I thought I could write something about these two synths and why they leave my setup. I am limiting number of synths on setup. Which means what ever is on setup has to be versatile. Both of these are limited in my opinion. Korg also has really frustrating Windows driver issue. So frustrating I won’t be buying Korgs anymore. Haven’t checked if it was fixed when this was published but I have had it several times already. It wasn’t fixed when I got it last time during November. You can find two videos explaining the issue and telling the fix. I have used both fixes but you have to do it again and again.
Even without USB driver issue Minilogue wouldn’t stay on setup. One reason is midi implementation. You can’t change voice mode with midi. I like duo mode but I can’t change it with midi. I would use it more than regular polyphonic mode but you have to change it on synth. These wouldn’t matter that much if you play the synth. I use it through DAW. I do all my playing with midi-keyboard and all sound creation through DAW. It is a problem if you can’t fully control the synth via midi. People who play Minilogue has this next problem too. Synth have very limited modulation option. You can only route LFO to three locations. Two of those are oscillators. When you route LFO to oscillators it is always both oscillators. You can’t select one oscillator.
All this wastes potential of great oscillators with their different shapes. Filter isn’t the best but those oscillators. If only you could modulate shape of one oscillator while other’s shape stays the same. Other Korg’s seem to suffer from same lack of modulation options. Yes I have seen Marc Doty’s Monologue videos and what he can get out of them. I am not Marc Doty and don’t find limited modulation options inspiring. Then there is four voice limitation. This will be replaced by something with more than four voices. Four voices isn’t main reason why it will be replaces. All the other things I mentioned are.
Roland SE-02 is weird. It is Roland’s boutique sized Moog Model D. It has few sweet spots where it sounds amazing and small size is always plus when you control everything with midi. Problem is those sweet spots are quite tight. For example oscillator fine tune have five actually usable values unless you want to tune oscillators to semitones. CC range of 127 covers fifteen semitones range because Model D does that too. If you want detuned sound you only have five usable values. Four if you don’t count not detuned as detuned. This is not only place where usable values have limited range. I tend to get best sounds when I use only one oscillator. Second can work but I rarely get anything I like with three oscillators.
You can turn third oscillator into LFO mode but it doesn’t get slow enough. Before latest firmware this was only way to get pulse wave modulation. Later firmware gave dedicated pulse wave modulation LFO. That fixed pulse wave modulation issues I had. You can probably control it with midi but Roland doesn’t give CC number. Control is in official VST controller.
Roland SE-02 leaves the setup because I want real Moog and I am not sure if I have need for it after I have Moog. I am considering getting official VST if it changes my opinion of the synth. SE-02 is small and I could manage USB ports running out by using something that doesn’t need USB with midi cable. SE-02 still has some really sweet spots but it doesn’t spark joy as much as I want.
I have good idea what to replace these with. I am waiting for Moog’s Subsequent 25 module. Someone said Subsequent 25 is new Sub Phatty. Sub Phatty had module version so there is hope Subsequent 25 will get one. One reason I consider getting official VST for SE-02 is to make waiting for the module easier. If module doesn’t come then I have to get keyboard version. For Minilogue I have four options I am considering. Probably going for cheapest option because it offers sonic territory my other synths don’t give. Most expensive one does that too but it costs over six times more. Two in between are just better versions of what I have.
These are the videos I mentioned at the beginning.