SergeModular

--- In SergeModular@y..., "Kirk Degiorgio" <kirk.degiorgio@b...>
wrote:

>
> Hi RM
>
> I agree and sympathise with every point you make. Thx for such a
> constructive post.
>
> I would like to repeat a point I made in a recent post that nobody

seemed

> interested in replying to. It is about the introduction of new

modules

> rather than the
> 'whole panel' issue.

hi kirk, thanks for the kind words, i thought i might get shot down
in flames. i wrote the post to explain my thoughts about the system,
not to start a flame war.

i did not want go on the subject of new modules for the system for
the exact reasons you list below. what is the agreement between Srege
and Rex? i don't know and can't extrapolate on the issue. but i will
say this about future modules. they should compliment the system and
not the other way around.

would a Wasp style filter make the Serge any better or worse? who
knows? the Serge oscillators and its filters have a character that
you don't see elsewhere. if a filter is not complementary with
regards to the oscillators why bother, if it is, go ahead. kirk, you
mentioned in a prior post that because of the lower slopes of the
filters, you had try different ideas to come up with unique sounds,
because of the lack of higher sloped filters, it made you think
outside the box. an excellent and very Magus like approach. i am sure
if you added higher sloped filters people would not object because
they would be in the same livery and keep the system tidy. i know a
few people who own other modular gear and blend their modulars
together with the Serge to get different sounds and textures, that
were unavailable inside the Serge. good for them, and it gives their
Serges a new arsenal of sources, functions and modifiers to intregate
and work with.

the Serge has its signature modules. where i would like to see
improvement is in the voltage controllable logic and control modules.
please bring back the Peak and trough module, the funky gate
sequencer that was in the Sentinel ebay panels( i came very close to
buying those panels to incorporate with other banana based gear i
own), the sequential switch, the voltage control reverbs, etc. design
modules that will complement the system. check the Mikado
Sequencer/logic panel to complement and add further control to any
existing Serge system.

Serge based his designs around a certain parts philosophy. i am not
asking for redesigns, but more a newer production method to
incorporate some the newer parts and methods. by changing to new
productions methods, you could design it to be more modular in terms
of separating the modules. the added bonus is by using newer methods
the costs will go down and the labour will be more manageable.
quality will only go up if it is executed properly. oh well, thanks
everyone for your time, your understanding and patience.

regards and happy patching,

RM

>
> When Rex took over the reins from Serge T.
> was is it on the understanding that the Serge System would develop,

modify

> and expand in capabilities
> or was the understanding/agreement to stay true to the original

designs with

> only minor alterations.
>
> If Rex added VC Reverbs, multi-stage envelopes, 4 pole filters,

wavetable

> oscillators, etc, etc - would the system
> become something completely different? Does the Serge have

a 'sound' in the

> way a Moog Modular or ARP 2500, etc
> does? I believe it does. Would this be lost if new modules were

introduced

> as some has asked, or even if modules were made with more up-to-date
> methods/components as has been suggested?
>
> The Serge is a strange beast because it is a classic instrument

that is

> still under manufacture... the issues of improved/new
> modules is more sensitive because of this. Modcan, MOTM, synth.com,

etc are

> all infants in comparison and the original designers are still
> in charge... adding to, or radically altering Serge modules would

be like

> buying the rights to manufacture the Buchla 200 series and then the

new

> owner of the rights adding new modules to it and modernising the old
> designs. Doesn't seem right to me.
>
> I repeat that I think the Serge is a classic 'as is' and rather

than any

> modernisation of Serge T's original concept I would prefer to see

Rex

> involved in something completely different - like a collaboration

with Grant

> Richter on a new beast.
>
> The cons of the 'wholepanel' format I totally agree with - but I

respect

> Rex's wishes to use this method as a means to keep
> buyers down to a manageable level.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> KD
>
>
> >
> > hello everyone, i just want to say a few things. this is from a
> > customer standpoint. i have owned a Serge before.i bought my

system

> > used. once i grew accustomed to its workings, i found good and bad
> > things about the system. once i understood the system, i set

about on

> > expanding it. first i was planning on how to get more functions

in 3

> > panels to have what i needed function wise.
> >
> > here is my biggest beef. once you lay out a panel, it is basicaly

set

> > for life unless you send it to STS to have it remodelled to the

way

> > you want it configured. i don't have to tell you about the costs
> > involved to do this. a Serge instrument is not an ms20 or a 2600,

but

> > once you commit to panel design, its feels like one figuratively
> > speaking.
> >
> > this is not an instrument which you can absorb in one or two
> > sittings. it takes time to develop your understanding of its
> > functions. a lot of people understand basic substractive

synthesis,

> > but a Serge can give you more than just vco-vcf-vca type patches.

