
waveforms. It just has two.
> (2) 4 note polyphony. (3) No velocity sensitivity. (4) No
aftertouch sensitivity.
>
> It has a pretty nice filter sweep, but that's about it. Without
velocity or aftertouch, every
> sound, even interesting ones, starts to sound pretty mechanical
really fast.
>
> It can also run off batteries and has attachment points for a guitar
strap, which is pretty
> cool, but you'd still need audio or midi cables to play it live, and
without velocity or
> aftertouch, it's not terribly useful as a controller for other sound
modules.
>
> I think I'll probably be selling my Poly 800, as its sounds are just
too simple, especially
> without any velocity control for expressive dynamics.