you

> > need minimum 3 panels to get you started. so a potential customer

who

> > is inexperienced in the Serge way will choose a system based on

his

> > prior synthesis experiences. once he gets his Serge and discovers

all

> > the possibilties hidden in the instrument, he will view his
> > instrument in a different way. he will see some things which he

had

> > wished for and things he wishedhe had not chosen for his

instrument

> > and possibly would have laid it out in a different order.
> >
> > this is what happened to me after buying my system. i found the

lack

> > of modularity in the system to be a glaring error. i was trying to
> > layout 3 panels with new modules and doubles of some i already

had to

> > create my personal instrument. i found the lack of modularity to

the

> > modules themselves annoying. here i was trying to design my
> > instrument but was stuck with the previous layout since i bought

it

> > used. now imagine adding more panels to that system. the flow of

the

> > instrument would be all out of place. the panel format is not
> > conducive or flexible to customize your system as it grows. i

could

> > not have imagined buying that system new without getting my feet

wet.

> > i am glad i bought it used, because it taught more about the Serge
> > way and use this knowledge with other instruments. i doubt many
> > people can have that much understanding of a Serge before buying

one.

> > it is a system for the Magus and not for the uninitiated.
> >
> > so i decided not buy any new Serge panels and sold my system. do

i

> > regret selling my system? the answer is yes. do i miss some the

Serge

> > functions. yes. look at John DuVal, he is constantly selling and
> > buying new panels to have the layout he desires. why? because you
> > develop more of an understanding for the instrument as time goes

by.

> > would i want to rack my brain to design a new panel, which might

or

> > might be logical to my instrument? the answer is no. personally, i
> > don't to buy and sell panels to get them the way i want. if the
> > system was truly modular,i would have stuck with it. i would be

able

> > to change modules around in my system and be done with it. if i
> > didn't need a certain module, bam on the market it goes and i

don't

> > have to ditch the rest of the modules in order to do so, i just

order

> > the ones i need and its done.
> >
> > the issue of being a Rolls Royce or upper echelon modular is
> > completely false. Serge knew how to tweak designs from using the
> > simplest of parts. yes the Serge is hand made but it's not up

there

> > for its craftmanship. it is up there because of its ciruits and
> > functions. it is made the same way it was twenty years or so years
> > ago. the basic circuitry of the system has not changed that much.

the

> > comsmetic side did get a good makeover but that's it. when you

look

> > at the TKB, it is a labourious job to build one. with the
> > advancements in production and the new parts available out there,

the

> > production time of the TKB could be down considerately if STS

built a

> > motherboard that used surface mounted pots. you would save on all

the

> > wire cutting , and soldering and eliminate the risk for error. it

is

> > time for the Serge to go through another transformation, just

like it

> > did in the '70's. i am sure sure people were having these

discussions

> > back then. so why are people shying away from the Serge's

inevitable

> > need to change, so it can come into the 21st century.
> >
> > i respect Rex's wishes to to keep it a cottage industry size
> > business, but i believe he is doing the Serge modular a

disservice by

> > keeping it the same. the Serge and its production deserves to be
> > modernized. you can also ask yourself the question, why did Serge
> > Tcherepnin leave Serge the company and passed the torch down to

Rex

> > Probe? maybe it is time for Rex to do the same, so the Serge can

have

> > more modules available to the people out there who balk at the

format

> > of the Serge, but actually want to buy them and can't deal with

its

> > format. the modules and circuits deserve much better.
> >
> > these comments are not ment to be harmful but rather as

contructive

> > points which could open up the Serge to other potential users who
> > have some of the same issues regarding Serge Intruments. i

absolutely

> > love the sound and functions of the Serge but feel opposed to its
> > idiosyncratic format. hopefully better things will prevail for the
> > future.
> >
> > Regards,
> > RM
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> > SergeModular-unsubscribe@y...
> >
> > Keep on Patchin'!
> >
> >
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> >
> >